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Born 5/1/1924 at 121 Hutton Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, Maurice Bassett recalls some cherished memories from the war years. He takes up the story from the beginning of 1942.
As soon as I was able I volunteered for the army, 10 days after my 18th birthday. I was called-up to go to Warwick for medical exams.
Those of us who had been in the home guard had done rifle drill and other weapons training so it was not to bad but some lads did not know their right foot from the left and they had a hard time.
The RSM (Regimental Sergeant Major), who was Irish, used to shout, 'This is hell and I am the devil,' and 'You did not know my mother but you will get to know her son.'
I finished my training at Budbrook Barracks, Warwick, and was then sent to Fort Brockhurst to join the 2nd Battalion Royal Warwick Regiment at Gosport near Portsmouth.
The battalion then moved to Northern Ireland, where we were stationed in Colraine. Xmas 1942 I went on leave, and while in Birmingham at my home I received a telegram to report to Seaton Barracks, Crown Hill, Plymouth.
From there I was sent to the 2nd Battalion Staffordshire Regiment stationed at Salisbury, and did parachute training at Bulford airfield. After a few weeks we were kitted out with tropical gear and trucked to Tilbury Dockside and put aboard ship.
It was not until we passed through the Straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea that we knew where we where bound for. The ship we were on was the Duchess of Bedford and the convoy was the biggest to have sailed from England.
We were bombed by an Italian plane while going through the Mediterranean Sea, but it was quickly chased off by a plane from an aircraft carrier (I think it was the Illustrious). All the ships had barrage balloons up in the air to stop low flying aircraft attacking them.
We landed at Oran in North Africa and spent the night on the dockside. It was hot and dirty, and one of our chaps sat down on a scorpion and had to have medical attention. The Arabs get scorpions and crush then up in olive oil to use as an antidote by rubbing this mixture on the area if they get stung.
The enemy forces had now retreated to Pantelaria, Sicily, and to the Italian mainland. The 1st Airborne Division left Africa on the night of 8th July to invade Sicily. Our mission was to hold the bridge at Syracuse until the main seaborne invasion troops relieved us.
We were over the sea just off the harbour when the American planes cast us off because of anti aircraft fire, but unfortunately we landed in the sea along with many other gliders.
We were in Horsa gliders, 32 men to each. We had to sit on the wings until picked up by one of the barges. The bridge was held and the Italians very quickly threw in the towel. surrendered and Sicily was soon in allied hands.
Arriving back in North Africa, we were stationed at Tunis, Algiers, Bizerta, and other places, mostly camped in olive groves.
After Sicily surrendered, we were moved to Philipville and set sail for Taranto in southern Italy. Field marshal Badoglio had taken charge of the Italian forces and he surrendered all his troops, Mussolini was captured by Italian Partisans while heading north and killed.
After landing at Taranto we quickly headed towards Brindisi and then north up the Adriatic coast chasing the German forces who were retreating very fast. Foggia was bombed by American Lockheed Lightnings and very little of the town was left standing; the river bridges were down and we had to make our way over the girders to get across.
We advanced on to Lucera and dug in to our positions. After a couple of days of ranging mortar fire and sending out patrols, we were relieved by the Canadian tank corps.
Back once more to North Africa, and then a couple of weeks before Xmas 1943 we sailed for England in the Sterling Castle. One day's sailing out from Gibraltar we were in a collision with one of the ships in the convoy.
We were doing zig zag manoeuvres to deter U Boats from attacking the convoy when the ship that hit us failed to turn on to a preset course, it was damaged and had to turn back to Gibraltar with a destroyer escort.
The Sterling Castle was able to continue the voyage.
While I was on leave at Xmas I met a friend who lived in the same street and he had just came back from Africa and was on the other ship that had hit us.
I had to report to Roughton Moor Camp Woodhall Spa Lincolnshire at the end of my leave. The 1st Airborne Division comprised of The second Battalion Royal Staffordshire's, The Kings own Scottish Borders (KOSB) and a Battalion of the Border Regiment, along with transport, Mortars, Royal Corp Signals, 6 pounder Artillery, Engineers, and other support groups.
While I was on leave at Xmas I met a friend who lived in the same street; he had just came back from Africa and was on the other ship that had hit us.
I had to report to Roughton Moor Camp, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire at the end of my leave.
The 1st Airborne Division was comprised of The Second Battalion Royal Staffordshire's, The King's Own Scottish Borders (KOSB) and a Battalion of the Border Regiment, along with transport, mortars, Royal Corp Signals, 6 pounder Artillery, engineers, and other support groups.
Maurice Bassett, Queensland, Australia, 2001
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