Keith was born and brought up in Canada, but his mother was from Gateshead. He must have promised to visit his mother's relatives. His first attempt to see them was poorly planned and unsuccessful. He was only 20 at the time. Frankly, I'm in awe that he summoned the energy to get all the way from his RAF base in Shropshire to Gateshead. When I was 20 I was more interested in going to the pub than visiting my relatives.
Letter from Keith to his mom, 12 September 1944.
'I
went to Old Durham round but Mand Simms or Mrs. Tanner had moved so I went
around Gateshead & had a good look but as I didn’t have much time I came
away without seeing anyone, I kept thinking of a town I passed on the way to
Gateshead called “Pity Me” I thought the hell with pitying them, pity poor me,
I can’t find my kin folk'.
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