My mother mentioned that he once said he would share his experiences with me one day. If only he had, it could have significantly impacted our relationship and my future. My instinct was the "March"  was a defining episode in his story!  So i was determined to find out for myself the conditions they had suffered and the consequences. I finally come across the Affidavit by chance!? 

I had been searching for the affidavit for some time. I had sent off for details with a fee to the National Archives offices in Kew, for a copy of the affidavit but they were returned without explanation. (Covid!?) Mmm! I almost put the thought of ever finding the Affidavit behind me! When i was a youngster my father would often give out some thinly disguised details of being "on the March" as he would refer to it, that made little sense to me! For example: 
:He would roll his trouser leg up tap his calf muscle and say "i got those on the March!" What march! What was that all about!? :" 
:If you ever have to walk a long way, just keep looking down at the ground!" Why? 
;Or a soldier in his camp, who`s hair had turned white overnight, (shell shock!) caused by the stress of the continuous Allied bombing raids. I found that difficult to believe until I made contact with that soldiers daughter, who confirmed the story.! His name was Jim Wilson! 
:A German Officer pulling a Luger Pistol on him and threatened to shoot him for stealing bread! That`s a tough one to get your head around! The threat of being shot, murdered! for trying to keep yourself alive!) It is not surprising that he harbored a dislike for authoritative figures. Ha! Ha!
:Or the time he was with two other soldiers during a bombing raid, he probably would have known these soldiers and spent time with them on the march, he ran into the woods, they took shelter under a bridge! both were killed, just weeks away from freedom! Yet, there was no detailed explanation or context provided about what he and his fellow soldiers had gone through.
Why did he not share his experiences! That`s another story.(TBC)
 
During my research i had read many books including "The Last Escape" The untold story of Allied prisoners of war in Germany 1944-45 written by John Nichol, (ex RAF Navigator, shot down over Iraq during the Gulf war) and Tony Rennell. It mentions a soldier had made a sworn affidavit as to the terrible conditions of the march, quote, "but never showed up at trial to give evidence and to be cross examined, so the court does not feel justified in finding guilt on his unsupported affidavit". Which i discovered later was incorrect! That being said, it is a brilliantly well-researched book, offering historical insights alongside personal accounts of individual soldiers from both British and American perspectives.

At this time i was considering giving up the search for the affidavit. My mind was set on finding Ghost Writer to help me with the story. (Still considering!?) At Christmas 2017 my partner gave me a book, unrelated to my research? The book was "Camera Girl, Fleet Streets first women Photographer." Checking out the Author, Doreen Spooner, i saw she had used a ghost writer, I researched the Ghost Writer, "Alan Clark" and found he had also Ghost written "The soldier who came back". 
The Author Steve Foster, (A retired Naval Commander) was also searching for the Affidavit. In the book he mentioned he had found the affidavit from Staff Sergeant Aitken at the National Archives, after 3 months of rigorous searching! and had published it on line. 
I was then able to produce them here. Was it chance, coincidence, or synchronicity? You be the judge!

Book:
"The soldier who came back."
Author: Steve Foster with Alan Clark. (Published by Mirror Books. 2018.)


The book delves into themes of bravery, self-sacrifice, respect and loyalty —virtues that were personified by my father but regrettably were absent in  two known Associates! (To be continued)