Historical Times

Started by Keunert, January 04, 2014, 02:49:22 PM

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undercovergeek

i thought that was the aforementioned soviet Para after landing

Gusington

Bawb my Grandfather was also at Anzio, in North Africa and in Sicily, then Italy, with the 5th Army, in the artillery.

I knew you looked familiar :)


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BanzaiCat

Quote from: Gusington on January 06, 2014, 08:31:42 PM
Bawb my Grandfather was also at Anzio, in North Africa and in Sicily, then Italy, with the 5th Army, in the artillery.

I knew you looked familiar :)

How old does that make you, Gus? ;)

GDS_Starfury

#33
5' 3"

which in tree terms is pretty old but we'll have to cut off a limb and count the rings.
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bob48

Quote from: Gusington on January 06, 2014, 08:31:42 PM
Bawb my Grandfather was also at Anzio, in North Africa and in Sicily, then Italy, with the 5th Army, in the artillery.

I knew you looked familiar :)

Really? Well I remember him saying that at Anzio, he was at times running supplies to US units, which he liked, since they were often able to eat at US mess'. He was impressed because they gave him steak and ice cream, which was a nice change from bully-beef and army biscuits. Also, he was able to draw C-ration packs (I think it was) which contained all sorts of goodies from toilet paper to gum.
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

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Keunert

did your dad like to talk about the war with you Bob?
i guess you were interested in his story?
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bayonetbrant

Quote from: Keunert on January 07, 2014, 01:02:17 PMdid your dad like to talk about the war with you Bob?

The Boer War, maybe.  Anything after, Bob was an active participant in, wasn't he?  ;)
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bob48

#37
Kenny. Yes, he did, but only later in life would he mention anything about the horrific part of the war, such as the tank recovery. What he delighted in was the comradeship and the fact that he was able to see so much of the world.

I wish I had asked him more questions, and taken note of some of the stuff he told me, as I'm sure some of it I have forgotten.

Just recently, I've been digging about on the net to try and find some missing bits of info. I'm pretty certain that he was attached to 17th Brigade, at least for part of the time.

from my own research, and from things he told me, I know he saw service in the following countries;

France and Belgium

After Dunkirk, he went to India via cape Town. He loved India and had chance to visit the Taj Mahal.

From there to the Middle East, Iraq and Persia (as it was then). I know he was in the Holy Land as he did go to Jerusalem and 'floated' on the Dead Sea.

His unit also made 2 trips taking Aircraft to the Russians, where, apparently, they drove through Neutral Turkey wearing civilian clothes and with all unit markings painted out.

From there he went to Egypt, where he visited the Pyramids and saw the Sphinx, and, as mentioned above, Sicily and Italy. Eventually he went back to North Africa, and then back to the UK.

By this time he was a sergeant, and was in charge of an ATS section (Auxiliary Territorial service) who were all girls. he must have enjoyed this, as he said that ATS stood for 'Action, Traction and Satisfaction'. They were mainly employed on transporting German POW's around from camp to various building sites were they were used as labour.

Another funny story is from my mother, who dad had by this time met. She was horrified when he drove up to her house one day in truck loaded with German POW's!

I miss him very much as we were great friends. I'm very proud of my Dad.
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

Keunert

#38
cool Bob, thanks for the story. great stuff to visit the wife with a truckload of ze Zermanns... wow
here's my grandfather in France: he was around 35-38.

Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
Oscar Wilde

Special K has too much class.
Windigo

Keunert

Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
Oscar Wilde

Special K has too much class.
Windigo

bob48

They are Finns - I've seen that one before somewhere.
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

bob48

Quote from: Keunert on January 07, 2014, 02:31:32 PM
cool Bob, thanks for the story. great stuff to visit the wife with a truckload of ze Zermanns... wow
here's my grandfather in France: he was around 35-38.



Luftwaffe?
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

Keunert

yes, first years part of an engineer bat. of the Luftwaffe. severly wounded during Case Blue and after recovery part of an airstrip in Greece.
Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
Oscar Wilde

Special K has too much class.
Windigo

bob48

Bet he would have some interesting stories to tell.
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

Keunert

he did not tell much, the war was a non topic. the only tthing my father remembers is he telling him that he had seen how the Wehrmacht treated and deported jews and that it was clear what would happen to them.

i wish my father had asked more. but i guess the postwar years was about a fresh start and looking forward.
Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
Oscar Wilde

Special K has too much class.
Windigo