My grandfather was a T Sgt. in the 243rd Combat Engineer battalion. In 1944 he landed at Le Havre, France. He was stationed near Malmedy in the Ardennes offensive. He helped bridge the Rhine at St. Goar, Germany. This was one of the toughest Rhine crossings. He was also part of the occupation force after the war. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the victory medals. in 1946 he was honorably discharged. I have lots of pictures of him once I figure out how to post them I will.
First of my grandfathers was arrested by the Germans few months after the war started. He was sent as a slave to some Phillips factory, where he worked for few years. My second grandfather served as a cavalryman (ulan) during september 1939. Fortunately he didn’t became a POW, and came back home near Sokolka (Eastern Poland). He joined Home Army (Armia Krajowa), and fought the Germans till 1944. Then Russians crossed polish border. Shortly after the Germans withdrew, NKVD started massive terror against polish patriots. My grandfather was one of hundreds of thousands arrested. After few months of prison he was released. He joined some secret organisation targeting Red Army, Polish Army and polish communists - I don’t know what it was - a continuation of Home Army (WiN) or something else. It is true that my grandfather served in it until 1952. He was arrested again and spent some time in prison but finally he was released. It’s a mystery, how he managed to survive and fight all these years. And it’s unbelievable that he wasn’t murdered in prison. He died in 1961. All of his friends and old members of my family were afraid to talk about his life. I tried to find somebody who would know anything about my grandfather, but I think it is too late.
Grandfather (Paternal side) - Was from a long line of farmers and so continued farming throughout the war and beyond. Some of his land was bought by the MoD (or whatever the equivalent was back then) and converted to an airfiedl (Saltby in Leicestershire). My father tells a few interesting stories about those times such as the build up at the airfield of US troops in preparation for D Day and how my grandmother was scared to see a black US GI leaning up against her garden wall having never seen a coloured fellow before.
Grandfather (Maternal side) - Volunteered as soon as the war started, much to my Grandmother’s annoyance as they had two young daughters; Army pay was so poor that what was sent home to his family barely covered the essentials. So my Grandmother spent the war moving from one relative to another until each in turn moved them on. He joined the Royal Artillery and spent most of the war in Anti-Aircraft units - as far as I can tell mainly based in Dover. He operated the searchlights which he didnt like because enemy fighters would (according to my mum) shoot down the beam to put the lights out/kill those that man them. On the occasions his unit was posted overseas he was in hospital with one back injury or another. The first being when an AA gun rolled in to him, therefater always had back problems.
No “daring do” there but both did what millions of others did - played a small part in a cast of millions which lead to ultimate victory.
Very true Arhob, a cast of millions all working toward the ultimate goal of victory and liberation.
It is difficult for the youth of today to understand exactly what was at stake and the privations endured by those both overseas and on the home front.
While farming then was far from as mechanised as it is today, those that worked the land were every bit as responsible for the survival of the UK through the blockade as were The Few during the Battle of Britain, and it would be a foolish man who underestimates their value.
“They also serve who only stand and wait.” - Milton.
It was only recently that I learned of the Bevin boys. Boys drafted to the coalmines so that men could be sent to the forces.
one of the great uncles was killed at Gallipoli, he was a Captain in the Infantry of the 1st AIF, the other one was a sapper officerand was gassed. Spent rest of his life in a veteran’s hospital (Dept of Repatriation).
Pardy, my dad’s dad, was a Sergeant in the 3rd Division (1st AIF) Ammunition Column, Royal Australian Artillery, bringing up the ammo into the front-line for trench mortars, and for field guns.
Dad joined for the duration in the RAAF in 1939, he was already in the Militia, as a coast gunner on North Head Sydney Harbour.
He went overseas to the Western desert as the Medical Sgt of no 3 Squadron RAAF and was in the field with them against the Italians, Vichy French, and the Germans. Got amoebic dysentery twice, and came home in Feb 1943 with the 9th Div’s convoy in a hospital ship.
MY FIL was also in the Militia and then went into the 2nd AIF once he graduated, with double honours - went straight into INT having been recruited/vetted beforehand. Worked with the - only recently acnowledged - Bureau manned by Aussies. Our equivalent of Bletchley Park, but distributed. It’s own HQ was at the heart of Mac’s HQ. FIL’s role was sig-int on Morotai.
He was after the war, a literature and classics professor at the RMC here. one of world’s top academics on Hardy and an authority on Australia’s WWI and WWII literature.
No 3 was a regular RAAF squadron trained as Army Coop’n - they started with Lysanders and Gladiators against the Italian’s CR42’s and the 3-engine bombers - etc, then Hurricanes, then Tomahawks /P40B’s, Kittyhawks. later in Italy/Yugo they got P51’s.
He got amoebic dysentery TWICE. He receieved a MID’s twice, in both cases for pulling aircrew from burning aircraft, one was a B24 with hung-up bombs still aboard.
He was commissioned on his return in early 1943, got my mother back from Melbourne where she was working on aircraft camouflage paint at Fisherman’s Bend.
His first achievement here was the first fully airborne surgical-hospital, staff duties, logistics etc. The whole box and dice.
Next he became the adjutant as F/Lt of a special Allied (USA / RAAF / RAF / RNZAF) research unit based at Sydney University, doing early research on pressure and anti-G suits!! With Professor Cotton. He also managed to finish his Pharmacy course!
Timbo
At the end of the war, he helped secure Hitler’s eagle’s nest.
the Eagles Nest was either the complex in Bavaria / Austria?
there was also one in East Prussia? IIRC
Hi Timbo in Oz,
Eagles Nest was in Berchtesgaden in Bavaria and Hitlers residence was called Berghof.
East Prussian Headquarter was in Ketrzyn and called Wolfschanze.
Cheers,
Lancer44 in Oz