Hello Wilf and welcome, Dad, (Mel Snr) was with 50Div Sigs from 1939 until the breakup - Dunkirk to 'The Island'. I will show him your posts tonight and get some feed-back. After just having a cataract removed he can now see the screen on the lap-top! Some of his memories are included in the Signals area of the forum under a short history of 50 Div Signals. (In answer to Lesley - Mel Snr was born September 1920, so is 93 this year) Mel Jnr.
Thanks Mel, I think that would be the Royal Corps of Sigs, ask him if he ever came across a Stanley Palmer, --Stan was a mate of mine and was transferred from 6th Green Howards Sigs to 50 Div HQ Sigs, sadly he fell victim to Alzheimers a few years ago and passed on, --Wilf
Thanks Smudger, appreciate the welcome--- Wilf Shaw, ex Sig Platoon. 6th Green Howards, 50 Div 1940-46
Thanks for welcome Stolpi, new to all this, bit bewildering, especially to a 93 (almost) year old, Yes! took part in fighting around Nijmegen, was rowed over River Waal at dead of night, seemed to be stuck around Elst and Bemmel for days on end, pulled out of the line for good soon after this, 50 Div was split up into 3 groups, A, B & C . I ended up at Warrenpoint in N Ireland, then my last 6 months in Cyprus. Hello Wilf, I wonder if you would be able to assist with a bit of a 50 Div 'teaser'? When the 50 Div was split up, as you say the troops were categorised (I believe): A = Inter unit postings; B = Training N Ireland; C = Admin staff posted back to the UK; and possibly some D = Garrison unit postings. One of the forum member's father was with the 5th Bn East Yorks - in the 69th Infantry Brigade like you - and was posted on the 8 August 1945 to the '50th Division Rifle Company', which was sent over to Oslo, Norway, as part of British Land Forces Norway (Operation Doomsday). Is there anything you can tell us about this unit i.e. who, what, when, etc. they were? Any assistance you could give would be much appreciated. Best, Steve.
Hi! Joe, am well into reading your Second World war Memoirs, great stuff, I identify with so much of it, I was a Signaller before the war also, as a 17 year old in the "Manchesters", have a photo somewhere operating the D L S R (Daylight Signalling short Range) dont know how I go on about sending you an attachment.-- did you ever come across a Fullerphone Joe?. leve it there for now. Wilf
That's a new one to me Steve, the only thing I remember was that we were pulled out around Dec 1944, went to a place by the name of "Rouselare" and split into the three groups I mentioned, I would think the A Group would have been sent to other units still operational in the area, B to which I and others were allocated were sent to a camp near Warrenpoint in Co Down,( think it was Ballyedmond"and C were lads mostly who were at Dunkirk, and I dont know whether all of them or not, ended up at Green Howards G H Q Richmond ,I never knew that anyone ever went to Norway. Cheers for now Steve------Wilf
Wilf. As an 18-year-old thought operating a Fullerphone at the same time the line was being used for speech seemed 'magic' but then I also thought that about an 'earth-return circuit'! Now was is truly 'magic' is the computer, Google, this Forum, and my iPad! What a marvellous age we have survived to see and take part in . . . However, that said I have yet to learn the skill and cut through the gobbledygook about downloading a picture. Did it a couple of times but now waiting on my grandson writing an 'idiot's guide' of how to do it on my computer with Microsoft7. Would very much like to use your Photo using the LSDR, if you will kindly agree, in my website about infantry signalling. Joe
That's a new one to me Steve, the only thing I remember was that we were pulled out around Dec 1944, went to a place by the name of "Rouselare" and split into the three groups I mentioned, I would think the A Group would have been sent to other units still operational in the area, B to which I and others were allocated were sent to a camp near Warrenpoint in Co Down,( think it was Ballyedmond" and C were lads mostly who were at Dunkirk, and I dont know whether all of them or not, ended up at Green Howards G H Q Richmond ,I never knew that anyone ever went to Norway. Cheers for now Steve------Wilf Thanks for giving this your time, Wilf. Much appreciated! Cheers, Steve.
Thanks from me too Wilf. It is my uncle that was in the 5th Batt East Yorks. I am researching his war experience and have started to write it up onto a book so any information is really appreciated. Best Regards, Graham
Wilf, I wonder if you knew that Ken Taylor, the 6th GH signals officer, kept a diary in 1944? Well, he did and it is available on line. Perhaps it may re-awaken some memories for you. Here is the link:Kenneth Taylor's War Diary – 1
Yes! remember Ink Monkey Ink, also Ex Edward--Oblique Stroke,(It annoys me when I hear the modern day equivalent of "forward slash") I feel like bawling out, "Oblique Stroke" there was one for the hyphen which I cant bring to mind now, what was it?. Lovely to talk signals stuff Joe,, cheers for now ---Wilf Shaw
Thanks for the info, I printed it all out some time ago, I knew all of those Signallers he mentions, unfortunately he does not mention Freddie Zilken and myself and we had been in the Signal Platoon 6th G H since 1940, -- cant think why that was. nice to know you, Cheers -- Wilf Shaw
If theres anything I can help you with that would be relevant to your book, just fire away and ask, I remember 5th East Yorks well, They made up the 3rd Battalion in our Brigade 69th Inf, the other two Battalions were the 6th and 7th Green Howards.--- nice to know you Graham---- Cheers Wilf
If theres anything I can help you with that would be relevant to your book, just fire away and ask, I remember 5th East Yorks well, They made up the 3rd Battalion in our Brigade 69th Inf, the other two Battalions were the 6th and 7th Green Howards.--- nice to know you Graham---- Cheers Wilf Thanks Wilf it's nice to know you too. My uncle was very close to me and I miss him, unfortunately he would never talk about his war experience only bits here and there. I hope the book will give other members of the family an insight into what people like him and you experienced. Incidentally he has the same surname as you. Just thought Wild, would you have know any of the names listed on this Order of the Day Thanks again Graham
Sorry Graham, wish I could say I knew any of them but I cant, other ex WW2 vets will be just like myself, the number of mates you actually knew by name were very few, for my part, I cant say I even knew all those in my Platoon which would number between 35 to 40 men. beyond that, Company, Battalion etc I didn't know anyone by name, I suppose that might appear strange, but I'm sure others will confirm. All the best Graham-- Wilf
Born and bred Royton nr Oldham Lancs, but no one prouder to be a Green Howard than me, Nice to know you ----- Wilf Shaw
Yes! Joe, and the various O/C s , our Knick name for the Battalion C/O was "Shagnasty", that was Lt Col Cooke Collis
