War – many things change in this world but we continue to kill each other… causing misery and heartache.

In 2022 it is the people of Ukraine suffering as their country is being destroyed. Every day we see the chaos and carnage. Our thoughts are with them.

In 1939-45 we were fighting in the Second World War. What kind of a country would we be living if we had lost? Perish the thought.

It is important that we never forget those who died fighting for us all those years ago.

Now a new book, telling the story for the first time of 55 men from Thorpe St Andrew who lost their lives serving in various regiments around the world, has been released.

Thorpe St Andrew 1939-45 The War Memorial by John Balls and Dale Wiseman, is an important addition to local history publications and will interest people across Norfolk and Suffolk.

John, a well-known former teacher at Thorpe High School who has written books on the Titanic, and Dale, who went to the UEA at the age of 50 and gained a BA in History, can be proud of the book supported by the town council, the local history group and the Royal British Legion.

Writing the tome, building on the research by Stephen Thompson and Darrin Sayer, had a profound effect on all those involved as they discovered the stories behind the men who lost their lives.

As they point out, while reading military history it is possible to be overawed by statistics, and to lose sight of the individuals involved and a book like this enabled them to concentrate on the fact there were real human beings, with real families, friends and war colleagues.

One story, which came to light following our article about the book being prepared a year ago, centred around David Jesse Dowe.

The authors received messages from Jill Harvey and from the family of Ray Parke.

Jill is David’s niece and Ray was a friend of David’s when they were growing up.

Thanks to the story Jill and Ray were able to meet up to share memories and photographs of David who died while serving with RAF when his Lancaster plane crashed over France in 1944.

Back in the 1930s Ray and David were pupils and best mates at the newly-built Hillside Middle School in Thorpe. They loved each other’s company and messing about on boats hired from Jenner’s.

Then the war came along and both boys became men in the RAF.

Sgt David Dowe joined in the summer of 1943 and became part of the 463 Squadron RAAF which was a Royal Australian Air Force heavy bombing squadron.

His friend Ray also joined up in 1943, serving with 218 squadron and went on to be part of 42 air missions. He even remembers flying over his parent’s house on Yarmouth Road and seeing his mum’s washing on the line!

He then became an instructor at RAF Silverstone teaching the next generation about life in a Lancaster and Bomber Command.

When Ray first left school he worked as a messenger at the old Norwich City Station and met up with a young Eva Cubitt who worked at Thorpe Station.

On his return from duty they got married in 1949 and are still happily married.

His friend David is remembered at Thorpe and buried at St Pierre Cemetery in Amiens, France.

The book looks in depth at the lives of the Thorpe soldiers who died in conflicts around the world. Each story is so important – and very moving. There are 49 names of the memorial and now the authors have discovered more names to complete the list.

We will remember them.

Thorpe St Andrew War 1939-45 The War Memorial costs £9 and is on sale at the City Bookshop, Davey Place, Norwich, or from dale.wiseman@ntlworld.com and from johnb1912@btinternet.com