April, 25th 1945, 51st Squadron RAAF, Bomber Command RAF

Kerry COX
Wow Holger !! I am anxious to see what you have in mind here mate. Looking forward to something wonderful . 🙂

Holger Kranich
This will become a special project for me and Mr. Larmer...;)

Hanno Kleinecke
This letter is a very conciliatory gesture, it must have been on his mind for a very long time. I think it is very touching. Did you answer it already ?

Holger Kranich
Yes Hanno, i already answered him and hope that my letter arrives him quickly! And i think this is touching, too!
I dared to ask him if he likes to express some detailes of that raid and i´m looking forward his answer!

Christian Bruer
Most of us can't imagine what someone feel every day who made an experiences in war, never mind he was a soldier or civilian and sadly it never end after the end of WWI for 70 years ago.
Thx for sharing the thoughts of Mr. Larmer. It helps much Never Forget!

Jan Voorbij
Thank you for sharing. I'm moved.

Kerry COX
The ghosts and memories of war must be strange things to live with hey. !
Holger, I really hope his reply is all you imagined mate. 🙂

Wim van der Luijt
What a great letter, I hope this will lead to a nice correspondence between wangerooge and Canberra

Jens
Moin Holger 🙂 das iss doch was , da wird der Inselhistoriker sein Archiv sicher öffnen , denn von Wangerooge sind ja die Nachtjäger und die Flak sehr gut dokumentiert , leider hatte ich bei meinem Besuch viel zu wenig Zeit , mit der Fähre angelegt , Jugendherberge , Feldbahn / Inselbahn zu Fuß , schneller Blick auf den Strand nach Norden , und rauf auf die Fähre und zurück nach Carolinensiel-Harlesiel

Ben STONE
Thanks for sharing Holger. I'm proud that a fellow Australian has felt compelled to write such a letter, as has been mentioned, he has nothing to apologise for but that he feels that he does, and has done so, says a lot about the man. In the end it's not about Australians, nationalities and governments, it's about people and individual actions and how we treat each other in peace time and during war time.
It seems the most vehemently against war are those that have lived through it and had to live with what they've done during it. Those that start the wars don't seem to learn.

Ulf Petersen
I am very impressed by these words of a veteran.
On the other hand I don't really understand the story around this letter. It seems you, Holger, forwarded it to the mayor of the island Wangerooge. How did you get it? Are you living and / or working on Wangerooge? Could you please tell us some more? Thank you in advance.

Holger Kranich
Hi Ulf.
The story of this letter is the following:
I am "native"😄 islander of Wangerooge and i try to collect as much informations about the history of Wangerooge as i can. I work hand in hand with the island chronist. These letter has been forwarded to me by the mayor to answer Mr. Larmer. Mr. Jürgens (the chronist), the island priest and me are working on the Chronic of Wangerooge (1327-present day). My contribution is the time from 1933-1945, together with Mr. Jürgens, who was a FlaK Helfer till ´45. So this letter is very informative and a very important for my contribution.

A side effect of this letter is, that a project is rising in my mind to honour Mr. Larmer and build his Halifax. I plan to build it at the next Scalemates Meeting here on Wangerooge.

de.wikipedia.org/wik..schichte_Wangerooges

Ulf Petersen
Way cool, Man! 😎 👍
That's absolutely interesting!
I admire people very much which invest their energy in documenting and conserving the history of their home land.
I know some others. My whole family comes from the very north of Germany (Nordfriesland) and I had the occasion to meet the people which have written the chronicles of the villages where my parents were born. I got to know them as very friendly, warm hearted but also serious people with distinctably noticeable love to their local region of the most positive kind.

Ben STONE
Holger, I just looked up Wangerooge and I'm guessing it's where the book and film "Riddle of the Sands" is set?

Holger Kranich
You are welcome, Ulf! I think these kind of preservation is very important for all new generations. I dont glorify this time but i also think that it shall never be forgotten. And i´m just very interested how the former generations lived and what they went through...

Aghis Barberopoulos
Mr Lawrence seems to be a remarkable person - We should all learn from his experience and be mindful of the fact that wars usually get started by psycho-individuals in power for absolutely no reason, and then young people die fighting for them. Think of the previous two wolrd wars, why they started and how they finished.

Holger Kranich
Hey Ben, yep its right the location of the movie and book!;)

So true, Aghis...

Rui S
Another testimony of the importance and relevance of this site. Thank you for sharing, and good luck with Mr. Larmer answer and that Halifax, Holger 😉

Holger Kranich
Thank you Rui, thats most welcome!🙂

John Young
Hard to imagine carrying that grief for so many years. I look forward to seeing Mr. Larmer's Halifax!

Holger Kranich
Me too, John! Its a pitty that i cant be there when he see´s pix of the model of his old Halifax...
51st Squadron was also equipped with Lancasters, so i´m looking forward his answer. Maybe he was part of a Lanc-crew...

Jan Hazes
Very moving letter. I can't imagine the burden Mr. Larmer carried with him all these years. And happy building to you Holger. This must have you extra motivated 🙂