I began my own personal battle against MS, one of the most insidious enemies of the present day, with a one thousand mile sponsored walk following the route my father, fusilier J. F. Monk, took through England, Belgium, Holland, and Germany during WW2, thus recalling what was one of the finest fighting formations in the field, namely, the 7th Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 52nd Lowland Division.

To read about the support I had, and people I met along the way click here.

To read about the Cameronians in Europe - 'my fathers war', personal recollections from Sgt. Jack Rafferty, and to see rare footage of the action, click here.

The pages that follow give brief details of the actions of the 7th Cameronians, with a timeline of other battles taking place simultaneously. There is also a contribution from Bren Gunner Jack Rafferty who fought alongside my father and became his lifelong friend.

Fred Monk, Jack Rafferty, and Peter Connely (left)