Friday, June 16, 2006
A VISIT TO GERMANY
Thanks to Antony,a short visit to Cologne was made - with him - from 2 to 6 June - in order to fulfil a long desire to visit some of the places I had served as a young solder just after the end of the war.
At that time, Cologne was in ruins and it was not possible to get into the Cathedral because of the damage - and we had Sunday Mass in what presumably was the sacristy. On this occasion, however, I was able to attend Pontifical High Mass in the Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday and shake hands with the Cardinal Archbishop afterwards when he processed out!
The Cathedral and City have been much transformed in the 60 years since I served there - when the place was a complete ruin.
While there, I also took the opportunity to visit Bad Godesburg, where I had also served when attached to the Belgian Army - and after much searching found the 'villa' that had been our Signal Office, and the church where we had our military Mass on Sundays.
The opportunity was also taken to visit Bonn and re-visit the house where Beethoven was born. Last time I was there, it had been closed up for the war but the caretaker let the two young british soldiers in to take look around! This time, I had to pay to visit!!
A most successful trip.
Top image the street in Bad Godesburg where we had our Signal Office in 1946 (second 'villa').
Image below: some of the Signal Office staff outside our 'villa' in Bad Godesburg 1946 (yours truly with Belgian 1st Div. Signallers)
- posted by Alban @ 2:26 pm
