h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have family on both maternal and paternal side of the family who were involved in the war. Some I choose to remember, some stories I choose to forget.

My maternal grandfather served in the war, and yet he would tell me absolutely nothing about it. He never talked much about it to my grand mother or mother. It was something he just didnt talk about. I was my grandfathers only grandchild and like most grandfathers he worshiped the ground I walked on. This was ok because I adored him too.

He died when I was about 13 in west London, a loss that some 15 years later I saw a therapist about. My grandmother died a couple of years ago many years after my grandfather.

I guess now all I will know was he was captured at Palermo and spent time as a POW. I think I have vague recolections of a motorcycling in North Africa story too but I am not entirely sure about that one.

Its sad how the only way to deal with the emotions of war for many people was not to talk about it. I so wanted to understand my grandfather and guess I will never get the chance. I wish I was alone in this feeling way but I suspect the number of people affected by war this way is larger than I care to imagine.