Remembrance

On the 15th December 1944 Glenn Miller was lost on a flight from Bedford to France. A Lancaster laying mines off Norway failed to return home. Another Lancaster, returning from a raid on Ludwigshafen - where they attacked the factories producing the gas for the chambers - exploded over Holbeach Drove killing all the crew.

The mid-upper gunner on that Lancaster was Freddy Angus. My uncle. He was 19. His body probably lies now in Sutton Bridge churchyard. No-one seems to know why they were at Holbeach Drove. They must have flown over the airfield at Sutton Bridge. My son and I visited a few years ago; there is still a small depression visible in the field, but that's it.

He won't be remembered much any more. He didn't live long enough to make an impact beyond family and friends. In the family only my Aunt remains who can remember him. It was 71 years ago, but she has never got over it. She is guilty because the last time he left home she couldn't bear to go to the station to see him off. My mother only found out the details of his death about 10 years ago. She had never spoken to anyone about it. It affected her all her life - the way she behaved, right to the very end. His parents didn't survive it, they both died shortly after the war. They never knew their grandchildren.

For our family this was a colossal tragedy. But I suspect it is also a boringly common one. If remembrance is to mean anything it means we as a people should ignore the jingoistic urgings of the press and politicians and never again send 19 year olds to kill and be killed by other 19 year olds.

Posted By: Winged Eel Creosote, Nov 8, 11:39:55