Captain Garland served in the 3rd The King’s Own Hussars from 1941 to 1945. He died on 9 June 1995.
A poem by his granddaughter, Kiki serves as a fitting tribute to his memory.
A Gentle Gentleman
I imagine a life without you around
It makes me too sad is what I have found,
Alarms and bleepers so you don’t miss the news
A great sense of humour you never did lose.
Telegraph clippings sent through the post,
Lumpy custard for after the roast.
The music – jazz, blues, soul or funk,
A head full of knowledge – a shed full of junk.
Then the stories about times of war,
North African sun that made your skin sore.
You wanted to fly, they made you drive tanks,
You left there alive for which you gave thanks.
All my memories of you are carefully filed,
I remember your moped when I was a child
And digging the garden or taking long walks
And when I got older, our famous talks,
You’d take an interest in all that I’d say,
No subject too small you’d know right away,
If not, then off to the library you’d go
Fully researched for the next time I’d show.
I’m sure at the library you had your own chair
And your passion for books could be quenched fully there.
Not just myself, but anyone near
Could tap into the knowledge between your two ears.
The library will miss you as we miss you still,
But the gap in our lives will be harder to fill.
So now, dear grandad, we’ll say ‘Adieu’
And keep close to our hearts our memories of you.
