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Thread: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

  1. #31
    Supporting Member farley's Avatar
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Snarglepuss,

    Thank you for sharing your uncle's story. At times i get lost in the numbers game, in terms of the millions that were killed during WWII. Hearing of your uncles fate serves to remind me that every casualty had a face, a name, a family, a life waiting for their return home. May your uncle rest in peace, and your family be proud knowing that he gave his life so we can enjoy our freedom.
    "If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down"......

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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Wow..What a story Snarg....Amazing...and what a great bit of detective work to find the missing ending and conclusion....That is simply brilliant...Thanks so much for sharing this one buddy....So glad you posted it.......~S~

    PS....Both my grandfathers fought at Cassino..
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  4. #33
    ATAG Member ATAG_Snarglepuss's Avatar
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Quote Originally Posted by farley View Post
    Snarglepuss,

    Thank you for sharing your uncle's story. At times i get lost in the numbers game, in terms of the millions that were killed during WWII. Hearing of your uncles fate serves to remind me that every casualty had a face, a name, a family, a life waiting for their return home. May your uncle rest in peace, and your family be proud knowing that he gave his life so we can enjoy our freedom.
    Cheers Farly, FYI I found that when he left home in Alberta at age 15 he stayed in Hamilton and worked at the Car and Foundry making shells for the war. He was at 69 Gertrude Street. Visited the place with Google maps but I've never been to Hamilton yet.

  5. #34
    ATAG Member ATAG_Snarglepuss's Avatar
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Quote Originally Posted by ATAG_Lewis View Post
    Wow..What a story Snarg....Amazing...and what a great bit of detective work to find the missing ending and conclusion....That is simply brilliant...Thanks so much for sharing this one buddy....So glad you posted it.......~S~

    PS....Both my grandfathers fought at Cassino..
    Thanks Lew. I had a lot of help from my Italian friends I made on line. I originally sent a blind e-mail to the Commune of Cesena. Dr. Branchetti read it and ran with the story. He found a military map of the area, had an article published in the newspaper, interviewed a few older folks, and took me around when I got there. To this day I owe him and his mate the "statistician" of Cesena a night out and dinner.
    It's been 14 years since I went over and the last member of my family who knew Walter (my aunt) just passed away this June. As an aside (figuratively and literally) this battle was the same one that the last living Canadian Victoria Cross recipient "Smokey" Smith earned that medal. His tank hunting platoon was on the right flank attached to "C" company in Pieve Sestina proper. about 400 yards from my uncles last position. Today "April" is a frozen food factory, but the Church and grave yard in San Andrea are still in use to this day.
    Cheers.

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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Any chance we can sticky this thread to get more folks stories about their relatives?

    Bump!
    "The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.'' - Bertrand Russell
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served...Our Families

    I'll bump this with the story of my grandfather that I turned into a short film that I've posted here before:


  8. #37
    Veteran Combat pilot Hurricane's Avatar
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Hi guys,

    My paternal granddad fought on the Western Front all the way through 1914-18. Only out of the line for a short while wounded. WW2, i had two uncles in the D-Day invasion, plus one who fought through the Western Desert and on into Italy and another that fought the japs all the way through Burma. My late dad was regular army 1950-1963. My dad was also blown from the front hallway of his house with my grandmother. Through the back door into the garden. When a stick of bombs landed on the houses across the road in Canton, Cardiff. They were just on their way to the Anderson Shelter in the back garden.

    Respect to everyone who has served and those that are serving now.

    Best wishes,
    Mike.
    Last edited by Hurricane; Feb-27-2017 at 06:30.

  9. #38
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served...Our Families

    Hello all, here goes my family's contribution...

    Maternal grandmother's first husband was killed at the tail end of the second Boer War; shot in the throat by a sniper and died on the boat home. Buried at St Helena. Her second husband (my great-grandfather) was killed in 1917 in unknown circumstances but is buried at Ballieul. He was a reluctant recruit who served on several fronts including the middle east, Italy and France, a kind man with hardly a violent bone in his body but apparently a very competent soldier.

    His daughter's husband (my grandad) was in the colonial police is Palestine and during the war served in the invasion of Iraq as ground staff for the RAF, mostly intelligence. His brother flew Hurricanes in Sicily and Italy, losing part of his hand when his instruments exploded due to enemy fire. He got the old girl home, however!

    Very proud of them all.

  10. #39
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Forgot about this thread.

    Just lost a family friend a few weeks back. George Salvador, fought in the Spanish Revolution in 1936 against Franco as a 16 year old along side his dad, brothers, and cousins. His dad and him made it out alive and were able to escape to France. From there they migrated to the USA for the second time. After Germany invaded Poland George volunteered for the Cavalry. After Pearl Harbor, he lat moved into the Army Air Corps and was assigned as a ball turret gunner on B-17s. He was stationed at Great Ashfield and completed 26 combat missions, was credited with 1 confirmed Bf-109 shot down and 2 others non-confirmed.

    Last mission before returning home was June 6, 1944 over Normandy.

    4.jpg

    3.jpg

    1.jpg

    6.jpg

    Died peacefully with his wife of 65 years and family by his side February 5th.

    7.jpg
    Last edited by ♣_Spiritus_♣; Feb-27-2017 at 19:28.

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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Fascinating! How anybody managed to hit anything from those ball turrets beats me! Must of taken a very special type of man.

    Respect! Respect! Respect!

    Salute!
    Last edited by ATAG_Marlow; Feb-27-2017 at 19:24.

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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    I love this thread...I read them all and get excited when I know there's a new one to read...Its fascinating...and so evocative...

    I thank everyone who contributes here on behalf of their family...These stories must be aired for us all to read...I think thats important and is a fitting tribute to them

    You can tell that the writers here are very proud of what their families have done...and rightly so...

    I salute you all

    ~S~
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  14. #42
    Veteran Combat pilot Hurricane's Avatar
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Left my poor old mam out of my post. She lied about her age to work at the Royal Naval Mine Depot, Milford Haven. She was only 15 (1941), all her friends were older (16 and above). So she was ineligible to work with munitions.

    But she got in and spent the war manufacturing and working with mines. Not sure of all the types, but i know the sea mines with the horns were one type.

    She still remembers it all and has told me about the huge US warships anchored in The Haven and about the Italian prisoners of war who were employed to work on the land (farming). Many of them choosing to stay here after the war ended.

    http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/41...rmaments-depot

    That is a lovely post Lew.

    Best wishes,
    Mike.

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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Quote Originally Posted by 69th_Spiritus_Mortem View Post
    Forgot about this thread.

    Just lost a family friend a few weeks back. George Salvador, fought in the Spanish Revolution in 1936 against Franco as a 16 year old along side his dad, brothers, and cousins. His dad and him made it out alive and were able to escape to France. From there they migrated to the USA for the second time. After Germany invaded Poland George volunteered for the Cavalry. After Pearl Harbor, he lat moved into the Army Air Corps and was assigned as a ball turret gunner on B-17s. He was stationed at Great Ashfield and completed 26 combat missions, was credited with 1 confirmed Bf-109 shot down and 2 others non-confirmed.

    Last mission before returning home was June 6, 1944 over Normandy.

    4.jpg

    3.jpg

    1.jpg

    6.jpg

    Died peacefully with his wife of 65 years and family by his side February 5th.

    7.jpg
    Wonderful post, what a life!

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  18. #44
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    I have a fair amount of family history, and indeed an awful lot were involved with the RAF and in the Great War, the RFC. Starting off on my mother's side of the family:

    G.Grandfather - P/O Robert "Bobby" Oxspring. WWII Fighter Ace, shot down 14 aircraft, 2 probable and 3 V-1s. Served in BoB, N.Africa, Europe and Far East. In BoB flew Spitfire Mk Ia LZ-R X4170, then flew the Spitfire Mk VB DL-Z AB910. Led the first jets across the Atlantic. Died in 1988, buried in Cranwell Parish Church.

    G.Grandmother - WAAF personal. She was one of the people to rearm aircraft, help crew out of the plane after a sortie etc. She was at the following airfields from 40-45:Hawkeninge, Coninsby, Duxford, Lypme, Ramsgate, Shoreham, Hendon and Gatwick. You can tell she was always active! Died in 2015 at the age of 97.

    G.Grandfather's 3 Brothers - One was a Commando "Frogman", one was a merchant gunner on british convoys heading to and from the UK to Russia, the other was a tank commander in the 17/21st Lancers.

    G.G.Grandfather - Robert Oxspring (Name is repeated through the family) , Ace in WWI with the RFC. Little information is known.

    Father's side of the family:

    G.Grandfather - Officer in the BEF, went through Dunkirk and Normandy. Was MP later on in the British sector of Berlin.
    G.Grandfather's Brother - Officer in 81st 'Gold Coast' Regiment. Served in Burma and India. Wounded, brought back to Britain and remined until VE Day. Refused to go to the celebrations as his regiment was still fighting in Burma agaisnt the Japanese
    G.Grandmother - Nurse for the army.
    G.G.Grandfather - Tank Commander in an unknown regiment, but he was in one of the firsts tanks to be deployed to the Somme sector in 1916.

    Also my mother's father was one of the commanders for the task force sent to the Falklands (didnt include that bit as its not related to WWI or WWII)

    Just thought I'd share some family history...


    SPITFIREPILOT

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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    late to this thread but genuinely humbled and moved by the posts. Thanks to all for sharing.
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Some new information:

    It turns out that my German grandfather had some uncles that served in the first world war and he has a bunch of photographs and some medals that they earned. One survived and the other was killed at the Somme, but they both received the Iron Cross. The next time I see my grandpa I will ask him to show me the photographs and hopefully I can scan them and post them here.

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  22. #47
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Paternal grandfather was a padre in the RAF. During the Battle of Britain, one of his tasks was to go around to the various crashsites to help identify and attend to the burial of any deceased airmen. He must have seen some terrible things, but there was only one story he was prepared to share with us. On one occasion, he was called to the crashsite of a German bomber aircraft. On the body of one of the deceased, who was apparently no more than a teenager, he found a letter. It turned out to be a love letter from a sweetheart back home. The discovery seems to have moved my grandfather deeply, because from that point, the Germans in their bombers up above were no longer ‘the enemy’, but ordinary men and boys, whose loss was as tragic and pointless as the loss of anyone else.

    The lesson wasn't lost on him either. He made it to 98 years old, and in all that time I don't believe he ever had a bad thing to say about anyone.

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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    During WW1, my great grandfather was a Corporal in "K" Company, 30th US Infantry in 1918 and was cited 6 times and awarded 6 silver battle streamers (1. Aisne Defensive, 2. Chateau Thierry, Sector 6, 3. Champagne-Marne Offensive, 4. Aisne-Marne Offensive, 5. Vesle Sector, Meuse-Argonne 6. Meuse-Argonne Offensive). He was awarded the Croix de Guerre (cited 3 times) by the French government.

    Thankfully, I was able to recover his war journal and scan it (see attached entry).
    ww1_diary.jpg
    A bit hard to read, but he mentions his mate's helmet, beside him, being split in two and losing his captain. The war deeply impacted him for the rest of his life and had a strong effect on my grandfather, who later became a medic in WW2 (non-combat, post-casualty care). My great uncle, his brother, was an aviation machinist on the Aleutians during WW2. Also had a Canadian relative building Mossies, but don't know much more.

    On the civilian side, which I believe is just as important, my brother's wife suffered through war as a civilian and refugee, losing her father and her eye when just a child. Her mother, a loving and caring person who treats us like family, is one I greatly admire. She remarried to a S. Vietnamese Skyraider pilot. He spoke with me openly about his experiences flying, including growing up after the shadow of the Japanese, and during French and Communist occupations. They suffered through terrible times.

    I owe it to my grandfather and my bro's wife's family for getting the child-like fantasies of war out of my head. I can respectfully say the same for some of you I fly with (digitally ). Yeh, CLOD is good fun, but those 20 minute flights often catalyze a way for me to separate pixels from the lives of real people who suffered immensely -both the civilian and the soldier.
    Last edited by 69th_Zeb; May-24-2017 at 00:45.

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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Thanks for sharing this info...

    I sometimes think we owe it those folks to share their story and we should all be proud...

    There's not a post I haven't read in this thread...

    Thanks Zeb...Fascinating reading...~S~

    ...Lew...
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    Supporting Member DOWNEAST's Avatar
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    Canadian Patriot

    A summer's visit to Ottawa and the Canadian War Museum stimulated my interest in family members who served In the Mllltary. That would be mom's brother Hedley, his son Rupert, a cousin Roy Hutt, my brother-in-law and myself. As far as I know the only combat veterans were my uncle Hedley, and son Rupert and my cousin Roy. Rupert entered the service as a RCAF flying Officer when he was 21, after Hedley' s death, the last part of 1944. If I recall flying coastal patrol against submarines. Roy was in the Coast Guard at age 17 from '44 to '45 and served in combat in the far Pacific on an LST.

    I received a copy of uncle Hedley's service records from the Canadian Archives as a result of my request when visiting the war Museum In Ottawa. The papers reveal that when Brition declared war on Germany after the invasion of Poland in September 1939, Hedley a British citizen (domicile Canada), a farmer with wife and three children, enlisted. Because of hands on experience with mechanical equipment tools and construction he was made a "Sapper" in the 1st Canadian Division, 1st Field company, Royal Canadian Engineers.

    In less then two months of his enlistment he sailed for England on 27 January 1940 where he trained In the Plymouth area until embarking for Brest, France on 14 June 1940 to assist In the defense of France. This very soon became the withdrawal of British and Canadlan forces in advance of the overwhelming German Army and the surrender of France. His withdrawal, not as famous as Dieppe, never-the-less much larger, was named Operation Arial and commenced soon after his arrival. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ariel
    Hedley returned to Plymouth as part of the evacuation and remained In Glasgow, Scotland area until he retumed to Canada on compasonate grounds, due to the death of his younger son, in March 1942. Hedley remained on duty with the 2nd Fort company, Fortress HQ in the Halifax area and was promoted to Copora! in November 1943.

    In an official evaluation interview on 14 December1943 he indicated his urgent desire to return to overseas combat duty as soon as possible. In a second follow up Interview on 24 January 1944, he indicated the same and the reviewing officer finally recommended this transfer. The conditions of his transfer to limit his activities to base operations reserve troop support because of his age, now 44. Shortly thereafter, the month before sailing again he took ill and was admitted to Debert Military Hospital, Nova Scotia on 3 March 1944 where he died a month later on 10 April due to complications of adult mumps (pulmonary emboilism).


    Hedley Morse Banks, F91599 Cpl. RCE Canadian Patriot Hedley.png
    Last edited by DOWNEAST; May-27-2017 at 10:22.
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    As Lew knows, my father served in Regia Aeronautica during the war.
    He was part of the 274th Squadriglia BGR flying with Piaggio P108 four engine bomber. He was a gunner and bombs releaser.
    Piaggio_P.108.jpg
    He fought over Gibraltar, Tunisia and during Husky.
    September 8th 1943 his airfield was occupied by germans and he was taken prisoner, because his plane couldn't take off.
    The Germans btw where really kind with him and let him work in the airfield. So he had the occasion to escape after a while towards Toscana where he was taken prisoner again from Germans in 1944. Luckily the truck that was bringing him towards german bases faced a couple of Thunderbolts, so that all the prisoners with him and the guards had to jump off from the truck and recover in the grain fields around. That was the occasion to escape again from Germans.
    He managed to return home in Sardinia after the war was finished and survived war.

    My uncle was in Regia Aeronautica too (a tecnician). At a certain point Italians had more tecnicians than planes and his group was converted to an infantry battalion that fought in Africa. Was taken prisoner from britains until the end of the war.
    He also survived war.
    Last edited by FS~Fenice_1965; Oct-04-2017 at 15:43.

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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Thanks Fen for sharing you fathers story...Fascinating story...

    ~S~

    ...Lew...
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    10710571_10205031607417544_8101508456022153845_n.jpg
    Eric Stanley Waghorn

    My Granddad served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Channel, North and Baltic Sea during WWII, mostly working on L128 HMS Wilton. His stories ranged from helping get the SS Ohio to Malta in the Med, claiming a Stuka with the ship's pompoms. Mine sweeping off of Holland inbetween guesting for Ajax (he was on the books with West Ham). Picking up Destroyers from New York and escorting them across the Atlantic and convey escorting lend lease tanks to Russia (either Matildas, Churchills or both).

    My other Granddad contracted TB just before the war and so worked for a baker's. His war effort consisted of causing backfires in his truck whenever he drove by the Italian PoWs, making them dive for cover. He was present for several of the bombings of RAF Rochford. He recalled a spotter plane, probably a Storch leaving a smoke circle above the airfield for the bombers to have a go at. The problem with this was that smoke is deployed in the air and up in the air was wind. Wind bringing the circle towards him! He recalled riding away on his bicycle as fast as he could as the bombing became more and more inaccurate!

    I don't remember meeting my Great granparents, but they all served in army branches WWI. I followed in their footsteps by joining the Royal Artillery, serving in Europe and Canada like my Great Granddad Tolly.

    I'll save my favourite family member story for next time. Big clue - It involves the Solent in 1929 and my naval Granddad's name might serve as another.

  29. #54
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    Thanks bert....Fascinating read...

    I look forward to your next update...

    ~S~
    "The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.'' - Bertrand Russell
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  30. #55
    ATAG Member ATAG_Laser's Avatar
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    Re: A Tribute to Those Who Served.

    I recently started a thread about my Great Grandfather Private Robert Smith, who was killed at Ypres during the First World war.

    https://theairtacticalassaultgroup.c...822#post324822

    All we know was that he was running with his company, probably having gone 'Over the top' and they all took shelter in a crater, or something like that, and a German shell followed them in.

    As you can imagine, nothing of him was found and he has no known grave, but is on the Arras memorial.

    I now have a picture of my Great Grandfather as my avatar

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