Found by family members in a wallet of Derrick Bowers, we were asked to attempt to identify the gentleman; we now know who this gentleman was. Geoff Patton told us: ”This looks like my dad Norman Patton, he was very much a good friend of Derrick Bowers up to his death over 30 years ago.” This is further confirmed by Norman Patton (Geoff’s older brother): ’My younger brother; Geoff is quite right. My parents Betty and Norman Patton became close friends with Derek around 1965 and apart from their common love of gardening, they used to go off in a caravan in the summer and travelled throughout the United kingdom. When my father died in 1980 Derrick continued to be a close friend of my Mum and they continued with their travels to Malta, Germany, Belgium, and Northern Ireland where my wife, Margaret and I were serving in the army. I suspect that Margaret and I were the last of our family to speak to Derrick before he died. My abiding memory was of him telling us that he had had a wonderful life. You could say that Derrick was “one of the family”.’
Image courtesy of Keith Bowers and many thanks to Geoff Patton and Norman Patton for the identification and wonderful description.
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