Posted by Paul Crisp on June 27, 2014 at 09:25:10 user Paul_Crisp.
In Reply to: Re: Norman Willis posted by Mike Dennis on June 27, 2014 at 04:59:08:
As Peter recalled, Norman had a wonderful range of stories, all of which ought to be collected. Sharing a journey, whether by car or train was invariably a very humorous time. Apparently, when travelling on TUC business he used to prefer to have a railway comprtment to himself so that he could spread out his papers. He said that if anyone tried to come in, he would smile at them in a slightly maniacal way and say "Oh, I'm so pleased we're going to share this journey together." Invariably the incomer would beat a hasty retreat.
Another he told of his National Service in the Army during the extreme winter of 1947/8. His platoon had to dismantle wooden huts at a large war-time Army base. Coal was rationed and everyone else was always shivering. At the end of the task (which was also the end of Norman's service), the Sergeant-Major said to him, "I don't know how you kept that hut so warm. I counted all the sacks of coal and there was none missing."
"Ah," replied Norman," but did you count the wooden huts?"
He told my wife and I that his greatest moment was riding back across the Wade in, as he put it, the Presidential Land-Rover towing the Presidential Portaloo behind, and waving in a very regal manner.....
Norman was kind, gentle, unstuffy and got on with everybody.
Paul Crisp