William Mark Lee
Growing up in the back streets of Cardiff and being one of 10 children could never have prepared William for what life was about to ask of him…at 18 years of age his whole world would be changed forever! This is Williams’ story…from a boy swimming in the River Taff to becoming a man and seeing the world as a Soldier in the Second World War, in Algeria, Tunisia, Italy and Austria.
William Lee was born in Cardiff South Wales in 1922. One of 10 children living in a two bedroomed house. He grew up and worked in Cardiff, fought in the 2nd World War and returned to his place of birth to bring up his own family of four. Now aged 85 he has many grandchildren and still lives with the same lovely lady he married nearly 60 years ago.
I woke to the silence of snow falling in the dark of early morning. My nose was cold in the still air of my bedroom. In contrast I was warm, wrapped in the bedclothes of my youth, protected from all harm and surrounded by the security of my mother four brothers and four sisters.
It was good to feel this way and in time to come I would realise how much I had, and lost, as I was thrown into life, raw and bitter but still with the loving memories of my childhood and strength of character which would take me through the turmoil ahead of me.
As I lay there daring myself to jump out from the warmth of my bed into the cold of my room, I could here the clatter of the kettle and saucepan as my mother prepared a porridge breakfast for me, for the first time in my life I was leaving home. It was 4.30 am and I lay there exited but fearful, like the first unaided leap into water, scared and in trepidation of what was to come, as I would leave today, to go to war.
