I was on my way to the Planning Dept at Saffron Walden and wasn’t too sure of the time, however good old Radio 2 stopped everything for the chimes at 11, and they played Nimrod.
What was a coincidence was that I was alongside Carver Barracks and at the end of the Debden runway, all was silent, I could see the soldiers standing next to their cars in the car park no doubt remembering their 2 colleagues who were brutally murdered in Iraq whilst on mine clearing duties, I waited for a ghostly Spitfire to land over my head but could only imagine it.
The war memorial service had broken up by the time I got into the town but while looking in the butchers shop window, I was aware of a tall, elegant and youthfull old boy wearing a smart black suit doing the same. The thing was, he had the most amazing collection of medals on his chest including the DFC and bar, I’m kicking myself for not saying anything, but then, on this day, he may have wanted to be alone with his thoughts, even at the butchers.
It was also the first Rememberance Day without my old man, and I’m getting tearful thinking about it now, he would never join the British Legion or wear his medals but always put his tie on out of respect for his fallen colleagues.
Sargeant Horace Robert Truman, Royal Artillery, reccomended for a top gallantry award but never receiving it due to the actions of a cowardly officer, thinking of you today.