501303 Joseph Lawson Army 37th Reserve MT Royal Army Service Corps My name is Joseph Lawson. I enlisted in 1940, although I wanted to join RAF, when I told the recruiting Officer I could drive, there was only one place for me: as a driver with the RASC. After basic training, I joined the 37th Reserve MT and was sent off to North Africa to join the Middle Eastern Expeditionary Force, later to be known as the 8th Army. During my time in the Desert, I was attached to many different Regiments and Divisions: 4th Indians, New Zealand, British 10 Corps. After El Alamein, I then joined up with 1st Army for the Italian campaign, landing at Salerno, near Naples. And in Italy I stayed until 1945, eventually being de-mobbed in 1946, six years after saying goodbye to my family and friends. I am proud to say that I was a D Day Dodger! It would make me very happy to make contact with anyone who also got their "knees brown" and possibly swap some stories of leave in the Cairo souks, Alex, or Rome. In Winston's words: "Hello My Dear Desert Rat"
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