 |
Travelling Companions
In 1947, a de-mob happy Mervyn Morgan decided to travel to Africa. Never mind the animals or scenery, it was his companions who became the significant factors!
The adventure began with Mervyn being fleeced by a tour organiser, who also expected him to drive the bus! On arrival in Algiers, the trip ground to a halt - the French authorites, tired of rescuing tourists from the Sahara, were demanding £50 per head surety for the travellers. The ruthless organiser had had no intention of paying up. Tempers flared and in a scuffle, Mervyn found himself being throttled by the organiser. One of his friends from the group tried to help with a well-aimed kick. She missed, and Mervyn was on the receiving end.
Undeterred, Mervyn met an Irish family planning to cross the Sahara, and offered to drive. The overladen truck got stuck in the sand, they were nearly ambushed by Taureg warriors, and after the engine gave out, they were towed into Karno in Nigeria. Mervyn repaired the engine but the Irish family drove off and left Mervyn broke and desperate.
Luckily Mervyn bumped into his friends from Algiers, and the woman who'd aimed the kick, and he set off to Stanleyville with them. The adventure was to end with a further cruel twist. Mervyn had procured a new tyre for the truck, and the woman questioned whether it was safe to use. Later, the tyre blew, the truck went down an escarpment and the woman was killed.
Mervyn's trip ended in hospital, and he's never seen the family since. The woman who was killed had a daughter, Anne Fiske(see photos) who Mervyn has tried to trace over the years. He hasn't succeeded yet, but still hopes the time will come.
Tell us your stories in the
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Truths message boards
Ìý
|
|
