What can you say? (1 Viewer)

[Rob]

I was at the IWM on Wednesday and had just finished my tour.An elderly lady approached me with her two sons and one daughter in law.I could see she had been crying and she told me she wanted to tell me something,however as she started to speak to me she broke down and wept and couldn't go on.Her sons apologised and led her gently away.

A short while later her daughter in law came and found me and explained.The elderly lady had been a schoolgirl in London in 1944.She had been ill and was in bed one saturday morning,she was very upset has her brother and sister had been allowed to go and play at a friends house at the end of the street whilst she had to stay in bed and recover.They had only been gone about ten mins when the house they were playing in was hit by a V1.Her parents rushed down the street after telling her to stay where she was and not to come out.After a while curiosity got the better of her and she got up,dressed and went to the commotion down the street.She came across the dismembered bodies of her brother and sister lying in the street.

What could i say?.I'm sorry just doesn't cut it does it?.It brought tears to my eyes and made me think just how lucky i am.And so i am sorry if i am boring in saying this again,but god bless every soldier,sailor and airman from whatever country that fought to rid this world of the Nazi's.


Rob

 

[Eazy]

At the next London Show in march my mom is coming down and we're both going to visit the IWM. She was born in 1942 but she has keen memories of my grandad in uniform and the struggles my nan faced back home. I've told her how good the museum is and she's really looking forward to the visit.

BTW she's a keen toy soldier collector too! Her thing is the Zulu War era and she has quite a nice Rorkes Drift diorama on display at her house!

 

[Rob]

Good stuff!.Its possible(not sure yet) i may be on duty that day.What i sometimes do is go to the show really early about 7.30am,stay for a couple of hours and then head over to the IWM to take the tours.So one way or another we will probably bump into each other on the day?.

Rob

 

[kilted vampire]

What could i say?.I'm sorry just doesn't cut it does it?.It brought tears to my eyes and made me think just how lucky i am.And so i am sorry if i am boring in saying this again,but god bless every soldier,sailor and airman from whatever country that fought to rid this world of the Nazi's.


Rob

It kinda makes me wonder why there is a neo-nazi movement ? Don't apologize for thanking those veterans or any veterans they deserve it.

 

[jazzeum]

That's an incredible story, Rob, and sadly I'm sure there are many other stories like that.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I was standing about 5 blocks from the World Trade Center looking at the first burning tower when the second plane hit. I didn't even see the plane, just the fireball. As I wrote to Andy at the time (in response to his e-mail asking if I was O.K.), I understood what it was to be terrified for one terrible day. I can only imagine the courage it took to face up to that sort of horror on a day to day basis for months in London during the Blitz. I have nothing but love and respect for the generation that fought the Nazis, and nothing but dismay about the neo-nazis that pollute the world today.

 

[jazzeum]

Louis,

I had no idea. You and thousands others are lucky to be alive today.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Yes, but we had to face only one day of attacks, and a few false alarm scares. The residents of London not only faced months of nightly attacks, they got up every morning, cleared away the debris, helped the wounded, burried the honored dead, and went to work. That, to me, is real courage.

 

[Combat]

Last year I shook hands with Paul Tibbets who piloted the Enola Gay when it dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. I agree 100% with the decision to drop the bomb, but I also have to admit that it was a bit unsettling to realize that he was directly involved in the deaths of 70,000 people - mostly civilians. Arguably, with the exception of the atomic bombs, the targeting of civilian populations in WWII by both allies and axis powers had negligible results in the outcome of the war. It was simply a tremendous waste of resources and lives on all sides.

 

[Rob]

As Louis said you have to admire that generation,must have had balls of steel.One of the wonderful things about working at the IWM is you get many people who just want to come up to you and tell you what happened to them.The stories can be heartbreaking like the last one, funny or just normal life in an abnormal time.

I remember about two months ago an elderly pleasant man came up to me and told me his experience.He was a schoolboy living in Kent during the build up to D-day.There were huge fields filled with row upon row of Tanks and armoured cars.Whenever the MP's weren't around the kids would get into these fields and play inside some of the vehicles.One day they got into a Sherman and were having great fun until their lookout shouted "MP's!" as they scrambled wildly to get out his friend slammed the hatch down on him as he was trying to get out.He pulled his hand out from behind his back and showed me he had just one finger and one thumb left!

Ouch!

Rob