I joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Territorial in late July 1939 aged 19. On Thursday September 1, I and two others were told to pack our kit bags, we were going to Aldershot. I don't think any of us had been any further than Chester. We were taken to Crewe station for the London train. It was packed with troops and we had to sit on our kit bags all the way. How we got to Aldershot I do not know. On Sunday the 4th at 12 o clock we sat down for dinner when over the tannoy came Mr Churchill's voice to announce that we were at war with Germany. All the regulars just went mad shouting 'Let's get at them'. We three just looked at each other.

Two weeks later I was told that I would be joining a new Regiment but they did not tell me which one it was. The next thing I was on my way in the back of a 15 cwt vehicle. It was dark when we arrived and put on a train.

I then found out I was in Epsom Railway Station (Racecourse) and that I had joined the 52nd Anti Tank Regiment. The next morning I found myself on a boat crossing over to France. The next eight months we were on standby in a very big chateau near Lille. I remember having my 20th birthday. Mum had sent me a cake.

A few days later we were on our way and the German army had entered France and Belgium. I was towing a two pound anti-tank gun with my sergeant and gun crew of four. I can remember the first two stops we had. The next was on a village cross roads where the other guns had been set up.

My gun had to go on a field overlooking the flank. I then parked my vehicle in a farm yard under an archway and waited until I was called. Early the next morning as it was just getting light I went to look for the guns on the cross roads. It was very quiet - they had gone. Just then a staff car flying a British flag with an officer on board arrived. The officer said 'What are you doing here?' I said I had a gun and crew in the field. He answered 'Get them out quick'. I ran back praying my truck would start. When I got to them in the field I was shouting 'Get packed up quick'. It was fortunate that I knew which direction the staff car had gone. We drove up the hill and suddenly the Sergeant was shouting '***** we are in no man's land' and all we could see were bombs dropping and Stuka planes diving and strafing - how we got through I do not know. We did however manage to set the guns up again, and the Stukas came again.

One of the others and myself dived on to the ground, and that is when I felt red hot bullets in my legs. I don't know what happened to the other chap. I was lucky I was picked up and put on a stretcher and into the ambulance. I often wonder had I missed that staff car by two minutes, would I have known which way to go.

At the time I did not know where we were going but I later found out that we were heading for Dunkirk. I could see through a little window in the ambulance that the road was packed with people pushing handcarts and whatever they could carry. Hitler's planes were bombing and strafing. I don't know what happened after that. I was put on a hospital ship and we were moving. I was then put on a train, the seats of which had been replaced by racks to carry the stretchers two deep. We then heard on the grape vine that we were on one of two trains, one train was going to Scotland but we were not on that one.

Two days later I had the shock of my life - we were on Chester station, seven miles from home! We then again went in an ambulance to a large empty building and lay on the floor. Some time later we were on our way again this time to Wrexham Maelor Hospital. We were put into bed to await the Doctors and Nurses.

After about three weeks I was able to walk. Then this young lady came into the ward to say she was taking the walking wounded for a picnic to Erddig Park. I think there were about 30 on the bus. Before we got off this lady said 'Now I want you all back by 6 o clock.' However I decided to help with the picnic. Towards the end of the picnic I asked could I take the can back. The lady said she would come with me.

This lady, Dorothy, was to become my wife! We went to see the Cup and Saucer (the waterfall in Erddig park) and the Hall. When we arrived back at the bus it was half past six, now you can imagine the reception we had! Over the next two weeks I met Dorothy's mum and dad who lived in Huntroyde Avenue, Wrexham. Each day I waited outside Woolworths where Dorothy worked. I was then discharged from the hospital to join my regiment in Scotland.