I'm going to take a break from my usual interpretation of the online Biz world
and programs involved. Instead I would like to share an experience I had with
my Father, who was able to visit with me and the family during the past Holidays.

His last trip from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia where I live would be his last
he said but his health has improved a bit and managed to return again. From
his last trip I wrote the article...A Father's Stories

If you have a few minutes to read that article, it sets the background for this
current story.

Returning from a routine Blood test to make sure his hemoglobin count is above
a specified limit we had breakfast together one morning and began chatting. 
Dad recalled the time he came home after World War II. I questioned him on
that time as he never told the story to me before.

An hour and half later, Dad told his experience in both French and American
prisoner camps and his ultimate return to his home in Hemsbach, Germany,
I was speechless. It's comparable to similar novels and movies I have seen
about Wartime events but this one hits close to home. An author with a flare for
words could easily make the events into a best-selling novel...I am convinced
of that.

The whole story is too much to relate here but in a condensed version...The War
was over and Dad was sent home by train. Nearing his Home Town the train was
stopped by French soldiers and Dad was taken to a German labor camp run by
the French.




Starving and overworked Dad escaped and made is way across Germany through
forests and help from friendly Farmers and people while he risked being caught
by taking the chance of asking them for help. After a few close calls he eventually
made it home. At this point he closed his eyes and I could see he was fighting back
tears.

After a month he was questioned by American military personnel and he told the
truth of what happened with the French. He was again transported to a US run
prison camp until his story was verified. The Americans were very thorough and
checked out his story and found that he was wrongfully imprisoned and released
with "papers" for identification as a civilian German citizen.



Dad said the Americans treated him with respect and he had plenty to eat and a
bunk to sleep in instead of the ground in the first "camp".

There is a lot of detail omitted from my rendition but Dad told the story with a mix
of laughter, sadness, and still that elation to have survived and be alive today.

In conclusion...if your parents or grandparents would like for you to spend some time
with them and want to tell you a story or two...take the time and you might be taken to
an era you've never experienced before. Just like I was taken back to time where Dad
had only one thing on his mind...staying alive and seeing his home again.