大象传媒

I AM PAT REEVE 534742 ROYAL SIGNALS FROM FULHAM, LONDON.
I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO BE CALLED UP WHEN THE WAR STARTED,AND ONE OF THE FIRST TO GO TO FRANCE.
I WAS IN THE T.A. FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE THE WAR AND WAS QUITE OLD COMPARED TO MOST OF THE MEN,
I WAS 36 YEARS OLD.

I LOVED FRANCE AND THE FRENCH PEOPLE AND I BECAME VERY FRIENDLY WITH ONE FAMILY,THEY TREATED ME LIKE A SON AND THEY USED TO SEND PRESENTS AND CARDS TO MY LITTLE DAUGHTER JUNE IN ENGLAND WHO WAS AN EVACUEE IN RINGSTEAD,NORTHANTS.

WHEN WE BEGAN FIGHTING FOR OUR LIVES IT SEEMED IT WAS A CASE OF EVERY MAN FOR HIM SELF.
I BECAME DETACHED FROM MY UNIT AND MY FRIEND AND I FOUND A TRUCK.
AS WE DROVE DOWN A NARROW COUNTRY LANE GERMAN SOLDIERS SUDDENLY APPEARED AND THREW HAND GRENADES AT THE TRUCK.
I ROLLED OUT OF THE TRUCK AND DOWN INTO A DEEP DITCH FULL OF STINGING NETTLES.
I HEARD THE EXPLOSION AS THE TRUCK BLEW UP AND I HEARD THE GERMANS TALKING.

I LAY IN THE DITCH UNTIL I WAS SURE THAT ALL THE GERMANS WERE GONE.
WHEN IT WAS DARK I MADE MY WAY ACROSS FIELDS AND CAME TO A FARM HOUSE IN RUINS AND I SLEPT THERE FOR A FEW HOURS.
WHEN I AWOKE AND WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE THE BUILDING I NOTICED A ROSARY LYING ON A TABLE, THE ROSARY WAS VERY OLD AND SEEMED TO BE MADE OF PODS,THE CROSS WAS WORN SMOOTH.
I TOOK IT AND MY DAUGHTER NOW HAS IT.

I MADE IT TO DUNKIRK AND THOUGHT I HADN'T A CHANCE,
THE GERMANS WERE MACHINE GUNNING US AND DROPPING BOMBS.
I COULD NOT SWIM BUT I WADED INTO THE WATER AND SOMEHOW "SWAM" TO A BOAT.
I ARRIVED HOME UNHURT.
I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES.

PAT DIED AGED 72 YEARS OF AGE.

THIS IS A STORY TOLD TO AND WRITTEN BY HIS DAUGHTER JUNE REEVE,WHO IS VERY PROUD OF HER FATHER.

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