"Their Group was a Happy Bunch"
The following article was published in The Norwich Gazette in August, 1990:
Friends Reunited After 47 Years
Last week, two friends were reunited after 47 years. Doug Harrison, of Norwich, happily shook hands and embraced Hugh Houston. a man who shared a large part of Doug's life during the war years.
Between October 1942 and December 1943 (that time span would include three D-Days, i.e., the invasions of North Africa, Sicily and Italy - Editor), Doug and Hugh fought together for the Royal Navy, Combined Operations. Although they were not always side by side, as Doug was in the Seaman Branch and ugh in the Engineering Branch, a life long relationship was formed. Over 47 years passed without contact, but still that tie exists.
"There was a bond forged in war in our particular group that will never be broken," explained Mr. Harrison.
Within moments of meeting, the two were dusting off memories. Stories flew back and forth, starting with remember when...
The enthusiasm of fighting for your country overshadowed all other concerns for both men in the beginning. "We went over totally green," says Doug. "We knew nothing of winds, tides, and dark of night." But they learned quickly. Food, of course, was at a premium. During the times there were no rations, the men ate what they could steal.
Hugh recalled a time where they spotted some cows grazing. One of the men with them at the time insisted he knew how to butcher a cow. With mouths watering for real food, the men planned a way to steal the cow and get it back on the ship to be butchered and enjoyed. This unauthorized operation was almost ready to be put into action when the siren rang out calling all men to their posts for active duty. With a last look to the cow the men trotted off hungry but ready to fight again.
Doug remembered an instance where he came across a carton of rum bound for the officers (in Sicily - Editor). Starving with hunger and suffering for lack of fresh water to drink, the men smuggled the rum to the beach where they sat at night knocking back the bottles. The rum was both food and drink for that day for those men.
Although none of these men were thieves, survival forced them into this temporary lifestyle. Drinking water was often difficult to find. Hugh explained that all suffered from dysentery and something as common as bread would not be tasted for as long as three months at a time. Hugh remembers stealing a half can of evaporated milk. It seemed like a gold mine until he drank the bad milk and ended up horribly ill.
It was common for these men to wear the same clothing for more than a month without having them washed. Out of pure desperation they once sent their laundry to some of the local women for cleaning. When the package of laundry was returned more than half was missing. The following day children were seen running around the village in the mysteriously disappearing khakis.
Dealing with the locals when they put into a friendly port was almost always an unusual experience, according to Doug. He once set up a little first aid stand to help treat the sores and cuts of the children. It seemed like a wonderful idea until the pregnant women started showing up for medical care. At that point Doug and his friend packed up their creams and salves and hustled it back to the ship.
The many hardships endured by these men during the war are difficult for those who weren't there to imagine. Sleeping in caves, sharing living space with rats, going without food and water and fighting the ravaging effects of dysentery became part of their day to day life. Add on top of all of this the reason for being there and it makes you wonder how anyone survived.
Strangely enough, Hugh described their group as a "happy bunch." They became everything to one another; family, friend and lifesaver.
"We had a goal," says Hugh. "We had to win the war. To do this, we had to work together. It was all about friendship and looking after each other."
These were the feelings that brought these men together, the ties that bind them no matter how many years pass without contact. This is what motivates men like Doug and Hugh to be together again. These ties will last until the last man with these memories no longer exists.
To see earlier photos of Hugh Houston link to "Rest and Repair, Malta 1943"
As well. please link to Articles re Combined Ops, "Landing Craft in Malta"
Unattributed Photos GH
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