15 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca Then, just a few minutes before the ship went under, I jumped in far enough to be out of the drag. I told him to jump too but I guess the condition he was in he couldn’t jump in so he just slid over the side of the boat and was sucked under. I never saw him again. About a 100 of us jumped, most without life jackets. From the time we were hit it took only 20 minutes for the ship to go under. There was panic all over the ship. As it went down a bunch of Welsh patients sang “Nearer My God To Thee”. I was in the water about half an hour when an American sub chaser picked me up. A young American sailor helped pull me out of the water. I thought of him many times. I often wished I could meet him again. I had to leave all my wet clothes in the sub chaser and left with a blanket around me. I was in the hospital in England over a week and then was posted to Aldershot and from there to France. I was posted to the 18th Bty. 2nd Antitank Regiment 2nd Division at Dunkirk. From Dunkirk the Battery moved to Antwerp, Belgium, where the 2nd Division was given the task of clearing the enemy from the harbour area. On one particular occasion in the harbour area the battery greatly assisted the 4th Infantry Brigade. The enemy had dug in machine gun positions underneath railway box cars loaded with coal. The 18th Battery brought up two 17 pounder guns and fired directly into the enemy position killing 60 Germans and wounding 30 more and let the 4th Brigade move forward. In November 1944, the battery arrived in Nijmegen, Holland, and took up a defensive position with the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade along the Holland-Germany border. We remained there until the big allied drive was made into Germany through the Reichwald Forrest in February 1945. I was in “C” Troop. Seven enemy Panther tanks were destroyed in two separate attacks with no casualties to our troops. After considerable time the battery started its long campaign through Germany and back again to Holland to take part in the liberating of the Northern part. Once more we returned to Germany where things were very active on the approach to Oldenburg. This point was reached first around V.E. Day. I think it’s only fitting to mention that the 18th Battery of approximately 100 men had 18 Panther tank kills to its credit and numerous self propelled guns and machine gun posts. Out of all the gallant members of the 18th Battery, two officers and 29 other ranks made the supreme sacrifice. A large number were wounded. No less than three M.C.’s one M.M. one Mentioned in Despatches and many C. and C. Certificates were won by the battery. Shortly after the war was over I was posted to the 38th L.A.A. Battery of Winnipeg for our homeward journey on the Queen Elizabeth. I arrived in Winnipeg in November 1945. I received my discharge on January 10, 1946. MEDALS: Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. Defence Medal France and Germany Star 1939-1945 Star War Medal 1939-1945 Alexander was born in the RM of Minto, Manitoba in 1923. After his service, he returned to Minnedosa to farm. He rented the farm from his mother and step-father and bought it in 1948. On December 30, 1950, Alexander married Verna Gibson fromWaskada. They raised a family of four children - three boys and a girl and they had thirteen grandchildren. In 1989, Alexander and Verna retired to the town of Minnedosa. He was a Life Member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 138 and enjoyed curling and helping out at the farm. In 1992 the 18th Battery had a final big reunion. Before that they had one every year. Alexander passed away in 2017. ABEL, Alexander Brigham (continued)
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