What a wonderful family heirloom 🙂

I don’t really have anything related to either of my Grandfather’s time during world war II except for a letter by my Mums Father, Roddy, entitled ‘One night over Essen’ and a copy of the roster of his 460 squadron. My Grandfather on Dad’s side, Fred, spent the majority of the war with the RAF training or being trained on different aircraft, from Canada to the UK, Africa to Italy. I know Roddy flew two tours of 24(?) missions as a navigator in medium and heavy bombers and lost a lot of close friends as a result. Fred’s closest encounter (fortunately) with the “enemy” was a night training mission in Egypt where the Yanks opened up on them upon their return to the airfield.

My maternal grandfather was too young to serve during the war, doing National Service in 1950, my paternal grandfather however, served in the Merchant Navy through both wars, sailing the north Atlantic and Arctic convoys that I know off. He survived until the late  70’s

One step removed however, is a different story, my paternal grandmothers first husband was KiA in Normandy in Sept 44 while serving as an infantry corporal, 5th Dorsets, 43rd Infantry Division. In March 45, her little brother was shot down and killed while serving as Flt Sgt with 203 Sqn RAF SEAC, over northern Sumatra.

Great thread, sorry I didn’t get to it sooner.  Had a great uncle who landed with 4th US Infantry at Utah.  Also, went to Normandy a few years back for the 70th Anniversary.

Here’s one of my photos from our visit to the American Cemetery at Omaha, overlooking Easy Red assault beach.