Your WW2 Ancestors

[Dieppe]

Malcolm - Thanks very much mate.

Would you be the same Malcolm from the GWDF? If so, then see you in 7 days at the Ensign Ewart

[Doug Lewis]

This is a picture of my Great Uncle Harry Ryder,I have no other information as yet but will enjoy trying to find out.
Regards Doug

[MalcolmII]

Originally posted by Lee@Mar 8 2004, 03:05 AM
Malcolm - Thanks very much mate.

Would you be the same Malcolm from the GWDF? If so, then see you in 7 days at the Ensign Ewart

Hi Lee,
See you at the Ensign Ewart and I'll bring a copy of the Commonwealth ORBAT with me.
Aye
MalcolmII as distinct from that old fart on the Great War site.

[Simon Furnell]

Evening all.
A marvellous idea,Paul,although,at the moment,i haven't got any pictures to post.
Due to the First World War,my family history is a little complicated.
Both of my Great-grand-mothers were widowed,during WW1,and re-married in the early 1920's,the pair of them,having son's in the late 20's.
My list includes,Grandads,Great-Uncles and Step-Great-Uncles!
I have not done much research,but this is what i have learned.
Walter George Furnell,my Grandad,signed up early in the war,and originally served with the 1st Royal Berks.
At some point,during the war,he was transfered to the R.A.O.C,and was based at Didcot,now part of Oxfordshire.
He used to ride his bike home for weekend passes,a 30+,mile,round trip.
He landed,D+2,and spent his time in Europe,as a Tank,Transporter,Driver,although he never,ever,drove after the War.
His brother,Eric,served with the Artillery,and i am sure i have seen a picture of him in the Desert.
My Grandads other brother,Oscar"Bob"Furnell,served with the RAF,and was a trainer on Radar,in Canada.
Walter,Eric and "Bob",had a step brother,called William Furnell-Harding.
"Uncle Bill",was my Godfather,and served as a Royal Marine Gunner,on H.M.S Howe,in the Pacific,during 1944/45.
My Grandads,brother-in-law,Roy Sellwood,also served as a Marine Gunner,though i don't know which ship.
My other Grandad,Joeseph Curry,was reserved occupation,during WW2,the same as his father was,during WW1.
He was a dairyman,but try as hard as he could,they wouldn't let him in the forces.
Army,Navy,or Airforce.
He joined the Homeguard,and did a sort of,all arms,course,with the Rifle Brigade in 1943.
I have his qualifying papers here,somewhere.
His war was still a little hairy,though.
He lived in West Sussex,during the war,and his little village,saw quite a bit of action,including a V-1 hit.
Grandad Joe's wife,my nan,was trained as an Ambulance Driver during the war,but didn't pass her driving test,until the 1970's.
My other Gran,had to put up with the odd bombing raid on the local aerodrome,and look after my Dad,while her hubby,was at war.
It is going to take me years,to sort out this lot!
Looking forward to your help,chaps.
All the best.
Simon.

[Joy Dean]

My father, William John Brooks (7 March 1914 - 30 October 1987), of whom I am very proud, and love dearly, served in the TA, in the RAMC, Staff-sergeant 7349297. He returned from Dunkirk - thank goodness, otherwise I wouldn't have been here! - and having recently seen drama-documentaries on television about the evacuation from Dunkirk, goodness, how harrowing that must have been!
Later Dad was on a ship bound for Singapore, but Singapore fell, and the ship was diverted to India.
I do not have many photos of him in uniform, but am (hopefully!) attaching ones of: my Dad by himself; and taken in India - of people in uniform with a nurse - and a group photo with my Dad (standing on the right).
An extract from a letter received soon after my father's death from the Hon. Sec. 17 BGH RAMC Old Comrades' Association:
'Bill was, of course, a member of the original 1st (1st County of London) which became the 17th on the embodiment of the Territorial Army. He was with us in France and India, and I remember him playing hockey, and singing ("J'Attendrai" etc) in our Band Concerts. He also spoke in the Debating Society and never neglected a chance to bang the drum for the Boy Scout Movement!'

Joy

[Joy Dean]

PS I think I am having to attach the other two photos separately. Still a novice at this!
Joy

[Joy Dean]

PS And here's the last one. Still on an upward learning curve!
Joy

[plan_D]

I know little about the one war veteran in my family, my grandfather was part of the 75th Indian, he was in the Chindit Operations in 1943. He never talked much of his life in Burma to me or to my father. I'm trying my hardest to find more about him as he has five medals, which even those I do not know what they all are except one I know is the Burma Star.

His name was Fred Carter and I've always been looking for information because I'm proud of such a history. He was even 'injured' when apparently biten by a bug and catching some disease which forced him in hospital for 6 weeks.

I will try and find some photos of him, but I'm not promising anything.

[Dieppe]

To add to my list of family members:

My great grandfather George William Dean who served in the Civil Defence (doing something medical).
All I know about him is that he served in the Great War in the RAMC but was discharged in 1917 - he had the 1914-15 Star, War & Victory Medals and a SWB and added the Defence Medal at the end of WW2.

There are a couple of photos of him in his CD uniform, but I can't get hold of them at the moment.

[Charles Fair]

My maternal gfather was CO of No 1 Port Construction & Repair Company RE, and was built Mulberry B at Arromanches - I think he was 2 i/c of constructing the whole harbour under Brigadier Bruce White.

On the other side of the family my father left school in summer 1943, went to OCTU, then gunner training after commissioning and was posted to 6 RHA. He was on his way out to the far east when the war ended, so stayed in India until 1947.

His two sisters served in the WAAF and ATS. The husband of one was a captain in the RASC, and was one of the first british officers into Belsen when it was liberated. The husband of the other served in the Abyssinian campaign in 1941 as a major in the Devonshire Regt.

My paternal grandfather served in WW1 as a Lt-Col i/c an infantry battalion, and enlisted in the home guard in WW2 as a private.