My DAD George William Crook later to be called WILSON? Born Pancreas 1898 Mum Born Worksop Notts 1917 her Grandparents were Charles OTTER (my HUGE brick wall) & Agnes Bate,s OF SHEFFIELD Dad did not tell us much about his war or of the ESSEX Regiment 1914-18 GALLIPOLI EGYPT THE COST OF this campaign, was to lasted over eight months there were over half million allied and turkish casualties. Only once, he did tell us how brave he thought the Turks were, and how one of the poor Turk soldiers was buried up to his neck in sand, Dad said "they found him like this" dead, he told how they used to shake hands with him every day UNTIL one day his hand came off and then they buried him. He told of eating sand with every thing as it got into his food ,and how he learned to sleep sitting up (which i can vouch for) he always slept with his head on his arms army fashion. He was a kind and generous man, very laid back and no temper what so ever, I was never told off or smacked. Every summer he would put up a tent in the garden and sleep in that every afternoon, he cleaned all our saucepans and cooking things in the garden with sand ARMY FASHION hahah, poor Mum, she used to just smile and start whistling, which she did all the time? Dad use to take me every where with him, when I was small on his shoulders on his bike, when I got older on a saddle on the back, we used to go miles, as we got bigger Mum and Dad would get both bikes out, we would go out into the Kent country side, me on Mums bike David on dads, we had wonderful picnics with an old kettle on a wood fire curtesy of Dad and jam sandwiches home made fruit cake curtesy of mum. One day I remember very well, sometimes with a smile but, mostly with embarrassment. we stopped at this farm house, you know the kind of scene in those days Oast house chickens all around the back door, WELL Dad knocked and said to the farmers wife I wonder if you would mind boiling my children a couple of eggs, they are Hungary and the picnics all gone and as you know with the rationing we don't get many eggs, she said (BLESS her), you go over there and sit at that little garden table and I will bring them out to you, she brought out TWO eggs each bread and butter home made, and some scones, my poor mothers face was as red as a beet, Dad tried to pay her but she said "no my dear its ok, we understand what its like to be hungary", which sent my mothers face even redder (Dad had a good job as a civil servant in the city we most certainly were NOT starving) Mum made Dad leave some money under a little dish in the kitchen, I can remember her telling him off all the way home, but Dad was like that and embarrassed her many many times, but I don't want to bore you. Margaret Notts Uk

Thanks Margaret, It sounds like your dad was quite a character, I bet your mum always dreaded what he'd come up with next. Thanks for posting it. Best Wishes Jeremy Crawshaw (Temp. List Admin) Crookes SHEFFIELD ---------------------------------------------------- Outgoing Mail protected by: NORTON Internet Security 2004 Updated: 21st May 2005 ---------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: <DayMargaretstan@aol.com> To: <ENG-SHEFFIELD-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 4:59 PM Subject: [SHEFF] ONE of "my "many family stories > One day I remember very well, sometimes with a smile but, mostly with > embarrassment. we stopped at this farm house, you know the kind of scene > in those > days Oast house chickens all around the back door, WELL Dad knocked and > said > to the farmers wife I wonder if you would mind boiling my children a > couple > of eggs, they are Hungary and the picnics all gone and as you know with > the > rationing we don't get many eggs, she said (BLESS her), you go over there > and > sit at that little garden table and I will bring them out to you, she > brought > out TWO eggs each bread and butter home made, and some scones, my poor > mothers face was as red as a beet, Dad tried to pay her but she said "no > my dear > its ok, we understand what its like to be hungary", which sent my mothers > face > even redder (Dad had a good job as a civil servant in the city we most > certainly were NOT starving) > Mum made Dad leave some money under a little dish in the kitchen, I can > remember her telling him off all the way home, but Dad was like that and > embarrassed her many many times, but I don't want to bore you. > Margaret Notts Uk