大象传媒

I had joined a big old freighter in the Mersey early in July 1943. We took her to Cardiff to load about ten thousand tons of coal, which we took to Freetown where we were later to be stationed as a bunker ship.

One of my younger brothers had just been called up in the RAF, and was at Stratford upon Avon, so I managed to get the weekend off to visit him. Either on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning we were strolling along the bank of the River Avon when we saw several couples coming towards us.

My brother said to me: "Don't stare at them -- but try to get a good look at them as we pass." The men were all in RAF officers' uniform. Their companions were really attractive young ladies, good looking and smartly dressed -- and they were all laughing and joking. As they approached us, I realised the men were all badly burned facially -- their skin was brown and wrinkled, their ears shrivelled -- one had no top lip, another had one bright pink cheek where a graft had been done -- and of course they had no eyebrows.

My brother said that their escorts were volunteers who were trying to help them to get their lives back after plane crashes.

I know it made my flesh creep years ago -- and it came back recently when I saw the programme on 大象传媒2 about the "Guinea Pigs" -- all the work that was done to rebuild those terribly injured me, both mentally and physically.

I certainly take my hat off to those girls walking out with those young airmen.

THIS HAS BEEN TRANSCRIBED FROM A LETTER TO 大象传媒'S SOUTH EAST'S BEVERLY THOMPSON. IT HAS BEEN PUT ONTO THE SITE WITH BOB STROUD'S PERMISSION. MR STROUD UNDERSTANDS THE SITE'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

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