Memoirs of Gordie Bannerman - World War II

• Wagenborgen Holland, 1st May, 1945. The war was certainly winding down but our observation officers and crews plus the infantry were not to think that.

  Our 11th Infantry Brigade and units like the Westminster regiment continued to take a lot of causalities. Major Floyd Brooks often spoke of the waste of young lives up to the very end. Floyd remembered in particular the loss of 18 young Cape Breton Highlanders on an attack that was a disaster. It was only by the quick use of smoke ordered fired by Major Brooks that the surviving Cape Bretons were able to escape a fate like what happened to part of their company.This attack was on very fortified bunkers on the way towards Delfzil. If I remember correctly, we had a 24 hour truce with the Garrison at Delfzil on the 2nd of May. The truce was to evacuate all the German garrison that had been captured.

  Our troops found the dockyard and all the facilities were in good condition and our engineers were able to disable the explosives that the Germans had placed.

  Before going further, I will jump back a day or so. Here Capt Walt Tennant was able to call for fire on boats leaving Delfzil crossing to Embden. I do not remember if we hit any or not but we hurried their departure.

  Back to Delfzil. After we at the guns were notified that Delfzil had fallen and a 24 hour truce was in effect, I jumped on my motor bike and rode up the road from Wagenborgen to Delfzil. As I arrived in the town the Irish regiment was loading a long line of German prisoners into trucks. These prisoners were counted off about thirty to a truck load. All the prisoners were sent in a single file past the provost sergeant of the Irish. I did know his name but cannot recall it now. The Sgt had in his hand a cat o' nine tails that he had taken from a German SS officer. This cat o' nine tails was a short polished wooden handle having at least nine or more leather laces attached to it. The laces were about 18 inches long. Now the Irish Sgt had the laces shortened up in his hand and as the prisoners went by he took a whack at their ears. The prisoner naturally tried to duck out of the way but as they ducked they with all the kit they were carrying would tangle on a motor bike handle bars that stood there so they had a few more whacks.

  I spoke to the Irish Sgt about whacking them on the ears and his reply was they had killed his best friend, the Irish scout Sgt last night, and then all gave up today so he was getting a little revenge. I wandered further along where the loading of the trucks was happening and as I neared this spot I heard a German prisoner coming toward me speaking with a New York accent [he had received a few good ear whacks ]. I said to the prisoner are you from Thoity Thoid street?" His answer was ." Naw I live on the other side of the Bronx forty fort street". 'I said what are you doing here?" He replied, "My father being good German residing in New York decided when I was twenty that I should learn a trade, so in 1941 I was sent back to Germany and here I am ''. After this exchange he reached into a pocket and gave me a very nice blue leather bill fold which I have to this day. When he gave me the billfold he said I would like you to have this as it will likely be taken from me anyway. I wonder if this man is still alive? I imagine he will be about 82 or so and retired in New York. If he remembers giving me his billfold, I would return it to him if I knew. The very next day we received orders to move out of the line. The 60th Battery and the 76th Battery moved out destination, Winschoten Holland south of Gronigen. The 37th Battery moved into Germany and took up position not far from Embden, but did not do any firing.