The pic shows Bill Cheall (far left) with two unknown comrades looking exhausted after their Dunkirk trauma. They were Middlesbrough lads and would all have been in the 6 Green Howards, B Company. Their names could be any of Ivor Castor, Don Savage, Les Blowers or John Ryan amongst others.
Ivor was an early army pal of Bill’s - he came from Grangetown (Near Middlesbrough) and was:
“ a good, down-to-earth, north-east lad who had worked at the local steel works - he was nineteen and a very strong lad. He volunteered for the paratroops and subsequently lost an arm when he was in action at Arnhem. I met him when I was on leave and his extrovert character had changed to introvert – his experiences had shattered his ego.”
Les Blowers was a likeable lad with a very quiet nature, but I eventually lost touch with him. Pals in the army were like shadows; they came and went with great frequency.”
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