Living book: Ion Petrescu, General-in-reserve of the Romanian Army
(fragments)
"I was born on February 4 1928, so I am 91 years old. When I was 16, I was a student in the seventh grade high school, as the education system before World War II was organized. My older brother was a sub-lieutenant in the 7th Army Transmission Battalion, 7th Army Corps. This Army Corps was commanded by Army Corps General Nicolae Șova, a great patriot, a great commanding officer.
I had the opportunity to meet him in two circumstances. First of all, it was him who agreed with my participation in the battle for the liberation of Budapest as a child living with the military squad. Only commanders of large units were entitled to give such an agreement. My brother, before participating in the operation, came home on leave. He told my mother amd me what he intended to do and at that moment, in a brotherly gesture, I decided to join him in that battle. We went to the field, in the theater of operations, they asked me what I wanted, I was told that only the army general Nicolae Șova gives approval for enlisting a child and I was taken to this general. He had an imposing figure, a feature characteristic of all our officers. He asked me, "What is it that you want, my child?" And I told him I wanted to participate in the battle for Budapest. Then he asked me "Are you not afraid?" And I gave him a categorical answer. He pressed the button, called the adjutant and said: "Tell the commander of the signal battalion that I have approved his enrollment."
I went out, and I got a custom made outfit as an enrolled child, as well as child’s attire normally worn by children in the Budapest area. The reason: me along with my brother and another boy who was one year younger than me were to participate in reconnaissance operations behind the front line defended by German and Hungarian troops to collect intelligence.
My brother knew the Morse code perfectly, could speak Hungarian very well, and so did I because my father, a former mountain troop officer, had commanded the mountain troop company of Miercurea Ciuc. Hence, since my birth and until I turned four, when my father got injured and retired, I spoke only Hungarian. I knew it perfectly and then a civil advanced recce team was established to work behind the front line. I was participating in the operations and, as my brother knew Morse code very well, he would communicate the information immediately, and upon our return to the General Staff of the 7th Romanian Army Corps we presented the details. I participated in six such operations between December 27, 1944 and January 16, 1945.
On January 16th, during the sixth operation in which I participated, I was injured on the left side of my cheek, my teeth and a part of my tongue were broken. I was admitted to the campaign hospital and then taken to Oradea hospital, in the country. Later I decided to return (in the army) to continue my high school studies. I had passed the seventh grade of high school, I had to enroll in the eighth grade. I was stationed with the headquarters of 9th Infantry Regiment in Râmnicu Sărat, where I was born. That is my career path.
I saw a lot of men injured and not only did I see, but I myself got wounded, you can see where I was injured... Special circumstances force you to endure many vicissitudes. The war veterans faced unbearable difficulties, which left them infirm. Others lost their lives. I saw wounded people, especially when I was admitted to the hospital, both in the campaign hospital and the hospital of Oradea. I stayed with them in the room. Of course, God helped me, but many suffered a lot: some had lost their leg, others their hand, others could only see with one eye, there were many difficult situations that I saw…"
Ion Petrescu
"I was born on February 4 1928, so I am 91 years old. When I was 16, I was a student in the seventh grade high school, as the education system before World War II was organized. My older brother was a sub-lieutenant in the 7th Army Transmission Battalion, 7th Army Corps. This Army Corps was commanded by Army Corps General Nicolae Șova, a great patriot, a great commanding officer.
I had the opportunity to meet him in two circumstances. First of all, it was him who agreed with my participation in the battle for the liberation of Budapest as a child living with the military squad. Only commanders of large units were entitled to give such an agreement. My brother, before participating in the operation, came home on leave. He told my mother amd me what he intended to do and at that moment, in a brotherly gesture, I decided to join him in that battle. We went to the field, in the theater of operations, they asked me what I wanted, I was told that only the army general Nicolae Șova gives approval for enlisting a child and I was taken to this general. He had an imposing figure, a feature characteristic of all our officers. He asked me, "What is it that you want, my child?" And I told him I wanted to participate in the battle for Budapest. Then he asked me "Are you not afraid?" And I gave him a categorical answer. He pressed the button, called the adjutant and said: "Tell the commander of the signal battalion that I have approved his enrollment."
I went out, and I got a custom made outfit as an enrolled child, as well as child’s attire normally worn by children in the Budapest area. The reason: me along with my brother and another boy who was one year younger than me were to participate in reconnaissance operations behind the front line defended by German and Hungarian troops to collect intelligence.
My brother knew the Morse code perfectly, could speak Hungarian very well, and so did I because my father, a former mountain troop officer, had commanded the mountain troop company of Miercurea Ciuc. Hence, since my birth and until I turned four, when my father got injured and retired, I spoke only Hungarian. I knew it perfectly and then a civil advanced recce team was established to work behind the front line. I was participating in the operations and, as my brother knew Morse code very well, he would communicate the information immediately, and upon our return to the General Staff of the 7th Romanian Army Corps we presented the details. I participated in six such operations between December 27, 1944 and January 16, 1945.
On January 16th, during the sixth operation in which I participated, I was injured on the left side of my cheek, my teeth and a part of my tongue were broken. I was admitted to the campaign hospital and then taken to Oradea hospital, in the country. Later I decided to return (in the army) to continue my high school studies. I had passed the seventh grade of high school, I had to enroll in the eighth grade. I was stationed with the headquarters of 9th Infantry Regiment in Râmnicu Sărat, where I was born. That is my career path.
I saw a lot of men injured and not only did I see, but I myself got wounded, you can see where I was injured... Special circumstances force you to endure many vicissitudes. The war veterans faced unbearable difficulties, which left them infirm. Others lost their lives. I saw wounded people, especially when I was admitted to the hospital, both in the campaign hospital and the hospital of Oradea. I stayed with them in the room. Of course, God helped me, but many suffered a lot: some had lost their leg, others their hand, others could only see with one eye, there were many difficult situations that I saw…"
Ion Petrescu