Sunday, April 15, 2007
15th April. Uncle Bill Brand.
Today has been the end of an era - the passing of Bill's Uncle Bill.
Uncle Bill was Bill's mother's brother.
Bill Brand was born in 1920.
Uncle Bill always strived to do things well.
He was encouraged by a school teacher to join the local athletic club (Horsham Blue Star) and he achieved success. He was the first Sussex high jumper to clear 6 feet and he ran middle distance events.
Above there is a picture of him (No 271) leading in the 800 yards at a pre war athletics meeting.
The last years have been lonely for Uncle Bill without his life long friend, Lil. She died in 1998.
Uncle Bill was Bill's mother's brother.
Bill Brand was born in 1920.
Uncle Bill always strived to do things well.
He was encouraged by a school teacher to join the local athletic club (Horsham Blue Star) and he achieved success. He was the first Sussex high jumper to clear 6 feet and he ran middle distance events.
Above there is a picture of him (No 271) leading in the 800 yards at a pre war athletics meeting.
The war ended Uncle Bill's athletics ambitions.
He signed up and achieved the rank of sergeant and was mentioned in dispatches. He seems to have served in almost every part of the world. He was in North Africa and had a great interest in modern day conflicts in Iraq, for he had spent time there. In 1944 he was in the first wave of troops to land on the Normandy beaches.
But there were leaves from duty of course and he married his sweetheart Lily Monk (Bill's Dad's sister).
But there were leaves from duty of course and he married his sweetheart Lily Monk (Bill's Dad's sister).
Here are Bill and Lil (always known as Aunty Pink) 50 years after their wedding at another family wedding.
The last years have been lonely for Uncle Bill without his life long friend, Lil. She died in 1998.
Bill and I did what we could.
This picture shows Uncle Bill in conversation with Bill on one of our evenings at his home.
