(Royal) Marine Bill Sparks -- obituary

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 12/03/2002

[semaj]

"...He responded to the informality and the hard work, as well as the pleasures of blowing things up..."

They don't make'em like that any more.

[Mr. Silverback]

One of your great ones has passed on.

[Disgusted in Texas]

True Heroes...God bless them.

[Little Bill]

The Limies know how to honor Brave Men.

[tet68]

More.

.
ONE AGAINST THE WIND is the real-life story about the well-to-do British countess, Mary Lindell, who lived with her teen-aged children in Paris during World War II and smuggled downed Allied fliers to safety right out from under the Nazis. This dangerous path led Mary eventually to capture and imprisonment by the Nazis. Somehow, she barely managed to survive the war. She lived in Paris for the rest of her life and died only recently in 1987 at the age of 92.

Note, she was imprisoned at Ravensbruck the notorious Nazi womens lager, Corrie Tenboom and her sister were also imprisoned there.

I would advise anyone interested to read "The Hiding place"
the Corrie Tenboom story.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Thank Mr. Sparks and you fellow Royal Marines, from a grateful posterity.

May God bless and keep you.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Thank Mr. Sparks and your fellow Royal Marines, from a grateful posterity.

May God bless and keep you.

[txzman]

Great story. Common men doing uncommon things when needed. A good lesson for all of us :)

[dagnabbit]

Thank you Mr. Sparks. Rest in Peace.

[tet68]

I just finished reading "I was a stranger" by
General Sir John Hackett.

Wounded by a mortar fragment in the stomach during the Battle of Arnhem , he was hidden by a dutch family at great risk, within a stones throw of a german Military police billet.
After four months recuperation he was at last well
enough to travel and make his escape .

The courage and bravery of these quiet people was just amazing.

[krb]

but these two found their craft damaged by a submerged hazard; they were betrayed and executed.

The damned French.

[DarthRaven]

Makes my time in the USMC seem like an easy "cake walk." "Semper Fidelis" British Royal Marine Sparks -- a REAL war hero!

[aculeus]

Excellent!

[IncPen]

An excellent post, thank you D.

It's hard not to note the casual mention of the other heroes and the offhanded mention "they were shot".

Taking nothing away from the hero at hand, we should pause a moment and remember that our freedom is the result of the price that these almost anonymous souls- who were shot- paid on our behalf.

God bless them

[dighton]

*

[Molly Pitcher]

Thanks dighton. What a mission! And the men who carried it out....!!

[strider44]

RIP. They don't make them like they used too.

[Travis McGee]

Real heros!

I'd also note that Hasler himself went on to help pioneer the sport of crossing oceans in small sailboats alone, and he practically invented the windvane self-steering device.

[harpseal]

Somehow I think both men deserved the Victoria Cross.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown