Poignant journey (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Poignant journey

8:22am Monday 13th February 2012 in Readers' letters By Telegraph & Argus

SIR - February 6, 1952, is a day I will always remember. I was doing my National Service in the RAF in Norfolk.

I had walked the three-and-a-half miles from North Pickenham, where I was stationed, to Swaffham. Around 10am, I was standing at the side of the King’s Lynn Road thumbing a lift. Being in uniform soon got me one.

A kind gentleman stopped and said he was going north to Doncaster, so I jumped in. Just after reaching Marlborough, the music on the car radio cut out. An announcer then read out the sad news that King George VI had died in his sleep.

We both knew that this was only about ten miles from where we were.

Whether it was because we were so near to Sandringham I’m not certain, but I’m pretty sure we both were affected in some way. The rest of the journey was somewhat subdued. We were both lost in our own thoughts.

We said goodbye at Doncaster where I thanked him for the lift and went our separate ways.

B Depledge, Gaisby Lane, Shipley