I want to apologise for all the questions I keep posting. I'm researching Grandad George Neve RAMC 181 Airlanding Field Ambulance in the hope I can write a book about him. I'm learning so much but, obviously there are a lot of things I just don't understand or know, so my apologies. We always knew he'd been at Arnhem and taken POW, so none of that has been a surprise. He had an old purse he kept. Long story short its come to my Mum and now me, but inside the purse was one of these metal tickets (photos attached) I know the story behind the ticket, all about the film etc but, what we can't figure out, is how Grandad would have got it? He always said he never went abroad "apart from the war" so we're fairly sure he never went back to Arnhem. I'm sure I read somewhere that these were given out to veterans at the cinema when the film was show? Grandad lived in Hastings, Sussex and Theirs Is the Glory was shown there, could that be it? Help and again, apologies because I have other questions to come I'm sure
Hello dear lady. Your Grandad may have been invited to the local showing at Hastings. There's an example of the type of local showing invite letter on the ParaData page here: Theirs Is the Glory (1946) | ParaData On the right hand side of said webpage it says "Letters and cards". Click on this and you can look at an example of one the letters that was sent out (the one on ParaData being for a showing at New Cross Kinema, New Cross in London). I know the metal ticket souvenirs were given out at the premier at The Haymarket on 17th September 1946, but possibly elsewhere too. Kind regards, always, Jim.
Can’t help with the metal ticket but you should be aware that his German POW cards are available at the National Archives under reference WO 416/270/100. Even though the description shows his rank as Able Seaman I have confirmed his date of birth and Service number from his POW Liberation report. That states that he was wounded when captured (at the end of the battle) so there is a good possibility that one of the German cards will give details of his injuries
This has never happened before John but for once my Tom Mix quick draw got there first! Any help with this photo please? Hopefully you'll be able to help Ebonyuk72! with advice in the previous thread too. Kind regards, always, Jim.
Jim As you will be aware Brownscombe was the RMO with the South Staffords at Arnhem where he was murdered. Before that he was with No 2 Section, 181 Airlanding Field Ambulance. In 1943 there are photographs of the unit that were taken at Carter Barracks, Bulford - before they went to North Africa in May. I cannot find George named amongst those photos but he is listed on the 181 Nominal Roll for that period. George was lucky to survive the Sicily invasion as he was in Glider, Chalk 30, which crashed into the sea. That glider was carrying RAMC from 181 Air Landing, attached to the South Staffords. John
You guys are incredible!!! Thank you so much for this!! Grandad apparently used to tell my Dad "we landed in the bloody sea and had to swim from there" Dad said it was when he was in a Glider but that was all we knew. Grandad's records just list N Africa as him arriving on 26 May 43 and being admitted to hospital on 16 November and then evacuated to the Uk on 22 November, I've got nothing in between. Any information in that period would be great?
The glider crash was on the night of 9/10th July 1943 during Operation Ladbroke which was the glider assault by members of the Airlanding Brigade to capture bridges in advance of the main seaborne landings during the invasion of Sicily. About 50% of the gliders taking part crashed into the sea after being cast off too early by the inexperienced American pilots that were towing them. Despite this massive setback the occupants of those gliders that did make landfall were able to secure their objectives. The 1st Airborne Division landed by sea at Taranto in Italy on the 8/9th September 1943, following the Italian capitulation, and the 181 Field Ambulance accompanied them and continued to support the troops of the Airlanding Brigade. I would imagine that he picked up an infection/injury whilst there.
WOW!! Thank you, I didn't know any of that, apart from the crashing in the sea. It amazes me how these guys managed to make notes and diaries while everything was going, it astounds me the amount of records of various movements and battles, not sure writing things down would have been top of my list if German bullets were flying around Thank you again
His POW Liberation report is interesting - In it he complains that after being liberated by the Russians at Stalag IVB (Mühlberg) in April/May 1945 he was made to work in a Russian TB ward treating their sick
