- Contributed by
- Gerald Maller
- People in story:
- Gerald Maller
- Location of story:
- The English Channel
- Background to story:
- Army
- Article ID:
- A6898837
- Contributed on:
- 12 November 2005
May 8th 1945:
After five years as a prisoner of war, I was at Reims Airport waiting for Lancaster Bombers from Lincolnshire RAF station to fly us back to 'blighty.'I crowded round one of the planes when they landed, and was lucky enough to catch a 'Mae West' which was being distributed by one of the crew. I did not know how many were allowed per plane, but I was lucky enough, I had the last one. Flying over the channel, the gunner in the centre turret invited me to join him, I was ecstatic when I saw the White Cliffs of Dover, and then to crown it all, the radio crackled (it did in those days) and Winston Churchill was giving his famous "Victory in Europe" speech.
What a day to remember.
Militia number: 10181028 (July 15th 1939)
Army number: 5571151 (September 3rd 1939)
German POW number: 9911 (May 30th 1940)
My demob date: February 12th 1946
G.E Maller
8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
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