The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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240086 Pte. John Edward Lee British Army 7th Btn. Gordon Highlanders from:Birmingham My father Jack Lee fought in North Africa (aka Desert Rats) during WWII. He operated a Bofors gun (Swedish anti-aircraft weapon). It was hit by a Junkers Ju 87 (Stuka) bomb which rendered him with a perforated ear. He was hospitalised in Italy and recovered, although not his hearing in the right ear. He told me that when he first got to Tobruk they accidentally hit a local man in their four-ton-truck. The officer in charge ordered the driver to back over the man. He was told that locals regularly jumped in front of trucks so they would be looked after by the British but this had become so widespread that there was little space left in field hospitals. There was a regular trade by the local Arabs in British passbooks. They would slip into the tents at night and knife the Tommy, take his passbook and sell it to the Germans for five pounds. This did not endear the troops to locals. Having said that, the troops did have small wins in that they would sell tea to the locals, but underneath the tea was mostly sand. When the locals discovered this, they would chase the seller with a scimitar. Water in the desert was so scarce that dad would save some of his tea for lubrication for shaving. When digging in the Bofor gun, Dad's battalion uncovered a stock pile of Spam. I think he mentioned it was from WWI - not sure but they had spam with everything ... after the war he never touched spam again.... can't blame him. Peter Lee Add to this record.  Related Content: 7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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