A thread to think of Christmas in the War years. Found this here. Nice and Christmassy. The Photo Section (Part Two) View from other side Fluchschrift - Deutsche Verbrechen Exponat: Kollektives Gedächtnis: Friedrich Gerlach - Weihnachten 1943 Propaganda - Frauenwarte Feldgrau :: Kriegsweihnachten: Reflections on Christmas during WWII Some great stories on this last link. Such as Christmas 1943. "That evening there were fifteen suicides in the division, hearts broken from the strain of so many months of separation and suffering." Then from the fall of Hong Kong. Name:MOIR, ANDREW M Initials:A M Nationality:Canadian Rank:Rifleman Regiment/Service:Royal Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C. Date of Death:25/12/1941 Service No:C/65625 Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:5. C. Coll. grave 4-20. Cemetery:STANLEY MILITARY CEMETERY Direct from Hong Kong - December 2 - Veterans Affairs Canada
LILEKS (James) Old Newspaper Ads Wolverhampton Goodyear workers received Christmas cakes from workers at sister plants in Canada: Wolverhampton and World War 2 Autobahn workers christmas dinner, Berlin Sportsplast 1938: Everybody's Hitler (14) Assorted Home front: Home Sweet Home Front - CHRISTMAS ON THE HOME FRONT
Christmas cards sent home by my Father during the war years. 1940, Liverpool Scottish, 1943 Camerons in Sicily & 1944 Camerons in the Ardennes, and photo of 5th Camerons preparing xmas dinner in the Desert 1942.
For all those soldiers who have ever eaten at an impromptu field kitchen .......... Battle of the Bulge - Christmas 1944
Christmas in Hell Some 63 years ago today men of the First Canadian Division and their German counterparts spent Christmas in Hell. December 1943 A time, a place branding them far below the skin searing the soul its own veil of tears They grow old Where do memories go when covered by earth? Tears cried that unholy Christmas never dried mixed with blood they grasped the soil holding secretly silently beneath our feet the history of the streets Almost sixty years past and the life above sings in Italian Lovers stroll embracing, new life to come Amigos lean towards each other in cafes sip espresso, red wine laughter mixed with smoke rises surrounding their friendship And outside children of children who have never known war point fingers and shoot bullets of innocence While just out of town under stones of sadness one thousand three hundred and seventy five Canadian sons, husbands and fathers left behind so long ago guard this peace with mute testimony "This heaven was once hell." - David Cale Today if you could spare a moment, remember those on both sides who fell in this bloody battle.
Thanks Erik - I always think of my Dad who spent the Christmas of 1944 in Italy somewhere near Rimini, after the terrible battles on the Gothic Line. Had a nice chat with him today.
Hi Paul Certain dates always ring bells with me. May I quote from a short story I posted onto the BBC WW2 Archives? Saturday 1st. January 1944 Spent in Carovilli in the Central sector. Snow, cold, damp but still had a very good Xmas. Sunday 2nd. January 1944 Spent most evenings with Fioccas, very nice people. Troops are getting it rough at Vastgirade due to the cold The format for most of the troops in Italy on entering a village for the first time was to establish themselves with an Italian household. Instead of spending off-duty evenings in our un-comfortable billets, one could then relax in front of a roaring wood fire. Inevitably one brought spare rations for the mother of the family, which were thrown into the communal cooking pot. We then ate an evening meal with the rest of the family. In Carovilli I found myself in the household of the village priest, Signor Fiocca, and we spent many evenings discussing theological matters including how could a nice boy like me be Jewish! In my Album I still have a photograph of the Priest’s two younger sisters, Delya and Iola. One interesting aspect of the month or so we spent there was the time that one of the lads went down with pneumonia. We were completely cut off from other units by snowdrifts some 2O feet high and when we radioed for help were told to enlist the help of the local convent. We moved Peter, I have forgotten his second name, to the convent, and they took over completely and probably saved his life. We used to visit him occasionally to see how he was getting on and on the last occasion found him sleeping in a huge chapel with altar candles placed near his head and feet for all the world like a monarch lying in state. When he saw us he said: "For Christ's sake get me out of here!" Apparently he had woken out of his fever to find himself lying in that manner and thought that he must be dead! Another clear memory was coming out of our billets one morning to see ski tracks of a German Patrol who had calmly come through the village and made their escape without bothering us
Paul & Owen Whilst browsing some earlier entries on this site it occurred to me that I never brought you up to date on the sequel to my Carovilli story. Through the good offices of an Italian website called “a Trieste” someone sent me a list of Fioccas in a telephone book and by writing to all of them I was finally able to make contact with another sister of Signor Fiocca and her daughter. Sadly, all the folk who I remember from Carovilli are no longer alive but the family have made me welcome and thanked me for reviving memories of those times. I have also been sent a lovely contemporary snap of the priest and his niece, who is now the young lady with whom I have made contact. Cheers Ron
Thought you might like to see a follow up to my Carovilli story. Somone in the US googling "Carovilli" came across my story on the BBC Archives and has very recently been in touch with me. He is a close relative of the Fiocca family and has stayed at the house in Carovilli which is still owned by the family. Below I show two snaps, one taken of the Priest and his family in front of the house I used to visit and another snap taken recently by my new-found American friend. You see........ sometimes nothing changes Ron
Just looked at my fathers war diaries to see where he was at Christmas 1944. The 4th Reconnaissance Regt were pulled from Forli to a Transit camp at Toranto and arrived in the early hours at the camp, where they stayed until embarking on LST's 36 and 62 to Piraieus, Greece, arriving there on 30th December 1944. He always stated that it was his New Years Present from the army, being sent to Greece. Regards Tom
ErikH Thanks for the post My father was in Italyat that time probably not to far from them I beleive at the time they came under the 4th Armoured Division. As such all who fought there are never far from my thoughts. Seasons Greetings Oldman
