F/O John Rollo Laing . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 514 Sqdn. from Alloa (d.24th March 1944) Lancaster LL625 C (Charlie) crashed in Germany on 24th/25th March 1944. This was the last major Berlin raid. There was one survivor: F/Sgt R.B. McAlister. The full crew were:
F/Sgt. R.B. McAlister, RCAF, mid-upper gunner
F/O J.R. Laing, RAFVR, pilot
Sgt. A. Vickers, RAFVR, navigator
F/Sgt J. Knights, RAFVR, bomb aimer
F/Sgt. G.E. Scott, RAFVR, wop/airgunner
Sgt. C.A. Salt, RAFVR, rear gunner
Sgt. P.C.K. Bennett, RAFVR, flight engineer
All the crew who died were buried in Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery.
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Pte. Newton Phillips Laing . British Army 4th Btn. Black Watch from Dundee Newton Laing was reported as missing in action at Dunkirk. He was then found alive with a casualty.
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NT Laing . British Army Royal Armoured Corps NT Laing served with the Royal Armoured Corps 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 has lost 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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T Lainton . British Army Border Regiment T Lainton served with the Border 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 has lost 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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RD Laird . British Army RD Laird 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 has lost 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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Pte. Robert Laird . British Army 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland
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Gdm. Robert Laird . British Army 2nd Btn. Coldstream Guards from Edinburgh During the battle of the Argenta Gap in April 1945, my Uncle Robert Laird's Platoon Commander, Peter Whaley was killed in action. My Uncle was shot in the same action. They were ordered to attack and capture a strong enemy position which was holding up the advance and had already beaten off two previous attacks. They made a reconnaissance under heavy shelling and small arms fire, Major Toler, repositioned the company, and tanks, under his command and led an assault. In a decisive victory over the dug-in Germans 80 prisoners were taken. Major Toler was awarded the MC.
My Uncle was treated and returned to his unit, and his war service ended in 1946 as the battalion was rushed up to Trieste after the war ended where they confronted Tito's forces who were trying a land grab.
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Seaman William Laird . Royal Navy HMS Penelope I was serving on HMS Penelope when she was torpedoed by a German U Boat and sunk at Anzio on the 18th of Febuary 1944. I was firing a pom pom gun at the time and didint realise that we had been hit. I survived by the Grace of God
I now live in Lanarkshire, Scotland and I will never forget the men who served with me.
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William "Wullie" Laird . Royal Navy HMS Penelope My friend Wullie Laird was on HMS Penelope when she was torpedoed and sunk at Anzio on the 18th of Feb 1944 he was still at the the pom pom gun when she was going down. He only realised what had happened when the ship was hit by the second torpedo and it started to fall over on its side. He jumped and slid down the side of the ship and into the water and found himself swimming for his life. There were hundreds of men clinging to anything that was floating and he managed to cling to a pole with other men. Lots of men were grabbing on to any space that was available and a young sailor who couldn't swim threw himself on top of it.
Wullie was only 21yrs old himself and managed to persuade the young sailor to cling on to the side of the pole so that others could grab a space on it and stay afloat. There was a lot of shouting and swearing and screaming all around and he said at one point he felt himself drowning and managed by some miracle to stay afloat. We were in the water for three hours he said and the oil was killing lots of men.
Wullie joined the navy at the young age of 17yrs and 6 months and his first ship was HMS Penelope, and it was always in the thick of it. He survived the war and is still living in Airdrie in Scotland. He is a friend to be proud of and has a great sense of humour. He is a gentle man from the old school. We all love Wullie he has a heart of gold. We can never repay the people who who gave everything for our future and we should never forget.
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GF Lait . British Army GF Lait 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 has lost 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 Lake . British Army AE Lake 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 has lost 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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BJ Lake . British Army BJ Lake 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 has lost 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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BRA Lake . British Army BRA Lake 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 has lost 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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Gunner Charles Alfred "Lakey" Lake . Army 151st Ayrshire Yeomanry Royal Artillery from Skegness, Lincolnshire My Grandfather was a Gunner in HQ Battery, 151st Ayrshire Yeomanry, 11th Armored Division, British Army. He fought in Normandy and in Holland before pushing into Germany until the War ended when he went to India. I recall a story he told me which I haven't forgotten. He gave me permission to share his story.
He and his outfit were stationed in Caen just after D-Day. The regiment was then given the word to advance to a new posistion. In the process a random shell had fallen and wounded a nearby despatch rider. My Grandfather was ordered to tend to the man, whilst the rest of his outfit moved forward. He stayed with him and used his field dressing to bandage the mans numerous wounds until medical personnel arrived. When they arrived they took over. "I'd done my bit", and he went about finding his unit. "I knew roughly where they were". He followed their tracks and after a couple of hours of walking he found them after crossing through a large field. He reported to his battery office and continued his normal duties.
Overnight the Royal Engineers had been in and cordened off a field in white tape, indicating it was a minefield. When my Grandfather woke he saw the tape and the field, "I nearly had a fit when I saw it". He had realised he had walked across 5 acres of mine field to rejoin his unit.
When I asked him "so after you'd walked through the field you realised it was a minefield" he replied "Yes, after my afternoon stroll through the minefield".
"Thats what serving in the forces is all about, luck".
After hearing this story I shall never again complain about my familys lack of luck. It was used when needed most.
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Pte. Charles Arthur Lake . British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Norfolk Regiment from Norwich Charles Lake (my wife's late grandfather) was part of the Dunkirk rearguard and taken prisoner by the Germans.
He spent the rest of the war as prisoner 10657 in Stalag XVIIIB and survived the Long March To Freedom.
He died at home in Norfolk in 1982.
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DJ Lake . British Army DJ Lake 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 has lost 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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Rfn. Edward John Albert Lake . British Army 2nd Btn. 8 Platoon. Kings Royal Rifle Corps from Strood, Kent (d.20th Oct 1944) My father Edward Lake landed in France on D Day + 4 and was seconded to escort a tank regiment, The Royal Scots Greys to give them ground cover. He saw action right through France including the Falaise Gap, into Belgium and was killed on a night raid to capture prisoners for interrogation about 5 miles south of Tilburg. He now lays in his final resting place in a cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom Holland.
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Rflmn. Edward John Albert Lake . British Army 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps from Strood, Kent (d.20th October 1944) Edward Lake is my father who was killed approx 5 miles south of Tilburg and is buried in a war grave in Bergen Op Zoom.
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Capt. H. N. Lake . Royal Navy HMS Forfar Capt Lake was the captain of HMS Forfar in June 1940 when she sailed from the Clyde to join the Northern Patrol.
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Marine Henry R Lake . Royal Marines from Dartington, Devon
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RH Lake . British Army RH Lake 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 has lost 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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Stan Lake . Royal Navy HMS Penelope Stan survived the sinking of HMS Penelope, he served onboard her with my brother Elijah. Stan is mentioned in a letter Elijah sent home after the loss of the ship.
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Cpl William Lake MiD.. British Army 102 HQ Sub Area Beach Signals Royal Signals William Lake took part in the D Day landings at Juno Beach alongside Canadian Troops. There is a famous picture of Winston Churchill and General Montgomery on Juno Beach in June 1944 and my father, William Lake, is clearly seen between the two. He was in Brussels the day the city was liberated. On 22nd Mar 1945 he was Mentioned in Dispatches. We believe it was something to do with preparations to cross the Rhine but unsure exactly where. We know that at some point after this he was in Hamburg. Before he enlisted he was a member of the Home Guard.
Read more.
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Rflmn. Joseph Lawrence Lakeland . British Army 7th Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) from Preston
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Pte. Edward George Laker . British Army 1st Btn Royal Norfolk Regiment from Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire (d.8th Jul 1944) Edward Laker served with the 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment.
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RE Laker . British Army Black Watch RE Laker served with the Black Watch 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 has lost 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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DB Lakey . British Army DB Lakey 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 has lost 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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IRW Lakey . British Army IRW Lakey 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 has lost 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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Ch.Of. Norman Leslie Lakey . Merchant Navy SS Samgara (London) from Tuffnell Park, London (d.19th February 1944) Chief Officer Lakey was the son of Mr William Coulson Lakey; husband of Elizabeth Currie Lakey, of Tuffnell Park, London.
He was 35 when he died and is buried in the Paget (St Paul) Churchyard, Bermuda.
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Sgt. James Duncan Lakin . Royal Air Force 104 Squadron from Wigan (d.11th October 1944) James Lakin was my cousin. At the start of the war he was a student at the Wigan Grammar school. Unknown to his father and mother he volunteered for the RAF. Even though he was only 17 he was accepted.
We learned very little about his early training but was very proud when he earned his half wings and was promoted to sergeant.
In 1944 we knew he was based in Italy and everyone thought the war might be over soon. Then in October Auntie Minnie and Uncle George got a telegram that said Jim was missing. Soon after came the news that his plane had been shot down in Northern Italy and Jim had not survived. He was buried in Padua War Graves Cemetery and his family got his watch sent to them.
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