The Valour and the Horror

World War Two, saving private ryan, Second World War, W.W.II

BRUCE DUCAT As quoted in "The Valour and the Horror"

A soldier of The Black Watch.

On Verrières Ridge; July 1944:

V&H Loving God, there's something wrong. There's no covering artillery fire. Never in all the rehearsals in England did we ever attack like this. 01:03:47:10

On psychiatric collapse:

V&H 01:50:45:10 An 88 shell bounced off our old trench and within one minute we had 3 guys go wacky. One officer, a corporal and one private. The Officer, God what a big man, spooked out and cried - had to get him out of there quick. The private jumped up out of the trench and started running circles in the field. One of the guys tackled him, held him down, and finally got him back to the aid post.

On Major Griffin, leader of the Black Watch:

V&H 02:09:08:20 He looked like a young college boy, put it that way - a very smart good looking soldier. Oh he can be tough as nails but very fair.

On the Black Watch advance:

V&H 02:17:23:10 Tex Richard, an American buddy in the Watch, was right beside me when a shell blows him up. He says Duckie come help me. I says I can't but, I'll be back Tex, sure as hell.

We were Black Watch. We never learned the word retreat. And I didn't want to be branded a coward, I didn't want to bring disgrace on my family, on my regiment.