"David (Normandy)" wrote in message
...


I knew a chap who was a p.o.w. in Burma. He became a milkman after the
war. On the surface he was a normal balanced and very quiet and likeable
chap, but when you got to know him the scars ran deep. He never got over
the abuse he and the others suffered. When visiting him and his wife with
my parents once in the 70's something came on the TV news about Japan and
I still remember the sheer hatred on his face and the venom with which he
spoke at their mention.

David.

Yes, I've known a couple of men in the same situation.

Spouse and I had been active in developing the Royal Armouries Museum in
Leeds and we were invited to the Queen's opening. There were many guests,
including some Japanese, a very high status old priest and several women,
all in splendid traditional dress. They gave us ceremonial tea. The women
were fine although their English wasn't good but the priest stayed aloof and
wouldn't speak to anyone. Before the celebrations had ended they all paraded
out, the priest very haughty and looking straight ahead, sternly, the little
women fluttering along behind him.

I hated myself and felt ashamed of my feelings towards him but I couldn't
get the memories of the prisoners of war experiences :-(

Mary