|
|
|
The 1st Battalion, The Buffs. The Royal East Kent Regiment
The 1st Battalion, The Buffs served in North Africa and the Middle East, Sicily and Italy.
|
On our 12th Anniversary we would like to thank all those who have contributed to this project.
Research your own Family History.
|
June 2011 - Please note we currently have a large backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site.
|
|
We are aware of the issue with missing images, this is due to the redesign of the website, images will reappear as soon as the new version of the page is completed, thank you for your patience.
We are now on Facebook. Like this page to receive our updates.
If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page.
|
If you have any unwanted
photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them.
The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes.
World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great
|
|
|
|
List of those who served with The 1st Battalion, The Buffs during The Second World War
Select a story link or scoll down to browse those stories hosted on this website
|
Cpl. George Homewood 1st Battalion The Buffs George Homewood was my father. The army was his family from the day he ran away from his foster home in Lamberhurst and walked to Canterbury to enlist, he had to lie about his age to get accepted. He spent much of his time in the far and the near east. He met and married his first wife whilst serving in Burma, unfortunately his wife died in child birth. He never spoke of this until around a week before he died. My mother was his second wife, they enjoyed 45 yrs of married life. He was a corporal at the time of his capture, together with his squad he had hidden in a barn but a young soldier with him lost his nerve when the hay around them was prodded with bayonets. He was sent to Stalag XXA but from here the story becomes sparser, he "like many" did not speak very much in detail of the camp life. Only relating specific happenings and events,such as the fact that he became a tailor "altering"`uniforms for the escapees. Using ink and boot polish to "dye" the material. His fingers were not delicate but it seems he could "sew" with the best, and his embroidery equals the best you can find. He told me of the radio kept in the bass drum of the camp orchestra, of the time the prisoners were getting rowdy and louder whilst being held on the parade ground, ordering the guards to raise their rifles made no difference to the POWs behaviour and this prompted the commandant to draw his pistol and shout "Stop or I shoot myself" needless to say that caused even more uproar among the POWs. I remember one time walking down the local High St on a Saturday when we heard my fathers name called out, it was a man who had been in the same camp, and had recognised my father, not bad after 20+ years. My father has passed away But I write in the hope that somebody out there will be able to add to my limited knowledge. I have a photograph of Dad and the rest of his hut? I will share this if anybody can add names etc. |
Can you help us to add to our records?
The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them
Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial?
Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area?
If so please let us know.
Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.
Celebrate your own Family History
Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.
Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.
|
|
