I know i post a lot, but please, is there anyone with a story, of a relative or person, either from any ww1-2, or even a recent conflict they would like to share with us all, i would be pleased to know, have you a relative, or person you know of thats name is on your local war memorial, my fathers oldest brothers name is on my village war memorial, he was killed on the 26th april 1945 in italy, crossing the po river, he was in the queens regiment, (west surrey), please share any other personnal memories or stories or tributes, thank you
At This Time Of Rememberence Has Anyone Any One In Their Family, Or Story They Wish To Share?
- Thread starter bluebell
- Start date
- Location
- Hereford
We went to a fairly local pub yesterday fora spot of lunch . The Landlord ,a war veteran, had to have his left leg amputated last yr . His aim and ambition was to make it to this yrs armistice gathering in Hereford on Sat .
He cheerfully told us that he is going ....but not only going but has Honour of performing 'The Last Post' on his bugle. .......and he is determined to stand up while he does it!!
He cheerfully told us that he is going ....but not only going but has Honour of performing 'The Last Post' on his bugle. .......and he is determined to stand up while he does it!!
- Location
- Limousin/Charentes toad land
My grandad (dads dad), was in the trenches when the Christmas Eve “football match” took place. Which of course wasn’t a football match at all but an unofficial get together, mingling, sharing… and there was a ball.
He recorded an interview on radio 4 about it in the early 80’s
He recorded an interview on radio 4 about it in the early 80’s
- Location
- fakenham-norfolk
Number 1 son is currently somewhere in one of His Majesty's Submarines.
To my knowledge no one in our family died in any of the wars but my great grandfather very nearly did.
We don't know what happened. My dad said he would never talk about the war. But he was really badly wounded towards the end of ww1. He was in a Belgian hospital for a year after the war ended as he wasn't well enough to come home. He lived with shrapnel in his knee for the rest of his life till he died in his 80s of old age.
In 1920 he bought the farm we are still farming now where my parents still live. Buying a farm then would have been a bold move but I suppose he hasn't much to lose back then having been so near death for so long. 3 years in the trenches and then hospital for a year.
I never met him but have a lot to be thankful for that the tough bugger survived all that. We don't know how easy we have it.
We don't know what happened. My dad said he would never talk about the war. But he was really badly wounded towards the end of ww1. He was in a Belgian hospital for a year after the war ended as he wasn't well enough to come home. He lived with shrapnel in his knee for the rest of his life till he died in his 80s of old age.
In 1920 he bought the farm we are still farming now where my parents still live. Buying a farm then would have been a bold move but I suppose he hasn't much to lose back then having been so near death for so long. 3 years in the trenches and then hospital for a year.
I never met him but have a lot to be thankful for that the tough bugger survived all that. We don't know how easy we have it.
Red Fred
Member
- Location
- Hants/Dorset border
Uncle Hubert fought through the First War with a trench mortar battery, but decided to do a "Blackadder" at the end of 1917 and join the RFC. His training took several months but he arrived as a new Observer/Air gunner with 20 Squadron, who were flying Bristol Fighters, on 24th September, 1918. On 5th October, he attended a concert at 205 Squadron (I found the programme in his papers) and on the 6th October he and his pilot, 20 year old 2nd Lt. McHardy, were shot down and crash landed. They were behind German lines but the advancing Army found them after their families had been sent "missing in action" telegrams. Uncle had a leg wound which sent him to hospital in Chartres, and he ended the war back in the military hospital at Tidworth.
Mc Hardy was uninjured and flew again with a new Observer, 2nd Lt Rodger, but at 11.30am on 10th November, they were surprised by a flight of Fokker DVIIs and shot down less than a day before the Armistice. It is thought they were the last RAF airmen killed in action in the Great War.
Uncle was called up again in 1939 and helped set up the RAF Bomb Disposal service serving until 1947.
Mc Hardy was uninjured and flew again with a new Observer, 2nd Lt Rodger, but at 11.30am on 10th November, they were surprised by a flight of Fokker DVIIs and shot down less than a day before the Armistice. It is thought they were the last RAF airmen killed in action in the Great War.
Uncle was called up again in 1939 and helped set up the RAF Bomb Disposal service serving until 1947.
Jasper
Member
Next time you see him or speak to him tell him thanks
- Location
- sw scotland
Lost a great uncle in WW1. Another survived 3 years with some shrapnel wounds.
Have spoken to various veterans of WW2, all dead now. Siege of Monte Cristo, another who was captured after the raid on St Nazaire, another who fought at Dunkirk where some of his regiment were captured and shot and a fascinating man who volunteered to be a glider pilot. Still woke up hearing machine guns 60 years later.
Easy to forget that these were all young men doing the fighting.
Have spoken to various veterans of WW2, all dead now. Siege of Monte Cristo, another who was captured after the raid on St Nazaire, another who fought at Dunkirk where some of his regiment were captured and shot and a fascinating man who volunteered to be a glider pilot. Still woke up hearing machine guns 60 years later.
Easy to forget that these were all young men doing the fighting.
- Location
- South Pennines ol14
There was a little old chap when we were kids , he was a builder and walked with a stoop, being kids we would have daft names for the old feller
Anyway one Remembrance Sunday in the village church , the local lord of the manor and others who had served stood with chests full of medals, the old builder stood quietly at the back a tear falling from his eye
Later on my dad told me “ old Jimmy served with the Chindits and is a far braver man than all those decorated officers in the church”
I remember Jimmy fondly he was a lovely man who never had a bad word for anyone.
Another was my uncle on dads side , he served in the merchant navy on the Atlantic convoys, later he worked for the railways until retirement, losing the railway cottage he moved to a council flat when on his death my dad was sorting the estate, all dad wanted was his brother’s convoy medals but unfortunately my cousin had pawned them for beer tokens !
Anyway one Remembrance Sunday in the village church , the local lord of the manor and others who had served stood with chests full of medals, the old builder stood quietly at the back a tear falling from his eye
Later on my dad told me “ old Jimmy served with the Chindits and is a far braver man than all those decorated officers in the church”
I remember Jimmy fondly he was a lovely man who never had a bad word for anyone.
Another was my uncle on dads side , he served in the merchant navy on the Atlantic convoys, later he worked for the railways until retirement, losing the railway cottage he moved to a council flat when on his death my dad was sorting the estate, all dad wanted was his brother’s convoy medals but unfortunately my cousin had pawned them for beer tokens !
Red Fred
Member
- Location
- Hants/Dorset border
A large number of young men must have lost their lives on our farms during the war in aircraft crashes. Sgt. Kyselo, a Czech pilot, lost his life here in early 1941 when his Hurricane dived in out of control.
Sub Lt Smith of the Fleet Air Arm landed his Hurricane in the meadow in July 1940 after he suffered engine failure. He survived and walked up to the cottage for a drink. He went missing three weeks later while patrolling off the Isle of Wight.
Sub Lt Smith of the Fleet Air Arm landed his Hurricane in the meadow in July 1940 after he suffered engine failure. He survived and walked up to the cottage for a drink. He went missing three weeks later while patrolling off the Isle of Wight.
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There is, a film called "the best years of our lives", a american film made in 1945, about 3 returning servicemen returning to their home town and having to reajust to civilian life, very good film in my opinion, one of the "actors" has no hands, but steel hooks, he lost his hands in real life, i remember many years ago seeing a photo, at the film acadamy awards in americia, of that actor and douglas bader, together, but cant find that picture now, has anyone else seen the film?
renewablejohn
Member
- Location
- lancs
My grandad was a survivor of both Paschindale and the Somme and highly critical of the higher ranks putting troops through the meat grinder taking no notice whatsoever of what was actually happening on the ground. He always refused to wear a red poppy as he said it was a means by which the General who set it up could remove his guilt for the thousands of lives he killed unnecessarily. He lived into his nineties but carried shrapnel with him all his life being to near to major organs to operate.
Father in law was a chief air mechanic on aircraft carriers and was at the British aircraft carrier signing of the Japanese surrender. He then had the task of collecting our boys from the Japenese POW camps which they where going to fly back from the carriers but what they found was so shocking the flights where cancelled and instead they returned the long route via sea allowing time to put some flesh back on the bones.
In memory of my Grandad we only do Blue poppies here as his horses from his farm where taken for the war.
Father in law was a chief air mechanic on aircraft carriers and was at the British aircraft carrier signing of the Japanese surrender. He then had the task of collecting our boys from the Japenese POW camps which they where going to fly back from the carriers but what they found was so shocking the flights where cancelled and instead they returned the long route via sea allowing time to put some flesh back on the bones.
In memory of my Grandad we only do Blue poppies here as his horses from his farm where taken for the war.
Dad says there was an old boy who was in the first war used to come shooting here and said a lot of officers were shot in the back from behind by their own men as they tried to send them over on a suicide mission so that they could make a name for themselves.
- Location
- Hertfordshire /London
My Grandads brother .Shot during The Battle of Arnhem - the vanguard for operation market garden
- Location
- DD9.
Mums uncle served in far east in ww2. He died when I was quite young, but remember asking what was wrong him as he was a very thin man with a strange voice, he’d been a Japanese POW.
Lazy Sod
Member
- Location
- Warminster Wiltshire
One of my father's older brothers, my uncle Wyndham, was born in 1894 and emigrated to Canada. He was called up by the Canadian military and sent to France, but was badly injured and died from his wounds. He died in 1917. His name is on the Horningsham war memorial.
In 2017, my younger son organised a trip with a few friends to the war graves in France. I was going to go and having renewed my long expired passport, Mrs LS was ill and I couldn't go. My lad found the grave.
In 2017, my younger son organised a trip with a few friends to the war graves in France. I was going to go and having renewed my long expired passport, Mrs LS was ill and I couldn't go. My lad found the grave.
- Location
- S E Glos
My mum's uncle was drafted when 21 and went into the Navy (WW2). After basic training he went out on first sailing, ship was torpedoed by a U boat near the Azores, with loss of nearly all hands. His mother never got over it.
Mum's dad died in a mental hospital in his mid 50s, he had been committed by his wife after a long difficult life together, after he returned from fighting the Japanese. I had a job persuading Mum that what he likely saw would have been enough to break anyone's mind.
Mum's dad died in a mental hospital in his mid 50s, he had been committed by his wife after a long difficult life together, after he returned from fighting the Japanese. I had a job persuading Mum that what he likely saw would have been enough to break anyone's mind.
Red Fred
Member
- Location
- Hants/Dorset border
Our family doctor in Ringwood in the 1960s was an ex-POW who had been captured by the Japanese. I remember he came up in the conversation one day when Auntie asked why he was a bit different (not in a nasty way, he was very kind and caring) and mum just said "He was captured by the Japanese in the war, it meant he couldn't have children of his own...." I've never forgotten it and it explained dad's feelings towards them
Swarfmonkey
Member
- Location
- Hampshire
I've got a few stories about various relatives, but there's one that always stands out to me due to the sheer irony of it - he wasn't killed by the enemy, he was killed by an ally. One of my great uncles on mum's side of the family was a career soldier serving in the Royal Artillery. Subsequent to the surrender of Hong Kong he ended up a POW. Almost a year later he along with 1800 or so other POWs were being shipped from one camp to another when the vessel (Lisbon Maru) was torpedoed by a US Navy sub*. He was one of the 800 or so that didn't make it out.
*I don't blame the yanks for this. The japs never marked up prisoner transport vessels as such.
*I don't blame the yanks for this. The japs never marked up prisoner transport vessels as such.
2wheels
Member
- Location
- aberdeenshire
my sister's late hubby's father was shot down in a lancaster on a raid to hamburg, he was either the tail or mid upper gunner. only the pilot got out.