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A silly unusual story, about a Belgium Cavalry Sgt, a Monsieur Coppenhalle; a little colliery village Rene la Shan outside the town of Torniay in Belgium. Backing onto a railway line, where this tale eventually ended as an unusual tale, for a young British soldier of 19-20 years, of the 1st British airborne division; whom had been brought in as a casualty from City of Hamburg, with rampant trench disease, from the dead bodies still decaying in that badly diseased City. In Tournai 5th Canadian field hospital base in the Caserna, old barracks area. 1945.

Nurse Lucy Coppenhalle was my Belgium nurse, it would appear that Sgt Coppenhalle was the “SGT” in charge of a “platoon” of Cavalry 1915-16 patrolling the Beaches area, below Oostende, were the two front lines extended. Very early in morning, they (his platoon) found a U-boat about to discharge some Germans, behind his lines, in the early hours, whilst the tide was noted to be rapidly receding; Coppenhalle’s Platoon rapidly surrounded this U-boat, and forced it to surrender!
I lost 5 uncles in that conflict in 1914-18

The Belgian King was so pleased at “his Cavalry” including Sgt Coppenhalle, a sepia photograph was made, and was placed over his inglenook fireplace. With photos of KING and his Consort’ Queen in place, either side of Fireplace, sometime at the end of World War One! History is very much a funny thing.war

The 1939-40 War, a very phoney WAR but our Spitfires, more than 16,000 machines were built, and mainly, “our Shape” was made at Castle Bromwich, Shadow Factory, Erdington, Birmingham. I was 14 years of age, January of 1940 were I lived and eventually worked as a Progress Causer, wings section c block supermarine Vickers. At “Fort Dunlop” tyres, Erdington, Birmingham I became A.T.C. Air Cadet N.J. Fulton.. Monday and Friday’s at the Office Block Top Floor we trained in navigation and aircraft identity. Holiday periods were spent at R.A.F. Dromes learning anything that we could. At age 17years 9 months I was a viable member of A.T.C. Actual air gunnery course, passed as a recommended GOOD SHOT!!

Whilst my nurse Lucy, was telling me about life at home with papa, and Madam Coppenhalle was dishing out coffee and cakes, a shrill railway sound invaded my ear. Looking down the garden, was a train chugging along, but something had caught my eye. Monsieur Coppenhalle had realised that my attentions were now, definitely down to his Pluvets, of which, he had at least a dozen. But, down that garden was a “port side” SPITFIRE WING! Propped up with 3ft high posts and chicken wires, spread all around, to make a nice foul pen, for Monsieur’s chickens. The Germans, no doubt, had got the four browning M/C Guns out of the mountings, and deposited the Wing, back over the fence, and Papa was grateful to them for their indulgence to his chickens.

(This story was submitted to the People's War site by a volunteer from Wyre Forest Volunteer Bureau on behalf of N J Fulton and has been added to this site with his permission. Mr Fulton fully understand the site's terms and conditions.)

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