[2002] SID’S WAR

0070 - Sidney Lane War Diary 31

[this is an extract of the war diary, 'An Ordinary War', by my uncle (Sid Lane, my mother's brother) Easter 1945 and gunnery] 

26/3/45 

Today Charlie carved himself a new nickname, and we are driving him mad, calling him "Pistol Packing Page", "Trigger Finger Charlie" and "One Gun C.A.K.". We were given a program shoot in support of infantry attacking a strong point, and Charlie fired on the "Stand-By" order. The barrage was cancelled. His one gun had destroyed the element of surprise and the attack was called off. 

Charlie retrieved the remnants of his tattered reputation later in the day when, during an air O.P. shoot, he scored a direct hit with his 3rd. ranging shot. I'll bet those Jerry's who were bringing mortars into action in the courtyard of a farm were upset, especially by our salvo which followed. All this at a range of 11 miles. 

30/3/45 

An amusing thing happened this morning. Most of our targets are mortar positions. Jerry does not leave them in action, but nips out, sets his mortars up and bangs away.

We have countless numbers of these positions already worked out. That is for the true Bg. and Rg. Should one of these positions open up on our infantry we get a call from Counter Mortar Section giving us the code number. Within 90 secs. we have added our "corrections of the moment" (the meteorological dope) and the guns have fired.

This call came through "Bombard. Mike-Sugar-Oboe scale 2." Old Eric (G/L. L/Jack) looks up the reference and we got cracking and worked it out, and the guns loosed off. When we checked up later we found that we had let M.S.H. have it - a different parish entirely. [Eric had looked up MSH instead of MSO - the following cryptic comment presumably means that he heard it as Hobo not Oboe.] Eric's decision for the tramp as against the musical instrument caused a hell of a laugh but it didn't help the infantry any. Curse the Yank's phonetic alphabet anyway, I would have done the same thing. 

31/3/45 

I have just received a letter from Mum and Dad, telling me that they are going to Leeds on Good Friday, and I suddenly remembered that yesterday was Good Friday. That explains why there is to be egg for breakfast tomorrow. 

Th army is a queer organisation. At the moment my head is crowded with Easter memories and I hope Mum and Dad have a good time. 

The news of the great push across the Rhine is keeping us all on our toes - We have not been so excited since France was invaded. 

Here there is great evidence of the impending push. For twenty miles of front there are guns at intervals of 100 yds. To our right and left are Regts. of 4.5s and behind us 25 pounders and S.P.s Ourselves and the S.P.s are the only guns in the sector that are firing. The others are silent, waiting for "Der Tag" and every target we get is registered for their benefit. 

Artillery organisation is terrific. Everything engaged is pin-pointed and is given to every gun in that sector. They make their calculations and remain ready. So at a moment's notice a target, which might never have had a shell near it, can come under the barrage of a division's guns and all hell would be loosed. 

2/4/45 

Today I went with a R.E.C.C.E. party to help site a new gun position. We were all given a little detail of the coming attack. Our Bty. is to give support against mortars, to the New Zealand Div. that has moved secretly into the line. The position we occupy now must, in view of the fact that it has been in action for the past eight weeks, be well known to Jerry. In fact only yesterday a few shells landed. So on D minus one we will move out, and take up a more forward position. 

In the opening barrage we will send over enough shells to warrant changing all barrels. Should things go as planned we will be the new site only 24 hrs. and on D plus one should be over the Savio, to try and keep up with the N.Z.s advance. This sounds simple, but gives no idea of the work involved. Apart from the business of preparing the new site, there is that of again recording targets. Hundreds of targets already worked out for this site must now be made out for the new position and I reckon we shall be hard at it all day tomorrow. 

The artillery in this do is colossal. On the whole front there will be 4,000 guns, on an average 40 per mile. On this sector alone there are 800, which is 300 more than at Alamein. 

5/4/45 

Early this morning, just before dawn, I sat in an easy chair in the control room, in that misty twilight state between sleeping and waking, I was walking along that bridal path which runs between low hedges, From Clatterbridge road towards Poulton [in the country near his home in Bebington on the Wirral]. I had just reached the style from which the Welsh hills are visible across the valley in the direction of Raby - with a crash the guns opened up a salvo and I was jerked back to reality. 

I have never felt so keenly that feeling of the exile. My stomach turned over and I wanted to be sick. For a few moments I felt terrible. 

I have not dwelt much on home thoughts, save at odd moments. I knew when I came abroad that it would be three or four years before I returned and I resolutely kept such thoughts out of my mind. That is why letter writing has been so difficult. But now, with the war in Europe drawing to a close, I cannot help it, and I find myself dreaming - even during the day - painting pretty pictures of my return - making plans - wondering - fearing. 

How long? How long? 

6/4/45 

Last night we took a hammering. One hell of a stink, a bombardment which lasted one and a half hours. Sixty 7.2s landed on the gun site while we kept our heads down and shivered. No damage and not a single casualty, though Bill Langridge tells me that in diving for cover he trod on a hay-rake and, the handle rising and cracking him in the jaw, he thought he'd had his head blown off.

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