Sharing copies of WWII Documents - Page 2

macrusk · #26 (**permalink**) December 31st, 2007, 07:07 AM

Yeah - it worked....some more:

Jan7 · #27 (**permalink**) December 31st, 2007, 07:16 AM

Bravo, Michelle!, you take good the lessons

!.

And ¿"Monty"? is so very pretty

Jan.

macrusk · #28 (**permalink**) December 31st, 2007, 05:57 PM

More correspondence: Note in these and other posts the Lloyd, Gnr C.L. Cochrane is my father and Olive is my Mum.

macrusk · #29 (**permalink**) December 31st, 2007, 06:06 PM

I'm not even going to try the zip file, so I hope you don't mind my multiple posts! I have a few docs that will still have to go on my website. I hope to have it ready by tomorrow sometime.

macrusk · #30 (**permalink**) December 31st, 2007, 06:17 PM

This is the diary entry my mother made June 6 1944 - closed the diary is 2"w x 3"Tall, and the letter she wrote to my father after hearing about the invasion of Normandy. Dad had visited her "out of bounds" for a few hours between th 3rd & 4th, she notes that they rowed - probably because he was AWOL, but she has already noted her regret and written him on the 4th. To me it makes her hearing of the invasion and not knowing whether she will see him again, all the more poignant in reading her letter. The day he died in 1996, the letter was found sliced into the lining of Dad's Soldier's Service & Pay Book - which unknown to us - he kept in his bedside drawer. He kept it near him all his life, from the day he received it in 1944 and the next 52 years. Michelle

macrusk · #31 (**permalink**) December 31st, 2007, 06:24 PM

The only letter I've found from my Dad during WWII. Michelle

Slipdigit · #32 (**permalink**) December 31st, 2007, 07:11 PM

Wonderful letter, Michelle. I know you must count it among your dearest possessions.

My grandmother saved all the letters my grandfather sent her while he was gone. She never let anyone read them, saying they were private between her and granddaddy. She burned them late in her life. My grandfather had also brought back many of the letters she wrote him. She burned them also.

I would give almost anything to have just one.

bigfun · #33 (**permalink**) January 1st, 2008, 12:46 AM

Thank you so much for sharing these very personal mementos with us! What a great letters!!

**Ron Goldstein** · #34 (**permalink**) January 1st, 2008, 08:28 AM

Michelle

Well done! and, as others have said, thanks for sharing these precious mementos with the rest of us on this site.

At the risk of teaching you how to suck eggs, may I make a suggestion ?

If you havn't already considered it, why not make a Blog specifically to contain all the images you have already scanned so that your family can have a permanent record of these fascinating documents.

If you look at:
Ron Goldstein's Army Album
this might give you some ideas as to how it could be laid out.

With all best wishes whatever you decide to do

Ron

macrusk · #35 (**permalink**) January 1st, 2008, 10:19 PM

Thanks Jeff and Scott. I thought some of you would appreciate the "relationship" aspect of the war. So often, when those of us in the next generation(s) analyse and look at the war, we forget the other levels of its impact on relationships. My friend's father was in the artillery in Italy and she remembers reading the letters and how the man who came back from there was so very different from the Daddy that went away in late 1939.

Thank you for sharing the link Ron. I have added it to my favourites and look forward to reading it through. The cards from the Middle East Forces were from Tom Nunn in 307 Arty Coy W/Shops RASC, he was apparently a long time friend of Mum's. I have letters from him on Military Alegraphs (?), but am not certain whetehr I have the right to share his correspondence, although none is intimate but indicates a censored degree of life in N.Africa.

I do have a website that I have not updated for some time, and will be adding these and other documents there - I just have to remind myself how I did it before!

The letter my Mum wrote Dad is the background of a War Bride exhibit on the new Queen Mary 2 (28ft wide & 8ft high). Someday I hope I will get to see it in person.

Michelle

Slipdigit · #36 (**permalink**) January 2nd, 2008, 01:01 AM

Michelle,
For your father to have gone overseas, he would have had to volunteer. Were they already in the Army when they married or did he make the decision to go overseas after they were married?

macrusk · #37 (**permalink**) January 2nd, 2008, 04:18 AM

IT's a longer answer than you are probably expecting

....

My Dad was 17 in the Militia (only child whose Mom died when he was 4) when war was declared by Canada on Sept 10, 1939. He lied and said his birthday was Dec 1922, not 1921, when he signed up into the Artillery. My mother was a Londoner who worked for the British "War Department" - a mystery still as to where and what exactly she always said lifetime secrecy oaths. Anyhow, her sweetheart was killed in the Battle of Britain. To my best estimates, they met between Aug 41 & Feb 42 when Dad's LAA battery was providing Anti-Aircraft protection at Gatwick & Redhill, and my Mum was convinced by her brother to attend a dance at the Lyceum Theatre. He proposed 6 weeks later (fast work for a guy whose only girlfriend sent him a Dear John letter before he left Canada!). Despite all the reasons not to, she said yes.

It took them until May 43 to get married, as first he had to confess being under 21 and they had to get his Dad's permission (he was working on the Alaska Highway) in addition to the military's. My Mum forgave him for turnign out to be nearly 4 months her junior. They were to marry spring 42, but Dad as a dispatch rider on a Norton was injured when a parachute bomb exploded where he and a steam roller were at the same intersection. It turned out to be a blessing - although he always had survivor guilt - as his battery was one of those decimated at Dieppe. He did fully recover, however following plastic surgery etc and learned to walk/run again. The Canadians didn't have men for replacements, so if you recovered you returned to your unit, which he did. Mum then had an emergency appendectomy prior to the next wedding date. Finally, they married.

Dad served in NW Europe with the 3LAA as a gunner, signaller, DNR, and then as bodyguard & driver to the Commander 2nd Division Royal Canadian Artillery. Following the war, Dad was demobbed back to Canada in Aug 45, and Mum followed with my brother (b late 44) on the Queen Mary in June of 46. She left an entire close-knit family to be on her own with Dad and eventually their children, as my Dad was the only child born of his generation on his Dad's side, and would not meet his Mother's family until he was about 65. He rejoined the military in Sep 46, joining the RCAF as an adminstrative Non-Com, and they lived in various places in Canada and Europe, where he was part of the 4thATAF....then became a civilian in Saskatchewan at his last posting in the early 60s.

I feel they were courageous, but I can't imagine what it was like for those who said goodbye to their husband in North America to then not see them for nearly 6 years, and in so many cases, never again.

Michelle

Otto · #38 (**permalink**) January 2nd, 2008, 04:42 AM

I can't believe I just noticed this thread. What a great Idea!

I've added this to my do-do list. I'll see what options there are out there for storing, and more importantly searching and retrieving original documents.

Thread pinned.

macrusk · #39 (**permalink**) January 3rd, 2008, 01:13 AM

Thanks, Otto. I feel honoured that you pinned this thread. I look forward to seeing the documents that others are willing to share.

Michelle

macrusk · #40 (**permalink**) January 3rd, 2008, 01:31 AM

Some more documents, perhaps not as significant, but still interesting.

macrusk · #41 (**permalink**) January 3rd, 2008, 01:34 AM

Letter from girl in whose home my father was billeted Dec 1944 in Nijmegen. This is in Dutch. The translated version is in the next post. I have yet to take a photo of the little wooden shoes with Holland 1944 on them.

macrusk · #42 (**permalink**) January 3rd, 2008, 01:39 AM

From Riet Braam, translated to English during the war.

welsh_girl85 · #43 (**permalink**) January 26th, 2008, 04:00 PM

Hello..

DSCF0463.jpg

I'm really sorry to disturb your discussion (hope u don't mind)..

I'm trying to look for ANY help I can get in regards to the attached painting? I'm looking for anyone who would possibly know any details regarding this painting as it has come into the family but unfortunately we know nothing about it

which is such a shame... As I think u'd agree??

Hope u can help me! Thanks...

macrusk · #44 (**permalink**) February 10th, 2008, 05:50 AM

Hi Welshgirl,

My apologies for the delay in replying - I was away holidaying in the Caribbean and then ill.

I'm sorry I don't know anything about the painting. I wonder if the flag would suggest the country of origin. Also the figure in his arms must have a cultural significance.

Michelle

Skipper · #45 (**permalink**) February 10th, 2008, 06:28 AM

I just bumped into this thread, it's is excellent. Thanks for posting this personnal letter Michelle. Are you still in contact with Riet Braam? I figure this is her maiden name, but she could possibly still be alive in the Nijmegen region.

macrusk · #46 (**permalink**) February 10th, 2008, 06:52 AM

It's been awhile! This is a booklet that was given to the Canadian Troops when they entered Germany. There are 64 pages - with most being 2/pg. The booklet is approximately 4" x 4". Pages 42 to 61 contains information on the German language with instructions on pronunciation and phrases that may be most often used.

Cover through page 7:

macrusk · #47 (**permalink**) February 10th, 2008, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipper67

I just bumped into this thread, it's is excellent. Thanks for posting this personnal letter Michelle. Are you still in contact with Riet Braam? I figure this is her maiden name, but she could possibly still be alive in the Nijmegen region.

Hi Skipper,

No, as far as I know my parents did not maintain contact. They obviously treasured the letter and gifts as the gifts were always prominently displayed in their home, as they are now in mine. In December I tried searching for the name Riet Braam online narrowing it to the Nijmegen region. I found an obituary notice for September 2007 for a woman whose maiden name was Riet Braam who might have been the correct person. At the risk of impropriety I did leave a message in the online funeral message book with my sympathies and advising of the possible connection and requesting contact. I have not had a response. I'm hoping that even posting about her here, might lead to some connection. I hope to make the Normandy, Belgium, Holland, & possible Germany trek within the next couple of years and will probably try calling every Braam in the Nijmegen region then - hoping there will be someone from at least my generation who might know the story.

Michelle

macrusk · #48 (**permalink**) February 10th, 2008, 07:07 AM

More - Pages 8 through 17

Skipper · #49 (**permalink**) February 10th, 2008, 07:37 AM

I really hope you will find Riet Braam alive or at least her children. They will certainly love to hear form you. There aren't so many Braams in the Nijmegenarea and they might possibly be related. I suppose you have kept the address from the funeral. If it mentions the chuch you may ask the priest for the identity of the children. if not you may request a death certificate at the townhall.

macrusk · #50 (**permalink**) February 10th, 2008, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipper67

I really hope you will find Riet Braam alive or at least her children. They will certainly love to hear form you. There aren't so many Braams in the Nijmegenarea and they might possibly be related. I suppose you have kept the address from the funeral. If it mentions the chuch you may ask the priest for the identity of the children. if not you may request a death certificate at the townhall.

Thank you for the suggestion - I'll have to follow up further. I'm torn between hoping this is a lead to her family yet regretting how recently she would have still been alive and also hoping it is not her and that I might yet find her alive and able to tell me her story!

I accidentally closed out from the site when I first found this and apparently did not save in my favourites. I saved the English version of this but can't seem to locate it at the moment, but this is the Dutch version that I just found again after searching now.

Geheel onverwacht is van ons heengegaan onze lieve moeder, schoonmoeder en fantastische oma

Riet Braam-Steijlen
Geboren: 25-09-1929 / Overleden: 20-09-2007
Was woonachtig te: Nijmegen, Nederland
Geboren te: Harderwijk, Nederland

De uitvaartdienst wordt gehouden op woensdag 26 september om 11.00 uur in de kapel van het H. Sacrament, ingang aan de Pastoor Wichersstraat 4 in Nijmegen. Aansluitend begeleiden wij haar naar de begraafplaats gelegen aan de