My beloved Father Cprl Robert Walter Harris was a member of 2 Para until December 1969/January 1970. He fought alongside Wally at Plamman Mapu, Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru to name but a few places. He has often talked (as much as is allowed) about his antics whilst in Malaya, Borneo and other places, like the night they all decided to conduct a seance and the glass shot off the rough-hewn makeshift table, and smashed to smithereens against the wall! He said "you have never seen so many ar*es go out of windows and doors so fast in all your life!" He still talks of Waĺly with great fondness, and profound sadness, and on their dining room dresser my parents have the most wonderful picture of my Father and Wally leaning against a tree, wearing sarongs and flip flops. When he left 2 Para my Dad joined the London Fire Brigade and was London fireman for the first 26 years of my life, as I was born in January 1971. He is mine and my brothers absolute hero, but to tell the truth because of all the incredible stories he tells, ALL the guys who were in 2 para with our Dad are our heros too. Sadly, Wally was killed when I was 8 and my brother was 1, so we never got to meet him, but he lives on in our hearts and the hearts of our two sons because my Father has made sure he does.
