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Soldiers from your famlly

Discussion in 'Living History' started by Major Hubal, Sep 17, 2008.

  1. Major Hubal

    Major Hubal Member

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  2. von Poop

    von Poop Waspish

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    :poppy: Great-Grandfather killed on the 15th of March 1915 at Neuve-Chapelle with the Devonshires. Seems likely in a 'friendly fire' incident with his own side's artillery.
    No Grave, but remembered on the Le Touret Memorial.

    :poppy: Great-Uncle killed in November 1944 when his Jeep hit a mine shortly after arriving in Burma, after volunteering from a reserved occupation.
    The family never mentioned him again from that point on.
    Buried at Imphal.

    Grandfather served 40-50 years in the Royal signals, joining as a 15 year old boy soldier and leaving as a Lieutenant Colonel.

    Another Great Uncle went into the bag at Dunkirk, and served out the entire course of the war as a POW.

    Seemingly dozens of other relatives... particularly on my fathers side where the British Army service apparently often went beyond the mass conscription of the 'Major' wars.
    Also some uncertain stuff about a first husband of a German Aunt involving the SS, the Lebensborn programme, and his loss at war's end, but I've nothing more than 'word of mouth' reference on that. Families being funny things I have to file it under 'legend' unless more emerges one day.

    Cheers,
    Adam.
     
  3. wtid45

    wtid45 Ace

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    My dad served in burma 44 45, i had a uncle i think in th RA at cassino, and another uncle in burma, my grandad was in the rasc pulling guns at gallipoli, two great uncles died in ww1 one at gallipoli, serving in RMLI and the other was hampshires he died in palestine in 1917 my brother was 11 years RAOC served in gulf war 1.
     
  4. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

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    My grandfather was in WWII. My father was in Vietnam. I was in the Cold War, Invasion of Panama, First Gulf war plus other contingencies. My son is currently serving.

    BTW, When I was in the UK, I lived at RAF Wittering.....not too far from Peterborough.
     
  5. Herakles

    Herakles Member

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    That's a proud family achievement!

    My grandfather built many of the Dreadnought ships.

    My father went straight from school to the Western Front. He was shot, narrowly avoided death when one of his guns blew up, was gassed and got the Spanish flu. And that's before he went on to fight in Iraq. How the hell am I here now?

    Then he served again in WW2.
     
  6. Major Hubal

    Major Hubal Member

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    I know were that is.
     
  7. Stefan

    Stefan Cavalry Rupert

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    Some good stuff there Hubal, quite a few of my family served in the forces over the last few centuries. My Grandfather was an infantry officer from 1941 until 1946, my great uncle flew Stirlings around the same time, acting as a glider tug pilot for Arnhem. Several of my great grandfathers and their brothers served in WW1, all survived. Before them I had two ancestors who fought in the Boer war (one a British lancer, he might disagree about Uhlans ;)). Most recently my mother was an army nurse and I am currently in the TA.
     
  8. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

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    Right off the A1...can't miss it. I did like Peterborough alot. Just the right size.
     
  9. ProudPapa

    ProudPapa Member

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    My father is a Marine, having served from 40-46. He was in combat in the Marshalls (Roi-Namur), Okinawa (Iheya Jima, Okinawa Shima), and part of the occupation forces on Kyushu; his unit was one of the first into Nagasaki.

    I also have several uncles in the Army, with one reported to have been a Tomb Guard (researching that one)
     
  10. XcombatX

    XcombatX Member

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    My grandfather (my father's side of the family) was one of the Dutch soldiers fighting on the Eastern Front for the Germans. He had volunteered for the Waffen SS somewhere between 1940/'41 and was part of the Standarte Westland (Wiking Division).

    I really regret I never got the chance to ask him about it before he died in 2003 (I was 12 back then), because no one in my family ever talks about it. Maybe because they don't know anything about it or don't want to talk about it.

    If anyone else had family or knows people from the same division, I'd be interested to hear about it. :)

    P.S.: My other grandfather (my mother's side of the family) was member of the NSB (Dutch Nazi political party), but that doesn't really count as military.
     
  11. Falcon Jun

    Falcon Jun Ace

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    My father is a retired colonel with another uncle also a retired colonel, too.
    My late uncle (my dad's eldest brother) fought in Bataan and escaped the Death March to become a guerrilla. I have two other cousins who are currently in the Philippine military.

    That's from my dad's side of the family. On my mom's side, his eldest brother is now living in the US and receiving a military pension for service in WW2.
     
  12. mikebatzel

    mikebatzel Dreadnaught

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    Far too many. My Great Grandmother had four brothers who all served. I wish I could get more info on them but sadly it seems all their records where at the St. Louise Archives when they had the fire. Two served in Europe in the Army. One was a AAF B-17 tail gunner. his life was spared when a friend took his spot on a mission. The plane never returned.

    Another helped to liberate at least two extermination camps. the horrors of what he saw changed him for the worse.

    The third was a medic in the Pacific and earned a silver star on Siapan.

    The fourth was the only brother who didn't return. He died when his ship was hit by Kamikaze's

    My Great Grandfather served in N. Africa and Italy under Patton

    My Grandfather was in Vietnam. I once found a newspaper that my mother had saved with a picture. Caption read Unidentified Soldiers evacuate wounded from Saigon. It was my Grandfather. Sadly our house burned down and the paper was lost. There is no copy in the Papers Archives sadly(or at least thats what they tell me).

    On my mothers side my Grandfather did the whole family tree thing and we have traced back to ancestors who have even fought in the American Revolution,and every war since.
     
  13. 4th wilts

    4th wilts Member

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    1 great grandad was a strecher bearer in ww1
    1 great grandad fought in ww1.
    1 great grandad was in the east african mounted rifles in ww1.
    my dads dad was in the r.a.s.c in n.africa and italy.
    my mums dad was a ack ack gunner in n/w europe.
    my nan had 6 brothers,5 were soldiers all over the place.
    my mums dad had 2 sisters,who both married canadian soldiers,we have lost touch,so i have family over there i dont know.:(.
    my antie married a g.i from florida.cheers.:).
     
  14. Keystone Two-Eight

    Keystone Two-Eight Member

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    I was a Boatswains mate aboard the USS Wainwright CG28.never saw much of anything, but my ship was part of Operation Praying Mantis.

    My Dad was with the ASA, under command of the NSA in the 50's. he interrogated Soviet defectors for the army.

    One Uncle was a navigator on B52's for the airforce in Vietnam

    My wifes PawPaw was with the army in the pacific from 39 to 45

    My other Uncle was 28th infantry from Sept. of 44 thru 46

    Another Uncle was on a B-17, 8th airforce

    Two great great Uncles served in the US army in WWI

    My Great great, great Grandfather was in the Union Army and was at the battle of Appomatox, and was present at Lees surrender

    Ive got more infor, but it defaults back to family serving the kaiser, and the king of Denmark, so Im not exactly sure how that works.
     
  15. Lias_Co_Pilot

    Lias_Co_Pilot Member

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    A great-great-great grandfather and his son, served in the Civil War.

    My grandfather served with Pershing during the Pancho Villa expedition.

    My father served in Patton's Third Army-across North Africa and Sicily (wounded), then across France. He was nearly mortally wounded in Luxembourg during the Battle of the Bulge.

    My stepfather spent WW2 on Midway. He lost 90% of is hearing during the Battle of Midway when a five inch gun suddenly swiveled directly over his foxhole and fired just a couple of feet above him.

    A cousin served in Vietnam, aboard an intelligence ship.

    I served in the Army and Marine Corps (11 years) during the Cold War.

    My brother served 21 years in the Air Force (1983-2004).

    I have a niece presently serving. She has one tour in Iraq, and another in Afghanistan.
     
  16. Vet

    Vet Dishonorably Discharged

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    Two grandfathers in WW2.
    Father and uncle in Vietnam.
    I was in Desert Storm as was my cousin.
    Cousin in the Russian navy who fought against the Turks.
    2 cousins in the Red army during WW2.

    There are several others.
     
  17. Mussolini

    Mussolini Gaming Guru WW2|ORG Editor

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    This is another thing I have been interested in researching. I know that my dads-mom side of the family has an extensive military history (she was born on a military base in Egypt, for instance). I have also been led to believe that I had a relative die in the Battle of Rorkes Drift (made famous in the movie: Zulu) or at least take part in it. As for more recent history, i know the following:

    Grandfather fought with the 106 + 97 Squadrons, as a Bomardier in a Lancaster.
    Great Grandfather was a Warrant Office, two different classes, during both Wars.
    Grandmother had 3 Canadian Cousins all die within a month flying for the RCAF.
    I also have picture of my Grandmothers side of the family (perhaps her grandfather?) from around 1900 pictured in a Captains uniform.
     
  18. Major Hubal

    Major Hubal Member

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    lots of soldiers :)
     
  19. WotNoChad?

    WotNoChad? Member

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    Both my grandfathers, one RAMC (N.Africa, Burma, India, Palestine), the other RA (N.Africa, Italy.) WWII. Father, all three Uncles, brother. All army.

    Too many of the rest of the family to list, but my grandfather-in-law was an objector and ended up guarding Italian POWs in a camp near Bedford.
     
  20. Keystone Two-Eight

    Keystone Two-Eight Member

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    What?:D
     

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