An English military person

I have a contact to an English military person, stationed in Germany of all places and ranking so high that I dare not give any more details, except that he is very tall with neatly parted straight short hair. He has a back problem apparently and a family consisting of a small wife and three sons of various sizes. He believes in paying for his children’s education, goes around in a helicopter and is used to dining with German mayors and lord mayors and other important people, like the Queen. He has all the relevant medals. His background is of a sound colonial nature, making him acceptable in all circles. He talks with pleasant self-confidence and just the right amount of English humour, standing very straight, looking into one’s face and listening politely to the small things one has to say – every inch a well-bred soldier.

Our children are most impressed by the fact that he employs a cook in his house. Our son is lucky enough to have been given a dressing gown this gentleman wore in by-gone days. We shall not take the original name-tag out.