Today my oldest brother Paul would have been 76 years old. He was born on August 5th 1947. There he is with our baby brother Simon in 1957. Simon was buried on August 5th 2022 - exactly one year ago.
Here's Paul in 2009, the year before he died. He had become a gifted fiddler and played in many Irish venues. He played with his heart as well as his fingers. If you had met him along an Irish lane in County Clare, you might have thought that he was Irish but he was as Yorkshire as me.
And finally, this was our father Philip who was born on August 5th 1914 - on the very day that the outbreak of World War One was announced in the British press. Dad is pictured during World War Two in New Delhi, India in his RAF uniform. The year was probably 1942. He would have been twenty eight that year.
And here he is drinking from a coconut. I seem to recall him telling me that this picture was taken either in Egypt or Palestine on his way home from India after the war but I might be wrong. Unfortunately, I cannot check with him as he died in 1979 and though we might remember them, the dead don't really speak. He would have been 109 years old today
August 5th. You can tell that on the calendar it is a special day for me just as it is for Cro Magnon in France whose own father was also born on this day. It was his blogpost that inspired mine.
August 5 is indeed a significant date for you. There are many birthdays and anniversaries in my family during August but they don't fall on one day. Simon reminds me of Richard Burton in that photo.
ReplyDeleteRichard Burton? Hell, I would have never imagined that Margaret!
DeleteYour dad looks like he was a lovely man.
ReplyDeleteMy father in law was also in Egypt and Palestine after the war before he was demobbed. I wonder if they ever met?
I think Dad was only passing through - not stationed there.
DeleteMy heart aches for what you have lost, Neil - two brothers gone, who were such lovable boys and whose lives went very different ways and yet both ended prematurely.
ReplyDeleteYour Dad was a dashing young man with much kindness in his eyes and smile.
Such kind words. Thank you Meike.
DeleteLots of memories for you triggered by August 5th, Neil. I hope many of them were happy memories...
ReplyDeleteMostly happy yes Ellen.
DeleteIt's fascinating to have family photographs like these. I can't understand why they are so often thrown away, or turn up in markets for Steve Reed to buy.
ReplyDeleteThank heavens Steve is always there to sweep up.
DeleteYou have much to remember and be reminded of on Aug 5. Good summary .
ReplyDeleteThanks Red.
DeleteNone of you seem to look like your father, perhaps because he was young in these photos.
ReplyDeleteHe has the same eyes of those of my other brother - Robin - who resides in France.
DeleteSad and happy memories. Your father looks a good man with a cheerful disposition and your brothers enjoyed their lives so be happy for them.
ReplyDeletePaul certainly enjoyed his life and was fulfilled. Not so for Simon.
DeleteA lot of stars must be aligning for your family every August 5th. Perhaps you should buy a lottery ticket on that day next year.
ReplyDeleteI have been buying the same lottery ticket for over thirty years. What a waste of money Elsie!
DeleteP.S. I remember when I worked in the shoe factory, there were about a dozen of us all working the men's shoes line and ten of us had August birthdays but none on the 5th.
ReplyDeleteI guess this your birthday month then?
Deleteyes, I will be 71 in 10 days time.
DeleteWhat a significant day for you! The photo of Paul is wonderful, I can see he's playing from the heart. I'm sure you wonder what it would have been like to have him around in these last couple of years.
ReplyDeleteAs it happens, my dad also has an August 5th birthday. He was 83 this year and he is visibly declining
Wow! What a coincidence Kylie. Is he also in Sydney?
DeleteYes he is. He grew up in Dubbo, which he is keen to inform everyone about
DeleteYour beloved Papa had a thirst on him (in Scotia we say a drouth) the day
ReplyDeletehe drank from that coconut in the Middle East. What sights he saw !
One generation cometh and another goeth but the Earth abideth forever.
You speak true Mr H.
DeleteA very significant date for your history.
ReplyDeleteMay 24th is also very special to me.
DeleteI especially love that last photo of your dad, he looks like he sparkles. Some people are like that, their souls sparkle out of their eyes.
ReplyDeleteMy dad would have been 103 this year, if he had lived. Two very different fathers.
We don't get to choose and nor do our children Pixie.
DeleteDo you have any recordings of Paul's fiddle playing YP? I would love to listen to his music.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-Vi_ttYRkI
DeleteYour father appears to have been a dashing young man.
ReplyDeleteJust as you once were Bruce!
DeleteIndeed the dead don't talk. How I wish I knew what I know now back then when I could have asked questions. I've tried to remedy that a bit by doing military genealogy research on some of my family war heroes. It provides some relief but not the quality of a conversation had I had one while they were alive.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how some dates carry special significance for a variety of reasons. You'd think with as many days as there are in a year, multiple events wouldn't all happen on the same date -- and yet they do.
ReplyDelete