I joined the Band of the Royal Irish Fusiliers on 12th April 1937 as a Band Boy, as there was no vacancies in any Welsh Regiment at that time. I hated working in the Pit, I played the Cornet.The first Barracks I went to was Gaudaloupe in Borden, Hants, then onto Aldershot. We then Trooped the Colour in London, and sailed to Malta in January 1938.
We had a trip to Palestine in late 1938 and back to Malta in 1939, where we did all sorts of work being infantry men during the War, filling in bomb holes on the Airfield, Takali was our Drome. Or, we may be unloading ships in Valetta, we had about 4000 air raids whilst we were there, having more bombs in a month than England had during the Blitz.
On the outbreak of War our Band was disbanded and we became Stretcher Bearers. Our food at sometimes was very small, and we had 15 Cigarettes a week during the Siege. We left Malta in June 1943, sailed to Egypt and went on double rations to get some of our weight back. We trained for a while doing L.C.A. Work, then moved to Syria and Lebanon more training.
Then a quick move to Leros in the Aegean in September on Destroyers as the Italians had packed in. We stayed on the Island until we were overwhelmed by large German Forces of sea and Air forces, and with no Aircraft to protect us the only planes being German, being bombed daily just like Malta. The Brigadier surrendered the Island so we were all made P.O.Ws.
I stayed for 36 hours and the chance came for me to leave along with 3 other soldiers, we found a decent boat with oars, left about 7 or 8 pm. We rowed for 22 hours and were able to get to Turkey and were interned. We were released by British Consul and taken to Bodrum and put aboard a Royal Navy Ship. Then after several days we sailed along the coast at night and got back to Palestine, then onto Egypt Transit Camp, total number of unit 27 only, these brought the name of the 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers back to England in 1944 to be reformed as a unit again
