My father....

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

This is a great thread.

[trackend]

Thats interesting items cc my father died recently and when clearing out his gear we came across loads of stuff both from his WW2 service and my grandfathers WW1 including a couple of post cards sent by my grandmother to him when he was at Pashendale. All the items you have are very important as they are historic documents that give a glimps into the ordinary foot sloggers life which considering that they make up the majority is suprisingly thin on the ground compared to the higher ranks documented exploits.

[Thorlifter]

Wow. Thanks for sharing Charles and Flyboy. To me, those are a priceless treasure. I remember asking my grandmother a few WWII stories and I asked, "Do you remember when WWII ended?" She said, "WWII? I remember WWI ending!"

She was only 3 or 4 when WWI ended, but she remember playing outside the farm house, all the men were out in the fields, (my paternal side all the men have been farmers for 100+ years) and her mother came running out of the house screaming, "It's over, It's over!" All the men came in, listened to what she said and they all shared in some fresh lemonade, then went back to work. She only guesses her mom's screams scared her so bad is the reason she remembers it.

[Negative Creep]

I know at least 2 (but probably all) of my great-grandfathers served in World War One. One was a cook on HMS lion, and was at Jutland. The other was with a West Kent infantry regiment, and served on the Western Front, but that's all I know. Great bit of history you have; I'd love to find out about my side. My dad did discover that one of my ancestors was at Waterloo - on the French side. Seems to be quite a long record of my family in the military until my dad

[Bf109_g]

Hi guys.

I know that my great-grandfather Thomas Greig served in World War One as a driver. I have his 1914-1915 Star and a photograph of him taken during his time in France. I think I might try to find information from the Royal Engineer museum.

[Wildcat]

Excellent bit of family history there guys.
My Great Grandmother (still alive) and Grandmother both saw out the war in occupied Holland. My Great Grandmother never talked much about it, but I know her father was in the Dutch underground and at night she would go out and forage for food. Apparently the family was helped by a friendly German soldier who would also help supply food. She also once told us she witnessed a German plane crash into a nearby building after she had been narrowly missed on it's straffing run!

[Njaco]

Ummm... I'm related to Robert E. Lee and one relative invented the submarine, Simon Lake. I didn't know them though.

[renrich]

I have copies of the documents showing that my Grandfather was enlisted in the Frontier Battalion of the Texas Rangers in 1882. His father served in the Army of the Confederacy and his father's brother fought at the Battle of the San Jacinto where the Texans defeated a larger Mexican army in 18 minutes and won independence from Mexico.

[Elvis]

ccheeseman,

That was really great.
Thank you so much for posting that.

I hope the members here don't flog me too much, but while my paternal grandfather was a bit too young for WW1 (born '01), I believe my maternal grandfather was in a few battles in the Phillipines, as a soldier in the Japanese Army, around the time of WWI, or maybe just a bit before.
I know Mom's told me a few times, that he saw Hailey's Comet while enlisted and that would've been around 1910 (as close as I can tell, he was born between 1880-1885).
It's funny, having been born and grown up in America and knowing all that I've learned about WWII, then hearing her rendition of what was thought and how things were during the war, seeing how she was a member of what we would consider an "axis nation".
All I can say is, MAN, WHAT A BUNCH OF PROPAGANDA B.S.! (and I mean BOTH sides, kiddies!)
She still cringes at certain high pitched noises, because they remind her of the sound P-51's made on strafing runs near where she grew up.




Elvis

[Elvis]

...btw, does anyone here know if their relative, who served in WWI, was a Dispatch Rider?
I always thought that would make a great premise for a movie or a book or something.



Elvis

[ccheese]

Originally Posted by Elvis

ccheeseman,

That was really great.
Thank you so much for posting that.

I hope the members here don't flog me too much, but while my paternal grandfather was a bit too young for WW1 (born '01), I believe my maternal grandfather was in a few battles in the Phillipines, as a soldier in the Japanese Army, around the time of WWI, or maybe just a bit before.
I know Mom's told me a few times, that he saw Hailey's Comet while enlisted and that would've been around 1910 (as close as I can tell, he was born between 1880-1885).
It's funny, having been born and grown up in America and knowing all that I've learned about WWII, then hearing her rendition of what was thought and how things were during the war, seeing how she was a member of what we would consider an "axis nation".
All I can say is, MAN, WHAT A BUNCH OF PROPAGANDA B.S.! (and I mean BOTH sides, kiddies!)
She still cringes at certain high pitched noises, because they remind her of the sound P-51's made on strafing runs near where she grew up.

Elvis

Elvis:

I work with a man (Akisano Ito) whose father was a Japanese soldier on Iwo
Jima, when we invaded. And, was one of the few taken prisoner and survived
the war. He died some years later of natural causes. Akisano came to the
states in the 50's and served honorably in the USMC. He doesn't talk much
but has said he is researching his father' service in the Japanese Army.
We call him Aki....

Charles

[Elvis]

Charles,

Your friend, Aki. He doesn't happen to have any relatives that live in Hawaii, does he?
My parents have some friends they've known for years over there and their name is Ito.


...hmmm...



Elvis

[lesofprimus]

Common Japanese name....

[ccheese]

Originally Posted by Elvis

Charles,

Your friend, Aki. He doesn't happen to have any relatives that live in Hawaii, does he?
My parents have some friends they've known for years over there and their name is Ito.
...hmmm...

Elvis

I donno, Elvis, but I will ask him, on Monday. As an aside, the trial judge
At O.J. Simpson's murder trial was named Ito.

Charles

[ccheese]

Originally Posted by lesofprimus

Common Japanese name....

Probably so, Dan.

BTW, I like your new siggy.....

Best to the Mrs...

Charles