T H E C O V E N A N T E R
days or so from there. Then possibly a the heavy casualties we were I believe
longer period later. I’ve no idea yet how opposed by a whole German Corps and I
long we will be here. believe it was touch and go. However, the
Luckily on our arrival we had lunch in chaps behind were able to get away. So
the local big Hotel. They gave us the Hell much happened and so quickly that it is
of a spread, plied us with wine & cigars, impossible to sort it all out in ones
and then refused any payment. Then the mind yet. But alone get the true story of
Manager put himself and his car at our
what happened to other people.
disposal. Kenneth had the bright idea of
So many are just missing, and so far one
calling on some relations of his wife’s -
has not been able to find out any more
Lady Cory and her daughter, who is living
about them. Edward Bradford I hear was
here. She is married to the elder brother
shot in the thigh and leg. I can’t find out
of a chap called MacGowan, who was at
anything definite about Peter T. One man
St. Andrews with me. The father is the big
told me he had seen him fall and hold
noise in I.C.I., her husband is also high up
in munitions, but chucked it all to go and
his leg as if hit. Another that they passed
fight with his Territorial Regt, and is in the
him when he was lying in a ditch helping
Near East somewhere. They insisted on all
a wounded man, and that he had laughed
three of us staying with them. Kenneth has
and waved to him. Robert Miller was killed
gone off up North as he is on the Div. Staff.
a day or two earlier. Poor Tim Hickman
We are still here in the absolute lap
was leading a patrol against some snipers
of luxury. Living in a lovely old country
when he was machine-gunned and killed
house in the most glorious surroundings.
- he’d shown me his map-case earlier in
They insist on feeding us like fighting-
the day, which had a bullet right through
cocks and giving us breakfast in bed. The
it. Michael Turner was seriously wounded
have also lent us their car to get about in
by M.G. fire in the afternoon. I hear some
We had a tennis party yesterday. I am now chaps tried
completely rested and recovered and fit as a to bring him in, but when they lifted him
flea. the blighters opened fire and got him
One must have burnt up an enormous
again and he asked to be left. There were
amount of energy. The amount one could
volunteers to go after him next morning
eat and sleep for the first couple of days
but Burke quite rightly had to refuse to
was quite remarkable. I had reached the
allow it. About dusk on that big day, there
stage at one time of going bang off to sleep
had been a mistaken order to withdraw
standing up and even while marching. The
about Ω a mile. The C.O. personally led a
distances we marched must have licked the
very gallant bayonet charge back to the hill
old Mons affair into a cocked hat. We had
four days marching towards Belgium, were
we had vacated. John Law & I were on the
lorried up to a river-line, which we held
right flank doing heroic stuff out in front. I
while the others got away. Then fought
remember pulling John’s leg about it as we
and marched round in a complete circle
advanced! We regained the hill, but were
and a bit back into Belgium again. Then
blown to Hell by enemy M.Gs., Mortars
fought and marched back to Dunkirk, in
and Arty. Old John went back to rally some
various rear-ground positions parts of it
stragglers, brave as a lion and threatening
were of course by M/T, but that provided
to shoot ’em. I hear he stopped a bad one
little rest of us leaders, as of course one
in the arm while doing
had to keep awake to watch the route and
so. I had some 20 rifles and one Bren in a
see things were going all right. We had
furrow on top of the hill. Jerry then opened
our toughest bit about two days march up the very devil of an Arty & Mortar
outside the perimeter round Dunkirk. We concentration. When it had abated a bit I
lost some 500 chaps there. Burke came up was trying to discover if anyone was left on
to take command again as the Col. had
my left, when old Pop appeared supported
stopped a couple, and Jack Sutherland,
by three chaps & hit in a couple of places.
who had missed the worst of it as he was
He was very heroic, and said ‘Well I leave
doing M/TO. Archie Douglas and I were the
you in sole charge. This position is vital to
only two original Coy. Comdrs left. Archie
the B.E.F. and must be held at all costs’. I
proved himself a first class fighting soldier.
said I’d do my best - with 20 men!
He became 2nd I/C and we reorganised
Next Johnny Gaussen appeared. He had
into two Coys of about 60 rifles each.
Known as the Hendriks & Sutherland Coys
been carrying on since morning winged
respectively - quite like the old days of
in the arm and now had one in the leg.
Angus Regt! On the day our Brigade had
He still wanted to hang on and try & help,
but I with some difficulty persuaded him to
63
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