Never Knew That !

[Evans Electric]

Didn't know Frank Skinner , local comedian, was in the D Day landings , looks too young  but there he is on the right , behind the corporal looking a bit worried.

 

[ProDave]

MY dad played his part, D day + 7 or there abouts.

 

[Evans Electric]

That was SOME operation Dave ,  what outfit was he in ?  

Just checked my Dad's navy record , he was on HMS Atreus  but I don't know where , I know it wasn't the Normandy landings. 

 

[ProDave]

10th batallion of the Highland Light Infantry.  No he didn't come from Scotland (Oxford actually) so I still don't know how he ended up with the Highlanders. There's an old photo of him in his kilt at home.

they trained in the far north for nearly a year and went in a few days after D day. He spent a year working his way through France and into Germany. Many of his comrades did not return.

I have the whole campaign documented in a book with maps, dates etc. Very moving stuff. 

 

[OnOff]

My old man's the tall, skinny one:



PASMA................NOT!  :lol:

 

[Evans Electric]

10th batallion of the Highland Light Infantry.  No he didn't come from Scotland (Oxford actually) so I still don't know how he ended up with the Highlanders. There's an old photo of him in his kilt at home.

they trained in the far north for nearly a year and went in a few days after D day. He spent a year working his way through France and into Germany. Many of his comrades did not return.

I have the whole campaign documented in a book with maps, dates etc. Very moving stuff. 

Sounds like a future TV documentary to me Dave !!!       

I think when you enlisted they filled up gaps in various regiments ,  local regiment to Oxford I guess was the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry  ( Also at D Day) but it didn't work like that I don't think .         You'll do get up to Scotland !!!

My old man's the tall, skinny one:

003_RAF_Shepherds Grove.jpg

PASMA................NOT!  :lol:

Hope he had the ignition key in his pocket ....that prop could have your eye out :innocent

 

[Andy™]

Hope he had the ignition key in his pocket ....that prop could have your eye out :innocent

its OK, they had common sense in them days and didnt start the machinery when their in its way

 

[kerching]

its OK, they had common sense in them days and didnt start the machinery when their in its way

The NIC will doubtless have a "propeller awareness course"....all for Charrrrrriddddy. Of course

 

[OnOff]

its OK, they had common sense in them days and didnt start the machinery when their in its way

He did eventually go deaf in both ears though through working on too many engines...........ear defenders? I don't think so! Was an LAC, says he used to get a real kick out of running the Spitfires up.

 

[kerching]

My Dad was 18 and spent his time as a Radio Telegrapher on a Motor Torpedo Boat patroling the English Channel

18 FFS! Unbelievable!

 

[OnOff]

My Dad was 18 and spent his time as a Radio Telegrapher on a Motor Torpedo Boat patroling the English Channel

18 FFS! Unbelievable!

My Dad ended up in Germany during the Berlin Airlift. His plane was a special reconnaissance Lancaster filled with listening kit and tech types to monitor the Russians. Said that they would get their flight plan at the last minute which meant they would have to take off a funny hours. He said they would often get back and be threatened with being put on a charge for not having shaved etc. Said the worst bit was landing at odd airfields and some jobsworth not expecting them. Meant they would struggle to get accommodation and food as nobody knew they were coming. Reckons the American officers messes were the best ever and the guys looking after them treated them as officers as their uniforms were different! Funny how he never mentioned he wasn't one!

 

[Evans Electric]

My Dad was 18 and spent his time as a Radio Telegrapher on a Motor Torpedo Boat patroling the English Channel

18 FFS! Unbelievable!

It makes you think  ......... they're all still at school these days

 

[kerching]

It makes you think  ......... they're all still at school these days

Or on benefits!

 

[binky]

3 stories on WW2

1/ wifes grand dad was on Lancasters, but would never talk about it. Turns out he spent his war years in the stores

2/ an uncle of mine, now deceased, disappaered in 1945 when 2 naval guys knocked on the door, only to resurface 40 years later. Would never say what he was doing for all that time - we'll find out eventually

3/ old trade union rep I knew, a retired Policeman, had actually crossed the English Channel sat on top of one of the Mulberry harbour units, basically a floating lump of concrete. It's 70 miles from Plymouth to France and takes 6 hours on the modern ferry. Must have froze his nuts off, try getting that past H&S today :slap

 

[Evans Electric]

3 stories on WW2

1/ wifes grand dad was on Lancasters, but would never talk about it. Turns out he spent his war years in the stores

2/ an uncle of mine, now deceased, disappaered in 1945 when 2 naval guys knocked on the door, only to resurface 40 years later. Would never say what he was doing for all that time - we'll find out eventually

3/ old trade union rep I knew, a retired Policeman, had actually crossed the English Channel sat on top of one of the Mulberry harbour units, basically a floating lump of concrete. It's 70 miles from Plymouth to France and takes 6 hours on the modern ferry. Must have froze his nuts off, try getting that past H&S today :slap

Now that IS a mystery I'd like to see solved .

 

[steptoe]

my late grandfather was a stoker in the Royal Navy during WW II , served upon the great Ark Royal at one time,

my cousin, who was in the marines decided to get him his Atlantic campaign medals etc that he had never received, so started to research what other medals he was due,

halfway through his research he reached a confidential information block,

got his CO onto the case, same result,

No information available for release to the public domain,

that was over ten years ago, we still dont know what this 'stoker' actually done that was so confidential,,,,,,,,

as an aside, most of his sons joined the RN, all different departments, gunner, navigator, whatever else they do,  etc,

there was a bit of a panic one day when the Navy realised they had been 3 of them placed upon the same ship,

they soon got airlifted, cross-boarded [or whatever its called] quick sharpish.

 

[binky]

would love to know what my uncle got upto, he just wouldn't say and died a few years ago, so we will have to wait for official secrets to be released eventually. Or check the prison records - you never know :innocent

 

[Evans Electric]

my late grandfather was a stoker in the Royal Navy during WW II , served upon the great Ark Royal at one time,

my cousin, who was in the marines decided to get him his Atlantic campaign medals etc that he had never received, so started to research what other medals he was due,

halfway through his research he reached a confidential information block,

got his CO onto the case, same result,

No information available for release to the public domain,

that was over ten years ago, we still dont know what this 'stoker' actually done that was so confidential,,,,,,,,

as an aside, most of his sons joined the RN, all different departments, gunner, navigator, whatever else they do,  etc,

there was a bit of a panic one day when the Navy realised they had been 3 of them placed upon the same ship,

they soon got airlifted, cross-boarded [or whatever its called] quick sharpish.

Wonder if he was present at the Atom bomb test ,  was it Bikini Island ?      They just told the crew not to look at the flash .