Jack's words of war wisdom found after 60 years

Published on Wednesday 12 August 2009 22:07

A DIARY of a Scottish soldier's life on the front line during the Second World War has been published after it lay undiscovered for more than 60 years.

Jack Gillespie chronicled his experiences as a corporal with the 2nd Battalion the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders as they fought the Italians and Nazis in Sicily.

His diary entries and poems were often passed around the rank and file to boost morale, and a book of his experiences has just been published to coincide with his 100th birthday earlier this month.

In the book, Mr Gillespie describes the moment he saw two young squaddies killed as they raised their heads above a parapet during a firefight in Italy.

On returning to base later that day, Jack wrote: "We were the forward section. The dawn came up and two kids moaned about 'wasted time' and home.

"Within a few minutes the two little white-armed lads of 18 were dead. As far as I could tell these lads had seen nothing of life, a couple of drunks and a night out or two. Now let us count our blessings when the time comes that we survived so much longer."

Jack's memoirs were sealed in a cardboard box after the war until they were discovered by his son John, 63, in the loft at his father's home in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, in May.

John, also of Kidderminster, said: "I found this old exercise book. It's faded and broken into lots of pieces and the cover has come off, but he carried it around with him in wartime.

"I knew Dad used to write poetry, but he never really talked much about it, so when I found his work I was really excited, because it's real first-hand history.

"As a surprise, I decided to get the poems and diaries published to celebrate his 100th. It was a race against time, but Dad is thrilled to bits about the book."

In one diary entry, written on the day of the Allied invasion of Sicily, he described the horrific injuries of his comrades and his own disappointment at not being transferred to the paratroopers.

The entry reads: "Written at 4pm on Saturday 10 July, 1943. My chances of becoming a Paratroop have sunk to zero, as the CO will not release us from this unit.

"One Glasgow boy with both legs off is singing 'I belong to Glasgow'. (Hells Bells). The cigarette is such help to them all that it makes me ponder as to what outlet my nerves will have, should anything happen to me."

Jack, who has two children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, turned 100 on 4 August.

The Poetic Journal of a Cameron Highlander, which also contains some 30 poems, is published by the Warwickshire-based firm History Into Print.