Thinking about Dad

[user 3604]

Well...it's been a good few days visiting with my son in Ottawa, but there's been a touch of melancholy also. A few days ago was the 5th anniversary of my Dad's passing - just shy of 92. He was an architect, an RAF navigator who flew in operation Market Garden. He was most of all an example of how to soldier on when times are tough. PTSD and "survivor guilt" followed him all his life but there was no help really for him like there is now. Yet on he went, providing for us and taking care of us. I could write an essay on Dad.

I have all his pipe collection that he promised to me save one, a lovely fully rusticated Peterson 302 with a custom zippered pouch he gave to my nephew when he had dementia and had forgotten that he was giving it to me. The others I'm getting refurbished by Charles Lemon, a wonderful pipe restoration artist - a few at a time.

In my weakness today I purchased the identical Petey on ebay. I'll look forward to some quiet reflection of 'Pops" with a smoldering bowl of Captain Black, the ghost which inhabits several of his pipes.

 

[BriarBeagle]

May your father's memory forever be cherished, and may you reflect fondly on him every time you light up your Pete.

 

[Puffy]

Sounds like you had a long wonderful relationship with your dad..That'd really great.

 

[Stick]

Nice thoughts Beeman.

Do you know the detail of your dad's role in Op Market Garden? I'm guessing he was perhaps navving for one of the kites that was towing a glider?

He sounded quite the character who epitomised the RAF's motto, Per Ardua Ad Astra.

Here's to your father, you, and that new Pete.

Stick.

 

[user 3604]

Nice thoughts Beeman.  

Do you know the detail of your dad's role in Op Market Garden? I'm guessing he was perhaps navving for one of the kites that was towing a glider?

He sounded quite the character who epitomised the RAF's motto, Per Ardua Ad Astra.

Here's to your father, you, and that new Pete.

Stick.  

That was indeed his role Stick. He flew on two runs. Dad had said on one of the runs ( in a Halifax) there was a war correspondent on board taking photos. My brother tracked down the articles and the correspondent's later memoirs, (which my brother has a copy of) - it contained photos of the formation towing the gliders. The photo was taken from beside my Dad's position in the Halifax. It was an interesting view which made me wonder what he must have been thinking and feeling at the time. The movie "a Bridge Too Far" was made in commemoration of this mission. On another mission 8 months later Dad's Sterling was shot up pretty good and had to land in Holland. They hitched a ride with another crew on a Wellington. It crashed on take off. Dad's log entry for the date simply says. "crashed on take off. All crew lost." He was 22 at the time.That single event haunted him for life - but as kids we would never have known. He buried it and trudged on giving everyone his best. It was only in his latter years, and especially with my own experience as a police officer that we began to see and understand in a small way how the war affected him and how he suffered with PTSD.

Youth today just don't understand the sacrifice that was made for their freedom today.

 

[D.L.Ruth]

I think the glider Corp would have been a very interesting job, scary as hell but interesting.