大象传媒

RE: BORDER REGIMENT.
37871 GEORGE EDWARD PHILLIPPS.

MY VISIT TO THE BORDER REGIMENT MUSEUM A FEW TEARS AGO WAS A MOST PLEASURABLE ONE.
WHEN I READ A BOOK ON THE BORDER REGIMENT IT BROUGHT BACK TO ME, MEMORIES OF MY FATHERS EXPERIENCES. EXPERIENCES THAT HE RELATED TO ME SOME YEARS AGO ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT TALK MUCH ABOUT THE WAR.
HE FIRST JOINED BRITISH ARMY IN 1928 BY ENLISTING, UNDER AGE AT 16 YEARS OLD, INTO THE RASC(TA) IN SOUTHPORT LANCS. HIS SERVICE NUMBER WAS 37871, AND IN 1929 HE JOINED THE BLACK WATCH IN PERTH SCOTLAND. HE SERVED FOR MOST OF HIS TIME WITH THEM IN INDIA.
ON RETURNING TO THE UK IN 1937 HAVING COMPLETED HE SERVICE CONTRACT, HE CHOSE TO LEAVE THE ARMY.
AFTER NUMEROUS JOBS AT THE TIME OF THE DEPRESSION, EVEN TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING BY BETTING ON THE FAVOURITES AT THE RACE COURSES, HE DECIDED TO RE-JOIN THE ARMY LATER IN THE SAME YEAR.
HIS NEW REGIMENT WAS THE 1ST. BORDER, AND HE SERVED WITH THIS REGIMENT IN PALESTINE PRIOR TO THE START TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 1939, HE WENT TO FRANCE, AS PART OF 42ND. DIVISION OF THE B.E.F. I CAN RECALL HIM TELLING ME ABOUT THE TRAIN JOURNEY. THE RAILWAY WAGONS STATED 40 PEOPLE OR 8 HORSES. THEY WHERE ALSO GIVEN SOME FRENCH BREAD, IT WAS ROUND AND HARD, AND HAD A DATE STAMPED ON IT. I CAN鈥橳 REMEMBER NOW FOR CERTAIN HOW OLD HE SAID THAT IT WAS. I DO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS SOME MONTHS IF NOT YEARS OLD. IT WAS SO HARD THAT MOST OF IT WAS USED AS MISSILES TO THROW AT OTHERS IN THE RAILWAY WAGONS.
I REMEMBER HIM TELLING ME ABOUT THE VERY COLD WINTER, DUG IN, IN FRONT OF THE MAGINOT LINE, AND HAVING A GERMAN PATROL PASS IN FRONT OF HIS BREN GUN SIGHTS, AND NOT BEING ALLOWED TO OPEN FIRE. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT IT WAS NOT THE DONE THING DURING THE PHONEY WAR TO BE THE FIRST TO OPEN FIRE. ALSO OF THE FRENCH ARTILERY UNHOOKING THEIR GUNS CLOSE TO THE BORDER REG. POSSITIONS, FIRING A FEW ROUNDS, AND THEN DOING OFF BEFORE THE RETURN FIRE CAME BACK FROM THE GERMANS.
WHEN ON THE 10TH. MAY, THE GERMANS ATTACKED IN THE WEST. HE MOVED UP INTO BELGIUM, OCCUPYING POSITIONS AROUND THE CANAL AND RAILWAY LINE IN TOURNAI. THIS WAS FROM THE 13TH. TO 21ST. MAY (HAVING HIS 28TH. BIRTHDAY THERE ON THE 16TH.). MY FATHER SAID OF THE ATTACK ON THE REGIMENTS POSITIONS, THAT, WHILE THEY WHERE BEING MORTARED ONE ROUND IMPACTED TO THE LEFT OF THEIR CARRIER, THE NEXT TO THE RIGHT OF THEM. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THEN TIME TO MOVE, WHICH THEY DID. THE THIRD ROUND LANDED RIGHT INTO THE POSITION THAT THEY HAD JUST VACATED. HE SMOKED MORE CIGARETTES THAT DAY THAN AT ANY TIME IN HIS LIFE.WHEN HE WAS TOLD TO GO AND GET HIS BREAKFAST, HE ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS DINNER-TIME. SUCH WAS THE STRAIN OF BEING IN ACTION, THAT HE LOST ALL SENSE OF TIME.
BEFORE THE ACTION, THEY WERE ALL TOLD THAT THE GERMANS WOULD HAVE MARCHED ALL NIGHT TO GET TO THEIR START POSITIONS, AND WOULD BE TIRED. OR THE PETROL FUMES WOULD HAVE MADE THEM SICK IF THEY HAD TRAVELLED BY TRUCKS, AND THAT IT WOULD BE A PIECE OF CAKE. AS WE ALL KNOW NOW IT WAS NOT. HE SAID THAT THEY CAME ON LIKE SUPERMEN.
I HAVE POSTED SOME PHOTOGRAPHS ON THIS SITE ONE SHOWS THE CANAL AT TOURNAI WITH A WAREHOUSE OR FACTORY AND THREE TALL CHIMNEYS BEHIND. THIS WAS 鈥楥鈥� COMPANIES POSITION DURING THE ATTACK OF THE 20TH. AND 21STMAY. AND WAS ASSISTED BY THE CARRIER PLATOON. A GERMAN SNIPER AND SPOTTER WAS LOCATED IN THE CENTRE OF THE THREE CHIMNEYS BEHIND THE FACTORY.
THIS ACTION WAS FOLLOWED BY THE BATTALION BEING WITHDRAWN FROM TOURNAI.
I WAS TOLD OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR A COUNTER ATTACK WHICH DID NOT TAKE PLACE. AND THE CONSTANT CHANGING OF ORDERS. THERE WOULD BE TIMES TO WITHDRAW THAT HAD TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE THE FRENCH HAD WITHDRAWN BEFORE THEY SHOULD HAVE, LEAVING THE FLANKS OPEN. HE SAID THAT THE FRENCH EXCUSE WAS THAT THEY HAD HORSE DRAWN EQUIPMENT AND NEEDED TO WITHDRAW FIRST. ONCE THEY WAITED IN RESERVE IN A TOWN WITH SHELLS RAINING DOWN ONTO THE BUILDINGS CLOSE TO THE CARRIERS.
HE TOLD ME THAT ONE DAY HE AWOKE TO FIND THAT ALL THE OFFICERS HAD GONE. THEY WHERE THEN TOLD THAT THEY HAD TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO DUNKIRK.
DURING THE DRIVE TO DUNKIRK THE VEHICLE COLUMN WAS BECOMING SPREAD OUT, THEIR BREN CARRIER WAS NOT PERFORMING WELL AND A GAP HAD DEVELOPED IN THE COLUMN. THEN FROM A SIDE LANE A GERMAN ON A MOTOR CYCLE APPEARED, STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND HELD HIS HAND UP FOR THEM TO HALT. THEY WHERE JUST ABOUT TO RUN THIS GUY OVER, WHEN A TANK ALSO CAME OUT, AND BLOCKED THE ROAD. THEY THEN DECIDED THAT IT WAS NOW BEST TO STOP.
HAVING STOPPED, A GERMAN SERGEANT JUMPED UP ONTO THEIR CARRIER, AND KNOCKED OFF THE MAGAZINE ON THEIR BREN GUN. AS HE GOT OFF, HE ORDERED THEM TO DRIVE DOWN THE SIDE LANE, WHICH WAS FULL OF GERMAN INFANTRY. THE GERMANS WHERE HAPPY AND SHOUTING TOMMY AND GIVING 鈥榁鈥� SIGNS TO THEM.
IT WAS NOTICED THAT THERE WERE GAPS IN THE HEDGE ROWS AND OPEN FIELDS BEYOND. THE SHOUT TO HANG ON WAS FOLLOWED BY AN ACCELERATED DASH OFF THE ROAD AND THROUGH ONE OF THESE GAPS AND ACROSS THE FIELD DRAGGING FENCE WIRE AND OTHER DEBRIS ALONG WITH THEM. THE CARRIER WAS LEAPING OVER DITCHES THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE IMPOSSIBLE.
NOT ONE SHOT WAS FIRED AT THEM AND THEY JOINED THE ROAD AGAIN FURTHER DOWN. THE GERMANS MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE HAPPY IN CAPTURING THE OTHERS FOLLOWING BEHIND.
THEY RACED ON TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH THE REST OF THE COLUMN TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THINKING THAT THEY HAD FOUND THEM IN A VILLAGE THAT THEY DROVE INTO, THEY SLOWED DOWN TO STOP. SOLDIERS WHERE MOVING BOXES INTO A HOUSE, OUT FROM THE HOUSE CAME A SOLDIER. THE HELMET SAID HE WAS GERMAN, AND THE CARRIER WAS SWUNG AROUND AND THEY SPED OF OUT OF THE VILLAGE, AGAIN WITHOUT A SHOT BEING FIRED.
THEY HEADED TOWARDS THE SMOKE OF DUNKIRK. FLAGGED DOWN BY AN ARTILLERY OFFICER, THEY STOPPED. HE WANTED A LIFT, AND JUMPED UP ONTO THE CARRIER. FROM THE OFF THIS MAN TRIED TO TELL THEM TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. ALL OF THE MEN FELT UNEASY ABOUT THIS NEW ARRIVAL, SOMETHING WAS WRONG, BUT THEY COULD NOT PUT THEIR FINGER ON IT. NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THEM TO CHANGE DIRECTION THIS OFFICER GOT OFF. LATER IN DUNKIRK THEY SAW THIS SAME MAN BEING TAKEN AWAY BY SOME MILITARY POLICEMEN. THEY EVENTUALLY FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS WRONG, THEY WHERE ALL DIRTY AND UNSHAVEN AND THIS BLOKE WAS CLEAN SHAVEN WITH SHINY BUTTONS.
ON ENTERING THE DUNKIRK PARAMETER THEY WHERE TOLD TO DISABLE THE BREN CARRIER. THEY DROVE THE CARRIER PAST LORRIES WITH WHEELS MISSING AND TAILBOARDS DOWN, FINALLY PARKING THE CARRIER UP AGAINST THE SIDE WALL OF A BUILDING. MY FATHER WAS PLACING TWO GRENADES ON TOP OF THE CARRIERS PETROL TANKS, WHEN A FRENCHMAN CAME UP FROM THE CELLAR MOTIONING UP INTO THE SKY. THIS FRENCHMAN WAS AFRAID THAT IF THE CARRIER WAS PARKED NEXT TO HIS HOUSE THAT THE STUKAS WOULD COME DOWN AND BOMB IT. THIS MAN WAS TOLD IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS TO CLEAR OFF. HE WENT BACK DOWN INTO HIS CELLAR AND THE GRENADES EXPLODED TURNING THE CARRIER INTO A BURNING WRECK.
ON THE BEACHES IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE AGAINST THE BOMBING AND THE NEED TO EAT. ON ONE OCCASION AS THE BOMBS WHERE FALLING, MY FATHER DIVED INTO A HOLE, HE WAS FIRST IN, OTHERS COMING IN ON TOP OF HIM. EVERYONE WAS TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS HOLE AND MY FATHER NOT BEING ONE OF THE TALLEST WAS EVENTUALLY PUSHED FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP.
ON ANOTHER OCCASION HE SHARED HIS GREATCOAT, ONE NIGHT, WITH SOME OTHER CHAP OCCASIONALLY TALKING TO HIM AND RE-COVERING HIM, ONLY TO FIND THAT WHEN THE MORNING CAME HE HAD SPENT THE NIGHT GIVING COMFORT TO A DEAD MAN!
HE FOUND SOME EGGS AND HID THEM IN THE SAND DUNES WHILST HE WENT LOOKING FOR SOME BREAD. ON RETURNING HE COULD NOT FIND THEM. YEARS LATTER WHILST READING A BOOK ABOUT DUNKIRK SOME ONE HAD WRITTEN ABOUT FINDING EGGS IN THE DUNES, AT LAST HE SAID. 鈥淣OW I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM鈥�. MYSTERY SOLVED! ON HIS SCAVENGE FOR BREAD HE CAME ACROSS A SOLDIER DRINKING TEA. THIS SOLDIER GAVE HIM SOME OUT OF A TIN CAN. HAVING DRUNK IT HE REMEMBERED THAT THE WATER HAD BEEN CUT OFF AND HE ASKED WHERE THE WATER HAD COME FROM? THIS GUY TOLD HIM "FROM THAT HOLE DOWN THERE鈥�, POINTING TO AN OPEN SEWER. MY FATHER LOOKED DOWN THIS HOLE TO SEE RATS AND OTHER DEBRIS FLOATING AROUND. WHEN ASKED IF HE WOULD LIKE ANOTHER ONE, HE THOUGHT WHAT THE HELL, AND HAD ANOTHER. HE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT THIS WAS THE BEST CUP OF TEA THAT HE HAD HAD IN HIS WHOLE LIFE.
WHILST WAITING IN THE LINES FOR SOLDIERS TO BE LIFTED OFF THE BEACHES A GROUP OF THEM WHERE DETAILED TO LEAVE THE LINE, MY FATHER BEING ONE OF THEM, AND MOVE BACK UP TO THE REAR OF THE BEACH. THESE MEN WHERE TO FORM PART OF THE REAR GUARD. HE WAS GIVEN A BOYES ANTI-TANK RIFLE AND SOME ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION AND TOLD TO GO TO THE CANAL. THE SPRING, WHICH HELPED TAKE SOME OF THE KICK OUT OF THE SHOT, WAS MISSING, SO FIRING THIS RIFLE WAS GOING TO BE A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE. HE FIRED WHAT ROUNDS HE HAD AT A GERMAN TANK, WHICH WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CANAL, ONLY TO SEE THEM BOUNCE OFF. EXHAUSTING HIS AMMUNITION HE WENT BACK TO JOIN THE COLUMNS ON THE BEACH, ONLY TO FIND THAT HIS REGIMENT HAD GONE, AND OTHERS WHERE NOT WILLING TO LET SOLDIERS FROM AN OTHER REGIMENT JOIN INTO THE COLUMN WITH THEM. THEY KEPT ASKING WHAT REGIMENT WHERE THEY FROM. NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE WHAT REGIMENT THEY WERE TRYING TO JOIN THEY HAD TO GO AWAY. MY FATHER REMEMBERS A VERY BRAVE OFFICER WHO STOOD ON SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT USED TO MAKE TEMPORARY PIERS, SHOUTING ENCOURAGEMENT TO THEM AND REFUSING TO BE RELIEVED.
HE WAS EVENTUALLY TAKEN OFF THE BEACH, BUT THE SHIP WAS HIT AND HE HAD TO SWIM BACK TO SHORE.
HE WENT TO THE MOLE AND JOINED THE QUEUE WAITING TO BE LIFTED OFF. WHILST WAITING ON THE MOLE THEY WHERE DIVE BOMBED, ALL THEY COULD DO WAS TO DUCK DOWN AS THE BOMBS EXPLODED. THEY WHERE TOO TIGHTLY PACKED TO DO ANYTHING ELSE. MANY YEARS LATER, IN THE NINETEEN FIFTIES, A DENTIST ASKED HIM IF HE HAD EVER BEEN WOUNDED IN THE WAR? 鈥淣O HE REPLIED, NOT A SCRATCH !鈥�. WRONG, REPLIED THE DENTIST. WHO THEN REMOVED A PIECE OF SHRAPNEL, FROM AMONG THE ROOTS OF HIS LOWER FRONT TEETH. IT WAS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SMALL FINGER-NAIL. HE REMEMBERED SOME BLOOD COMING FROM A WOUND JUST BELOW HIS LOWER LIP. HE THOUGHT THAT HE HAD BITTEN HIS LIP WHEN ONE OF THE BOMBS EXPLODED ON THE MOLE.
HE BOARDED A FRENCH DESTROYER WHICH WAS HIT AS IT WAS PULLING OUT OF THE HARBOUR, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE 鈥楯AGUAR鈥�, AND SWAM TO ANOTHER SHIP. TAKING OFF HIS WET CLOTHES AND LEAVING THEM TO DRY AT THE FRONT OF THIS SHIP, HE HEARD THAT TEA WAS BEING SERVED AT THE REAR OF THE SHIP. WHILST WAITING AT THE AFT END FOR THE TEA, THE SHIP WAS HIT ON THE BOW AND STARTED TO SINK. HE WAS PICKED UP BY THE DESTROYER HMS EXPRESS, AND HE ARRIVED BACK IN ENGLAND ON JUNE 3RD, WHICH WAS THE DATE OF HIS FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, WITH HIS ONLY POSSESSION, A BLANKET GIVEN TO HIM BY THE ROYAL NAVY.
SO ENDED HIS SERVICE WITH THE B.E.F.
IT WAS THEN OFF TO CROOK IN COUNTY DURHAM, AND THEN ON TO PRUDHOE IN NORTHUMBERLAND WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO GET A ROOM, IN VILLAGE NEARBY, CALLED CRAWCROOK, FOR HIS WIFE TO STAY.
HE MUST THEN HAVE MOVED SOUTH TO HAMPSHIRE AS HE TOLD ME OF THE TIME HE WAS IN CHARGE OF GUARDING A SHOT DOWN Bf. 109 FIGHTER. A TREASURED POSSESSION WAS THE CLOCK FROM THE DASHBOARD OF THE FIGHTER. THE ONLY WAY HE COULD MAKE SURE THAT THE AEROPLANE WAS HANDED OVER INTACT WAS TO SIT IN THE COCKPIT, MAKING THE OTHER MEN PATROL AROUND THE WING TIPS OF THE PLANE. IT WAS A HOT DAY AND HE DRIFTED OFF TO SLEEP FOR A FEW MINUTES, OPENING HIS EYES HE FOUND ONE OF GUARD LEANING INTO THE COCKPIT WITH THIS CLOCK HALF WAY OUT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HANDED OVER AND THE RECIPIENT MADE TO SIGN NOT ONLY FOR THE PLANE BUT ALSO FOR THE CLOCK. WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS INSTRUMENT AFTERWARDS IS NOT KNOWN, AS I THINK THAT HE SAID THAT IT HAD DISAPPEARED AFTER THE HAND OVER.
HE MUST HAVE MOVED WITH THE BATTALION TO SUFFOLK, ENDING UP AT LEISTON. I HAVE HEARD MY MOTHER TALK OF LOWESTOFT, AND TAILS OF SOME GERMAN 鈥楨鈥� BOATS COMING INTO THE HARBOUR ONE NIGHT MAKING A CIRCULAR SWEEP, FIRING AT SHIPPING AND HEADING BACK OUT TO SEA. HOWEVER ONE OF THE 鈥楨鈥� BOATS MISJUDGED THE TURN AND ENDED UP ON THE ROCKS. HE HAD TO GO DOWN TO THE HARBOUR TO PICK UP THESE GERMAN SEAMEN, AND ESCORT THEM THROUGH THE TOWN. THE GERMANS HAD TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE TOWNS INHABITANTS, AS THEY WANTED TO GET AT THEM AND BEAT THEM UP.
MY FATHERS ENQUIRY INTO THE LACK OF PROMOTION, WAS MET BY A TRANSFER TO AN OTHER PART OF THE UNIT. HE COMPLAINED THAT HE WAS BEING TRANSFERRED WITH SOME OF THE UNITS DEADBEATS. HE WAS TOLD BY THE CO. THAT HE WOULD SOON SHINE AND THE CHANCES OF PROMOTION WOULD BE BETTER. THIS MUST HAVE BEEN SO BECAUSE, HE ENDED UP AS A SERGEANT IN A PRIMARY TRAINING UNIT. I THINK THIS UNIT WAS BASED IN ALDERSHOT.A HAND MADE CARD WAS MADE BY THE SQUAD AND GIVEN TO HIM IN APPRECIATION OF HIS ASSISTANCE SHOWN TO THEM DURING THEIR SIX WEEKS OF TRAINING. IT IS DATED THE 15:7:43 TO 25:8:43 AND IS SIGNED BY 39 OF THE MEMBERS OF 82 SQUAD. I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED HOW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE MANAGED TO SURVIVE THE WAR.
ONE NIGHT THIS UNIT HAD A DANCE, MY FATHER HAD TO GO ON DUTY UN-EXPECTANTLY, BUT MY MOTHER WENT ALONG. DURING THE NIGHT, WHILST DANCING WITH ONE OF THE YOUNG SOLDIERS, MY FATHER HAPPENED TO WALK THROUGH THE ROOM AND PAST THE DANCE FLOOR. THIS YOUNG SOLDIER SAID TO MY MOTHER 鈥淪EE THAT SERGEANT OVER THERE! WHAT A RIGHT SOD HE IS鈥�. HE JUST ABOUT HAD A HEART ATTACK WHEN SHE TOLD HIM THAT SHE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS QUITE A NICE GUY, AND TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS HER HUSBAND. SHE TOLD HIM NOT TO WORRY, SHE WOULD NOT TELL HIM UNTIL TILL HE HAD LEFT THE TRAINING UNIT.
DURING THIS TIME HE WAS FREQUENTLY URGED TO TAKE A COMMISSION, BUT REFUSED TO DO SO, AS HE FELT THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO LIVE AN OFFICERS LIFE AND SUPPORT A WIFE AND A FUTURE SON. EVEN MY MOTHER WAS PRESSURED INTO TRYING TO GET HIM TO ACCEPT A COMMISSION WITHOUT SUCCESS.
IN JUNE OF 1944 HE WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD BE UNDERTAKING AN EXERCISE IN SOME LANDING CRAFT. THEY BOARDED THESE LANDING CRAFT AND SAILED OUT INTO THE CHANNEL OFF DOVER. THEY RETURNED THE NEXT MORNING TO HEAR THAT THE 鈥楧鈥� DAY INVASION HAD BEGUN. IT COULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THE DECEPTION TO MAKE THE GERMANS THINK THAT THE INVASION WAS COMING IN THE DOVER AREA.
IN 1945 MY FATHER WENT SICK WITH PNEUMONIA AND WAS HOSPITALISED. HE WAS TAKEN OFF THE BORDER REGIMENT STRENGTH, AND ON RETURNING TO FULL HEALTH HE WAS PLACED INTO A RESERVE POOL, BEING THEN SENT TO THE LOYAL REGIMENT.
HE WENT TO EUROPE AND FOUND HIMSELF IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO GO TO TOURNAI IN BELGIUM AND SEE THE PLACE WHERE FIVE YEARS BEFORE HE HAD FIRST GONE INTO ACTION WITH THE BORDER REGIMENT. HE TOOK SOME PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING THE BATTALION POSITIONS AT THAT TIME, AND ALSO THE WAR GRAVES FOR THOSE GERMAN SOLDIERS KILLED DURING THE ACTION. BURIED IN THE 1914-1918 GERMAN WAR CEMETERY AT TOURNAI. THEIR SIMPLE WOODEN CROSSES MARKED WITH A SWASTIKA, NAME, DATE OF BIRTH AND DATE OF DEATH. THERE IS A WOODEN CROSS FOR STEFAN MULLER, BORN 26.12.12, DIED AT TOURNAI 22.5.40. AT THE TIME OF THE ACTION THIS MAN WAS THE SAME AGE AS MY FATHER.
I HOPE THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE AN INSIGHT INTO SOME OF THE WARTIME EXPERIENCES THAT MY FATHER HAD, AND THOSE THAT HE RELATED TO ME. I ONLY WISH THAT HE WAS HERE NOW, AND I WAS ABLE TO GO OVER THEM AGAIN WITH HIM. HE DID NOT TALK MUCH ABOUT THE WAR, AS MOST OF THOSE WHO FOUGHT IN IT DON鈥橳. THESE RECOLLECTIONS HAVE BEEN PIECED TOGETHER FROM TALES TOLD TO ME AT DIFFERENT TIMES. I HAVE A GOOD MEMORY, AND IN WRITING THIS I HAVE FELT HIS PRESENCE. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PICTURE HIM, SITTING IN A CHAIR IN THE CORNER OF THE DINING ROOM, TALKING ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE, AS IF IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY.

TONY PHILLIPPS.

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