Saturday cookery prog

On the BBC, where else, there was a guest on a cookery programme who was probably english but whos heritage was African. He spoke of how wonderful Africa was. What he didnt mention was the poverty, disease, ethnic tensions, violence, etc etc.

My poppy came to this country as a guest of his Majesty, and had been captured in France. I am sure you can imagine how bad it must have been over THERE. Imagine being in a prisoner of war camp expecting the worst, in Scotland, and at the end of the war being told you can stay, or go home. My mother came here as an immigrant years later. I grew up in what be called poverty today, but was not. I was regularly told how lucky i was, and im sure i was.

My father couldnt believe his luck, and stayed here. Nearly every day my parents gave thanks for being here, and not over THERE. And it holds true today.

I look forward to the day when an immigrant, or a person from another culture goes on TV and gives thanks for being in Britain. And says thankyou. That geezer on that cookery programme would have been a start, instead of the usual, Britain is crap, racist, fascist, backward, bstrards, that some peddle.

Not going to happen... Give thanks for being here, and free.

Was your dad German then Frank?
It must have been tough for him to stop here just after WW2 with feelings still running high,I would have headed home if I'm honest,wasn't Man Citys Bert Trautmann in the same position?

I agree with you Frank. There were Italian PoWs near here during the war. They worked on the land and built themselves a chapel in one of the tin huts where they lived. Many stayed when the war ended. From what I’ve seen of parts of Naples, I’d have stayed too.

He couldnt go home Chalky, He came from Belarus, and joined up at 19 when the nazis invaded Russia. If he went back to his home village, he would be dead before the hour passed. Belarus has a low population, living elsewhere would not work either. The germans were guilty of genocide of not only the jews, but Russians in general, as they were communist.

I know hat you mean Griff, i have family in Naples, its poverty is the charm of the place, washing hanging from windows, the filth, smells, etc. Living like that cant be fun though. Id live there tomorrow if i could.

Aberdeen is an oil rich city with many folk living here from all over the world.

For me I like seeing different cultures mixing in with one another.