How many British WW2 Veterans are still around ?

Discussion in 'Veteran Accounts' started by 51highland, Oct 11, 2007.

  1. hoolig

    hoolig Member WW2 Veteran

    I'm still here
    Regards
    Hoolig
     
  2. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    Miss your stories


    David
     
  3. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    My wife has two uncles who are still around, Ronald Mann and Leonard Mann both I'm told where Paratroopers, both still live in Norwich.
    I'll try and get some more info on them when I get a moment. I believe one of them received the French medal of Honour recently.


    David
     
  4. Driver-op

    Driver-op WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hi Les How are you doing? I'd like to hear from you and swap yarns of old Leyton. You wouldn't recognise it now - unless you still live there of couse.
    Trust the op went well.


    Jim
     
  5. Dubman

    Dubman Well-Known Member

    I have 2 veterans, both RAF. ones 95 this fri
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Met a top chap tonight, my last patient in fact that made me late off but for once I didn't mind. He flew 33 missions over Europe in 1944 in the tail gun of a Halifax Bomber at the age of 19.
     
  7. DoctorD

    DoctorD WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hi Drew. Give my best to that tail-end Charlie. Presume he was UK based?
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Les - Nice to hear from you. Unfortunately the nature of my job means I probably won't see him again. He flew out of North Yorkshire in 1944 with his last sortie being the 23rd of December 1944. Probably the best Christmas present, ever.
     
  9. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Met three 11th Armoured Division veterans at the War and Peace Revival at Folkestone last weekend. Top chaps who clambered onto a restored Comet tank and went for a short ride. All well into their 90s.
     
  10. Gus Brydon

    Gus Brydon Member

    My Father is still with us. He'll be 91 in December and hoping to receive the Legion of Honour soon. He landed at Arromanche just after D-Day, but was severly wounded in Northern France on the 29th August 1944. I'm trying to confirm that it was at Mauny, which is the name he remembers, where the German infantry ambushed the 5th Battalion Black Watch on the same day, as they tried to push the last remaining Vermacht troops out of Northern France.
     
  11. Gus Brydon

    Gus Brydon Member

    Q. How many from my Fathers' Regiment the 5th Battalion the Black Watch are still around? Hopefully he is not the last man standing?
     
  12. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    Not British but I have met an American gentleman who was a fighter pilot with the 49th Fighter Group in the Pacific in 1944. He is a very fit 93 year old. (although rather deaf) His memory is excellent.
    When I next talk to him I will ask for his permission to give more details.
     
  13. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    DianeE

    93 rings bells for me !

    There are (fortunately) lots of us around who were aged 16 when ww2 broke out and who were conscripted or voluntarily enlisted in 1942 when we reached the age of 19.

    Tell your American friend that we would be most interested to hear his story :)

    Ron
     
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  14. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    Hi Ron, Hope you are keeping well. I certainly hope he will agree to share his story.
    I am away for a few days next week but will probably see him the following week.
    Diane
     
  15. Gus Brydon

    Gus Brydon Member

    Hello Ron, I have seen you on this site a few times and wondered who you were or what your story was. Afraid I was born 13 years after the end of the war, so don't have any 'interesting' war stories to tell, apart from my Dad's ongoing story from his part during 1944 in France. It's great to know that you old Soldiers still have stories to tell. Our family were brought-up with our Dad's war stories during the miners strike in the early 70's, when the electricity used to be cut-off and we only had the the coal fire light to keep us warm. He was only in France for a short time but the experiences he had used to keep us wide-eyed and wanting more. My Dad will be 91 in December and I think he has spoken more about his war times recently than I can remember. This is probably more because I have tried to delve into his past, but I also think he has become more interested in this part of his life. I believe everyone who took part in that period from 1939-45, has a story to tell, which unfortunately doesn't always get written-down.
    My Dad is my hero, not just because he is my Dad, but because he is of that generation that had no alternative, but to save what his Country stood for and the way of life that we all now take for granted. It would be interesting to see how we would act now, in adversity. You have my utmost respect and thanks Ron.
     
    stolpi likes this.
  16. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Gus

    I thank you, of course, for your kind remarks concerning those of us who strictly by reason of our birthdate were thrust into a much discussed period of history .

    Some of us chose to write about it, others found it difficult to discuss their experiences and chose to keep their own to themselves. Between the two different approaches an awful lot has been recorded over the years, thanks largely to forums such as the one we both grace.

    According to the tally kept, I have made an obscene number of postings here, some of which give me more pleasure than others and including the odd item that by reason of their content make me glad that I have been able to add to the immense amount of knowledge concerning those tumultous times.

    Only today I found this thread that typifies this: Does the "Puff Range" still exist ?

    You could do a lot worse than encouraging your dad to write his stories down whilst they are still floating around inside his head.

    Best regards

    Ron
     
  17. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    My American friends name is Howard Oglesby. He was born in Lafayette Georgia. He served with the 9th fighter Squadron (The Flying Knights) which was part of the 49th Fighter Group. He is credited with shooting down 3 Japanese planes.
    There is a very good website www.flyingknights.net which gives the unit's history. Though Howard remembers just about every detail. The following is an extract from the diary during July 1944

    Until the 8th, the missions flown by the squadron were very prosaic patrols, but on this date our planes escorted B-25's to Fac Fac. Upon completion of the bombing all the flights strafed the target with fine results. Lt. H. Oglesby strafed a warehouse which turned out to be an ammunition depot. The resultant explosion threw debris to a very respectable height. Passing thru all the flying boxes and miscellaneous matter fouled up the coolant system of his plane, and Lt. Oglesby came home on one engine with his right prop feathered, a distance of 290 miles, landing safely. Pieces of ammunition boxes lodged in his intercoolers bore mute testimony to the fate of the warehouse. This was an example of good minimum altitude strafing

    He said he flew high-very high very quickly!
    the attached photos are courtesy of the website
    9th_Sqdn_Gusap[1] (2).jpg 9fsp3878[1] (Small).gif
     
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  18. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    An interestIing and worthwhile addition to the forum.
    Thanks, Howard Oglesby and Diane E
     
  19. popeye1975

    popeye1975 Junior Member

    I am in touch with an oppo of my dad's from Alexandria in 1942. He is a very spritely 95 year old who is kindly helping me with my book
     
  20. hoolig

    hoolig Member WW2 Veteran

    Just had my 90th birthday, still going strong
     

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