260706 L/Cpl. Victor John Hayes British Army 1st Btn. Suffolk Regiment from:Malvern, Worcestershire Victor Hayes signed up with the Army Reserve in November 1938 at age 19 having done an apprenticeship in his local garage as a mechanic.
On 2nd of October 1939, his unit (1st Suffolks), which was part of the 2nd Brigade, 55th Division, disembarked in France and entered the war. He participated in the Battle of Dunkirk.
On 11th January 1940, he was posted to the 136th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. He then served with the 1st Suffolks (now part of the 8th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division) Army Field Workshop and went on to become a motor vehicle technician with the Royal Artillery Ordnance Corps at Arborfield.
On 1st October 1942, he transferred from the R.A.O.C to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps, became a Craftsman, and was promoted to Lance Corporal.
In June 1944, he took part in the Normandy landing at Sword Beach.
On 17th February 1946, he entered the reserves of the occupying British Army of the Rhine. He was then released from service on 20th February 1946.
He never wanted to speak about his service, except to say that he was good at dodging bullets, and that the R.E.M.E. were the last to leave the invasion beaches as they had to disable all the abandoned equipment.
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