…and eternally grateful to my grandfather and the other brave men who were part of Bomber Command in World War Two, and the price they paid for our freedom. Last Friday I received a little note and a photo in the post, that had been forwarded from my work address. The photo was of my grandfather and grandmother as they stood each side of a bride and groom. The short note was from the daughter of the groom, (Kate) who had apparently been searching for me for some time. They had come across my grandfather’s diary in a blog I started but unfortunately failed to complete some time ago. (It remains on my to do list)
www.wingcommanderww2.blogspot.co.uk
Coincidently Kate and her husband live only about a 40 minute drive away from us, in East Hertfordshire, so today we are joining them for morning coffee. We are taking mum and grandfather’s beautiful leather bound diary with us.
Kate’s father, Pat Morris, was my grandfather’s navigator on many a perilous bombing raid. Unfortunately these trips were often thought of as suicidal as many of the brave young men lost their lives, including very sadly my twenty six year old grandfather, my mother was barely two years old at the time. Pat was more fortunate and survived the war dying at a good old age only five years ago. What a shame we never got to meet him.
But today we will meet his daughter and share a few stories and I expect a few tears. Grandfather mentions Pat quite often in the diary including attending his wedding, when my grandmother must have been quite heavily pregnant with my mother. Him and Pat often shared a Jolly Good tipple together (in his words).
The beautiful and eloquently written diary will be left to one of the museums, so that it can be shared with many more interested folk. I have had it copied and typed up (thank you Sharon) and just need to scan all the pboto’s and leaflets now so that we can make a copy for each of the family members.
So it will be an emotional trip down memory lane today for mum and a great opportunity for Colin and I to learn more about grandfather who was fondly known as Jimmy and would have been Kate’s God father if he had survived.
Enjoy your day of rest and hopefully a bit more sunshine.
Deborah x
