My father, Les Roberts, was awarded the following medals: 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, Africa Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-1945, indicating the theatre, where he was serving.
He spoke mainly about his time in North Africa, where his Batman was called Cedric and was a member of Three Monarchs a music band of the times.
He took quite a few photographs, including Carthage, Tunis, Roman Aquaduct Tunis, the village of Quied Zarga, Ghardemaeu, the 221 Coy First Mess in N. Africa, washing en route from Algiers to Tunis, Senigalese Troops, General Alexander awaiting Winston Churchill, Churchill by his plane having just landed, victory parades, all nicely kept in a little album.
Dad also referred to Tripoli and Tangiers, where I believe he travelled to or through. He drank tea only during the war and as a result to my knowledge only drank coffee afterwards. He had a pet Lizard, whilst sleeping under canvas which kept the flies and insects at bay. With the vehicles so hot in the desert they were able to fry eggs on the bonnets. During enemy air raids they had to take cover underneath the vehicles. He had a very lucky escape when he was about to take a flight to another area of operation, when at the last moment he had to stand down for a more senior officer to take his place. Sadly, the aircraft subsequently crashed with no survivors, but my father had been spared his life. As with other members of 221 Coy he was attached to SHAEF, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force.
My sister Maureen was born just after the outbreak of the war and along with her mother and grandmother and another family evacuated from Liverpool to the village of Glencaple, Dumfriesshire, where my grandmother was born and had relations. Just as well, because all the family furniture, which had been put into storage was destroyed by bombing.
To date I have not been able to find my father's war record and (like others) little about 221 Company apart from the National Archives reference WO 166/5108 but would love to discover more.
