WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR DADDY?

Paternal Grandfather: RAF, entered Halton in 1926 on Propulsions apprenticeship, did an attachment to the Fleet Air Arm during the ’30s serving on Carriers. Finished RAF career on 19 sqn Duxford, with Bader, left to run engineering section of flying school. After the war became Technical Director of Channel Airways.

Maternal Grandfather: tried to Join Royal Monmouthshires at 14, lied about his age, was found out and sent home! Joined TA in 1930s, and then went back to Monmouthshires when old enough.
Was one of the only survivor of his regiment in the battle for Crete, was then placed into Black Watch and was in the siege of Tobruk. Following that was selected to join the Paras in North Africa, served for a while and then was selected to join Stirling’s new Raiding Forces. Undertook a RAID on a german airfield behind lines and then had to wait 2 months in enemy territory until the lines caught up.
Following that, he became Secretary to Lord Jellico in N. Africa, (later creator of the SBS) where he acquirred a taste for fine wine and Polo!

Was then posted as a weapons instructor (RSM by this time) to Newcastle upon Tyne whereupon he met and married a Midwife, left the Army at the end of the war and bought a shop in a village outside Neath in Wales…

My mums dad; flew, fighter command i think.
My mums mum; waaf
My dads dad; believe did something with tanks
My dads mum; waaf
My Uncle 1; Army air core (post ww11)
My uncle 2: Sub mariner
Great grandad on my mums side war Royal navy
Cousins partners dad: not sure but he was there on 1 carrier to Malta. Remembers 12 spitfires taking off and one having a problem and crashing. (any more info there would be great) he went on to become a famous actor. (surname fairbanks weston so could have had either)
We have not traced more,

One of my uncle got drafted into the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) during the war, but my grandma got him out after a few days because the ARVN was a corrupt fighting force.

Only know about three family members:

Father’s father: built Bailey Bridges and did forestry work in Kent (still looking into details)
Father’s mother: not entirely sure
Mother’s father: drove trucks in North Africa until he was captured and spent several years in a POW camp (again, still looking into specific details)
Mother’s mother: I think she worked in the land army in Kent
Father’s uncle: flew Short Sunderlands for 95 Squadron, killed in crash in 1943 (thanks to Ross for providing loads of details on this)

We’re still researching, but we think my father’s grandfather fought and died in WWI, but details are proving elusive.

Cheers Mike. I admit I’m not into Army badges. I do have his shoulder flash of this badge somewhere at home.

I can now add WW1.
Maternal grandparents:
One in the Army
One was already deceased
Paternally
One was reserved occupation (Police Officer)
The other escapes me at the moment.

My Dad’s dad although reserved occupation was actively involved in the local ATC Squadron.

My maternal grandfather was in the British Army (he was in the RASC and at Casino) His unit badge is my avatar
My paternal grandfather was in a reserved occupation.
Not sure about earlier generations – I will check with parents as they are looking up the family tree.

Slight correction AW. Your Avatar is the formation badge of the formation his unit was serving with. If I remember my formation badges correctly this was last used as the formation badge of 11 Infantry Brigade when they were in Minden as part of BAOR

Granddad and uncle in protected occupation (farm workers). Dad likewise but volunteered for the Army. Served with The Kings Lancs before transferring to his local regiment (Oxford & Bucks LI). Served with them in Italy from Salerno landings until he was wounded. He was returned to England for medical treatment and invalided out after treatment. Returned to civilian life 1944

Grandfather Morris-Worked for the Vought company helping to design and promote the F4U Corsair of WWII (see his artwork below)
Grandfather Waterman, in US Navy, not sure of his position or what he did (he was an officer, I know that)
Grandfather Cramer (my stepmother’s father) shot down in early B-17 mission over Germany and spent rest of war in prison camp with a piece of Messerschmitt in his hand…

Mark

my pop was a csm in north staffs reg , sadly no longer with us, some great memmories though.

I find it warming that so many of us took time in recognising what our ancestors did for their countries.I wonderd if it was possible to apply for their respective campaign medals ,as i know all of my relatives apart from grt grandad didn’t send for theirs. He only got his due to it being a big gong and family rumor has it, had to be forced to receive it.A proud man who hated war and all its futility, i have a photo of him on his liberation after hostilities from a pow camp,all of his fingers were bandaged i asked my nanna why,she said they asked him his name ,he told them to ” F off” ten times.

war service

been into family history for years now, what a good idea,
fathers side.
gt grandad, 7th essex reg ww1, sth africa, his cousin was one of first vc winners in ww1. capt wright RA
3x gt uncles in RN ww1
grandad. was in RAFf at duxford and nth weald as a wireless opp before standard telephone co called his for ess-war-service
mothers side
gt grandad was in medical corp during ww1
1x gt uncle in coastal command, 1x gt uncle in RA, and 1x gt uncle who was a dispatch rider (all 3 never left gb during the war !!)
1x gt uncle in burma and india,
1x gt uncle in rm spent his war as a pow, (died 2 wks after demob at tates falling from the roof)
grandad 8th army, he used to do ammo drops in the desert for the lrdg.

I have 2 distant relations, first I have a relation to my family that fought in the War of Independance. You know , we were fighting agains’t taxation without representation, but that’s for another day. 😉 , second, I had a relation from Wisconsin, who fought in the Civil War for the Iron Brigade, which was decimated at the battle of Antietam, which 27,000 men were killed that day.

Paternal Side:
Grandfather; U.S. Navy WWII in charge of engine room on LST( LARGE SLOW TARGET ) participated in landings at Saipan, and Okinawa.
Father; Served honorably for twenty years in the USAF. Served in Vietnam at Camh Ranh Bay.
Uncle; U.S. Navy Res. on old Destroyer Escort out of Seattle, Wash, four years.
Great Uncle; B-24 Liberator pilot WWII, shot down over Berlin, POW, 30+years active duty USAF, 20 years at Hill AFB building wild weasels.
Great Uncle; 20+ years retired Maj. flew WB-29’s.

Maternal Side:
Grandfather; U.S. Army WWII landed at Utah beach D-DAY+1 served with a combined U.S. Army and British engineering, and construction battalion. I have a badge that they wore on their class A uniform that I have been doing research on.

Grandmother; War bride Manchester.

My maternal grandfather was in the British Army (he was in the RASC and at Casino) His unit badge is my avatar
My paternal grandfather was in a reserved occupation.
Not sure about earlier generations – I will check with parents as they are looking up the family tree.

Grandad- US MP Warton BAD2 first on scene after crash into school , rescued a little girl now about 60 who I still see now and again and carrys my Grandads picture in her purse. He then lost a leg in a plane crash in Berlin.
Great Uncle- Died Burma
Great Uncle- Worked on flying boats

Dad- 22 years in the Royal Nay
Mum- 8 years as a Wren
Grandad- Royal Navy- on the rocket ships used to shell DDay beaches
Grandad- Desert Rat- PoW under Italians, escaped, captured against, taken to Stalag 17

Uncle- Army, SAS- on one the fire teams for Badermeinhoff gang take down

Great Uncle- worked for Hawker making Hurri’s, later hunters

all i can remember at the moment

I`m German, but my Aunt married a Yank, and my wife is from Moscow…

Ok… should be quite interesting 🙂

My Grandpa survived Verdun.
My Father fought in Russia, got wounded and finally survived
one of these US Rhine Camps, after the Yanks threw him out
of the Koblenz military hospital.
My mother was a Luftwaffe WAAF.
One Uncle fought in Africa and spent the rest of the war in the US
One Uncle fought in Russia and lost his right arm in a tank battle
One Uncle lost his legs in Russia. He died this summer, father of 6 children.

My american Uncle survived the sinking of the USS Yorktown.

My wife’ s uncle died at the Kursk battle.

Kesha

Grandfather: Infantry WW1, Surgeon-Lt Royal Navy WW2
Great Uncle: Royal artillery WW1 (wounded)
Uncle: Bevan Boy (Miner) WW2
Father: Gunner Royal Navy WW2
Father-in-law: Royal Air Force, Spitfire Mechanic

My family has a strong history of farming (sheep in particular)…….my great grandfather probably did his bit to help feed the country………I’m not actually certain though……….I think I’ll ask my grandfather…….seems an interesting topic 🙂

I hope nobody minds but i would like to re raise this thread for armistice day.
And to ad an old friend JACK, Arnhem/pow/escapee, fighter to the end
RIP you old ******…..
Its a time to not just thank the lost but the living too.
The papers said there were just ten first world war tommies left.

great great grandad possibly one more back even or 2 survivor of rourkes drift,
great great uncle was on carpathia when picked up titanic survivors
grandad navy great war and army second war was a dunkirk survivor(mothers side)
grandad fathers side ship wright wasnt allowed to fight
father also ship wright and home guard, was sent down to coventry after the raids,
mother caulker/riviter in swan hunters shipyard newcastle
me Royal Airforce now retired
partner ex aussie army
son in Air cadets and younger son joining army cadets
fair old history there and continuing
seavixen88/christine