Chapter 3

We spent the rest of the day calling on old friends, it wasn't just emotional, it was heart wrenching, many of my old mates hadn't made it and were buried in some foreign field if they were lucky, others were damaged, some very badly or mentally scarred.

I'd been told by my boss in Berlin that I could commandeer a jeep to get around in from the local battalion, so I took advantage of his kind offer and did so, petrol was still scarce so I had to be frugal but it was a big help. Early evening we called on Chris and went for another drink to a place called Penge just south of Croydon, he'd had his discharge through already and said he was well pleased to be out of it at last,

"You must be very bitter Chris" Eva said as we pulled into the pub car park,

"Bitter? No, not really gal, my girl stood by me and we're getting married next year, her dad owns a garage where he gave me a job as a mechanic, I'm on good money and we're saving up for a house, so I'm better off than a lot eh Jack?"

"What? Oh yeah sorry, I was just watching those poor sods over there look"

A group of prisoners of war were being marched off somewhere and they were indeed a sorry looking bunch, being led by several home guard soldiers with rifles,

"Maybe Helmut with them" Eva said hopefully, but it wasn't to be and Chris told me about his cousin who was being held in Germany as a P.O.W."

He'll be on his way home soon, we hope" he said and then chuckled, "The jammy bastard missed it all didn't he?, got took at Dunkirk"

"Two and a half pints of bitter please gaffer" I said as he appeared behind the bar,

"OK sir, we're just changing a barrel, won't be a tick"

"No problem, take the money now then"

"Thank you sir" then he shouted down the cellar to someone,

"Have you done it Helmut?"

"Ja is done now gaffer"

I saw Eva's ears prick up at the name as the guy appeared up from the cellar,

"I just pull some through Ja?"

"OK mate" then to me he said, "Got a Jerry P.O.W. helping me since my wife died, he's doing all right too aren't you matey?"

But Helmut wasn't listening, he was staring at Eva, whose face was a picture,

"Eva?"

Her bottom lip trembled, then the dam burst, "Helmut, oh Helmut it's you"

Chris and I stood gobsmacked as he ran from behind the bar and they embraced, both crying and kissing, it was unbelievable, her brother was here pulling our pints!

"Well bugger me" the landlord said in astonishment, "I'd better have a pint as well" and he pulled himself one after serving me,

"Oh sod the rules" and he pulled another one for Helmut.

"They're brother and sister" I told him and beckoned him to sit with us while I explained,

"Jack this is Helmut, my brother" she said with a laugh, "I tell him we're to be married soon"

I stood up and offered my hand which he shook warmly,

"My sister says you very nice man Jack" and then he noticed the pips on my shoulder, standing up, he stood to attention, clicked his heels and saluted,

"Fucking hell" Chris spluttered in his beer as I returned the salute with an easy grin, "Sit down mate and enjoy your beer"

"Jack" Eva said to me, "I speak German with Helmut, too much to tell him in your language, you please excuse me?"

"Of course, go ahead"

Two home guard privates came in then and shouted to Helmut to stand up when a British soldier came in, "Show some respect"

I stood up and walked across to then quite casually,

"TENSHUN" I shouted and they stood upright in a parody of a parade ground soldier,

"While you're talking about showing respect which you seem very keen on, does the home guard not salute officers or what?"

"Sorry sir" one stammered, "It was just seeing that Nazi talking in German to that bint like she was his girl sir"

"That bint, as you call her is a serving officer in the British Army, (which she wasn't) she is also my fiance and the so called Nazi happens to be a very brave Luftwaffe pilot who was shot down whilst serving his country, he is also her brother who she has not seen for years"

"Sir, sorry sir"

"Now just for once in your sorry lives, do the right thing"

"The right thing sir?"

"Yes, fuck off"

"I don't think they've ever been spoken to like that by an officer before" the landlord smiled as they departed in a hurry, "Hang on a mo', you're Jack Burton aren't you?"

"That's me" I admitted, "But I don't think I know you"

"Ernie sir, Ernie Scrimshaw, you're in this mornings paper, it says how you're going to the Palace tomorrow to get the V.C."

"Yes that's right, I'm dreading it"

"Well I reckon if you can win the V.C., you can face the King"

"Don't you believe it Ernie" I laughed, "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to say hello to my future brother in law"

"Well Helmut" I smiled at him, "When are you going home?"

"This I not know sir" he said stiffly, "Soon I hope"

"I'll see what I can do about that, I'm on leave at the moment, but I'll try to see if you can go back with me"

"Sir, I not want to go back" he was still at attention and very stiff,

"Helmut, please stand easy and stop calling me bloody sir, my name's Jack to my friends"

He relaxed his posture somewhat and smiled, "I wish to stay here in England and work with my friend Ernie, good to me he has been"