On Monday at Cubs the SAS (the principle special forces of the army) came up in conversation. Now, I did know Spouse's battery were linked somehow to the SAS and it got me wondering about the history of his particular battery. So, I googled. Like you do. *grins* And the very first result was a battery website and forum! Excellent! I found the history I was after (it was interesting!) and thought I'd have a quick squizz of the forum. Well.
One section was for reconnecting with lost mates so, natch, I had a nosey. The only name I remembered from his mates was an especially unusual monikered young lad. And someone was looking for him! There were no replies to the thread and it had been posted in 2008 but still, someone had known him. Which meant that perhaps they had known Spouse, too. So I mentioned it to him when he got in (very late!) from work and left it at that.
The next morning at work I got a very excited phonecall from a very excited man. Spouse had been on the forum to find that most of the registered users were people he had served with. Contact had been made and I congratulated him on a happy accident.
"But Wife," he said,"you need to register and have a look, there's photos..."
"Of your mates? That's great!" says I.
"Naw, Wife," he tuts,"of ME!"
This is my Spouse aged 18 in the battery band. That's him in the front with the bass guitar.
The Chook was helpless laughing,
"Dad's got HAIR!!"
and funnily enough, my Mum's first comment was,
"Did he perm his hair?!?!" (Yeah, he did! It was the 80's after all)
I'm just glad to have something of him from way back then - although one of him in his dress uniform would be amazing! But seriously, getting back in contact with people you worked, ate, slept, lived with and depended on after 20 years of nothing? That's pretty cool and almost certainly wouldn't have happened without today's technology - you gotta love the web!
Cool, yes, but they will always be mates not matter how long it's been. That's the nature of Serving Queen and Country! Somethings will always be that way :) Way to Go Hubby! And Lynz for making it happen :)
ReplyDeleteMy other half is always coming across pictures of him from his RA and earlier army days.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar internet experience this week when I had a friend request and message on Facebook from an exchange student I'd looked after on a school trip back in 1991 when she hadn't been well. I was amazed she remembered me given we only met for a few hours. We had exchanged addresses, but there was civil war in her country shortly after she went back so I never heard from her again.
We're still getting messages from my brother's Navy family where one of them go searching for him. It's the main reason we've left his page up on FB.
ReplyDeletewow he looks so young!!! what a nice connection!!
ReplyDeleteoops the comment above is actually from me
ReplyDeleteIt has to be said those pictures made me laugh out loud. Hee hee hee hee! But seriously isn't the t'interweb a fabulous place! How cool to find people who were so involved in your everyday life after 20 years of nada.
ReplyDelete