Glyn's famous friendTHE Penarth Times wants to hear your wartime recollections or stories happy o (From Penarth Times)

Glyn's famous friendTHE Penarth Times wants to hear your wartime recollections or stories happy o

A PENARTH man has told how he formed a lifelong friendship with Christopher Robin Milne, son of AA Milne, world-famous author of the Winnie the Pooh books, after the pair fought together in Italy during the Second World War.

Glyn Davies, aged 77, of Bradford Place, met Christopher Robin Milne after being posted to the Field Company Royal Engineers in Italy in 1944.

When the war was over Milne became godfather to Mr Davies' son.

As a christening present he gave the Davies family the four Pooh books signed by AA Milne.

Mr Davies said: "It was a remarkable friendship in many ways. I was an ordinary working-class boy from Ebbw Vale and he was the son of one of the world's most famous writers. We were both passionate about books and literature and I think that's probably why we hit it off so well. We also went to concerts and to see opera together. He was a very modest and retiring man. He had been teased a lot particularly at public school about his name.

"While we were in Italy near Trieste, Chris fell in love with an Italian girl called Hedda who he returned to Italy to see when the war was over. Things didn't work out and he ended up marrying his first cousin.

"We remained very good friends all our lives. We often visited them in Devon and they often came to south Wales."

While in a light anti-aircraft unit, Mr Davies also got to know David Tree, a well-known film actor in the 1930s and 1940s.

THERE is still time for Second World War veterans, home front workers and war widows to apply for free tickets for Wales Remembers 1939-1945 - Wales' event to mark the UK National Day of Commemoration on Sunday, July 10.

The event at Cooper's Field in Bute Park, in the centre of Cardiff, is organised jointly by the Welsh Assembly Government and Cardiff Council.

Highlights include a parade of veterans through Cardiff City Centre, a Drum Head service of commemoration, and an afternoon programme of entertainment.

Veterans will also enjoy a marquee lunch.

War widows, home front workers and Second World War veterans can obtain application forms for free tickets from Miss Harriet Cozens on 029 2082 3785.

Christopher Robin Milne was born on August 21, 1920 in Chelsea.

Despite officially naming their son Christopher Robin, his parents often referred to him as Billy.

For his first birthday Christopher Robin received an Alpha Farnell Teddy Bear purchased from Harrod's - later immortalised as Winnie the Pooh.

In 1939 Christopher Robin won a fellowship to read English at Trinity College, Cambridge.

When the Second World War broke out Christopher joined the second training battalion of the Royal Engineers and was then posted to the Middle East and Italy.

In July 1948 he married his cousin Lesley Selincourt, against his mother's wishes.

The couple moved to Dartmouth in 1951 to start a bookshop.

Christopher Robin Milne died on April 20, 1996.