Loritz

TENBY Alec's stories - too many to recite. One stuck. A Dane, Loritz one of 11 children, sent to Kew Gardens, from Denmark to learn
a trade in, I would imagine, about 1925. It was felt, given the difficulties of growing up in a big family, that he would have a better life
if sent abroad. Gets a job in Tenby after a posting from Kew and gets to know granddad. Settles in Tenby and knows granddad so well that Uncle Tommy's middle name is Loritz. Now we know.

Some time before World War Two Loritz returns to Denmark, married, and settles. Only for war to break out and of course, as someone fluent in English, is regarded with suspicion. For the entire war, the Germans posted a sentry outside his home.
There was always someone present. The stress, immense, was too much. Loritz's wife died of a heart attack.

The Germans banned everyone from attending the funeral, apart from Loritz. The whole town, however, followed the funeral procession to the churchyard. The Germans sat on the coffin in the back of the hearse and puffed on cigarettes.
The coffin was taken into the cemetery. Loritz was allowed in. The Germans prevented anyone else entering.

In response, everyone threw their flowers over the Germans, over the wall, into the cemetery.