It was always a nightmare for the German generals’ war plans: having to fight a war in both the West (against France, Britain etc.) and in the East (Russia). Once in that situation, Germany was always going to lose as it lacked both the resources and the stamina to win both simultaneously — although they gave it a good old college try in WWI, and might actually have succeeded had they not been shackled to the hopeless and hapless Austro-Hungarians, and pissed off the Americans.
But I’m not here to talk about history. What gave rise to the above is this little snippet:
A bigamist former soldier’s double life was exposed when his daughter from one of his marriages messaged his second wife on Facebook asking what her connection to him was.
Jason Hayter, 48, had five children with his two wives and lived with one family in Germany, where he was stationed with the Army, and visited the other in the UK.
Neither woman knew about the other as he explained his lengthy absences on being away with the Army and, after he left, training as a paramedic, or on mental health problems.
Mental health problems? Speaking as one who has raised only one family (okay, maybe two, but in series rather than in parallel), I can quite imagine that having to deal simultaneously with two wives, each with children, would drive any man around the bend — especially when secrecy has to be maintained.
I can see the attraction of having a wife and family and a mistress, provided that she’s French (like Mitterrand’s Anne Pingeot) and understands the rules — FFS, his wife and mistress not only both attended his funeral but stood side by side at his graveside.
That, I can understand. But to actually marry two women in parallel?
Our buddy the bigamist has been sentenced to seven years in jail — a blessed relief for him, to be sure — and I bet he’ll be the only prisoner in history to argue against his own parole. Anything to get away from Wife Squared. (And it is indeed squared, not doubled, as any man with experience will testify.)
Sounds like _The Captain’s Paradise_ (Alec Guinness movie), only without the happy ending.
Just had to ask, was that…any man with “ex”-perience?
My grandfather was on a ship where a senior crew member had families at both ends (UK/Oz).
More easily done back then, I think. No Facebook, for one thing.
Remember the Navy toast: To wives and lovers, may they never meet.