An Update from OH Patrick Musters on his Journey to the Ukrainian border to Deliver Vital Aid
The Club has been following OH Patrick Musters (St. 65-70) on his journey to the Ukrainian border to deliver vital aid, including generators.
Patrick sent us this blog about how the trip has been progressing:
“After a slight delay at Dutch customs at Hook of Holland 1st thing was my detailed manifest/ inventory with numbering corresponding to box and bag numbers saved so much time and convinced them there was no contraband [ really an essential tip for anyone else thinking of doing a “ run” ]
I was soon on my way. Sunday mornings on Dutch Motorways is a joy. They are empty! After approx an hour I crossed into Germany at Venlo- no border check because there is no border. Hgv’s are not allowed on German Autobahns on a Sunday daytime. so quickly through the industrial Ruhr.
Duisburg, Essen, Düsseldorf &Dortmund reading more like a Bundesligue(?) fixture list Then past signage to towns where my father had been stationed in the army whilst I was at Allhallows- Bielefeld Paderborn, Detmold an area now SMOTHERED with wind turbines as far as the eye can see. Literally 100s upon 100s UPON 100s of them
Signs to Mohnesee, the vast lake —- and damn made famous for being breached by the Dambusters - the dam still bore the scar of the breach when I visited as 15 yr old.
Around Kassel and onto old East Germany Leipzig and Dresden - and signage to Colditz !! Now renovated and restored as magnificent 1000-room Schloss. Well worth a visit No time to stop it will soon be past 6-00 pm and HGVs in their thousands will roll out in convoys like slow-moving convoys. ! Across the border with Poland at Gorditz in the dark. The last push of 100 miles to Wroclaw. Hot shower hot soup but an ice cold G n T(!) and bed.
Delighted to say that during the day I received a further 3 donations from OHs today. 1 to my Just Giving page and 2 directly to my Ukraine account. So thank you, thank you, thank you to all OHs not only for this trip but also for the previous 6 trips. I would estimate that together with the trip I did with Richard Anderson, in May ‘22, WELL over 100 OHs ( many of whom never knew me at school) have contributed to the cause. Many more than once. Great great effort. Thank you
With the money I have received, I shall be buying further supplies whilst I am at Medyka based upon bang-up-to-date requests for what is needed. On the front line.
710 miles from this morning’s ferry.
Only 330 MILES to go tomorrow !!
Question. ? Why are Male adult nappies / incontinent pants in such high demand on the front line. ?? Because the troops don’t have to risk stepping out of their foxholes when the need arises when Russian drones are overhead. Hence I took 120 nappies.
You can still support this incredible cause here.
Thank you again for your support.