They returned to the advance but by this time they were badly behind schedule and
German troops had started appearing in large numbers, things were not going well and the
attack was stalling. As dawn drew closer German armour appeared and they knew they
were in trouble, orders came down that the three PIAT teams (of which Bill was one) were
to report to the headquarters section where a Major informed them of three tanks that
needed to be dealt with. Bill and his number two were sent to the one on the left. As they
set off Bill felt very calm, despite believing this would probably be the end.
It was very hard going, his number two was very nervous and could hardly speak. Bill
explained that they should dump all their kit except the PIAT mortar and bombs. It was
getting light but a heavy mist was following them as they crawled up the hill, his
inexperienced number two kept falling behind and Bill was constantly cursing him, wishing
one of his mates had been sent with him instead. It was getting lighter by the minute but
they were still shrouded in mist, Bill crawled up a bank through tall grass and looked
carefully over the top. His heart stopped as a tank was 35 yards away, sideways but with its
barrel pointing straight at him. He moved slowly back down the hill to find his number two
frozen with fear, he picked up the mortar and bombs and went back up the bank. As he
loaded the weapon and got behind it he thought his life belonged to that bomb. He took
aim where he had been told, between the top tracks where it ran under the body, he let it
go and it flew perfectly, creating a hole in the tank’s side. There was a pause before the tank
exploded, Bill tried not to think of the men inside.
All hell broke loose when it exploded, and it seemed to him as if the whole German
army was shooting at him. Reaching for another bomb and loading it with his left hand,
something happened; there was an explosion, something hit his left ear and he blacked out
for a few seconds. Coming to he could see two finger ends were missing and he was at the
bottom of the bank. His first thought was to try and get away, kicking his number two he got
no response so set off alone. He went off on his elbows and knees but it was not fast
enough, and he was spotted. He jumped up and ran like hell, weaving as the bullets were
singing past and hitting the ground spurting up the dust. A mortar bomb dropped in front of
him, a bit of iron struck his stomach and despite it being very hot he pulled it out and
carried on running. He made it back down to the riverbank and jumped down, after getting
his breath back he decided not to cross the river as it was being shelled heavily and didn't
want to push his luck. Bleeding heavily, he decided to try further down the river where an
Indian unit had gone in on the right. After a while he came across two soldiers who had
been separated from their company, they bandaged him up with their field dressings and
they set off down the river again, coming cross three Gurkhas who had also become
separated by the German counterattack. They made for some buildings on the bank, on
entering some steps led down a passage with a locked door at the end. Bill was the last one
down and they decided to stay until dark, but it was only 6am and getting very hot, they
didn’t fancy their chances.
L i f e S t o r y P 5