I’ve just heard from Terry, who was a close friend of Ian Campbell. In fact, Ian was best man at Terry’s wedding over fifty years ago.
He did not go on the French trip, but he has some other interesting comments.
I did not go on the school trip to France because I went with my Scout Troop to Luxembourg at that time, but I remember hearing Ian’s account of it delivered to the Sixth Form, and in particular his reference to the sanitation being on the ‘open field’ principle!
Of course I have many memories of him and my other contemporaries at Minchenden, and a selection of photos – including one of a French boy on a return visit who may have been one of those referred to in the letters.
In a second message, Terry added.
Luxembourg in 1947 was full of the debris of war, in particular of the December 1944 Ardennes offensive. But they did have magnificent patisseries, which we certainly did not have in England. Austerity was stronger then than during the War, but I don’t remember the time as gloomy!
2 responses so far ↓
Erica Taylor, now Jones // May 24, 2008 at 4:54 pm |
I have very vivid recollections of that first year after the war when travel to France was at last possible, even with a money allowance of £5. I kept in touch with Miss Jean Smith for many years and also with a number of friends made in and around AIX-EN-pROVENCE. I remember Jean-Paul – have his autograph – and remmember a day we spent walking in Hertfordshire with Ian, Gwenda Davies and two French girls – Paulette and Juliette. The thing I wrote in the school mag remains as vivid as ever. E.J.
James // June 25, 2008 at 6:29 am |
Sorry to be so slow in getting back to you, but your comments ended up the spam for some reason.