Gill's first trip to Germany was as part of a group in a two-week exchange while she was at school and taking German 'O' level, probably in about 1959. Inge Schomm lived in Frankfurt-am-Main and was the same age as Gill. She had one brother, older than her and at university, and the family lived in a second floor flat not far from the centre. For Gill, the highlight of the visit was when the Frau Schomm and Inge took her on a river cruise on the Rhine, starting from Koblenz.
Inge became a good friend and came to stay at Cranham the following year. She also came to our wedding in 1966, after which Gill lost contact with her.
Gill returned to Germany in 1961 when she was in her lower sixth year, to Hadamar in Hesse, to stay with the Bremer family in the house they had built on a hill overlooking the town. Doktor Bremer was a surgeon, in charge of the Hadamar hospital. Dokter and Frau Bremer had five sons of whom Bernard was a year older and Norbert was a year younger than Gill.
The two oldest brothers worked on the family vineyard in Zell on the Mosel, the next two were training to be doctors, and Norbert was still at school.
Gill returned at the end of her first year at university, in 1963, when she had to spend a certain time in Germany as part of her degree requirement. In return for her board and lodging, Gill helped Frau Bremer in the house, though she didn't have to work particularly hard. During this visit the family took Gill into northern France touring the German graveyards.
Three of the brothers later visited Cranham, Norbert staying with the family for some days.
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