大象传媒

I was posted overseas and boarded SS Mooltan and walked up the gangplank behind a lad who came up to my shoulder in height. We sat down at a mess table in one of the lower holds. Our first meal together was a loaf of bread no butter but it was white and not grey like in civvy street.I didn't see much of this lad who spoke with a Scottish accent.His name was Harry Knight, and though during the voyage to Bombay we didn't see much of each other except for meals and sleeping. Harry slept on the mess table while I was in a hammock over the table.During the off duty hours I joined in one of the many card schools around the ship or fire watching duties, I didn't find out what Harry did until a few years after the war ended.

Harry was different to most of the lads at our mess table,while we played cards smoked and swore and cursed the bad conditions down in the lower part of the boat. he always seemed to be reading a book which I found out was a pocket bible, I classed Harry as a "Nutter"

I eat some fruit from off the natives who were surrounding the Mooltan when we docked at Aden.
We should have obeyed the instructions from the M_O at Blackpool and washed the oranges and bananas in disinfected water, from Aden to Bombay I was in the sick bay and on the troop train from Bombay to Calcutta was on and off the train looking for a convenient clump of bushes as I had got Dysentry. I had not seen Harry since we disembarked from the "Mooltan"

After a week billeted in a large monastry we got our postings, mine was to join 99 Squadron at a place called Dhubalia in Northern Bengal.
When I boarded the train to take us to the Squadron base along with a snooty corporal who sat at the end of the platform at the end of the line and waited for a lorry that was going to take us into the jungle. The other Raf lad was Harry Knight. What a disappointment I thought as we sat together on our kitbags. Want a hand of cards I said to him. never played he said When I was living in London with my parents we went to church and my Dad was the Pastor. I have no money so it won't be gambling, I had lost most of my pay playing while waiting a posting so it would only be for fun I said He took his little book out and said that he would rather not play cards. my first impressions of him as a "Nutter was confirmed. Harry was posted to "A" flight and I was on "B
Flight we eventually flew down to the Cocos Keeling Island. Where I was in a tent with Harry and a Cook driver namer Macintire.when the war ended 99 Squadron was disbanded and after a few months at KKS joined a Liberator Squadron flying to the UK. Harry was posted to ma Sunderland Air-Sea-Recue nSquadron going to Singapore. He asked me if I would visit his parents and take them some presents. I did this on my first leave after going to Stourport-on Severn to see myt Mom & Dad. Pastor Knight gave me the address of a Pentecostal church in Birmingham. I went to a service there and having been converted while waiting demob at RAF Lleuchars, I moved to B'ham and met the young lady who was a member at the church and have been married for 52 years and have 2 daughters and 2 lovely grandaughters. If I had not met Harry Knight on the SS "Mooltan" my life wouldn't have been so happy and fulfilled.

Before meeting Harry my motto in the RAF was that if it moved you saluted itif it never moved you painted it and if it wasn't locked up you pinched. I am glad to say my bad habits have all gone During mr days at that Pentecostal church I served as a deacon an elder and a youth leader. since retiring am now 79 and for about 10 years have been helping at a a Senior Citts afternoon meeting at a local Baptist church.I lost a lot of good friends during my years with 99 Squadron and met the friend of Sinners The Lord Jesus Christ and am now glad to be a "Nutter" who loves the life with my family and my Brothers and Sisters who follow the teaching of the Good Book. My dearest wish that many people that I meet from day to day will have their eyes open to see the Saviour of the world. from a very happy ex 99 squadron erk
LAC Cyril Wilde aka Bill

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