Our brave parents

My Dads brother was drowned after the ship he was on was torpedoed, and his son, an only child, died 2 months later aged 21, flying over Burma dropping supplies to the ground troops. I never knew my aunt but I wonder how you cope with a double tragedy like that. Neither bodies were ever recovered. But many women had the same experience.
My Dad served on a minesweeper in the Mediterranean, and at the end of the war in the Far East, but never talked about his experiences. My Mum had a stillborn son, then had to work in a factory making barrage balloons before becoming pregnant with me. How resilient they were. God bless them all.

Thank you GNers for sharing your personal memories on Our Brave Parents. I did not watch the TV coverage yesterday from Portsmouth as I feared it would be too emotional for me. I took my late mother (former wartime WAAF LACW) to the same venue for D-Day 50, which we both found so extremely moving. One of my father's brothers' name is on the War Memorial on Southsea Common (where yesterday's remembrance was also held) as a submariner torpedoed by the Japanese. We owe so much gratitude to all those whose resilience and bravery gave us the opportunity to tell their stories and ensure We Will Remember Them.

My father served on the battleship King George V throughout the war. He was on the Arctic convoys. He will be 99 years old next Wednesday. He has told me how horrendous it was. He has several photographs when they escorted Lord Halifax from the UK and also with the King and Winston Churchill when on board. I found it very emotional yesterday watching the veterans in France. Definitely the most courageous generation.

There is no doubt that a lot of brave people sacrificed their lives for our freedom. It makes it all the more sad that people have voted to leave the EU, an organisation originally set up to unite the countries of Europe with a mission to prevent war in the future. I wonder what the veterans feel about the current political climate. They must feel like their efforts are no longer appreciated in this culture of greed and appearance. It’s really quite sad.

My Dad was in Singapore - he had nothing to say about it, except how furious he was about the draft and having his young life disrupted.

My Mum was in the land army and I suspect that this was by far the happiest time of her life.

I think the war left a lasting effect on many of those who lived through it.

Some years ago there was a huge firework display in the city - it was a night when I usually visited my mother, I found her hiding in a cupboard convinced the city was being bombed. Seeing her fear broke my heart

My stepfather aged just 20 volunteered for service in the Far East. He was a radio ham, and as such was snapped up as an RAF radio operator. For him it was a way of getting to see the world and a big adventure!! Changi and the Burma railroad?!! Some adventure!!!!

I did my nurse training in the RAF in the 60s. Some of the sisters had been stationed at Changi Hospital and became PoWs. They were amazing ladies.

I went to a C of E convent, and the head mistress (a nun) had been a POW in the Far east. Before the war she had been with a mission school in China and was captured in 1938, not released till the end of the war. She too was an amazing woman, and my stepfather, who was not particularly into nuns (!!) both liked and admired this particular nun immensely.

craftycat I think that VJ Day is commemorated each year and next year will be the 75th Anniversary so perhaps more services will be arranged.

Have you been to the National Memorial Aboretum in Staffordshire? There is the original, I believe, Lych Gate there which was built by the prisoners in Changi.
It could, of course, be too upsetting for you, but it is a very thought-provoking sight.

My dad was a WO in the RAF, rear gunner (tail-end Charlie) and part of one aircraft he manned is in Duxford. I have all his log books, scarf, flying jacket, forage and dress cap plus my sons have his medals, however, I'm not in favour of the yearly wheeling out of vets and all the pomp surrounding the 'celebration' of winning a war.
I get sick to death of seeing it on news bulletins and would much rather we lived in the now and not in the past.
War never solves anything anyway. The sore just festers.

I just don't begin to understand your comments GG54. My father was a navigator in Bomber Command, shot down and killed on his second mission just before Xmas, 5 weeks before I was born, aged 28. (The rear gunner was 18) Although my mother married again,very happily, sadly no more children, I know that she never forgot him, and the manner of his death haunted her all her life. As an adult I witnessed her tears on the odd occasions that she talked about him. Believe you me, that is extremely distressing! He is buried in Holland and with the help of a Dutch archivist I have been able to put together what happened that night, where he is buried, the crash site,the name of the night flyer that brought them down, and, together with DH and my son, visit his grave. Nobody is "wheeling" anybody out as you so crassly put it! and if you really feel that honouring those alive and dead who gave their young lives in order that people like you can just totally disregard their sacrifice to the point of shoving it into the past as if it never happened, then tbh I feel incredibly sorry for you. Insensitive doesn't begin to describe your attitude.

Since you mentioned rank which I never normally would, my father was an F/O.

I just don't agree with yearly remembrance services.
I didn't say that anyone should shove it in the past as if it didn't happen...they are yourwords.
IMO, there is no need to publicly remember year in year out ad infinitum with huge and costly memorial services.
We don't laud police or fire service personnel in the same way for their continuing battles on the streets of the UK nor any war such as that involving the Falklands.
As a pacifist, any war is dreadful in my book and I would never countenance honouring those who kill.
I certainly respect that you have different views.

Presumably you disaprove of Remembrance Sunday? Where I think you'll find all postwar conflicts are commemorated. No one is lauding any war, no one is honouring anyone who kills. We are, most of us, eternally grateful for ALL those who willingly gave their lives to defend the free world from tyranny including the Falklands.
I would be interested to know how any country can defend itself or its territory against a ferocious invading enemy, hell bent on destruction, without killing the invader?!!

As I said, I respect differing views but have no comment to make as to how one repels a 'ferocious invading army.
Most of those in the armed forces were conscripts (1.5m) not in the theatre of war 'willingly' giving up their lives.

I think you'll find a lot of them did, willingly, in order to defend the free world, and for that we should like the Dutch, "be forever grateful"! they most certainly are, and its very humbling.

The coverage of the D Day anniversary was very moving, as are the stories here of all your brave relatives. They were so very young.

My Dad volunteered, and served in Africa and Italy. Like many, he never spoke of it afterwards, even when we asked. He just told us a bit about his initial training in Yorkshire.

I listened to Theresa May reading out a letter from a Captain Skinner to his wife, sent 2 days before he went to Normandy. I found it incredibly moving, she did it well. He has hoped to see his family beforehand but couldn't. So he wrote such a brave and loving letter. He said he imagined his wife and children in their sunny garden having tea. What sacrifice they all made. Heartbreaking. Thankyou all.

Actually, Gaby, the Remembrance services held annually remember all those who have died in conflict, from WW1 to conflicts since tehm including Korea, Aden, the Falklands, NI, Iraq etc.

As you never go to one you would not know that, of course, nor that the police force and fire services march too to remember those who died for your freedom.

No-one is 'celebrating' war.
What a strange notion.