RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Shropshire Lass on Monday 17 October 05 22:55 BST (UK)
-
My father spent most of the years of the second World War abroad. He fought in the desert in North Africa, was part of the long retreat from Burma, spent time in Iraq and Palestine and then was part of the invasion of Italy.
No counselling, no treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder - just welcome home, Soldier, now get back to work.
I think it's a miracle that he survived - so many of his mates didn't, so many who did have died since. Remembrance Day is a hard time of year for him.
Any WW2 veterans still around in your family?
Monica
-
Thanks for adding this thread - they are likely to be the ones standing on guard on November 11 th., then swapping stories at a British or Canadian Legion. Likely, they may recall the names of the Vets mentioned in the
"Last Post" in 2004 or 2005. ???
-
Last year there were still a couple of veterans of the Great War still living.
All my relatives who served in the armed forces are dead, but I will be paying my respects at the cenotaph as always.
-
Hi Monica,
None of my family are left but I will be there on rememberence Sunday to see our friend Percy remember his friends and neighbours who were not as lucky as him to return home.
Although we have lost so many, we should never forget.
Sarah
-
My father was a dispatch rider in France in WWI. He managed to survive but all his male first cousins were killed.
It has been quite a shock to me to discover how many members of my family were killed in that war.
On my mother's side my great grandfather was killed in the trenches in France in 1918. He was 38 and his widow was left alone to bring up an enormous family.
No matter how much time has passed, we should never ever forget.
-
Since I have started my family history research I have been given some letters by a family member that my great uncle wrote during the first world war. I always knew about him and that he died in July 1918, but reading his letters has given me so much more of a link to him that this year November 11th will mean even more to me. He was 23 years old.
Linmey.
-
Looking forward to our daily paper on November 11th for the special section:
"Remembering Our Heroes"
-
Tonight Tuesday, the BBC aired a program called "The last Tommy"
, last episode next week.
The men in the program were over 100 years old and memory fantastic, very moving.
The Last Tommy
Tue 8 Nov, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm 60mins
In 2003, only 27 veterans of the five and half million who fought in the First World War remained.
This final platoon of Tommies tell their stories for the last time, from earliest memories to 1916. Alfred Anderson is the last of the Old Contemptibles, Britain's tiny peace-time army, who stood up to the might of overwhelming German forces. He is also the last Tommy alive to have witnessed the Christmas truce of 1914 when soldiers on both sides stopped fighting.
-
I agree with everything Monica has written in her posting.
My father-in-law also fought in the dessert of north Africa and was captured there by Rommel and his troops on 15 December 1941.
He and his fellow soldiers were than handed over to the Italians who held them until February 1943. They then were put on train journeys, handed back to the Gemans and ended up at a station called Auschwitz.
There they were then used as slave labour to help build the IG Farben Industry factory.
Coming towards the end of the war they had to endure one of the "Death Marches", thorugh the mountains of Poland in the middle of winter, seeing all the poor Jewish prisioners who had died along the way.
What my father-in-law and the others in the British camp saw and heard while they were there has affected him all his life. It is only in more recent years that his nightmares have receded after writing his down story for his grandchildren, in the hope that the younger generation will never forget.
-
Hi Frances
What an awful time your father-in-law had in the war - we have been so fortunate to grow up in peaceful times. I think these men have incredible courage, not just to cope with what happened in the war, but to come home and go back to work and raise families with all those memories in their heads. My Dad has hundreds of stories about the war - but they are all the funny moments and the narrow escapes. He has never been able to talk about the awful things he experienced.
Man of Kent - I couldn't watch the programme about the old soldiers. I have seen some interviews with them in the past, and they were so moving that I found it upsetting. One of my husband's grandfathers fought in WW1 and was at Mons. He told the family about seeing the Angel of Mons even though researchers now think it was fabricated.
Monica
-
Hi Monica,
Your comments about not talking about things that happened in the war are very true. If ever my father-in-law mentioned anything we had to listen and never ask a question or he would just stop talking. It was in writing his story that really helped him get it all out of his system, although in doing it brought back the nightmares again. A television producer did make a programme a few years ago where he interviewed soldiers who were still alive to tell their stories. None of them had been in contact but they all said the same things!! The TV companies chose not to televise it.
Frances
-
Hear, hear - Frances and Monica.
A quote from "Oh What a Lovely War" sums it up for me:
And when they ask us
How terrible it was
We'll never tell them
They'd never believe us
Philip
-
None still living in my family. My Dad and two uncles fought in WWII and were lucky to return home, as three of their cousines did not.
For us Aussies, Anzac Day in April is a far bigger day (remembering Gallipoli). This is when I go to a service and stand silently, remembering my Dad.
Maybe this may partly excuse what I heard in a shop today. At 11 am, as the muzak fell silent and the lights were dimmed, several young people were asking, "What's going on??"
MarieC
-
No, none in mine - but just seen a vet who is 109 yrs old - what a life he must have had! I think it said that there are only 10 left from WW1
-
My great grandad and three brothers served in ww1 all on the western front along with four on my dads side of which one was killed. Another great grandad was in the Boer war.
Then my Grandads three brothers served in ww2 of which there is one left uncle Arthur who served in Itlay until a grenade wounded all of the left side of his body and he was captured. The other was in Normandy and Kohima and all over Burma another was in Normandy and Germany. As for My grandad he was in Malaya in the early 1950's. My dad was in the Fauklands and hardly ever speaks of it.
Its so sad that the ww1 generation is just out of reach of my generation that many dont know what happend to their great grandfathers. Its such a shame.
I know I wont forget though
-
Oh Will - your family has certainly done more than their share! What wonderful, courageous men to have in your family.
I think so many of the boys and men who enlisted in WW1 had no idea what they were getting into, but the WW2 soldiers must all have understood about war from the impact of the first war on their own families. For the men in your family to give so much says a lot about them.
We need to remember them.
Monica
-
This link takes you to the Beeb and Henry Allingham, 109 years young.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3534068.stm
-
My Dad, a WWII vet, still living, 84 years old. Born in Burnley, Lancs., came to Canada as a child, and enlisted in the Canadian army (Black Watch). My mother's uncle, age 21, died in WWI (Alfred Oliver, b. Heathfield, Sussex).
My mother was a war bride, belonged to the Observer Corps. on Sussex coast (plane spotter), she died in 1995.
I am a high school teacher; yesterday we had a Remembrance assembly, hopefully that tradition will continue forever...
-
I believe there are 5 WW1 vets left in Canada. This was the first year that none of them made it to the memorial in Ottawa, although one of them was out on one of the NHL hockey rinks the other day in his wheelchair! They average 105 years.
My mum, dad and all uncles were enlisted in WW2, and, miraculously, all survived and lived to a good age despite 2 being wounded, one very close to death.
Mum, dad and 1 uncle still living, and looking after themselves in their own homes! But I've been discovering that they primarily had very very good genes for at least 200 years, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they're all well over 80 and still going strong!
-
Every year I wear my poppy with pride, however this time my 5 year old son asked me why I had a flower. I tried so hard to explain to him what it was all about but I don't think he fully understood. He sat with me though and watched some of the service on TV (we intend to take him to a local service next year when he is little older). We feel it is something he should know about and with my husband being interested in Military History you can be sure he will learn about what happened.
What I found so strange was the fact that I was the only person at work to wear a poppy. I know it is a small thing to do compared to what those guys did, but I feel they deserve our respect and by wearing a poppy I am showing that respect for them.
Also this year rememberance day meant more to me than it has before, I think because I have found as many others have here on Rootschat, how many in their families fought and how many did not return from either WW1 or WW2.
"We will remember them"
-
A lot more people would wear them if they were under their noses, consider asking the boss if you can get some in your work location next year.
-
I see Alfred ANDERSON died yesterday, aged 109.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/wwone/last_tommy_gallery_01.shtml
RIP
-
Such a shame, at least he was able to visit France a couple of weeks ago, and like he said then"His last visit"
-
Every year I wear my poppy with pride, however this time my 5 year old son asked me why I had a flower. I tried so hard to explain to him what it was all about but I don't think he fully understood. He sat with me though and watched some of the service on TV (we intend to take him to a local service next year when he is little older). We feel it is something he should know about and with my husband being interested in Military History you can be sure he will learn about what happened.
What I found so strange was the fact that I was the only person at work to wear a poppy. I know it is a small thing to do compared to what those guys did, but I feel they deserve our respect and by wearing a poppy I am showing that respect for them.
Also this year rememberance day meant more to me than it has before, I think because I have found as many others have here on Rootschat, how many in their families fought and how many did not return from either WW1 or WW2.
"We will remember them"
Excellent post with some great points, I trust in time
your son will understand.
-
My Great Uncle, William Hugh Thomas, died in WW1 aged 17. My Grandfather remembers, at the age of 4, watching him march down the main street in the village with all the other men from the village. That was the last time he saw him. He died and is buried in France and my Dad often wished he had been able to take my Grandad over there before he also died.
My father in law and many others of the family served in Burma in WW2 and met and married my Mother in law so at least 6 good things came out of that war (my husband being one of them) He suffered for many years when he came back but carried on in Bomb Disposal until he died in 1966. My mother in laws sisters married other members of the regiment (KOYLIs) and were flown out to India and then Britain where they settled. When Burma became independant the rest of the family moved out to Britain and Austalia. They were there during the Japanese occupation but they find it hard to talk about that time as they lost so many members of the family to the Japanese.
Nowadays we are lucky to have heard the stories and know what our ancestors did to make us what we are today. In 30 years , if not less, they will probably have been forgotten by many. The younger generations today are not interested in what happened 60 and 80 years ago. They are only interested in today and tomorrow.
At least those of us who are doing our Family Histories can remember those that died in all the wars and keep their name and actions going through ourselves.
Carol
-
My children have worn a poppy since they were about five because the head teacher at their school goes around the classes with a box of them. I don't think either of them understood why until last year, when I finally found a picture of my great uncle Hubert who died in the First World War. It helped that I could explain that as a member of the Medical Corps, he hadn't gone there to kill people but to help (my older son, in particular, seems to think that if you go to kill someone you deserve what you get). However, he is studying the Second World War at school now and is getting a more balanced view of what goes on in war.
I intend to take them to see Great Uncle Hubert's grave in the next couple of years. I think when they see those graves in Ypres, it will really mean something to them. I am determined to do everything I can to make sure my children don't forget what Remembrance Day is about.
Wotty
-
My 15 year old nephew has just been to visit the war graves with his school. It takes a lot to make an impression on a 15 year old, but what he saw certainly did just that.
My great uncle died in 1918 and I intend visiting his grave as soon as I can.
Linda.
-
My Grandad also fought in North Africa, but he died before I was born. My other grandfather is alive though, 84 this year. To be honest though I'm not exactly sure what he did. I know he worked for the MoD, and he said he used to work in the building which is now MI5 (I think it's called Thames House). My Great Uncle is also alive, he's 81 (he joined up when he was 14!).
Every year I wear my poppy with pride, however this time my 5 year old son asked me why I had a flower. I tried so hard to explain to him what it was all about but I don't think he fully understood. He sat with me though and watched some of the service on TV (we intend to take him to a local service next year when he is little older). We feel it is something he should know about and with my husband being interested in Military History you can be sure he will learn about what happened.
World War 2 is taught more at schools now. My parents didn't learn anything about WW2 at school because it wasn't considered history then. I leant far more about WW2 than WW1 at school, especially considering at GCSE I leant about Nazi Germany (1918-1945) in history. I haven't ever been taught about WW1 though which I feel is disappointing. I have been trying to find out about my Great Grandparents during WW1 and I don't know much about it.
Nowadays we are lucky to have heard the stories and know what our ancestors did to make us what we are today. In 30 years , if not less, they will probably have been forgotten by many. The younger generations today are not interested in what happened 60 and 80 years ago. They are only interested in today and tomorrow.
Personally I think it depends on the person. I've always been interested in history, and in genealogy for that matter since I was about 8 as my mum had a huge printout of the family tree. Interest in a certain aspect in history will always decline as there will be less people around who remember it. It's far easier to be interested in something if there's someone who can tell you about it, or something which intrigues you, like a medal for example. It brings it closer to home when someone you know or knew fought in the war than if someone you never knew did.
Andrew.
-
Thanks to all those that are keeping this thread alive & fresh
with important points and a few names to remember
from A to Z.
-
Well said, Zelley!
We have roughly 25 years before the last of those who served in WW2 will be gone - this may seem like plenty of time, but it passes so quickly. The challenge is that many people are not willing to talkabout their experiences.
My mother was a child in London during the blitz and was also evacuated - she refuses to talk about it. Her father served from 1942 to 1946 but would never discuss the fighting. The only story he told was about when he was attached to an RASC unit and his job was to organise food and accommodation for spies and resistance fighters before they were flown to Europe (his greatest challenge was to requsition the correct amount of food because he never knew from one day to the next how many people to cater for!).
Please God we will never have to live through such times again.
Philip
-
I agree with you there Philip.
Let's hope we never ever have to go through that again
Carol
-
My Dad's 81 yrs of age now. Joined up in London,when his Father died, as he was then homeless. He crossed on the D. Day landings, drove a lorry onto Sword Beach. He was at Bergen Belsen, and saw the "prisoners" coming out when it was liberated. At home, he had photographs of the piles of corpses. He never spoke about the war, and it is only these last few years he has spoken about things he saw. I managed to get his Medals for the campaigns he served in. HE didn't want them, it was me who persisted. We owe them all so much. I don't think we will see their like again, god help us. :'( Lyn