Why wasn't my dad at D-Day?

[Brennanhough]

Originally Posted by Posiesmum

My maternal grandfather was in the Merchant Navy and died in 1941 in the North Atlantic convoys. My mother was 12 and his death caused her serious mental health issues which still have an impact on her today.

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Very similar story to my great grandad. He was Merchant Navy on a secret mission (which we’ve never been able to find out about).

From what we can gather, the boat was torpedoed, some men survived but were then shot by the crew of the U boat.

This sent my great grandma into a bit of a downward spiral, so she sent my grandad and his brother to Naval School and he ended up joining the Ganges!

It’s a fascinating story- sadly my grandad has lost his speech now so looks like we will never find out exactly what he was up too.

[Lisaw1971]

Here my grandad, he was taken prisoner In Japan & spent 2 years in a prisoner of war camp! Strongest willed perdon I have ever known!
Lived until 3 years ago! Would have been fuming not to made it to today’s celebrations!

[fizzypop]

My grandad spent his 21st birthday on a small boat waiting to go to France. He landed on Sword Beach. He didn’t ever really talk about it but I know he drove a jeep. Looking at the footage on TV makes me sad he saw all that, I would have loved to have heard some of his stories. But, I completely understand now why he chose not to tell much and I can see how what he did and saw made him into the man he became. They must have been very painful memories which he didn’t want to re-live.

I am proud of him and I wish I could have had the opportunity as an adult to tell him that instead of my childhood memories of thinking he was a strict and grumpy Grandad.

[MichelleT]

My grandad was 18 years old and sweeping the mines at Juno beach on d-day. He made it home and is still with us today, he’ll be 94 next week. Listening to all the stories being told today makes me so so proud of him.

[Hotlush]

My paternal grandfather was career military, served in India during the last days of the Raj but ironically was too young for WW1 and too old for WW2. During WW2 served as a guard at one of the local bomber airbases.

Maternal grandparents both served in WW2, Grandad was an original Para and parachuted into Arnhem. Didn't make it to the bridges, got shot in the leg on the way there.

Was because of the war he met my Grandma though; wonder how many of us are here because of the war?

[Princess Alison]

My great uncle was a farmer so stayed at home during the war for that reason. His wife was a land girl!

[THOscar]

My grandad was a military policeman and guarded the Boche Buster gun on the south coast. The only action he saw was one of the soldiers getting drunk, running around naked with a knife 😂

[aqualiv]

Originally Posted by welovemushu

A bit off topic but I hope you don’t mind me sharing my grans story about grandad coming home.
He had a reserved occupation (quarry) but joined up anyway at 26. He was at this end of the Evacuation helping wounded soldiers off the ships. So, after the war, Gran knew he was coming home but not exactly when. Bear in mind this was 1946 and she had spent th war years with her Victorian mother in law (Nuff said!).
In her words - ‘I looked up from the sink and could see him coming up the street, I ran out, soapy hands and in my pinny! We met on the little bridge over the brook and I just kissed him and kissed him and didn’t care who was watching!’
Thanks to this thread, my darling grandparents are right here in my thoughts today xxxxxxxx

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That’s made me cry on the train to work

[Fimble]

As always with the WWs, there's some fantastic stories here.
This thread's making me realise how little I know of the stories from my family history.

My Grandad fought in WW2 as part of the RAF, unfortunately died of lately diagnosed Lung Cancer in 1992 so there's a lot that was never told, I was only 1 at the time so have no memories of him.

A good, funny story is of my Great Great Uncle Stan who was a prisoner of war for a day and a known master of bull£^%£. He was fluent in German and somehow managed to blag to the Germans who had captured him that they had made a large mistake and arrested one of their own. After joking around with them and sharing their cigarettes, they apologised and let him go.

Some details missing but my Nanna knows the tale inside and out. I think he might actually be still kicking around.

[beth21]

My husbands dad was at the D day landings he got shot in his arm - it was his 18th birthday. He died 15 years ago but never spoke about it. The horrors these young men/ boys went experienced are truly dreadful.