A bonus visit - but for sad reasons

It was sad that my very good friend Mary had to come over from Oz, for her sisters funeral but the up side was that we
had chance to spend time together after
the emotions of the family event.

Mary came and spent a couple of days with me and we trolled off to Scarborough for a day, so she could chill and paddle on a beach, that she had often chilled and paddled on, as a child. So it was a therapeutic trip down memory lane and the weather was belovedly kind to us.

She stood before the very beach hut that she had used, when her own daughter was still in a pram. So where her Mum had taken her as a child, so did she take her own children when they were young and theyd all still lived in England .............kind of full circle and warming don't you think?

Especially when Mary is tracing her ancestors now and each step taken looking backwards, is all the more special when you retread your own steps from years ago... (not that she's that OLD yet..............and she is younger than me lolol).

We were she told me, making new memories by treading that sand this time, and I was thrilled to have shared them with her.

The piccy above left is not taken at Scarborough though but at Holmpton, a village not far from Withernsea and at sunset on our way home to Hull that same day.

Mary is stood beside a memorial that has been recently situated along side the church there, to commemorate the crew of Flight L7523, who died whilst trying to land with much damage to their aircraft, in war time.

The 207 Sqn Bomber Command crew all died and Mary only unearthed this fact as she traced her family history, her own Uncle had been an Air Gunner on board and died, 'nowt but a lad' as my Granma would have said.

Obviously it was important to her because he was so young at 19 to have lost his life, having made it back to the Yorkshire coastline. all the more sad that the landing, in bad weather, brought an end to their hopes for a safe return.

However as ex RAF Aircrew ourselves, (post war of course,) naturally Mary would feel doubly for the loss of lives involved in this crash.

On a previous trip to the UK, we had braved a windy afternoon and trod on the none too high cliffs at Holmpton, looking for the crash site. We managed to find the place, using old photos we found online, noting where hedges were and still are, and by finding the site of the farm house that once stood some way then, off from the cliff edge. Though now it is nothing but overgrown foundations and perilously close to the cliff edge, the sea has encroached closer inland and steadily chews away at the sandy cliffs at that point. Well, all along that stretch of coast infact. The passage of time and the sea stopping for no one.

Though Mary will be back in Oz, in November the dedication of the memorial to the lads of this fated crew will take place and I hope to join Mary's sister and brother in law, and pay my respects, on her behalf. But it was simply lovely for her to see the memorial whilst she was over here..... more memories...

Its the first day of Autumn today and the evenings are turning chillier it is true, so no doubt the swallows will be leaving soon, though we saw afew on friday on our trip down the coast from Scarborough to Holmpton.

Some bright spark told me how many weeks it was till Christmas last week....could I ever have slapped him with wet fish!

Shortly, Mary will be checking in for her long flight back to Perth, leaving 'home' to go home, to her family and the prospect of a new grandchild, who is due any day now. And such is the story of life and that family tree that Mary is cultivating.

Wishing you winds at your back Mary! :) x