The Mask of ~*RobMcJ*~

RobMcJ says: My grandfather was born on the right side of the tracks, but fought on the wrong side in World War 1. I recently inherited his service medals, which I'm wearing in this photo, pinned to my birthday suit

When my mother was a schoolgirl in Germany during World War 2, schoolkids were taught a macabre version of "show and tell". The teacher encouraged them to rat on their parents, and my mother stood up and proudly told the class that her father had been listening to BBC on the radio.

That night, my grandfather was taken away for interrogation. Things were looking bad, especially as he was, how can I put it, not racially pure. He was finally released when he shamed his captors by showing them his medals from the previous war.

It just goes to show, you should never throw anything away. I'm keeping the medals in case these islands are ever invaded by fascists.

The story came sort of full circle during my own childhood, years later in Scotland. My mother went out to the BBC studios one evening, while the rest of our family gathered round the radio set, to listen to my mother being interviewed on the BBC, about her experiences as a German living in Scotland.