Post by BSS_Tintin on Sept 30, 2007 5:34:06 GMT -5
Last summer my Wife and I went to South Africa for a family reunion. Just by chance we started talking to an older couple sitting by the table next to us on the porch of some Lodge outside St. Pietermaritzburg.
It turned out that he flew Spit's and Tiffie's during WWII, naturally I was ALL EARS for the short (to short) luch. It was like reaching out and TOUCHING history, a moment I shall never forget. I truly feel honoured that he actually wrote me back!
I wrote him a long letter upon our return to Norway. Her is the answer I just got,
S! Tin'
Hi my friends, thankyou for your very extensive letter and the lovely photos you sent. I looked up your home on google earth, and i'm sure I could actually see your home ha ha. any way Joy and I enjoyed your company for the short while we were together and as you say that there is the possibility that you may come to SA next year . You must deffinitely contact us if and when that is the case. To answer all your questions i'll start by saying ; I flew spitfires in #127 RAF squadron and typhoons in # 137 RAF squadron. I participated in the D day landings with the task of protecting the Juno and Gold beaches from hostile A/C. I then went onto Typhoons and participated in the drive towards Germany the Falais gap, operation Market Garden during which we were allocated the very nasty job of doing FLAK suppression and anti personnel straffing, not nice at all. During the ops. on Arnhem bridge and the supply dropping we lost 21 pilots in one day from our wing. Then there was the German counter attack to Antwerp. That was the end of my opperational flying and went to instucting operatonal pilots. Yes I am writing a book for my grand and great grand children to tell them some of my and my generation's stories. It is quite a demanding exercise as Ihave to write it all from memory, and that is these days not so good anymore. I will try my best though and hope it will give them some insight into what it was like in the 20th century.
Well I hope I have covered everything you wanted to know, if more, just ask. Joy and I are well and waiting for summer. tou of course are on the vurge of winter which from what I hear from my grand daughter in Alaska is nto nice at all but I suppose one gets use to it
That's all for now and hope to hear from you again, our best regards, Joy and Albie Gotze.
It turned out that he flew Spit's and Tiffie's during WWII, naturally I was ALL EARS for the short (to short) luch. It was like reaching out and TOUCHING history, a moment I shall never forget. I truly feel honoured that he actually wrote me back!
I wrote him a long letter upon our return to Norway. Her is the answer I just got,
S! Tin'
Hi my friends, thankyou for your very extensive letter and the lovely photos you sent. I looked up your home on google earth, and i'm sure I could actually see your home ha ha. any way Joy and I enjoyed your company for the short while we were together and as you say that there is the possibility that you may come to SA next year . You must deffinitely contact us if and when that is the case. To answer all your questions i'll start by saying ; I flew spitfires in #127 RAF squadron and typhoons in # 137 RAF squadron. I participated in the D day landings with the task of protecting the Juno and Gold beaches from hostile A/C. I then went onto Typhoons and participated in the drive towards Germany the Falais gap, operation Market Garden during which we were allocated the very nasty job of doing FLAK suppression and anti personnel straffing, not nice at all. During the ops. on Arnhem bridge and the supply dropping we lost 21 pilots in one day from our wing. Then there was the German counter attack to Antwerp. That was the end of my opperational flying and went to instucting operatonal pilots. Yes I am writing a book for my grand and great grand children to tell them some of my and my generation's stories. It is quite a demanding exercise as Ihave to write it all from memory, and that is these days not so good anymore. I will try my best though and hope it will give them some insight into what it was like in the 20th century.
Well I hope I have covered everything you wanted to know, if more, just ask. Joy and I are well and waiting for summer. tou of course are on the vurge of winter which from what I hear from my grand daughter in Alaska is nto nice at all but I suppose one gets use to it
That's all for now and hope to hear from you again, our best regards, Joy and Albie Gotze.