Chiswick Man Publishes Father's Memoir Of War |
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Richmond Gorle fought at El Alamein
A Chiswick man has published an account of his father’s war experiences including details of his involvement at the Battle of El Alamein. A handful of veterans gathered in a remote desert cemetery outside the Egyptian town six weeks ago to mark the 70th anniversary of what was called Britain's "greatest victory since Waterloo". Peter Gorle, an engineering consultant, has spent years editing the memoirs of his father Richmond, who saw service in North Africa, Sicily and North West Europe. The book, ‘The Quiet Gunner at War’ has been described as a “delightfully fresh and well written account of war at the sharp end of North Africa, Sicily and North West Europe.”
Mr. Gorle explained that his father, who was awarded the Military Cross, finished his memoirs in 1958 and the manuscript was then left bound and sitting at home for forty years. He died in 1973 without it being published. “ I decided to do something about this, so my job became to verify the details and also to get pictures and put an index onto the book. He had a phenomenal memory and his descriptions of battle and life as a soldier are very vivid and accurate,” says Mr. Gorle. “ I found two sons of his two commanding officers, and I did a lot of work in the Imperial War Museum. I tried to put a framework to it.” "He never spoke of his war experiences at home while my sisters and I were growing up which was typical of his generation. But this book is not just a family memorial but very relevant as it is the 70th anniversary of El Alamein," says Mr. Gorle. ' A Quiet Gunner at War' is published by Pen and Sword. December 3, 2012
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