- Contributed by听
- ericatkinson
- People in story:听
- Eric Atkinson
- Location of story:听
- Alderney Island
- Article ID:听
- A2626823
- Contributed on:听
- 12 May 2004
Myself at Alderney
In the Autumn of 1946, I spent a brief holiday in Germany. Walking along the River Rhine embankment at Cologne with the famous Hollenzale-Hollenzale bridge to my rear, and the impressive Cologne Cathedral to my right, I was about to pass a middle-aged german gentleman leading a beautiful german shepherd dog which I stooped to pat.
"Rex," he exclaimed, and then looking at me closely, he enquired, "Were you ever in the army?"
I replied that I had served seven years.
"Were you ever in the Channel Islands?" he questioned.
I replied that I had trained on the island of Alderney.
His face broke into a huge smile. "I saw your face on a photograph in the chemists shop!"
A group photograph taken outside the St Anne's Church had been enlarged to half full size and exhibited in the shop window. This gentleman must have been one of the German soldiers who occupied the island after we evacuated. A truly remarkable coincidence!
漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo