Description
Ron was born in 1924, was called up on Guy Fawkes Day 1942 and did his six-week training in Catterick. He was then posted to the Royal Armoured Corps, 11th Armoured Division as a Wireless Operator and Gunner.
In May 1943 Ron was posted to the 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry. Although they were English, they were accepted by the Scots.
Ron’s regiment went over on D-Day+9. Landing on a beautiful summer’s evening, came into about one foot of water and hastily rushed inland to get off the beaches. On the 26th he took part in Operation Epsom. Ron’s leading troop of the 11th Armoured Division took the village of Cheux. Ron was injured and was put on board a tank-landing craft and was returned to England. After being transferred from various hospital and convalescent homes, he managed to get back into uniform at the end of December 1945.
‘I am very glad I did not miss this experience, although sadly I lost a lot of friends. It gave me a lot of confidence. After the war I became a teacher and, believe me, facing 4C on a wet Friday afternoon was nothing after facing Tiger tanks in Normandy!’
Ron married Audrey and had one son and now have three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
‘I had great pride in what I had done because I was absolutely sure we were right to be there and to be at war. However, I have a feeling since then there has not been a single war in which we have been involved that can be justified or worthwhile, and it is for that reason I do not wear my medals.’
Print taken from the book ‘A TIME TO FIGHT Living and Remembering WWII’
