L/Cpl. Ernest Brett
British Army 7th Btn. Royal Hampshire Regiment
from:Camden Town
Lance Corporal Ernest Brett was attached to 7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment after landing on Gold Beach Normandy with men of 6th Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. They came across the English Channel aboard a Minesweeper, towing a section of the Mulberry Harbour.
He fought with the Hampshires through the Battles of Jurques, Pleciere, Mont Pincon and was tasked with mopping up German stragglers around Chambois in the Falaise Gap. They crossed the Seine River on 25th of August 1944 and captured the town of Tilly on the 28th, with the surrender of around 100 enemy soldiers. (mainly SS) 7th Battalion then travelled to Brussels as the first Infantry unit to take up Garrison Duty in the City.
They rejoined 130th Brigade on 15th of September 1944 for the start of Operation Market Garden. Advancing slowly along Hells Highway in Army DUKWs and finally reaching Nijmegen Bridge on 21st of September 1944 where they defended the Southern end for the next 3 days. Eventually on the night of the 25th/25th, B Company were tasked with loading and ferrying ammunition and supplies across the river at Heteren to the 6th Airborne Division stranded at Arnhem. He remembered it as a night of heavy rain. They crossed the river once and were able to bring back some Paratroopers. During the second crossing they were spotted by the enemy and came under heavy fire and shelling. On their return a moaning minnie exploded next to them, killing one man and seriously wounding Lance Corporal Brett. He was evacuated to an aid station and eventually back to England, becoming a TPI veteran.
He migrated to Australia in the late 1960s and died aged 81 in 1994.
