This is the celebrated journal of Mr. Simon Collison A.K.A Colly

Goodnight, Grandad

15th April 2007

Stanley Samuel Collison, 3rd October 1913 - 15th April 2007. Few had such an historically significant and eventful war as you. I’ll miss the stories about The Battle of El Alamain and your role on the Eighth Army campaigns. I’ll miss you telling me about looking after Winston Churchill (who you didn’t like) and later liberating Rome (not single-handedly, of couse, but with the Royal Irish Fusiliers).

You won the African Star, and you won the Egyptian Star. You never collected your medals. A General commandeered the motorbike you’d kept throughout the African campaign, and you never forgave him.

I’ll miss your love of Italy and Sicily, your consistency at picking Grand National winners, your baseball caps, your homemade chips, your garden… your very, very dry wit.

Rest in peace, Grandad…