I've just been reading Jay's latest post, about his dad and his wartime service. Jay is justifiably proud of his dad, and it's nice that their country has recognised the contribution his dad made. I couldn't help feeling a little bitterness, though, about the contrast between that story, and how my dad's contribution to the war effort, and his subsequent working life seems to have been viewed by 'the establishment' over here. My dad was a coal miner, from leaving school at the age of 14 until he took early retirement at 59. He began his career in 1940, and was then effectively 'conscripted' into the industry, with no option to leave and pursue any other career, until 1952, by which time, hardly surprisingly, knowing nothing else, he opted to stay on. When he retired in 1985, he didn't receive as much as a letter of thanks for his lifetime working underground, and when he died less than a year later, the final indignity was that my mum, because she was still working herself, and earning more than some arbitrary threshold, had her widow's free coal allowance taken away. My dad didn't seek any recognition for himself, he just saw himself as an average working man, but I'm still proud of him, quite apart from the fact that he was just about the nicest man I've ever met, even allowing for filial bias.
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
Thanks for the kind words, Sammy. To your father, I raise a toast for raising a fine son. It always angers me when companies ignore the contributions that the very people who keep them alive and profitable.
ReplyDeleteMy dad was very humble, too. He never blew his own horn, thus us just now learning of his wartime achievements.
Peace <3
Jay
Hello Jay
DeleteMy dad's career was, pretty much in total, in what was then a nationalised industry, so there was even more of the 'you're just a number' syndrome. A good man, though, without any doubt in my mind, just as I'm sure your father was. And, just as an aside, they were very close in age, seeing the picture of the plaque you posted - my dad was born around six weeks after your father.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B