What did you do in the war?

[Victorvonvalentine]

Just wondering what other peoples fathers/grandfathers or grandmothers did during the war?

My paternal Grandfather was in the Royal West Kents and served through the 1940 campaign before being evacuated at Dunkirk. After the events he witnessed he was in a military hospital for the next two years with severe PTSD. After his release he rejoined his unit and saw action in Italy where he was seriously wounded in a fierce firefight with German Fallschirmjager. Sadly that battle wa to be his last as it left him paralysed from the waist down.

My maternal Grandfather was also in the Royal West Kents, though not at the same time. He saw service in the advance to Germany in 1945 and commanded a 3" mortar section. He also spent time in Berlin after the war where he managed to win several boxing titles in inter-service fights!


My family has had a long history of military service and I just wondered what other peoples family history was like???

[mahross]

My maternal grandfather was a dispatch rider in 15th (Scottish) Division and my maternal Grandmother was in Balloon Command around Edinburgh. Not sure about my dad's side.

Ross

MY Grandfather served on the HMS Chaser, was one of the first to step foot on Hiroshima after the bomb and took many pictures never seen by anyone.

[Gnomey]

On my dad's side my Granddad was in the Navy (did the Arctic convoys) and my grandmother was in the WRENS. On my mum side both were to young to do anything although both got bombed during the Battle of Britain. My Great Grandfather was a war photography for Time & Life throughout the war and went ashore on Gold beach as well as (we think) being in MI5/6.

[Cpl Rootes]

On my Dad's side, my Grandad was a Flight Engineer in 207 Sqdn RAF and his Wife was a Nurse in London.

My Mum's parents were too young but my Mum's dad served at the Suez Canal in 64 i think while serving in the Royal Signels.

[Owen]

My maternal Grandfather was an RAF dog handler.Too old for anything else.
Paternal Grandfather was also too old and had job in GWR Railway Works.
We had a cousin, Bill Dadge, shot down in a Wellington in 1943 with 420 Sqn and his brother, Gerry, was posted to Australia and after the War returned there with his British born children to set up the Aussie Branch of the Dadge family.

Here's some photos of Grampy Roy.

[Amisuk]

My maternal Grandfather has been mentioned in some of my earlier post, as being in the 1st Hertfordshire regiment.

My dad's father was a RFC pilot in WWI, and was therefore grounded in WWII for being too old to fly, but still served in the RAF in a mechanical section (still waiting for his service record - which will hopefully include his WWI service). His wife was an auxillary nurse near Selby, Yorkshire.

Regards
Paul

[jhor9]

I was a B17 bomber pilot, I flew 50 combat sorties from7/19/43 to 2/14/44. I was based in Tunis N.Africa and Foggia, Italy. I was in the 99th Bomb Group ,348 Sqn
My younger brother and my sisters husband were both in the US Navy during WW2. My Dad was in France in the AEF during WW1

[52nd Airborne]

My paternal Grandfather was in the 5th Hampshires and was captured in his first engagement at Sidi Nsir, Tunisia on 26th Feb 1943.
He then spent the rest of the War in POW camps in Italy and Germany.
He arrived back in the UK, 6th May 1945.

I have not researched him yet, but my maternal Grandfather was a petty officer in the Royal Navy.

[Andy in West Oz]

My paternal grandfather was in the REME. I believe my great grandfather and possibly a great uncle landed at Gallipoli in WWI. Only found that out after visiting Gallipoli last year so still digging!

Cheers

Andy