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Linda Nelson鈥檚 Story

The journey her father-in-law made back to York with only a penny platform ticket

Linda Nelson鈥檚 father-in-law, Doug Nelson, was born in Ontario, Canada in 1926 and joined the RAF in 1942.

In July of that year, Doug was posted to RAF East Moor, a royal air force station based in North Yorkshire.

Whilst on post he met Peggy who lived in Acomb with her parents. They got together before Doug was posted to RAF Leeming.

Whn Doug鈥檚 plane crashed in France he was captured after enemy forces mistook him for a spy due to his civilian clothing. From then until the end of the war Doug was made a prisoner of war and was sent to two different camps until the war ended.

On VE Day he was repatriated to Bournemouth on the south coast of England by US Forces before having to venture back to York with only use of a 1 penny platform ticket.

He was reunited with Peggy and asked her to marry him. Two weeks later they married at St Stevens Church in Acomb.

Doug returned to Canada and waited for Peggy. She later joined him in Canada where they started a life together.

They had two children and returned to live in England in 1955.

Image: Doug Nelson and Peggy on their marriage day

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3 minutes

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