Memoirs of Gordie Bannerman - World War II

• In August of 1942 we moved to the estate called Chapelwood Manor. Here in the county of Sussex we felt much at home in this rural area. We were billetted in Nissen huts scattered amongst the estate. The officers were billeted in the Manor where they had their sleeping quarters and mess. The camp also had a Sergeants' and Wo's mess. Many happy times were spent here.

  From this area we, as a Regiment, went to the salt flats at Lydd, an area where we did antitank shooting. Live rounds which instead of high explosive were AP, which was solid shot. Bob Laidlaw, the gun layer on George Hegan's gun scored 100% hits earning Bob a ride back to Nutley in the Colonel's staff car. It was an exihilarating experience to fire at targets being towed by cables in and out of the sand dunes. The gun sergeant observed the fall of shot and called corrections to his crew. Mind you I still feel the crack of the muzzle blast as I stood to the side of the gun. Stan Gillespie was my gun layer and I must confess I do not know how many hits we made.

  While at Nutley we started to do some coastal defence, and the regiment went one battery at a time to Brunswick Square in Hove right on the coast. Our turn was to come in the latter part of November. Here again memory is not as it should be. While at Hove, C.D. Howe, minister of National Defence Canada, was to visit the area. All Canadian units in the south east command were forming up at approximately the same time all over the area. We ,76th Battery, were lined up on one side of Brunswick Square when just over the waves came a cannon firing German plane! Those nearest the coast side saw this plane coming in so low they thought the fire from his cannon was that the plane was on fire. Floyd Brooks, then a Captain, said either take cover or scatter and we rushed into the doorways of our houses a spilt second before the plane roared over our heads. The cannon shells cracking into the pavement that we had just left. I have a piece of German 20MM cannon shell that I picked up from where I stood. Orme Payne was the nearest to the incoming plane and said he gave a warning yell also. The plane went up and over us and dropped a bomb a couple of streets over. None of us were hit -a miracle. Many sneaky German fighters came into the area that day. Their spies must have sent word out that troop concentrations were to take place and to get a crack at us.