How many British WW2 Veterans are still around ?

As a quick estimate and as a direct answer to the question and based on the replies received to my mailshots to known WWII veterans, I would say about 5-7% of those who survived the War.

 

A little more here,
lofty

 

I would like to mention Les Dudderidge 2nd Fife & Forfar Gunner passed away 10th Jan 2012 aged 86 (born 25/05/25). Memories of fighting in Bure Ardennes Jan 1945 register many times. South of the Border Association has many Next Generation members to keep the memories alive.

Another 2nd Fife & Forfar tankie passed away recently. Bernard Briggs, lifelong friend of my Dad (23 Hussars). They lived in the same town, worked at the same firm pre-war, went cycling together, bumped into each other during training at Bridlington, bumped into each other on the battlefield during Op Goodwood (Bernard was badly wounded at Burcy during Op Bluecoat).

Post-war they both worked together, still went cycling together. They remained close friends until Bernard died last October. A good man and sadly missed

 

Had a loverly chap on my bus today from the 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regiment. He told me 'I was a Bren Gunner in Burma killing Japs.'

Hopefully his daughter will join the forum after a quick chat with her.

 

I have been put in touch with a very much living comrade of my father JB and uncle AB Smethurst namely Norman Shouler. RTR prob 46th Hoping he may guide me on some photos. Anyone got any info on him from records?

 

A WWII veteran, Alan Benstead (Alan74), joined the forum on the 15 January 2012, but last visited on the 16 January 2012. He introduced/advertised his status.

I do hope he returns.

Best,

Steve.

 

Steve

See what you mean........

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/user-introductions/42238-alan-benstead-new-member-old-veteran.html

Ron

 

I met a 94 year old veteran of the East Yorkshire Regiment today. Sadly he couldn't remember what battalion he was in but told me he served in North Africa for a few years and was shot twice of two seperate occassions in the leg.

He said he remembered being in Sirte in Libya a few weeks ago because he saw it on the news (Civil War in Libya). Laughing to himself he said there was a sign on the way into the town that read 'Sirte (Sirty) is dirty with bombs.

 

I met a 94 year old veteran of the East Yorkshire Regiment today. ...
My goodness how time flies! It seems only two minutes ago to me that nonogenarian veterans were veterans of WW1. I can hardly believe that I'm now in my 80s myself and that when I was a kid veterans of the Crimean War and Boer War were still living and that practically every 40 year old man was a survivor of the Great War.

 

My goodness how time flies! It seems only two minutes ago to me that nonogenarian veterans were veterans of WW1. I can hardly believe that I'm now in my 80s myself and that when I was a kid veterans of the Crimean War and Boer War were still living and that practically every 40 year old man was a survivor of the Great War.

Time certainly does fly, Peter! But age is just a number and life is what you make of it!

As you know I am not a WW2 Veteran but have helped many who were to relate their wartime recollections, or sometimes I write about those who lost their lives in WW2 or WW1. The average age of those who died in the wars is well below my age now. Even the 'older' service casualties of WW1 or WW2 (in their late thirties) were younger when when they lost their lives than I am.

You may remember a first cousin of my late father (Gunner James Bouch) who served in WW2 was a POW in Italy but managed to escape to neutral Switzerland in 1943. James Bouch's Dad (i.e. my Gt. Uncle) was born in 1857. This, of course, was shortly after the end of the Crimean War and the American Civil War had not yet begun. For the schoolchildren of the modern day these conflicts, WW1 and WW2 are all ancient history.

Ultimately, I like to think that the WW2 Veterans we have known and honoured will never really leave us. It is my belief that the heritage that they have laid down will remain long into the future.

 

I met a 94 year old veteran of the East Yorkshire Regiment today. Sadly he couldn't remember what battalion he was in but told me he served in North Africa for a few years and was shot twice of two seperate occassions in the leg.

He said he remembered being in Sirte in Libya a few weeks ago because he saw it on the news (Civil War in Libya). Laughing to himself he said there was a sign on the way into the town that read 'Sirte (Sirty) is dirty with bombs.

I think that only the 4th and 5th Bn's East Yorkshire Reiment served in N Africa with the 8th Army. The former was in 150th Infantry Brigade and the latter in 69th Infantry Brigade, both 50th (Northumbrian) Division. The former was overrun at Gazala on 1 June 1942.

Best,

Steve.

 

I forget when I found this Forum, and made a post, and then being told I was classed as a veteran, I feel slightly guilty being called that.
I have posted a few yarns on here, and enjoyed reading other peoples posts.

 

John (handle 'lightinfantryman') informed me the other day that the oldest member of the Durham Light Infantry Association, of which he is a member, is Private Jimmy Coglan MM.

Jimmy Coglan served with the 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry right through WWII - so he would have been with the BEF in Flanders, Cyprus, Persia (now Iraq), N Africa - Gazala, Mersa Matruh, El Alamein, Mareth (Wadi Zig Zaou), etc. - Sicily, D-Day - landing on Gold Beach - and NW Europe.

He was wounded by mortar fire during Operation Supercharge, at El Alamein, the battle that exploited the breach in the German lines gained by the 9th Australian Division and which finally broke the Axis defences. He still suffers today from the injuries sustained.

Many thanks to John for this information.

Best,

Steve.

 

Steve

Noo ?

How old is Jimmy Coglan ?

Ron

 

Hi Ron
A bit late catching up with your original message but for info all that is left of the original members of the 6th Bn Grenadier Guards are 3 Officers and 6 O.R's, time has taken its toll I am afraid
Mike (rotherfield)

 

Steve

Noo ?

How old is Jimmy Coglan ?

Ron

Hello Ron,

According to John's message, Jimmy is "Now into his ninties... He won his MM in June 1942 when he saved a bloke under fire bringing him to safety, the lad was called Billy Wilson a good footballer who survived the war and went on to play for Luton Town."

According to 'The Faithful Sixth' (Moses), he won his MM whilst out with a 'Jock Column' when they came under heavy enemy artillery fire. They were about to retire from the engagement when the wagon he was getting into was hit... "So I dived off and there were lads getting off the portee and running towards us. The officer called after me, " Leave them. Leave them," and I shouted back, "I'm going back for them." So I went back for them and got two men off the portee. One had his back ripped open... out in the open they [the enemy] weren't half giving me some hammer. I didn't think I would get back, I'd had it. But I got them off... and I got back."

Apparently, Jimmy will feature in the 2012 DLI Association calander.

John has a 'then' photograph of Jimmy in his forum Album.

NB. I have also sent a PM to Alan Benstead, another veteran of 50 Div who I mentioned a week or so ago, in order to try and get him back on-line!

Best,

Steve.

 

There are instances I can think of where WW2 (or WW1) Veterans are have been, or were, "... still around" when some authorities believed they had already passed over to the 'barrack room in the ever after'. To illustrate this, I will give two examples I know about - one from WW2 and one from WW1 - without stating their actual names.

(1) A WW2 Veteran who was believed to have died

One WW2 veteran I know is aged 96 and served in the Royal Artillery during WW2, mainly in the Mediterranean theatre / Italy. He was one of the so-called "D-Day Dodgers". When the WW2 'Book of Remembrance' of his hometown of Whitehaven, Cumberland was published in 1953 this gentleman was listed as one of 'The Fallen'.

It was actually this gentleman's brother who had been killed in the war. The brother had also been in the Royal Artillery and served in the same theatre of war (Mediterranean). The committee compiling the names for inclusion in the 'Book of Remembrance' had somehow made a mistake. My friend and his family found out about the mistake and went to the council to sort it out. Eventually, the council made the necessary correction.

Since the war my friend has attended many Remembrance Day services at the local Cenotaph - not bad for a surviving WW2 that some people thought had died in 1942. One may almost be able to see a comical side to this many years afterwards. At the time this came to light, for a grieving family at wishing to remember one of their loved ones, it just added to their sorrow.

On Remembrance Sunday 2011 my friend felt he would be unable to attend the parade on this occasion. He asked if I could take a poppy cross in memory of his brother and place it at the memorial. I was honoured to do this task.

(2) A WW1 Veteran believed to have died

In compiling the 'Roll of Honour' for another Cumbrian town (Cleator Moor) I was asked if I had the details of a WW1 soldier listed as having been killed in the 1914 - 1918 war. His death had been recorded by the War Graves Commission so at first glance everything would seem to be fairly straightforward. However, this gentleman was not listed on any local church memorial so far as I was aware.

It actually turned out this gentleman had not been killed in the war. Howevr, he had been seriously wounded. It seems that on the same day as the Cleator Moor fellow was wounded another fellow in a different regiment, but in the same Division and with almost the same name, was killed.

When the process of identifying the dead was carried out evidently there was a mis-identification. No doubt this happened many times in both World Wars.

In 1933, the still surviving WW1 veteran from Cleator Moor applied for a disability pension for his war wounds. The Government initially turned this down on the grounds that he was already dead! The case was reported in the local newspaper for some weeks. The onus was on the surviving war veteran to prove who he really was and how he had received his war wounds. So far as one can see it was eventually resolved.

Yet again, as with the first example, many years afterwards one might be able to see a comical side to the situation of a surviving war veteran attendin a Remembrance Day service when he was officially listed as having been killed. However, it was not very funny when the situation first came to light in 1933. Because of a mistake it meant that a war veteran was not receiving what he was entitled to.
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I hope that all those who are surviving WW2 veterans do receive all they are entitled to. It is the very least they deserve. Also, if a national or local government organisation says you are dead it may not yet be true!

 

Meet this fine troop of veterans.

Stan (Signals), Ken (80th Anti Tank), George (5th Field), Cecil (Royal Engineers), Stan (Signals).
All were taken prisoner at Singapore, and in November 42 were shipped to Formosa on the Hellship, England Maru.
All eventually went through the Kinkaseki Copper Mine camp where they slaved underground from dawn to dusk.
Amazing that they can look like this at age 90+ and considering the starvation and disease they encountered.

Mike
.

 

Yes it is amazing, makes you proud to be British.

Keith.

 

The chap on the far right must have put up his medals himself as they appear to be upside down - obviously a widower not having wife to act as Sgt Major.....
Good show though after what they went through
Cheers