Burma

Vera Lynn is apparently making a comeback at 92, not singing this time but giving talks about her life's experiences; and she's packing 'em in. She was interviewed on the TV today and when asked what was her most memorable experience when she was a singer during the second world war, she said "being in Burma, singing to the troops there; it was," she said, "the forgotten war and she felt the troups there needed support."
She was right: it was forgotten and a horrible war. My only knowledge of it was seeing the Laurence Olivier narrated documentary about WW2. But I do have a closer link to it in that my uncle Mick was there. He never talked about it much but I know he was there throughout the campaign. I don't know what rank he had or what he actually did in the forces and I can't now find that out since he died last year in Australia at the age of about 92 - the same age as Vera Lynn is now.
After the war he went to Yorkshire where he worked on a farm. I have the feeling that for some reason he had to move from there fairly quickly (something to do with a lady I believe - and maybe a shotgun too).
I used to go cycling with him when he was on leave after the war, pre-Yorkshire; we used to ride to a cousin's farm in Llandenny, near Raglan, when my relatives gave us marvellous food to eat: I recall having wood pigeon on one occasion - delicious, though you had to watch you didn't swallow the lead shot that had killed the birds.
Mick eventually emigrated to Australia where he became a sort of cowboy for a few years. He got married there (might have been married once or twice before) and settled there until his death last year.
He was great fun to be with. The ghastly Burma campaign had not appeared to affect him emotionally or mentally or psychologically..... but, you never know - might have made him that restless spirit who found it difficuklt to form long-term relationships.... But I'm guessing.
We spoke on the phone about four years ago and I remember him saying, about the Iraq war that we shouldn't try to change the way other countries do things by force. I said yes to that though, actually, at that time, I supported the war. Not so sure that I should have and have grave doubts about Afganistan now.