- Location
- S. Staffs
At This Time Of Rememberence Has Anyone Any One In Their Family, Or Story They Wish To Share?
- Thread starter bluebell
- Start date
Swarfmonkey
Member
- Location
- Hampshire
I've already mentioned one of my great uncles who sadly didn't make it, so i'll post up a story about one of the others who did (big family on that side, my nan had six brothers who all served).
One of them was a pilot in the GPR and somehow managed to beat the odds and survive not just D Day but Arnhem and the Rhine Crossing as well. He had one tale (and I do mean just the one, he'd not say owt else about the war) which he used to regale me and my brothers with when when we were kids that during one of the training flights he'd not only landed in completely the wrong place but way too hard and managed, along with his co-pilot, to exit the glider at fairly high velocity through the nose whilst still strapped into their seats. Luckily they'd not hurt themselves much and they'd landed in a field next to where a bunch of land girls were working, who promptly summoned the farmer. The farmer turned up and seeing my uncle and his co-pilot looking a bit shook up ushered them to the farmhouse and offered them a drink, his own home made cider. The farmer then sent one of the land girls off to the village to make a call to get them collected. By the time transport turned up he and his co-pilot were so utterly hammered they could barely climb up into the back of the truck. I think it made a lasting impression upon him because his wife said that if he even caught a whiff of cider after that he'd go rather green around the gills
One of them was a pilot in the GPR and somehow managed to beat the odds and survive not just D Day but Arnhem and the Rhine Crossing as well. He had one tale (and I do mean just the one, he'd not say owt else about the war) which he used to regale me and my brothers with when when we were kids that during one of the training flights he'd not only landed in completely the wrong place but way too hard and managed, along with his co-pilot, to exit the glider at fairly high velocity through the nose whilst still strapped into their seats. Luckily they'd not hurt themselves much and they'd landed in a field next to where a bunch of land girls were working, who promptly summoned the farmer. The farmer turned up and seeing my uncle and his co-pilot looking a bit shook up ushered them to the farmhouse and offered them a drink, his own home made cider. The farmer then sent one of the land girls off to the village to make a call to get them collected. By the time transport turned up he and his co-pilot were so utterly hammered they could barely climb up into the back of the truck. I think it made a lasting impression upon him because his wife said that if he even caught a whiff of cider after that he'd go rather green around the gills
Red Fred
Member
- Location
- Hants/Dorset border
Further to grandad's letter, I looked up his mate Bert Redpath on the CWGC website, and he was 1455 Private Robert John Irvine Redpath, 13th (NSW) Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force. He died on 7th May 1915, and is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli. Grandad was number 1454 so they must have joined up together in Sydney.
- Location
- DD9.
There’s an air museum in local town on the site of first operational airbase in Scotland. Was used as a training school during the wars. I read there that more pilots were killed there in ww2 than during the Battle of Britain. There’s a tidal basin with several aircraft still in it. Pilots from all over the world.
I live about a stone throw away from the camp that is the base for 40 Commando Royal Marines. the village church is very much the church for the base.
About 5 or so years ago my son through his Scout group did a parade and service at the church and I went with him. As you might expect it was packed, serving soldiers, vets, friends and family members and well wishers like me, we listened as the roll call of names was read out, WW1, WW2, Korea, Northern Ireland, Falklands, 1st Gulf War, The Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and some I'm sure that I've forgotten. Until the list is read out you don't quite realise just how busy our forces have been.
Looking around, you could see those old and serving soldiers lost in their private thoughts and memories, many with a tear in their eye as they remembered a friend. it was one of the most emotional experiences I have had.
I will remember them.
About 5 or so years ago my son through his Scout group did a parade and service at the church and I went with him. As you might expect it was packed, serving soldiers, vets, friends and family members and well wishers like me, we listened as the roll call of names was read out, WW1, WW2, Korea, Northern Ireland, Falklands, 1st Gulf War, The Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and some I'm sure that I've forgotten. Until the list is read out you don't quite realise just how busy our forces have been.
Looking around, you could see those old and serving soldiers lost in their private thoughts and memories, many with a tear in their eye as they remembered a friend. it was one of the most emotional experiences I have had.
I will remember them.
One on each side of my family died in Great War. My younger daughter went over 3 years ago on a school trip to the war graves and visited both.
Paternal Grandfather had to deliver milk to Plymouth during the bombing of WW2 and apparently didn't much care for it. Never spoke to me about it and I was too young to ask before he died in 97. Maternal grandfather was in Navy/Fleet Air Arm and just caught the end of Korea. I think he enjoyed it.
After the insanity of Covid 19 I think I can now have a bit more of an understanding of how it felt for the general population when war broke out. Everything changes but life still goes on.
10 years ago I fitted an new boiler for a Spitfire Pilot. He was too young for Battle of Britain but flew in Burma, not sure if during the war or after. He was a right old barsteward! Dead and gone now.
Lots of WW2 crash sites around here. One only 5 miles away. All kids that died apart from the officers.
Paternal Grandfather had to deliver milk to Plymouth during the bombing of WW2 and apparently didn't much care for it. Never spoke to me about it and I was too young to ask before he died in 97. Maternal grandfather was in Navy/Fleet Air Arm and just caught the end of Korea. I think he enjoyed it.
After the insanity of Covid 19 I think I can now have a bit more of an understanding of how it felt for the general population when war broke out. Everything changes but life still goes on.
10 years ago I fitted an new boiler for a Spitfire Pilot. He was too young for Battle of Britain but flew in Burma, not sure if during the war or after. He was a right old barsteward! Dead and gone now.
Lots of WW2 crash sites around here. One only 5 miles away. All kids that died apart from the officers.
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Some sad tales there and thankfully now noted for posterity. There have been family and friends in the past served and anecdotes to share, how thankful we all should be for their service.
An old foreman flew bombers during the second world war, one night his hair turned grey overnight in his twenty first year well white, I only found this out at his funeral RIP Lionel Poxon. A family friend Bill Hall would not have anything made by the Japanese, the Germans bombed him and countless others whilst standing in the sea waiting to get rescued at Dunkirk, later on in the war he was taken prisoner by the Japanese, I know not why or how but they deemed Uncle Bill would be better looking without his ears, RIP Bill Hall.
An old foreman flew bombers during the second world war, one night his hair turned grey overnight in his twenty first year well white, I only found this out at his funeral RIP Lionel Poxon. A family friend Bill Hall would not have anything made by the Japanese, the Germans bombed him and countless others whilst standing in the sea waiting to get rescued at Dunkirk, later on in the war he was taken prisoner by the Japanese, I know not why or how but they deemed Uncle Bill would be better looking without his ears, RIP Bill Hall.
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average farmer
Member
- Location
- North Notts
My Mrs grandad was in the dam buster squadron. Not in the air
great grandad fought in ww1 behind the trenches on a big gun. Never talked about it. Told his sons a few horses were killed and that’s about it .
Bought a farm before ww2 so his sons didn’t have to fight .
Courier
Member
- Location
- M62 - M1 - M18 triangle
My father spent 4 years continuously away from the UK as an RAF “wireless operator” some of that time in Crete and much of it in the Middle East.
Didn’t recount much of what he saw and did other than driving a truck through Cairo with no brakes…..Always said that if there ever was a WW3 then it would start in Palestine (Wouldn’t use the country name Israel).
Plenty of time for regular Jewish folk but couldn’t abide the Zionist element.
He lost a cousin in The Channel shot down after a raid.
Didn’t recount much of what he saw and did other than driving a truck through Cairo with no brakes…..Always said that if there ever was a WW3 then it would start in Palestine (Wouldn’t use the country name Israel).
Plenty of time for regular Jewish folk but couldn’t abide the Zionist element.
He lost a cousin in The Channel shot down after a raid.
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Christoph1945
Member
- Location
- Widnes West Cheshire
My father-in-law joined the RAF before the WWII kickoff and always said that he did so before conscription kicked in and hopefully avoided trench warfare. We still have Noel's dogtags and his uniform ensignia.
My Geography teacher at school fought the Japs in Malaya iirc ,quite often had time off because of Malaria relapses. always had interesting stories, more so than Geography which played second place
Dad employed a part-timer who also fought the Japs whom i remember as being a nice and very unassuming very well mannered Man.
Dad employed a part-timer who also fought the Japs whom i remember as being a nice and very unassuming very well mannered Man.
- Location
- South West
It’s normally the unassuming ones that have the best stories, if they ever tell them.My Geography teacher at school fought the Japs in Malaya iirc ,quite often had time off because of Malaria relapses. always had interesting stories, more so than Geography which played second place
Dad employed a part-timer who also fought the Japs whom i remember as being a nice and very unassuming very well mannered Man.
when I was a kid I remember a very quiet frale old man who used to be in the pub, he always used to give us kids a couple pence. Wasn’t until much much later in life, long after he passed, it came out he was one of the original desert rats / sas.
My (much missed ) Uncle 's main man over the years when he farmer was a Desert Rat. He wouldnt go into detail, but you could tell in conversation with him that is was gruesome for want of better words.A Proud Well respected man.
He Represented via the Royal British Legion https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/ge...Vy-ztCh1tIAOkEAAYASAAEgJqvfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds at the https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2023/fest/#:~:text=The Festival is a commemorative,performances at 2pm and 7pm. in the 70's iirc ..which had us all focusing on the telly at the time.
- Location
- Herefordshire
My Granfather was in the Somme and was one of the seven members from his regiment that survived.He took his hunter to war but it was killed and he was transferred to the Shropshire light infantry,I believe.He never spoke much about his time there probably due to what he witnessed. He also had a deep divot type mark on his forehead as a result of shrapnel.Sadly he died in 1964 from throat cancer ,I was a nipper then but remember him well.He was a character that was always teasing people.
My grandfather's cousin was something to do with the sas during ww2 but we don't know what. He emigrated to America not long after the family found out but not sure if it was the reason. Only found out because he slipped to my grandfather that he had an army reunion in Hereford and it came out.
Met him once when I was about 7 and he was a very nice man. We don't know if he's still alive but he would be over 100 if he is.
- Location
- DD9.
There’s an old warship in Dundee, HMS Unicorn, built in the 1820’s. Dundee was a submarine base in ww2. At the end of the war, there was a German U-boat surrendered in Dundee, officers were taken aboard HMS Unicorn to formally surrender. HMS Unicorn never saw active service as a warship, but at 125 years old accepted the surrender of a state of the art enemy submarine. You’ve to be careful if you visit the ship as all the roofs, doorways etc are very low and easy to bump your head.
According to the footnote, the 2nd German officer had banged his head badly whilst leaving.
According to the footnote, the 2nd German officer had banged his head badly whilst leaving.
- Location
- Bedfordshire
Want to 'like' all these posts.
My maternal great gandfather, who died in the 70s, was a Padre on the Somme. He must have seen some dreadful sights. In WW2 his church in London was bombed but he continued to hold Sunday services in the damaged building. He later was Chaplain at the Tower of London.
My maternal grandfather was captured by the Japanese in Singapore and survived the 'Burma railway'. He was an officer so managed to get out of physical work, but nonetheless had a horrific time. Fighting weight would have been 14 stone and came home weighing 7. He put his survival down to being as clean as possible to try to avoid catching disease. Like many he didn't want to talk about it, but did so in his 80's. My maternal grandparents married before he went off to war, my mother was a honeymoon baby. It was many many months before my grandmother heard from grandfather confirming he knew he was a father.
Like many families we lost a few great and great great uncles in WW1.
My maternal great gandfather, who died in the 70s, was a Padre on the Somme. He must have seen some dreadful sights. In WW2 his church in London was bombed but he continued to hold Sunday services in the damaged building. He later was Chaplain at the Tower of London.
My maternal grandfather was captured by the Japanese in Singapore and survived the 'Burma railway'. He was an officer so managed to get out of physical work, but nonetheless had a horrific time. Fighting weight would have been 14 stone and came home weighing 7. He put his survival down to being as clean as possible to try to avoid catching disease. Like many he didn't want to talk about it, but did so in his 80's. My maternal grandparents married before he went off to war, my mother was a honeymoon baby. It was many many months before my grandmother heard from grandfather confirming he knew he was a father.
Like many families we lost a few great and great great uncles in WW1.
MIL died back in the spring and we found a box while clearing the house, the box belonged to her father - wife's grandad who died 60 years ago, wife wasn't around then and so there are no relatives left who knew him. In the box were some live rounds from a French rifle in a clip - now with the police for disposal along with some other bits of kit, diaries from GALIPOLI to the somme and then on to the end of the war. The diaries, I have found very hard to read as they are detailed and shows the war as it was in all its horrific detail, brings tears to my eyes just reading it. Strangest thing was, I did find - a bundle of postcard/photos to a german soldier posted by the germans brother and mother. Not sure how he came by this as its not mentioned in his diary, i hope he never killed anyone but who knows in the heat and confussion of war. I have been in contact with an historian at a museum that is the same town on the postmark on the photo-postcards and and sent her all the items. She is attempting to trace realitves and pass them on anonymously on our behalf, if she
cannot find realitives she will archive them
in Germany for me, I couldn't bring myself to just throw them away, would have seemed disrespectful. The wife's grandfather won the MM for bravery under fire.
cannot find realitives she will archive them
in Germany for me, I couldn't bring myself to just throw them away, would have seemed disrespectful. The wife's grandfather won the MM for bravery under fire.
HolzKopf
Member
- Location
- Kent&Snuffit
Mrs HK's grandmother's brother patted her on the head and left for war aged just 18. She never saw him again - just the telegram that her parents received some months later to say that he had been killed at Arras in April 1917. Manning a Vickers machine gun, his position was overrun and he died at his post a few days after his nineteenth birthday. Some years ago, pre internet, we went out there and spent a good day and a half trying to find his grave. No one in the family knew where he was buried, the paperwork had been lost. We found it eventually in a small cemetery way off the beaten track, rarely visited but immaculately kept by the CWGC. We went back to a town and bought a small bunch of flowers, laid them on the grave and took a photograph back to Gran - that was the first connection she had had with him since he kissed her goodbye in 1916. Gran died a few years later in her late nineties. We've researched what happened that day, where he was and who fell with him. We go over to France perhaps once or twice a year on a 'wine run' - a day out, early train out, late train back. If we can we'll go back to that cemetery and say hello. He's still 18.
HK
HK