Trebah my story p18

Which comes down finally to me, Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, commissioned Royal Artillery 1938; 3 September 1939 war declared, placed under arrest for crashing CO’s beautiful new command car with unit’s rum ration ( exonerated ); 9 September sailed to France with BEF; 1 June 1940 had to blow up own guns at Dunkirk and returned to UK in Thames tug; October 1940 joined No 2 (Parachute) Commando; for the next four years took part in a perambulation From UK to N Africa, Italy and back to UK and 6 exasperating cancelled parachute Operations; finally at last flew to Arnhem on 17 September 1944 as Brigade Major 1st Parachute Brigade; 21 September taken prisoner when bridge over-run. Escaped and returned to own lines in October. When discharged from hospital was given command of “T” Force of 500 troops and captured Kiel on 5 May 1945 as part of
Operation “Eclipse”. On May 8 1945 (VE Day) placed under arrest for displaying an excess of gung-ho (exonerated next day by Corps Commander) and with no credit for the role we had played in keeping the Russians out of Denmark.

So ended my rather frustrating military career with a certain artistic symmetry. I was discharged from the army in 1948 with a small disability pension and entered the cut and thrust of commercial life which I found as exciting as war with no prisoners taken. I did quite well and retired in 1972 with a modest competence. But life is a game of snakes and ladders and the snake’s head of the Lloyd’s Debacle slid me back to near the start line. The rest you know.