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following year the war ended and in 1919 my parents were married. They took over 20 Dalgarno Gardens and Joseph and Rosa returned to Malines.

No doubt Joseph witnessed the happening on Armistices Day when the boys asked their headmaster for the afternoon off! The town’s people where all celebrating in the streets but the Headmaster Mr Green forbid any of his pupils to join them. However during the afternoon some of the rowdy crowd found their way into the school for the gates had not been closed. The crowd urged the boys to come out and join them but they were told it was forbidden by whom the crowd asked? By Mr Green our Headmaster.

 Where is he? They asked so we can throw him in the river! They surged forward but were barred from his office by the deputy Head who would not let them through, two of the boys shouted why not throws his books into the river! But again the deputy held the crowd off.

By now the boys were mixed up with the crowd and they all left the school for the celebrations outside in the street. The festivities continued into the night and the students did not get back to school till nearly midnight. As they returned they found the headmaster Mr. Green sitting waiting for them in the “Old Hall” as each boy passed him he pointed to him and said “ Watkins. You are out” The following morning they whole school were assembled to hear the finial verdict. After a long speak telling them off for disobeying his instructions he withdrew their sentences with the exception of the two boys who said the Headmaster’s books should be thrown in the river.

These two boys only were expelled. Mr Green said he did not mind being thrown into the river but would not allow anyone to damage his books!

Berkhamsted School was founded in 1541 It became Berkhamsted Collegiate School in 19?? When it was opened to both boy and girl pupils.

Yvonne, my mother, obtained an office job at St Marylebone Town Hall. Here she met my father; a qualified Surveyor worked in the Valuation Department.

Meanwhile the advancing German forces did not wait for the Belgium military to complete their work; they moved in their own commanders and occupied the Chateau themselves.

My father, Austin Sergeant Wallis, was born on November 2nd. 1889 in Southall. He married Doris Cook on August 5th. 1916 at All Saints Church, Boyne Hill; Maidenhead but was widowed within three months when Doris from Tuberculosis.

To add to his distress, his Uncle William died the following month followed by his only sister, Eva, who died in September 1917. Eva had only been married for three years to Albert Grace.

My mother often took and collected paperwork from my father’s office. It was here they met and talked together and got to know each other. My father was a very emotional person and no doubt the loss of his wife Doris upset him greatly.

My mother too was a sensitive and emotional person and clearly she grew closer to my father offering her help and sympathy for him in overcoming his grief. Clearly they fell in love but there were problems.

My mother was a devout Catholic and my father’s upbringing was Low Church of England Protestant. From the notes they sent each other these differences worried them deeply but love overcame all! Dad took instruction and was accepted into the Roman

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