Bill Farmer, private, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry ©
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Read this introduction to Bill Farmer's story, then listen to him describe his experiences, using the links at the foot of this page.

Bill Farmer was 19 on D-Day. He went through many months of training in Scotland before being sent to France with the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Around ten days before the actual deadline, he and his comrades were kept out of all communication, in a sealed camp.

Farmer recounts that on D-Day, to diffuse the tension during the crossing of the Channel, the officers allowed the soldiers to play cards for money - which was forbidden by military regulations.

The KSLI took part in the siege of Caen, the strategic French city where German resistance was to prove much stronger than expected. In the heat of the battle, Farmer was at the receiving end of both enemy and friendly fire. But he managed to scrape through to the end of D-Day unharmed.

Later on, he fought in Belgium and Germany and, at the end of the war, was sent to the Middle East.

	'The last gamble' Play audio Read transcript

	'First blood' Play audio Read transcript

	'Cows and friendly fire' Play audio Read transcript

	'Growing up under fire' Play audio Read transcript
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