For Love of Country: Military Policewoman www.silvaredigonda.ca and Amazon

At first, I normally patrolled with Luke. He had blond hair and blue eyes and I found him absolutely beautiful. We got along well and I enjoyed being in his company, on or off duty. It would not be long before I was approached by another Dutch policeman who informed me Luke was engaged to be married and that he was hands off. I was surprised. We had never done anything inappropriate. Neither did he tell me he was engaged. I was attracted to Luke; he softened me. When he left the Sinai and I saw him and his team off, he had tears in his eyes as he said goodbye to me. He could barely look at me. I hope that whoever that woman was that he was engaged to would be good to him. Given other circumstances I knew that we could have been happy together, but I would never dream of leaving my country.

Our Canadian Colonel was always a gentleman, not at all like someone under his command. The Colonel commented quite casually to me one day that I would not be happy in Holland if I was to marry a Dutchman. I was surprised that he thought I was thinking of marrying period, or even considering leaving the military. I assured him that it would not happen. I don’t think he quite believed it because he continued that he was of Dutch descent and knew the differences between the cultures. One of our Canadian women did get engaged to one of the Dutch support soldiers. He left the forces to marry her and she subsequently changed her mind. I felt sorry for him giving up his career. I was in our bar when one of the Canadian soldiers approached me and said he wanted to introduce me to someone. He gave me an invitation card to attend some Officers’ Ball. I reminded him that I was not an officer and he knew I could not attend the ball. I also told him I was not interested in the man he was pointing me to. He pleaded that I at least talk to him. I couldn’t believe it, but I obliged him because I was feeling sorry for him. I sat with the officer who could barely speak English. He was from one of the South American countries. He was also very handsome, but that was not rarity for me. I explained tactfully that in the Canadian military, officers and non-commissioned were not allowed to fraternize. He said he did not care and of course I said otherwise. I thanked him again politely and returned to the Canadian soldier. “Don’t ever pull a stunt like that again,” I warned him. The soldier went to the officer and they both seemed deep in conversation. That was that. I normally stayed in my own pub and sometimes in the Dutch club when they had functions. A few times a bunch of us would tour the other pubs, but I preferred my own. One evening I was arguing with an American about what plane we had hanging on our wall. I automatically lost when he informed me that he knew what they were because he flew them.” Excerpt From: Silva Redigonda. “For love of country : military policewoman.