There And Back Again

By David Taft

Maurice Albert Steptoe

Royal Artillery

Served:

November 1942 to 1947

France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, India and Palestine.

What did the sessions mean to you?

"Nice to meet service people"

Maurice Albert Steptoe

Born on 31st May in 1924 North Kennington London.

"I was called up in November 1942 Berwick-On-Tweed after six weeks training I was transferred to Redcar. Then I was posted to Northern Ireland back to Sevenoaks in Kent.

On to Normandy Beaches through to France, Holland, Belgium, and Germany till VE Day. We got on well with them after the war (German POW) They Shared the food with us, we wondered what it was all about. I then returned to England for one months leave. I then left England for Bombay also Port Said Egypt and then Palestine. I stayed in the Royal Artillary till Demob in Woking. I was also in the territorial Army for 17 years."

Some things I can not; some I do not

"I had many incidents including being shelled lossing six of my mates including many wounded.

There were so many incidents which I can not remember some I don't want to remember"

Maurice Steptoe September 2007