I served 30 years as a full time fireman, alongside one of my best fireman mates T, we were on the same shift for 14 years, we used to go to retirement do’s and parties, being usually the last to leave, much the worse for wear!
T lost his wife several years ago, then passed away himself, during but not due to the recent covid epidemic.
He insisted I be one of the 11 ‘allowed’ mourners.
Talking to his son who told me that T used to parachute into Burma with his dog searching out insurgents during his army ‘service’.
Many, many times we had talked about our respective past’s, never, did T tell me about his special service days.
Then his cousin told me about an incident where he and T both widowers, returned to their home village in Wales, they went to the local pub, inside which all the girls were on one side and all the young men on the other, strange thing was, all the blokes were stripped to their waists.
The young men were having a press ups competition to impress the girls, T took a great interest in this, especially when the winner was crowned.
T then got up went to the bar to order another couple of pints, at the bar he took of his usual thick woolen jumper placing it on the bar, he walked to the centre of the pub, got down on all fours and proceeded to do press ups.
T did exactly one more, than the winner of the competition amongst the youngsters.
Asked why he didn’t do any more, T explained ‘he didn’t want to embarrass the youth’.
He was 84 at the time!!
One fire I can never forget was, early hours of the morning as we approached the house, we could see flames coming out of the upstairs windows, there was also a woman hanging out trying to wave for attention.
The ladder went up to her window, by then she had collapsed and could not be seen any longer, no time for breathing apparatus, T climbed the ladder, ducking under the flames he reached in, and with just one hand, the other holding onto the ladder, none of us know how, T lifted the woman out and carried her down to safety, she was NOT a little lady either!!
RIP, T.
Added 7 August, thank you for your upvotes, T would in his own humble way, be feeling very honoured!
How tough are British soldiers?
British soldiers are known to be hard, but that isn't the whole story; the rest is a bit in hard training, having much in-depth with history, and possessing a good sense of humor that makes them bouncy... (Read Full)
Source: Chris Vince (Quora)
