Amazing Stories of Friendship
The extraordinary story of a mystery Second World War soldier featured in our photographic exhibition Stories of Friendship has emerged after YOUMANTY made an appeal in the Hounslow Chronicle.
Lance Corporal Aubrey Futerill (photo n. one), formerly of Wellington Road South, Hounslow, survived the Dunkirk evacuations despite three ships being torpedoed by the Nazi as he was on board waiting to depart. He went on to take part in the D Day landings, before serving in Italy towards the end of the conflict. The late builder appears in a new exhibition documenting the bonds forged between Allied troops and locals during the Italian Campaign towards the end of the conflict.
Roland Howley responded to our appeal after spotting Lance Corporal Aubrey Futerill among the soldiers featured in our photographic gallery. 60-year-old Roland Howley who grew up in Hounslow described Mr Futerill as the 'salt of the earth' and one of the best friends he had ever had.
"Aubrey was at Dunkirk and on the D Day landings and every year when those two anniversaries come round I think fondly of him and mention it to my son who is now 13," he said. "Unfortunately I cannot tell you anything about his time in Italy although I remember him mentioning it. But while at Dunkirk he had three ships blown up with him on board waiting to depart. Eventually he made it back."
In a neat twist, given our exhibition's focus on friendships that formed from the ashes of war, Mr Howley's father, Kurt Schumacher (a relation of the infamous German goalkeeper Toni Schumacher), got to know Mr Futerill after coming to the UK as a German POW aged only 19. They struck up a friendship after meeting in the early 1960s. Mr Howley said Mr Futerill was a keen Brentford fan and they would often attend games together at Griffin Park and Craven Cottage.
"The last time I saw Aubrey was at my sister's Wedding in 1979. He spent a lot of time discussing the war years and football with my German relatives and friends," said Mr Howley. "He died shortly after of a heart attack but to this day I miss the discussions we used to have about football, boxing, politics and various other subjects."
Do you know any of the other brave soldiers featured in the gallery below?
If so, please email us at one@youmanity.today
