Have any Board posters lost relatives in the various wars

Must have effected many families especially the older generation losing entire village males in the 14-18 war. My Grandad won a Medals in the 14-18 war
and died shortly after the war from the effects of Gas poisoning in the trenches. Still have his watch presented by the people of Royston for the medals.

 

All my relatives were in reserved occupations so were in the local army

Lost a kid I used to teach a few years ago in the Gulf War. Poor kid was only 18 and three weeks away from the end of his tour - horrible experience!

 

My Grand Dad had his knee shot off in first world war

Big good looking bloke in his time 6'2" . Coldstream Guards
But got his knee shot off in the first world war that left him a cripple
Medicine wasn't the same then so they fused his top leg bones with his bottom leg bone to make one.
So he had one leg that he couldn't bend that was much shorter than the other so he had to have boots (no shoes)especially made
Couldn't do any hard physical work when he got back so ended up very poor

 

No close relatives lost in the wars.


My grandfather fought on the Somme but was one of the fortunate ones to return. I have some field glasses that he used, and his medals.

 

Got any pictures of him?

Hi mate. </p>

My grandfather was also in the Coldstream Guards - i think they were all pretty tall guys weren't they?</p>

He was killedover in Italy during WWII. I went to Napoli a few years ago to visit his grave. My father was only 7 years of age when it happened- and it's sad that he can't really remember him too well.</p>

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My grandad joined the army in 1937and by timeWW2 came roundhe was a PT sergeant and regiment boxing champ. He was in Africa against Rommels army, he got captured and put on a POW ship nearItaly.</p>

There was some mix up and the shipgot bombed by our own planes but he survived and got taken to POW camp in mainland Italy.From there he escaped with three other PT instructors, the plan was to all run in opposite direction.His brother-in-law was another runner but he got captured and tourched and never spoke after that, I remember he used to just sit in a chair at my great grans house.</p>

My grandad though made his way tothe balkanswhere he joined the Partisansand attacked German supply lines.He then made his own way back to England before the end of the war. My nan(who was head cook at scarboro grand hotel, which was the officers hospital during most of the war)saida manlooking like the wild man of the woods, long hair and a gret beard was tapping on the back window as she wasin the kitchen, she looked again and it was my grandad smiling at her.She hadn't heard from him for years, she thought he was MIA.</p>

He then went on towork 25 years down Cortonwood pit.</p>

I had the pleasure of working with him on a tarmac laying job my dad got on the side when I was a young lad. he'd never talk about the war and ifI asked him about it he would quickly change the subject by cracking a joke,or singing songs in Italian.</p>

He sadly passed away in the late 80's. After all he went through not once did I hear him have a bad word for anyone. He even had good words for the Italians who captured him, although he used to call tomato sauce , chicken juice. </p>

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My grandma's uncle was called Otto

everyone apparently knew him as Otto although his proper name was Frederick Otto, suffice to say when he got called up he went by Fred

as far as direct relatives both my great grandads were in reserved occupations - definately 1 coal miner I think also other, but at least one of 'em was in Home Guard and used to go up Hoober Stand to watch for paratroopers

 

A distant relative of mine, Tore Hund killed the norwegian king, Olav, in 1030 in the battle of stiklestad

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stiklestad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Þórir_hundr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Olav

Another relative of mine was trying to assasinate the russian tsar, along with other officers in the russian army but failed and escaped to Finland. as i have heard it

 

My Family were all miners,

or in other protected professions, or whatever the terminology is.

 

Same with mine nt

 

Always wanted to visit the Somme battlefields

Preferably on a guided tour. My Grandad and his brother were in the trenches and a sniper shot his brother and he died in his arms on the spot. Doubt wether anybody has ever visited his grave but I have found the location on the Wargraves site.

 

RE: Always wanted to visit the Somme battlefields

For that type of thing, there are some great little coach tours that are fairly inexpensive.

 

One of my Mum's great uncles

Died from his wounds sustained during the Somme. As I understand it, he was shipped back to recuperate in Scotland but gangrene set in & that was that.

Also one of my Dad's uncles was a sergeant major in the Green Howards. He saw active service in Italy & Africa before being invalided out as a result of getting shot in one of his knees. Fortunately he survived & lasted into old age.

 

My grandad on my mothers side killed in normandy (para)


Grandad on dads side fought in burma (chindit)came home,never talked a lot of what went on other than saying how gratefull he was for "jonny gurka" died in 79


My great grandad on my dads side was captured in WW1 and put to work down the mines in germany,f****d his back up and never worked again after the war,he died when I was little and I only have a vague memory of him but was a Barsteward according to my gran


As an aside My gran used to live next door to a old guy called mr Moss who had been gassed in the trenches he had no sence of smell or taste,he had been at Bumhole lane 1912 and used to enjoy describing the game when I took his sunday dinner round

 

Most of the family were miners so I thought we had avoided the carnage of War. My Dad worked down the mines for 6 Days and did the Home Guard on his Day off.
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However, when I started researching the family tree I found a couple who died in the First War and others who died in the Second.</p>

Not all of them died in action. I discovered one who died in Damascus of Dysentery/Typhus.</p>

My Aunties first husband my Uncle Tom was killed in Italy in WWII. Uncle Toms Father was killed in the trenches. So Father and Son died in each War. Very sad.
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My dad is from Elsecar and walked to Sheffield to join up in 1939, was 17 but somehow fibbed his way in. Joined RAf regiment and saw action in Germany, Middle East (Aden) and tidied up in North Africa. He is 85 next Friday still a gentleman and looks as if he is marching when he walks. He is full of stories about his mates and still in touch with a few of the regiment who are left. I'm proud of him he is a good man, who did what he thought was right at the time.

 

Great Grandad was in World War I...

I think his name is on Wombwell Cenotaph (one of my relatives is, anyway)...

Mi Mam's Dad was in the Home Guard - he was sparky at the pit so he couldn't join up like he wanted.

Mi Great Uncle's ship was sunk in the Mediterranean by a mine just after the war had ended - a proper Uncle Albert story if ever I heard one.

 

My dad is from Elsecar and walked to Sheffield to join up in 1939, was 17 but somehow fibbed his way in. Joined RAf regiment and saw action in Germany, Middle East (Aden) and tidied up in North Africa. He is 85 next Friday still a gentleman and looks as if he is marching when he walks. He is full of stories about his mates and still in touch with a few of the regiment who are left. I'm proud of him he is a good man, who did what he thought was right at the time.

 

my dad,but i warn you reading this mnot very nice

Ok,the war ended 1918,i was born 1928
my dad died in1947 aged 48
he was a miner at pilley,i went to workin1942
at the age of 14 in1942
He ,mty DADm got trench foot
and al my life,and what was left of his
each year,his legs both of them
became sore,he never went to docs,
rubbed them i think with some linament
now in his latter years they got worse and worse
both legs ,you could not see any skin he still did not stop working
both legs covered in bandages
then,his blood atarted to clot
he was taken to Becketts,and there he died
they put himin garage under the hospital
and me and my brother took it in shifts to lok after him
he died,
they called thrombosis
now i had 2 brother one 8 years older than and the other 6 years older
my elder brother died when he was 69
from thrombosis
then my other brother died when he was 72
from thrombosis ,both in the Legs
and me guess what
i am79 ,i have vascullar disease in my left leg
could we all have suffered from my dad getting trenchmans foot in WW!
i told you not nice reading

 

A very brave man

With very brave sons .
(worship) (worship) (worship) (respect) (respect) (respect)