Hello! My names Cate and I'm looking for information on my grandad because it's a bit vague! My amazing wonderful Grandad died in 2014, at the age of 93, and even though I had seen him almost every day of my life, after he died I suddenly had a million questions I'd wish I'd asked him! What I know is my grandad was in the Royal Engineers and I think he was in 125 quarrying company, in the Faroe Islands, he was building the runway, after this I think he ended up in the Isle of Wight training for Operation Pluto, he helped lay the Bambi section to Cherbourg, and I believe they had generators disguised in buildings pumping the oil for the D.Day landings, he also went to Paris. After this I think he was sent to Egypt and I no he was there in 1946, I would love to know what he was doing in Egypt! At some point he help construct the hospital under Dover castle, he ended up in the hospital with measles and his unit carried on without him to Burma, and he never rejoined them. He also constructed bailey bridges. I'm looking for any information about what the Royal engineers did in these areas I'd love to fill in some gaps! Thanks for reading!
Welcome to the site. You may get some help here, but this is mainly an American forum. You might get more complete answers if you join our sister site WW2Talk, which has a more British/Continental bent. Good luck in your search.
Thank you for your replies! I've tried the other forum but this one seems more active! I am currently sending off for my grandads and my grandmas service records as she was in the ATS and is now 93! Does anyone know what I can expect the records to tell me? Thanks again! Plus this is an interesting forum to read anyway so I might stick around lol
Hi Cate! Welcome to the site. While we have a tonne of well informed people here, I suggest you try our sister site: WW2Talk.com. They are more commonwealth focused and might be able to add some useful information. You by no means have to pick one site or the other, you can try both for best exposure to smart brains.
Thanks everyone, I've sent off for his service records and my Grandmas too because she was in the ATS, and she's still alive so it's free for her to do lol it was a long shot to try here!
Welcome to the forums! We have member here who was in 242 Field Coy RE, but haven't seen him for a while. Quick article on Pluto- How three fake cottages and an ice cream shop helped defeat the Nazis | Daily Mail Online
Thank you! I read that article before and it's fascinating! I'm just super proud of my Grandparents, but neither of them wanted any recognition for what they did! Six years ago I finally got them to let me send for there medals, and when they come they just handed them over to me haha! They only talked about the war a bit!
My Grandad got: The defence medal The war medal The France and Germany star The 39-45 star The grandma got: The defence medal and the war medal I think this is what they have
My Grandad got: The defence medal The war medal The France and Germany star The 39-45 star The grandma got: The defence medal and the war medal I think this is what they have
If you knew my grandparents if you said they earnt or were awarded anything they would have been offended lol they never wanted their medals, it was me who sent for them some 65 years later and they just gave them to me! They always said what they did didn't deserve medals or praise, it was only when I did my history degree and needed to interview someone about World War 2 they both agreed to talk to me about it! My grandad sat silently with me and watched the 70th D.Day commemoration on tv, and he cried, but never said a word. They never wanted praise or medals, my grandad always said those who earnt the medals were those that never came home,he was a lucky one. Just saying it's person dependant
I can track the units history from Sept 1940 to July 1943 then the trail goes a bit cold. I suspect the unit may have been re-named or disbanded in July 1943