Second World War Memoirs of JOE BROWN

Certainly unaware of any political sensitivity concerning the matter, but I nevertheless went (as a day out!) to GHQ at Hamburg to report the situation to my superior Staff Officer, a major in the ATS. It subsequently became clear she had not done enough about it.

I had heard that the Army Commander was visiting the Holding Camps at Belefield but had not been told it would involve me. Apparently the Commander of the Rhine Army, the G.O.C.-in-C., had arrived 15 minutes before the time he was expected. I was given this information after speaking to two sentries about the 'Present Arms' salute which they extended to me but not entitled to receive. I assumed as I spoke to them that they were on edge waiting for the G.O.C.-in-C. to arrive but to my amazement they exclaimed "He's here, Sir!: earlier than expected", adding "Caught everyone on the hop!" I quickly reasoned I was too junior to be missed, and leisurely walked through the barrack gates and as I did so I saw in the distance a group of officers standing outside the Camp Commandant 's office. When they saw me coming they signalled me to 'double-up' but I thought it was a leg-pull; however, I increased my pace as I began to sense their panic. When I reached them I was told you are wanted in there and was bodily pushed through the door of the Nissen hut. The room was crowded and seemingly jammed full of red-tab generals, brigadiers and full colonels. The Colonel Commandant of the Holding Camps on my arrival, turned to the G.O.C.-in-C. and said 'Sir, this is Captain Brown!'

I saluted the Army Commander and apologised for keeping him waiting, which he just brushed aside. He then asked me about the hold-up being caused by the RAF and what had I done about it. When I had put him in the picture, he reached for the field telephone and asked to speak to the Chief-of-Staff at Rhine Army Headquarters and in angry tones he outlined to him what I had just told him. Question after question was fired at the Chief-of-Staff about why GHQ had not taken action on the report made by Captain Brown. He paused in the middle of his tirade to confirm a brief point and then ordered the Chief-of-Staff to have a full report on his desk by the time he returned to GHQ. As he abruptly terminated the telephone call he turned and looked in my direction and grunted his thanks. I saluted as he stormed out of the Nissen hut followed by his retinue of generals and brigadiers.