Wilf Shaw - WW2 vet - Green Howards

I’m writing to let people know of some new additions to my web site. Wilf Shaw, of Oldham, has been in touch with me and has provided a bucketful of war photos and memories. He was at Dunkirk, Alamein, Tobruk, Wadi Akarit, Sicily, D-Day, Holland and more! He was wounded twice and still returned to battle. He is 92 years of age.
Of particular interest to me are some photos he sent in of many comrades Qassasin Camp in North Africa. Dad mentions Qassasin in his war memoirs and describes Qassasin as follows:
" We ended up at a large, tented camp about a mile west of the Suez Canal, which was the main British military base in Egypt, Qassasin Camp, and it was indeed just that, there were very few brick-built buildings. Qassasin was described as ‘that bugbear of all British troops newly arrived in the Middle East.’ It was alleged, if you hadn’t already got ‘jippy tummy’, this was the place you could expect it. There were swarms of thousands of flies and when we were eating or drinking they would settle on our lips and we had to constantly wave them off our food." - Bill Cheall
It was great for me personally to see some pictures of it for the first time. Some of the comrades are named so may be of interest to genealogists researching their family history.
Read more about Wilf and see his super photo set at this war photo link. I’m attaching a few of his photos for you to see.
Many thanks Wilf!
Paul

 

Those are great photos you've posted. I can't seem to pick up the link-am I doing something wrong?!

Lesley

 

first chapter is the only link that works for me, would love to know more. any mentions of Hedley Verity anywhere?

 

Those are great photos you've posted. I can't seem to pick up the link-am I doing something wrong?!

Lesley
Thanks Lesley - sorry try it again. Should be
www.grimdetermination.co.uk/#/wilf-shaw/4555607634
Paul

 

Many thanks - but no mention of Hedley Verity. There is a search box on the Home Page if you want to do any look ups.
Paul
first chapter is the only link that works for me, would love to know more. any mentions of Hedley Verity anywhere?

 

Thank you Paul-got the photos now. Many thanks to Wilf for sharing them. Some lovely pictures.

Lesley

 

Paul has sent me a new link and the site is a really good un for his father:
Fighting Through - From Dunkirk to Hamburg - War Diary and autobiography of Bill Cheall - WW2, Dunkirk, D-Day diary. World War 1939-45#

 

Thanks for posting the photos Paul. Re the link, I am redirected to your home page or T-com says there's a fault. Can everyone else now see the rest of Wilf's photos?

 

Thanks for posting the photos Paul. Re the link, I am redirected to your home page or T-com says there's a fault. Can everyone else now see the rest of Wilf's photos?

The link provided by Oggie2620 works fine for me although the page is a little slow loading.

 

OK thanks. Will have to try again another time.

 

I am so sorry there has been difficulty with this link. There have been some technical problems with the site at a most inopportune moment. I recommend people try this link which should now work:

Fighting Through - From Dunkirk to Hamburg - War Diary and autobiography of Bill Cheall - WW2, Dunkirk, D-Day diary. World War 1939-45

Failing that, just go to the home page and click on the news item.

Thanks for your patience.

Paul

 

A follow-up to Wilf’s story – this fabulous anecdote about a gold ring which he sent me – the anecdote, not the ring!
In Wilf’s words, “How do you like this story and photograph? To this very day I find it so hard to believe but it's so true. I still have the ring and God, how I treasure it! I never wear the ring, I just take it from its little case from time to time just to look at it with wonder. I could be offered the earth for it and it would be "No Sale"
Wilf Shaw, October 2011

I’m attaching a photo of Wilf wearing the ring. To read the full story, please click on this WW2 diary link.
(www.fightingthrough.co.uk/#/wilf-shaw-4/4556286864)

Regards
Paul

PS If you want to automatically hear of any other new additions to the site as soon as they are posted, please sign onto my Blog.

 

Just for info: just got the book from the local Library, look forward to reading it.

 

You mean Fighting Through? Wow I'm pleased. Had no idea any library had stocked it! Thanks for mentioning it. Paul

Just for info: just got the book from the local Library, look forward to reading it.

 

Hi All, I have an almost identical photo of my grandfathers brother and also one that looks remarkably like Hedley Verity who was his C/O. I've not done any research yet but do intend to.


View attachment 64009

 

Great pics - thanks for sharing. If you do come up with any pics of Hedley Verity I know a journalist who is writing a book where he is mentioned so he may be interested in seeing it. If you post it I'll pass the link to him.
All the best
Paul
PS yet more diary entries for Wilf to follow - he keeps coming up with them. I may have to create blog for him! While mentioning blogs, has anyone registered on mine at Fighting Through - World War 2 Army Diary? I can't tell if anyone is watching or not - not one of Google's best products from that point of view. If anypone is registered would they kindly drop me a line to let me know? Many thanks.

PS - and it's a big one, find attached a pic of Wilf's latest pages about, amongst other things, how they used to have a bath in the desert - grim! Sorry it's a bit blurred ...

 

You mean Fighting Through? Wow I'm pleased. Had no idea any library had stocked it! Thanks for mentioning it. Paul

Yes thats the one, found it in the new books section so I was first to get it!
I live in Leeds which has a number of branch libraries, so would imagine they got more than one copy, will look on computer system next time I'm in to see how many.

 

OK thanks for that. Maybe I'll earn enough in royalties to buy a copy for myself lol!


Yes thats the one, found it in the new books section so I was first to get it!
I live in Leeds which has a number of branch libraries, so would imagine they got more than one copy, will look on computer system next time I'm in to see how many.

 

Paulcheall

You want a photo of Hedley Verity in uniform, try Derick Boothroyds 50 years of Yorkshire Cricket.

It contains a photo of Herbert Sutcliffe, M Leyland, H Verity, L Hutton and A N Other
also it give the details of how Bill Bowes who was a great friend of Hedley's and at the time a POW being caught at Tobruk found out about Hedley's death.

Paul Read has posted a photo of Hedley's Grave at Casserta War Cemetery in one of his posts.