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15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

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A Christian's Army Experience

by Fred Pontin

Contributed by听
Fred Pontin
People in story:听
Mrs. G.E. Pontin (mother), Mr.and Mrs. Cooper, Mr.and Mrs. Young, Mr.and Mrs. Kogut, Miss Vicky Constantine
Location of story:听
France, the Middle East and Germany
Background to story:听
Army
Article ID:听
A2940671
Contributed on:听
23 August 2004

When faced with call-up for military service in 1939 I decided, after consultation with others, that I would commit my way to the Lord and let Him decided where I should go, rather than be a conscientious objector, as some of my friends. So, although apprehensive, I was at peace, as I trusted God to keep me safe whatever lay ahead.
On my way to France in 1940 I called in a Church Army hut opposite our temporary billet in Southampton. The captain offered to write to my mother to give her news of me. Then he gave me a verse from the Bible, Isaiah 66:13 "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you, saith the LORD, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem."
That verse mean a lot to my mother and myself during the next few months, though I ignored the last part as being irrelevant as I was not going to Palestine.
Five months later the Lord brought me safely through the Dunkirk evacuation. And a year after that He saw me safely evacuated from Greece and back in Egypt.
On leave in Cairo I was taken to the home of some Egyptian christians, the Constantines. One of the daughters decided that I should have two addresses in Palestine as she thought I would be going there, thought the possibility had not occured to me. She gave me the addresses of Mr. and Mrs. Cooper in Jerusalem and of Mr. and Mrs. Young in Haifa.
Four months later I was in Jerusalem, knocking on the Coopers' door, and received a very warm welcome. With other servicemen I went along there each week for Bible study and fellowship.
In January 1942 I received news that my mother had died. Given the day off by my C.O., I immediately made my way to Mr. and Mrs. Cooper's. In their home I was "comforted in Jerusalem" as the Lord had promised me two years earlier in Southampton. Their home was my home for the rest of my time in Palestine.
At the end of March 1942, I was transferred to Haifa and so made my way to Mr. and Mrs. Young. It was as if Vicky Constantine had accurately prophesied the way the army was going to push me around. I was to spend two and a half years there, and benefitted from the hospitality of the christian familes there, especially Mr. and Mrs. Kogut.
When I was due to leave Palestine to be repatriated to the U.K., Mr. Kogut, a Jewish christian whose wife was German, told me to write to him when I got to Germany. I replied that I had no intention of going to Germany. He insisted that I would be going there and that I should write and let him know, so that he could send me addresses of his sister, mother-in-law and other friends.
Nine months later I found myself in Germany as Mr. Kogut had predicted and, when I got his letter, found that I was only eighteen miles from his mother-in-law and even nearer to some of the friends whom he mentioned.
What joy I was able to bring to many of those folk when I brought them newd of their loved ones.
I had committed my way to the Lord and, through almost seven years of war, he had directed my path as He had promised. What is more, He had told me beforehand on three occasions where I would be going, though I did not realise it at the time.
Looking back, I could see that, although at times the Army was pushing me around, there was a higher authority in control.

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These messages were added to this story by site members between June 2003 and January 2006. It is no longer possible to leave messages here. Find out more about the site contributors.

Message 1 - A Christian's Memories o the War

Posted on: 25 August 2004 by Stanley H Jones

It was good to read your memories of the War. I am a regular contributor to WW2 with memories of my childhood during those times. If there is any special point of interest I like to 'send a note' which I feel gives added interest and encourages the writer. It is not often that the memories contain such a wondeful testimony. Yesterday evening I spoke on Psalm 121 at our Prayer Meeting - He will not let your foot slip - and indeed the Lord kept you in this way in times of great danger. God bless.

Message 2 - A Christian's Memories o the War

Posted on: 21 September 2004 by Fred Pontin

Many thanks for your encouragement. Your reference to Psalm 121 and letting the foot slip, reminds me of a verse of Scripture which I was given in Athens in 1941 just before the German invasion. Proverbs 3:26 promised that the Lord would be my confidence and keep my foot from being taken.
I immediately interpreted that as a promise that I would not be taken prisoner. Two of my Christian friends there were taken prisoner but I was brought safely back to Egypt.There I was able to continue to pray for them and exchange messages occasionally.
I am certainly very grateful to the Lord for keeping me through the war and through all the years since.
May the Lord bless you abundantly. Fred.

Message 3 - A Christian's Memories o the War

Posted on: 08 March 2005 by Margaret Penfold

Hello Fred Pontin,

It's me, William Foster's daughter. It was great to see you adding your memoir here. I hope you are keeping well.

Do you remember saying to me, that you always thought there was more to my father's trip to Turkey and beyond in 1941 than met the eye. Well I've posted all that he told us about that. Most of it he spouted soon after he returned that May, especially the bit about the employee of the British Ambassador to Jugoslavia (as we spelt it in those days)He was very upset that his warning had been dismissed. Since then I have read in a book a similar account about the ambassador's valet which does not mention my father at all. Perhaps the ambassador was always being warned about his employees! I think however that my father's account is accurate as it changed very little over the years.
Oddly enough within the family my father seemed to have no reservations about discussing that mission. I have called the story "Boy's own Stuff in the Balkans" because I always had the feeling that although he emerged such a physical wreck from it, he had enjoyed the experience and felt it was of a piece with the yarns he had read as a boy, unlike his later missions
which he never gave details of. Some of those, I thinl, left him with serious moral qualms.

Anyway I hope you read "Boy's Own Stuff in the Balkans' when it leaves the editorial desk.

The copy of that memoir by Nellie Marcikowski that you sent me. I passed it on to Martin Higgins, the son of the Superintendent Higgins Mrs Marcinkowski mentions in connection with the Brethren Hall in Haifa. Martin's mother was also brought up a Templar like Mrs Marcinkowski

Best Regards,

Margaret Penfold

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