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Editorial·' Staff John French Len Rook Doug Howorth News Journal oi the 2.nd Derbyshire Yeomanry Vol.t. No. 5 December 7th, 1945 .IESTIBBBfilGG.IE No. 5 SERGEANT ALBERT EDWARD BROWN to bring about the complete break­ the sides and the car was a way. up the attack. After a hundred yards or so the At St. Silvain Sgt. Brown did car was suddenly spattered with a day's spotting himself, and so bullets. There wasn't room to get numerous and accurate were his inside so Sgt. Brown's crew threw reports of enemy movement that themselves off and got down in when "B" Squadron attacked the a ditch, along which they crawled same night they were able to until they found a heaven-sent advance four miles. On the road slit trench. Then a muffled crash from Rouen to Vallee la Rose he announced that the troop leader·s led a recce a.t such a speed that car also had gone up. "I thought back at S.H.Q. they gave up trying I'd try to reach him," said Top­ ''ONECR OWDJljD HOUR to cross-check his position and per, "so I crawled through the 01!, GLORIOUS LIFE", wearily asked "Who is this man hedge into a farmyard. There I sang Omar Khayyaw, "is Patton?" abruptly abandoned the idea when worth an age without a mi.me." At Onder another enemy attack, I saw three Germans standing at The fiI1st twenty-two of Topper supported by S.P. guns, owed ils the far end of the ya.rd. Just be· Brown's twenty-four years could failurn largely to Topper's habit side me was a chicken-house, with hardly have been called crowded. of staying put. The attack, sup­ its door creaking in the wind. 1 He passed four quiet years in ported by heavy mortar fire, darted in and lay there, not eYen Castle Donington as a painter and forced 2 and 5 Troops to withdraw daring to close the door. Fortu­ decorator before joining the T. A. but Sgt. Brown stayed to observe nately the Boche appetites had in May, 1939, and becoming one of and direct an artillery stonk left no chickens to squawk." the select band of D. Y. originals which soon convinced the Boche The enemy began digging slit later that year. He served with he was on a loser. trenches in the yard, so all Topper It "A" Squadron throughout !he When his car hit a mine in lbe could do was wait nnd hope. African campaign. but there's was then that he began to feel Ardennes that flip of the cigarette pain and found his boot full ..,..~-­ nothing exciting about being was again Topper's only show of blood from a shrapnel wound. S.H.Q. troop sergeant. From Esco­ feeling. He sent back his blast­ ville to the Rhine, hov;ever, his Came dusk and the crucial blinded driver and led a patro question: would the Boche man "C" Squadron contemporaries re­ on foot into La Roche, returning call, no report seemed complete the newly-dug trenches? P erhaps with a couple of prisoners. He the unfortumate chickens again without mention of Topper Brown. had barely started the journey saved our hero, for the diggers For his share in the heavy back to S.H.Q. on a flat tyre when were called into the house, and fighting around Ca.en he was the car again hit a mine and he a few minutes later he made his awarded the Qroix de Guerre, the himself took the blast in the face escape. He collectect his two men citation indicating not one but a and was blinded. whole series of incidents, such from their trench and together as that, for instance, when A three weeks rest was they made their painful way lo "C" Squadron had its memorable sufficient to get him fit again, and where the Jocks' lines should field day at Herouvillette. After once more his name began to have been. 'rhey stood a go.1d a prolonged enemy barrage fol­ haunt the squadron diary. chance of getting shot at by ci!hcr lowed by a heavy engagement o For his part in the Zelderheide side, but it was Topper, of course. Troop were forced . to withdraw, incident, when 2 Troop ran into who advanced shouting "Friend"". leaving .2 Troop, with the an ambush, Sgt. Brown earned a Dim figures came forward armoured ca.rs of Sgt. Brown and mention in dispatches, and the babbling in a.n alien tongue - Sgt. Simpson in the lead, to hold story of that epic of courage, which happily turned out lo h~ the position. The enemy put in r esource and luck is worth Scottish. an attack with infantry supported retelling. The scene was all too The damaged foot sent Sgt. by ten tanks, but were met by a familiar: one of those raised dyke Brown to hospital for two months; withering fire from the two cars. roads which made one feel so con. depots and R.H.U's accounted Sgt. Simpson was killed when his naked and wide open ..Sudden ly the for many morn, and life r everted car was knocked out, but Topper leading car brewed up, and Sgt. to the "age wilhout a name" sta­ merely rolled his eternal cigarette Brown went ahead past his troc tus, but Albert Edward Brown to the other corner of his mouth leader to takeup the front position. had lived his crowded hom to the and carried on alone. Before the About to turn into the welcome full, and we can quote his driver day was out his good work, plus protection of a farmho~se, his and operator as proof: "There accurate artillery fire brought own car was bit and he and lhe was never a dull mnment with down by the magnificent 0.P. crew baled out and raced to the Topper Brown." work of Capt. Richards, had helped troop leader's car. They clung to L. ROOK (Cpl.) 2 Education "Magriificent" Without Tears says the Mayor ~ Thur~day evening this HE decision to offer the freedom of the Borough of Derby to the O week- a most interesting Derbyshire Yeomanry is a tribute to the magnificent work of couple of hours were spent T the regiment in var ious campaigns, saicl the l\fayor of Derby, in Room 11 at Steinkirchen when Alderman 'fom Johnson, iu an interview with YEOl\IAN. teams from "A", "B" and "C" Squadrons and R.H.Q. met in a regimental "Question Time". Cun­ "This is something wo haYe REUNION DINNER ningly contrived by Capt. Macey, never done before", said the Education Officer. as a means of Jfayor, "but we do feel that we NEXT YEAR sugar-coating the education pill, would like to show our appre­ The first annual dinner dance the quiz was run as a knockout ciation of the Regiment's work of the Derbyshire Yeomanry Old competition, each team consisting and to offer the freedom is the Comrades' Association will be of five men. Capt. Clarke and highest honour held not later than November next Capt. Macey took turns as question­ we can confer." year. masters, whit.e Lt. Pilsbury and When the free­ This was decided upon at a the Padre, the Rev. H. C. Poston, dom ceremony Regimental Committee meeting at did good work as scorer and time­ will take place H.H.Q. on 27th Nov. when Lieut.­ kooper respectively. is still very Col. A. F. Langly Smith, M.C. much in doubt, proposed that the re-union should In the first round "A" Sqnadl'On beat R.H.Q. comfor tably by 13 for with the.1st take place whether or not either points to 4~ but "C" had to think line in Italy, and Regiment had returned from hard to beat "B" by 10-7*/,, and other units who Ald. Tom Johnson OYerseas. in the final the issue was very also are to re- It was decided also that those close indeed, "C" Squadron win­ ceive the honour scattered about who had been permanently ning by a short head with 121/t the world, it may be months before attached to the Regiment, irre­ points to "A"s 1011/i2. enough representatives can meet spective of arm of Ser vice, shou ld in England. be eligible for membership of the Teams were: - "A" Squadron: Sgt. Meanwhile, organisation of the Association. Bryon, Tpr. Loder, Tpr. D. Williams, Tpr. Scott and Tpr. Brown. "B''.: ~gt . event presents no small problem Ex-members of the Regiment Bayliff, Sgt. Faulkner, Cpl.. W1"!.~­ to the Chief Clerk of Derby, -Mr. are invited to get in touch with son L/c. Ball and Tpr. Wright. C : G. S. Frith. In the town the only Mr. J. H. Shaw, 233, Stenson Road, Sgt'. Powell, Cpl. Rook, L/c. Widdi­ Derby, secretary of the Associ­ son Tpr. Handley and Tpr. Banks. place to hold such a ceremony is lUf.Q.: Sgt. De St. Croix, Sgt. the Drill Hall and that is occupied ation. The Regimental Secretary Moody, Tpr. J enkins, Tpr. P owell and by the ·Anny. ie Capt. A. J. Jones,, :M.B.E. Tpr. Sutton. Civic heads of the Regiment's home county follow our activities with interest, said Mr. Frith. In the Mayor's Parlour still is kept the German flag captured at Gennep and taken to England by the "Derby Telegraph" war cor­ respondent after he visited the Regiment early this year. Thank' You, Mr.

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