大象传媒

My father would never talk about his experiences in the war. He was on mine sweepers, which is much more of a defensive than offensive part of the Royal Navy so, when they were attacked the ordinary seaman could to little as the ships were not well armed.
One sunday when I was in my early teens, I wanted to watch a war film on TV, something my Dad have never liked watching. So he said to me, "Just this once I'll tell you what war is realy like and how it affects the ordinary person. We were sweeping off the coast near Great Yarmouth, when we were shot at by (I think it was) a pocket battle ship. We never saw it, but were just hit by shells from nowhere. One rule on board ship, when under attack SHUT ALL DOORS. I was standing at the side of the ship with (name??) when one of the shells went straight through him, through the door we had left open in our rush to see what was happening and exploded in the sea behind us. My mate just died in my arms when we were attacked by Stuka dive bombers. One of the dive bombers was shot down and either the pilot or the rear gunner bailed out. I, like everyone else on the ship, ran to the nearest available gun as the man landed in the water and we all just shot him. I, along with others, am responsible for the death of a defenseless man and I have to live with that."
My Dad was the most sensitive, caring man I have ever known and would never have believed he could do harm to anyone. For something such as this to have happened to someone like him, shows how war affects the ordinary person.
He never again spoke of the war.

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