World War 2: Connecting w a Veteran (2)

I still don't know where this story will go, but progress is being made. As mentioned earlier I want to link up with Lloyd Evans, a veteran of WW2. Like my father, who passed away in 2003, Lloyd was a member of RCNVR from 1941 - 45, volunteered to be assigned to Combined Operations under Churchill and Mountbatten, laboured aboard landing crafts in North Africa (Nov. 1942), Sicily and Italy (summer, fall, 1943) - like my father. Surely, the two men knew each other or crossed paths.

["Photo of landing craft at WW2talk"]

Last week, Geoff Slee (from Edinburgh), creator of www.combinedops.com , informed me he sent an email to Lloyd and said the following:

     I'll tell him of you, and if he wishes to see
     you or contact you, I'll let you know.

I must admit that as a 64-year old I experienced fairly unusual feelings over the past week. I sat on pins and needles. I had ants in my pants. At times I couldn't sit down or stand still. I kept watching my email file and glancing at the phone. I thought, come on, come on, come on, come on.

And then this from Geoff in Scotland:

     Morning Gord,

     I’m delighted to say Lloyd replied to my e-mail

     as below. Please bear in mind he is now very elderly

     and his health and robustness is not what it was a few

     years ago. It’s amazing that you will shortly be in touch

     with someone who knew your father during the war.

     Lloyd’s address is; lloydevans@xxxxxxx

     Good luck!

     Geoff

["Lloyd on the left, photo from Ottawa newspaper, 1943"]

And then this, attached to the bottom of Geoff's email:

     Geoff, If you send him my email address I have
     a bunch of old pictures my son scanned for me
     recently and his father might be in one. I remember
     his name as he was one of our gang. There were 4
     Canadian flotillas and we were in the first that went
     over. That photo was taken on the Canadian navy
     ship we came back on from Gibraltar to England, as
     our gang had returned earlier for training on larger
     Landing craft then returned to the UK and they
     wouldn't send us back. I ended up as coxn (coxswain)
     of a harbour craft to McNabs Island and then
     Dispature in the office looking after all harbour craft.

     Lloyd  

Wow. Wow. Okay. Wow! Okay.

Why aren't my feet touching the floor?

Photos arranged by GH

More Connecting w a Veteran