Just like to say Thankyou all again for the support and messages when I lost my mum to covid on New Year’s Day
Also I’d like to share something we discovered about my mums early life .
My mum had arranged her own funeral and my brother discovered she wanted the Dambusters music on entering into the crem
Seemed a little unusual but after going through some old photos and some digging , my brother discovered a photo of her and her older cousin who she was very close to , both in their uniforms standing together It turns out he was a rear gunner with the dambusters
We knew mum was in the WRAF but she never spoke about any of it but we learned that she worked on the bombers and even managed to go up in one once
Unbeknown to us she was working on the outside shell of the bomber when the pilot started the engine and she was quite badly injured and had to go for respite for several weeks
I have since learnt she has left me her medals which I will get to see once this pandemic allows
My mum was a private person and this came as a surprise to us and makes us wonder what other things she got up to!
It gives me pride and pleasure to discover something I never knew and just thought I would share it
She also arranged for the cheerful song “Oh Happy Days “. For her final goodbye exit which although emotional was quite comforting and we saw a side to her we didn’t know and gave us a reason to smile through tears
Hope your all well and once again Thankyou
Written by
Pippa63
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What a lovely story Pippa, you must be very proud of your mum. Our older generation who went through the war years were often very private about it. True heroes every one. 💙
Lovely to hear this story of your mum, that generation was made of strong stuff, like my parents they kept so much of that time to themselves and just looked to the future never looked back, maybe that’s what we all need to do now, look to the future, it must make you feel so very proud of your mum, what a lady.Jean
Hi Pippa, , what a fabulous story you've unfolded about your Mums life in Wartime , , both her and her cousin are among those many unsung heroes who helped win the War and the freedoms enjoyed by generations since. I wish many of them would record or had recorded their experiences as in many cases their memories and bravery die with them especially if they have no family. But I can appreciate and respect why they choose to keep the past in the past.
You and your family must feel a real sense of pride and I'm sure you will cherish your Mums medals once you receive them. There may have been other tales to tell but I recall reading a wartime account of an unwritten rule along lines of ' what goes on the Anderson stays in the Anderson' .
Lovely story to discover Pippa,I didn't see that you had lost your mum,my sincere condolences.We certainly were not told an awful lot of our parents war years,tho I remember well sleeping in the air raid shelter in the garden& my gas mask carried to school .....as children you accept the status quo.,how awful it really was for our brave parents.Best to you. Xx
I've only just read this thread and I'm sorry to learn of another death of someone close to a member of our MPN community. Thank you for sharing your discoveries about your mother.
A medal has come down to my siblings and me that was awarded posthumously to my late mother's aunt, who served in the WRAF and became a Leading Aircraftwoman. Unfortunately she was killed in a civilian road accident as she was returning to her camp one day not long after the end of WW2 but she had not yet been "demobbed" and was given a proper military grave, which my mum visited at least once.
"History" feels very real and close when it threads though one's own family in this way ...
Thankyou for your reply and sharing your story too. How sad she was killed . I will take treasure my mums medal . Your right about history becoming more real and I feel more appreciative for what ordinary people and family did for all of us .
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