大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by a volunteer from CSV/大象传媒 on behalf of Bill Austin and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Austin fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

In 1995 I went back on a pilgrimage to Germany, the anniversary of the Rhine crossing, which was Operation Varsity. We went to a reception given by the Germans in the town hall of Hamimkeln were the speeches were given by the Burghermaster and one of our retired Generals. On our way out an old German gentleman, who was at least 80, spoke to us and said were you Englander Falchemjager, which means English parachutists. I replied yes we were. He then said, What do you remember about the morning of the 24th March 1945, when you jumped into Germany. Without thinking I immediately said 鈥淏loody anti-aircraft guns firing at us鈥�. Some of my friends were wounded or killed that day. He then proudly said 鈥渙n that occasion I was a sergeant in charge of an anti-aircraft battery鈥�. He had written his story of that particular day, and gave me a copy. This was written in German and had to get it translated into English which I did, and he & I used to write to each other until about 1999 when his letters suddenly stopped, so I take it that he must have died.

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