Reginald Stevens – Légion d’Honneur

British NCO served with 571st Coastal Regt. Royal Artilllery in GB. 1942-1945 served with 120th Light Anti p-Aircraft Regt, Royal Artillery. 76th Anti- Aircraft Bde in GB and North West Europe, 1943 – 1945.

Reg was born in the Rhondda Valley, Wales in 1921 but moved to Somerset with his family as a young child. He was educated at Cleeve Village School in Somerset and his first job was on the farm opposite his home.

Because of this he was in a reserved occupation and not called up. This didn’t sit well with him and after a while he volunteered because, as he said, many of his friends had joined up and some had been killed.

He joined the 120th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment and after 72 hours embarkation leave he was to land at Ver sur Mer with the Canadians and Green Howards on their flanks. This was D Day.

Their tank went on board first followed by all the other vehicles. They travelled with Marine Commandos.

Somewhere in the English Channel the voyage became almost unbearably rough, the engines ceased and volunteers were asked to bale which Reg, as one of the few left standing, did. He told that virtually everyone else was sea sick but he continued to bale and bale.

There were, he told, ships everywhere. On arrival at Ver sur Mer he and his comrades slept in a German bunker. He said that when he landed he was petrified, surrounded by carnage and horror.

There were hundreds of anti aircraft guns on the beaches and only powdered food available.

Between 1943 and 1944 he would man a Bofor gun. His country skills served him well and he told that he could more easily recognise disturbed soil with potential land mines and also find food for his platoon to supplement their rations.

He went on to see further action as they pushed through to Holland, (where he said they saw fierce fighting and many casualties, particularly in Flushing) eventually arriving in Germany.

He was promoted to acting sergeant after some time.

Like many of his comrades he didn’t speak of his experiences for many years although his verbal account can be heard on the Imperial War Museum site:-https://www.iwm.rg.uk/collections/item/object/80031262