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hurricanes circled in a protective manner.
    We arrived at our new position just before 20.00 and again found ourselves positioned just inside yet another wood. We had found a Naffi van earlier so we had managed to get something to eat whilst we had been waiting for direction. The main plan now was to set up the gun and once again to get dug in.
    This time our dug out was nowhere near as well prepared as our previous one, but again we had managed to make some use of a dip in the natural terrain. It was quite dark by now and I told the lads that we would try to find some roofing materials tomorrow. For now we managed to get a tarpaulin slung over the top and held it down with rocks and branches.
    If the rain started again, at least we would have somewhere fairly dry to sleep.
    I quickly worked out the guard rota and then there was time for a brew and a fag before we turned in. As we sat around with our tea and Player’s Navy Cut it was obvious from the subdued atmosphere, despite the fact that we were now in the company of more members of the BEF than we had seen since we had first arrived in France. Whatever the reason, suddenly we were all very uneasy about our present position.
    The next morning there was still a lot going on. Our position, again at a crossroads, allowed us a grandstand view of the proceedings. The RAOC were heading in all directions, ferrying men and equipment, backwards and forwards, interspersed with these were a few light and medium tanks. We watched with interest as several companies of Field Artillery drove through, we wondered where they were going to be positioned.
    There were so many British soldiers around that staying inside the wood would not increase our security, so I sent Jack and Ronny off on a foraging mission and told Harry and Fishy to go and see if they could find some roofing for our dug out.
    I stayed by the gun in case the Lieutenant wanted us for anything, I was actually taking a bit of a risk sending all the lads off but everyone seemed so busy running around and getting sorted out, that I thought we would be forgotten about for a while.
    Fishy and Harry were back after only about ten minutes, carrying two pieces of corrugated iron.
    “There’s tons more of this just in the wood where we parked the trucks.” said Harry.
    “It’s a bit rusty but if we go back for another couple we’ll have enough for a roof.”
    “Go on then,” I said “I’ll get a brew on for when you get back.”
    When we’d had the tea we set about roofing over our dug-out. The sheets were big enough to span the hole and once we had done that we once again piled a few feet of earth on the top. Now that we had the basics of a shelter again, we felt happier.
    Ronny and Jack came back empty-handed. It seemed there were items for sale but the increased amount of soldiers about, had inflated the price of even the most basic commodities like eggs and milk so the lads had decided not to pay the going rate. It looked as if it was going to be bully beef and hard tack for a while at least.
    In the afternoon Lieutenant Davies came over to us and stayed and had a brew with us during which time he explained that our job was going to be to keep open the lines of communications to the coast. Fishy put his hand up and the Lieutenant gave him permission to speak. “Sir seems to me we are going back now the way we came. Are we losing sir, because if we are, how come, cus we ain’t fired a shot in anger yet?”
    Lieutenant Davies looked at us all and seemed to weigh up his words before speaking, “I’m afraid I can’t argue with Gunner Thomas, we are getting a lot nearer to the coast again but I have feeling that before so very long you’ll be firing your guns in anger, more than that I can’t say and that’s because I don’t know anymore.”
    With that he stood up and turned to walk away.
    “That’s all chaps, from now on stay on full alert.”
    The stream of vehicles passing up and down the road continued