The Story of RON POLLITT

"Being in my eighties my memories are “Flash Backs”, no dates and virtually no names, yet many events are still vivid."

Ron joined up into the 2/6 South Staffordshire Regiment of the 59th Infantry Division. The 59th Division, which had been disbanded after WWI, was reborn as the duplicate of 55 (West Lancashire) Division in 1939. After some shuffling of battalions in order to maintain a semblance of regional integrity the 59th was officially labeled “Staffordshire”, even though it contained battalions from Lancashire and Norfolk.

59 Division spent the next five years training, including an extended period of field exercises in Northern Ireland, followed by a redeployment to Kent and a year of preparation for the Second Front.

"Before embarking for Normandy we were moved out of Dover Barracks and to a tent site at Bridge near Canterbury. Things became extremely boring despite their trying hard to occupy us. One day they offered lessons on driving a Bren Carrier. There were no driving tests during the war and I held a license so I jumped at the chance. I fell in love with the Bren Carrier and learnt to handle it quickly."

In 1944 the 59th Division was honoured as the last division selected for the Normandy operation — part of the invasion follow-up Corps. They landed in Normandy as part of the Second Army on the 27th of June, and theirs was the only WWII duplicate division to fight overseas. However, due to the severe casualties suffered by other units in the British Second Army and the consequent need for more reinforcements, it was disbanded.

"As a Private I joined the 5th Battalion Seaforths in the field from the 2nd/6th South Staffs. 59th Division at around the end of June still only 18 years old. I was straight into battle again. Many of my friends made this switch of Regiments and initially we were able to keep together. Two such mates Tich Easton and Flaherty were stalwarts to me, both were in their thirties.

My first flash back is that of being stranded outside a walled villa which we failed to capture. Night had fallen and the Germans were crawling around outside, when Tich saw a gap in the wall. All of 5’2”, he took over and said we should go through and head for the basement...