Sad to see Ukraine as I saw former Yugoslavia

HAVING been born on November 30, 1945, thereafter I always referred to the fact I was born after the war: Second World War being understood.

No way did I believe there would be another war in Europe, that is, until the reality of that of the former Yugoslavia hit me with something of a sledge hammer and I hope that on reading on you may well sympathise. But now, of course, others who have visited Ukraine may be of similar bewildered disposition. So frightening, but what next? In 1971, as a student, I ventured to Athens by rail during summer holidays. Setting out on a Friday evening by ferry I arrived in Ostend at six the following morning and boarded a train for Munich, arriving there late evening after travelling along the very scenic route of the Rhine Valley. This was to be the only change of train.

That evening the train took me through Austria, though the beauty of Salzburg was denied me as it was still dark when passing through. The next day however, Sunday, was most memorable, as the former Yugoslavia was witnessed: passing through such cities as Zagreb, Belgrade and Skopje. Indeed, on occasions, we passed large engine sheds where steam power was the order of the day. And I shall never forget Belgrade as it was a hot sunny day and the buildings glared with such a whiteness as to impair vision.

On the Monday, having passed through Macedonia, I arrived at Athens at 4.15pm; would you believe, right on time. No way would I have ever imagined that looking back on this experience would I have ever conceived I would witness on screen such a devastation of Yugoslavia that we are witnessing in the Ukraine.

David Abbott, Stoke Golding