Where did your parents serve?
Discussion
Following on from shed driver's thread where he listed some of the ships on which his Dad served, I thought of my Dad's service and so created this thread.
My Dad was 16 when WW2 ended and had quite an uneventful war living in Halifax - he said it was very boring. He did his National Service in the Royal Navy, and spent his time as an Electrician's mate in the battleship Queen Elizabeth, swinging at anchor in Portsmouth. He used to take his weekend leaves by hitch-hiking up to Halifax from Barnet tube station (close to where my wife & I used to live), through Welwyn Garden City (where we live now) - so I do think of him when on the A1000. That is about all I know of his service - although he did smoke while serving, he gave up once he left.
He went on to study at Cambridge, be part of the team that designed Imperial College's Consort nuclear reactor, joined British Gas in the late 1960s and was responsible for adding the smell to North Sea gas.
My Dad's father ran a seed merchant in Halifax and was a policemen during WW2. He was in the RFC/RAF in WW1 ending up with a honorary rank of Second Lieutenant in 1920. He was 20 in 1918, and I think that he was a gunner during the war.
I'm not sure where this is anymore as my Dad died 10 years ago.
My Dad was 16 when WW2 ended and had quite an uneventful war living in Halifax - he said it was very boring. He did his National Service in the Royal Navy, and spent his time as an Electrician's mate in the battleship Queen Elizabeth, swinging at anchor in Portsmouth. He used to take his weekend leaves by hitch-hiking up to Halifax from Barnet tube station (close to where my wife & I used to live), through Welwyn Garden City (where we live now) - so I do think of him when on the A1000. That is about all I know of his service - although he did smoke while serving, he gave up once he left.
He went on to study at Cambridge, be part of the team that designed Imperial College's Consort nuclear reactor, joined British Gas in the late 1960s and was responsible for adding the smell to North Sea gas.
My Dad's father ran a seed merchant in Halifax and was a policemen during WW2. He was in the RFC/RAF in WW1 ending up with a honorary rank of Second Lieutenant in 1920. He was 20 in 1918, and I think that he was a gunner during the war.
I'm not sure where this is anymore as my Dad died 10 years ago.
As a 1920 document, the format of the attached document is familiar to me as my father served in the Great War. He was working in the ASC 3rd Heavy Repair Depot "somewhere in France" (St Omer) and was Mentioned in Dispatches for his work on the Electro-deposition of iron. That work was presented at a meeting of the Institution of Automobile Engineers in 1920
My Great Grandfather served on HMS Glorious during the First World War. The only reason I know this is because my Grandmother was called Gloria as a result, although known as Betty as the shorter version of Elizabeth. All of her brothers/sisters were also known by their second name, a family tradition. I don't know anything about either of my Grandfathers' Second World War service as they both died in their forties before I was born.
i think i will be in a small minority of people who's parents, grandparents, and great grandparents did not serve in either world war.
parents were born in 1948 and the 2 generations before them were too old. grand- and great-grandads were coal miners, so being the wrong side of 40 with 20+yrs breathing coal dust didn't exactly make them fighting men. dad's dad drove trucks for the RAF during WW2, but that's about it AFAIK.
parents were born in 1948 and the 2 generations before them were too old. grand- and great-grandads were coal miners, so being the wrong side of 40 with 20+yrs breathing coal dust didn't exactly make them fighting men. dad's dad drove trucks for the RAF during WW2, but that's about it AFAIK.
Edited by shirt on Saturday 9th December 20:46
Grandfather served in the Leicestershire regiment in Norway in WW2, spent 5 years as a POW in Poland. Came out with a broken back. Died when I was 4 so I can’t remember him but have his a pic of him in uniform and his medals on display
Great Grandfather served in the same regiment in WW1 all over, mentioned in despatches, awarded the Military Medal in I believe Mesopotamia (can’t find out what for though as his records were destroyed by a fire in WW2)
Great Grandfather served in the same regiment in WW1 all over, mentioned in despatches, awarded the Military Medal in I believe Mesopotamia (can’t find out what for though as his records were destroyed by a fire in WW2)
Nola25 said:
Great Grandfather served in the same regiment in WW1 all over, mentioned in despatches, awarded the Military Medal in I believe Mesopotamia (can’t find out what for though as his records were destroyed by a fire in WW2)
It's worth searching the London Gazette as a lot of commendations were published there.Bill said:
It's worth searching the London Gazette as a lot of commendations were published there.
This is all we can find in a supplement to the Gazette
Dead end from there, no service records available, checked in the archives at the local records office and archives at the museum that has the regimental exhibit
Dad joined the Territorials aged 19 in 1943 and was then assigned to REME. He arrived at Normandy 19th June 1944,but involved in Caen campaign and Hill 112 etc. I'm still researching his movements through France-Belgium-Netherlands-Germany. He wasn't back in Blighty until 16th May 1946. All researched through Army records, he never as much as mentioned it to any of us (5 kids) at the time. We managed to unearth a few old photos, middle of pic.
My maternal grandfather was on HMS Phoebe and torpedoed off west Africa in 1942. He survived the war and died before I was born, but by all accounts was never the same after his experience.
My father saw active service in Aden, Borneo and of course several deployments on OP Banner.
Apologies for the Alamy stamps, but I don't have copies of his photos on this computer.
My father saw active service in Aden, Borneo and of course several deployments on OP Banner.
Apologies for the Alamy stamps, but I don't have copies of his photos on this computer.
My dad was drafted at 18 and served in the RASC attached to the Eighth Army, first posting was to North Africa (Libya, Egypt, Tunisia etc.) driving ammunition trucks to forward positions and supply drops for the Desert Rats. Then went on to Sicily landings as part of the Taskforce 545 and then onto Salerno and finally to Monte Casino losing several of his mates (badly wounded and killed). Finally flown back to Blighty in a Lancaster with the remaining members of his squad from Northern Italy. Mum worked on a gear cutting machine for Ford in Dagenham during the war.
My Granddad served in the Far East during WW11. He was the first in and the senior officer into one of the Japanese POW camps once they'd surrendered.
He barely talked about it and never went abroad or flew again after he came back. He was a medical officer and I'm sure my dad said that his plane was hit with machine gun fire several times.
Probably enough to put you off flying TBF.
He always had an interest in Japanese politics though. I remember visiting as a kid and he would have Japanese news channels on in the very early days of Sky TV.
He barely talked about it and never went abroad or flew again after he came back. He was a medical officer and I'm sure my dad said that his plane was hit with machine gun fire several times.
Probably enough to put you off flying TBF.
He always had an interest in Japanese politics though. I remember visiting as a kid and he would have Japanese news channels on in the very early days of Sky TV.
My Dad served in IX Squadron, Bomber Command 43-46. Here he is sitting on top of a Lancaster I, WS-D, in which he flew the bulk of his operations. This must be 1943, as he’s still wearing Sergeant’s stripes. He was commissioned later in that year, along with the pilot - an Aussie.
My mum was at home looking after her younger sister who would have been 9 at the outbreak of war. Both her parents had passed away at that time, and her two elder brothers were in North Africa serving in the 8th Army.
My mum was at home looking after her younger sister who would have been 9 at the outbreak of war. Both her parents had passed away at that time, and her two elder brothers were in North Africa serving in the 8th Army.
My dad was in the Merchant Navy as a radio operator.
One of my great regrets is not really asking him about his life. He always worked away when I was younger, either a lorry driver or later on a trawler so he was never much of a presence. He never was great talker at the best of times.
I do know he had an old map with all the ports he’d been too but alas that’s long gone. I do know he was dive bomber a couple of time but never actually sunk. I’ve got his old discharge papers in a drawer somewhere.
My dad was serving his national service and was on active service in the Cyprus emergency.
Both my granfathers were in protected employment during WW2.
One on the railways the other was in timber procurement.
My dads uncle was in the Navy he did serve on HMS Hood but was transferred to another ship about 6 months before Bismark battle.
Both my granfathers were in protected employment during WW2.
One on the railways the other was in timber procurement.
My dads uncle was in the Navy he did serve on HMS Hood but was transferred to another ship about 6 months before Bismark battle.
To follow-up my OP, we (the family) have found the certificate, it is at my sister's house and as my niece is very much into researching the family, she knew where it was.
I have found out that my grandfather was an enlisted fitter (not an air gunner) in the RAF, joining on 9th July 1918 and being paid off 31st December 1918. To my mind, this makes the promotion to honorary rank of Second Lieutenant very strange - or maybe it was given to everyone?
Here are his movements:
1 Sofa - anyone got any ideas?
He was transferred to the RAF Reserve.
I have found out that my grandfather was an enlisted fitter (not an air gunner) in the RAF, joining on 9th July 1918 and being paid off 31st December 1918. To my mind, this makes the promotion to honorary rank of Second Lieutenant very strange - or maybe it was given to everyone?
Here are his movements:
1 Sofa - anyone got any ideas?
He was transferred to the RAF Reserve.
None of my parents or grandparents ever served. At the outbreak of WW2 my father was a foreman sparky in a shipyard in Southampton. He tried to join up but was refused as his occupation was deemed reserved. All three services turned him down including the Home Guard!
He did, however, get heavily involved in fitting degaussing systems in ships followed by the very first seaborne radar installations. It was on one of those jobs where he collected his war wound; whilst up the mast of a frigate in the pitch dark (for secrecy) stripping cables for the radar he managed to slice his nose from top to bottom leaving a very noticeable scar.
Later in the war he ended up being a civvy engineer on board the MTB's that operated out of Southampton (not sure this was an official role but the MTB's were notoriously unreliable and many carried electricians and mechanics to deal with faults at sea). He was also earmarked to manage one of the Mulberry harbours in France following the D-Day landings but as the landings went better than expected his 'harbour' was never deployed.
And of course during all this he met some dollybird who worked in the Admiralty in Southampton and the rest, as they say. is history
He did, however, get heavily involved in fitting degaussing systems in ships followed by the very first seaborne radar installations. It was on one of those jobs where he collected his war wound; whilst up the mast of a frigate in the pitch dark (for secrecy) stripping cables for the radar he managed to slice his nose from top to bottom leaving a very noticeable scar.
Later in the war he ended up being a civvy engineer on board the MTB's that operated out of Southampton (not sure this was an official role but the MTB's were notoriously unreliable and many carried electricians and mechanics to deal with faults at sea). He was also earmarked to manage one of the Mulberry harbours in France following the D-Day landings but as the landings went better than expected his 'harbour' was never deployed.
And of course during all this he met some dollybird who worked in the Admiralty in Southampton and the rest, as they say. is history
Both my parents were born after WW2 and just missed national service, my grandfather served in the Military Police and i found while looking up the family tree a great uncle was shot down in 1943 returning from a bombing run over Germany. He's buried in a cemetery near Copenhagen where their plane crashed.
My grandfather served in France in WW1 including Ypres - I have his medals, his dog tag and an item of trench art he made out of a shell casing - a brass horseshoe bearing the word 'YPRES'
He was indeed lucky in so much as he was one of very few in those days who could drive as he worked on an estate in civi life and was a chauffeur for the man from the 'big house'.
Consequently he was put on ammunition truck driving duties, ferrying ordance back and forward to the front and so never had to go over the top. It makes me feel quite emotional that were it not for his being able to drive it's likley I might not be writing this now. There's a photo somewhere of him standing next to his truck which had wooden spoked wheels
Like many from WW1 he was a man of few words and never talked about it all but I wish I had asked him about it while he was still here. He lived to 92 and smoked all of his life.
He was indeed lucky in so much as he was one of very few in those days who could drive as he worked on an estate in civi life and was a chauffeur for the man from the 'big house'.
Consequently he was put on ammunition truck driving duties, ferrying ordance back and forward to the front and so never had to go over the top. It makes me feel quite emotional that were it not for his being able to drive it's likley I might not be writing this now. There's a photo somewhere of him standing next to his truck which had wooden spoked wheels
Like many from WW1 he was a man of few words and never talked about it all but I wish I had asked him about it while he was still here. He lived to 92 and smoked all of his life.
Edited by Lotobear on Sunday 10th December 12:14
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