For Irish boardies - did any of your relatives fight in a large scale war?

dr gonzo · 20-04-2011 06:08PM #1

This topic has come up indepentdantly a few time amongst different friends of mine and its amazing to hear about.

One friend told me his grandfather had been in the RAF during WWII and had fought in the battle of Britain while a friend of a friend told me their father had lost his job as a young man and instead decided to go to Vietnam with the Marines. Incredible things to hear and somewhat rare to hear from Irish people.

I have no stories of my own but does anyone else have any similar stories to share?

Krusader · 20-04-2011 06:10PM

I fought , died and re-spawned...nOOb

super_furry · 20-04-2011 06:10PM

My Grandad fought and died in the Battle of Imphal in India during World War II. My Dad, who wasn't born yet when my Grandad left for India, finally got out to see his grave a couple of years ago.

Revolution9 · 20-04-2011 06:13PM

Albert: During the...

Del: If you say during the war, I'll pour this cup of tea over your head!

Albert: I wasn't going to say during the war!

Del: Alright then.

Albert: Bloody little know all!

Del: Sorry.

Albert: That's alright. During the 1939 to 1945 conflict with Germany...

admiralofthefleet · 20-04-2011 06:14PM

my dear late granny fought a long war with the gin

Coriolanus · 20-04-2011 06:15PM

I don't know if it counts, but my grandfather died in Auschwitz.

He fell out of the guard tower.:pac:

PeterIanStaker · 20-04-2011 06:15PM

I'll never forgive the Germans for what they did to my Grandfather during the war.

Passed over for promotion three times!

Sunnyisland · 20-04-2011 06:16PM

My father fought in the korean war, also 3 of my uncles fought with 2 dying in the second world war, also an aunty who was killed in the conflict in the north of Ireland.

IvyTheTerrible · 20-04-2011 06:17PM

My mother's grandad and his brothers all fought in WW1. Lied about their ages to get in. It was never spoken about during his lifetime.

major bill · 20-04-2011 06:20PM

Great Grandfather fought in the battle of somme, came home wounded and never recovered fully.

was also told that i can trace relatives back to the battle of vinegar hill, Father Murphy been the relation supposedly.

SharpshooterTom · 20-04-2011 06:22PM

My catholic grandfather from County Tyrone moved to huddersfield when he was a teenager, joined the Royal Navy during world war II. I think he was captured by the Japanese but I'm not sure.

Saila · 20-04-2011 06:25PM

my grandpa fought in the lemon of troy war, it was worth it to stop drinking turnip juice he says

Dwellingdweller · 20-04-2011 06:26PM

My great grandfather was a chef in the german wehrmacht, he got captured by the allies and eventually married a woman in Wales. :P

hdowney · 20-04-2011 06:29PM

my grandfather fought in ww1 thanks to conscription.

and two of my mothers uncles died in that war. they were in the air force i think it was.

SeaFields · 20-04-2011 06:32PM

My grandmothers first cousin was in the US navy and based in pearl harbour when it was attacked. He survived tho.

Colmo52 · 20-04-2011 06:35PM

My da is Hitler

ejmaztec · 20-04-2011 06:40PM

Colmo52 wrote: »

My da is Hitler

He doesn't count because he wasn't fighting.

Micky Dolenz · 20-04-2011 06:41PM

My Grandfather fought in the Irish Civil war.

keithc83 · 20-04-2011 06:43PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

My Grandfather fought in the Irish Civil war.

My great grandfather did as well.

fontanalis · 20-04-2011 06:44PM

My great great (whatever goes back to late 1700's) grandfather was involved in the 1798 rebellion.

20-04-2011 06:44PM

My Grandmother was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service in WW2. If that counts! She still has all her medals.

(She grew up in London, moved here in her late 20's)

Standman · 20-04-2011 06:45PM

My grannys cousin fought in WW2. Was part of the force that invaded Sicily, was gunned down by the Germans at the foot of Mount Etna.

orourkeda · 20-04-2011 06:45PM

I fought the law and the law won

cosmicfart · 20-04-2011 06:48PM

I have a a very old picture of my great-grand dad in the living room, it turned up years ago when I was going through some old boxes of my grand dad. The picture shows my great grandad in a sailor suit and says he was on active duty during WWI, its very possible he served on a ship that was involved the battle of Jutland.

Steyr · 20-04-2011 06:49PM

dr gonzo wrote: »

This topic has come up indepentdantly a few time amongst different friends of mine and its amazing to hear about.

It is interesting to hear indeed.

dr gonzo wrote: »

Incredible things to hear and somewhat rare to hear from Irish people.

But how is it incredible? Thousands of Irish men and women have fought under another Nations flag. Hell we even founded some of the Worlds Major Navy's, The United States Navy to name one.

Pherekydes · 20-04-2011 06:53PM

Both of my grandfathers fought in the trenches in WWI. They both died, of cancer, within a few weeks of each other in 1945. I never knew them.

My father joined the RN towards the end of WWII. He was an artificer.

Pyridine · 20-04-2011 06:55PM

My grandda on my da's side fought in the war of independence and the civil war. If any of ye have ever done the walking tour of Dublin or gotten the leaflet outside Trinity, the picture of the IRA on grafton st is him and his unit.

One of my da's uncles was an engineer in the brits during WW2 and apparently landed on one of the Normandy beaches the night BEFORE the landing to defuse land mines and the like. His unit was, according to my uncle, the forerunner of the SBS.

Again one of my da's uncles was a pilot in the ARAF during WW2.

And again one of his uncles was a seaman in WW1 and tried to enlist in WW2 but was too old so he went and joined the merchant navy. The story goes that he always wanted to use the anti-aircraft gun but was never allowed to. They were then torpedoed and all abandoned ship except him who finally saw it as his chance to pop off a few rounds.

A few days later he was picked up by another ship. His boat didn't sink as it was carrying timber which swelled and kept it afloat. He was the only survivor! They never found any of the crew that went into the lifeboats.

It seems that my grandda was the black sheep as he didn't serve in the brits!

mike65 · 20-04-2011 06:59PM

A grandfather was in the 8th Army in North Africa, he came back in one piece but was picking sand out of his arse crack for years after.

Celly Smunt · 20-04-2011 07:02PM

first and second boer war,WWI,WWII,aided vietnam,gulf war,Iraq and currently afghanistan.

Furthest the family have traced back is boer war so probably alot more

Seloth · 20-04-2011 07:03PM

My Great grandad was in the British navy during world war one.He was on the HMS Ocean that was sunk off the Ottoman Empire I think,being one of the only survivors.

My gradnfather was an engineer incharge of what Bridges to blow up then during the emergency incase the British invaded.

Going back even further my ancestors who lost their,well kingdom to the British turned into Pirates and attacked British trade ships.

Hookah · 20-04-2011 07:04PM

My ancestors fought at the Battle of Hastings, the Norman invasion of Ireland, and on the side of King James at the Battle of the Boyne, to name but a few.

For Irish boardies - did any of your relatives fight in a large scale war?

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