大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War Website by Ian Hayes, a volunteer for 大象传媒 GMR, on behalf of Jay Nash and has been added to the site with her permission. She fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

In 1942 my boyfriend Roy, who was a pilot in the RAF, was shot down in Germany and landed by parachute. He ended up in a pine tree and was rescued by German officers after having crawled to the road. It transpired that he had broken his neck. The Germans took him to a local hospital. After a most remarkable recovery, he was moved to a prison camp where he was held until near the end of the war. When released (it had become part of the Soviet sector of Germany) he and other prisoners walked right up to the coast from where they got back to England.

When he got back home he told me that were it not for the excellent medical care he received in Germany he would never have walked again!

I was on holiday with my parents in August 1945. My mother said I did not need to go back home ready to go to work the next day as it was VE Day, but she didn't know I was meeting Roy. The following day Roy and I were together in London, amongst the crowds joining in the VE celebrations at Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. We went along to an officers' club, and had a great meal - and maybe too many drinks! After all, it was VE DAY!!

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