It was out of this area that we operated until August, but we did many things in the interim. Sennybridge in Wales was quite an experience. Here in the Brecon hills we had live ammunition shoots. Some excellent ,and of course others needed more help. Here our observation officers had a good grounding observing the fall of shot as the area had so many false crests confusing the even the best as it turned out when we went into action in January 1944. This training in the hills and valleys of Wales was a great benefit.
Also Sennybridge firing ranges were under the control of the British who were going to get their roads built by anyone using the range. So all personnel were taken up into the hills and a British sergeant would step off so many paces and each man would have to excavate the grass and top soil down to the hard pan and carry this soil to the roadside. The first day, amidst quite a lot of grumbling, we dug and moved earth all day and it snowed a great deal. But we did it even though it took us all day. Returning to camp at night we probably had a drink or so but most were too tired and wet and muddy. Drying out was important as we were back up on the hill the next day. Well Sid Robertson, a gun sergeant in E troop, said look if we all work together we should dig the allotted amount in no time at all. Spirits were good and we went at the digging like crazy. How the earth just seemed to fly to the roadside. So about 1PM we were finished the allotment and over the protestations of the British we went back to camp .
Well that is not the way it is done in jolly old England. The camp commandant a British Colonel was furious that we had the audacity to return early in the day . Damn our ingenuity! It would be back in the hills tomorrow and not return until the proper quitting time according to the Brits . Well the next day you guessed it, we were told that no paces would be stepped off just get your shovels and dig and dig until the until the correct quitting time.Well you know we were not going to take this lying down. We dug much slower giving the Brits fits. So here we were out all day and not as much accomplished. Again the camp commandant was furious, and our Colonel had a hard talk to us. Regardless, the Brits got their road dug and we did it our way.
But our regiment did score high on the firing range which the Brits had to admit was excellent. .