My Beginnings
I was born in Ootacamund, which is in the Nilgeri Hills of South India, on the 19th of April, 1917. It was then the Madras Presidency, but now Tamil Nadu. My parents were English missionaries working on the plains below. I had an elder and younger brother.
I went to Breeks Memorial School, Ootacamund, which was then run by Brethren Missionaries, from 1924 to 1930. Aged 13, we returned to Britain and I went to a private Boarding School in Exeter, Devon, for three years. Mount Radford School under the Headmastership of Theo. Vine. A Christian Brethren school.
My parents had settled in Glasgow, Scotland, to work for their Mission, so I had my last two years of School at Whitehill Secondary School, Dennistoun. I then was apprenticed to Arthur & Company, Scotland’s biggest Wholesaler. It took up a block off Queen St. in central Glasgow.
October 18, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
I was interested in your post today. My parents were missionaries in India and I too went to Breeks, from 1953-59, having started school at Hebron in Coonoor, in ’49.
I left India in 1960 and have not been back since but will be going back this December with my wife and my three sisters for a Breeks reunion of the class ‘of 57 (my older sister’s class) with any other alumni welcome. It would be great if you could join us but you are likely doing less travel these days.
Shalom,
Terry Tiessen
October 19, 2007 @ 11:59 am
Hi Bill
I was born in Ooty too! On 27 May 1944. I also went to Breeks – 1954-1959. A bit after your time. My Dad was a Banker with the State Bank of India – Then called The Imperial Bank. I was brought up Brethren and still have wonderful fellowship with them in Australia where I now live. Terry Tiessen and I were in the same class and I hope to catch up with him and others at the re-union in Ooty this Dec/Jan. It is 77 years since you left Breeks so (if you can come) I’m sure you will notice a few changes!
Blessings
Margo Heyburn (nee Chase)
October 20, 2007 @ 4:47 am
Hi Bill,
I live in Scotland and think you might too. I was at Breeks from 1953-59 and my dad attended Breeks 1930-33. We attended the Centenary celebrations in 1999 then visited Narsapur to see Joy Tilsley who also attended Breeks. We sponsor a girl in the Hostel she runs.
God bless,
Richard Gordon
October 21, 2007 @ 5:48 am
Greetings Bill,
It was a delight to read your news. My parents were missionaries in the CIGM and we always hads holidays in Danvi, Kotagiri, so our memories are very intertwined with your wonderful parents. Mr Merriweather and his strawberry patch, the bottle of peppermints, the twinkle in the eye are all great memories. I also remember that he never forgot the Azusa St revivla and regularly read Acts 2.
We had the privilege of being at your mother’s funeral, just short of her 100th birthday. What a celebrqation of a life, and of a marriage. Splendid and glowing with life and health is how I remember both your parents. They loved to speak of you and Cody and tell your news.
Blessings on you and yours. A Godly heritage indeed!
Rosemary (nee Heslop) and Graeme Wallis
New Zealand
October 22, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
Dear Uncle Bill
Can’t wait for the next instalment of My Beginnings. I believe my father also went to Mount Radford school but did he attend Whitehill?
October 24, 2007 @ 6:15 am
Cameron, do you have any information , dates, place names, regarding your father Henry’s last engagement in Italy in the second world war?
i would like it for http://teachcool2.edublogs.org/lest-we-forget/. PaulM
October 25, 2007 @ 1:37 am
Hi Paul
My father was killed on 31st January 1944. (Some reports say 1st February.) The following information may be of interest.
On 3 September 1943 the Allies invaded the Italian mainland, the invasion coinciding with an armistice made with the Italians who then re-entered the war on the Allied side. Allied objectives were to draw German troops from the Russian front and more particularly from France, where an offensive was planned for the following year. Progress through southern Italy was rapid despite stiff resistance, but by the end of October, the Allies were facing the German winter defensive position known as the Gustav Line, which stretched from the river Garigliano in the west to the Sangro in the east. By 4 November, the Allied force that had fought its way up the Adriatic coast was preparing to attack the Sangro river positions. A bridgehead had been established by the 24th and by nightfall on the 30th, the whole ridge overlooking the river was in Allied hands. The site of this cemetery was selected by the 5th Corps and into it were brought the graves of men who had died in the fierce fighting on the Adriatic sector of the front in November-December 1943, and during the static period that followed. In addition, the cemetery contains the graves of a number of escaped prisoners of war who died while trying to reach the Allied lines. SANGRO RIVER WAR CEMETERY contains 2,617 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. Within the cemetery will be found the SANGRO RIVER CREMATION MEMORIAL, one of three memorials erected in Italy to officers and men of the Indian forces whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith – the other two cremation memorials are in Forli Indian Army War Cemetery and Rimini Gurkha War Cemetery. The memorial at Sangro River commemorates more than 500 servicemen.
This is the cemetery where my father is buried. I visited it about 3 years ago.
Not being used to blogs I don’t know how to forward a photo of his grave. Perhaps you could let me have your email address and I will email it.
Cameron
October 25, 2007 @ 10:24 pm
I am putting three pictures on Flickr, one of Cameron’s father
Henry and my elder brother and two of the Sangro cemetry which Cameron visited.
December 5, 2007 @ 7:56 am
Dear Bill,
Really surprised to find somebody who was born in Ooty so long ago. I am relatively new comer, born in 1968. I left Ooty, really sad in 1985. But I guess my days there wandering in the great green forests. I was always proud of roamed farthest in the Nilgiris. I visit it often when I go to India every year. It is as beautiful as ever . Of course not the town by itself (Highly commercialised and spoiled for tourism.)..But the areas around it. The government has kept most of it clear of the hand s of developers
I am really glad and happy to read about you. I would really interested in knowing about what you remember about Ooty.
Thanks and Wish You The Best
Prem