A friend has just sent me a reminder regarding the 75th anniversary of the end of hostilities in Europe. I have entered my name as being one of those wishing to take part in the various activities that will be taking place between the 8th and 10th of May 2020 and hopefully will keep you posted about events. More about it here: Home - VE Day 75 Best regards to all Ron
It looks like (at the moment anyway) the 75th Anniversary celebrations will be yet another victim of the dreaded Corona Virus. At the risk of stating the obvious I can't see me making the 100th Anniversary !
Ron, Where ever you'll be on 8th May, I'll be thinking of you and all the other lads hurtling along towards the Po river in your Kangaroos in April 1945... nearing the end of a very, very, long road indeed... and thence over to Austria. best wishes Richard Brigadier Scott remembered the March '45 training period: "A new form of warfare materialised about this time, the use of ‘Kangaroos’. The ‘Kangaroos’ were either turretless Shermans, which carried a section or “degunned” Priests, which carried two sections. The object of these machines was to enable the infantry to keep up with the tanks and to move over shell and bullet swept ground with a fair degree of ingenuity. We had never found that there was any difficulty in infantry keeping up with tanks on their feet but the second aspect of the use of ‘Kangaroos’ was a most attractive one. Up till now, they had only been used once in battle, in a rather specialised operation where both flanks were secure and visibility was very limited. Official opinion on the correct way to handle ‘Kangaroos’ was divergent and we really had to arrive at the answer to all these things by trial and error on the ground. The difficulty was to get hold of the wretched ‘Kangaroos’ to do this and, in fact, our regiment of tanks was elusive as well. Both had other commitments. Our Armoured Exercise, therefore, formed the other part of any periods we had available for training. The 4th Hussars had been converted into this ‘Kangaroo Army’. They had been ordered to train with about five different divisions in a very short time and, not unnaturally, about everyone they were dealing with had somewhat different ideas. I was full of admiration for the patience and efficiency with which this distinguished cavalry regiment adapted itself to its very difficult role. They were all out to try anything."
Richard Many thanks for the reminder about the Kangaroo army. More than any experience I had in the Forces, those heady days mean much to me and I get much pleasure from the reminder. Ron
Ron, Always a precious memory handed on with grateful thanks by my Dad and his mates....though I think he had to make do with a jeep on occasion !! This one from Lavezzola on 14th April '45. best wishes