Family Ties to World War II: A New Poll

[Frenchy]

We've had plenty of unofficial polls taken in all 3 dedicated forums - ex-military, where are we from, etc...you get the picture. But how many of us have direct family ties to World War 2? I'll start off...

My grandfather served with C/270, 70th Infantry Division during World War 2. He was a combat engineer. My mother is French and lived 4 years of her childhood under nazi occupation.

No doubt our family ties are one of many reasons we have a interest in the history of the Second World War. So no matter what side - let's see your ties!

[ January 09, 2004, 09:02 AM: Message edited by: Frenchy ]

[Frenchy]

We've had plenty of unofficial polls taken in all 3 dedicated forums - ex-military, where are we from, etc...you get the picture. But how many of us have direct family ties to World War 2? I'll start off...

My grandfather served with C/270, 70th Infantry Division during World War 2. He was a combat engineer. My mother is French and lived 4 years of her childhood under nazi occupation.

No doubt our family ties are one of many reasons we have a interest in the history of the Second World War. So no matter what side - let's see your ties!

[ January 09, 2004, 09:02 AM: Message edited by: Frenchy ]

[Frenchy]

We've had plenty of unofficial polls taken in all 3 dedicated forums - ex-military, where are we from, etc...you get the picture. But how many of us have direct family ties to World War 2? I'll start off...

My grandfather served with C/270, 70th Infantry Division during World War 2. He was a combat engineer. My mother is French and lived 4 years of her childhood under nazi occupation.

No doubt our family ties are one of many reasons we have a interest in the history of the Second World War. So no matter what side - let's see your ties!

[ January 09, 2004, 09:02 AM: Message edited by: Frenchy ]

[Michael Emrys]

I had four cousins who were Air Force personnel, all in the ETO.

First cousin piloted B-25s. Was shot down over France and escaped through the aid of the French underground. He made the Air Force his career and retired as a full colonel.

Second cousin was a tail gunner in A-20s.

Third cousin was tail gunner and waist gunner in B-17s and waist gunner in B-24s. After the War, he became a civilian employee of the Air Force. He often took me to air shows when I was a child and turned me on to some neat instruction books on the principles of aerodynamics and rocketry.

Fourth cousin was wife of third (they met in the service) and a WAAF. I'm not sure what her job was, something clerical I suppose.

Michael

[Michael Emrys]

I had four cousins who were Air Force personnel, all in the ETO.

First cousin piloted B-25s. Was shot down over France and escaped through the aid of the French underground. He made the Air Force his career and retired as a full colonel.

Second cousin was a tail gunner in A-20s.

Third cousin was tail gunner and waist gunner in B-17s and waist gunner in B-24s. After the War, he became a civilian employee of the Air Force. He often took me to air shows when I was a child and turned me on to some neat instruction books on the principles of aerodynamics and rocketry.

Fourth cousin was wife of third (they met in the service) and a WAAF. I'm not sure what her job was, something clerical I suppose.

Michael

[Michael Emrys]

I had four cousins who were Air Force personnel, all in the ETO.

First cousin piloted B-25s. Was shot down over France and escaped through the aid of the French underground. He made the Air Force his career and retired as a full colonel.

Second cousin was a tail gunner in A-20s.

Third cousin was tail gunner and waist gunner in B-17s and waist gunner in B-24s. After the War, he became a civilian employee of the Air Force. He often took me to air shows when I was a child and turned me on to some neat instruction books on the principles of aerodynamics and rocketry.

Fourth cousin was wife of third (they met in the service) and a WAAF. I'm not sure what her job was, something clerical I suppose.

Michael

[_Axe_]

My maternal grandfather's brother (my great uncle ) was with the Royal Regiment of Canada. Landed about a month and a bit after D-Day and was killed Aug. 14, 1944 in the little village of Eterville, just outside Caen.

The Regiment's official history Battle Royal,written by Let.-Col. D.J. Goodspeed, said only a handful of men died that day, most from mortar fire while sitting in slit trenches.

Gilbert Costello Scarr is buried at Beny-sur-Mer.

Just two months ago a tour guide at the cemetary sent me photos of his grave. I was able to show them to Gilbert's three surviving sisters.

Plus my paternal grandparents were both engineers and were stationed in Debert and Halifax for the duration of the war. They also saw the VE Day riots there.

Funny story. Papa had just been paid and, at the time, Halifax had street cars. He tried to pay with a twenty. The driver looked at him and sneered, "You must be from Upper Canada waving those big bills around."

[_Axe_]

My maternal grandfather's brother (my great uncle ) was with the Royal Regiment of Canada. Landed about a month and a bit after D-Day and was killed Aug. 14, 1944 in the little village of Eterville, just outside Caen.

The Regiment's official history Battle Royal,written by Let.-Col. D.J. Goodspeed, said only a handful of men died that day, most from mortar fire while sitting in slit trenches.

Gilbert Costello Scarr is buried at Beny-sur-Mer.

Just two months ago a tour guide at the cemetary sent me photos of his grave. I was able to show them to Gilbert's three surviving sisters.

Plus my paternal grandparents were both engineers and were stationed in Debert and Halifax for the duration of the war. They also saw the VE Day riots there.

Funny story. Papa had just been paid and, at the time, Halifax had street cars. He tried to pay with a twenty. The driver looked at him and sneered, "You must be from Upper Canada waving those big bills around."

[_Axe_]

My maternal grandfather's brother (my great uncle ) was with the Royal Regiment of Canada. Landed about a month and a bit after D-Day and was killed Aug. 14, 1944 in the little village of Eterville, just outside Caen.

The Regiment's official history Battle Royal,written by Let.-Col. D.J. Goodspeed, said only a handful of men died that day, most from mortar fire while sitting in slit trenches.

Gilbert Costello Scarr is buried at Beny-sur-Mer.

Just two months ago a tour guide at the cemetary sent me photos of his grave. I was able to show them to Gilbert's three surviving sisters.

Plus my paternal grandparents were both engineers and were stationed in Debert and Halifax for the duration of the war. They also saw the VE Day riots there.

Funny story. Papa had just been paid and, at the time, Halifax had street cars. He tried to pay with a twenty. The driver looked at him and sneered, "You must be from Upper Canada waving those big bills around."

[Bartokomus]

Canadian Navy:

Great Grandfather - Convoy Commodore for North Atlantic convoy runs. 4 years or so

Grandfather - C.E.R.A. (Chief Engine Room Artificer) for Destroyer Squadrons on the North Atlantic run. 3 years or so.

[Bartokomus]

Canadian Navy:

Great Grandfather - Convoy Commodore for North Atlantic convoy runs. 4 years or so

Grandfather - C.E.R.A. (Chief Engine Room Artificer) for Destroyer Squadrons on the North Atlantic run. 3 years or so.

[Bartokomus]

Canadian Navy:

Great Grandfather - Convoy Commodore for North Atlantic convoy runs. 4 years or so

Grandfather - C.E.R.A. (Chief Engine Room Artificer) for Destroyer Squadrons on the North Atlantic run. 3 years or so.

[Slappy]

One grandfather and three great uncles. All US infantry in what would be CMBO around here. They were, for further information, all from Kentucky and were, for having enough to eat purposes, hunters for years before the war and saw significant action as what the game would probably call Veteran to Crack Sharpshooters.

[Slappy]

One grandfather and three great uncles. All US infantry in what would be CMBO around here. They were, for further information, all from Kentucky and were, for having enough to eat purposes, hunters for years before the war and saw significant action as what the game would probably call Veteran to Crack Sharpshooters.

[Slappy]

One grandfather and three great uncles. All US infantry in what would be CMBO around here. They were, for further information, all from Kentucky and were, for having enough to eat purposes, hunters for years before the war and saw significant action as what the game would probably call Veteran to Crack Sharpshooters.

[General Bolt]

My father was on board the 2nd USS Yorktown CV-10, not the one sunk (CV-5) at Midway. Its now a museum in Charlotte North Carolina. His brother was on a destroyer (name???) in the Pacific. My mother's brother was in an arty unit in Sicily and Italy.

[General Bolt]

My father was on board the 2nd USS Yorktown CV-10, not the one sunk (CV-5) at Midway. Its now a museum in Charlotte North Carolina. His brother was on a destroyer (name???) in the Pacific. My mother's brother was in an arty unit in Sicily and Italy.

[General Bolt]

My father was on board the 2nd USS Yorktown CV-10, not the one sunk (CV-5) at Midway. Its now a museum in Charlotte North Carolina. His brother was on a destroyer (name???) in the Pacific. My mother's brother was in an arty unit in Sicily and Italy.

[Joachim]

Grandpa (mother's side) survived the East front from '41 in an ID after refusing to move his family to the Lorraine to increase German population there. Successfully led his plt out of East Prussia, avoiding the Gustloff and boarding a cruiser instead.

Two uncles had to serve as "Luftwaffenhelfer" (FlaK Personnel) as children (below 16).

Father and his parents fled their home in Hungary just ahead of the Red Army.

...and thus the most important thing...

Without WW2, I would never have been born.

Gruß

Joachim

[Joachim]

Grandpa (mother's side) survived the East front from '41 in an ID after refusing to move his family to the Lorraine to increase German population there. Successfully led his plt out of East Prussia, avoiding the Gustloff and boarding a cruiser instead.

Two uncles had to serve as "Luftwaffenhelfer" (FlaK Personnel) as children (below 16).

Father and his parents fled their home in Hungary just ahead of the Red Army.

...and thus the most important thing...

Without WW2, I would never have been born.

Gruß

Joachim

[Joachim]

Grandpa (mother's side) survived the East front from '41 in an ID after refusing to move his family to the Lorraine to increase German population there. Successfully led his plt out of East Prussia, avoiding the Gustloff and boarding a cruiser instead.

Two uncles had to serve as "Luftwaffenhelfer" (FlaK Personnel) as children (below 16).

Father and his parents fled their home in Hungary just ahead of the Red Army.

...and thus the most important thing...

Without WW2, I would never have been born.

Gruß

Joachim

[Thin Red Line]

My grandfahter was a Légion Etrangère company CO in Tunisia, then a member of Juin's staff in Italy and finally staff officer in the 1st French Army (France, Germany).

[Thin Red Line]

My grandfahter was a Légion Etrangère company CO in Tunisia, then a member of Juin's staff in Italy and finally staff officer in the 1st French Army (France, Germany).

[Thin Red Line]

My grandfahter was a Légion Etrangère company CO in Tunisia, then a member of Juin's staff in Italy and finally staff officer in the 1st French Army (France, Germany).

[KenH]

My father was too young to get called up, but if the war had gone on into 1945, he would have been. His older brother worked as ground crew in the RAF with Bomber Command; his next older brother was with the Desert Rats, surviving getting his ammo truck blown up :eek:

My mother's older brother was in the RN, on destroyers, getting sunk twice (once in the North Sea, once in the Med) rescued both times