252461 Gnr. George William Albert Hedges British Army 23rd Field Regiment, 91/100 Bty. E Troop Royal Artillery from:Theydon Mount, Essex My dad, George Hedges was a Gunner through and through and he was extremely proud of his Regiment.
Although dad did not talk very much about what happened to him during the war towards the end of his life around 2015 at the age of 92, he would sit and talk to my husband who was also ex Royal Artillery.
One story which made me so sad was that when his Regiment was at Monte Casino he had taken his gun up to the front line and then retired back to the cook house. He got his meal and parked up to eat it in his vehicle. A voice in his head said "George move, don't sit here", so dad moved and a few minutes later a shell fell on the exact spot he had been sitting previously.
Dad was not a man who believed in angels or anything of that nature but his guardian angel was definitely with him that day. I like to think it was my granddad looking out for him.
Dad was lucky and came through the war relatively unharmed. Although he always said that if it was not for the fact that when he was in Greece towards the end of the war and because he could ride horses (he looked after the officer's horses.) He could go off my himself riding for the day and this was what helped him to work through what today we call PTSD.
I am proud of my dad, and my grandson will wear his medals with pride this Remembrance Day.
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