She is quietly shining shoes; he sports a forget-me-not behind his left ear but what you cannot see is the large stick he is holding behind his back.
Having made a bid for freedom in early May, 1945, by leaving the column of prisoners being marched away from the German camps, my dad and 2 fellow PoWs sought refuge in a workcamp of 30 other English PoWs at a porcelain factory in Dux.
He and his pals stayed at the factory, scavenging here and there what little food they could. On 18th May, they met 3 American ex-PoWs who had a truck and travelled with them to the American base at Pilsen. There my dad was officially liberated by the Third U.S Army and flown to England via Reims in France.
On 25th May, he arrrived home to his wife at their cottage in Claydon, a sleepy Suffolk village, bringing three exercise books containing his handwritten diaries, documents, photos, his PoW metal dog tag - and these two little figurines.
Oh, my word Hazel, what a lovely treasure you have shown us here. How strange that the little boy has a stick behind his back. I know I've said so before, but I enjoyed reading your dad's book, and my dad did too. You did an excellent job on your dad's behalf, getting it to print.
@quietpurplehaze Stephen Spielberg?? Nah he'd turn your dad into an unknown American actor as Colin Firth or Benadict Cumberbatch could be too expensive!!
Thank you and I agree they are a little odd but sentimental to me of course. I was so pleased to publish dad's diary in book form in 2017 on Amazon but did not use the photo of these figures in it so am happy to show them here.
Joanne, yes I have often thought it wonderful that he could manage to bring them home from the war. They stand on a bookshelf in my 'den' where I have my computer etc
Another interesting reminder of your wonderful book….such a personal account if your brave dad. He must have been so glad to return home to his wife & sleepy cottage!
I would recommend your book to anyone who loves a good read.
I rather tend to agree with you but I don't know any film producers!
My dad would have been so pleased to know that you, and your dad, read and enjoyed his story. It was certainly a labour of love for me, Issi!
Thank you ‐ so kind. I always felt I would like to write a book so, in retrospect, publishing my dad's diary fulfilled his ambition and my own!
Thank you so much for your kind comments, and fav, appreciated.
Thank you and I agree they are a little odd but sentimental to me of course. I was so pleased to publish dad's diary in book form in 2017 on Amazon but did not use the photo of these figures in it so am happy to show them here.
Joanne, yes I have often thought it wonderful that he could manage to bring them home from the war. They stand on a bookshelf in my 'den' where I have my computer etc
Yes, I googled them and they are similar!
That's a thought, Wendy but it looks more to me like a stick you would hit somebody with.
I would recommend your book to anyone who loves a good read.
And I still have them!
Thank you Renee, your comment is appreciated.
Thank you Pat. I do sometimes wonder if people think the story will be somewhat 'gruesome' but of course this is not the case.
Thank you. A lovely empathetic comment and I guess I feel similar about my dad's story.
Thank you so much for your visit and comment.
That's nice to know, thank you - is that just now or have you already read it?
I ordered it from Amazon in the U.S.
Thank you I'll tell my publisher!