Originally Posted by
Quemerford
My wife's grandfather was "in the war" but according to his wife, he didn't want to talk about it, so no-one asked and he didn't tell. However when his wife died, given a few respectful years I took the plunge and asked him. And what followed were several long conversations that he'd been dying to have since 1945, and which his wife had told him no-one wanted to know. He was overjoyed that someone was interested in what he had to say.
Turned out he was first into France in 1939, missed Dunkirk, was made PoW and spent the war in a number of locations, all of which were fresh in his mind. He was repatriated in a Lancaster in May 1945 and the whole thing was an amazing story.
I doubt I'd have regretted not asking him, because I'd never have known what I'd lost. But instead we have a far richer picture of him now that he's gone.
You make a very god point, and one which I have had close personal experience of.
Mrs ATN's late grandfather was at Arnhem as a medic, and obviously saw many very distressing injuries. He talked little about it, but back in the 90s when the UK was commemorating the Battle of Arnhem, the memories that the coverage brought back landed him in a mental hospital for some time. Not everyone want to don their old uniform and remember their experiences in war, many, especially those who served during the times of conscription would rather pigeonhole their experiences, but the media fails to understand this.