Been doing some research on a couple of fellows who died in WW2, and am coming to appreciate the human toll it took. Both fellows died within two weeks of each other, and I was not sure of the family relationship. But I have found out that they were brothers-in-law. So not quite a month before VE day, one woman had to deal with the death of her brother, and then the death of her husband and father of her two young children. It was worse, because for at least 7 or 8 months her husband was officially "missing" and then "presumed killed." If Stevin was correct, those listed as missing are on a plaque, and those whose bodies were eventually found got gravestones, he eventually was identified. But the family must have really had a tough time of it. The woman I am doing the research for was a very young girl at the time, and she said that happended to these fellows were never really mentioned much after the war. It was sort of a taboo subject, and so she grew up not really knowing what happened to them. I wonder if there were alot of stories like hers. My father, who was in the RCAF and based in Newfoundland, never would talk about his service, refused vehematly to join the Legion or go to reunions or have anything to do with anything. It is kinda hard for me, a person in my forties to understand that kind of loss. But I guess I am slowly learning.
Yeah, my Great Uncle on my mom's side died on D-day from a shell, and my Great Grandpa on my dads side was killed my a kamikaze while he dropped bombs on Okinwa (sp?) Both of the parents were very sad. Both the boys were only 19.
Both fellows have identified graves, so they both were ID'd and given a burial sometime during or after the war. The ones missing (RAF) are mentioned on the Memorial in Runnymede. Those in the Navy have several but I think Chatham is the biggest. The Americans have their missing on the Walls at the Cemeteries all over the world. If one is found and reburied his name gets a rosette in front of it. Many at Margraten have been found and reburied. It is amazing how many families still don't know what happened to their loved ones or even know where they are buried. MIA's are still being found and ID'd every year and given burials in Holland. They finally get their final resting place and a stone with there name. Many families are still struggling with this and trying to come to terms. I witnessed this in person a few weeks ago.
Hi guys. I am new here but I would like to say I was at the 65th anniversary of D Day in Normandy and it really brought home to me the scale of what those guys did and how amazingly brave they were. I walked up Gold Beach from the water's edge and tried to imagine the scene 65 years before. A lot men died there in a very short space of time. They say 55 million died in total from '39 to '45. That's a lot of bereaved family members left behind. I guess that's why there are still so many of us fascinated by WW2.
