What did your relatives do in WWII?

[nez75 10]

My mum found some of her dads documents relating to his service with the army during the war including his diary. It is really interesting, its got his application form, his discharge papers and a letter confirming a service medal.

It got me interested in what other forum members' relatives did during the war.

 

My mums dad was in the army before the war started. He joined up in 1936 and was stationed in India when war broke out. He served in the Burma campaign and in Singapore though thankfully he wasn't captured when Singapore fell. He was demobbed in 1948 after helping to rebuild Germany and serving in Berlin during the Berlin airlift. He died when I was only 3, my only memory of him is of him bouncing me on his knee. I really wish he'd have lived longer so that I could have asked him more.

 

He had two half brothers who were also in the army. One of them was killed on D-Day and the other missed D-Day because he was in hospital suffering from pneumonia.

 

My dads dad was too old to serve during the war though he did join the ARP. He went out during every night of the Sheffield blitz in the Darnall and Attercliffe areas. These were 2 of the most bombed areas of the city so it was a very dangerous job. He worked as a taxi driver during the day and went out at night as an ARP, something I can't imagine doing. He did serve during WWI though and was wounded in the battle of the somme. He died when my dad was just 13, so obviously I never knew him. I really wish I did though.

 

It makes me feel really humble to think that my grandads were involved in such a thing as the two world wars and I really wish that I knew them. But I make up for it every year on rememberance day.

[Plain Talker 11]

My mothers father was a veteran of the first world war, the one that was supposed to end all wars...

 

He had his knee shot away by a sniper, during his time in the amed forces.

 

he was also under-aged, when he enlisted; he lied about his age to fight for the "Noble Cause".

 

He was in the home guard during the 2nd World War.

 

This was partly because he was not "able" enough to enlist that time round, and also that he was in a "Reserved Occupation" (he was a steelworker) and that he was quite "old" , comparatively to most of the ones enlisting . He'd have been about forty when the war broke out.

 

My father's father was also unable to enlist. he, too was in a reserved occupation, he worked for Dormer Twist Drills, doing something for the war-effort. He was disabled, too.

 

He was deaf and, also, he had contracted tuberculosis as a small child, and it had affected his joints (TB doesn't just affect the lungs, it can affect the bones and skin, too)in his ankle, preventing him from moving it properly. It was locked, into a fixed position, like a false leg, so he would not have been able to withstand the rigours of marching etc.

 

my great-uncle Joe was in the north-Africa campaign. I don't know what other relatives did/ or even where and if they fought, it was not spoken about.

 

PT

[vidster 10]

My grand dad was in the Navy and (apparently) my Gran was a servent in Buckingham Palace. Neither of them will talk about WWII so i can only go on the photo's and medals.

[sweetdexter 10]

I lost an uncle in WW1 and a cousin in WW2.

My father was in the R.E.M.E during WW 2 He served in Iceland and Holland.He walked with a slight limp which he got in the war.

My mother said "He fell off the back of a truck when he was Bl**dy drunk

[sheffexpat 10]

Three of them deserted and one uncle spent 6 years hiding under a bed in Tinsley. We were never a military family

[tara 10]

my dad was in ww2 -lancashire fusiliers.

front line and all.

towards the end he had shell shock.

not suprising, - he was very young when he went in .

constant shells going off and walking over dead bodies etc.

 

my grandfather was in ww1 came back with a few medals.

[Titian 10]

My great Uncle (who dies a few years ago) was some kind of PA to a Colonel in Bhurma. The Colonel had died years ago but my Uncle still received letters , cards etc. from the Colonels secretary.

All communication was still sent in the proper etiquette too, which I found amazing.

 

I remember being very little and being told stories about Bhurma and my little brother believeing he was there too with our Uncle.

 

One story was a bout a little Bhurmese boy around the age of 3 being passed over a military fence by a woman. She couldn't look after him and wanted the soldiers to look after him (feed and care for him). They didn't have much choice as she fled. So the little boy was looked after by them, given a little uniform that they made for him too. When they left Bhurma he was obviously older and could look after himself. My Uncle was always very sad about the little boy. I also know he did exist as have photos of him with my Uncle and all the soldiers.

 

Wonder where he is now?

[kirky 10]

Originally posted by bonny

 

Wonder where he is now?

 

probably makeing fake burb caps or making a fortune as a lady boy:hihi:

[tattoo 10]

My dad was a "boy seaman" aged 18 and on HMS Belfast at D Day, in WW2.

He doesnt speak about it very often.Hes now 78, until a few years ago ha attended the cenotaph service every rememdrance day.He gets very emotional about his expierances and often sheds a tear for the comrades he lost and the things he has seen. He stayed in the Navy for another 12 yrs after the war ended, saw the palestine war , korea,hong kong for 4yrs .Served with Loius Mountbatten ,and more .

His father (my grandfather who i never met) went to fight in France during WW1.He was 18 when he went .He goy mustard gassed at 19yrs and was shipped back to England.He stayed in the service for the rest of the war though,working in the military hospitals as a porter. Sadley he died at 30yrs old.The mustard gas had damaged his lungs he got TB , and died quite soon after that. My dad was 4yrs old when he died. I have got a lovley photo of me grandad in his hospital uniform ,and many photos and medals of my dads.

[igm1 10]

My grandad on my mother's side was 20 (I think) when WW2 broke out. He was in some science industry and was not sent to fight as he was in an essential industry.

 

He was in the home guard though

 

My great uncle (my grandad's brother in law) was in the Army in WW2 and fought in France and Germany (I think). He never spoke of it often though, this is according to my parents as he died before I was born.

 

I don't know what my grandad on my father's side did. He's dead now though...

 

I'll have to ask my dad when he gets home. I'll get back to you on that one- if any of you are interested.

[Internetowl 10]

My grandad lived in a neutral country during the 2WW having been freed from the yoke of colonial britain some 20 years earlier.

 

He does remember the odd German warship popping into port from time to time.

[kirky 10]

my grandad was in the scots guards he spent most of the war being parachuted into norway and making his way back....the germans thought there were thousands and thousands of troops gathering in norway when in fact it was the same few hundred going there and back.......my grandad says this played a big part in winning the war as thousands of german soldiers were sent to protect the border from all these british troops that wernt even there.............................summat like that anyway.