Private Peter H Bentley

Peter was a wonderful and unforgettable friend in my youth. We did so many things together, and shared the sort of adventures boys had in those days. There was no doubt about it, we had a great deal in common when it came to imagination, as we acted out out in the Yorkshire countryside, our version of what we saw in film or read in the boys adventure magazines of that period. Publications such as The Rover and Hotspur, we all called them comics, but in reality they were, cover to cover stories, some in serial form. They feature riveting tales of Pirates, Cowboys and Indian’s, fur trappers, Red Indian’s etc. We would try to recreate these in our own way, using our imagination, we became characters we had seen. Peter and I would swap these comics. Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan, was one of our favourite characters in films and Peter had one of the best imitations of Tarzan’s jungle call I have heard. Peter loved anything with a hint of adventure and I know being in the Para’s would suit him entirely. Peter and my brother Eric were master s of divining off the top board at the local baths. Of course the platform wasn’t high enough for them so they gained height by diving from the top of the vertical handrail. There fore I reckon jumping out of a plane would not have been a problem for Peter. We lived out much of our adventure fantasies by spending most of school holidays in Judy Woods and the local rural countryside. We made swings on tree’s, we built platforms, hidden high up in the thick green canopy of beech trees.
Going on long hikes across the Yorkshire moors, was one way of imagining you were on a sort of safari. I feel privileged to have known Peter and I know he would have been a great asset to the Parachute Regiment. He was easy to get along with and enthusiastic in everything he attempted.
We didn’t need drugs or any of that, we created our own high and it was a healthy one. Sadly Peter and I lost touch when we came out of the forces and I and my family emigrated to Australia. Being born in a small West Riding township, where both our antecedents had been associated in some way or another, was no disadvantage, for our forebears set us an example of being hard working and stoic in adversity. I shall always cherish the time I spent with Peter as young lads starting out on the adventure of life,
Peter Brown,
A good friend.