A former GI, now living in East Manning Street, Rhode Island,

returned to Bideford to see his ‘English Mother.’

Left to right in the photograph – Mrs Sandra Prouse, Mr John Costa (holding Mrs Prouse’s baby, Robert, Mrs Lilian Bedler, Mrs Connie Shapland, Mr Harry Bedler, Mrs Joan West, Mrs Mary Costa

This is what Mr John Costa calls Mrs Lilian Bedler, of 19 Bowden Green. In 1943 Mr Costa, then 21, was at Handy Cross Camp almost opposite the Bedler home. Mrs Bedler recalled: ‘He was always in and out, more like a son, really.’

Shortly before the birth of her youngest daughter he had asked that the baby should be called Sandra Elizabeth if it was a girl. A girl it was, and last weekend, Mr Costa saw Mrs Sandra Elizabeth Prouse for the first time since he left her kicking in her cradle. Even after 25 years Mr Costa was able to direct the taxi driver straight to the Bedler home and tell him he had taken a wrong turning although ‘houses stand where fields used to be.’

Gazette dated 4 January 1969