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I’ll try and do my best, it maybe isn’t too much, I’ll see
what I can remember of when I went into Holland and what I
did. They called me “Wild Bill,” in the army because I drove
a Harley Davidson motorcycle. I was a dispatch-rider. I’m
sure the veterans appreciate everything you have ever done
for us.
Grandpa's Army Story – emailed by his son Tom Berrow
I enlisted in the army in December 1941, at 17 years old and
120 pounds. I had tried several times before but was refused
because I wasn’t old enough or heavy enough. I was sent to
England in August 1942, after 8 months of training, as a
dispatch rider assigned to the 69th Canadian General
Transport Company. After 2 years of training to haul tanks,
we shipped out and landed on the beach in France, shortly
after D-Day. Our job was to supply ammo and rations to the
front line artillery guns. I rode escort on the convoys,
mainly at night with no headlights, which was quite a
challenge. In Antwerp, Belgium, a V-2 rocket landed nearby,
blowing an abandoned schoolhouse apart and later, in Schilda,
in what they called Buzz Bomb alley, we were hit with a V-1
or DoodleBug. Luckily, we didn’t have too many casualties.
We moved into Holland in March 1945, our first stop being
Hertogenbosch, then to Groesbeek on April 12th, 1945. After
six days, we crossed the Rhine River at Kleve-Emmerich, and
then to Oldenzaal, our last camp before the war ended.
While in Hertogenbosh, I took my Harley one evening,
without permission, and headed back to Belgium for a visit.
About 2 blocks from my camp a little girl ran out onto the
road and I couldn’t avoid hitting her. She was lying face
down without a sound and I was sure that she was dead. A
doctor appeared on the scene in moments and when he rolled
her over she started to cry. Her face was a terrible mess
but he said that she would be okay. I was so relieved. But
I had a problem – I would have to report this to my
officer. The doctor spoke English so I told him what I
would do. He told the girl’s mother, who said not to report
it as it wasn’t my fault. I visited many times, taking her
chocolate bars and such. The last time I saw her, she still
couldn’t eat properly, as she was missing teeth and a piece
of her tongue. I hope she is still living a good life
without any scars or problems from the accident. Not many
days go by that I don’t think of that day.
Reg #K-71694, Rank PTE Berrow W.L. (or “Wild Bill”) |
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Buzz Bomb alley
Interview Mr. Bill Berrow
(April 2005)
WWII veteran - Dispatch Rider
Reg #K-71694, Rank PTE Berrow W.L. (or “Wild Bill”)
Liberator of the Netherlands |