大象传媒

Sometimes prisoners of war captured by the British were sent to different firms to help out as most of our men were away in the Forces. My Uncle worked for Houghtons the builder and this particular prisoner was allocated to him. When Uncle Billy popped into our house for a cup of tea he would drive down our covered in archway to the yard and close the gates. The prisoner would get out of the van with him and my Mam would make them both sandwiches.
Surprisingly to me as a child he was a really nice man, a family man himself who appreciated some time with our family.
He repaid my Mam's kindness by making some beautiful wooden toys for the children.....there were ten of us!
He also made an ashtray for my Mother which was one of the loveliest carvings I had ever seen. He made it with a penknife and a nail and it was exquisitely carved. On the front was a Swiss Cottage and at the back he had done reindeer antlers with my Mother's initials in the well in the centre.
These visits happened regularly for some time despite the fact that prisoners of war and civilians were forbidden to fraternise!
I often wonder what became of him?

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