Posted on 11/13/2013 5:51:24 PM PST by the scotsman
'To his three children Horace Stokes was simply their adored father, a genial greengrocer who later switched to pulling pints as a pub landlord.
He never spoke about his harrowing experiences as a soldier during the Second World War, not even with his close family.
It was only on his deathbed, after decades of silence, that Mr Stokes passed on to his children a dusty old diary to which – 20 years after the war – he had secretly committed the memories of his wartime exploits.
To their astonishment and pride, the journal revealed an extraordinary tale of heroism – and that modest Mr Stokes had actually been a founding member of the SAS.
For the first time, his children learned how their father had fought the Nazis behind enemy lines, and escaped from two PoW camps.
Because he was in the Special Air Service – formed in July 1941 – Mr Stokes was sworn to secrecy and never discussed his time on secret missions across occupied Europe. It was shortly before he died from cancer at the age of 64 that he presented his children with the stories of his time with the Who Dares Wins regiment.
By then his son Peter was 24 and had already embarked on own distinguished, military career. He has now published his father’s memoir as a book entitled No Ordinary Life.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
talk about British Understatement... RIP
bkmk
It was the Greatest Generation.
In the small town of Arco Idaho I had the honor to meet a man like this.
My own families had a paratrooper who fought at Caen and through France, Holland, Belgium and Germany, two ‘Malta Run’ survivors, and two who served on the Arctic Convoys.
I have known a D-Day red beret and a 51st Highlander who fought from Normandy to Minden.
All now sadly gone. NOT ONE would talk about what they did or even tell me as a child and adult what they served in. I had to ask their families.
12 Commando, the Small Scale Raiding Force and the SAS?.
Bloody hell. That’s a real tough guy.
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