大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War Site by Three Counties Action, on behalf of Eric Douglas Beer, and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

In 1944, the Allies had gained a foothold on French soil. I, a Corporal Radio Operator, was 鈥榮eeing鈥� it from the face of a cathode ray tube in an American mobile unit 鈥榮omewhere on the South coast. RAF Controllers (ringed and striped) and operators were being given intensive instruction whilst awaiting the delivery of similar gear and of a 鈥楶ride鈥� of WAAF to man it. Both items arrived with commendable promptitude, and our tutors and their mobile left for conquests new 鈥� some of them disappointed at not being able to carry off some of our glamorous intake as 鈥榮ouvenirs鈥�; but we could not spare them.

On the day the ladies arrived, our Commanding Officer introduced them to our Operations Area. My crew were on duty, so I was able to carry out a sort of 鈥榩review鈥�, and immediately espied a young, curly-haired LACW who looked as if she would make a suitable (and comely) addition to my crew: But I digress.

Four days later we were joined by another lady operator, rank of corporal, name of Pat (I think). In reply to my solicitous enquiry as to her deferred arrival, she explained that she had been on a course in a remote area of West Wales, and expressed the view that it must have been located there as the Good Lord could find no other use for the land. She went on to describe it as 鈥淎 boring dump with only one bright feature, a small local hotel run by a little fat man and his wife who, on spotting our occupational insignia, exclaimed 鈥極ur son is wearing one of those鈥�, and thereafter treated us like an extension of their family鈥�.

鈥淎t the end of the course鈥� (Pat continued) 鈥渨e went to the hotel to say goodbye, whereupon the L.F.M. and his W. let us into their private sitting room which boasted a piano and a radiogram with records, one of which I broke and 鈥榮tored鈥� inside the radiogram and I forgot to apologise 鈥� a pity, as they had been so good to us鈥�.

What could I say but 鈥淲ell, you can do so now: the 鈥楽mall hotel鈥� is my home; the 鈥榣ittle fat man and his wife are my parents; I鈥檓 glad they made you welcome, and I will not charge you for the record.鈥� But I digress.

The young curly-haired LACW? Her maiden name was 鈥淐urwen-Reed鈥�, a descendant of one Reverend John Curwen who, in the year 1840, had instigated the form of musical notation known as 鈥淭onic Solfa鈥� which I had learned at school and still use it 鈥� so I was aware of her family name about one hundred years before she was aware of mine: what about that for the 鈥楲ong arm of coincidence?鈥�

Mary (Curly) and I were married at Reading in September 1946 and our looking forward to our 59th. Anniversary in September 2005. And how鈥檚 that for a happy ending?

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