Serendipity at work here again The hotel in question, for me anyway, was the Metropole. BBC - WW2 People's War - Training To Be A Driver/Wireless Operator We found ourselves billeted, six to a room, in small houses scattered around the town. First thing every morning the troop corporals to whom we had been allotted called round each of the billets in turn and we 'fell in.' outside and joined an ever lengthening group of marchers. When we were all finally assembled we marched to a local church hall where breakfast was ready for us. After breakfast we marched to an imposing ex-hotel on the cliff top, the Metropole, which was to be our training college for the next three months. Here we were to learn the rudiments of both radio transmission and driving, in almost equal measure. Photo below courtesy of the present site owners. Ron
An excellent thread to read and such great help from our Veterans. I agree with Pauls comments, great stuff. Regards Tom Me too. Well done the Veterans Lesley
Missy What is often forgotten in the horrors of war was the humour which kept many of us sane - mainly the stupidities that we had to put up with on an almost daily basis which tempered the worst effects of the war.....one tale I cannot forget..and I still chuckle when I re-read it is the "Green Envelopes for Tank bde at Rimini " both for stupidity and comedy see the BBC series below and scroll down for the tale.... Cheers
Hi Missey. I think Ron & Joe can help , admirably, I looked at your questions, but can only add confirmation. Just to put you in the picture, originally from Medway Towns in 1939 joined A.R.P. as a messenger boy age 15 (pedal-cycle), lasting through Battle of Britain. Age 17 was accepted as a volunteer for Grenadier Guards Feb:41. 1942 spent mostly Anti-Invasion Whitehall defences. 42/44 Tank Training Pirbright & 4GG. Active service Normandy & Holland as Gunner/op 6th Guards Tank brdg not forgetting a year in the "Baggey" Hospital blue. 46/48 Spanda/Berlin I guess could "fill-in" if need be. cheers for now bob90
Fantastic that 10 year olds are being taught about the War..... and that the Veterans are here to to give real life answers to Questions. Couldn't be any better....
I completely agree with you Andy, and i'm in my element, being a history and family history geek, but there's no other geek i'd rather be, and if it rubs off on my son Joshua, even better
Missy, You should make sure your son shows his teacher how and where he obtained the answers to the questions. This is exactly how someone should conduct original research. Please also ensure his teacher takes notice of the high commendation from a certain Paul Reed and others regarding the approach to the research. I would also like to give a 'Mention in Despatches' to Ron, Bob, Tom and other WW2 veterans for their positive contributions. Well done to all concerned (teacher please take note).
Don't worry, i've already told my son that he needs to reference where he got his answers from. As i said in a previous post, i would think it highly unlikely that any of his class mates will have 'interviewed' any veterans, and i think that this forum is brilliant for anyone who needs answers to questions, not just for children but for anyone, so who knows, more questions from children may follow
WELL DONE RON. The Metropole was always far superior. I may have worked at the Royal but I drank at the Metropole cocktail bar. My grandparents lived about 50 yards away. Mike
Missy Most Veterans have now sadly passed away and it might therefore be appropriate to also quote some of them in your son's project. One that comes to mind is John Langdon who was a tank commander in the 3rd Battalion Royal Tank Regiment 11th Armoured Division from Normandy to the end of the War in Europe up near Hamburg. In his book "The Sharp End" he describes the end of the War in Europe when it had been announced on the BBC as follows: ...'It is difficult to describe the scene that followed in the mess, everyone went wild, all drinks were immediately topped up and everyone was congratulating each other. The relief we all felt was impossible to put down on paper. Slowly it dawned on us that we had got through, never again to be fired on by an 88, never to be bazookaed or to hear the chattering of a Spandau or the rattle of a Schmeisser firing at close range or the terrifying scream of the Nebelwerfer mortars as they were about to explode amongst us, we were alive and we had won the War. Jack suddenly called us to order and asked us to rise and drink a toast, it was one I will always remember and I am sure expressed the sentiment of all of us present, it was simply this, "Here's to us and us like us and to those that were. THE END'......
Gosh, thank you for that, i shall certainly put a lot of what everyone has posted on here, so rather than an interview, my son could make it into an interview discussion with veterans, if no one minds. My son has also the story of his great great uncle who served with 2 KSLI and was killed at Overloon (we assume, as he is buried at the war cemetary there)
Just thinking about the continual news regarding the weather and the closing of schools on account of the the weather. As schoolboy during the war,I can tell you that the schools never closed on account of the weather.It might be that the catchment areas are now larger but even so I had to walk three miles to school in all weathers.Pupils were not bussed....wellington boots and as many pairs of socks as you could put on..... the depth of snow was not 4 inches as experienced here overnight.In school all day wearing wellingtons....some pupils did not have wellingtons....no plastics bags to carry shoes for indoors or gloves. Going home, warming one's cold feet by fire could be painful
Gosh, thank you for that, i shall certainly put a lot of what everyone has posted on here, so rather than an interview, my son could make it into an interview discussion with veterans, if no one minds. My son has also the story of his great great uncle who served with 2 KSLI and was killed at Overloon (we assume, as he is buried at the war cemetary there) Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it would have been 4KSLI. The KSLI actually formed a battlegroup with 3RTR for much of the final campaign, both 3RTR and 4KSLI being in the 11th Armoured Division (3RTR in 29th Armoured Brigade and 4KSLI being in 159th Infantry Brigade).
My uncle was definitely in the 2nd battalion, buried at Overloon War cemetary, going by the date that he was killed, 13th Oct 1944, if not killed at Overloon, should have been nearby and possibly crossing the Molenbeek
From New Zealand, Missy: I'm impressed - really, I am - that your son is doing this. Our education system tends to follow the trends and fads of Britain's, and the teaching of history, particularly about the wars our countries fight, has fallen into disfavour. The schools do try to make an effort about Anzac Day (April 25, commemorates the Gallipoli landings [Turkey] in 1915). Anyway, you've tapped into a great resource here, and your son's questions reflect those of, I imagine, any 10 year-old getting to grips with a subject that was long ago. - Paul
To be honest Paul, as good as the topics are for my son, they only become really great when researched and given as much detail as possible, and unfortunately, my son doesn't have a lot of choice where any sort of history project is concerned, especially when it involves research, his mum is a history/research geek hahaha
Superb thread. Good questions, nicely asked for the best of reasons and a brilliant response from our Veteran members. This is what this forum is so very very good at.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it would have been 4KSLI. The KSLI actually formed a battlegroup with 3RTR for much of the final campaign, both 3RTR and 4KSLI being in the 11th Armoured Division (3RTR in 29th Armoured Brigade and 4KSLI being in 159th Infantry Brigade). Louise's other thread about her Uncle. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/searching-someone-military-genealogy/30321-cadman-ksli.html Deffo 2 KSLI.
Louise's other thread about her Uncle. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/searching-someone-military-genealogy/30321-cadman-ksli.html Deffo 2 KSLI. Owen and Missy Understood. What threw me on this one is that, according to the history of 11th Armoured Division, 4KSLI lost quite a lot of men at Overloon in mid October 1944 and it didn't occur to me that 2KSLI and 4KSLI were fighting so close together at the time even though in different Divisions. Steve
