From: amheater@BYE.SAILORcogeco.ca   
      
   All the chat about the movies, in particular the war movies, made me think   
   of something I learned regarding a first cousin of my mother's.  As some of   
   you may know, I'm heavily into genealogy.  About 4 years ago I made contact   
   with two 2nd cousins who live in England (Gloucestershire & Yorkshire).   
   Carol & Sue are first cousins to each other.  Anyway, it turns out Carol's   
   father was a Major Issac John BROWN, who usually used his middle name John.   
   Most called him Jack though.  Well, it seems Jack liked to tinker with   
   electronic equipment, long before anyone called it such ... like back in the   
   1920s-30s.  His father (my maternal grandmother's bother) had been a civil   
   engineer, who travelled to India, Egypt etc, mainly working on the   
   construction of bidges.  He had also been in the military, but became a   
   civil engineer after that.  Anyway .. WWll came calling, so Jack BROWN   
   signed up with the Royal Signal Corps, then was transferred to the SOE,   
   designing communications equipment.  He ended up being one of those who   
   created the well known and well used (by the SOE agents), 'suitcase radios'   
   .. he personally created the B2.  Jack was well known for his inventive   
   ideas and creations within this field.  After the war, still obsessed with   
   electronics, he set up his own company and later in 1954 obtained factory   
   premises in Ockendon Essex, where he continued until his death in January   
   1993.  From what I understand, the company continues to this day, although I   
   don't think it is still within the family. [I've never asked, to be honest.]   
      
   I was quite amazed to learn all of this.  Knew many of Mum's cousins had   
   served during the War, and knew some had distinguished careers (in the UK),   
   but had no idea about what Jack had actually done.  Assume my Mum didn't   
   either!   
   [Found an interesting & well known in the UK, 2C1R for Kipper too!  He's not   
   convinced about Graham!  There is absolutly no doubt ... they are related.]   
      
   Wish an old friend of our's had been still alive, when I heard about Jack.   
   Les been an SOE agent who had been dropped behind enemy lines.  What stories   
   he had to tell !!  ... only when he was in his cups though  ... he wouldn't   
   talk about any of it when sober  ... and he didn't open up to very many even   
   when drunk.  Now I'm wondering if Les ever knew/met/or heard of my 1C1R (1st   
   cousin, 1ce removed).   
      
   wrcn   
   ... every good girl loves a sailor ...   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)