In 1942, at the age of 22, Monty, affectionately referred to as Harold Major, was enlisted into the British Army. By May 1945, his duties found him in Northern Germany, working as a baker in the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC). His responsibility entailed providing sustenance for the troops who marched from Normandy through Europe. Now, Monty, a lively 102-year-old, remembers with clarity an incident in 1944. This was when the esteemed Sir Winston Churchill visited his mobile bakery near the front lines in Normandy. ‘He simply graced our bakery and wished everyone well,’ Monty shares. ‘He stayed quite some time and even sampled my bread.’
At his Woodhall Spa abode, Monty anticipates his upcoming 103rd birthday this month. While his memories of the Victory in Europe Day are somewhat hazy, the feeling of relief of having survived the war is still fresh in his mind. ‘I was simply relieved to have made it, to have been demobilised and to be able to return home,’ he shares. Despite his aspiration to be a driver, his baking skills proved indispensable to the RASC mobile bakery unit supporting the British troops. ‘There were numerous bombs dropping around us whilst we were relocating. It was terrifying, but I was fortunate to survive,’ he concedes.
After the war, Monty came back to Mareham-le-Fen, Lincolnshire, resuming his work at the village bakery. ‘There were festivities, but I reverted back to my regular life,’ he reveals. Today, Monty frequents his local indoor bowling club, attributing his long life to a daily intake of whiskey. He is due to take part in the veterans parade during the Victory in Europe day commemorations in Woodhall Spa this coming Thursday.
This article was adapted by The Lincoln Post from the original report by www.bbc.com.
