Today we remember the end of the World War I and the four years that preceded.
I would like to remember my cousin Sub Lieutenant Sidney Gower Poole of Surrey (born 31st October 1878), member of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve and veteran of Gallipoli , who died during the last weeks of the Battle of the Somme 13 Nov 1916 while serving as platoon commander in 'D' Company of Hawke's Battalion of the 63rd (Royal Navy) Division. In Memoriam.
You did a good job calling it by the proper name.
Here's to my grandfather, volunteered in 1917 and fought on the Western Front in a machine gun battalion. He was gassed and lived to tell the tale (albeit missing 3/4 of a lung).
I thank the Brittish for keeping save my greatgrandmother during those 4 years, after they fled the advancing Hun!
My grandmother was a teadrinker because of this :bowler:
Here's to my great granduncle Eddy who served as motorcycle courier in the American Army. He survived into his early 90s, and I met him several times as a young boy.
Uncle Paul, 93, ret. USMC, is still doing well up in Staten Island. Iwo Jima couldn't kill him, he wasn't worried about a storm. "IVE SEEN WORSE"
I have no idea what my grand or great grandparents did in The Great War, if anything, but I'm sure it was unspeakable atrocities.
Quote from: Syt on November 13, 2012, 07:38:29 AM
I have no idea what my grand or great grandparents did in The Great War, if anything, but I'm sure it was unspeakable atrocities.
:lol:
I would like to honor my two great grandparents who I know about from that time. It was mighty nice of them to survive (most notably the horrible failed 1918 Piave offensive) and return so that I can live today.
My great Grand father fought in the war at St. Mihel and the Argonne Offensive. He was wounded a few hours after the armistice.
My maternal great grandfather served on the Grosser Kürfürst throughout the war. His son, my grandfather, served in the uboat fleet during the second world war. Both lucky to survive.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 13, 2012, 07:36:01 AM
Uncle Paul, 93, ret. USMC, is still doing well up in Staten Island. Iwo Jima couldn't kill him, he wasn't worried about a storm. "IVE SEEN WORSE"
<3
I have actually no idea who of the generation of my great-grandparents participated in the war. I know some did because I've seen photos and a Soldbuch, but I know no details at all.
Quote from: Zanza on November 13, 2012, 10:36:47 AM
I have actually no idea who of the generation of my great-grandparents participated in the war. I know some did because I've seen photos and a Soldbuch, but I know no details at all.
Is this normal for Germans to just not know these things? Granted I have a sample size of two here. I guess that is understandable.
I know what my grandparents did in WW2, but I honestly couldn't even tell you for sure the names of all my great-grandparents. Can't say whether that's normal or not.
Quote from: Zanza on November 13, 2012, 10:48:23 AM
I know what my grandparents did in WW2, but I honestly couldn't even tell you for sure the names of all my great-grandparents. Can't say whether that's normal or not.
Ah ok. Yeah that is pretty normal. Doing my genealogy stuff I am often amazed at how alot of people do not even know who their grandparents are.
Quote from: Zanza on November 13, 2012, 10:48:23 AM
I know what my grandparents did in WW2, but I honestly couldn't even tell you for sure the names of all my great-grandparents. Can't say whether that's normal or not.
Same here. One grand-dad was a chauffeur in the SS, the other died in Russia. Both my parents' families fled West (from East Prussia/Pommerania, respectively). That's as much as I know about my family history. Supposedly we had family in the former GDR (sister of my paternal grandma?) but no contact with them. Or the remainders of my dad's family (a brother or two and a sister).
Quote from: Valmy on November 13, 2012, 10:50:54 AM
Quote from: Zanza on November 13, 2012, 10:48:23 AM
I know what my grandparents did in WW2, but I honestly couldn't even tell you for sure the names of all my great-grandparents. Can't say whether that's normal or not.
Ah ok. Yeah that is pretty normal. Doing my genealogy stuff I am often amazed at how alot of people do not even know who their grandparents are.
I can think of a reason why some 30-something Germans would not know who their grandfather was. :hmm:
Well, I do know the name of my 103 year old great grandmother who is still alive. ;) She was only five years old at the outbreak of WW1, so I assume that she worked on the farm and attended school.
My Maternal Grandfather lied about his age and joined the US Army in 1915 (when he was just 16).
Was part of Blackjack Pershing's forces sent into Mexico in search of Pancho Villa in 1916
He then served in 42 Infantry Division in WWI
QuoteIt went overseas in November 1917. The division took part in four major Operations: the Champagne-Marne, the Aisne-Marne, the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. In total, it saw 264 days of combat.
And in WWII....
I've got a Luftwaffe dagger that was taken off some sap's corpse. :)
No, it will not be retuned to his family.
In the Great War, my Greatgrandfather (1877-1958) was conductor the band of our expeditionary corps*. During the Lys offensive (April 1918), he camly finished his meal during the preparatory bombardment (while the band hid under the tables), then led them out the building - which took a direct hit soon after.
He led the band to the rear, and in the route he met his cousin, who had fled from the combat line and was trying to hide. He disguised him as a member of the band and took him off to safety.
My other Greatgrandfather Alfredo (1897-1979), who was also in that battle after serving in the Rovuma campaign in Africa, tried to keep his head down the most he could (especially since he had just seen his best friend lose his). He was smart enough to see there was no way to stop the German stormtroopers and fled to the back with some of his fellows. The English tried to rally them, but they paid them no heed.
My father and grandmother told me the first story. The second was told me by greatgrandpa himself.
*: He had been the conductor of the royal band before the Republic was declared, playing all afternoon for the Queen when she went out to rest in the hills (she disliked gramophones and preferred live music).
We skipped WW2, but in the colonial wars my dad's unit amused themselves by throwing live babies in the air and catching them when they came down... with their bayonets.
That, of course, when there was anyone left alive after the napalm bombardments of the villages. We killed millions of civilians during that war.
This does not increase our respect for you or the Portuguese people.
Quote from: Razgovory on November 13, 2012, 07:39:12 PM
This does not increase our respect for you or the Portuguese people.
right?
Wadaya mean "right"?
Right as in seriously.
Quote from: garbon on November 13, 2012, 08:03:03 PM
Right as in seriously.
I am completely serious when I say that stories of cowardice and war crimes fail to engender respect.
I was agreeing with you. ;)
I suppose I should have said "right?" as in "seriously."
My greatgrandpa was in South Africa during WW1. I'm pretty sure he didn't serve. He would have wrote about in my family's genealogy book.
My stepdad would have been 68 on the 11th. He didn't do anything war-related, but I miss him anyway. He died last year. I always remembered Armistice Day because it was his birthday. I hope it doesn't fade away.
I've got one great-grandad who lied about his age to join the Canadian forces being sent to Europe, and another one who was an American pilot who served in Europe. That's the extent of my knowledge of their war-time doings.
Quote from: Razgovory on November 13, 2012, 07:39:12 PM
This does not increase our respect for you or the Portuguese people.
I doubt "increasing respect for the Portuguese people" was his objective with that anecdote.