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It started with my Grandad.......
By Damien Handslip
My grandfather was in the Royal Navy in 1913. He was a gunnery officer aboard the Royal Navy frigate the HMS High Flyer. The ship took him to India, Oman and other Arabian destinations. He was awarded, with his team, a medal for winning the fleet gunnery competition. When he evenualy retired he was recruited into the London Fire Brigade (A popular route in those days). In those days the firemen wore shiny brass helmets and the men sat around the outside of the electric fire vehicle. Grandad was the driver. I am told he left some men behind on tight bends as they tried to put their gear on! My father joined the fire-brigade later on and had a very illustrious career. He saved many lives in WWII and afterwards, but was always very self effacing. He retired with the rank of Station Officer. His family was 4 boys, I was the eldest. My uncle was bought a farm by Grandad and became a very well known Dairy Farmer in the Maidstone area. Sadly he died a few years ago. He raised one of the best pedigree herds of British Friesians in the countries and had a milk yield and butter fat content record second to none for many years. He did all the Breed work himself, importing Bull semen from USA and Europe. He was self taught, having left school at 12 to become an engineer apprentice. We spent many a happy holiday down on the farm, and visited as often as possible to see how they were. Grandad's gone, Dad's gone, Uncle's gone......
But I have two great kids.... and I am not finished yet!
Grandad lived to be 94, like Grandma so I could go on for another 25 years....roll on life!!
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Contributor's Note
This is not just a family history, but indicates the stages that the UK went through in its navy, farming, fire-fighting in the years from the start of WWI.
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Man. you're sweet!
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
I am not sure what your comment means.....I am proud to have avoided being gay. I am sexist, bigotted, homophoebic, not in the least politically correct and resent being told what to think by our nanny state. I can be aggressive, bloodthirsty and regret I was too young for WWII and too old for the latest little colonial uprising. I hate most News presenters and all gameshow hosts. I was proud to be in a branch of our UK Special forces and the RAF working with NATO. (US Navy seals eat your heart out)
Maybe not so sweet?
The copyright for this content entitled "It started with my Grandad......." has been specified by the contributor as:
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This content may be copied, distributed, or modified as long as the original author is acknowledged with a link back to the content page.
If you use this content according to the license specified, you must link to the following URL:
http://damienhandslip.qondio.com/
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May, 2012
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2010
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2011
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2012
January, February, March, April, May
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