Hi Carol. Hope you read this.
On Sunday I went to visit my mum at her nursing home. She was watching the parade and after I told her my son has to go to school next week dressed as a 1940's evacuee she started telling him all about the air raids,how her little sister used to feed the rabbits through the door of the Anderson shelter and how she was evacuated. She then took us to visit her neighbour in the room next door. He,I'll call him "H" was supposed to be at the parade in Sunday but although it was paid for "they" couldn't get him a carer for the day. H was visibly upset by that but was, I think, happy to have company.
H was in the 51st Highland Division during WW2. He mentioned a hammering at Dunkirk. He was a POW in Poland. He was made to work in the coal mines. I was very honoured to be able to sit and watch the parade with him.
After a stroke H finds it difficult to speak,he stutters or just can not get his words out. If really irritates him. He told us a story which some parts I couldn't understand but I'll try to repeat it now.
When he was down the pit in Poland he had to labour for a Polish man who was also made to work there. The polish man was a blacksmith by trade and after his day in the mine would go back to his house in the village to do his smithying. One day he asked H if he would help him get a lump of metal from the pit to his house as he needed to make a wheel. H agreed though it was risky. H said they went undercover of the night but had lanterns which they had earlier hid in the potatoes. They did something to to make the lanterns look less conspicuous. (Sorry I couldn't understand H ). Anyway, they got to the Polish guys house and walked straight in. H said he was taken aback as Polish's wife was sat with her feet in a bowl of water in front of the fire. H laughed and said his missus would have gone daft if he had ever brough someone home unannounced! Then H said as he walked further into the room he was shocked to find a man standing there in a crisp white shirt and well turned out. He was in a panic as he was off limits and could get shot. He wasn't meant to be away from the mining area. The man in the shirt turned out to be a German Naval Commander!! He told H not to worry,he'd be alright and to calm down. (Can you imagine?!!) H said the man then told him that the war would be over by next year and then he went into his jacket pocket and pulled out some buttons, British Army,then some more buttons,American,then some more ,Russian. H said,"He had them all for just incase whoever won! Cheeky beggar!"
About his time as POW H says "It was an experience and I learned a few things."
We then went on to discuss 1940's school uniforms. He said he wasn't allowed to wear long trousers until he was fourteen and also the girls never wore anything like what I had on (jeans). "Showed a bit of leg then y'see!"