bardicastle
Registered user
Hi luci
if your interested in finding out more about your great uncle use this site
http://www.twgpp.org/index.php
good luck
WW2 YOUR DAD/GRANDFATHER
- Thread starter bardicastle
- Start date
Hi luci
if your interested in finding out more about your great uncle use this site
http://www.twgpp.org/index.php
good luck
FW190
Registered user
No name I'm afraid, if he did tell me I can't remember, I was 16 when he died and was probably thinking about 'Fizzy' expansion chambers and ace bars!
Funny thing is that he spoke French almost fluently, even after years of not using the language! He hated the Belgians wish a passion that had to be witnessed... something to do with poisened water that killed the horses that he looked after. He was a 'carter' by trade (Trucker in modern terms) loved working with horses and after he returned to the front lines he won a competition for best kept team and ended up looking after the Co's horses and driving him around every now and again.
He suffered all his life with the result of his wounds and it's probably what hurried his passing. I looked for his records but most of them were lost in the blitz in 1940.
I've been to the building in Amiens where he recovered, I have a picture of him and his unit outside the town.
bardicastle
Registered user
i really enjoyed reading all your stories so i thought i would resurrect this thread as i'm sure a lot more of you could write something about your ancestors who fought in both world wars, especially as it's coming up to Armistice day
My Dad was born and bred on the Isle of Man. He sailed to liverpool the day after war broke out in Sept 39 and joined the Army in Manchester the next day. He could drive so ended up a driver in the royal corp of signals and went to France as part of the BEF. He was in the retreat to Dunkirk and was taken off on the last day. He was passed out over the heads of his mates because he couldnt swim and he carried all their valuables in his tin hat resting on his chest.
Once back in the UK he was retrained as a dispatch rider and went back to France on D Day and subsequently served in France until Demob in late 1945.
He didnt talk much about it and by the time I was interested enough to ask him he had died. I got most of the above information from his army record which I obtained from the historic records office.
I have done Normandy on my bike in 2004 the 60 anniversary and intended to follow his route thru france into germany. But havnt managed to research that bit of it yet
Regards
Centurion
If the pic does attach my old man is the one sitting on the front of the bike
Once back in the UK he was retrained as a dispatch rider and went back to France on D Day and subsequently served in France until Demob in late 1945.
He didnt talk much about it and by the time I was interested enough to ask him he had died. I got most of the above information from his army record which I obtained from the historic records office.
I have done Normandy on my bike in 2004 the 60 anniversary and intended to follow his route thru france into germany. But havnt managed to research that bit of it yet
Regards
Centurion
If the pic does attach my old man is the one sitting on the front of the bike
Attachments
Ickaboo
Registered user
My Dad
My dad was in the Lincolnshire Regiment, he was wounded by shrapnel in his back on the first day of the D-Day landings. He was looked after by a French farmer and his wife on their kitchen table until he could be taken to a field hospital.
He was given a medal by the French (by the Mayor of a small town) a couple of years before he died in 1996.
He was a Army man before the war broke out and for some years after the war.
He was on guard outside the courtrooms at the Nuremburg Trials after the war.
He was a very good shot and was a bit of a sniper during the war, he also boxed for the Army and one time fought an Italian that went on to be an Italian Champion (don't know at what weight).
He lived his whole life following the war being excepting of all races whatever colour or creed with the exception of the ' bloody Germans' (his words not mine).
My dad was in the Lincolnshire Regiment, he was wounded by shrapnel in his back on the first day of the D-Day landings. He was looked after by a French farmer and his wife on their kitchen table until he could be taken to a field hospital.
He was given a medal by the French (by the Mayor of a small town) a couple of years before he died in 1996.
He was a Army man before the war broke out and for some years after the war.
He was on guard outside the courtrooms at the Nuremburg Trials after the war.
He was a very good shot and was a bit of a sniper during the war, he also boxed for the Army and one time fought an Italian that went on to be an Italian Champion (don't know at what weight).
He lived his whole life following the war being excepting of all races whatever colour or creed with the exception of the ' bloody Germans' (his words not mine).
My Great Uncle
The following is an account written by my Great Uncle L.Cpl James Riddell M.M. Of how he was awarded the M.M. at the battle of Cambrai
In these few pages i will endeavour to set forth as clearly as possible how i won the military Medal at the battle of Cambrai on the 22nd November 1917. The battle opened on 21st November, all preparations were carried out very quickly beforehandb ut the night and morning of the 20th and 21st jerry seemed to have smelled a rat for he put 3 or 4 barrages of shells on our front line and support killing a few and wounding more of our company, he also blew up the cook's dugout with the consequence that we got no breakfast before we made the attack. However we repaid him back in his own coin that morning, we put our barrage on just as dawn was breaking and over we went about an hour afterwards. Our company, which was No1 were in the trenches waiting to go over so we passed the time watching the struggle between the two artilleries. The British guns opened up with almost one report and the sky was turned red with with the exploding shells, it was a pretty sight if one only had been further away. About half an hour after No1 Coy. advanced up to the point where we were to go over, and when we got there and settled a bit a whisle blew behind us and all of a sudden about fifty trench mortar bombs seemed to rise up from nowhere behind us and speed with sly and mocking swiftness toards the German lines, these were the wire cutting missiles. A short time after this we were wished the best of luck and over we went to finish the work which the artillery had so well begun, it was then we got our own back with jerry for destroying our cooking establishment. We did not have much trouble getting into the German lines but when we got there we found that the huns had not had their breakfast, although some were about to begin the feast, these we made prisoners and sent them back to our lines before they had time to eat.
When we got about half way to our objective we were held up by machine gun fire and it was almost two hours before we got the gunners under control, but before we did they succeeded in killing and wounding quite a number of our boys, so we thought we would rush them and just at that moment a couple of shells dropped very near us, a piece of one struck me on the big toe nail, I thought at that time my toe was off but when i looked down i found it hadn't even cut the boot so on we went untilwe captured the gunners and reached our objectives. When we got there we preformed the usual operations, digging in and posting sentries, the remainder walking about and looking for souvenirs etc.
The night passed quietly, hardly even a rifle shot, but the long range guns kept sending over an occasional shell and a great fire started on our left front thus the night passed untilabout 03.30 when we heard we had to advance again at 04.30 so we got our tommy cookers alight and we all emptied our water bottles to have some tea. My section kept their water together but all they had was hardly two pints between seven and then we could hardly get it boiled. However, we put in the tea and drank it warm, ate biscuts and bully after this and a tot of rum, we felt refreshed so we started to move forward just before dawn. our objective was to find out where the enemy was and when we had gone about three kilometres or two miles we soon found out, so there we stopped and got our rifles and lewis guns cleaned and tuned up, this was made easy by the aid of some german shirts which we did not hesitate to use.
This is now where i won the M.M.I had just finished my rifle and had a look at the lewis gun which was cleaned by N0s 1 and 2, the remainder looking after the magazines. Things were going nicely, with the exception of a few german machine guns which were not very far away and kept firing in our direction, making us kep our heads down of course. So long as we were in that trench they could not harm us, only they made us feel far from home.
Just then one of our officers came up to me and said "Cpl Riddell do you think if you took a few men further up the trench you could locate those guns till we get them put out of action?" Off i went with three men and myself until i came to a road, getting behind some bramble bushes i had a good view of the country round about but they were so far away i could not distinguish their uniforms or tell who they were. I then turned about to go another road and was nearly back where i started from when i saw our Intelligence Officer with a prisoner, so he told me which road to go but the men hung back, all but one, so him and i went by ourselves.
Well we advanced about 100 yards or so without meeting or seing anybody untilwe had a look over the top and seing two huns firing a light machine gun we shot one each and went on again but before we did so we had a look round their dugout for souvenirs but found none. we went on further taking a good look over occasionally until i spotted about fifty yards away a gun crew of about 15 men, so i had a shot at their heads from where i was , taking the precaution to duck my own head as soon as i fired. I then told my mate what i saw so we both fired again and ducked, when we looked again we saw the crew were beginning to get a bit confused and evidently their officer sent two men up in our direction. I suppose with the intention of finding the snipers and ending their game by killing them. however they failed to carry out their mission and got killed themselves instead. As soon as i saw what was happening i went to meet them and when i got in a position which suited me i wited for them. the leading hun could not see me till he was about three yards or so from the point of my bayonet but alas for him he was too late i just pressed the trigger and he fell dead. i then rushed over to him to get the other fellow and plugged him just as he was making a run for his life, the road was then clear till i reached the gun and crew. i told the other fellow to come on for when i got the taste of blood i wanted more. However the other boy was not quite so mad and would not come so i went myself. When i had got within ten yards or so of them i too began to study the situation and as i stood there with my rifle on guard and a roud up the spout i wished for a mills bomb or two. There were plenty of jerries bombs lying about but they were no good as they would only frighten the germans away and i wanted to kill them. As i stood there i did not want to go back and i knew if i rushed them by myself they would prove too many for me for there was still about twelve or perhaps more.
Just then my guardian angle sent two men to my relief. these two men had come up behind looking for plunder and souveniers and one of them had the forethought to fetch some bombs,the leader of the two was a tall handsome boy about 20 and Patterson was his name the other was about forty or so his name being Donaghey and he carried the bombs. So from this you will learn that old men are wiser than young ones. As soon as these two men stumbled upon me i asked in a whisper had they any of the longed for bombs. well Patterson and i took a bomb each and threw them at the same time. The bombs hit their mark the gun stopped firing there was a explosion and then; a... well never mind; as the bombs exploded Patterson and i charged with fixed bayonets. we both fired at the escaping huns. Patterson being behind me nearly blew my head off. we both did all the escaping huns in. Talk about the mad moment when you fire fifteen rounds rapid, it would not be in this mad moment when men went mad for life or death. Patterson and i pursued the escaping huns round a few traverses of the trench till we had them all.
From the book A Wheen of medals-The history of the 9th (Service) Bn Thte Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (The Tyrones) in World War One
The following is an account written by my Great Uncle L.Cpl James Riddell M.M. Of how he was awarded the M.M. at the battle of Cambrai
In these few pages i will endeavour to set forth as clearly as possible how i won the military Medal at the battle of Cambrai on the 22nd November 1917. The battle opened on 21st November, all preparations were carried out very quickly beforehandb ut the night and morning of the 20th and 21st jerry seemed to have smelled a rat for he put 3 or 4 barrages of shells on our front line and support killing a few and wounding more of our company, he also blew up the cook's dugout with the consequence that we got no breakfast before we made the attack. However we repaid him back in his own coin that morning, we put our barrage on just as dawn was breaking and over we went about an hour afterwards. Our company, which was No1 were in the trenches waiting to go over so we passed the time watching the struggle between the two artilleries. The British guns opened up with almost one report and the sky was turned red with with the exploding shells, it was a pretty sight if one only had been further away. About half an hour after No1 Coy. advanced up to the point where we were to go over, and when we got there and settled a bit a whisle blew behind us and all of a sudden about fifty trench mortar bombs seemed to rise up from nowhere behind us and speed with sly and mocking swiftness toards the German lines, these were the wire cutting missiles. A short time after this we were wished the best of luck and over we went to finish the work which the artillery had so well begun, it was then we got our own back with jerry for destroying our cooking establishment. We did not have much trouble getting into the German lines but when we got there we found that the huns had not had their breakfast, although some were about to begin the feast, these we made prisoners and sent them back to our lines before they had time to eat.
When we got about half way to our objective we were held up by machine gun fire and it was almost two hours before we got the gunners under control, but before we did they succeeded in killing and wounding quite a number of our boys, so we thought we would rush them and just at that moment a couple of shells dropped very near us, a piece of one struck me on the big toe nail, I thought at that time my toe was off but when i looked down i found it hadn't even cut the boot so on we went untilwe captured the gunners and reached our objectives. When we got there we preformed the usual operations, digging in and posting sentries, the remainder walking about and looking for souvenirs etc.
The night passed quietly, hardly even a rifle shot, but the long range guns kept sending over an occasional shell and a great fire started on our left front thus the night passed untilabout 03.30 when we heard we had to advance again at 04.30 so we got our tommy cookers alight and we all emptied our water bottles to have some tea. My section kept their water together but all they had was hardly two pints between seven and then we could hardly get it boiled. However, we put in the tea and drank it warm, ate biscuts and bully after this and a tot of rum, we felt refreshed so we started to move forward just before dawn. our objective was to find out where the enemy was and when we had gone about three kilometres or two miles we soon found out, so there we stopped and got our rifles and lewis guns cleaned and tuned up, this was made easy by the aid of some german shirts which we did not hesitate to use.
This is now where i won the M.M.I had just finished my rifle and had a look at the lewis gun which was cleaned by N0s 1 and 2, the remainder looking after the magazines. Things were going nicely, with the exception of a few german machine guns which were not very far away and kept firing in our direction, making us kep our heads down of course. So long as we were in that trench they could not harm us, only they made us feel far from home.
Just then one of our officers came up to me and said "Cpl Riddell do you think if you took a few men further up the trench you could locate those guns till we get them put out of action?" Off i went with three men and myself until i came to a road, getting behind some bramble bushes i had a good view of the country round about but they were so far away i could not distinguish their uniforms or tell who they were. I then turned about to go another road and was nearly back where i started from when i saw our Intelligence Officer with a prisoner, so he told me which road to go but the men hung back, all but one, so him and i went by ourselves.
Well we advanced about 100 yards or so without meeting or seing anybody untilwe had a look over the top and seing two huns firing a light machine gun we shot one each and went on again but before we did so we had a look round their dugout for souvenirs but found none. we went on further taking a good look over occasionally until i spotted about fifty yards away a gun crew of about 15 men, so i had a shot at their heads from where i was , taking the precaution to duck my own head as soon as i fired. I then told my mate what i saw so we both fired again and ducked, when we looked again we saw the crew were beginning to get a bit confused and evidently their officer sent two men up in our direction. I suppose with the intention of finding the snipers and ending their game by killing them. however they failed to carry out their mission and got killed themselves instead. As soon as i saw what was happening i went to meet them and when i got in a position which suited me i wited for them. the leading hun could not see me till he was about three yards or so from the point of my bayonet but alas for him he was too late i just pressed the trigger and he fell dead. i then rushed over to him to get the other fellow and plugged him just as he was making a run for his life, the road was then clear till i reached the gun and crew. i told the other fellow to come on for when i got the taste of blood i wanted more. However the other boy was not quite so mad and would not come so i went myself. When i had got within ten yards or so of them i too began to study the situation and as i stood there with my rifle on guard and a roud up the spout i wished for a mills bomb or two. There were plenty of jerries bombs lying about but they were no good as they would only frighten the germans away and i wanted to kill them. As i stood there i did not want to go back and i knew if i rushed them by myself they would prove too many for me for there was still about twelve or perhaps more.
Just then my guardian angle sent two men to my relief. these two men had come up behind looking for plunder and souveniers and one of them had the forethought to fetch some bombs,the leader of the two was a tall handsome boy about 20 and Patterson was his name the other was about forty or so his name being Donaghey and he carried the bombs. So from this you will learn that old men are wiser than young ones. As soon as these two men stumbled upon me i asked in a whisper had they any of the longed for bombs. well Patterson and i took a bomb each and threw them at the same time. The bombs hit their mark the gun stopped firing there was a explosion and then; a... well never mind; as the bombs exploded Patterson and i charged with fixed bayonets. we both fired at the escaping huns. Patterson being behind me nearly blew my head off. we both did all the escaping huns in. Talk about the mad moment when you fire fifteen rounds rapid, it would not be in this mad moment when men went mad for life or death. Patterson and i pursued the escaping huns round a few traverses of the trench till we had them all.
From the book A Wheen of medals-The history of the 9th (Service) Bn Thte Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (The Tyrones) in World War One
Blimey all for a few souveniers 
You must be proud, he was a very brave man
You must be proud, he was a very brave man
Canuck
Registered user
My great grandfather was in Egypt during WW1. We have lots of pictures of the pyramids and tombs etc. His team 'righted' the statue of Ramses the II... didn't appear to have too much of a hard time there from the look of the photos.
My grandfather, during WW2, worked at Bletchley Park in the Testery, Mil Section, Block F. Basically he was a cryptographer who also spoke fluent English, German, Spanish, Italian and Latin. Because of this he was able to, both try to break the days coding system as well as immediately see if he was correct as he would be able to read the messages. For his work he was awarded an OBE... though many years after.
He told a funny story around this. It goes something like this:
'When I was younger my real passion was botany. By some stroke of luck I managed to win 1st prize the the Chelsea flower show for two years running. After the second event I was introduced to the Queen Mother. She was a lovely woman with a devilish sense of humour. It was all very formal and we shared a glass while the sun was setting in the gardens'.
'Many years later, I was awarded a OBE. Afterward my friend (I can't remember the name) was about the introduce me to the Queen Mother, whom I had previously met although not expecting her to remember me I acted as though it was the first time.'
As (insert friends name here) was about the introduce me the Queen Mum said 'Oh yes, Michael, I believe we have previously met. How splendid to see you. I did enjoy your garden and our conversation on what was a lovely end to the day'.
'Now I was quite taken aback by her very good memory and was almost lost for words. The queen mum remember exactly where we met and recounted the wonderful weather we had had. Then she motioned that my fly was down at which point I quickly 'did up' though I cant say I was embarrassed... if you know what I mean.
So my Grandfather swears that on the first occasion they met, after the flower show he must have had his fly down as in all honest it is the only part of him that is unremarkable and unforgettable.
I think it was the champagne myself....
The old codger!
My grandfather, during WW2, worked at Bletchley Park in the Testery, Mil Section, Block F. Basically he was a cryptographer who also spoke fluent English, German, Spanish, Italian and Latin. Because of this he was able to, both try to break the days coding system as well as immediately see if he was correct as he would be able to read the messages. For his work he was awarded an OBE... though many years after.
He told a funny story around this. It goes something like this:
'When I was younger my real passion was botany. By some stroke of luck I managed to win 1st prize the the Chelsea flower show for two years running. After the second event I was introduced to the Queen Mother. She was a lovely woman with a devilish sense of humour. It was all very formal and we shared a glass while the sun was setting in the gardens'.
'Many years later, I was awarded a OBE. Afterward my friend (I can't remember the name) was about the introduce me to the Queen Mother, whom I had previously met although not expecting her to remember me I acted as though it was the first time.'
As (insert friends name here) was about the introduce me the Queen Mum said 'Oh yes, Michael, I believe we have previously met. How splendid to see you. I did enjoy your garden and our conversation on what was a lovely end to the day'.
'Now I was quite taken aback by her very good memory and was almost lost for words. The queen mum remember exactly where we met and recounted the wonderful weather we had had. Then she motioned that my fly was down at which point I quickly 'did up' though I cant say I was embarrassed... if you know what I mean.
So my Grandfather swears that on the first occasion they met, after the flower show he must have had his fly down as in all honest it is the only part of him that is unremarkable and unforgettable.
I think it was the champagne myself....
The old codger!
Blimey all for a few souveniers
You must be proud, he was a very brave man
Yep. very proud-just recently found out about his exploits
caps
Guest
Great Grandad and Grandad
Both my Grandad and Great Grandad were in the War's. Dont know nothing about Great Grandad but my Grandad was in the Artillery his Regimental number was 797336. I got in touch with the Military Historical disclosures, it was a long process but worth it. Got loads of info. I also served for 22yrs
I have photos of both but cant work out how to put them on
Stay Frosty
Caps
Both my Grandad and Great Grandad were in the War's. Dont know nothing about Great Grandad but my Grandad was in the Artillery his Regimental number was 797336. I got in touch with the Military Historical disclosures, it was a long process but worth it. Got loads of info. I also served for 22yrs
I have photos of both but cant work out how to put them on
Stay Frosty
Caps
Last edited:
My Dad ...
... had a very big head, consequently he spent the first 6 months of his WW11 in a beret while his mates had tin hats, very upsetting. His first posting was the defense of Scarborough, armed with 8' of gas pipe with a bayonet blade welded on the end 'cos all the guns were in France.
Subsequently went off to North Africa with the artillery, then walked up Italy dragging 'the bloody gun' where he got as far as Napoli before executing a body swerve and joining the Palestine Police; this latter move was something to do with woman trouble back home which was never fully explained
I have a picture of him in the foyer of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem where he was picking up exhibits following the bombing of the hotel; he never had a lot of time for the Israelis after that.
My late F-I-L was an electrician in the RAF pre hostilities and was involved with early radar sets, was chuffed to bits when I took him the the RAF museum in Hendon where we found a radar control panel he'd operated on !
He got involved in some shenanigans when they were all issued plain clothes and his radar unit was shipped to a neutral country in the Balkans (?) by train; he recounts how they pulled into an unknown station to find a German train on the other platform, full of blokes in plain clothes with a radar unit; gentlemans agreement and both sides retreated without any unpleasantness
In post war Germany he 'liberated' a DKW two-stroke, put it in a truck and buried it under several tons of radar equipment and sent it back to the UK; several months later he directed the unloading of the truck only to find someone else had got there first
Top thread; lest we forget ...
... had a very big head, consequently he spent the first 6 months of his WW11 in a beret while his mates had tin hats, very upsetting. His first posting was the defense of Scarborough, armed with 8' of gas pipe with a bayonet blade welded on the end 'cos all the guns were in France.
Subsequently went off to North Africa with the artillery, then walked up Italy dragging 'the bloody gun' where he got as far as Napoli before executing a body swerve and joining the Palestine Police; this latter move was something to do with woman trouble back home which was never fully explained
I have a picture of him in the foyer of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem where he was picking up exhibits following the bombing of the hotel; he never had a lot of time for the Israelis after that.
My late F-I-L was an electrician in the RAF pre hostilities and was involved with early radar sets, was chuffed to bits when I took him the the RAF museum in Hendon where we found a radar control panel he'd operated on !
He got involved in some shenanigans when they were all issued plain clothes and his radar unit was shipped to a neutral country in the Balkans (?) by train; he recounts how they pulled into an unknown station to find a German train on the other platform, full of blokes in plain clothes with a radar unit; gentlemans agreement and both sides retreated without any unpleasantness
In post war Germany he 'liberated' a DKW two-stroke, put it in a truck and buried it under several tons of radar equipment and sent it back to the UK; several months later he directed the unloading of the truck only to find someone else had got there first
Top thread; lest we forget ...
My Dad
was nine at the outbreak of WW2. My Grandfather worked at Croydon, a reserved occupation something to do with Wellington bombers. One of the first German air raids resulted in the relocation of Wellington assembly to North Wales, my father tells me to a hastily converted slate facility.
The family stayed in London until my Grandfather managed to find accomodation for them in a near derelict cottage (complete with rats, mice and a blocked chimney) on a Welsh hill farm. My Grandmother couldn't get the fire to light properly and asked the women at the next cottage to help. She stuffed masses of old newspapers up the chimney with a broom handle and set fire to it. Came close to burning the cottage to the ground but the fire lit subsequently lit easily enough.
Dad had a brilliant childhood hunting rabbits with an old shotgun and selling them plus helping out the local farmer who still used draft horses instead of tractors.
He went on to serve with the RAF in Aden and Pakistan.
was nine at the outbreak of WW2. My Grandfather worked at Croydon, a reserved occupation something to do with Wellington bombers. One of the first German air raids resulted in the relocation of Wellington assembly to North Wales, my father tells me to a hastily converted slate facility.
The family stayed in London until my Grandfather managed to find accomodation for them in a near derelict cottage (complete with rats, mice and a blocked chimney) on a Welsh hill farm. My Grandmother couldn't get the fire to light properly and asked the women at the next cottage to help. She stuffed masses of old newspapers up the chimney with a broom handle and set fire to it. Came close to burning the cottage to the ground but the fire lit subsequently lit easily enough.
Dad had a brilliant childhood hunting rabbits with an old shotgun and selling them plus helping out the local farmer who still used draft horses instead of tractors.
He went on to serve with the RAF in Aden and Pakistan.
judys boy
Registered user
My mothers father was in the British Army in the Boer War in South Africa. He got demobed there and stayed there. My dad joined the RAF and became a radio operater/mid upper gunner in bommer's, Wellington's and Lancaster's. He did time in North Africa as well as England, was on the first 1000 bommer raid over Germany. Spent time in England teaching the Yank airmen about radio's and said that there food made him sick as it was to rich after rations issued by the RAF. Also said that he survived three crash landings and three planes being shot up. One where he had to bail out at a great height and got made a member of the caterpiller club for it. He was given a gold caterpiller and a card stating the hight, also had about 6 medals. He spent the last two years in POW camp. After the war he went and lived in South Africa. He told me that wars bring out the best and worst in people. I can vouch for that as I spent five years in a country at war.
My granddad fought through the first world war, was at the Somme, survived, and eventually returned home in 1919. His medals were kept in a Robin Redbreast tobacco tin for years, and when eventually my dad gave them to me I had a special frame made for them, and I'm now proud to display them on my wall.
For the second world war he was in a reserved occupation and wasn't allowed to sign up. He drove steam trains, main line, throughout ... and occasionally any returning or lost German bombers would dump their leftovers on him, or try to. It's my good luck they missed.
My dad was a fireman on the steam trains during the second world war, and as such, being a reserved occupation, he couldn't sign up.
My dad was his dads fireman throughout
For the second world war he was in a reserved occupation and wasn't allowed to sign up. He drove steam trains, main line, throughout ... and occasionally any returning or lost German bombers would dump their leftovers on him, or try to. It's my good luck they missed.
My dad was a fireman on the steam trains during the second world war, and as such, being a reserved occupation, he couldn't sign up.
My dad was his dads fireman throughout
Attachments
Both my grandfathers were in reserved occupations in WW2, although one of my step grandfathers was with the first British troops into Belsen-Bergen concentration camp and the photos he took were very, very grim
Just found this thread 
Don't have any details but this photo was taken ( I think) just around the end of WW1
Not sure what the uniforms are ....
Paternal Grandad in the middle (William) Great Uncle Jack rear left, Great Uncle Herbert rear right
Great Aunt Nell ( front right ) looks a feisty one
Dad was a bit too young for WW11 but served in Palestine just afterwards ..
Don't have any details but this photo was taken ( I think) just around the end of WW1
Not sure what the uniforms are ....
Paternal Grandad in the middle (William) Great Uncle Jack rear left, Great Uncle Herbert rear right
Great Aunt Nell ( front right ) looks a feisty one
Dad was a bit too young for WW11 but served in Palestine just afterwards ..
Attachments
WorthingWelsh
Registered user
My great grangfather was in the Welch Regiment and then seconded into the newly formed RAF in WW1. He survived the war.
He had made it through the battle for Mametz wood (Swansea Pals).
4000 Welsh men killed or injured in just 48 hours. On his death bed in 1974 his mind started to replay the battle in his head, my uncle sat through it with him and was horrified at what he was saying. Up to then he had never spoken of the war.
My great grandmother had four brothers 1 survived the other three were killed.
Elias Jones RAMC died of gas and wounds August 1918 Le treport.
John Jones 17th Batt Welch Regiment KIA 24 April 1917 Villiers-Plouch.
David Jones 2nd/1st Pembroke Yeomanry Died of wounds 25 January 1915.
(Buried at Alltwen Cemetery Pontardawe South Wales)
Dewi Jones who Survived was killed when he rode his motorcycle into a wall in Alltwen in the 1930's It was suggested that it was suicide due to depresion.
Maybe the war got him in the end.
I try to visit there graves every year, since doing my research I realised I was the only one from my family and our past to visit there graves. I will continue to do so aslong as I am able.
He had made it through the battle for Mametz wood (Swansea Pals).
4000 Welsh men killed or injured in just 48 hours. On his death bed in 1974 his mind started to replay the battle in his head, my uncle sat through it with him and was horrified at what he was saying. Up to then he had never spoken of the war.
My great grandmother had four brothers 1 survived the other three were killed.
Elias Jones RAMC died of gas and wounds August 1918 Le treport.
John Jones 17th Batt Welch Regiment KIA 24 April 1917 Villiers-Plouch.
David Jones 2nd/1st Pembroke Yeomanry Died of wounds 25 January 1915.
(Buried at Alltwen Cemetery Pontardawe South Wales)
Dewi Jones who Survived was killed when he rode his motorcycle into a wall in Alltwen in the 1930's It was suggested that it was suicide due to depresion.
Maybe the war got him in the end.
I try to visit there graves every year, since doing my research I realised I was the only one from my family and our past to visit there graves. I will continue to do so aslong as I am able.
I went to see my 85 year old dad yesterday and he showed me the article in the local paper about him getting his latest gong from the Ruskis.....
http://www.eladvertiser.co.uk/news/...ssian-convoy-medal-1.724596?referrerPath=home
http://www.eladvertiser.co.uk/news/...ssian-convoy-medal-1.724596?referrerPath=home
My uncle Stephen (father's brother, now deceased) was in the Royal Navy sometime during the late 1960's - mid 1970's.
My uncle informed me that my grandfather (father's father, now deceased) was a Chief Petty Officer (CPO) in the Royal Navy and was aboard one of the British Warships at the Battle Of The River Plate where Captain Hans Langsdorff scuttled his ship the Admiral Graf Spee.
I am uncertain whether my grandfather was a CPO at the time of the battle and would dearly love to know which warships he served on.
I know the three RN warships at the battle were HMS AJAX, HMS ACHILLIES and HMS EXETER. They were subsequently joined by HMS CUMBERLAND.
The last time I visited my grandfather before his died of bowel cancer was with my father and I recall him promising my father that he could have the framed black & white photo of him standing "At ease" on the deck of a warship wearing his white uniform.
Sadly, when he died in hospital, his room at the care home was stripped of most of his belongings by relatives and the photo went missing. That is the only object which my father asked his father for in the event of his death.
The loss of that framed picture really upset my father.
On an entirely different front, my great uncle (my mother's mother's brother) died on the same day as the Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg failed bomb plot agaisnt Adolf Hitler on 20th July 1944.
My great uncle was a Corporal in the 2nd Bn, Royal Ulster Rifles. He is buried at Ranville CWGC Cemetery, Calvados near the Caen Canal and Pegasus Bridge.
One of my other uncle's said that the 2nd Bn, Royal Ulster Rifles trained in Scotland where only commandos trained and he is sure that my great uncle was a commando.
My wife, sons, mother and I went and paid our respects a few years ago, its time I rode there on my GSA and laid some flowers again.
Richard.
My uncle informed me that my grandfather (father's father, now deceased) was a Chief Petty Officer (CPO) in the Royal Navy and was aboard one of the British Warships at the Battle Of The River Plate where Captain Hans Langsdorff scuttled his ship the Admiral Graf Spee.
I am uncertain whether my grandfather was a CPO at the time of the battle and would dearly love to know which warships he served on.
I know the three RN warships at the battle were HMS AJAX, HMS ACHILLIES and HMS EXETER. They were subsequently joined by HMS CUMBERLAND.
The last time I visited my grandfather before his died of bowel cancer was with my father and I recall him promising my father that he could have the framed black & white photo of him standing "At ease" on the deck of a warship wearing his white uniform.
Sadly, when he died in hospital, his room at the care home was stripped of most of his belongings by relatives and the photo went missing. That is the only object which my father asked his father for in the event of his death.
The loss of that framed picture really upset my father.
On an entirely different front, my great uncle (my mother's mother's brother) died on the same day as the Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg failed bomb plot agaisnt Adolf Hitler on 20th July 1944.
My great uncle was a Corporal in the 2nd Bn, Royal Ulster Rifles. He is buried at Ranville CWGC Cemetery, Calvados near the Caen Canal and Pegasus Bridge.
One of my other uncle's said that the 2nd Bn, Royal Ulster Rifles trained in Scotland where only commandos trained and he is sure that my great uncle was a commando.
My wife, sons, mother and I went and paid our respects a few years ago, its time I rode there on my GSA and laid some flowers again.
Richard.
