World War I Veterans

[Jan]

Bill and I are off to Ypres in Belgium to visit the WW1 grave of a great uncle I never knew existed until July 2008,
I will be the first member of our family to visit his resting place,and although it will be emotional I am looking forward to laying a poppy on his grave.

I was wondering if any of our members have relatives buried over there, If so I would be willing to take a photograph of a grave or a name on a memorial, if it is near were we are going,

PM me if I can be of help


cheers

Jan

 

[CThrock]

Well Jan, that's going to be quite an experience. Make sure you post some pics and give alot of scenery. I bet it's beautiful there. Have a safe and good time.

 

[Ross]

I'm sure many here do. Just don't think too many really know about it.

Not to hijack this thread, but if we have any WWII members present that have not been to Washington to see the new memorial, there is now a group that will voluntarily fly you there free. http://www.honorflight.org/about/index.cfm

Time is of the Essence.
Based on recent 2008 statistics, we are losing World War II veterans at the rate of approximately 1,000 per day. Honor Flight Network will continue do whatever it takes to fulfill the dreams of our veterans and help our senior heroes travel absolutely free.

Subsequent to the World War II veterans, our efforts will then focus on our Korean War and then Vietnam War veterans, honoring them similarly.

 

[john79t]

My great uncle John Crunk was a WWI vet. He was wonunded and suffered from what is labeled today as PTSD but then was called shell shock. He was never quite the same.

 

[OldManEmu]

Ww1

Ww1

My grandfather was a WW1 veteran, spent over a year on the western front and was gassed. He returned to Australia after the war.

 

[catwoman]

Jan:

That is a wonderful opportunity.

My grandmother's brother was in WWI. I have a photo of him in his uniform. Luckily, he did make it back home.

 

[Jan]

Our trip will be emotional, I am sure,
I only discovered my great uncle while doing some family history research last July, and during August I visited our Town Hall by chance ( it is only open to the public one week a year) and there was his name on the wall in the Hall of Remberence.
I felt then that I had to go and visit his grave,

A few weeks ago I posted on a Great War Forum asking advice about visiting Ypres and I was contacted by a local man who has researched The Kings ( Livepool ) Regiment who told me that my great uncle enlisted in February 1917 and went to Blackpool to do his training while there he and another soldier rescued a woman and her two children from a house fire close by their training camp thus saving their lives.
Both men were awarded a certificate and bronze plaque plus 15 shillings ( about 1 dollar )
from the Shipwreck and Humane Soceity
it was reported in The Veteran magazine, were his CO praised the bravery of both men.
a few weeks later he was sent to France and then Belgium were he fought in the trenches in the most horrendous conditions, he was killed in action on Nov 11th 1917 and is buried in Belgium.
I also received a photograph of him taken from our local paper ( the local paper at the time printed photographs each day of men who had been killed over sea's )

It was very moving, seeing the photograph he became a person, and not just a name.

thanks for reading this

Jan

PS His name was Robert and that is what I called my second son, life is strange

 

[hensylee]

HOW very interesting, Jan. I know you will have a memory that will be precious and you can share pictures w/your family. It is always an honor to see their resting places.

My mother's brother was lost at sea and we have no place to place a flower on his grave. He was part of an airplane crew in WWII and his plane went down.

 

[Jan]

Hi Ann

That is so sad, is his name on a memorial ? this weekend is the 65th Anniversary of the D Day Landings, again so many brave people lost,

I am taking some Poppy Crosses that we got from the Royal British Legion and I will lay one at the Menin Gate in memory of your uncle.

hugs

Jan and Bill

XX

 

[njean]

What an emotional & memorable trip this will be for you Jan. I'm sure that it means so much to you that you will be able to visit your uncle's final resting place at last.

I hope you have a wonderful & safe trip & look forward to hearing from you upon your return.

Stay safe!

 

[neil]

i went to the normandy landings 10yrs ago,a very very moving experience,those lads where so so brave,made me so humble,

 

[palmaceae]

My uncle, who is still with us, was a member of the 101st Airborne who jumped at Normandy. He was also at Bastogne, and was also at Eagle's Nest (Hitlers house). He has some great stories. God bless them all!

 

[hensylee]

Hi Ann

That is so sad, is his name on a memorial ? this weekend is the 65th Anniversary of the D Day Landings, again so many brave people lost,

I am taking some Poppy Crosses that we got from the Royal British Legion and I will lay one at the Menin Gate in memory of your uncle.

hugs

Jan and Bill

XX

I believe it's on the WWII memorial in Washington. But I have never seen it.

Thank you so much to placing a poppy in Uncle Earnest's memory. That means a lot to me.

 

[Jan]

It will be my pleasure Ann

Hugs

Jan XX

 

[pamela]

Both my grandmother's brothers, Tom and Jim, lied about their age to go and fight in WWI. Uncle Jim was a member of the Princess Patricia's Light Infantry and was damaged by mustard gas at Vimy Ridge. Uncle Tom was a "Little Black Devil", a member of the famous Black Watch, and fought at Passiondale. They both came home but were changed young men and damaged heroes at the great age of 21.

 

[hensylee]

this was in my morning e-radio news and thought you might find it historically interesting:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keith Rowland's That's My Story - Listen from our online News Audio page
Hear Keith each day Monday through Friday from 2:00 to 5:00 pm with News, stories, jokes, commentaries, trivia and much more.
This is a collection of stories and comments from Keith Rowland. Keith finds his stories on the internet, local and national media and is given stories from friends and listeners. If you have something for Keith, let him know.

How many Allied troops were involved in D-Day?

On D-Day, the Allies landed around 156,000 troops in Normandy. The American forces landed numbered 73,000: 23,250 on Utah Beach, 34,250 on Omaha Beach, and 15,500 airborne troops. In the British and Canadian sector, 83,115 troops were landed (61,715 of them British): 24,970 on Gold Beach, 21,400 on Juno Beach, 28,845 on Sword Beach, and 7900 airborne troops.

11,590 aircraft were available to support the landings. On D-Day, Allied aircraft flew 14,674 sorties, and 127 were lost.

In the airborne landings on both flanks of the beaches, 2395 aircraft and 867 gliders of the RAF and USAAF were used on D-Day.

Operation Neptune involved huge naval forces, including 6939 vessels: 1213 naval combat ships, 4126 landing ships and landing craft, 736 ancillary craft and 864 merchant vessels. Some 195,700 personnel were assigned to Operation Neptune: 52,889 US, 112,824 British, and 4988 from other Allied countries.

By the end of 11 June (D + 5), 326,547 troops, 54,186 vehicles and 104,428 tons of supplies had been landed on the beaches.

As well as the troops who landed in Normandy on D-Day, and those in supporting roles at sea and in the air, millions more men and women in the Allied countries were involved in the preparations for D-Day. They played thousands of different roles, both in the armed forces and as civilians.