大象传媒

It was early in 1944, I was 3 years old the youngest of 13, 8 girls 5 boys I was in bed with my older brother who was 11 at the time, someone came into the bedroom I think it was my eldest sister and said something to my brother who began to cry and got up and went down stairs I found out later that it was about my father who was a sea captain and that his ship had gone down with all crew lost. There was a lot of sadness in the house because not only that but my eldest brother who was just 18 and on the HMS EXETER had been picked up and was a prisoner of war in Japan. In 1945 I remember playing outside with my sisters we were very close I remember there were buntings and flags flying everywhere and all accross the streets there were lots of people around we did not know what for, then at the top of the hill 2 of my brothers were carrying someone between them with his arms around their shoulders we thought it was somebody who had too much beer but no they were bringing my elder brother home from the prison of war camp I remember he could not walk that is why they were carrying him. There were plenty of celebrations following those earlier sad days. Two years later the sadness returned when we lost our mother I was 8 then and understood a lot more. Through all this heartache we became a very close family there are only 8 of us left but we keep in close contact. I think the essence of this is that after a lot of sadness there is allways happiness and strength.
Ken H Derby

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