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Routed by Rommel

Heroes Remember

Transcript
And at one stage what happened was Rommel was the general of the Germans, he organized his armies and he wanted to advance, put some contacts on us and they started advancing. And then we, it was so, the position was so heavy that the allied forces had to withdraw. The truck I was in, in which my wireless station was, out of the five wheels, the spare wheel was already bust because of the stones in the desert and all that, they would all get cut. We were just on four working wheels and we were running back. The Germans were advancing. I could see 40 or 60 maybe, German tanks coming in a line towards us firing at a terrific speed. We could see their firing, lights, shells, you see these flashes of lights, firing at us but we were told to retreat. We were retreating and we went on retreating the whole day. At night, we’d stop for the night and the next morning we’d start, we saw again that they were firing, the Germans again on us. We started withdrawing again on it so for three days we kept on withdrawing, and then thereafter one of the commanders thought we cannot possibly get rid of these fellows so we kept on driving day and night then we would get away from these fellows. They gave us a very tough time. And then next, of course, the Reich troops regrouped again, and then they started to advance again, and then we’re advancing, and we’re back to Libya, and took everything back to the enemy. What goes on sometimes, you got the upper hand and other times the enemy has the upper hand. It goes on, it’s a part of life.
Description

Mr. Jauhal describes a counterattack by the Germans under Rommel in which Mr, Jauhal’s is forced to outrun the advancing German tanks.

Pritam Jauhal

Pritam S. Jauhal, was born in Jalandhar, Punjab Province, India on October 4, 1920. He was one of four children. At his mother’s insistence, he moved at the age of sixteen to New Delhi to further his education. Here he lived with his aunt and uncle. Mr. Jauhal’s father had served in the First World War, and Mr. Jauhal himself enlisted in 1937, citing the threat of global domination by Hitler as his reason. He joined the England Corps of Signals. He became a wireless operator, and served in that capacity during the Allied campaign to liberate North Africa. Mr. Jauhal saw no further action in the war, but remained in the Indian army. He served three tours of duty during the wars with Pakistan, and was also a member of the International Control Commission in Hanoi. Mr. Jauhal retired with the rank of Colonel.

Meta Data
Medium:
Video
Owner:
Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:
Person Interviewed:
Pritam Jauhal
War, Conflict or Mission:
Second World War
Location/Theatre:
North Africa
Battle/Campaign:
North Africa
Branch:
Army
Units/Ship:
Fifth British Division
Rank:
Colonel
Occupation:
Wireless Operator

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