Smalltown Council was criticised this week for forgetting to remind residents that the Remembrance Day Parade was taking place.
This year the parade included a selection of military vehicles, which caused concern for some residents.
Harold (Harry) Cox, a retired veteran, contacted SomersetClive to tell us “I was sorting my medals, ready to head out to the War Memorial and I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the tanks rolling down the High Street. I thought we were being invaded.”
Harry, who is 132 years old, (Editor – are you sure about his age?) fought in both World Wars and still has vivid memories of the Messerschmitt 109’s strafing the trenches in 1915. “They would come in really low and open fire. All we had to defend ourselves with was our kit-issued tin openers but we still managed to bring down four aircraft by hurling our tin openers into the propellors. Jerry didn’t see them coming!”
In 1937 Harry fought alongside Lawrence of Arabia, as a member of the ‘Desert Rats’. It was during the Battle of El Alamein that he first encountered a tank. “It was scary, very noisy and it glided over the sand like a Sidewinder, zig-zagging from side to side. Our camels were no match for them. We had no chance of escape. Luckily for us we were saved when a family of Jerboas became entangled in the lead tank’s tracks, but I’ve been petrified of tanks ever since.”
Mr Cox is now seeking an apology from SaD Town Council for not publicising the event to residents.
SomersetClive contacted SaD Town Council for a response but they hadn’t replied before we went to press.
