Monday

Thoughts on Veterans Day in the US and Remembrance Day in the UK


My grandfather and father survived two of the most brutal battles respectively, from WWI and WWII. Today I am honoring them. My grandfather Harry Spill was in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. He is pictured on the right of his son George Henry Spill on George's wedding day Dec 26, 1938. Olive and her parents are on her left. It was a white Boxing Day.



George is with his son Peter shortly before being deployed to the East in 1940. He would not see his family for nearly 5 years. At the age of 30 he thought he would not be called up, but he was and he managed to see his son Peter before he was shipped out East.



Over 50 years later he executes his best Benny Hill imitation salute at the Auckland War Memorial. George Spill published his war memoirs that included the Battle of Imphal (1944) one of the most ferocious battles of WWII. You can read his story Reluctant Q here.


Reluctant Q by George Spill  how he survived some of the most brutal battles of WWII in Burma. 

A unique story of a conscript who became the Brigade's Quartermaster.