Fantastic responses from everyone and some really heartwarming moments shared. Geoff and Dan are right, Rememberance is key to much of what we cherish. What Geoff says about planting the seeds for future generations is of paramount importance. We tend to forget just how ‘mortal’ we are until something happens to someone we are close to. To the veterans we remember and honour that mortality was an ever present fact of life. Empty seats in the mess, a dog who no longer has an owner, a wife or sweetheart waiting for the news that their lived one is safe, and the final devastating realisation that they weren’t.
Not an achievement, not even a rainbow, and at the time this incident occurred I was too naive to realise its importance and significance. I have told this story before but that was nearly three years ago now. Back in the early eighties I was at an airshow down south and had the opportunity to clamber inside Sally B for a small fee. In front of me in the queue was a short grey haired chap wearing a leather jacket. Anyway, on leaving the aircraft he stumbled and fell and I helped him up. He was crying. I asked if he was ok, (I cringe at the crass naievety of that question now), he had been a ball gunner in 1944 and in his broad American accent told me he was crying with pleasure at the memories evoked by sight of an aircraft which had carried him safely through his tour, and with sadness at the loss of his best friend ‘whose remains were hosed out of the tail turret’. His words, etched forever in my memory, not mine. I would swap every memory of every airshow and aircraft I have seen to be able to spend one hour in that mans company. To have the chance to ask him the questions which would come easily to my lips now. And to thank him.
Regards,
kev35
Wow, what a great story, Kev.
Thanks for sharing.
I once went to an airshow at Wigram down in Christchurch, here in NZ.
I spoke for about an hour with a retired chap who helps restore the aircraft for the museum.
Turns out he was a Hurricane pilot during WW2 and actually flew off catapults on merchant ships.
I chatted to him for nearly an hour and I wasn’t even scratching the surface with the knowledge and experiences this fine gentleman had to offer.
Just all of the little things you never read about in books I found really fascinating.
Very sad to think that sooner or later these people will be gone forever.
Cheers
Chris
Sign In
