大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Stoke-on-Trent Libraries on behalf of Mr K Dean and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

I have a story to tell about WW2. I joined the army in 1940. I did my training in England with the South staffordshire Regiment and while on leave met my school girlfriend. She worked in Marks and Spencers in Hanley and when I came home on leave she used to play a record for me as she worked in the record department. The song was 'I don't want to set the world on fire, I just want to start a flame in your heart'. Her name was Betty Pinches.

Later I was transferred to the Royal Engineers. I kept in touch with my girlfriend until I was sent abroad. On the invasion of North Africa I lost touch with Betty. The war ended in North Africa on my 20th birthday, May 12th. I was on two more invasions in Italy. I landed at Salerno in September 1943 and afterwards I landed again in Anzio in January 1944. I did not come home until November 1946. At Christmas 1946 I met my ex-girlfriend and we started courting again and I married her in August 1947. We were married 54 years and then I lost her. She died in May 2001. I am now in a residential home.

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