T H E C O V E N A N T E R
The Hearse Revisited
Needless to say the girls looked
apprehensive as we approached, thinking
A True Story by R.J. Coleman
perhaps that they may be arrested or worse
but we had no such intentions. They were
It was July 2nd 1945, the war in Europe was
both very attractive and dressed in the
over and my Battalion had vacated Stendal,
East Germany to allow the Russians to
traditional Dirndl skirt.
secure their border line and we were
Although forbidden, we were keen to
enroute to taking up a new position within
converse and learn from one another.
the British Zone of West Germany. No more
We sat down under a large apple tree but
fighting to be done, we were now part of
of course the problem was the language
the Occupation Forces after six long years
barrier which we solved with facial
of war. Everyone was jubilant with the
expressions, hand gestures and the turned
exception of the German population. We
to the phrase books. We quickly established
finally arrived at our destination, a lovely
that the girls had returned from Hamburg
town called Bad Gandersheim (the prefix
after visiting friends and they had made a
’Bad’ meaning Spa) which was untouched
stop-over in Gandershiem before returning
by the ravages of war. The Battalion of six
to the Eastern Zone and their families. The
Company’s was quickly dispersed in and
girls were cousins, Waltraut was 19 years
around the town with each Company
old and single, whilst Ilse was 23 years old
having its own area to police. Our
and married. Suddenly Waltraut took a
immediate task was to maintain law and
book from the pocket of her blouse, looked
order among the civilian population in
at me and said with an accent but in perfect
accordance with the Military Government
English:
that had been established. Little did I realise
‘Tell me something’, followed by: ‘The
at that time that events over the ensuing
cat sat on the mat’
months would be responsible for changing
I was amazed and laughed and she told me
the course of my life.
she had been taking English lessons from
Within a few days of our arrival in
a local teacher. I was very impressed and
Gandersheim, all personnel were given
knew straight away that I liked this girl and
two small booklets issued by Divisional
wanted to see her again so we arranged to
H.Q. and drafted by General Montgomery
meet the next day in the same spot.
(Monty) G.O.C. One booklet detailed
There was a Lager (building) on the
Germany’s background, its people, their
edge of town housing some 300 to 500
habits and possible attitudes and reactions
Polish Displaced Persons, men, women
to an Occupation Force. The other booklet
and children awaiting rehabilitation. It
was an English/ German phrase book
was off limits to all troops except when
detailing the do’s and don’ts of dealing
on Military Duties. However, these people
with civilians. These booklets together with
had free access to the town without any
their strict instructions gave birth to non-
fraternising restrictions being imposed
fraternisation with the Germans Whilst upon them apart from a 10p.m. curfew
this was considered by the top brass to which applied to troops and civilians alike.
be in our best interests, it only led to and Of course, the curfew did not deter those
caused a frustration amongst the troops who wished to pursue a relationship but it
who had been starved of any close female did make it more difficult as Military Police
companionship for a number of years. It were constantly on patrol. As time went by
was inevitable that the restrictions imposed animosity and jealously broke out between
would only lead to a game of hide and seek the Polish and German girls who were
as members of the Forces sought female prepared to, or were fraternising.
companionship. The German girls were more sought
My first and only encounter with a after but they had no privileges whereas
German fraulein came by chance on July the Polish girls were given free reign to
12th 1945. I was on a normal afternoon
attend local dances and even marry. It was
patrol with a member of my platoon
a situation that would persist for quite
when we came across two young German
a while, weeks seemed like months as
girls who were stealing apples in a nearby
Waltraut and I waited for an easing of the
orchard. As always we carried small
bans.
weapons, this not only presented a show
It was becoming extremely difficult to
of force but also gave us an air of authority.
find a place of seclusion in order to meet
and have any sort of a relationship with
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