I met an old man yesterday in the shopping centre who was collecting money for the 'Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity'.
http://www.rnrmc.org.uk/
In my brief chat to him, he told me that he had served on H.M.S. Cleopatra as ship's cook from 1949 - 51. If he was 18 when he signed he was born in 1931, which makes him a spry 78 year old.
I said : " Even though it was post-War, I bet they were still 'hairy' times ?"
He didn't disagree.
He pointed to his green beret and said that he went on to be a commando and had served in South East Asia doing, I don't know what, in the 1950's. I'm sure he's still sworn to secrecy by the 'Official Secrets' Act'.
I said : " I bet you could write a book."
He didn't disagree.
He was at once, both an ordinary and remarkable old man, who was perfectly understated and quintessentially British.
The young carry on.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/uploads/f2/news/img/2009814_115029.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/28382/richard-wins-famed-green-beret&usg=__fmFKVQ3kpDiNLtt_Ueutpre3S18=&h=634&w=429&sz=33&hl=en&start=11&um=1&tbnid=P1a9r6XRlIWyrM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=93&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgreen%2Bberet%2Buk%2Bmarines%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLD_en%26um%3D1
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