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Society & Culture War Stories

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What good war stories do you know, from your parents/grandparents/relatives/etc, or even yourselves if you're old enough?


----------------

Grandad was eating lunch one day on the mess deck when his ship was attacked. Alarms went off and everyone jumped up to man their stations, but when my gramps reached the doorway, he paused to let another guy through ahead of him.....the ship was hit and shrapnel got that guy....they took him back into the mess deck and put the man on a lunch table where he died. Only time I ever witnessed my grandfather cry was when he told me that story.
Click to expand...

Those are those calls that make you believe in God . My Dad who was a Officer in Korea was ran over by a jeep in Korea. Said it was so cold he couldn't feel his knee and the guys in the jeep instantly told him to get in Sir we will take you to the medics. My Dad saw other dying soldiers around and told them to get them some help first and come back for him.

The jeep drove away and hit a land mine.......
Click to expand...
 
My pop fought at Kokoda.

He passed away when I was only five so this wasn't told directly by him to me. But, my mother claims he told the story of one day having a mate of his, who was right next to him as they advanced through the jungle, having a chunk of his cheek bitten out by a Japanese soldier who apparently had ambushed them after lying in wait.

Why he wouldn't have used his gun or his bayonet, I don't know; maybe he'd lost his weapons.

Anyway, supposedly pop's mate died of septicaemia from the wound within a day or two.

Exactly how accurate those details are, I don't know, because it's a bit of a Chinese whispers situation now; maybe certain facts have been added, or embellished, or indeed forgotten. But that's what my mother claims he told her.
 
not much of a story but remember asking my grandfather was in the navy (WW2), being a naive young kid i asked him if he shot anyone, he told me he "just cleaned the shitters" ...found out later on that he used to man the big guns/cannons..

futhers up (or down) the family tree was one of the great soliders in Aust history fought in both world wars and won two VC medals...
 

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There are a couple of similar threads on the SRP History board http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/forums/history.439/ for those who are interested....

My grandfather was part of the 3 Australia Corps Kimberley Guerrilla Warfare Group. The GWGs barely exist in the history books, nearly all records of them were destroyed at the end of the war. He gets a couple of mentions and photos in this book: http://www.ozatwar.com/books/ftk.htm

Due to the lack of official records, the book is mostly made up of personal recollections, letters, diaries, telegrams and the like so it's not an easy thing to read.

The best story involving my grandfather is of a Japanese submarine parked just off the coast one night (the Japanese used to come ashore for fresh water supplies and the sub would lay up overnight to recharge batteries). He and another guy volunteered to swim out with a bag of grenades in an attempt to get the sub. Halfway out they met a school of sharks and decided that rather than setting off explosions, discretion might be the better part of valour, and returned to shore.

Later in the war he went to Borneo and New Guinea. My father has some interesting things from his time in New Guinea, most notably a newsletter produced by the unit with stories of the various goings-on.

He also brought back from the war two Japanese helmets from soldiers he shot in Borneo, sadly those relics were disposed of by my grandmother when my grandfather died. My father says she would never let him talk about the war and would cut him off on the rare occasions he tried to. When he died, by the time my father got to looking for the helmets etc they were gone.

As an aside, my grandfather also worked for the UN in Afghanistan in the 1970s before getting the hell out as the Russians invaded. Sadly, most of the work he'd done - mostly involved with getting infrastructure like dams etc built - got destroyed once the Russians arrived.

I also have (had) a great-uncle who was awarded the Military Cross in Syria during WW2, though I don't know the details of exactly what he did to earn it.

And finally, a great-great-uncle who landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, and managed to last until the 27th before he was killed.
 
Illinois Nazi said:
And finally, a great-great-uncle who landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, and managed to last until the 27th before he was killed.
Click to expand...


my affore mentioned relation (like you a great-great uncle) was also at Gallipoli and was one of the last Aussies off the beach..
 
Kangaroos4eva said:
Yea, I've known for a little while, its been making news on social media a fair bit as well.

If you're interested in German resistance to Nazism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Valkyrie
Click to expand...
Yes,as you know, I am interested in lots of this Can't keep up, actually:) But I haven't heard of the Last Battle before . Will certainly be looking for the book.And I appreciate the wealth of knowledge you have
 
chugginon said:
Yes,as you know, I am interested in lots of this Can't keep up, actually:) But I haven't heard of the Last Battle before . Will certainly be looking for the book.And I appreciate the wealth of knowledge you have
Click to expand...
Tbh, I've studied the second war for over 10 years and I'm still finding new and unique facts about it. For example, the battle of ortona in Italy in dec 1943 and it being called little Stalingrad.en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ortona
 

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chugginon said:
Yes,as you know, I am interested in lots of this Can't keep up, actually:) But I haven't heard of the Last Battle before . Will certainly be looking for the book.And I appreciate the wealth of knowledge you have
Click to expand...
I ordered the book, I'll let you know how it is once it arrives.
 
I heard from someone that this joke was told by Stalin himself, although i have no idea if it is true.
Some soldiers of the red army are ordered to storm a German fortification. The commanding officer tells them to "Kill the Germans to the last man!"
After a while, the soldiers return, dragging along a German taken prisoner. The officer gets mad and says "What is this, i told you to kill them to the last man!"
One soldier replies: "But Sir....this IS the last man!"
 
This is a genuine ww2 joke recorded in the diary of count Galleazo Ciano:

The Hungarian envoy to Washington is about to declare war on the U.S. The american recieving the declaration, having little knowledge of the world outside the U.S., asks him some questions:
- Is Hungary a republic?
- No, it's a monarchy?
icon_razz.gif

- So you have a king?
- No, we have an admiral? 8)
- So you have a fleet?
- No, we don't even have access to the sea?
icon_surprised.gif

- But you have some claims, do you?
- Yes?
- Against who do you have claims? Against the United States?
- No?
icon_eek.gif

- Against the Soviet Union?
- No?
- Then against who?
- Against Romania.
icon_mad.gif

- So you will declare war on Romania?


- No, Romania is our ally!



A postwar Romanian joke:

Some kids talk about the war:
"You know", one of them says "duing the war, my Grandfather sent three Russian tanks runing"
"How did he do that?"
"Well, he ran away and the tanks followed him."
 
My Grandfather wrote this back in 1982. Sadly, the bullet that struck him that he writes about eventually killed him as it became cancerous and it could never be removed.

-----

A British Tummy.

A BRIEF WAR DIARY AS A P.O.W.

N.C. ****

IT’S 5TH JUNE ’82, AND IN TIME I’M LOOKING BACK,
ON THE SAME DAY IN ’42, WHEN IN AMONG THE FLACK,
THEN ON RUN IN DESERT PLAIN WE STRUGGLED WITH THE WRECK,
OF WHAT WAS LEFT OF OUR ARMOURY, WHEN I GOT HIT IN THE NECK.

. . .

A GERRY BULLET ALMOST SPENT, FOUND IT’S MARK ON ME,
THEN I DROPPED DOWN AND MANAGED TO STAY ON ONE KNEE,
BUT NOT FOR LONG HOWEVER, TILL I TUMBLED TO THE GROUND,
AND REALISED IN MOMENTS I WAS WELL AND TRULY DOWNED

. . .

THE FEELING OF PARALYSIS TRAVELED UPWARD TO MY CHEST,
AND IN MY CONSCIOUS MOMENTS, I THOUGHT NOW HOW BEST,
DO I DOPE WITH THIS SITUATION WHICH I KNEW I COULD NOT RIGHT,
WITHIN ME REALISING THAT NOW I COULD NOT FIGHT.

. . .

I LAY WITH SOME FRUSTRATION, KNOWING I COULD NOT RISE,
IT GAVE ME SUCH A SINKING FEELING WONDERING HOW TO GUISE
MYSELF FROM ONCOMING GERRY TANKS,
WHO WERE SWEEPING DOWN THE PLAINS VIRTUALLY IN BANKS.

. . .

WHEN “D” COY. CAPTAIN APPEARED AND ASKED WHERE I’D BEEN HIT,
ON TELLING HIM, HE STRIPPED ME OF WHAT WE CALL “SMALL KIT,”
AND LIFTED ME ON HIS SHOULDER CARRYING ME ALOFT,
BUT AFTER A WHILE HE PUT ME DOWN AND MADE FOR THE “R.A.” POST.

. . .

HE LEFT HIS “BATMAN” WITH ME, AND UNDER THE MORNING SUN
WE DRANK THE “BATMAN’S” UNSWEETENED MILK TO GIVE OUR THIRST A RUN,
AN HOUR OR SO HE SPENT WITH ME, BUT NO ONE NOW IN SIGHT,
HE LEFT ME FOR THE “R.A” POST, SAYING I’D BE ALRIGHT.

. . .

I LAY AWHILE JUST WONDERING HOW LONG IT WELL MAY BE,
BEFORE SOME SOLDIERS “OURS” OR “THEIRS” WOULD SET THEIR EYS ON ME,
WHEN EVENTUALLY A GERRY TANK, A HUGE GREY M.K.L.
CAME BOUNDING ON; ME WONDERING, IS THIS THE FINAL HOUR.

. . .

THE GERRY TANK COMMANDER IN A FLOW OF PERFECT ENGLISH,
SAID FOR YOU THE WAR IS OVER AND AMIDST MY ANGUISH,
ASKED ME DID I THINK I COULD SMOKE A CIGARETTE,
AND I REPLIED “YES PLEASE,” KNOWING I’M NOT IN SHOCK JUST YET.

. . .

AND LATER IN A GERRY “OBSERVATION CAR,”
I WAS TAKEN WELL BEHIND “THEIR” LINES AND I KNEW I WAS SO FAR,
FROM ALL THE “H.L.T” BOYS WHO BY THEIR VERY GRIT,
IN SPITE OF ALL THE ODDS THAT DAY, HAD SHOWN THEIR FIGHTING SPIRIT.

. . .

THE GERRY TROOPS WHO CAPTURED ME SHOWED COURTESY AND CARE,
AND WHILE THEY WERE OUR ENEMY, IT WOULD BE ONLY FAIR,
TO CREDIT THEM WITH FEELING FOR A FELLOW SOLDIER BEAT,
FOR WAR IS SUCH A HAZARD, ESPECIALLY IN RETREAT.

. . .

THAT NIGHT WAS SPENT IN A GERRY RED CROSS CAR,
WITH A GERRY LYING ABOVE ME, BOTH CASUALTIES OF WAR,
OUR NEEDS LOOKED AFTER BY HIS TWO SOLDIER MATES,
THEN MORNING DAWNED AND OFF I WENT WITH OTHERS, TO OUR FATES.

. . .

A PRISONER OF WAR WITH MANY MORE BESIDES,
NOT KNOWING HOW LONG FOR, BUT WE TOOK IT IN OUR STRIDES,
AND SENT BY SHIP TO ITALY, THE ITALIANS GUESTS TO BE,
TO REALISE JUST ALL TOO SOON, THAT THIS WOULD BE NO “SPREE”.

. . .

ALTHOUGH NOT BADLY TREATED, ITALY WAS SHORT OF FOOD,
AND FOR BODIES NEEDING NOURISHED, MADE US ONLY BROOD,
FOR WHILE OUR CAPTORS DID THEIR BEST WITH CARE AND MEDICATION,
THE FIRST THREE MONTHS WE SUFFERED WITH ACUTE HUNGER AND FRUSTRATION.

. . .

THEN “HAPPY DAY”, ONE SATURDAY, RED CROSS FOOD PARCELS GIVEN OUT,
TWO, TO SHARE A PARCEL, OUR HUNGER NOW TO ROUT,
TO FEEL YOU’VE HAD A FILLING MEAL AND KNOW THAT MORE IS THERE,
THIS, YOU HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH, TO KNOW, THAT NOTHING CAN COMPARE.

. . .

FROM THIS DAY ON, OUR SPIRITS OF COURSE WERE LIFTED,
IN THE SITUATION WE WERE IN, OUR THOUGHTS SO OFTEN DRIFTED,
TO OUR LOVED ONES AT HOME WHO KNEW NOTHING OF OUR FLIGHT,
FOR “MISSING-BELIEVED KILLED” THE WAR-OFFICE WAS TO WRITE.

. . .

THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE, THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO TELL,
BUT ONE WOULD NEED A BOOK OR MANUSCRIPT TO DWELL,
ON THE INJURED THE TROOPS SUSTAINED, TO LINGER AND TO STAY, A MEMORY FRO ALL TIME, OF A DARK AND GLOOMY DAY.

. . .

THOUGH I'VE PENNED THESE LINES REMEMBERING A FIENDISH GHASTLY WAR,
I'VE LOOKED BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND THOUGHT “WHATEVER FOR”,
THE FUTILITY OF SUCH A COURSE, SHOULD MAKE OUR GOVERNMENTS PONDER,
FOR ASK YOURSELF, “IS ANYTHING SOLVED”, I LEAVE YOU THEN TO WONDER.

. . .
 
Cruyff14 said:
My Grandfather wrote this back in 1982. Sadly, the bullet that struck him that he writes about eventually killed him as it became cancerous and it could never be removed.

-----

A British Tummy.

A BRIEF WAR DIARY AS A P.O.W.

N.C. ****

IT’S 5TH JUNE ’82, AND IN TIME I’M LOOKING BACK,
ON THE SAME DAY IN ’42, WHEN IN AMONG THE FLACK,
THEN ON RUN IN DESERT PLAIN WE STRUGGLED WITH THE WRECK,
OF WHAT WAS LEFT OF OUR ARMOURY, WHEN I GOT HIT IN THE NECK.

. . .

A GERRY BULLET ALMOST SPENT, FOUND IT’S MARK ON ME,
THEN I DROPPED DOWN AND MANAGED TO STAY ON ONE KNEE,
BUT NOT FOR LONG HOWEVER, TILL I TUMBLED TO THE GROUND,
AND REALISED IN MOMENTS I WAS WELL AND TRULY DOWNED

. . .

THE FEELING OF PARALYSIS TRAVELED UPWARD TO MY CHEST,
AND IN MY CONSCIOUS MOMENTS, I THOUGHT NOW HOW BEST,
DO I DOPE WITH THIS SITUATION WHICH I KNEW I COULD NOT RIGHT,
WITHIN ME REALISING THAT NOW I COULD NOT FIGHT.

. . .

I LAY WITH SOME FRUSTRATION, KNOWING I COULD NOT RISE,
IT GAVE ME SUCH A SINKING FEELING WONDERING HOW TO GUISE
MYSELF FROM ONCOMING GERRY TANKS,
WHO WERE SWEEPING DOWN THE PLAINS VIRTUALLY IN BANKS.

. . .

WHEN “D” COY. CAPTAIN APPEARED AND ASKED WHERE I’D BEEN HIT,
ON TELLING HIM, HE STRIPPED ME OF WHAT WE CALL “SMALL KIT,”
AND LIFTED ME ON HIS SHOULDER CARRYING ME ALOFT,
BUT AFTER A WHILE HE PUT ME DOWN AND MADE FOR THE “R.A.” POST.

. . .

HE LEFT HIS “BATMAN” WITH ME, AND UNDER THE MORNING SUN
WE DRANK THE “BATMAN’S” UNSWEETENED MILK TO GIVE OUR THIRST A RUN,
AN HOUR OR SO HE SPENT WITH ME, BUT NO ONE NOW IN SIGHT,
HE LEFT ME FOR THE “R.A” POST, SAYING I’D BE ALRIGHT.

. . .

I LAY AWHILE JUST WONDERING HOW LONG IT WELL MAY BE,
BEFORE SOME SOLDIERS “OURS” OR “THEIRS” WOULD SET THEIR EYS ON ME,
WHEN EVENTUALLY A GERRY TANK, A HUGE GREY M.K.L.
CAME BOUNDING ON; ME WONDERING, IS THIS THE FINAL HOUR.

. . .

THE GERRY TANK COMMANDER IN A FLOW OF PERFECT ENGLISH,
SAID FOR YOU THE WAR IS OVER AND AMIDST MY ANGUISH,
ASKED ME DID I THINK I COULD SMOKE A CIGARETTE,
AND I REPLIED “YES PLEASE,” KNOWING I’M NOT IN SHOCK JUST YET.

. . .

AND LATER IN A GERRY “OBSERVATION CAR,”
I WAS TAKEN WELL BEHIND “THEIR” LINES AND I KNEW I WAS SO FAR,
FROM ALL THE “H.L.T” BOYS WHO BY THEIR VERY GRIT,
IN SPITE OF ALL THE ODDS THAT DAY, HAD SHOWN THEIR FIGHTING SPIRIT.

. . .

THE GERRY TROOPS WHO CAPTURED ME SHOWED COURTESY AND CARE,
AND WHILE THEY WERE OUR ENEMY, IT WOULD BE ONLY FAIR,
TO CREDIT THEM WITH FEELING FOR A FELLOW SOLDIER BEAT,
FOR WAR IS SUCH A HAZARD, ESPECIALLY IN RETREAT.

. . .

THAT NIGHT WAS SPENT IN A GERRY RED CROSS CAR,
WITH A GERRY LYING ABOVE ME, BOTH CASUALTIES OF WAR,
OUR NEEDS LOOKED AFTER BY HIS TWO SOLDIER MATES,
THEN MORNING DAWNED AND OFF I WENT WITH OTHERS, TO OUR FATES.

. . .

A PRISONER OF WAR WITH MANY MORE BESIDES,
NOT KNOWING HOW LONG FOR, BUT WE TOOK IT IN OUR STRIDES,
AND SENT BY SHIP TO ITALY, THE ITALIANS GUESTS TO BE,
TO REALISE JUST ALL TOO SOON, THAT THIS WOULD BE NO “SPREE”.

. . .

ALTHOUGH NOT BADLY TREATED, ITALY WAS SHORT OF FOOD,
AND FOR BODIES NEEDING NOURISHED, MADE US ONLY BROOD,
FOR WHILE OUR CAPTORS DID THEIR BEST WITH CARE AND MEDICATION,
THE FIRST THREE MONTHS WE SUFFERED WITH ACUTE HUNGER AND FRUSTRATION.

. . .

THEN “HAPPY DAY”, ONE SATURDAY, RED CROSS FOOD PARCELS GIVEN OUT,
TWO, TO SHARE A PARCEL, OUR HUNGER NOW TO ROUT,
TO FEEL YOU’VE HAD A FILLING MEAL AND KNOW THAT MORE IS THERE,
THIS, YOU HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH, TO KNOW, THAT NOTHING CAN COMPARE.

. . .

FROM THIS DAY ON, OUR SPIRITS OF COURSE WERE LIFTED,
IN THE SITUATION WE WERE IN, OUR THOUGHTS SO OFTEN DRIFTED,
TO OUR LOVED ONES AT HOME WHO KNEW NOTHING OF OUR FLIGHT,
FOR “MISSING-BELIEVED KILLED” THE WAR-OFFICE WAS TO WRITE.

. . .

THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE, THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO TELL,
BUT ONE WOULD NEED A BOOK OR MANUSCRIPT TO DWELL,
ON THE INJURED THE TROOPS SUSTAINED, TO LINGER AND TO STAY, A MEMORY FRO ALL TIME, OF A DARK AND GLOOMY DAY.

. . .

THOUGH I'VE PENNED THESE LINES REMEMBERING A FIENDISH GHASTLY WAR,
I'VE LOOKED BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND THOUGHT “WHATEVER FOR”,
THE FUTILITY OF SUCH A COURSE, SHOULD MAKE OUR GOVERNMENTS PONDER,
FOR ASK YOURSELF, “IS ANYTHING SOLVED”, I LEAVE YOU THEN TO WONDER.

. . .
Click to expand...
Wow, what a story and my condolences. That last bit about prisoner rations, it's worth remembering the captors were barely better off in terms of food by the end of the war.
 

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Kangaroos4eva said:
Wow, what a story and my condolences. That last bit about prisoner rations, it's worth remembering the captors were barely better off in terms of food by the end of the war.
Click to expand...
I never really knew him. He died when I was five and was always very sick whenever we went to my grandparents house.

I don't like asking my dad about it either, but I am sure there are more stories.

The last four lines are brilliant.
 
Cruyff14 said:
I never really knew him. He died when I was five and was always very sick whenever we went to my grandparents house.

I don't like asking my dad about it either, but I am sure there are more stories.

The last four lines are brilliant.
Click to expand...
Beautiful lines those four, must have been deep thinker and would have been an interesting man to know.
 
Cruyff14 said:
Shame the bullet/cancer killed him.

It was stuck in the back of his neck, which gave him cancer. And I think if they removed it, it would have damaged his spine or something.
Click to expand...
Killed many a man after war, but l do enjoy the personal stories and moments between soldiers on opposing sides, whether it be the christmas truce of 1914 to the uboat commander saving people after the laconia incident.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tish-ship-defied-Hitler-rescue-survivors.html

It brings a sense that we are all human and not so different from each other like our leaders sometimes like us to believe during wartime.
 
Cruyff14 said:
My Grandfather wrote this back in 1982. Sadly, the bullet that struck him that he writes about eventually killed him as it became cancerous and it could never be removed.

-----

A British Tummy.

A BRIEF WAR DIARY AS A P.O.W.

N.C. ****

IT’S 5TH JUNE ’82, AND IN TIME I’M LOOKING BACK,
ON THE SAME DAY IN ’42, WHEN IN AMONG THE FLACK,
THEN ON RUN IN DESERT PLAIN WE STRUGGLED WITH THE WRECK,
OF WHAT WAS LEFT OF OUR ARMOURY, WHEN I GOT HIT IN THE NECK.

. . .

A GERRY BULLET ALMOST SPENT, FOUND IT’S MARK ON ME,
THEN I DROPPED DOWN AND MANAGED TO STAY ON ONE KNEE,
BUT NOT FOR LONG HOWEVER, TILL I TUMBLED TO THE GROUND,
AND REALISED IN MOMENTS I WAS WELL AND TRULY DOWNED

. . .

THE FEELING OF PARALYSIS TRAVELED UPWARD TO MY CHEST,
AND IN MY CONSCIOUS MOMENTS, I THOUGHT NOW HOW BEST,
DO I DOPE WITH THIS SITUATION WHICH I KNEW I COULD NOT RIGHT,
WITHIN ME REALISING THAT NOW I COULD NOT FIGHT.

. . .

I LAY WITH SOME FRUSTRATION, KNOWING I COULD NOT RISE,
IT GAVE ME SUCH A SINKING FEELING WONDERING HOW TO GUISE
MYSELF FROM ONCOMING GERRY TANKS,
WHO WERE SWEEPING DOWN THE PLAINS VIRTUALLY IN BANKS.

. . .

WHEN “D” COY. CAPTAIN APPEARED AND ASKED WHERE I’D BEEN HIT,
ON TELLING HIM, HE STRIPPED ME OF WHAT WE CALL “SMALL KIT,”
AND LIFTED ME ON HIS SHOULDER CARRYING ME ALOFT,
BUT AFTER A WHILE HE PUT ME DOWN AND MADE FOR THE “R.A.” POST.

. . .

HE LEFT HIS “BATMAN” WITH ME, AND UNDER THE MORNING SUN
WE DRANK THE “BATMAN’S” UNSWEETENED MILK TO GIVE OUR THIRST A RUN,
AN HOUR OR SO HE SPENT WITH ME, BUT NO ONE NOW IN SIGHT,
HE LEFT ME FOR THE “R.A” POST, SAYING I’D BE ALRIGHT.

. . .

I LAY AWHILE JUST WONDERING HOW LONG IT WELL MAY BE,
BEFORE SOME SOLDIERS “OURS” OR “THEIRS” WOULD SET THEIR EYS ON ME,
WHEN EVENTUALLY A GERRY TANK, A HUGE GREY M.K.L.
CAME BOUNDING ON; ME WONDERING, IS THIS THE FINAL HOUR.

. . .

THE GERRY TANK COMMANDER IN A FLOW OF PERFECT ENGLISH,
SAID FOR YOU THE WAR IS OVER AND AMIDST MY ANGUISH,
ASKED ME DID I THINK I COULD SMOKE A CIGARETTE,
AND I REPLIED “YES PLEASE,” KNOWING I’M NOT IN SHOCK JUST YET.

. . .

AND LATER IN A GERRY “OBSERVATION CAR,”
I WAS TAKEN WELL BEHIND “THEIR” LINES AND I KNEW I WAS SO FAR,
FROM ALL THE “H.L.T” BOYS WHO BY THEIR VERY GRIT,
IN SPITE OF ALL THE ODDS THAT DAY, HAD SHOWN THEIR FIGHTING SPIRIT.

. . .

THE GERRY TROOPS WHO CAPTURED ME SHOWED COURTESY AND CARE,
AND WHILE THEY WERE OUR ENEMY, IT WOULD BE ONLY FAIR,
TO CREDIT THEM WITH FEELING FOR A FELLOW SOLDIER BEAT,
FOR WAR IS SUCH A HAZARD, ESPECIALLY IN RETREAT.

. . .

THAT NIGHT WAS SPENT IN A GERRY RED CROSS CAR,
WITH A GERRY LYING ABOVE ME, BOTH CASUALTIES OF WAR,
OUR NEEDS LOOKED AFTER BY HIS TWO SOLDIER MATES,
THEN MORNING DAWNED AND OFF I WENT WITH OTHERS, TO OUR FATES.

. . .

A PRISONER OF WAR WITH MANY MORE BESIDES,
NOT KNOWING HOW LONG FOR, BUT WE TOOK IT IN OUR STRIDES,
AND SENT BY SHIP TO ITALY, THE ITALIANS GUESTS TO BE,
TO REALISE JUST ALL TOO SOON, THAT THIS WOULD BE NO “SPREE”.

. . .

ALTHOUGH NOT BADLY TREATED, ITALY WAS SHORT OF FOOD,
AND FOR BODIES NEEDING NOURISHED, MADE US ONLY BROOD,
FOR WHILE OUR CAPTORS DID THEIR BEST WITH CARE AND MEDICATION,
THE FIRST THREE MONTHS WE SUFFERED WITH ACUTE HUNGER AND FRUSTRATION.

. . .

THEN “HAPPY DAY”, ONE SATURDAY, RED CROSS FOOD PARCELS GIVEN OUT,
TWO, TO SHARE A PARCEL, OUR HUNGER NOW TO ROUT,
TO FEEL YOU’VE HAD A FILLING MEAL AND KNOW THAT MORE IS THERE,
THIS, YOU HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH, TO KNOW, THAT NOTHING CAN COMPARE.

. . .

FROM THIS DAY ON, OUR SPIRITS OF COURSE WERE LIFTED,
IN THE SITUATION WE WERE IN, OUR THOUGHTS SO OFTEN DRIFTED,
TO OUR LOVED ONES AT HOME WHO KNEW NOTHING OF OUR FLIGHT,
FOR “MISSING-BELIEVED KILLED” THE WAR-OFFICE WAS TO WRITE.

. . .

THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE, THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO TELL,
BUT ONE WOULD NEED A BOOK OR MANUSCRIPT TO DWELL,
ON THE INJURED THE TROOPS SUSTAINED, TO LINGER AND TO STAY, A MEMORY FRO ALL TIME, OF A DARK AND GLOOMY DAY.

. . .

THOUGH I'VE PENNED THESE LINES REMEMBERING A FIENDISH GHASTLY WAR,
I'VE LOOKED BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND THOUGHT “WHATEVER FOR”,
THE FUTILITY OF SUCH A COURSE, SHOULD MAKE OUR GOVERNMENTS PONDER,
FOR ASK YOURSELF, “IS ANYTHING SOLVED”, I LEAVE YOU THEN TO WONDER.

. . .[/QUOTE/]

Kimbo have a read.
Click to expand...
 

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