Did any of your family serve during WW2; if so what did they do?

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Paul Reed, Mar 3, 2004.

  1. graeme

    graeme Senior Member

    Morning

    My father was accepted for the Fleet Air Arm but at the time was working as a metallurgist at Rootes (is that how its spelt), at Speke, Liverpool building Wellington bombers and they refused to release him.

    He then became an officer in Rootes Home Guard. He once told me his proudest moment in the war was when one of the men was allowed to fire ONE bullet at a German plane.

    Are there likely to be any documents available regarding any of the above ??

    Regards,

    Graeme
     
  2. GriffMJ

    GriffMJ Junior Member

    Both Grandfathers were RAOC, Paternal (Major) also served in the "Artists" and had something to do with surveying the beaches for D-Day.... he was born in 1901... so by WW2 he was getting on a bit (He got a "Mench" from Monty). Maternal (Major) was supplying the Empire, India, from Whitehall by all accounts..... have not really looked into his service record, but I do still have a few documents of his that relate to supplying Engineering projects etc

    "Grandpa Billy" (Paternal).... below.

    Major W R M Jones TD
     

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  3. whiff

    whiff Junior Member

    Dad was in the signals 1940-1945 in the UK then on Operation Torch in North Africa then to Italy ending up in Trieste June/ July 1945.
     
  4. Sgt. Veldeman

    Sgt. Veldeman Junior Member

    My greatgrandfather served in the Belgian army in the 38th lineregiment (I don't know his company or batallion). They defended the Albert canal (as did many other regiments: but they were withdrawn the last at the canal). His regiment fought very hard at Lummen and Mellaert.
    He was taken POW on the day of capitulation, 28 May 1940 at Koekelare in Diksmuide and released in February 1941.
    The Stalag he sat in was Stalag IIC, in Greifswald.
     
  5. Mfield

    Mfield Junior Member

    I had two great uncles who served in WWII, both were brothers, one left the United States to join the Canadian army, the other joined the U.S. Army.
    I am currently researching my great uncle who went to canada. Major Herbert Owen Lambert MC of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment R.C.I.C. Major lambert became CO. of "A" Coy of the Lincoln and Welland sometime in October of 1944. He took active part in the Battle for Bergen Op Zoom where he and his men held off german paratoopers with only 38 hand grenades at their disposal. When relieved they had only two grenades left. For his actions he was awarded the Military Cross.
    Major lambert also lead "A" Coy in the attack at Kapelsche Veer. He was killed during this battle.
     

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    stolpi likes this.
  6. JulieAnne

    JulieAnne Junior Member

    Hello, my Uncle was in the 113th British Royal Artillery LA during WWII. It was not until my Mother's death that we found a diary written by my Uncle that she had kept all these years in a box with various memorabilia. He left England in 1944. His journey takes him through France, Holland and then into Germany with orders to go to Arnhem to defend the bridge. The diary concludes with the liberation of Belsen and his 23 hour journey to the camp where he remained for five weeks. He never spoke about the war only to his sister of his experiences. Researching the information on the war, in relation to his journey, has been totally absorbing and we, his family, have published his diary, exactly as it was written 67 years ago.
     
  7. zahonado

    zahonado Well-Known Member

    Father 206/69 RA 1941-43 India
    Chindit attached to Lancashire fusiliers 1943-45 -Operation Thursday Burma
    1945 Indian Field Broadcasting service - Propaganda Burma
    Mother VAD Quetta 1942-3?
    Womens auxiliary service 1945 Assam India
     
  8. pierce09

    pierce09 Member

    (Dads side) Grandfather Merchant Navy; sunk in Narvik on SS Romanby, marched and interned in Sweden, escaped as part of Op RUBBLE, sunk on next ship he went on. two brothers also Merchant Navy killed on SS Lancastrian Prince in 1943. Grandmother was telephonist in RAF from 1942-45.
    (Mums side) Great uncles in Manchester Regt and Other in Royal Engineers. no further details. grandfather joined RAF just after the war for 24 years
     
  9. LesEvansLlanelli

    LesEvansLlanelli Junior Member

    Father in Home Guard
    Uncle in royal Navy
    2 cousins in Royal Navy (brothers)
    1 cousin killed at Anzio.
    1 uncle killed nr Hamburg on 2nd May 1945 buried at Ohldorf Cemetery.
    1 cousin in RAF.
     
  10. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Les.

    Who was your cousin killed at Anzio.

    Regards

    FdeP
     
  11. sbd

    sbd Junior Member

    Grandad enlisted into the Essex regt 1940, 1942 was enlisted into GHQ Liason F Squadron as a Phantom posted alongside S.A.S., also saw service with the Special Service Brigade and the R.A.C.

    Was in and out NWE until the end of the war.

    Currently researching the Phantom / S.A.S. side of things
     
  12. Paul Dahl

    Paul Dahl Junior Member

    My father served in the USAAF as a B-29 mechanic on Saipan. He's still alive and well at 91, just bought a new sports car yesterday.

    My maternal grandfather was in the English Army Machine Gun Corps in WW1. Hope that explains my avatar flag. :)
     
  13. LesEvansLlanelli

    LesEvansLlanelli Junior Member

    Les.

    Who was your cousin killed at Anzio.

    Regards

    FdeP
    Hi
    My cousin was John Walters, killed 16 February 1944 aged 20. 14200986 "A" Coy, 9th Batt Royal Fusiliers (City of London) he was Welsh from Llanelly, Carmarthenshire.
     
  14. Chesson

    Chesson Junior Member

    Hi Guys,

    Chesson side.

    My father was too young to enlist but was a souvenir hunter first class, he lived in Wychling.
    Wychling was right under the German flight path for Detling aerodrome during the battle of Britan. My father did meet a German fighter pilot when he crash landed in a field next to lynstead church. The local kids all ran to the turnip field where the Messerschmitt had landed & watched the pilot get out, sit on the wing and light a cigarette while placing his sidearm next to him, then waiting for the home guard to arrive. The only thing he said to the kids was “Kaput run out of fuel”.

    My Fathers father (George or Sid as he was better known) was to old, much to his disgust to volunteer for active service. He had to be content with being part of Churchill’s army. My father however loved it. Getting to help with the guns, grenades, knives & fags!

    Later in the war the farm that my grandfather managed was commandeered by the New Zealand army. And used as a camp for the Maori’s while they trained for the D-Day landings.

    Later in the war they had German POW’s help out on the farm.

    My father’s uncle Wally was a bit of a radical & decided to join the Irish Fusiliers. I don’t know much more about Wally other than he got my father a luger & used to sit on the veranda once his leave had finished saying “if they want me they will come and get me, they know where I am” (which they always did).

    My Fathers uncle Frank was in the Palestine police force before the war. He came back to England and joined the Buffs (I think). He then went to North Africa where he was mentioned in dispatches. (I don’t know if it was because he had been out in the desert before the war, but, the family seemed to think he was in either the LRDG or SAS). He then went on to Italy, I am not sure if this was via Sicily. Next he has joined the Para troops. He did his basic training & jumps in Palestine.
    He was then put in 4 Para, 10th Battalion. The family also seemed to think that Frank & another chap by the name of Barrett were Roy Urquhart’s body guards.

    Sgt. F.H. Chesson 6285440 was aged 30 when K.I.A. in an ambush at the 6Km. marker outside Arnhem on 19-09-1944. Frank is buried at Oosterbeek.

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/airborne/52221-sgt-f-h-chesson-6285440-a.html

    My father’s mother’s maiden name I think was Courp or Courps.
    Both her brothers were Officers, one a Royal engineer the other in the royal artillery.


    Spencer side.
    All I know about Mums dad is that Kaitlin (Jock) was part of a Lancaster ground crew up in Norfolk.

    My Wife's father Alf Shersby was a dispatch rider somewhere down the west country at the beginning of the war.

    Al-tho he was a Royal engineer he then went to North Africa as a mechanic in the 8th army motor pool. Apparently Alf liked the Italian armored cars as they had as many reverse gears as forwards.

    From Africa Alf went to Sicily & Italy via Monty Casino. Other than being mentioned in dispatches I don't know much more about Alf's war.

    I would very much like your help in finding out if the Chesson bit is all true.

    Thank you Shaun.
     
  15. Blackcats76

    Blackcats76 Junior Member

    Hi

    I have a mix bag of service
    My Gran was a WRAF and her claim to frame was she helped fuel up 617 Sqn before the dams raid in 1943
    One of my grandfather was in the RME and was at Dunkirk then back to the UK and served with a few unit around the UK
    My other grandfather was a driver with the RAMC and served with a few unit around northern europe.

    Ta Da :)

    Steve
     
  16. tricia ann

    tricia ann Junior Member

    my father was in 158 squadron. he was shot down 22/7/42 over Holland. Burried at auld luesden in Ammorsfort. air gunner Flight Sargent J. Wilson. Uncle Thomas Potter killed at Dunkirk think he was in the green howards?
     
  17. Bernard85

    Bernard85 WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    good day sapper.ww2veteran.re:veteran.12-04-2006,06:32pm.i have been reading the threads,did your family serve in ww2.and having read about you in different threads i want you to know i hold you in high regard for your war service,it was a pleasure to see you standing in that photo.after what you went through.may i add you have an amazing home(or is it)stay well.all the best bernard85
     
  18. bozzlehead

    bozzlehead Junior Member

    Dad . Called up 1940 maybe 39,in queens regiment ,transferred to royal artillery anti aircraft Bofor gun , he said something about "predictor " crew . served all around UK coast sleeping under canvas , but for a period had to man AA gun on Corvette bouncing
    around North sea / E boat alley. Demobbed after six years. Mum Joined ATS after Munich crisis , served as part of search light crew [Ack Ack] battery at Sutton Bridge Wisbech/Kings`s lynn . Was struck down and suffered a fractured skull plus had one leg almost torn off by a member of medical profession driving in blackout as was in force at that time ,1940. discharged as unfit 1941 but not before witnessing the start of the "Blitz" from her home in Star Lane Canning town.also had Uncle who served on HMS Holmes for the duration . Also had three other uncles one serving in as yet
    undiscovered mob. The other two worked in Woolwich Arsenal pounding plowshares into swords so to speak, plus an aunt, their elder sister, performing the same function,
    working a lathe and drill press for two years in a unused London underground tube station. Just to remind, that generation did not have to wear a uniform to be a hero or heroine!
     
  19. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Just an update of my family's contribution to ww2

    “The In-Laws in Uniform”.

    When the page of photographs entitled “The Goldstein Boys at war“ was first shown to the family there were immediate cries of ‘what about me?’(this coming from members of the extended family).
    To put matters right we now give “The In-Laws in Uniform”. We also feel it right that Polly’s service in the Women’s Land Army should be acknowledged so she is also included in this tribute as is Dad himself who is proudly photographed as a fire guard in London .

    Leslie Lawrence

    Leslie, who was to marry my sister Jean after the war, had a very distinguished war record. In 1936 he joined London University O.T.C.. When war broke out he volunteered for service and was commissioned in November 1939, joining the 180th Army Regiment, Royal Artillery. In November 1941 he was posted to India and later to North Africa where he worked as an interrogator (he spoke fluent German).
    When he served in Italy he became involved in intelligence work and was promoted to Captain. At the end of hostilities he was actively concerned with the interrogation of War Criminals.

    Alf Denemberg

    Alf married sister Gertie in January 1938. He was called up for Army service in 1942 and served with the Queens Royal regiment. In June 1944 he was on the D-Day landings in France where he was wounded in the foot and invaded back to England.

    Alec Davis

    Alec was married to sister Debbie on August 10th 1941 and it was a strictly wartime wedding with the groom wearing uniform. Alec served in the infantry in North Africa & Italy.

    Jack Rosen

    Jack Rosen married sister Esther on October 22nd 1936. Jack volunteered for service in May 1940 and by 1941 was serving in the Middle East.
     

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  20. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    Uncle Jack CERA Navy 1933-1943
    Uncle Ronnie Able seaman gunner Navy on ML310 out of Singapore POW
    Uncle Waldie RAF .. mysterious joined after Marconi training something to do with signals in Bucks
    Father in Law BQMS in 4th Durham Survey Regiment April 1939-April 1946
     

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