Figure 1.--

We couldn't bear to part with our family dog--our Paddy . Dad took the photograph on the previous page of our family on Christmas Day 1963. Notice Paddy. My brothers and I were spending the holiday with our parents, having flown over from our boarding school in East Anglia. It's interesting because it shows an English family living in West Germany with their pet dog. My father was based at an RAF base and we are pictured outside our married quarters. In spite of Paddy having to face 6 months in quarantine on our return to England, we still felt it important to have him with us. Many British families felt likewise. The other interesting point is that my younger brothers are in their school uniform, even on Christmas Day. We were expected to dress smartky on important days and our school uniform was used for our dress up clothing. We did have some liesure clothing. Here is another photo dad took of our family and the dog a few months later, still in Germany, and my brothers, aged 12 and 14, now seem to have been given some leisure clothing! And ofcourse Paddy is right there with us.

Brining Paddy with Us

We couldn't bear to part with our family dog--our Paddy. In spite of Paddy having to face 6 months in quarantine on our return to England, we still felt it important to have Paddy with us. Many British families felt likewise.

Clothing

Dad took the photograph on the previous page of our family on Christmas Day 1963. Notice Paddy. My brothers and I were spending the holiday with our parents, having flown over from our boarding school in East Anglia. It's interesting because it shows an English family living in West Germany with their pet dog. My father was based at an RAF base and we are pictured outside our married quarters. The other interesting point is that my younger brothers are in their school uniform, even on Christmas Day. We were expected to dress smartky on important days and our school uniform was used for our dress up clothing. We did have some liesure clothing. Here is another photo dad took of our family and the dog a few months later, still in Germany, and my brothers, aged 12 and 14, now seem to have been given some leisure clothing (figure 1)! And ofcourse Paddy is right there with us.

Paddy

Paddy despite her name was a female Irish Terrier. She had an absolutely wonderful disposition--the sweetest dog in the world. Funny thing about Paddy, She had the ability to distinguish German callers at our front door from English ones. She'd bark like crazy at the Germans but would wag her tail at the English. This may have been because German callers tended to carrying something, like tools to fix something or produce to sell to us, whereas the most an English caller was likely to bear was a bottle of beer! She of course added to the welcome when we arrived home from our boarding schools.

Paddy and I

I was going through the awkward teenage years and she was my best friend, or that's what I sometimes thought at the time. I took her for long, long walks and told her my woes. The tribulations of being a teenager!Almost the worst thing about leaving our house in Germany to go back to boarding school was the sight of her sad little face watching from my bedroom window as we drove off in the car to the airport.

Paddy's Death

Sadly Paddy never had to face the ordeal of returning to England. She died there in 1964, with a disease of the liver. We were heartbroken.