R1cho
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2010
- Messages
- 4,200
Sadly my father left nothing behind and few stories really tho I know he went through North Africa and I think through Italy. Unfortunately I don't even have his service number either. Though strangely earlier this year a gentleman passed away that I had known for a few short years. He fought and was captured at the battle of monte casino, he was a German para and I did wonder if their paths ever crossed no that I think they ever did really. We should cherish and listen to these people of that generation and learn from what they went through.
Excellent link. Have you heard about the 89 year old veteran who disappeared from his care home? He was found across in France at the d day commemorations. Apparently the care home said he couldn't go. Well I say good on him and well done sir I salute you.
I'd take him to the mess and buy him a drink as a thank you
All too soon heroes like that will be gone, but not forgotten.
My late mother was Austrian and I am the son of a British Soldier conceived in 1948 in Austria that was under occupation by the British Army on the Rhine.
Sadly my father died three months after I was born having contracted TB when on home leave.
My mother was 12 years of age when Hitler Annexed Austria and she had three brothers all under 25 years of age. She was given a copy of Mien Kampf at School all written in Gothic German.(We still have the book in the family though none of us can read it!)
Her youngest brother a Navigator was killed in the Luftwaffe and is buried in Crete in the German War Cemetery. The other two died on the Russian Front in their first few weeks of the war with no known graves. Austrian conscripts were pretty much used as cannon fodder.
My mother next door neighbours were a Jewish Family they disappeared from their farm having been arrested by the Gestapo and never returned. A local criminal family moved into the farm within days.
My Mother was the fastest runner in the School, she was banned from the School Running Team as her features were not considered sufficiently Aryan. (she was dark haired not blonde)
This together with general taunts at school about her Jewish like appearance affected her self confidence for the rest of her life leaving her feeling inadequate.
She later married a Brit and brought me to the UK when I was five years of age I became a Naturalised British Citizen when I was 12 years old.
Today UKIP would probably brand my mother as an economic migrant and if the National Front ever got into power they would deport me as I was not born in the UK.
I'm 38 & under 35's in my opinion have NO RESPECT for there elders & NO thought or care in the world for anything other than them selves.!
I was brought up to respect your elders, as are my own children and they do, except me, none of them respect me :lol :lol :lol
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