Relatives in the war?

Dave!

Hey folks,

Just wondering if any of ye have relatives, fathers, grandfathers, etc., that fought in the war, on either side?

Who did they fight with, where, and do they talk about it much?

I'd love to have any relatives who could regale me with war stories, but alas

The only one I can think off hand is my great granduncle. He was in the RAF and flew Lancs. Bombed Dresden I think. He took part in glider ops also and missed "Market garden" because he crashed and broke his leg training.

tribulus

Not really in the war technically but my grandfather served from 1940-1946 in the Irish Army.

19th battalion (which I think became the 23rd battalion) based in Collins Barracks although he was mostly around Waterford and Wexford. Finished as a Seargent.

motherfunker

My mother told me recently while I was playing Company of Heroes that she had some letters that belonged to my granny from a guy she used to date during the war. The letters are from Arnhem around the time of Operation Marketgarden, I havent got to see them yet, she cant find them but they could be interesting. I must get her back on the case.

Vokes

My grandad (a Scot) was in the RAF serving as gunner on a bomber plane. They took part in those regular forays into Dresden, etc.. He joined at the age of 16 in 1940, which means he was underage at the time I think.

He doesn't really talk about the job so much. But gets very misty-eyed when talking about his old crew and other close friends he made in the service - in particular those close friends who died in the war ("that young lad....he was one of the good ones" ...etc)

ojewriej

One of my grandfathers was in Wehrmaht, another in Polish 2nd corpse under General Anders - they were the ones who captured Monte Cassino. Also had an uncle who served with Polish Corpse within Soviet Army. It was great craic when they got together, used to love listening to their stories. They were the ones who got me interested in WWII.

I was on scouts for years as well, and we did a lot of work with veterans, particularly members of the resistance (People's Army and Home's Army). They had some stories. Two of the lads stand out in my memory - one's hands were all damaged, Gestapo smashed his fingers with a hammer during interviews.

Another one, would always have pieces of bread hidden in his pockets, loads of them. He was in a Concentration Camps, both Nazi and Soviet, freed in early 50's, and for the rest of his life had this phobia about being hungry. I really liked this fella, he suffered a lot, but wasn't bitter - he was actually very involved in the reconciliation movements. He had great stories as well.

Kaiser_Sma

I fairly sure my grandfather flew B24s in the RAF/Fleet Air Arm. Though i'm not sure in which theatre.

I've known of some people who where in Japanese POW camps who had a similar problem with hording food, especially as they get older.

Saabdub

Grandad was in WW1, wounded in Turkey, his son (my uncle) was in WW2.

Saabdub

Lockstep

Christ, my old man is always on to me about his American cousins who fought all over the place.

I even had a brace of cousins who fought in the battle of the Bulge and survived.





Best story goes to my grandfather who was in the LDF or something and given a hurley and told to patrol a field at night (they hoped the shilouette of the hurley would make overhead flyers think the Irish had guns)

DublinWriter

My great-uncle fought in the Royal Irish in the Italian Campaign in 1944. He said most of the other regiments retreated and what was left of their battalion were left stranded on an island off Anzio with the Waffen-SS on their heels.

Although the odds were completely against them, their Officer i/c told them all to fight to the last bullet because the SS, unlike the Wehrmacht, never respected the Geneva convention and would shoot them all if they surrendered.

It was only when they had spent their last round that they raised the white flag. Some senior German SS officers came over and checked that the Irish didn't have any ammo remaining. Once they were happy, the senior ranking SS man insisted on shaking the hand of the remaining members of the Royal Irish thanking them for 'a good fight'.

I asked him did he ever shoot a German. He said he did, in the leg, but felt sorry for him and left him his first aid kit then ran off to find the rest of his unit!

peasant

Grandfather one (who died when I was fairly young) was a mechanic in vehicle maintenance on some sort of rearguard operation on the western front. By all accounts had a fairly cushy number until his arrest as POW (shortly before all was over) and subsequent imprisonment in France (after the war). He escaped from there (somwhere in Alsace) and made it home on foot.

Grandfather two was a civil servant in the post office, became a Leutnant in the military post office. Missing in action somwhere on the Russian front (at that time on German soil) in early 45 (his unit couldn't get out quickly enough)

My father has vivid memories (as a five year old) of lying on his belly all night in freezing winter in a field outside his village, the roaring of the bombers overhead and watching the glow of Dresden burning about 15 km away

Mushy

Not sure of how exactly I'm related to this person, its on my Dads side, think it was his uncle(obviously my grand-uncle then). He flew for the RAF during the Battle of Britain, and various other events.

My Gran, she was a nurse in Coventry during the war too, part of the Home Guard I suppose ya could say.

Both are now dead, so dont know much, if anything, on their experiences of the war. Really must find out though, there is one relatice from whom we could find out.

Creature

My grandad was an anti-tank gunner in the British army. Unfortunately I didn't really start getting interested in learning about the war until after he died. Although apparently he never talked much about his exploits anyway. Also he was as stubborn as they come, so I wouldn't have gotten anything out of him even if he was still around .

cyrusdvirus

My Grand Uncle was a rear gunner in a Lancaster, he had some tales of the sheer terror of night bombing.

It made for some interesting conversations with his brother, my Grandfather, who fought on the Nationalist side during the Spanish civil war.

Dinter

My Grandad, on my mums side was with the Irish Army from before there was an Irish State. He then went off to fight with the Blueshirts during the Spanish Civil war. After that fiasco he returned to Ireland via Germany where he tried to join the Nazi party. Was refused and went home where he rejoined the Irish Army. Until the day he died in the late seventies he maintained that Hitler was a great man who's visionary outlook had been twisted by subordinates. Thought the holocaust etc was an invention of the Allies. Although quite liberal in his views he hated communism and was a rabid facist which made him excuse everything done in its name. Bit mad really although very entertaining.

One of my great uncles (dads side) was a bombadier in the RAF and took part in the Dresden bombing. As the RAF at that time was carpet bombing rather than aiming he used to say that most of the flights he'd spent aiming his guns at other Lancasters and making machine gun noises! Took a couple of grainy photos over Dresden and although they're sepia coloured now they look incredible. You can see stitches of tracer etc as well as the fires.

Another great uncle (dads side) took part in the Pacific campaign as an infantryman. He brought home a trench knife similar to the one featured in the favourite weapons thread as well as a Samarai sword. It was one of the cheap factory produced ones though. He had a Nambu (A sort of Japanese Luger clone) which vanished when he died. No bullets for it though. He had great stories about how he obtained the weapons but it turned out he bartered for them in Burma! He reckoned the worst thing about Asia was boredom, dirt and disease.

Those three are responsible for my interest in the war.

trout

grandpa trout served in the British army, as an engineer with what he called 'the Liverpool Irish', who were later disbanded, and then with a heavy artillery unit that I don't know the name of.

He served in Normandy and was wounded twice, eventually losing a leg to machine-gun fire. He rarely talked about the war to me, but would often show off his wooden leg, by sticking a steak knife into himself. This was great entertainment for a 5 year old boy!

The wooden leg itself was a marvel of crude engineering ... it had a handle that you controlled to allow it swing up stairs, and that you locked for 'walking' normally.

To allow him get upstairs at home, he had to remove the first step, so that the 'swing' of the leg would match with the height of the staircase. He died in the late 70's ... but the missing stair was never replaced ... we had all stopped thinking about the oddity of the stair case until my granny passed away in the late 90's and the house was sold ... it was the first thing prospective buyers noticed.

I know one of my uncles still has service medals and a cap belonging to my grandad ... I must look them up, and see if I can find out more about his experiences.

When he did talk about "the emergency", it was usually in terms of movies that we would watch, he would comment on the weapons and the insignia, and pick up on factual errors. Sometimes, we would walk around the 'ranch' in Ballyfermot and he would point out houses and haunting grounds, and talk softly about pals he served with, who never came home. He had a fondness for model airplanes, and he helped me build some Airfix models, which have long since crumbled away.

I gather he got a generous pension from the British Army, as he would sometimes remark "it's nearly worth losing the leg for".

He had a lot of praise for what he called "the ordinary British Army", in terms of his experiences in training and in the field, and especially after his injuries ... although he qualified this by saying they were "all volunteers" ... which I didn't fully understand at the time. He used to say the only ignorance he saw was from 'colonials' ... which again I didn't understand fully.

He said he rarely saw ill-treatment or paddy-ism, or anything but respect, and I got the impression he would have settled back where he enlisted, in Southampton, only for his injury.

When he passed away in 1979, two of the men he served with came over from London to pay their respects and mark the occasion. One of these men also had a wooden leg, and it was eerie to watch him stand there, utterly dignified, leaning at the same angle as my grandad used to.

ambro25

DaveMcG wrote: »

Hey folks,

Just wondering if any of ye have relatives, fathers, grandfathers, etc., that fought in the war, on either side?

My Grandad was a reservist, called up as 1st Lieutnant (Infantry) in the French Army on the Rhine in 1940.

When it all went t*ts up in May 40, he first folded back (of his own back, no orders and noone to get them from at that stage) from the Rhine to his family home near Sarrebourg with his company, at which point he hooked up with the 37th RIF (on the fold from Bitche).

Then there was quite a bit of fighting near the Cementry 'just over the hill' (I'm talking a couple of miles from the family home: francophiles can read a pretty good and detailed summary here), in which I know he took part, but which he never spoke about (I got it all out of my Grandma, whom he met later).

When that one went t*ts up, he then trekked his men (they were all from around Nanterre near Paris, 92) all the way to their home area (so, about 300 kms as the bird flies!), then trekked all the way back to the family home (so that's 600 kms total, on foot, in about 4 weeks, with all the other sh*t going on all around).

Then the Germans decided that this little corner of France (Moselle + Alsace) wouldn't be "occupied France", but would "'revert to the Reich" (from 1918, and before that 1870, etc, etc.), by reason of which my Grandad would then shortly be incorporated into the Whermacht as a "ex-FR and now-German" citizen (local lads caught by this "technicality" remain known to this day as the 'Malgré Nous', most of whom were sent on the Russian front, and most of whom didn't come back).

Like his own parents and grand-parents, who would celebrate Bastille Day every year between 1870 & 1918 to the great annoyance of the local Bürgermeister, the reply was "Thx but F*ck No Thx" when they came to ask in Sept.1940, so he was allowed one hour to pack one suitcase's worth of belongings (like everybody else who said 'Thx but F*ck No Thx'... I suppose they were lucky still: they were given a choice!) and was then disposessed of everything else (house, land, etc.) and booted out with the rest of the family to then 'Free FR' (South Central area of FR). He then did quite a bit of Resistance stuff (still got medals and stuff) over the next 3-4 years, although mostly organisational (he was an accountant/intendance/purchasing manager by trade).

I never pressed him about the period, as he never talked about it (getting him to talk about it was worse than pulling teeth, so I learned quick and early to leave the matter well alone). There were local people who did stay behind and 'were German' for a few years, and instead of looking after stuff for those who would rather stay French and may someday return, they helped themselves to quite a lot of family heirloom... and that's not speaking of the family house which was turned into the local Kommandantur and most of the hidden stuff not found by the locals was found & nicked by the retreating Whermacht in late 44 / early 45 (and subsequently bombed by Allies in the train carrying it). So, no love lost and lots of rancour (still to this day, amongst those eldest in the village who left and those who stayed).

Fittingly, generations of family dogs have been eating out of swastika-emblazoned, 'Made in Berlin' Nazi crockery (left behind) ever since

peasant

ambro25 wrote: »

...
Then the Germans decided that this little corner of France (Moselle + Alsace) wouldn't be "occupied France", but would "'revert to the Reich" (from 1918, and before that 1870, etc, etc.), by reason of which my Grandad would then shortly be incorporated into the Whermacht as a "ex-FR and now-German" citizen (local lads caught by this "technicality" remain known to this day as the 'Malgré Nous', most of whom were sent on the Russian front, and most of whom didn't come back).
....
There were local people who did stay behind and 'were German' for a few years, and instead of looking after stuff for those who would rather stay French and may someday return, they helped themselves to quite a lot of family heirloom...

So, no love lost and lots of rancour (still to this day, amongst those eldest in the village who left and those who stayed).

Interesting ..never realised that this was going on

ojewriej

peasant wrote: »

Interesting ..never realised that this was going on

Yep, this was going on on a large scale, especially towards the end of the war, when Nazis were desperate for recruits. This happened to my grandad.

Units manning bunkers in Normandy usually comprised (did I use this word right?) of few eastern european troops with a german sargeant constantly training his gun on them. Very often they would overpower the sargeant and then surrender the bunker.

Soviets used to do it on large scale too.


I also remember reading about a G.I. who captured a bunker on the Omaha beach, and found two Koreans in Wehrmacht uniforms inside. Apparently the poor lads were forcibly conscripted into the Chinese Army, became Japanese POW and were sent to fight Soviets in Manchuria where they were captured by the Red Army, which sent them to the Eastern Front where they became German POWs, and were sent to Normandy only to be captured by US Army.
They only spoke their own language, and basically didn't have a clue where they are, or who they are fighting for.

Dave!

ojewriej wrote: »

I also remember reading about a G.I. who captured a bunker on the Omaha beach, and found two Koreans in Wehrmacht uniforms inside. Apparently the poor lads were forcibly conscripted into the Chinese Army, became Japanese POW and were sent to Manchuria where they were captured by the Red Army, who sent them to the Eastern Front where they became German POWs, and were sent to Normandy only to be captured by US Army.
They only spoke their own language, and basically didn't have a clue where they are, or who they are fighting for.

Bloody hell!

ojewriej

DaveMcG wrote: »

Bloody hell!

I know.

What's more, both Soviets and Nazis often held the families of the frcibly conscripted soldiers in the concentration camps, to prevent them from deserting. If the soldier deserted anyway, the family would be executed.

Grizzly 45

Had relatives on both sides.My father was a US navy Cheif Petty Officer ,who helped put together the US navy sea survival course in ww2.To basicly teach people from landlocked states in the US how to swim in the ocean,should their ships be torpedoed.Alot of this was taught down in Cuba in Guantanamo Bay of all places. He then was injured at Iwo Jima, when his landing craft caught a near miss from Japanese artillery. It gave him a 8 month holiday/hospital stay.And a 15% disability as a war veteran.
On my mothers side ,she was born in Berlin in 1938,so along with my two uncles ,they have not so fond memories of living in Nazi Germany during the bombing raids on Berlin, with damn all food and having to flee Berlin from the oncoming Russians.Not to mind being almost killed when a US aircraft shot up their refugee colum!
My grand dad was a Major in the Wehrmacht.He was given the rank,because of his extensive knowledge in the wood busisness,which was considerd a vital war skill. He was sent out to Czecheslovakia and up asfar as Rostov on Don in Russia to see that saw millswere kept in order for supplying timber back to the Reich.It still got him into combat situations on the Eastern front,and a few special assingements.Like gaurding the loot train of Reinhard Heydrich on a 20 km stretch of railroad out of CZ.This was after Heydrich had been assinated and this was loot belonging to Heydrich's wife.It was 15 freight cars of stuff.The end came for him when he found by pure luck where grandma and the kids ended up in the West ,where he was captured by the US army.That was a story in itself.
Did both of them talk about it...Oh yes,if you can imagine an Ex US Navy cheif now married to the German Majors daughter...:eek:
And now working for the side who lost the war but have rebuilt their nation to an economic wonder.Who was right who was wrong,not helped by both of them being strong personalities and liking their drink. I can say it made for an intresting and confusing childhood..As you were getting the good and bad sides of both sides.Then living here and reading comics of the british variety...you know the type.." Have a pine apple Jerry",Schweinehund etc etc [have never actually heard a German say that:rolleyes:].Plus the fun of going to an Irish school and being called by Irish kids,[considering I was born here]Nazi,Hitler,finding fireplace ashes in your school lunchbox,and then being made apologise in front of the class for the Holocaust by a psycho teacher at 8 years of age.

War stories aplenty all right.....:rolleyes::rolleyes:The second world war only ended in our house when both of them died.

ambro25

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

being made apologise in front of the class for the Holocaust by a psycho teacher at 8 years of age.

Not on.

I'd have sued the c*nt, and the Ministry, for everything they had. And made sure his/her career came to a very abrupt and painful end, in the process.

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Grizzly 45

Ireland in the 1970s was a totally different country to what it is today.
You would have been a brave soul to take on the might of a dept then...
If your parents were even intrested in doing so.

Spastafarian

My grandad was one of those kids who held the getaway bicycles for Michael Collins' assassination squad.
Not World War II but pretty cool nonetheless.

orestes

I'm half Irish half English so I get all sorts of odd stories about this stuff. My grandparents on my mothers side are English, while the pair in my dads side are Irish.

My English grandfather was a soldier in ww2, and my grandmother on that side was involved in the medical side as far as I know. Nothing special there, although they won't tell me stories about the whole thing and I understandably won't push them for info.

The really odd part was that my Irish grandfather was part of the English military and while he was away my grandmother was involved in the Irish resistance. I'm often told that during the wake for an apparently well known Irish rebel, which was held at a relative of mines house, the place was raided by British troops and Collins and the boys had to run out the back and jump over the back wall to get away, and while that was happening my grandfather was off fighting for the British. The irony always makes me smile

jcatony

My great grandfather fought in France with the royal dublin fusileers. He was gassed and then discharged from the army. Died a few years later from his wounds.

Guy:Incognito

My German grandmother spent 10 or 12 years (up to when he died) with a man called Fred who was in the war. I spent many evenings talking to him about it. I love hearing about stuff like that, even better when its first hand accounts.

I remember him telling me about getting shot in the neck and being carted back to the field hospital (tent with a butcher in it ) they pretty much gouged out the bullet, wrapped a bandage around his neck and sent him back to the front lines.

He was a facinating man was Fred.

My grandfather died about 25 years ago so I wasnt old enough to remember him properly or talk to him about it but he fought in the war too. Just talking to my mother and apparently my grandfatehr spent a few years as a pow in Russia.

My mothers uncle was captured by the British and spent some time in a POW camp . His English is very good even now from that time.

Theres a couple about 15 years older than my mother that we visit all the time when we are over. Think they are distant relatives, but the husband (Karl-Heinz) never met his father because he was killed entering Russia.

Saabdub

jcatony wrote: »

My great grandfather fought in France with the royal dublin fusileers. He was gassed and then discharged from the army. Died a few years later from his wounds.

My Grandad was in the same regiment in 1915 and was wounded by shrapnel at Gallipoli. He was lucky to get out alive. The regiment was decimated by Turkish machine gun fire on landing and then artillery fire while they were entrenching. He was brought by hospital ship to Malta where he was operated on and healed. He lived until 1984!

Saabdub

thusspakeblixa

I had relatives (a few generations back) that were German-speakers in the Sudetenland, and were Communists, around 1939-ish. They fled when they heard Hitler was sending Communists to Belsen et al.

ojewriej

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

I had relatives (a few generations back) that were German-speakers in the Sudetenland, .

That's exactly where I am from. This area was German before the war, and became Polish after. Virtually everyone who lived there after 1945 was moved from somewhere else, mostly from pre 39 eastern Poland, which is now Ukraine.