In a PM discussion I have been talking about a lovely chap I worked for one summer.
For three months of 1966 I stood alongside him in his photographic shop in Newquay, Cornwall, and for part of the time lodged with him and his first family (The truly gorgeous Simone particularly)
He mentioned he’d been in the RAF and flown Gladiators, Spitfires and Whirlwinds.
I tried a couple of exploratory questions but it was apparent he didn’t really want to talk about it much.
As a result of the PM discussion I came across the following obituary. If you get a moment do read it and ponder on how many unsung heroes there are out there.
Moggy
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article476063.ece
By: stangman - 17th November 2008 at 13:50
Always a delight to hear these stories of those who were not in the forefront of attention. Everyone did their bit and i am ever gratefull to those that did so much. It’s true it was their time and they resolved to combat the problems of the day, but you still have to feel pride and respect for what they did and didn’t require mass adulation for doing it.
By: Thunderbird167 - 17th November 2008 at 12:36
From experience of communicating with these unsung heroes over the past twenty years I have never had a more fitting reply to the question than that given to me by Fred Beacon who flew Spitfires as a sergeant pilot in Burma.
His reply was as follows:-
“If I had not gone and done what I did then there would have been others to do it, we were nothing special but just happened to be there at the time”
Fred was twenty at the time of going into combat against the Japanese and to this day still stays in touch with two of his old pilot comrades. They have what I believe is an unbreakable bond of brotherhood forged from a sense that there was a job to be done.
Greatest respect to all who served and wish to remain the modest unsung heroes
By: bazv - 17th November 2008 at 12:30
During WW2 i think it was normal for our pilots to avoid what they might think was ‘line shooting’ , understatement was the norm.
Ex RAF aircrew that i have spoken with were usually quite happy to discuss the a/c they flew,but extremely reluctant to discuss ops etc.
After he wrote his first book and just from memory i believe that a nickname for Nicholas Monsarrat(who was a Corvette Captain) was ‘Shermouli’ …which is the name a large line shooting gun.
cheers baz
By: DazDaMan - 17th November 2008 at 12:06
I know we applaud the huge efforts of Fighter and Bomber Command on a regular basis (and understandably so), but you have to admire the efforts of the search and rescue guys, too – unsung as they were – for their part in the Allied success.
Perhaps he felt that his contribution wasn’t “enough” to justify conversation?
I’m sure, if he were alive now, we’d be just as fascinated by his experiences in such a “low-key” role.
By: Moggy C - 17th November 2008 at 11:47
Sorry, should be fixed now.
Moggy
By: DazDaMan - 17th November 2008 at 11:24
Page won’t load for me 🙁
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November 17, 2008 at 11:14 am