TLF interrupts the current stockpile of lockdown anecdotes to bring a moment of self-reflection…possibly bordering on wallowing.
T’was the 75th anniversary of VE Day last Friday as any fule know.
Fair to say it prompted strong reactions from many: Take it or leave it. Celebrate Victory or reflect on peace. Dress up and street party or roll your eyes at that. And everything in between. But most importantly be rude via social media about anyone’s approach that didn’t match your own.
Personally, TLF comes from the ‘each to their own’ school of non-judgement, and the main reaction from yours truly was the usual one when World War Two comes up; a reflection on youthful foolishness.
If your grandad (Mum’s Dad, more commonly known as Pa) had, due to his self-taught language skills (no long term skooling for him!) spent the run up to VE Day involved with the negotiations with German units as they surrendered in France and then moved into Germany to do similar; you might have taken the time to ask him a bit more about it and his experiences. Whether he would have wanted to talk about it would be another matter. But, oh my goodness, the things you might have learned.
Or you could just be a bolshy, teenager who knew it all and certainly didn’t think old people had anything useful to say.
What a twit TLF. What a twit.
Having said that, I do remember him showing me a grenade and an army revolver though…Now that was fun*.
Remembering Fox
*Rest assured the grenade and revolver were, following Pa’s demise handed into the appropriate authorities.
Majorie & Ralph Newman. March 1943. Or Grannie & Pa as TLF knew them