It is so nice to meet you both.
Billy Boy, let me unconfuse you. What I meant was that my recent marriage is now 18months old, not that the woman I married is 18 months of age. This is my second marriage and count myself fortunate that I have a partner for the remaining years left to us.
Bill..I am that Fred. Fred is not my real name, but given to me by a psychotic drill sergeant at Depot REME all those many years ago. 1966/05 Platoon. Memory serves me as his name being S/Sgt Pigott. He was incensed that I had a long slavic name with only one vowel and the remainder being consonants taken from the latter part of the Roman alphabet. So Fred Smith it was for the rest of my army career.
My request for information that seemed to have annoyed you was not a criticism of the United Kingdom Bill. I left the UK in the early 1970s during the time " Paki-bashing" was a recognized sport amongst the unemployed white young men, the Brixham riots were about to explode and our Irish brethren were planting bombs in post boxes, pubs and other spots.
My sister ( a Yorkshire lass, born and bred in Wakefield) was a victim.She is alive and very vary paranoid.
We are all prisoners of the media. A media that is selective in their portrayal of the worst in us.Your comment about the US and the death toll on American streets exceeding WWII seems to bear this out. The United States does not have the monopoly on cruel deaths or man's inhumanity to man, so I will not be drawn into that particular discussion. I will not trade one murder for another. I am sure the United Kingdom has its share of monsters. If you have doubts, look in your own prisons and take stock of the inmates and the reasons they are incarcerated.
To return to the reason for my original post, I was only asking for perspectives. Tony Green and John Forwood were kind enough to respond . I thank you both.
I and my bride of 18 months look forward to visiting England after a hiatus of many decades.It should prove very interesting to experience how things have changed. I met two tourists last year from England (actually Batley in Yorkshire)and I was amused that they had one mannerism that was definitely American in origin.
When I left, Winston Churchhill's reverse V(for victory)was the standard gesture for you know what. Today the accepted gesture in England is the American middle finger.
Whichever it is Bill Spicer and Billy Boy, be so kind to accept from me either one.
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