Monday 11 November 2013

Remembering



"Down the close, darkening lanes they sang their way
To the siding-shed,
And lined the train with faces grimly gay.

Their breasts were stuck all white with wreath and spray
As men's are, dead.

Dull porters watched them, and a casual tramp
Stood staring hard,
Sorry to miss them from the upland camp.
Then, unmoved, signals nodded, and a lamp
Winked to the guard.

So secretly, like wrongs hushed-up, they went.
They were not ours:
We never heard to which front these were sent.

Nor there if they yet mock what women meant
Who gave them flowers.

Shall they return to beatings of great bells
In wild train-loads?
A few, a few, too few for drums and yells,
May creep back, silent, to still village wells
Up half-known roads.

                                     The Send-off
                                     Wilfred Own 1893-1918


My father escaped from Poland at the outset of the Second World War.  My grandmother, and my father's three sisters escaped to Vienna.  

My grandfather was sent to Dachau.

My Dad got himself to France where he joined the Air Force, and was promptly posted to England. He was 18.

He flew in Lancaster and Wellington Bombers, and his claim to fame is that he also flew in the Battle of Britain in the Polish Squadron.

I have his medals in a box, ready to pass on to the next generation.  But he never talked about the war very much.  He lost too many friends who were shot down; and too many family members, who were simply "shot".  

My most precious keepsake is his "dog tag".

So this is my tribute to him, and also to Dan's father who ran away and lied about his age in order to join the Navy.

It's also my tribute to all who have served, or are still serving their country, either here or in far flung corners of the world - for me, for us, to be able to live in peace.  They are all heroes. You are all heroes. 

Thank you.












18 comments:

  1. It seems your family was deeply touched by WWII. My father never talked about the fighting, but he talked of a French boy he met while on guard duty and about a lovely French girl he dated. He and my mother even went back to visit with she and her husband forty years later. Those people were truly the greatest generation.

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    1. This is such a lovely story Elis. Very romantic, and so heartwarming that your parents went back and visited with the French girl and her husband!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  2. My Dad lied about his age to join to fight too. However at the time, apparently you could join but he wasn't old enough to be sent overseas. He did clerical work for a year and then the war ended. His name is on the wall in our hometown as a vet and he was deeply embarrassed his whole life that they put it there. To me and my generation, the thought of lying to enlist is such an act of bravery in and of itself. He didn't see it that way.

    As you already know, Barney's Dad flew Lancasters too out of England. I wonder if their paths ever crossed?

    Lovely tribute Ami.

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    1. Apparently a lot of them lied about their ages. Dan's Dad only got into the last year of the war and after training he ended up being sent out to Penang, but saw no action as by that time the war was more or less over.

      The whole point is that they were brave enough to enlist regardless. That took a lot of guts.

      I wonder whether Barney's Dad and my Dad crossed paths too. Do you know what his squadron was by any chance? It would be interesting to see where he was based, because my Dad became ground crew towards the end of the war and would sort out the engines when the planes aeroplanes limped home.

      Hugs
      Ami

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  3. Lovely, Ami. So glad most of your family were able to survive a terrible time in the history of the world.

    I have my dad's dog tags, my brother's have his medals.

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    1. Thank you Sunny. I don't think we realise what an awful time it was, do we? The dog tags are very important.

      Hugs
      Ami

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  4. Beautiful. I visited what was left of Dachau when we lived in Germany. It is truly an awful place. Prayers to you and yours. You have an amazing family. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thank you Rose. I never got to visit Dachau. My grandfather survived, but the pictures show him looking like a walking skeleton.

      We did visit Auchwitz. It was just a few miles from where my grandparents lived. And also Birkenau. Now they were truly terrible. Unimaginable. And my grandparents had friends who survived those places, and who had numbers tattooed on their arms.

      Yet my grandparents were Catholic, and yet it didn't save my grandfather, nor his brother who was shot dead because he tried to resist.

      Thank you for your prayers. We are not very amazing. But I am always happy to share a part of history that must never be repeated.

      Hugs
      Ami

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    2. Some of them survived. I find that truly amazing.

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    3. I also have a friend down in the village, whose father was one of the children transported on the Kinderstransport. She only found out when he died a couple of years ago. Apparently he came from quite a prominent family in Vienna, and he and his sister were the sole survivors from their family. The sister went on to marry an American and her descendants live in the US. He married an English girl and had four children, one of which is my friend. All these stories are still coming to light all these years after WW2.

      In a strange way of thinking - both myself and my friend owe our existence to the war, and the fact that our fathers made it out of their countries of origin alive.

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  5. Oh Ami...What a lovely tribute...sending thanks and prayers to your family for their sacrifice.

    Hugs and Blessings...
    Cat

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    1. Thank you Cat. I just think it's very important that we keep all their memories alive in our hearts.

      Hugs
      Ami

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  6. Ami,

    Lovely post. We should remember, always and forever.

    I have my grandfather's medals.

    Love,
    Ronnie
    xx

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    1. Thanks Ronnie. You keep those medals safe!

      Hugs
      Ami

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  7. My dad lied about his age to join the navy...he wanted to join his 8 brothers, who were all serving. All managed to make it home....for them, for my grandmother who had 9 sons all serving....for all who serve...we remember.
    hugs abby

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    1. Hi Abby!

      I'm so glad to see you up and around again! I do hope you are feeling better Sweetie!

      9 sons! Wow! Did they have any girls at all? I can't imagine being able to afford such a large family, but it must have been lovely. And I am so glad they all managed to make it home, thank goodness.

      Hugs
      Ami

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