T H E C O V E N A N T E R
peace was broken by a posting directing truck, until the Divisional Commander got
me to report to a Field Ambulance of 52nd shirty , and stern words came down that
Lowland Division now in Germany waiting this practice shall cease!
to cross the Rhine, as I knew In due course, we came face to face with
Since I did not seek to be involved in any the battered walls of Bremen. In what was
more bloodshed, with the war in its dying going to prove the last few days of the
stages, I suddenly got involved in a Court war, with a fair amount of hard fighting,
Martial in Bayeau (not mine I’m pleased to we fought our way in. Here we spent time
say!) and since it happened to be a murder under fire from the recent addition to
trial, it dragged on for a week. By the end of the German armament, the nebelwerfer,
that I was in Germany. My own journey to a 12 barrel mortar quite devastating to be
Germany had been very interesting. underneath!
On the way there I had stopped at a We set up our battalion H. Q. in a dockside
Transit Camp, which happened to be on mill, with good amenities like showers, and
the Seigfreid Line, and there I had dinner I began to learn who was who. The Colonel
with a number of Glider pilots, back from was Lieut. Col. W.J. Forbes, a tall patrician
Arnhem having escaped. Their accounts of figure, smart and youthful and a cousin of
the aerial battle were graphic, stressing to the Marquess of Aberdeen. He had made a
us that the very late arrival by road of the pet of a German hound called ‘Mac’, which
tanks of 30 Corps, under General Horrocks followed him on parade always. He looked
had prejudiced the whole operation, good always and his men referred to him as
I arrived at my posting to the Field ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’!
Ambulance only to find that, before I The company Commanders were all
got unpacked, I was sent to relieve the good leaders. D Company was commanded
M.O. of the 7th Battalion The Cameronians by Jim Duncan, a handsome Canadian who
(Scottish Rifles) reported wounded at a cross wore the M.C. and charmed the ladies.
roads in a spike of Holland which crossed in Dougie McDonald who had a reputation for
to Germany not too far away. disregarding danger -an M.C. also. Bill Reid,
I dealt with and evacuated the casualty also a Major, was the wit of the Unit, tall
whom turned out to be a man I had been and extroverted. The Adjutant was Adam
at school with in Edinburgh, Jack Comline, Simpson. I shared a room with Addie, and
at George Watson’s College, who was the later we went off on a weekend’s break
Battalion M.O. to the 7th Cameronians. to Blankenberg. We approved of it. The
They had landed not very long ago Officers’ Club was on the promenade.
in Holland. Ironically, they had been If you wanted to dance, and wanted a
trained for mountain warfare; they landed partner, you went to the door and whistled.
at roughly the lowest point in Europe- If you whistled too loud, too many came!
Walcheren Island. It turned out that the During the post V.E. Day month, we were
cross roads were still under shellfire but sent North to garrison the small town of
nobody was paying much attention-they Stendal, on the west side of the Elbe, with
were at that time serving dinner-and off the the Russians on the other bank. Presently
regimental silver plate! in Stendal the Allies established a German
That was the Cameronians as I was due to Prisoner of War Camp, 10,000 strong with
discover, because it was quickly confirmed our Battalion about 700 strong to control
that I now was appointed M.O. to the 7th it. Fortunately the Germans were very
Battalion- a fact that pleased me greatly for cooperative, and not the slightest trouble
the next year till I was demobbed. ensued. Quite soon, we were posted to
Little remained as it happened of the Belgium, none knew why, to this day. On
War. We moved quite quietly up through the way we halted outside the prime horror
Germany, a few mild skirmishes, nights in concentration camp of Bergen Belsen, near
villages where I usually got myself housed, Hanover. . It was newly liberated and I was
to open an R.A.P. (Regimental Aid Post), In terrified we would be sent in. To try to sort
one house I found a drawer in my room it out would have been horrifying beyond
with fresh underclothing and just changed belief Fortunately we were moved straight
into it-quite hygienic! on.
Another thing; very often we would find Our next and most agreeable episode
a car in quite good nick outside our house, was in a charming hillside village near
appropriate it, and drive the next legs of Iserlohn in the German mountains, called
our journey in more comfort than an Army Altena.We occupied the manor house; very

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