One family, Five Sons, All Serving in H.M.Forces

come from a large family. My parents, of Blessed Memory, were Joe and Fanny Goldstein and when war broke out on September 3rd 1939 the family was based in Boreham Street, Bethnal Green in the East End of London.

Head of the family in every sense was Dad, otherwise known as Joe, Mr.G. or the Guvnor.
When war broke out he was aged 56.
Mum, known as Fanny, or Faigele was 55
Annie , the oldest daughter, was 31
Lou, the oldest son, was 30
Jack, next in line, was 27
Esther was aged 26
Mossy, one of twins was 23
as was
Gertie, his twin
Polly was aged 22
Mick was aged 19
Debbie was aged 18
Ronnie was 16
and
Jean was aged 9

The Goldstein boys at war.

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By 1944 all the boys were in the forces as detailed below

Lou was a Lance Corporal in the Royal Army Service Corps from 1941 to 1946

Jack volunteered for the RAF in January 1944 and served in 166 Bomber
Squadron at Kirmington in Humberside. As a Sgt.Air Gunner he flew on fifteen operations over Germany and was tragically Killed in Action over Nuremberg on the 16th March 1945.

Mossy was a Corporal PT Instructor in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps and stationed in the UK between 1940 and 1946.

Mick enlisted on 24th July 1940, initially served with the Royal Fusiliers and subsequently became a Sergeant Major in the Royal Artillery. He volunteered for the Jewish Brigade, served with them in Italy and was de-mobbed in January 1947.

Ron, that’s me, was called up in October 1942 serving firstly as a Wireless Operator in Light Ack Ack in the UK, North Africa, Sicily and Italy and was later re-trained as a Loader/Operator. He finished the war with the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars and was demobbed a Corporal in March 1947.

In addition to the boys all serving, Esther, Gertie and Debbie all had husbands in the Forces and Polly was in the Land Army.

Updates:
Ron's brother Mick died in November 2005, Ron is the sole surviving brother.