He joined the British Army at the age of 16 and served with the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment for 11 years. He's got his own Wiki page with more details of his journey, he's also written a book on it.
Just watch, he'll get across the channel in a little boat then get bunged in Station Hotel for a couple of years
Fairly sure he came back when Russia kicked him out for not having the correct visa. The views expressed in my posts are not necessarily mine.
They had a very complicated WW2 did the Fins. First off being invaded by the Soviets in the Winter War. Then fighting the Soviets as allies of the Germans in the Continuation War (worse name for a war ever). Before finally fighting along side the allies against the Germans in the Lapland war.
The Russians gave him a five year ban from entering the country, due to some visa issue, but then changed their minds and invited him back so he was able to carry on.
You seem to know your history, Stockholm. My relatives told me a few things...(Finns) Lenin gave Finland their independence in 1917. That's why there are some statues to Lenin here and there...I know they fought off a Russian attack at some stage. Stalin was probably involved. Then during WW2 they had to side with the Germans, though I don't think there was much material support. Maybe more talk than anything else. The Swastika on the floor outside the entrance to the apartment block is apparently from the time the building was used by the Finnish Airforce, either as a billet or a admin HQ or both. They had the Swastika as a symbol, maybe even before the Germans.
I've only read up on since I lived here as it's quite an interesting aspect to the war and close to here. I agree the Finns were between a rock and a hard place with the Soviets on one side and Nazi occupied Norway and Denmark on the other. The Germans had over 200,000 troops fighting in Finland and along its borders at one point. The Swastika for the air force is interesting. During the Finnish civil war in 1918 Swedish Count Eric von Rosen, a relative of my daughters godmother, gave the Finns an aeroplane (their first aircraft) with a blue Swastika painted on it. The Swastika was a Viking good luck symbol and nothing to do this the Nazi at that point. Weird thing is though, Eric von Rosen later became the brother-in-law to Herman Göring after his sister married him. I've seen pictures of Göring at their place in the 1930s.
If my kinfolk had met a Swede and not a Finn at Newcastle University in the mid 2000s, I'd be visiting and talking about Sweden. Ironically, he's now married to a Ukrainian lady who is a teacher at Altoo University in Espoo....Cracking campus is that....Cracking city is Helsinki. Nice in summer...Freezing in winter. After all, it is the second most northern capital city in the world.
Thanks Kalman Four headteachers with a combined total of 136 years in education between them are being celebrated as they prepare to leave the profession to retire. With national Thank a Teacher Day coming up on Wednesday, June 18, East Riding Council wants to acknowledge the dedication of the school leaders, who will step down this summer. Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children, families and education, said: "Thank a Teacher Day provides a great opportunity to say thank you to all of our dedicated teachers for their commitment to nurturing and educating pupils.
Louise Lear will be wearing that top next week. The views expressed in my posts are not necessarily mine.
