Tom Cromie

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A veteran interview with

Tom Cromie was a dispatch rider for the Royal Artillery and on D-Day was lucky to survive the landings…

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About Tom Cromie

Tom Cromie’s free spirit sparked initial ambitions to be an RAF fighter pilot, but so did every other nineteen year old, so instead he joined the Royal Artillery as a soldier of the 231 Mortar Brigade.

His story starts with the invasion of Sicily as a dispatch rider and Tom shares fond memories of practicing trick cycling on his motorcycle in quiet lulls. But his part in Sicily was cut short when a Bren Gun Carrier reversed over his leg, breaking it and sending him back home to England, not before, however, a remarkable moment in which he shared a cigarette with a terrified German who lay in the bed next to him in hospital.

Tom then shares his memories of the D-Day landings as a field gunner, and recounts his lucky escape from almost drowning off of Green Beach. Another injury ends his part in the Normandy invasion and unable to return to his brigade, he eventually volunteered to be sent out to the Far East, ending up in India. Tom’s story is one full of character and gives glimpses of lightheartedness and humour into the terror of WW2 invasions.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Brig. C Elderton
Reviewed by:
Melanie Boulton

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

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