大象传媒

Just before the Normandy Landings many Americans with their equipment were hidden in the woods and on the downs of my parents farm. My sister Helen and I used to ride our horses to visit the American soldiers, who were I think, pleased to meet English country civilians. They gave us sweets, chewing gum and all sorts of goodies we were at that time unable to obtain.
During one of our visits our horses just froze and would not budge. The reason soon became clear - there was a very large and angry looking bear, yes, a real live angry bear! There was no way our horses would move.They were scared, rather like their riders! Eventually my sister's horse turned and bolted, mine thought this a good alternative to being eaten so also turned and bolted. It was difficult to believe before that bears could run so very quickly. It was not gaining on us, but we were worried about falling off!
Before we could do that some Americans arrived in a Jeep and shot it, the sort of experience that lives on!
The reason the bear was there is that it was a mascot for the regiment. Three soldiers, rather the worse for drink, baited it while it was, as usual, tied with a strong chain outside the guardroom. It killed two of them, then thought it time to flee, which is when we met it.

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