Quarantine Photo Scavenger Hunt - Day 13

[dizzojay]

Something (someone) I'm proud of

yourself (disguised enough that you're comfortable sharing the photo)
your favorite book (we won't tell any of the others you picked a favorite)
merchandise from a fandom (pick your definition of fandom--sports 100% qualify)
your exercise equipment
the view out a window

something alive
a meal
a letter/postcard

Comments

[amberdreams]

I love the photos! Paul's granddad was much the same as yours - he had a stock of funny stories he'd tell but nothing serious - apart from one, which was about civilian trauma rather than anything that happened to him or his mates. It's quite sobering to think about the numbers of soldiers who must have had terrible PTSD that they just had to live with.

Definitely someone to be very proud of.

[dizzojay]

Yes, it's scary to think about what men like him had seen and just pushed away to the back of their mind. he used to tell me about Egypt and how he was able to do some sightseeing and how he used to get one of his friends in the intelligence section to develop his photos!
In 1999 Barry and I went to Egypt and there's something very magical about taking a photo of yourself standing on the steps of an egyptian temple, then see a photo of your grandad over fifty years earlier standing in the exact same place!
One thing Egypt left with him was the memory of the terrible way donkeys were treated, and he always loved donkeys after that. They were his favourite animal. I remember after he passed away, my Dad was sorting out his finances, and saw he had direct debits to four different donkey sanctuaries!

[supernutjapan]

<3<3 I just finished showing my kids pictures of my grandparents too. So much love.

[dizzojay]

We're lucky to have those wonderful memories :)

[jj1564]

What great photos and lovely memories, he has a kind face and I'm sure you were the apple of his eye! He was rightly proud to work on spitfires and I bet he'd be amazed that they're still going strong - a Spitfire flew from Biggin Hill on Friday but it didn't come over here, unfortunately.

[dizzojay]

I was the apple of his eye: He would have loved to have a daughter to fuss over and dote on, but circumstances dictated that they only ended up having one child and that was my Dad. When 25 years later, I came along, I was the daughter he's always wanted! And because he was only 45 when I was born, he was still young and mobile enough to enjoy having his 'daughter' :D

I love spitfires, they have a completely unique sound. You don't have to see one, you can hear them a mile off and know exactly what they are.

[candygramme]

I love the old spitfires. I used to get all teary when the Battle of Britain flight would fly past at air shows.

My dad was in Italy during WW2, but like your Granddad, he would only tell us funny things. He never spoke about the war itself. Dad's been gone for 6 years now, but I miss him as if it were yesterday.

[dizzojay]

I'm the same; anything like that brings a lump to my throat.

It really makes you wonder what our loved ones went through during the war, that a lot of them didn't like to talk about it except on a very superficial level. Fabulous people like your Dad and my Grandad made great sacrifices for all of us.

I can completely understand your loss - much love for your Dad xx

[candygramme]

It seems to be a pact between the old WWII warriors to stay silent about the things they went through and that they had to do. I wonder just how much PTSD was suffered by the gentle old soldiers like your Grandad.

[dizzojay]

I know - and in a time mental health issues weren't recognised, or were considered taboo; stiff upper lip and all that crap.

I know one scar his posting in Egypt did leave on my Grandad, and funnily enough it was nothing to do with the actual war, was the terrible way he saw donkeys being treated there. He could never get over that, and to his dying day, donkeys were always his favourite animal. After he passed, and my Dad was going through his finances, we saw he had four separate monthly direct debits going out to different donkey sanctuaries.

[aerynsun5]

Love the photos. The only person in my family who was of the right age to fight in WWII was an uncle who has been dead for many years, and I never saw any photos. Thanks for sharing.

[dizzojay]

You're welcome. I'm lucky to have so many photos like this. My Grandad kept an amazing record.
Where did your uncle serve? Much gratitude to him for his service.

[aerynsun5]

I think I knew when I was very young, but I don't remember anymore, now that I'm so old.