The South African
Thank you for sending the June 2008 Military History Journal which includes my late husband's (Arthur Candy's) account of the experiences of prisoner-of-war life in World WarTwo. You have incorporated good illustrations and maps, including the countries of the Red Cross that sent parcels regularly to succourthe POWs. It helped enormously to keep their morale up.
We visited OFLAG VA at Weinsburg, Germany, in October 1991. The camp site was undergoing change by a housing estate - cranes everywhere transforming it to a fine complex amid the vineyards. We discovered an even better find in nearby Heilbronn - a magnificent large tree, ginkgo biloba, set in the middle of a large, green lawn. Being autumn, the golden leaves were fluttering down (one leaf enclosed, a memento of those dark days ... a living fossil that outlived the dinosaurs!) I had to share this story of discovery.
With kind regards,
Solveig Candy,
Australia
Bill Mauldin Cartoon
A BILL MAULDIN CARTOON, 1945 ...
Here is a classic Bill Mauldin cartoon, in which he pokes fun at George Patton who insisted that his 3rd Army Headquarters staff in Europe always dress formally with tie and be shaved and polished. The two characters in the jeep were always dirty and unshaved and would avoid the 3rd Army area. The cartoonist visited General Patton and Third Army and was not impressed. Patton tried to get Mauldin banned because his soldiers were always dirty! Patton's men had to be clean and sharp. The 'No Helmet Fine' came from Tunisia, 1943, as did the tie. Patton used this against sloppy officers. Compare this with the Two Types of the 8th Army in North Africa (MHJ, Vol 14 No 2, December 2007, pp 67-9).
Best wishes,
Mike Laing,
Durban
'THE DOCTOR AND THE REBELS', MILITARY HISTORY JOURNAL, VOL 14 NO 3, JUNE 2008
Thank you very much for sending me a copy of the MHJ with the article about my late grandfather, Charles Molteno Murray. He would have been most appreciative that his careful diarising of events has had this outcome through your pages, reaching those who will be most interested in their content. All credit also to Prof Deon Fourie for his efforts in getting this all together.
Some time ago, I placed an ad in the Sunday Times in South Africa to try to trace descendents of others involved in the diary. I had a reply from a descendent of Sir John Fraser (father of Lt Fraser, mentioned in the diary) only. Most of alii would like to hear from any descendent of Capt van Coller, who was also a surgeon. I wrote to the SAMDC in case their records of registration went back that far, but never had any reply. If anyone should contact you with respect to the diary, please pass on my contact details.
Thank you again and best wishes, Dr Robert Murray, Scotland
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