Story About Ham Radio Reuniting Old Friends, Veterans of Devil's Brigade

That was one very interesting story that reminds me of a very similar thing that happened to me. When I was serving in Malaysia I was at my usual QTH, the Ham club shack of 28th comenwelth Brigade HQ & Signal Regiment. 9M2RH. I was in QSO with a station in Petermariotsberg, South Africa. Stood behind me was a freind. He was the RQMS of the club licencee- retired Major Bob Salisbury. Jack my freind was avidly taking mental note of the QSO. The guy who I was speaking to retired out to South Africa in 1945 with his then new wife from a little vilage in Hampshire that was next door to where I had been posted to, attached to 32nd Med Regt RA at Barton-Stacey. I used to go out with my Signals and Gunner pals drinking in his old village pubs. So has you will appreciate we had a quite a tale to tell each other during the QSO. Eventualy 32nd Med Reg. got posted to B.A.O.R. as a Hvy Regt. We took over from 1st RHA at Hildesheim in Germany. Well the story gets better. The guy who I am talking to in South Africa, (Jack Smith) retired from serving with the 1st RHA in South Africa. Behind me, my freind (Jack London) suddenly blurted out "I know him". What Jack did not know is that I was on VOX. Jack Smith came back to me with "Is that Jack London there with you" ?. I just turned and said Jack say hullo to Jack. It turned out that they had both served together has mates in the RHA during World War II. Talk of old memories never die. How the hell did Jack Smith remember Jack London's voice, God only knows. But anyhow they kept in touch and Jack London and his wife went out to South Africa on a spot of leave to stay with Jack Smith and his wife. With them, Jack took a present from me in the form of a piece of shrapnel, the shape of the Island of Cyprus. I had it mounted on a piece of oak by the REME armourer at my unit. It had a brass engraived plate under it stating that this was a piece of the first 175mm shell fired by 32nd Hvy Regt RA from their new M107 guns. Dug out by Sig. Cliff JM and Col Earl of 32nd Hvy Regt RA.
(We found quite a lot more of the shell but the colonel kept those. for the Officers Mess and RHQ.)

 

ONE OF THE BEST HAM RADIO STORIES I HAVE EVER HEARD...TRULY PRICELESS