大象传媒

In 1945 I was seconded to the first south African Army after base work shop 10 mile out of Rome. Here I was employed in repairing the radios of tanks damaged in battle. One day we got a civillian wireless set to repair from the vatican city. I was given the task of making a simple repair to the set which had been immobilised by the germans.
Being keen to see the inside of the vatican city I asked if I might have the priviledge of taking it back. I duly presented myself at the brightly uniformed senteries and they in turn had me escorted to a central office. I handed in the set and was asked to wait for a little while. I was a little puzzled at this request however I waited for about 5 minutes. An important looking cleric dressed in white with a white skull cap came to see me. He asked me in perfect English what part of England I came from and what I was going to do when the war was finished. He then gently took my hand and shook it then he blessed me. When he had gone I asked a nearby official who the gentlemen was. He replied reverently (that was His Holiness Pope Pieus the twelve). The next Saturday I was privilaged to see the pope once again when he walked round Saint Peters square blessing the English soldiers. Pope Pieus has come in for a great deal of critism but I consider him to be a great leader.

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