I Played the Piano and Made the Tea – one soldiers time in 10 PARA
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“As a child and young man whenever I asked ‘What did you do in the War, Dad?’ the reply was always the same; ‘I played the piano and made the tea.’”
Private Alec Wilson enlisted in 1940 joining The Wiltshire Regiment for basic training and subsequently transferring to The 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex. In 1942, the battalion began its conversion into one of the ‘new-fangled’ parachute battalions, becoming The Tenth Battalion, The Parachute Regiment.
‘I Played the Piano and Made the Tea’ details Alec’s time with 10 PARA and the action he saw including his time in Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden as well as going on to talk about his time as a POW in Czechoslovakia. Written by Alec’s son, the book even delves into the lives of some of the other men who served with Alec and the roles they had within the battle.
The books proceeds have previously been donated to The Parachute Regiment Afghanistan Trust, and following the closure of the charity, the author, also called Alec, has generously chosen to continue donating these proceeds to SUPPORT OUR PARAS.
Alec initially wrote the book as something for his children and grandchildren to read so they could learn about his father’s time in the military, but the book has since proved popular with a much wider audience.
In his foreword, Colonel John Waddy OBE, says “I hope, that in writing this book, Alec will inspire other sons, and grandsons, to discover the stories of their parents and grandparents, which otherwise will be lost for ever, especially in this electronic age when much seems to be so fleeting.”
If you are interested in buying a copy of ‘I Played the Piano and Made the Tea’, please get in touch with Alec on alec@willoughby-house.co.uk for more information.
