222411 Cpl. Edwin John "JayBee" Bass British Army 470 MAC Convoy Royal Army Service Corps from:Stranford Rivers, Onagar, Essex In Feb. 1944 I enlisted as an Apprentice Tradesman at 14 yrs of age and saw service overseas including being in Palestine during the close of the mandate.
What I wish to tell is not that story. This happened during the hot summer of 1942; About 7 of us youngsters were swimming in a pool in the River Rhoding behind the White Bear, Stanford Rivers in Essex. I was born in this little village which is not far from the Hill Hall POW camp. A group of German POWs, escorted by two sweating, British Tommies marched across the field and settled under some trees obviously about to start their haversack lunch. I was startled by a tall, young man calling to me, "Hey young!" he said "be is it so good in the water?" I shouted back, " You´re a Narzzee. en yer!I don´t talk to`no nartzzees." He straightened up and said, "No no. You get it wrong. I be a good Cherman not one of them. Hokay hokay so you no speak with me who is just a boy a little older than you." I shouted, "Well, how old are you squarehedaß" and he answered that he was only a few years older than me. He then added, "We could hear you from two fields away, you boys make so much noise..." he pointed a finger at me, "That is why we comed here for our meal. My name is Johanness -- in English she be John. And one of you boys is also John -- " I interrupted loudly, "That´s me. I am John and my Mum said you Germans wuzz only young boys what
got dragged into the forces --" "Your mother was very right," Johannes said,
"We didn´t want to fight anyone..."
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