Familymembers in the war?

Tell about familyheroes in WWII here:

 

Good subject Junkie, i will its own forum for this.. :thumb:

 

My main story can be found here:
WeDriftedForSixDaysOnARaft

How about your family stories Junkie?

: )

 

Remember that story, excellent tale indeed Dave.:thumb:

 

Yes i recall it also, it was canny to hear how close these two stories were.. :fag:
Thinking again about your question Dave "I wonder if it's possible the U-Boat that circled the raft gave away their position so they would be picked up...:hippie:...probably not I guess" you really want the answer to be yes! But there was so much to lose if it were that.. :sad:

 

Hey thanks for comments chaps!

I'm also reminded by that thread - I have photos to upload. Also the film project about U-862 is still in planning. It's good news that it has not stalled so far. More on this anon....

 

i know a lot of stories, my great-grandmother always told them, and of course my old granddad.

My great grandmother kept 2 jews safe, without knowing it were jews. She was putting her life on the line and she didnt know.
but if the resistance came knocking on your door, you had little choice. Or you accepted your guests, or you were considered a collaborator.
Her husband was a soldier, not for long tho, he had just got his uniform and gun when the germans took things over. He had to go work (not for very long thanks to the collaborators) in germany. After a week or six he came back. The french-speaking side had to work the entire war. That's one of many reasons why relations between us are bad.
Men had to go work on roads these days, the conditions were very harsh. If you fell down of fatigue, they would smash your head in.

 

i'll post some more when i have more time (where is the editing button??)

 

Look forward to reading more stories of your Family Junkie, and the Edit button will be in place ready for you... :thumb:

 

i'm sure you can tell us a story too jim.

 

I sure can Junkie, my Grandfather on my Dads side was from Southern Ireland who played a neutral part in the war, my Grandfather from my Mothers side went AWOL in 1941 found after the war married to a woman in the Isle of Man, my wifes Father also went AWOL and worked on the land through out the war, so you see i have very little to contribute to the forum other than been very keen to read the stories such as yours. :thumb:

 

My grandfather was in World War 2 but he died when my dad was just 7 so of course I never got to meet him or hear any of the stories. A close family friend was also in the war stationed down in Australia. But he was in for noncombat duties.

 

To Junkie, please bear with me, I am keen to understand your stories. To us in the UK, stories from the formerly occupied countries are fascinating, ours are mostly of a different flavour. Can you explain further how the collaborators helped to cut short your great grandfather's stay in Germany as a worker? Also, what do you mean by "The French Speaking side" ?
Thanks

 

Here in Belgium, we speak two languages. French and dutch. I speak dutch, the southern part speaks french.

During WW one, there were many problems between the two sides. All officers spoke french, none (!) of them dutch. They were asked to die for officers they could not understand. Many of them began sympathising with the germans, because german is a bit the same as dutch. That's how it started.
But after WWI, those ppl got punished and they were stripped off their right to vote. Then WWII came, and a big part of the flemish (other name for the dutch speaking) collaborators got their rights back. They got all the important positions in society and worked to get the flemish soldiers back to their homes. They left the french speaking in Germany. 25 percent worked together with the germans. Even far family of mine did, but i can understand it.

That's the beginning of MANY problems and even hate between the sides. (now the big point of discussion is the social security, Flanders pays every year big contributions to it, while the french speaking all use it (35 percent unemployment you know!))
this year, the elections came and 125 days after, we still have no government. Belgium will hold to exist in say 30 years.

 

Absent Without Offical Leave?
captain mainwaring would have a fit. Werent they punished in a way by the people in the street?

 

Re. Post #14

Ah I see, that is an education, thanks ! : )
I am shocked that this schism still causes so many problems.

 

it's a big schism. The war was simply a katalysator. Belgium will split.
Wallonie will go to france (normally) and flanders will become independant.
We're two different kinds of people.

 

I didn't realise that the Flemish were big collaborators, but as George Orwell said the English would have been surprised too when the Germans came.

 

Isn't it great to know that you have family members that served your country for the right reasons and not just because they were looking for a handout to college. They did what they were suppose to do and should be treated with honor.

 

the resistance didnt attract many ppl. Many of them had a low position in society and the only thing they were after was the food of the farmers. The germans, with their nice looking costumes, were, initially, more liked by the ppl in the street.
The fact that makes our collaboration special is the support of a vast majority of the locals. 20 percent was outspoken pro-german, 50 percent was neutral, the rest outspoken anti-german. In france, the social elite was the big collaborator, and in Holland the fascist political parties.

Was there a pro-germany section in germany?