MY DAD, MY HERO.

MY DAD JOINED THE NORTHANTS REGIMENT EARLY IN THE WAR ON 27/6/40 AND HE WAS I BELIEVE STATIONED FOR SOMETIME AT NORTHAMPTON SO HE GOT HOME AT TIMES ON WEEKENDS AND WAS ABLE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH ME, I AM BLESSED WITH A VERY GOOD MEMORY OF MY VERY EARLY YEAR,S SO THE ODD TRIP ON THE BOATING LAKE AT WICKSTEEDS PARK IS STILL A TREASURED MEMORY,MY DAD USED TO SING IN THE LOCAL CLUBS AND THEATERS SO HE WAS QUITE WELL KNOWN IN THE AREA AS TONY, HE WAS POSTED TO THE 183 INFANTRY BRIGADE ANTI TANK COMPANY ON 07/05/41 THEN TRANSFERRED TO RECCONAISSANCE CORPS AND POSTED TO THE 61ST RECCE"REG"ON 15/10/41 THEN TRANSFERRED TO R.A.CORPS BUT REMAINED POSTED TO THE 61ST RECCE REGIMENT IN 01/01/44.NOW GOING FORWARD TO MY MOST LASTING MEMORY DAD CAME HOME ON EMBARKATION LEAVE WITH ALL HIS KIT AS DID SO MANY AT THAT TIME, BY NOW I WAS HEADING FOR 6 YRS OLD THE OLDEST OF 3 BOY,S AND QUITE A LITTLE MAN OR SO I WAS TOLD AND IT WAS NOW MY JOB TO LOOK AFTER MY MUM AND MY BROTHERS, ONE OF THEM WAS 4 YRS THE OTHER BEING ABOUT 3 WEEKS OLD.NOW ON THE MORNING OF DADS DEPARTURE THE HOUSE WAS A BUZZ,AND WE AS KIDS KNEW NOTHING OF THE MEANING OF WAR BUT DAD WAS ALL KITTED UP AND GOING TO FIGHT THE ENEMY, HE DID NOT WANT MY MUM TO GO TO RAILWAY STATION WITH HIM SO WE ALL STOOD ON THE PATHWAY OUTSIDE OUR LITTLE TERRACE HOUSE AND KISSED AND WAVED OUR GOODBYS. IT IS NOW AT THE AGE OF 67YRS I SEE THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, THERE,S MY DAD BRAVE LITTLE MAN WAVING TO HIS WIFE AND 3 LITTLE BOY,S FULLY KITTED UP ALL THE BAGS, RIFLE AND ALL,AND I KNOW FROM WHAT MY MUM TOLD ME IN LATER YEARS HE NEVER REALLY EXPECTED TO GET BACK,BUT OFF HE WENT, DO YOU KNOW HE WAS ONLY 5ft 2ins AND 114LBS BUT TO ME AS I LOOK BACK WHAT A LOT OF MAN WAS PACKED INTO THAT SMALL FRAME.ON THE 13th JUNE 44 HE WENT TO NORMANDY ON THE 26th JUNE 44 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT TILLY-SUR-SEULLES WHERE GOD BLESS HIM HE NOW LIES.ON THE MORNING THAT THE TELEGRAM CAME I WAS IN BED BUT THE FIRST CRY OF ANGUISH AND THE LOUD CRYING AFTER THAT ,EVEN THOUGH I WAS A LITTLE BOY I BELIEVE I KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED, FOR SO MANY YEARS AFTER THAT I BELIEVED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A MISTAKE AND MY DAD WOULD COME HOME, BUT OF COURSE HE DID,NT, IT WAS NOT UNTILL I WAS 60YRS OLD THAT I WITH MY WIFE DROVE OVER TO FRANCE TO MY DADS GRAVE WHAT AN EXPERIENCE THAT WAS WE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE LAST BEING FOR THE 60TH AND THAT WAS QUITE MOVING BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY VET,S THERE I EVEN MET SOME OLD RECCE, VETS AT TILLY . WE ARE GOING BACK NEXT YEAR GOD WILLING.ALL FOR NOW ,BOB ASHTON

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