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AOM1c. Edward T. "Cal" Callahan DFC, AM.. United States Naval Reserve VB-105 from New York City I did my overseas service was at USN Dunkeswell, Devon, UK, 1944-45.
I was First Ordnanceman in crew of Lt. George Pantano, who was killed in crash on Beacon Hill near Exeter, due to to fog.
Also killed in that crash was Lt. (J G) Wayne Garber, our second pilot.
wayne Garber.
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Rfmn. John Alfred Callahan . British Army 8th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps from Southend on Sea (d.16th Oct 1940) J. A. Callahan was my grandfather. I'm not sure when he signed up, but my dad told me he first signed on with the London Irish Rifles then was transferred to the King's Royal Rifle Corps.
He had been a very good cinder track racer and had a bike and sidecar for the family and was always fixing bikes for resale. With this background, he was made a company messenger. The regiment was moving to Scotland for training when he was hit by a truck at night and killed due to blackout lighting.
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Ast Stwd Harry Callan . Merchant Navy SS Africa Star from Londonderry, Northern Ireland Harry Callan is a WW2 Merchant Navy Vet whose story, with reference to his time as POW, appeared in our MN National mag, it states he was 87 and I wonder if he hasn't crossed the bar as of yet. he was only 17 yrs old when his ship called the SS Africa Star was cptured by an armed German Cruiser.
The Valentine Yard in the port city of Bremen has now being redeleloped for tourists. This place was originaly Called SS Camp Bremen-Farge.
From The Irish Times, 17th May 1945
The experiences of thirty-two citizen of Eire, all merchant seamen, in an S.S. camp in Germany, where five of them died from starvation or typhus, were described yesterday to an "Irish Times" reporter by William English, of Arklow, one of the thirty-two, who has just arrived in Dublin after his liberation.
He said the camp was at Bremen Farge, outside Bremen, and that the camp commandant - named Schaubecker - a month ago shot sixteen prisoners after announcing that he knew he would be shot or hanged by the Allied armies, and he "would take as many as he could with him."
Mr English saw a naked Belgian prisoner beaten to death with rubber hose for attempting to escape. A Pole was shot in the thigh while trying to escape, and the S.S. guards rubbed salt into the wound and beat him with electric cable. He walked from the end of the camp to the hospital, but a Russian doctor, also a prisoner, was refused permission to attend him, and gangrene set in. The doctor said it would be more merciful to shoot the man. The guard did so. Next morning a French prisoner who refused information was shot.
A Russian prisoner was thrown into the camp refuse heap and Schaubecker forced some of the muck from the heap into his throat with a wire before throwing him back on the heap. He was struck with a rifle butt on the head and killed. His body was left for three days on the heap.
The five citizens of Eire who died in the camp were:
- W.H. Knox, Dun Laoghaire;
- Owen Corr, of Rush, Co. Dublin;
- Gerald O'Hara, Ballina, Co. Mayo;
- Patrick Breen, Blackwater, Co. Wexford, and
- Thomas Murphy, of Dublin.
Mr. English said that he was a seaman on the Blue Star liner, s.s. Africa Star, and in January, 1941, while they were bound from South America to London, they were intercepted by the German surface raider, Steinmark, which took the liner's crew aboard and then sank her. The men were taken to Bordeaux and sent to Germany to camp Stalag XB, 10B Sandbostel.
The prisoners whose homes were in Eire were segregated and questioned by German intelligence officers and urged to work for Germany. They all refused.
In September, 1941, about fifty Irishmen, all seamen, were taken to Marlag, Nilag Nord, another camp, and thirty-two of them were sent to Bremen Labour Exchange. They were brought to a factory and again refused to work. Their guards suggested to them that, being Irish, they ought to work against Britain in the war. They were taken to Hamburg and asked to work on German ships, but again refused, and they were returned to Bremen Farge. In the camp they worked 12 hours a day, mostly at carrying rail tracks. Russian girls, aged from 16 to 18, were doing the same kind of work. In Bremen Jewish girls of from 15 to 18 worked in demolition squads.
Mr. English said that, apart from the effort to get them to work for German, the prisoners from Eire got no special treatment as citizens of a neutral State. They repeatedly wrote to Mr. Warnock when he was Eire's representative in Berlin, but received no answer and did not know if the letters had reached him. On August 18th last, Mr. C.C. Cremin, the new representative of Eire in Berlin, visited them at the camp, and their treatment improved. He made every effort to get them sent home.
After twenty-six months they were put on a train for Flensburg, but were forced back because Allied planes had destroyed a bridge on the route, and a repatriation ship, which they had expected to meet in a Swedish port, sailed without them. They were sent to the camp at Marlag Nilag Nord, which was captured in April by a Guards armoured regiment.
The names of the 27 men, who came out of the camp alive, are:-
- William English from Arklow
- C. Byrne, Arklow;
- Valentine Harris, Pearse House, Dublin;
- J.J. Moffat, Rosses Point;
- Bernard Goulding, Skibbereen;
- Harry Callan, Derry;
- Noel J. Lacey, Howth;
- Richard Flynn, Tramore;
- Thomas Cooney, Wexford;
- Edward Condon, Passage West, Co. Cork;
- William Kelly, Waterford
- J.J. Ryan, Waterford;
- Patrick Reilly, Wicklow
- Patrick Kavanagh, Wicklow;
- I.C. Ryan, Tramore;
- T.C. Bryce, formerly of Clontarf, Dublin, who lived in Australia before the war broke out;
- Thomas King, formerly of Clifden, now living in Newcastle;
- Peter Lydon, Tralee;
- P.J. O'Brien, Armagh, now of London;
- Michael Lowry, formerly of Galway, domiciled in Scotland;
- J. O'Brien, of Kinsale, living in Wales;
- James Gorman, Clogher Head;
- P.J. O'Connor, Carlingford;
- Michael O'Dwyer, Cork;
- Robert Roseman, Bray;
- James Furlong, Wexford
- William Knott, Ringsend, Dublin.
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Sgt James Richard Callan . Royal Air Force 138 Sqdn. (d.14th April 1943)
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F/Sgt. Arthur Edward Callard DFC.. Royal Air Force 515 Squadron Arthur Callard is my father-in-law. He was flying the de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito when he was forced to land in Switzerland by four Swiss fighters in September 1944. He subsequently escaped and was awarded the DFC in December 1944
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Henry Thomas Archer Callaway . Royal Navy from Strood
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Rflmn. Christopher James Callender . British Army 2nd Btn. Cameronians from Stockton-on-Tees
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Flight Seargeant J Callingham . RCAF 578 Squadron Handley Page Halifax III, NA568 LK-Q, took off 11th September 1944 16.04 hrs, Op: Gelsenkirchen. The aircraft was hit by flak and crashed 18.30 hrs. in Kirchhellen. All crew survived and made POW except Sgt J A Ridley who sadly was killed. Sgt J A Ridley is buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Crew:
P/O T S Coram RAAF
Sgt L Blundell
F/S J M Tregoning
F/S J Callingham RCAF
Sgt C Inge
Sgt J A Rix
Sgt J A Ridley
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Pte. Albert Edward Callis . British Army Sherwood Foresters Albert Callis served with the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) in WW2. He died in November 1986.
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Able Seaman Alfred Callister . Royal Navy HMS Exeter from Tyldesley, Lancashire (d.1st March 1942) Alfred (my paternal uncle) was the youngest son of Herbert and Martha-Alice Callister, born 12th February 1922 in Tyldesley, Lancashire. A miner before enlisting in the Royal Navy on 10th December 1940, Alfred was also a prominent member of the Salvation Army, having played the trombone for a number of years. Alfred was killed in action, on 1st March 1942 at the Battle of the Java Sea. He is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 64, Column 2 and also on the Cenotaph in Tyldesley Cemetery.
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John Callister . Bevin Boy John Callister was a Bevin boy at Lincoln, does anyone remember him? I'd love to hear any stories.
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GW Callow . British Army GW Callow served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project are no longer in touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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AE Calpin . British Army Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment AE Calpin served with the Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project are no longer in touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Sgt J K Calton . RAF 12sqd
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P/O Roy Michael Sheridan Calve . Royal Air Force Pathfinder Force Roy Calve started as a navigator on Lancasters, and probably took part in the horrific bombing of Dresden. He suffered conscience and other subliminal issues for 17+ years before finally taking his own life in 1963.
Little more is known as, understandably, he was not inclined to talk about his wartime experiences. I only mention him, firstly, as he would have wished a most sincere apology for his contribution to the devastation of families wherever they were and, secondly, to help illustrate the complete horror of warfare in all its forms and how it impacts lives even now. There is nothing to be proud of in victory or defeat.
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Sto. George Arthur Calver . Royal Navy HMS Nelson from Worlingworth, Suffolk My dad, George Calver, always said that he shut the boilers down on Nelson for the last time. Nelson was to be towed for scrapping, but the captain decided to steam the ship instead. According to dad (now deceased), the captain's words were, "we'll go under our own steam". This was the last journey for Nelson.
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J Calver . British Army J Calver served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project are no longer in touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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D Calverley . British Army D Calverley served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project are no longer in touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Ivor Calverley . British Army Royal West Kents My father, Ivor Calverley of the Royal West Kents was a POW in Stalag XXA, fort 13. My father did not say a lot about the time he was a POW.
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CD Calvert . British Army CD Calvert served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project are no longer in touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Flt. Sgt. Clive Percival Calvert . RAAF w/op 106 Sqd from Mosman, New South Wales, Australia. (d.16th Dec 1944) My Great Uncle, Flt Sgt Clive Percival Calvert (RAAF)flew with 106 Squadron as Wireless operator of ND682 Avro Lancaster. Below is some information I found on a Danish website
The aircraft belonged to RAF 106 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded ZN-K.
T/o 00:45 15th Dec 1944 from Metheringham. OP: Gardening
The Lancaster is believed to have been claimed at 03:54 hours while flying at 2300 metres in the southeast part of the sea of Kattegat by a German JU 88 night fighter of 3./NJG 3.
The JU 88 was piloted by Hauptmann Eduard Schröder with the crew of Hessenmüller, Zeinert and Brunsendorf.
The body of Pilot F/O Elgar Barratt was found washed ashore at Kulla Gunnarstorp north of the Swedish town Hälsingborg and was laid to rest in Hälsingborg Municipal Cemetery.
The remains of Flt. Engr. Sgt John F. W. Emerson were retrieved from the sea 8 miles south of Anholt harbour on 6/3-1945. He was laid to rest by the Wehrmacht in Anholt cemetery on 7/3 1945.
W/Op F/S Clive P. Calvert RAAF, Mid Upper Gunner Sgt Raymond E.B. Day, Tail Gunner Sgt Percy E. Green, Navigator F/S Arnold Berry and Bomb Aimer F/S Edward G. Towle have no known grave and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
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Sub.Lt. John Edward Cama . Royal Navy HMS Dinosaur from Bishop Auckland John Cama piloted a landing craft the day after the D-Day Normandy landings. As a veteran, he later returned twice to the D-Day landing beaches. John died in June 2008. Sadly, that was 6 years too soon to qualify for award of France's Legion d'honneur. In June 2014, on the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the French president announced that the medal would be awarded to all British veterans who had fought for the liberation of France. However, the medal could not be awarded posthumously.
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Sgt. Russell Archibald Cambell . Royal Canadian Air Force flight eng. 419 Sqd. (d.9th Oct 1944)
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Spr. Bernard Charles Cambers . British Army 560 Field Coy Royal Engineers from Bedford (d.17th Oct 1940) My father's brother Bernard Cambers along with Dennis Cooke, John Pratt were all Royal Engineers killed whilst laying mines at Gt. Yarmouth 1940. Can anyone remember this incident or have any information?
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Spr. Bernard Charles Cambers . Royal Engineers 560th Field Company from Bedford (d.19th Oct 1939) Sapper Bernard Cambers and two other were killed whilst laying mines on the beach at Great Yarmouth to protect our shores from invasion on 19th of October 1939, he was just 19 years old. We now have a plaque on Gt Yarmouth racecourse in memory of them and also two others who were killed in a separate incident.
Sadly after the war many more were killed lifting the mines as tides and weather conditions had moved the mines and were no longer in the mapped places.
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CPO. William Richard Cambridge . Royal Navy HMS Dorsetshire from Plymouth I would like you to put my father's name on the list of personel who served on H.M.S.Dorsetshire during the Second Word War He served from 1937 until she was sunk in 1942. He is a survivor.
Thank you.
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EG Came . British Army EG Came served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project are no longer in touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Capt. Fulvio Cameli . Italian Army My father was commandant of the English and Australian POW camp in Tobruk in 1941. He was responsible for the transfer of the same POWs to Italy via Triploi on 8th March 1941.
He had such good relations with the POWs that they presented him with a Leika camera on their arrival in Naples. He was arrested and imprisoned for three months pending investigation for his alleged "association with the enemy". He helped them build a chapel, organised football matches, distributed double rations of cigarettes and tea (which was prohibited), and much more)
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LAC. Joseph Andrea Camera . Royal Air Force 34 Service Flying Training School from London My grandfather, Joseph Camera, was originally in a reserved occupation being a skilled craftsman making eye glasses. I'm unsure of his full history but do know he ended up at 34 SFTS as an airman - whether this was by volunteering or by a change in the draft rules I know not.
During his time at Medicine Hat he met the woman who would become my grandmother, Olive Nesbit whose family were local horse ranchers (I believe). They went on to marry while my grandfather was still stationed in Medicine Hat.
Family history has it that my grandfather was being held in a transit camp prior to a posting overseas. He was confined to camp because they were expected to move at any moment, but my grandad and his pal broke out of camp to go to the pub, only to find that on return their draft had been sent overseas.
By all accounts this caused some embarasement all around as a head count was taken at the time and numbers were counted as correct.
Another draft in the same camp that was sent out later that same day had two people on sick call when the time came so my grandad and his pal were switched into this one to avoid any awkward questions.
By good fortune the second draft was going to Canada and my grandfather's original draft was sent to Burma! So the story goes - if he hadn't been such a lush our whole family history would have been completely different.
I do remember his stories of being placed on burial detail as a punishment for some infringement and being told he would not be allowed off until an entire row of 20 was full. He tried to argue that he couldn't be on the firing detail as he was left handed but the Air Force being far too smart for that told him he would carry the wreaths instead. He did say that a full row of 20 was never filled in his time at Medicine Hat.
Another story (backed up by photo evidence) was that his hut used to keep a live rattlesnake tethered to a post by rope outside their barrack block.
I am unsure of his full history in the Air Force but do know that at some point he was posted to Northern Ireland as a guard in a German POW camp.
He also told a story of being at RAF Middle Wallop in the middle of an air raid. He and a pilot ran into a bunker type area to shelter and shared a smoke while the raid was on. When the all clear sounded they walked out of their shelter to find they had been seeking refuge in a petrol dump!
My grandmother eventually moved back to wartime London, travelling by one of the first convoys that had Canadian wives moving to the UK. My grandmother told us as children about being in the middle of the convoy and watching other ships in the convoy being torpedoed at night.
My grandfather was eventually demobbed only to be re-enlisted straight away into the Army joining the South Stafffordshire Regiment. He told us that they went into one room and where released from the RAF and as they walked out of the door at the other end they were then re-enlisted into the Army.
His request to be put into a Southern or London Regiment in typical Army fashion saw him into the South Staffs.
He told me that one of the conditions of his enlistment into the Army was that he was allowed to keep his LAC salary as an enlisted man which meant that the Air Force guys who were transferred into the South Staffs were paid more than their Army enlisted men colleagues, a big bone of contention at the time.
As you may have gathered - my grandad was a bit of a rogue and remained so until the day he died.
If anyone knew him or my grandmother then I would be thrilled to hear from them.
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