Went to Sainsbury's and ended up on a bombing mission over Berlin!

[chrisd]

Sounds unlikely doesn't it!

I popped to Saisbury's yesterday for my lunch and whist I was selecting my fruit for the day this little old man asked if I could pick up his shopping list that he had dropped. I gladly did and he said in a frightfully Squadron Leader voice that he couldn't bend down as his legs were knackered after too many crash landings - suspecting that he wasn't referring to some disasterous holidays with Easyjet - I ventured to ask whether he flew in the war.

He then talked me, in some detail, through a mission that he undertook on the express wish of Bomber Harris to wipe out a building in Berlin, that was playing host to some high ranking German officials. To be fair he was a lovely old boy and I am certain that the story was true and at the end I said that we cant begin to know how brave they all were, shook his hand and went off to by a sarnie

Some days are different!

 

[thecraw]

The old boys are hard school Chris.

I remember one day when I used to do a lot of hill walking I met an old boy sitting on the steps of his campervan in a car park at Arrochar. He was sitting with a cuppa looking up to the Cobbler and the other Arrochar Alps. Anyway I got talking to him and he was telling me of the old days when he used to walk and climb.

1600 on a Friday the whistle blew in the ship yards and he was off on his bicycle, cycled as far as his bike would take him up the side of Loch Lomond before it was hoofed the rest of the way. Usually resulting in arriving in Arrochar around midnight. No stoves or tents, it was a fire lit in the open and sleep under the stars. The whole day Saturday was spent climbing and walking, another night under the stars and another day on Sunday climbing until about 1600 hours before a reverse of the journey home and back into the ship yards for 0800 on the Monday.

Hard school stuff that!

 

[Mattyboy]

I recently went to the local comrades club for the first time (my son took me who was 8 as he had been there before!). The old boys were in there, blazers and medals aloft.
Theres not much to be proud about being Britiah at the mo (IMO) but the boys I saw warmed my heart.

 

[bladeplayer]

Must read heading of the year ??? provided i had time id love to listen to the old boy .. id say it would be eye opener ..

 

[richart]

My dad was a Squadron Leader during the War. Flew Spitfires.

Strange story regarding his log book. It was stolen during the 70's and seemed gone for good. My sister did a search on google on my father last year, and his log book came up in a sale in Australia, together with his DFC !! The DFC hadn't been stolen , but to get the log book back my mother had to buy both items from the auction house. She subsequently resold the second DFC, but is so pleased to have the log book back.

Unfortunately my dad died without knowing that his log book had turned up the other side of the world. Strange but true.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

We moan about this country but without the brave men and women of the war we wouldn't enjoy any of the freedoms we take for granted today.

Wear your poppy with pride!

 

[bladeplayer]

My dad was a Squadron Leader during the War. Flew Spitfires.

Strange story regarding his log book. It was stolen during the 70's and seemed gone for good. My sister did a search on google on my father last year, and his log book came up in a sale in Australia, together with his DFC !! The DFC hadn't been stolen , but to get the log book back my mother had to buy both items from the auction house. She subsequently resold the second DFC, but is so pleased to have the log book back.

Unfortunately my dad died without knowing that his log book had turned up the other side of the world. Strange but true.

Id say you heard some great stories growing up tho ... My da is 90 & healthy as heck thank god , wasnt in the war or anything but his stories of life then are fascinating to say the least ..

 

[richart]

Id say you heard some great stories growing up tho ... My da is 90 & healthy as heck thank god , wasnt in the war or anything but his stories of life then are fascinating to say the least ..

He never talked about the War. A lot of his friends died including his best man, and his navigator when he was flying Mosquitos was killed in action a few feet from him. I do know he lived life to the full on the expectation that he wouldn't be alive much longer. Some of his exploits were in his log book, which is probably why my mother wanted to get it back !!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

My father was at Normandy with the 51st Highland Div and never talked about the war.
He would quietly stand at the back of the village Armistance parade and watch the British Legion proudly march past with berets and medals.

[quietly muttering under his breath, Aye.... Pay Corp. Aldershot... grasscutter at Tidworth..... NAFFI Portsmouth....heros all.]

 

[Liverbirdie]

My grandad was Monty's driver, amongst other things whilst in the war.

Still alive now, 91 he is. Again doesn't talk about it much.

 

[chrisd]

Some great anecdotes, cheers

 

[lobthewedge]

I remember when I was at primary school and one of my classmates grandfathers came in to show us his medals and talk to us about his experiences in the war.

Turned out the old boy was a gunner on a Lancaster bomber and only bloody flew in the Dambusters raid!

L E G E N D !

 

[CMAC]

A lot wont talk about it....much

Close family friend was stationed at the decoding place and used to decipher Churchills letters before being passed to him

When asked about that or his exploits he always said he had signed the official secrets act and didnt say much, it was his wife who shared what she knew.

lovely lovely man who was also a great artist, sadly passed away a year ago.

 

[grumpyjock]

my old man joined up in 1940, he was on atlantic convoy, artic convoy. Then was involved in D-day and when that was finished he was sent down under and along the Pacific to japan.
Would only talk about the idiotic things like being sent on a coal stokers course and then sent on a diesel 4 funneler sent from america.
Or being give tropical gear then sent on the artic convoys.
You just know how efficent the forces are if you have been a member.

 

[mikevet]

My Dad flew in the RAF in the war. He was shot down but parachuted to safety, despite being badly burned and ending up in an Italian POW camp. He would never talk about it, and the experience obviously left him scarred mentally as well as physically. He was a member of the Caterpillar Club, a club for those who saved their lives by parachuting. My Mum has given me his caterpillar tiepin, his medals, flying log book, etc for safekeeping, so I can pass them all on to my son, the grandson my Dad never knew, when he is a bit older.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We tend to get a few of the old boys in the hospital and as I look after elderly medicine I'm often on the wards. Some great stories but some are tinged with sadness and even after all these years they carry such huge pain for their mates who never came back. Some great tales on here as well