Combat History; 

26th September 1942; Posted to No.4 Light Anti–Aircraft Regiment (LAA) Maritime Royal Artillery (MRA) Served over 2 years at sea as an anti–aircraft gunner on troopships until 2nd February 1945. Based in Southport, deployed on troopships bringing US and Canadian troops across the Atlantic and on Landing Ships Infantry (LSI) disembarking troops into assault craft off the beaches during the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. 

Constantly exposed to the possibility of his ship being torpedoed without warning and having to abandon ship in mid Atlantic with little prospect of another ship being able to stop and rescue him. Also, to heavy artillery and air attacks whilst standing off the invasion beaches disembarking troops 

8th November 1942; Operation Torch; The invasion of North Africa at Algiers. 

Unloading ammunition in Algiers, his ship, MV Bourbon Castle, was attacked by enemy aircraft. The crew panicked and tried to abandon ship. The Captain posted Ken at the top of the gangway with a gun and ordered him to shoot anyone who tried to leave the ship. 

10th July 1943 Op Husky; The invasion of Sicily. LSI(L) MV Devonshire 

3rd September 1943 Op Baytown; The invasion of Italy at Salerno. LSI(L) MV Devonshire 

6th June 1944 D–Day. Transporting and disembarking US troops into amphibious assault vehicles for the invasion beaches from LSI(L) MV Devonshire then bringing in reinforcements until September 1944. 

P.T.O FOR MORE OF KEN‘S STORY 

The war in Europe was nearly over and troopships were no longer bringing US and Canadian servicemen across the Atlantic in vast numbers so there would have been a surplus of MRA gunners. 

2nd February 1945; Posted out of the Maritime Artillery back to the Royal Artillery. 

14th April 1945; Attached to Training Regiments at the School of Artillery, Survey Wing, Larkhill (Salisbury Plain) Retrained as a Driver/Signaller. 

26th May 1946; Posted to No 30 Field Regiment RA. 

July 1946; His unit was sent overseas under the command of Middle East Forces based in Egypt and sent to Greece where British troops were assisting the Greek Government during a Civil War.