Why have you never moved from Westbury?

I have never had occasion to

You have travelled far

Were you never tempted?

Often but Westbury is my home

I am sad that my health does not allow me to fly

Often I look at the sea and think that this sea runs into other seas and those seas run in rivers and the rivers run into the English counties

I often travel and look at the sea and think of you

I miss our tree is it still there?

No it was damaged after the collision and stood for a few more years before a storm finally blew it down

What a lovely tree it was

I often walk my dog through the Angela Field and think of our childhood years watching the bombers

And in the years before the war climbing up to the White Horse

Is it well?

Very

It is much loved

As with many things it was neglected for a while and then restored

Mr Paul spread his daughter’s ashes up there a few years ago

Do you remember Gladys Paul?

Yes she was a small fat girl who found it difficult climbing up to the horse

She died quite suddenly in a grocers shop in the town

It was a hot day and she told Mrs Greaves that she felt a little dizzy

They offered a her a chair to recover in the back parlour and when they returned poor Gladys had passed on

It was typical of Gladys she did not want to burden anyone

Poor Gladys

Do you see many of our childhood pals?

A few but most have moved on

As I should have done

But the view of the horse and the plains seduces me each time I return to Westbury

I wish I could return with you and walk the fields of our home town

The Old Town Hall is now a run-down Pizza shop 

Is the town dying?

Yes and no

Parts of it are decrepit but there is so much life elsewhere

Do you often go to the library?

Frequently

And is the railway station still as far from the town as it always was?

Yes nobody has thought to bring it nearer

Is the early May light still as luxurious on the hills as it was when we were children?

Probably better

And the field

With the exception of the tree it is very much the same

If you look carefully you can still see the scars of the accident

Occasionally where I am there I meet Canadians who lost fathers and sons on that dreadful day

They speak to me and take great interest when I tell them of our tree

I tell them that you witnessed the accident and for some reason this brings them a sense of peace

I cannot really explain the emotion but because you were there and survived it brings closure to these people 

It is a pity that I will never see Westbury again

But my lungs would not tolerate air travel

 

Last one to the tree is a pudding
Be careful Angela
Do not fall
Do not be a Gladys
Roger show some spirit
Where do you think the bombers are going?
To Germany

I hope they all return

They will as they will want to see you again

Waving to them

From the Angela Tree