Anyone have family or relatives who served in WW2?

[dickie davies]

I think there was a lot of resentment from veterans who served in the other theatres, towards those that served in NW Europe.
I can remember with my grandad that when 'D-day' was mentioned, he'd say 'which bloody one?, some of the poor sods i served with went through 4 of them' meaning operation torch (N. Africa), Sicily, Salerno & Anzio (Italy).

It wasn't resentment as so many had gone through horrendous experiences wherever they were in the world. It's just that they've never had any recognition and the fact they were still fighting on after the Germans had surrendered

 

[staffs_blue]

My nan served in the WAC. At the time she was seeing a paratrooper who went to lose his life in Arnhem. She met my grandad who worked in the pit after the war.

My grandads brother was killed when HMS Hood was sunk.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Did a safe and well visit to a guy yesterday and we had been there last year as well, however he’s 93 and served in the Navy 43 years at sea as a submariner, swore like a trooper has all his faculties, he just wanted someone to talk too bless him, sat alone in his flat, we stayed as we did last year while he showed us his medals and recounted his tales of the war, a truly remarkable person, if we could have stayed the rest of the day I would. The stuff he went through and the funny stories he has are amazing, a couple of years ago he received his last medal from Putin for his part in defending Vladivostok he fought along with the Russians for 9 months against the Germans.

 

[mekonmcfc]

My Grandad was a para on the DDay landings. Super proud of him. Took his ashes out to Pegasus Bridge so he could rest with his mates that never got to live the 95 years he lived. True hero.

Awesome

 

[bluevengence]

My father joined the Royal Navy in 1942 when he was 18. He very rarely spoke about the events of the war except to say that he took part in the D Day landings. I remember asking him what he did on that eventful day and he just said that he piloted one of the landing craft taking the Canadians into "Juno" beach.

In 1994 he went to Normandy to attend the 50th anniversary of the D Day landings. I went to see him when he got back home and asked how it all went. He spoke for a few minutes and then he suddenly broke down and started crying. He recalled the tragic events of what had happened around the landing craft as it approached the beach and in particular, the many young Canadians who drowned because they were weighed down with heavy packs and machine guns. This was the first time I had seen my father cry.

After he passed away in 1997 my mother told me that he and other Navy guys had actually been armed and went onto the beach with the rest of the Canadians. Obviously this was something he had never told me. It's so typical of our proud Servicemen of the time not to say very much about their experiences.

RIP Gerard Evans.

My dad who died 3 yrs ago also landed on Juno he was a Royal Marine,who knows maybe on the same landing craft as your dad.
I went back to Normandy with him for the 65th anniversary were I will never forget the wonderful comradeship amongst the veterans there and standing on Juno beach with him after 65 yrs was very emotional....a little while after DDay he was shipped off to Burma...he never spoke of the war when we were kids until the mid 70s when he had a nervous breakdown and after speaking with the therapist and telling of the terrible things he had seen and bottled up he was fine.

His brother was shot down and killed in a Wellington coming back from a raid aged 23 .I visited his and his crews grave in Holland last year...again very emotional.


A VERY SPECIAL GENERATION INDEED

 

[Sid C]

A VERY SPECIAL GENERATION INDEED