My Dad was born 100 years ago today

My dad, John Green, was born 100 years ago today so although he died in 1992 I thought I would dedicate todays Blip to him.

He was one of the kindest, gentlest people you could ever wish to meet, he loved animals and children and if he ever thought anyone was mistreating either he would have something to say about it. He was very special.

He didn’t have a good start to life, his mother died when he was only 6 and when his father remarried the new wife didn’t really want the kids, so his elder sister, who was not his fathers by birth, was put into service, she was 12. John and his younger sister Flo (see pic) were treated badly, they slept in the cellar and were turned out each morning and told not to come home till it was dark. Unbeknown to them they had a guardian Angel, their Auntie Margaret, their mums elder sister, who found out what was happening, got the authorities on to the case and had them put in Dr Bernardo’s orphanage, she then fought in the courts for legal guardianship and got it. She also got their elder sister out of service and with her own 4 children she took them in and gave them a loving home.

Dad married mum in 1939 (see pic) He joined the York and Lancs regiment and served in the 2nd World War. I remember mum telling me about the last time she saw him before he was shipped overseas, how she went down to Surrey for 2 days and on the morning they left the landlady came to wake her and another wife up to watch them marching off to war singing all the old war song, I sat at my mother’s feet and cried at the thought, she didn’t see him again for over 4 years. The wife with her never saw her husband again, I was 10 months old at the time. He was there when they liberated Belson Concentration Camp, (don’t ever let anyone tell you the holocaust never happened, dad had pictures to prove it)
The photo in his uniform was at the side of my bed and when I could understand mum kept him alive for me with stories about him and I kissed him goodnight every night before I went to sleep and asked God to bring him home safe.
There are lots of stories I could tell about holidays and outings, but that would take too long., so I will just say Happy Birthday Dad we miss you.