sandar
May 10th, 2009, 00:31
On Friday evening, my late cousin's wife died. She was 90, so no great surprise.
This time last year, her husband died. He was a Commander in the Royal Navy and won the DSC. He was at sea when the war started and when it ended, all of the time in destroyers. He took part in some memorable sea battles, including the tracking down and sinking of Bismark, the actions against Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen. He won his DSC for his part in the sinking of an Italian cruiser as gunnery officer, directing fire from on top of X turret.
He took part in the very last destroyer action of the when his destroyer squadron tracked down, attacked and sunk the Japanese cruiser Haguro.
His wife died Friday, just over a year to the day her husband died. She, too was in the Royal Navy as an intelligence officer based in Liverpool. She was engaged in the plotting of U-boats and how to use intelligence information to the best advantage, not always an easy job because sometimes it meant allowing convoys to sail into wolf packs, to allow air and sea attacks on the U-boats.
The couple met and married in Liverpool in 1942. They served their country well during hostilities and when peace came,they continued to serve in roles in NATO and the diplomatic corp serving in embassies and consulates around the globe.
The world is a far sadder place for their passing.
This time last year, her husband died. He was a Commander in the Royal Navy and won the DSC. He was at sea when the war started and when it ended, all of the time in destroyers. He took part in some memorable sea battles, including the tracking down and sinking of Bismark, the actions against Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen. He won his DSC for his part in the sinking of an Italian cruiser as gunnery officer, directing fire from on top of X turret.
He took part in the very last destroyer action of the when his destroyer squadron tracked down, attacked and sunk the Japanese cruiser Haguro.
His wife died Friday, just over a year to the day her husband died. She, too was in the Royal Navy as an intelligence officer based in Liverpool. She was engaged in the plotting of U-boats and how to use intelligence information to the best advantage, not always an easy job because sometimes it meant allowing convoys to sail into wolf packs, to allow air and sea attacks on the U-boats.
The couple met and married in Liverpool in 1942. They served their country well during hostilities and when peace came,they continued to serve in roles in NATO and the diplomatic corp serving in embassies and consulates around the globe.
The world is a far sadder place for their passing.