“Never make war cause you never know where it will take you”

Titch

I was born, Alan Ellis Atkinson, on the second day of December 1914 at the start of the First World War.
My mother’s name was Jeni Ellis and my father’s name was Harry Benjamin Atkinson. I was one of six siblings.
I was about four years old, when the First World War ended, and I’d like you to know, I can still remember, people celebrating the end of the war.
When I was 14 years old, I left school, got a job, and finished my education, at night school.
At the age of 18, I joined the CMF (Commonwealth Military Force).
When I had finished my examination; I showed it to an Officer. He was very impressed, he then informed me, that he considered me, officer material, and that this was the start of my military career, also that my high math levels made me perfect, for the artillery division.
This was perfect for me I love big guns the bigger the better.
“Got it!”
Mathematical calculations was my Forté.
I would do mathematical equations for fun to pass the time of day.
A bit like Einstein!
Over 50 years have passed since the World War II secrecies act was invoked.
Now all the stories can be told of what took place and what happened.
Tich’s memoirs cover over 25 chapters including the Western Desert, Syria and New Guinea. +150 photographs 11 aerial reconnaissance plane photographs and over 100 Studio Audio Recordings transcribed into text chapters plus interviews and conversations, conducted from the 92nd through to his 94th year of his life.
These stories are not intended to glorify war, quite the contrary but to make anybody think again, should they ever wish to take such actions again. “You never know where war will take you”.
Furthermore the stories are not intended to make any political statements. They are just stories, which may contain Titch’s critiques. If you don’t like that then you be the judge.
“Got it!”
In conclusion, I would like to say that, all who served their country during World War II, did so for one thing, and one thing only, and that was for freedom. As my late father was my commanding officer. He instructed me, that I should publish every story he told me, as he told me. So you must understand, I am therefore committed to publishing every story he has told me as correctly as possible, to the nth degree!
In the last half an hour of his (Titch’s) life, I promised him that I would launch this project of his, compiling his memoirs, on his behalf.