| 1944 23:04 - Jun 14 with 2138 views | murf |
I'm sixty
I'm heading to my uncles grave this week. He was a rear gunner in a Lancaster.
Shot down on June 23rd 1944.
He's buried in a tiny cemetery in Morienval , in France.
21 year old. He was in the RAF for 3 years.
Can you even begin to imagine our kids doing that? |  | | |  |
| 1944 on 23:05 - Jun 14 with 2124 views | Paddyhoops |
You should be proud of him. | | | |
| 1944 on 23:10 - Jun 14 with 2075 views | murf |
We are. Massively | | | |
| 1944 on 23:22 - Jun 14 with 2042 views | lightwaterhoop |
Don't forget that plenty of the younger generations have served in this century's wars. | | | |
| 1944 on 23:37 - Jun 14 with 1998 views | Boston |
Kids sent up in planes after a few weeks boot camp. The US lost 15,000 Air Force Personnel during training alone. | |
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| 1944 on 23:48 - Jun 14 with 1985 views | colinallcars |
We owe them everything, absolutely everything. The Golden Generation. |  | | |
| 1944 on 01:44 - Jun 15 with 1899 views | johncharles |
My uncle John, my mam’s kid brother was in the merchant navy. He was 23 when his ship was torpedoed. His body was never found. |  |
| Strong and stable my arse. |
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| 1944 on 09:31 - Jun 15 with 1715 views | hubble |
| 1944 on 01:44 - Jun 15 by johncharles |
My uncle John, my mam’s kid brother was in the merchant navy. He was 23 when his ship was torpedoed. His body was never found. |
My uncle David (brother to uncle John who was in the RN and part of the D-Day landings) was also in the merchant navy on a ship that was torpedoed in the North Sea, but luckily he was rescued from the freezing water by a passing ship. He lost the hearing in his left ear as a result though.
Fascinating and sad to hear of your uncle too, Murf. The RAF saw horrendous losses, towards the end of the war the chances of surviving a mission were something like 50%. The Lancaster was an incredible craft for the time though, delivering lethal payloads that contributed to Germany's ultimate surrender.
It's also worth considering just how many German civilians died in those last years of WW2 - possibly up to 500,000 through allied bombing alone.
In the early 19th century the Prussian general and military theorist Carl Von Clausewitz said: "War is not a mere act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political activity by other means." We can see just how perceptive that insight was, even today, where politicians - of all stripes, including those who adopt quasi-religious dogma, have no problem in sacrificing civilians to further their ends.
We homo sapiens are a vicious animal, yet with incredible potential to be otherwise. Such is the dichotomy of being human. |  |
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| 1944 on 14:19 - Jun 15 with 1577 views | Sonofpugwash |
My old dad was first in/last out.Sent to North Africa where he took part in the last cavalry charge by a British Regiment against the Vichy French - I still have his wicked cavalry sword.Later mechanised and became despatch rider.Was at El Alamein and in Italy at Monte Cassino.Came home to a less than heroic welcome his mum ordered him to bring up the milk from the doorstep.Still have his ashes upstairs.I think he may have put on weight. [Post edited 15 Jun 21:00]
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| 1944 on 19:38 - Jun 15 with 1458 views | komradkirk |
My uncle Andy was a Corporal Military Policeman in the R.A.F.
While on recce Him and a colleague went to the aid of an army unit under attack from The Muslim Brotherhood in Ismailia Egypt 1952
He died from injuries received a few days later.
He is buried in Moascar War Cemetary Egypt.
Someday i hope to visit. |  | | |
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