Fighters (From Penarth Times)

Fighters

I WAS disturbed to read your front page story in last week's Penarth Times - 'Pub brawl, seven charged' - and shocked to read that those who were arrested were aged between 19 and 22.

When I was 20 in 1944 I was flying Spitfires against the Japanese in Burma.

I was eventually demobbed in January 1946 after being abroad for over three years.

When I was flying over the jungles I used to look down on that inhospitable terrain, and my heart bled for the 'Forgotten' 14th Army which held so many youngsters.

Many of us returned safely (and many didn't) and yes, many of us were so grateful to enjoy a 'pub crawl' around Penarth.

Yes, we drank in the Albion, The Ex and finished many a pint in the Railway, and they were enjoyable too - and it was real beer then, Worthington E and Bass!

But we were never any trouble to anybody.

Now I know only too well that not all youngsters misbehave today, but a small minority do.

But when will they learn that they are very fortunate to live in one of the finest countries in the world?

At Kohima in 1944 the Japanese finally met their match, and were turned back from their intended conquest of India by the young men of the 14th Army, and eventually defeated.

On the Kohima memorial there is engraved:

When you go home,

Tell them of us, and say,

For your tomorrow

We gave our today.

There, now I feel better for getting that off my chest...

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