thinking of doing a trip to the french battles fields

That's very commendable of him @katkwak! And definitely keep passing those medals down through history. It's common for vets to not talk about what they lived through or you can't shut them up, no in between I've found at many a Legion here! We traveled for a total of four months at different times and spent a lot of time at the battlefield sites! Shed tears at each and every one, JIM
 
katkwak said:
he very rarely talked about it
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My Granddad only a couple of times.
Being a kid at the time when he told me this, it has stuck in my memory for the rest of my life.

He was a Sergeant and when they arrived in the dessert they had bugger all in the way of decent equipment. (Sound familiar?)
They dug trenches and strung up 'liberated' German hand grenades and would sit in a trench and when enemy aircraft flew over, they would pull on the string to make it look like they were shooting at them.

One grenade fell back in the trench and blew a lad almost in half. my Granddad shot him to put him out of his misery......
 
katkwak said:
i have all his medals 6 in all from both wars we hand the down to the next male in our family
he was a boy soldier joined as usual under age 16 served till he retired then in the reserves
till war broke out again called to arms & he very rarely talked about it
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My dads medals where stolen a few years ago, the sad thing is that I don't remember what they where, I know that one was the Burma Star, there where 4 in total.
 
Lots of stories such as that @HT! Must have taken a lot of courage to do what he did to spare the lad further suffering and we weren't there so hard to pass judgement. I know if I were the lad I would appreciate someone putting me out of my pain and suffering! JMHO. JIM
 
What a shame @Sean d it must have been devastating to him and the family! And as far as I'm concerned whoever buys those medals is as guilty as the b*****ds who stole them!!
 
My Dad and Uncle never collected their medals. I have my Grandfathers medals. Dad had strong views about war which must of effected him and wanted to leave it all in the past. I knew he was in the Navy but not a commando till he saw photos of the beaches in France I had taken. His reaction was not a happy one and I was questioned why I had been. I tried to get some more info from him but he said only a few snippets .
I would say it was a good holiday trip and thought provoking and so very sad.
Jim
 
I thought that went without saying @HT!! And I'd gladly do the same for anyone else but you and maybe one more! Suffer you b*****d!! JIM
 
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