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osed roads, where snipers and artillery tried to prevent the
movement of ammunition.
The ammunition trucks, which had no proper cabs or
windscreens, were home to the drivers and the place where
they normally slept with a tarpaulin pulled over them.
At one point Ted’s curiosity saved his life. His convoy was being
bombed and, breaking the rules, he and his mate had left the
vehicle to look at an unexploded bomb on the roadside. At that
moment his truck was hit by a bomb and he used the excuse of
answering the call of nature for his survival.
In another incident, he found himself on the wrong road, behind
enemy lines, and had to be rescued by Canadian soldiers.
On 14th April 1918 he was promoted to corporal.
He had a couple of short leaves in France during his four
years’ service, and one spell in hospital with measles. He was
generally well regarded by his superiors, being described as
strictly sober and reliable, but had two minor reprimands on his
records; one for leaving his lorry unattended in the square at
Hemmel, and the other for speeding.
Along with many other British soldiers he wore uniform stolen
from dead German soldiers under his British khaki, especially
jackboots. He described the British issue boots as “like
cardboard” and the shirts “like sackcloth” while the German
boots were leather and the shirts pure wool. If taken prisoner
this could have meant instant death, but, like many soldiers he
saw the cold and wet as the most significant enemy.
Lice were also a major problem in the trenches and he sent
postcards to his future wife begging for lice powder as they
were all “lousy”.
He was not greatly enamoured with the French women who,
although beautiful, openly urinated in the gutter in the towns.
His army lectures had, in any case, warned him to give them a
wide berth for the sake of his own health.
He was discharged on 10th June 1919 and returned to his
parents at Spa Farm.
He received the British War Medal, the Victory Medal, and the 15 Star.
37
movement of ammunition.
The ammunition trucks, which had no proper cabs or
windscreens, were home to the drivers and the place where
they normally slept with a tarpaulin pulled over them.
At one point Ted’s curiosity saved his life. His convoy was being
bombed and, breaking the rules, he and his mate had left the
vehicle to look at an unexploded bomb on the roadside. At that
moment his truck was hit by a bomb and he used the excuse of
answering the call of nature for his survival.
In another incident, he found himself on the wrong road, behind
enemy lines, and had to be rescued by Canadian soldiers.
On 14th April 1918 he was promoted to corporal.
He had a couple of short leaves in France during his four
years’ service, and one spell in hospital with measles. He was
generally well regarded by his superiors, being described as
strictly sober and reliable, but had two minor reprimands on his
records; one for leaving his lorry unattended in the square at
Hemmel, and the other for speeding.
Along with many other British soldiers he wore uniform stolen
from dead German soldiers under his British khaki, especially
jackboots. He described the British issue boots as “like
cardboard” and the shirts “like sackcloth” while the German
boots were leather and the shirts pure wool. If taken prisoner
this could have meant instant death, but, like many soldiers he
saw the cold and wet as the most significant enemy.
Lice were also a major problem in the trenches and he sent
postcards to his future wife begging for lice powder as they
were all “lousy”.
He was not greatly enamoured with the French women who,
although beautiful, openly urinated in the gutter in the towns.
His army lectures had, in any case, warned him to give them a
wide berth for the sake of his own health.
He was discharged on 10th June 1919 and returned to his
parents at Spa Farm.
He received the British War Medal, the Victory Medal, and the 15 Star.
37
