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Like her grandfather, Charlotte Thomas is in uniform at the age
of 15. Charlotte is a member of the 424 Air Training Corps and will
be joining veterans for the commemorations at the cenotaph on Sunday.
"It's
about more than just representing the squadron", said Charlotte.
"All those people died for us and it's the least I can do to
spend some time to remember them."
Charlotte's
grandfather, Gordon Walters is a member of the Merchant Navy Association,
and the T.S. Vindicatrix Association, and will also be on parade.
"Having
participated in trouble in various parts of the world with the Merchant
Navy and having lived through the occupation of the Channel Islands
- being interned for five years - I've every reason to be there
to show my respect for the people who lost their lives", he
said.
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| Sixteen
year old Gordon (left) with his mate "Scouse". |
Having spent his childhood growing up in Nazi occupied Jersey, Mr.
Walters witnessed the horrors of war at an early age.
"A lot of people - especially my sort of age group - never
really had a childhood", he said. "You don't expect young
people or anyone that wasn't there to really understand what it
was about", he added.
So
what can a 15 year old air cadet contribute to the parade? "Sometimes
when you see war programmes on TV it's mind boggling", said
Charlotte.
"If I was to be in that situation now I wouldn't know how I
would cope - I don't know how my friends would cope.
"I
think we can just think about the tip of it - it's too much to think
about the whole of it. I'm surprised that people were able to cope
in those days", added Charlotte.
It's
an emotional occasion for all that attend the parade and service,
and for veterans like Mr Walters the memories remain a part of daily
life.
"It's
not something you remember just at the end of the year on Remembrance
Day - it lives with you every day and you can't get rid of it -
you just try and get over it - which you don't actually", he
said.
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