Story of a cook

<p dir="ltr">Roger brought in some photos to illustrate what he had to relate about his father's war service. </p><p>His father never spoke about the war and Roger has pieced his story together from photos, on-line records and the photos.</p><p>Roger's father was a pork butcher before the war, having failed his education. He later re-started his education in further education, towards becoming a meat inspector in Australia.</p><p>Roger's father was at both Dunkirk and D-Day.</p><p>One photo was of a young man from Belgium called Albert. On the back was an address of the Junkers (aircraft) factory in Germany. Albert had been conscripted to work in this factory.</p><p>Another photo was of Albert's mother in her garden somewhere near Ghent in Belgium. </p><p>Roger says that his father's military records don't tell the full story. For example Dunkirk is not mentioned. His father was evacuated from Dunkirk. His father sent a card on getting back to England, to say he was safe. </p><p>His job ahead of the Dunkirk evacuation was to disable motor-bikes and lorries. </p><p>In 1961 his father and family had driven to Dunkirk as the Calais ferry crossing was closed. He apparently talked non-stop about his experiences and was clearly unsettled by his memories.</p><p>1n 1972 he joined the Dunkirk Veterans' Association. </p><p>During the war Roger's father had been billeted at Craven Arms (Shropshire). He went from there to D-day. He did describe the bombing of an Orchard after D-day. This coincides with the accidental bombing of allied positions including an orchard in August 1944.</p><p>Roger's father considered himself to have been very lucky because the truck he and others sheltered under was a petrol tanker. (This was at Mortain in Normandy, the location of a counter attack by German elite forces in August 1944)<br>His records show that he qualified as a Cook in the medical corps. He was a member of a medical support team sent to the liberation of Belsen concentration camp.</p><p>He also worked at Camp 77 (Camp for German POWs at Ladybank, Fife). He says that his cooking killed people because they were eating too much. </p><p>He was awarded the Legion d'honneur. Asked why his father was awarded this honour, Roger's reply was that 'it's obvious'.<br>After the war he returned to France to learn French butchery skills to enable him to resume his career with a niche skill.</p><p></p>