246414 Pte. William Garven British Army 6th Battalion Highland Light Infantry from:127 Bangorshill Street, Glasgow William Garven often used to speak of his experiences during World War 2, and was proud of his army record although some of these stories could not be repeated in polite conversation! He told me of going to visit his cousin during a lull in the fighting (his cousin's group was fighting nearby), he had to crawl on his hands and knees to see him due to a sniper. He was initially alerted to this because someone had written a large notice with the message "Stay low - Gerry's got a pop gun!"
I asked why he'd risked his life for a visit he explained that he hadn't expected to live so he thought he should see his cousin while he could.
At the end of the war he went outside and had a cigarette (you couldn't do that in war time because the enemy would see the light). He said he looked at the stars and thought "well, I'm still alive!" I think he was genuinely astonished.
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