|
|
|
Those who Served
Edna Gadman . Land Army from Sutton Flats, Salford) I would love to hear from Edna Gadman who lived at Sutton Flats, Salford, and served in the Land Army with me at Holland House, Spalding, Lincolnshire. |
Jack Galbraith . Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders |
Flying Officer P R Galbraith . RNZAF 59 Squadron |
Flight Sargeant Norman Leslie Ernest Gale DFM. RAF 57 Squadron from Sway, Hampshire) (d.19th July 1944) My great uncle flew (and died) with 57 Sqd in WW2: Flt Sgt Norman Leslie Ernest Gale DFM, No 1297387 Flight Engineer from Sway, Hampshire. Died 19/7/44 over France - buried with 3 other members of crew in Bassevelle (East of Paris) They are the pilot, Flt Lt John Alec Bulcraig DFM, wireless operator Sgt Thomas Loughlin from Liverpool, and bomb aimer F/O Edward Chatterton Robson who was from Blackpool. The surviving crew members were, Sgt L.E.S.Manning and Sgt F.J.D.Taylor who both evaded capture and F/O E.H.Ruston who was taken POW and held in Stalag Luft 1.
I'm trying to find out circumstances of both raid my great uncle died on and his DFM
UPDATE:
The Lancaster, DX-L took off at 22:56 on the 18th of July 1944 from East Kirkby to bomb the key railway junction at Revigny. It was coned by searchlights soon after crossing the French coast and while escaping the beams wandered off course. The aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Bassevelle (Seine-et-Marne)
Sgt Gale had gained his award in the most hazardous circumstances while serving with No.106 Sqdn, his DFM Citation was Gazetted 28th Sep 1943. His Lancaster, JB146 had taken off at 20:10 on the 31st of Aug 1943 from Syerston and was hit by Flak over Berlin. The pilot F/O Harry Ham and w/op Sgt James Weight were wounded when the Flak struck their aircraft and both later died as a result of their injuries. The crew managed to get the aircraft home but crash-landed at 03:00 on the 1st of Sept on the Romney Marshes in Kent.
The crew were:
- F/O H.D.Ham
- Sgt N.Gale
- F/O C.Pitman
- Sgt J.E.Jones
- Sgt J.W.Weight
- F/S N.D.Higman
- Sgt T.Waller
15 years ago, Anne-Marie and Bernard Langou of Bassevelle - 77750 France have found the survivors and the families of them and the families of the people who died on 19 july 1944 when the Lancaster JB318 crashed here. We wrote a booklet (80 pages). I wrote to Ivor GALE, the uncle of Norman, many times and Leonard MANNING, the air gunner, too, but only one answer, (I have a copy for you), after no contact.
Here, at Bassevelle, we had commemorations on 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009 with many flags, music, and english families of the crew who are now our friends (families MANNING, RUSTON, BULCRAIG, TAYLOR and ROBSON). We have made a memorial, a panel and other things.
the last ceremony : 18 july 2009.
I can give M. Padgett, what we have collected during these fifteen years and perhaps we can answer a little.
We will be honored to receive you and your familie in the village like the other families.
|
Fireman W. Gallacher . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar Fireman Gallacher survived the sinking of HMS Forfar, he was brought ashore and was treated for his injuries in Liverpool. |
Greaser Hugh Gallagher . Merchant Navy SS. Athenia (d.3rd Sep 1939) |
Corporal Charles Henry Francis "Chaz or Carl" Galliers . Army c section 14th reserve MT coy RASC My paternal grandfather Corporal Charles Henry Francis Galliers, RASC "C" section, 14th reserve MT coy, middle east forces in 1941 was in the POW Camp PG78 in Italy after 1942 (not sure of dates) and then stalag IVB during spring 1944 (I have a letter sent home with april 1944 on it). He died 3 years ago, the only memories he told were of being starving hungry in the Italian camp and chewing boot leather to stave off hunger and when a donkey was brought into camp pulling a cart it didn't live to leave! He was treated better by the Germans. I have some photos with a couple of other POWs names on the back - Geoff Galloway and George Frick (?can't read the writing properly looks like Frick) - also some photos of my grandad working on building a war memorial and on the back it reads "newborderf am elbe, (again not sure of spelling) prisoners of war cemetary, taken 7th may 1944". There is also a photo of a german guard - his name on the back " ? officer Siebel". Anyone who has any info about my grandad, his platoon, the camps he was in I would be interested to hear from them. I will send scans of the photos I have later when I have mastered the technology! |
Sergeant "Tubby" Gamble . RAAF 59 Squadron |
Flying Officer N R Gamble . RAF 59 Squadron |
Ldg, Seaman Charles Gamman . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940) |
Driver John Gannon . Army RASC (d.7th February 1945) During the second World War the Allied and German soldiers, who were killed in Goirle, Noord Brabant, the Netherlands and in the neighbourhood, were buried at the Roman Catholic cemetery from the parish St. Jan in Goirle.
After the war the remains of the German soldiers were reburied in Ysselsteijn (near Venray) and most of the allied soldiers were reburied in Bergen op Zoom (War Cemetery and Canadian War Cemetery) and in Leopoldsburg (Belgium, War Cemetery).
At this moment there are 27 Allied graves in Goirle. Every year we commemorate the victims of World War II, both soldiers and civilians. We know their names, but who were the persons behind the names? What were their lives before they died? Where did they come from? How did they die? Under what circumstances?
It is my intention to give the victims a face, to write and keep the story behind the gravestones because we always will remember the soldier who died for our liberty. We can forget names, but not faces. I will try to write down all their stories for the next generation so they will know who was commemorated.
Maybe someone can help me with Driver John Gannon, RASC T/14527676, who died on the 7th February 1945, age 20.
Send me a letter or an e-mail with additional information, a photograph or a copy of any personal document, which I can use for The Memory Book or a website. Thank you in advance for your help. |
Flt Lt James Bernard "Bernie" Gant . RCAF Flight Control RAF Middleton St George My dad, James Bernard (Bernie) Gant served in at Middleton St. George. |
Sgt. John Gardner . Royal Air Force 77 Sqd. My father was John Gardner, he was shot down in 1943 and survived by using his parachute and is consequently a member of the caterpillar club. He was repatriated at the end of the war.
Update:
Lancaster JD205 KN-Y took off at 23:50 on the 21st of June 1943 from Elvington. It was shot down by a night-fighter flown by Hptm Manfred Meurer, of 1./NJG1, and crashed at 02:04 at Esch, Noord Brabant, near Boxtel, Holland. The two airgunners lost their lives,and P/O A.Hagan evaded capture, Sgt Hawthorn initially evaded but was captured in Brussels on the 11th of August 1943 the rest of the crew were taken as Prisoners of War. Sgt Gardner was confined in Hospital due injuries.
The crew were:
- Sgt J.Gardner
- Sgt S.H.A.Nicholson
- Sgt F.G.Hawthorne
- P/O A.Hagan
- Sgt D.A.Clark
- Sgt R.H.King RCAF airgunner
- Sgt A.R.Currie RCAF airgunner
|
Pte. Joseph "Smokey Joe" Gardner . British Army Royal Army Medical Corps from Kidderminster) I am trying to find out more information about my grandfather, Joseph (Smokey Joe) Gardner during the war. He served in the RAMC and was taken Prisoner of War at Doullens in 1943 and held at Stalag XXA. On 17th October 1943 he joined a Repratraion party and was repatriated from Goteborg, Sweden in 1943. From what I understand he went back to Germany after the war ended as a member of working party to assist in the re-building of Germany. He is no longer alive and did not talk about what happened to him during the time that he was a Prisoner of War. All I can say is that he was very keen on football and I feel sure that he would have played a huge part in any matches that were held within the camp. |
Lt. Kenneth Cameron Gardner . Cameron Highlanders 1st Btn. (d.1 Aug 1943) My husband was only aged 5 when his Dad, Lt. Gardner was killed in Sicily He would like to hear from anyone who served with him. Could anyone who possibly heard their relative mention this soldier get in touch with me through e-mail, My husband would be very thankful for any info. |
Marion Gardner . Land Army I joined the Womens Land Army in May 1940 and in January 1944 I was sent to work on an 18 acre small holding at Ewell.
In the early summer, as it was so hot, we decided to start work at 5.30am so that we could cut the cabbages from the fields, weigh them and bag them ready for market before the sun was too hot to spoil them.
We used to count the RAF planes going over in formation wo Europe, when they returned we counted them again, to see how many were missing.
On a glorious June morning, with blue skies and sunshine, wave after wave of planes went over. We counted them as usual and guessed that something important was happening.
Hours later we heard them returning, some planes were "limping" home with damaged engines and some were missing. We thought of the lost brave men.
Were they killed or injured or prisoners and we stood in silence with our thoughts.
It was June 6th 1944 and we learned that it was D-Day - the invasion of Europe.
Soon after the flying bombs started they were nicknamed "Doodlebugs" (an American flying beetle).
They were terrifying and we would hear the roar of the engine and see flames coming from the back of the plane as it came over us, then silence as the engine stopped and down it came and exploded.
We were issued with tin hats and instructions to this lying down!!! which was all we could do having no sort of shelter in open fields.
The flying bombs came over from June till September night and day. Then the V2 rockets started. There was no warning sign, only a dreadful explosion as the rocket propelled bomb hit the ground.
During this time we were harvesting a neighbours wheat, the machine cut and tied the bundles of corn. My friend and I "stooked" it was standing four sheaves together to be threshed next day, removing the corn from the stalks.
We had lovely straight rows of stooks down the field, until a doodlebug came over. Then we fell down flat and got up a bit shaky so the line wavered. At that time we had "double summer time" so it was light enough to work till 11pm while getting the harvest in.
|
Greaser John Garland . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940) |
C.P.O. G. Garlick . Royal Navy HMS Forfar C.P.O. Garlick was amongst those who survived when HMS Forfar was lost. |
Flying Officer John Rober Garling . RAF 57 Squadron (d.17th December 1944) I am looking for information about my uncle, Niels Christian Evensen, shot down near Dieppe, France on 17/12/1944. Is there anyone who remembers him?
The crew were:
Capt N.C.Evensen RNAF
F/S W.G.Gulliksen RNAF
F/O John Roger Garling RAF, 154595 (name on Runnymede Memorial)
Sgt H.G.Bjoroy RNAF
W/O Albert Thomason RAF VR 1117171 (buried Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery)
Sgt A.R.Powell RCAF
Sgt D.S.Scott RAF |
Jack Garner . Home Guard Feltwell Btn. |
Frederick Horace Garnett . RAF VR 106 Squadron (d.2nd January 1944) Lancaster JB642 bomber with the 106 Squadron on operation to Berlin, lost on the 2nd of January 1944. JB642 was one of two No.106 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. Airborne 0020 2nd January 1944 from Metheringham. Outbound, crashed at Hoya, a town straddling the Weser, 14 km SSW of Verden. Those killed are buried in Hannover War Cemetery.
At 18, Sgt Withington was amongst the youngest to die on air operations in Bomber Command. P/O F.H.Garnett KIA Sgt D.McLean KIA F/S T.J.Thomas KIA Sgt E.M.J.Pease KIA Sgt E.Edge KIA Sgt J.A.Withington KIA Sgt A.A.E.Elsworthy PoW was interned in Camps 4B/L3, PoW No.269841. |
Frederick Horace Garnett . RAF VR 106 Squadron (d.2nd January 1944) Lancaster JB642 bomber with the 106 Squadron on operation to Berlin, lost on the 2nd of January 1944. JB642 was one of two No.106 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. Airborne 0020 2nd January 1944 from Metheringham. Outbound, crashed at Hoya, a town straddling the Weser, 14 km SSW of Verden. Those killed are buried in Hannover War Cemetery.
At 18, Sgt Withington was amongst the youngest to die on air operations in Bomber Command. P/O F.H.Garnett KIA Sgt D.McLean KIA F/S T.J.Thomas KIA Sgt E.M.J.Pease KIA Sgt E.Edge KIA Sgt J.A.Withington KIA Sgt A.A.E.Elsworthy PoW was interned in Camps 4B/L3, PoW No.269841. |
Delmar J Garnhart . US Army HQ 3 Battalion 422 Infantry Regiment My Dad, Cpl. Delmar P. Garnhart was captured at the Battle of the Bulge whilst serving with the 106th Division and was sent to
Stalag 4-A and 4B. I have records that list both. I am seeking any
information on him or these camps. Also looking for two men
that served with him - Clarence Bahlo and Elmer "Buddy" Helwig. |
Squadron Leader P Garrard DFC. RAF 59 Squadron |
Henry Lloyd Garriock . RAF 419 Squadron (d.1945-03-15) In front of me is my uncle's log book. He was Henry Lloyd Garriock and was in the 419 Squadron as a navigator. He was killed in action on March 15th, 1945. He seemed to do a lot of flying with a pilot named Sgt Davies. They were shot down together over Sweden on 16/12/43. He then changed over to a pilot named F/Lt McLaughlin.
|
Ord. Seaman G. E. Garthwaite . Royal Navy HMS Forfar G Garthwaite is listed as a survivor of HMS Forfar. |
P.O. J. Gaskell . Royal Navy HMS Forfar P.O. Gaskill was amongst those who survived the sinking of the Forfar. |
Delmar D Gaskin . US Army I am trying to find any information, pictures, documents, etc. on my grandfather (deceased now) who was a POW during WWII. His name is Delmar D. Gaskin, a member of the US Army ground forces and captured in Germany in an attempt to defend Kassarina Pass, along with others. Any help will be appreciated. |
Delmar D Gaskin . US Army I am trying to find any information, pictures, documents, etc. on my grandfather (deceased now) who was a POW during WWII. His name is Delmar D. Gaskin, a member of the US Army ground forces and captured in Germany in an attempt to defend Kassarina Pass, along with others. Any help will be appreciated. |
|
