I hardly knew Bill at all as I was in a different Regiment at a different time.
I first met him and his wife Dorothy when we climbed the big hill together. It was very bad weather and I was really impressed by his sense of fun and he was great company. We also had a really memorable time in the bar that night. He sent me a wonderful poster with a Thank you and a load of compliments. (He was never a good judge) plus a cd full of photos. I knew then that this man was a bit special and I would have been his friend if I had met him in Tonfanau or Timbukfriggintwo.
Years later I heard he was ill... very ill, so I went up to Newcastle from Chester. I took him out to a club which was full of his ex-Army mates and friends. He hadn't been out for months. We also went to a Miners museum the next day. We both had a wonderful day... I remember that he laughed a lot.
He was a great bloke, he was a fusi ..fusili fussill ...one them with white feathers in their berets.
Unfortunately that's all I know... I couldn't make the funeral because of work although I did try everything I could to get there.
God Bless Bill he really was a great guy and I bet he was an even better soldier. Goodnight mate.