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Pte. Joseph Mingham
British Army Machine Gun Corps
from:Walker St.Rhodes, Middleton, Manchester
My grandad, Joseph Mingham started the war in the Kings Own Lancashire Regiment. Later he transferred to the Manchester Regt which I believe was, or was going to be, converted totally to operate as a machine gun unit. He told me he spent some time attached to the 'Staffords'. I'm sure he also mentioned time served in Burma?
He didn't talk a great deal about his time in the war. A few things I do remember though were that rats were always present and they helped provide 'fresh' rations! The blokes tied string around their trousers at the ankles and thighs to prevent the rats having access to their private parts. They would cover their legs with a tin of dubbin on each leg to help prevent rot/trench foot. You had to be extremely careful if you were going to enter German trenches and shelters. He said that 'jerry' was very good at 'booby-trapping' and at engineering. Their bunkers were much more comfortable and deeper than ours and often had pianos down there. In the photo my grandad is seated at the front. He was the No1 on the Vickers in 'The Suicide Club'.
