
04-04-2003, 02:46 PM
my grandad of my dads side was a forrestry comisioner, and so was too important to be made to sign up.
my grandad of my mums side was a joiner, and he built war ships.
my great uncle on my dads side is the only relative ive been told of who saw combat. tail gunner in a stirling bomber. was shot down twice. first time the tail end was shot off and it landed in a tree with my great uncle stll inside.
second time he and the crew were ordered to bail out over the english channel of their badly shot up plane, the pilot had a face full of flak, and the co-pilot was badly injured but they kept the plane flying long enough to reach the channel, before it crashed. pilot and co pilot died but saved the crew. the pilot was awarded the posthumous Victoria Cross. (medal of honor in american terms)
i only found all this out after my great ncle died a few years ago, but i wish i had known when he was alive, though my dad said he didnt like to talk about his experiences.
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