A Wartime Memory
Andrew Brodie and his P.O.W. Friend
Andrew and Norma now resident in New Zealand
I attended Links Primary School, starting in Miss Cockburn`s class in 1943. My friend Colin Hook and I used to travel to school from our homes in Summerfield Gardens, cutting over the "cricket " Links to and from school.
One morning, rolls of barbwire blocked our way to school. These had appeared overnight as if by magic, and to our amazement we noticed that there were rows of tanks, trucks, and large crates all covered by camouflage netting. We made our way round the perimeter to school, taking in all we could see, our young minds running wild as we played war games with our friends.
The whole school was a buzz of excitement, and not much work was done in class that day. That was nothing in comparison to the discovery on the way home that a compound had been built round the changing rooms at the bottom of Restalrig Road. It was used as a Police Station, and in the compound were German prisoners who we later discovered were "trusties", used for moving equipment being stored in the surrounding area of the Links.
Over the following weeks, the Links filled with more equipment, and the German prisoners were allowed to walk about the local area, causing no problems to anybody, and on the whole friendly to us. One in particular looked out for me. He showed me photos of his young family, and had a son not unlike me. In these days I had blonde hair, and suppose was very Aryan like in looks. He used to save up stamps for me, encouraging me to start up a stamp collection.
As we got to know each other over the following days, I, in my innocence, asked him home for tea to my Grandmother`s after school one afternoon, which he gratefully accepted. I can remember walking hand in hand with my special friend and ringing the bell of Grandmother`s front door. When she answered, I quickly explained that I had brought my friend home for a cup of tea. Looking up and down the street, she ushered us quickly inside, hoping not too many neighbours had noticed us.
After Hans had left, Grandmother explained to me that I was not to bring any Germans back for tea again, as two of my Uncles were serving overseas, fighting them in North Africa and Europe. She added that she hoped if they became prisoners they would be treated like my special friend had been in Leith.
It was not long before the barbwire disappeared, and we had our shortcut over the Links to school again. One little souvenir I have of these days is a scar on my arm - yes, I somehow fell into the wire.
In 1944 prior to the Normandy Landings, I discovered years later, all the ports in Britain were used to launch the offensive that paved the way to victory for the Allies.
Andrew Brodie
