Ernie Searling, 99 from Bushey, Hertfordshire, has been chosen as the face of a new Armed Forces publication – Left Right Left.
Left Right Left is a new military memories supplement inside of established title, Pathfinder International, which caters for service personnel leaving the forces in what is classed as their “resettlement period”.
Left Right Left will feature a theme each issue, with social media users encouraged to send in their memories connected to that individual theme. The theme for the first supplement edition was “my first day in the forces” and 99-year old former Royal Marine Sergeant, Ernie, recalls his first days on joining up after World War 2 broke out, continuing into his accounts of life in the Marines.
Pathfinder and Left Right Left editor, Mal Robinson said, “It was a huge honour to have the opportunity to interview Ernie and who else more deserving than Ernie to be the face of the launch for Left Right Left?”
Robinson added, “Speaking to Ernie was akin to a living history lesson, it was a pleasure to be in his company. Some of his stories about not only fighting against the Germans, but also the Japanese, in the same war, were incredible.”
Included in Ernie’s stories, the former Marine told of not being able to see his wife for four years, following marriage in wartime. Ernie stated, “Once we arrived back in Scotland, it dawned on me that I hadn’t seen my fiancé in four years… as I came down the steps she came rushing up and grabbed hold of me and said “we’re going to get married now”… we had the Parson come along and he told a few funny stories about me, he said what a flirt I was in the Parish and this had them all laughing and then, well then… we carried on with the war again.”
Read Ernie’s story for free at www.pathfinderinternational.co.uk from Monday 11th September.
For a taster video please see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFV2N_G6GXE