When I was at a WW2 re-enactment camp a few years ago there were only German nurses.
At the time I was dressed as one of the female pilots and I regretted not being able to ask someone at home to bring me an allied nurses uniform.

A few years later I was talking with a friend about more recent history. That people don't know what the Red Cross does. They see their people at large events providing first aid. But they don't know that the Red Cross also searches people, for instance.

So I thought it would be good to do about the same as I did as a female pilot: create a series of lessons for different ages about the Red Cross, maybe integrated or apart from the history of nursing.

On of the game-friends kindly gifted me a blouse and badges, and a pin.
Thank you!!

If you're interested, please let me know.

Even though WW1 and WW2 are a long time behind us, photographs are still found in boxes and albums in the attics for former service men and -women.
People who have no idea what to do with them throw them away, so the photos will forever be lost.

Others want to know more or want to make them available. Maybe the photos are meaningful to others.

To assist those who want to put them online we set up photo websites and if necessary fill them for people with their digitalized photos.
As we live far away it's not possible to scan them ourselves for you, but maybe we can arrange something when we are in the UK anyway.

We will make the website according to your wishes and if you don't know much about computers and using internet, we will make a choice for a simple system and help with personalized instructions.

Maybe it's good to know that many people have found a relative through one of the photo sites online.

We are lucky to have a very experienced traveler among us.
This enables us to travel as cheap as possible and as comfortable as possible.
Our main costs are always those for the places to spend the nights. (Not counting the nights spend at an airport.)

He likes to plan journeys, always finds a solution and even better: he remembers a lot. I never have to worry about time tables, platforms or anything else, except: he walks faster than I do.
And at times he calls and I have to make a decision on the spot, meaning he has found something extremely cheap.

The past years I have traveled to London by bus and tunneltrain, ferry, and airplane.
Arriving at 6 in the morning at Victoria Station, or in the evening at Stansted.

In case you need his assistance to plan your travels to some event for veterans or travels home after one, let him know in time. He's not always available, as he is often traveling himself, but if he can help, he will.

Quite a lot of veterans haven't told their families about their experiences.

My father told me about staying at High Wycombe with a widow. Her daughter married and went to Rhodesia.
And he stayed with a family in Wolverhampton.
Part of his training was in Canada.

As a child I was proud he served in the RAF and was at those places. I had hardly any questions.
But now I feel a huge empty space. I miss part of his history and that means missing part of my history. There are so many questions. 
How did he become the silent and kind person, why? Why did he make certain decisions in life? Knowing that could have prevented the same troubles in my life as he had.

Thinking about him is always with a feeling of regret: I should have asked him... he should have told me.

From that array of thoughts and feelings I started to assist veterans to write down their experiences. They told me what they wanted to share, and I asked to clarify.

For some it was enough to rely on their memories. Others illustrated facts with photos and documents, or used a dairy from the time.

Some shared their stories immediately with their family. They felt relieved  after talking to me and wanted their family members to know too.
Others put their life story in an envelope with the instruction not to open it before their death.

During the Covid pandemic I was able to work with mail and zoom sessions (online). So we had no financial investment.

I always watch privacy very closely. So you won't hear your own story back.

Contact me in the comments. Don't forget an email address so we can arrange something. It won't be published and your request stays with me too.

Being a military veteran means living with memories which can't always be shared with family and friends, sometimes even not with other veterans.

Many have found ways to function OK in daily life, but are not able to sleep properly, have concentration problems, mood swings and other unwanted feelings, headaches, etc etc. Others battle with physical problems leading to habits other people don't understand.

The army chaplain who educated me in veteran care, Richard Stoffels SJ, said often: "Veterans are unique people. If you are able to see their uniqueness, they're the best people to deal with." And his wise advice: "Just be yourself."

After spending much time with them I can only underline how true his words still are.

But it's not about how I deal with them and how good I feel in their company.
For me it's how well they feel with and within themselves.

The first time I was called to support a veteran it was someone who had completely lost it. Returning from war and unable to sleep, he started to display behavioral problems, was kicked out of his home and marriage, and after years of alcoholism finally reached out and wanted to stop drinking.
He was kind of amazed he saw no grey man with glasses and a frowned forehead telling him what to do, but a red haired woman who brought him.... socks.
It was a symbol for him walking so long on his own and standing so long on his feet... and also of starting from the ground up... not somewhere in between.
Instead of arranging a referral to some clinic, he was asked to go to a hairdresser.
Completely unexpected! 
But it worked.... he saw himself in a different light and we talked about it.
I told him it would take years to feel complete again.. but with a few simple actions he would be able to make clear to the world and himself he was worth fighting for.
To make his story short(er): he went to the clinic with a friend to call, he could boast about his accomplishments and finally accept the honour he deserved for fighting for our peace and freedom.
He now is one of my best friends, and feels great and happy.
His motto: "Talk! Share! Without talking I would have died by now."

Being with veterans and photographing a lot with my little simple camera there are moments I often see someone turn in himself. Suddenly the world stands still for that person and the discussion and jokes around him fade.
I remember it from my dad.....

Know I'm there for you.. when you need someone to wink to, smile to, or talk to.
Sometimes it's good to know there is someone who cares.
And who won't be shaken by what goes on in your mind and in your memories.