When I was a child, I knew little of Dad’s life during the Second World War as a gunner in the Royal Artillery.
What I do remember is that my parents’ bedroom was home to a small official-looking cardboard box.
I occasionally glimpsed it when Dad’s sock drawer was opened and closed.
It was only after he died that I learned what that small official-looking cardboard box contained.
Addressed to ‘Mr. H.C.P. Barber’ at his then family home in Leeds, it was marked ‘O.H.M.S’ and ‘Official Paid.’
The underside of the ‘On His Majesty’s Service’ box provided details of its sender.
When I first opened the box, it offered more resistance than I expected, suggesting that it had rarely been opened.
Inside were a neat pile of four medals in pristine condition complete with their colourful ribbons.
Underneath the medals, an accompanying piece of paper revealed a brief communication sent to Dad.
The other side of the piece of paper contained a list of ‘Campaign Stars, Clasps and Medals’ that helped identify the contents of the box.
They were (from left to right) the 1939-45 Star; the France and Germany Star; the Defence Medal; and the War Medal 1939-45.
On this day, it seems appropriate to remember Dad and all those who served by resharing two recent blogposts inspired by his wartime photograph album.
The first recounts his part in the Normandy Campaign of 1944 and the second looks at his time in Iceland from 1940 to 1942.
We Will Remember Them.
Pressphotoman 
Leave a comment