大象传媒

The year was 1939.
The older brother,Will,was 20 on January 13th,the younger one,Jack was 18 on June 13th.
They were both territorials.They had enjoyed the training,the camps on Salisbury plain and the companionship of the other lads.
September 1st - post delivered their "call-up" papers and off they went that day.
September 3rd - War was declared.
The younger one had an "easy" spell in Northern Ireland and later was sent to fight in France.He was eventually taken prisoner and spent the remainder of the War in a German Stalag.
When the War in Europe ended he came home in July 1945.
His brother,Will,sailed on a troopship to the other side of the world.Their convoy was escorted by brave seamen of the Merchant Navy.They were often attacked and ships were lost.Many anxious mothers at home never again saw their beloved sons,be they naval men or army.
Our soldier made it to India,where heat,monsoons,poor food and disease took their toll on these brave souls.Next they were in Burma with so many horrors in that place.Will was not at KOHIMA but in that area and until the day he died whenever he thought of Burma he grieved for all those young men who fought so courageously and died in the Hell of KOHIMA.
Will was waylaid by an unknown illness which took his strength and weakened his brave heart.Malaria was rife and he came home with this recurring menace at the end of 1945.
Back now to 1940. The father of these 2 young men had,as a 14 year old, runaway to join the army.He was in India when WW1 broke out and was returned to England.Immediately sent off to the battlefields of France and Belgium.The soldiers sufferings there are well documented elsewhere.
Here at home he watched his sons leave for war.Soon he could no longer take it.Before he left his Wife and 5 daughters,he installed their Anderson shelter deep in the back garden and made it comfortable for them,then enlisted.
Too old for active service he was assigned to guard duties at army camps and depots in Southern England. This much loved man died in 1969.Jack joined him in 1981 and Will lost his last battle in 1984. These were 3 of the many gloriously brave men who did much for their homeland.

On his dangerous journey to India Will composed a tribute to the Men of the Merchant Navy.He was so impressed by their courage and fortitude.This is it.It sounds rather old fashioned now in todays world.

"They fight the greatest battle this world has ever known.
They fight it under the finest flag a ship has ever flown.

Though mine,torpedo,bomb or shell shall be rained on them all day
They will sail a convoy right to hell and fight it all the way.

Through calm and tempest,joy and pain this is their life long creed
"Get through that gun,that man,that plane"
True sons of the Bulldog breed.

Many brave souls have fought and lost,died through their greatest endeavour
They did not stop to count the cost,Shall we forget them? NEVER!

And when the battle has been won and peace is here at last
Let us praise the Merchant Mavyman with a million trumpets blast

Give praise then to the heavenly Name for all men such as these
Who gave us Britains mighty name
The "Mistress of the Seas"

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