Questions regarding my grandfather (156th Parachute Battalion - Airborne)

Hi Tom,

I am so excited typing this, as i have never spoke to anyone else whose grandparent has fought with the 156. My grandfather was called Alfie McMeekin, or he was more affectionately known, as Custard Lugs to the battalion. Sadly I never got to meet him as he passed away at a 156 bn reunion while dancing with my grandmother. Just a year before I was born.
he is mentioned in David Truesdales book quite alot as he was good friends with JJ O'Rielly. Both being from Norn Iron, or Belfast to be more specific. my grandfather also had the honour of testing out a new anti tank rifle that was supposed to be used, but then scrapped, as him being the biggest man in the battalion, had trouble using it.
He also inspired me to join the forces and take the queens shilling and join specifically the Army Air Corps. I have served in Afghan and it's never far from my mind that Alfie fought along the Khyber pass just before the war.
I'm sauntering, but I do hope you still use this forum and are able to get back to me. I also hope your grandfather is alive and well, and would be so grateful if you where to ask him if he knew a big Ginger Irish lad by the name of Custard Lugs!

Many Thanks

Big Mac 5 Regt Army Air Corps.

PS. I have loads of old photos and even his pay book and last telegram he sent home before he left for Arnhem all in good nick. You never know, your grandfather could be in some of the photos?

 

BIg Mac -
This JJ O'Rielly you mention - was he a Doctor - head of shrinks in Birmingham - retired to Bournemouth and became a Lawyer - gave up as it didn't pay enough ......a real Character that I knew in the 70's ...?
Cheers

 

Big Mac

You might be interested in the attached. Your Grandfather was a member of the group of 156 that evaded after Arnhem and escaped on Operation Pegasus 1.
I would strongly recommend that you obtain a copy of "From Delhi to Arnhem" written by John O'Reilly - J J O'Reilly's son. Your grandfather gets a lot of mentions.
Can you pm me and I'll put you in contact with John - there is still a strong 156 Bn association and they meet each October in Melton Mowbray. Many of the sons/daughters of veterans attend this reunion and so I'm sure that you will hear a lot more about your Grandfather.

John

 

Big Mac

Here is another bit from your Grandfather's evasion period - It's a copy of his entry in the "Guest book" of Edith Nijhof - a very brave Dutch lady who sheltered and transported many of the airborne evaders after Arnhem. Sorry about the quality - it's a copy of a photocopy

John

 

Hi Tom,

I am so excited typing this, as i have never spoke to anyone else whose grandparent has fought with the 156. My grandfather was called Alfie McMeekin, or he was more affectionately known, as Custard Lugs to the battalion. Sadly I never got to meet him as he passed away at a 156 bn reunion while dancing with my grandmother. Just a year before I was born.
he is mentioned in David Truesdales book quite alot as he was good friends with JJ O'Rielly. Both being from Norn Iron, or Belfast to be more specific. my grandfather also had the honour of testing out a new anti tank rifle that was supposed to be used, but then scrapped, as him being the biggest man in the battalion, had trouble using it.
He also inspired me to join the forces and take the queens shilling and join specifically the Army Air Corps. I have served in Afghan and it's never far from my mind that Alfie fought along the Khyber pass just before the war.
I'm sauntering, but I do hope you still use this forum and are able to get back to me. I also hope your grandfather is alive and well, and would be so grateful if you where to ask him if he knew a big Ginger Irish lad by the name of Custard Lugs!

Many Thanks

Big Mac 5 Regt Army Air Corps.

PS. I have loads of old photos and even his pay book and last telegram he sent home before he left for Arnhem all in good nick. You never know, your grandfather could be in some of the photos?

I have emailed you mate

 

Hi Tom & Big Mac...

Good to see this and Big Mac would love to see the photos, I've always had a good interests in anything to do with Airborne as Tom well knows.. I have any photos of Veterans of Arnhem given to me by Family Memebers and the good poeple on this forum...

Cheers
Tom

 

Big Mac,
If you do make contact with the 156 Btn Club and are around I believe they are doing a BFT on the Thursday before the Arnhem commemoration weekend this coming September and hopefully the last senior officer of the Btn from 1944 will be there - John Waddy.....
I guess the AAC is a relatively small club and so do you know Big Bird Joyce?

 

Big Mac,
If you do make contact with the 156 Btn Club and are around I believe they are doing a BFT on the Thursday before the Arnhem commemoration weekend this coming September and hopefully the last senior officer of the Btn from 1944 will be there - John Waddy.....
I guess the AAC is a relatively small club and so do you know Big Bird Joyce?

I doubt my grandfather will be there, apparently quite ill at the moment

Are John and my grandfather the only people still alive from 156 btn?

 

I doubt my grandfather will be there, apparently quite ill at the moment

Are John and my grandfather the only people still alive from 156 btn?

Your Grandfather and John are probably the only officers still alive but there were four other veterans at the reunion in October and I know of one other veteran who was 133 PFA attached to 156 Para.

John

 

Thanks everyone for getting back to me so quickly, I never expected such a good response and the documents that are posted here.

I have told my father about the reunions that still go on, and he would love to attend as would I.

I have another book by David Truesdale called Brotherhood of the Cauldron. Its about the 300 Irishmen that fought in the 1st Airborne. But Alfie was not mentioned in it. So I being quite angry got onto Davids publisher and got his number and asked him why. He just said cause my grandfather came from an english regiment it wasn't flagged up that he was Irish. He went from the Royal Warwickshire Regiment to the Paras in India. He then gave my father a book signed by him for compensation.

Airborne medic, I dont know Big Bird Joyce sorry, I'm in 5 AAC in Northern Ireland, before that 9 AAC in N Yorkshire. I've never bumped into him on my travels. I would serioulsy like to go to the 156 btn Club event and then to Arnhem before it is too late. Hopefully I can convince the Army to pay for it too!

Tnoble, I'm sorry to hear that about your grandfather, I hope he gets well soon. And i'll check out that e-mail now.

TomTas, I'll get them photos scanned and posted on here as soon as I can get access to a scanner. I also have alot of documents you may be interested in? And I still have the wings he kept to prove his identity when he finally escaped.

Tom Canning, I'm not sure if he was a Doctor, as my knowledge of him is just ref the war.

And Horsapassenger, many thanks for the links, its always great to gain more info about my grandfather and anything to do with Arnhem.

Thanks again everyone, and hopefully this is the start of sharing more info and details for a while to come.

 

Here is the best picture I have of my grandfather and grandmother on my computer. It was taken on their wedding day, just days before Arnhem and when my grandfather left, he illegally sent one last telegram to Winnie saying ''PADDYS AWAY!'' which I also still have.

You can clearly see my Grandmother has a set of wings on as jewlery. Both my grandparents where Airborne through and through. My grandmother done her part for the war effort by making tracer rounds and smoke grenades for most of the war.

 

These others are some of his docs that we have, ill copy the rest as soon as I can. Totally forgot I had them on my Zen player. We have alot of his docs still in great condition. The quality is not great on a few cause I had to shrink them to fit my Zen then when I just took them off it, I could not get them back to the original size. It is his certificate of service and at the bottom of one it has listed all the places he served, he served in India for 6 years before the war broke out, and the medals he was awarded. He got mentioned in despatches for Arnhem, but refused to collect it, as he lost his best man at Arnhem, John Hamilton, and he never agreed with receiving it because they lost the battle.

Hope you all enjoy seeing these.

 

Met many 156 Bn veterans throughout the years, only one or two of the MMG platoon, when I wrote my publication about thee MMG crash when I visted the crash site some 2o years ago I got some piece of the plane, some pieces went to the MMG vets, and a piece to the Airborne Museum in Aldershot, don't know what happend to them, have been in touvh with your grandfather who lived in France, but never met him, met his good friend Ronnie Adams who was also in S.Company

 

Met many 156 Bn veterans throughout the years, only one or two of the MMG platoon, when I wrote my publication about thee MMG crash when I visted the crash site some 2o years ago I got some piece of the plane, some pieces went to the MMG vets, and a piece to the Airborne Museum in Aldershot, don't know what happend to them, have been in touvh with your grandfather who lived in France, but never met him, met his good friend Ronnie Adams who was also in S.Company

Perhaps the piece that my grandfather has was from you? He holds it up at the end of the film.

Tom

 

No doubt thats one of the pieces I handed out, Tom

 

Thanks everyone for getting back to me so quickly, I never expected such a good response and the documents that are posted here.

I have told my father about the reunions that still go on, and he would love to attend as would I.

I have another book by David Truesdale called Brotherhood of the Cauldron. Its about the 300 Irishmen that fought in the 1st Airborne. But Alfie was not mentioned in it. So I being quite angry got onto Davids publisher and got his number and asked him why. He just said cause my grandfather came from an english regiment it wasn't flagged up that he was Irish. He went from the Royal Warwickshire Regiment to the Paras in India. He then gave my father a book signed by him for compensation.

Airborne medic, I dont know Big Bird Joyce sorry, I'm in 5 AAC in Northern Ireland, before that 9 AAC in N Yorkshire. I've never bumped into him on my travels. I would serioulsy like to go to the 156 btn Club event and then to Arnhem before it is too late. Hopefully I can convince the Army to pay for it too!

Tnoble, I'm sorry to hear that about your grandfather, I hope he gets well soon. And i'll check out that e-mail now.

TomTas, I'll get them photos scanned and posted on here as soon as I can get access to a scanner. I also have alot of documents you may be interested in? And I still have the wings he kept to prove his identity when he finally escaped.

Tom Canning, I'm not sure if he was a Doctor, as my knowledge of him is just ref the war.

And Horsapassenger, many thanks for the links, its always great to gain more info about my grandfather and anything to do with Arnhem.

Thanks again everyone, and hopefully this is the start of sharing more info and details for a while to come.

Thanks....pm me as I should be able to get you details of the 156 BFT in Arnhem in September...ok that you don't know Big Bird...you would if you ever met him!

 

Hi guys.

My wife's grandfather is also Jeffrey Fraser noble. We see him quite regularly but he's not very well at the moment. My wife has always been very interested about wheat he did. He has told me a few things about the war but nothing in too much detail. I would love to get a copy of the john o Reilly book but for love nor money I can't get hold of one.
No-where seems to have one. I'd love to get one for Christmas for her. even a second hand one I'd be prepared to pay full price. She'd love to know the family history etc as she is very close to her grandfather.

Any ideas guys would be so much appreciated

Al

 

Airborne is not my thing but I'm assuming this is the same book?

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=From+Delhi+to+Arnhem

 

Guys,

Remember, if they were captured, there could be a POW Liberation Questionnaire completed upon return.

Regards,

Nick