Cpl. Reginald Samuel "Curl" Tonlinson
British Army 48th Division Royal Army Service Corps
from:Ashburnham Road, Northampton
It's been 34 years since my father, Reginald Tonlinson, passed away at the age of 72. He never mentioned the war although as a child I can remember him being fascinated with a programme on the TV called All our Yesterday's. Very, very occasionally one or two stories might come out. I know he was in Italy in 1945 in Naples. I think he was a driver and he probably rode motorbikes for communicating, as he was a bit of a petrolhead and very keen on cars! He did tell me once that he had changed a shift due to his illness (probably too much beer) with a motorbike dispatch rider and unfortunately, the other rider was killed by an explosion. That could have been my dad. I would not be here today if it had been.
I was 30 years old when father passed away. I hardly knew what he did during the war and all those memories are now lost. I applied for his medals 18 months before he passed away - they arrived one week after his funeral. He never saw them. Whatever dad did in the war, he would have done it well and with gusto!
