you never know who lives next door!

Discussion in 'Durham Light Infantry' started by Verrieres, Dec 8, 2008.

  1. sparky34

    sparky34 Senior Member

    although they did not exactly live next door I was pleased to have two friends
    over a number of years who covered both world wars ..first their was HARRY who
    had been a stretcher bearer at PASSCHENDAELE and ARNOLD ex R,A.F who was
    taken prisoner on JAVA by the JAPANESE ..I spent many happy hours with both of them at different times ,listening to their stories over a pint or two of beer ..
    R.I.P and many thanks ..
     
  2. Verrieres

    Verrieres no longer a member

    Who is your wife? This is (was) my dad.


    Hello Barbara,

    I`ve sent you a PM Small World:)


    Jim
     
  3. Bradlad

    Bradlad Senior Member

    I have a couple of " small world " type experiences...

    I was in Germany in 1986 with a school exchange, whilst standing at a pedestrian crossing chatting to a friend a late middle aged German gentleman joined us, and crossed the road... upon reaching the other side he asked ( in excellent English ) " You are English? where are you from? " we explained that we were on a school exchange from Bradford in Yorkshire..
    " Ah " says the Gentleman " I know Bradford well, I was working on a farm at a place called Tong as a prisoner in the war, when the war ended I worked in the town at a bombed garage " he joined us in the ice cream parlour and we chatted for a long time, it transpired he lived with a family on the next street to where I was living at the time, he stayed with them until he returned to Germany in the late 50's!

    Another was only a few years ago, I was driving a bus for pensioners, taking them shopping etc.
    One regular was a German gentleman, a real character, he always had the bus in uproar with his jokes and antics and was a true gentleman with it, a genuinely warm and friendly person.
    We used to discuss the war but he never went into detail of what he did, we just seemed to gloss over the general subject.
    Anyway, one day I am told he has passed away, I was genuinely saddened but it happened..the sole purpose of the bus was to carry older people who couldn't get around on their own.
    The same day a friend called to say his grandad had died, I thought nothing of it at the time, just the compassion for my friend.
    The German gentleman was his grandfather! It transpired he was an SS tank gunner, captured in Italy by my paternal Grandad's regiment, he had been awarded the Iron Cross 1st class by Hitler himself and many other medals for his actions on the Eastern Front and was eventually sent to Italy where he was captured somewhere near Monte Casino.
    I attended his funeral and spoke to his wife, who I knew quite well, and said that I had no idea about his war record, she smiled and just said " did you ever actually ask him? "
    Sadly, I didn't.
     
  4. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    Jim,

    Great thread. I have more than a tinge of regret over not taking advantage of the countless vets I knew as a child and teenager. In the ignorance of youth I always thought they would be around and inevitably, so many missed opportunities to speak more with those great guys.
     

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