The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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204774 Lt. Ivan George Thornton Pinfield MID. British Army 1st Btn. Royal Fusiliers from:Warlingham I joined in 1939, did basic training at Hounslow, and was then the first wartime volunteer to go to Sandhurst. I was there at the time of Dunkirk. Then I was posted to the Royal Fusiliers (City of London) Regiment, 1st Battalion, 4th Indian Division and we embarked for Suez. I saw action in Eritrea, the Western Desert and Palestine, and was seriously wounded whilst in Syria. After a year in hospital in Jerusalem (nearly losing my right leg - as well as my life), and convalescence in South Africa, I was shipped back to England where I spent the rest of the war on home defence duties. These included: guarding the oil pipeline to France (Winchelsea), counting buzz bombs as they came over, and operating camp facilities for troops in the New Forest during the invasion period. Whilst I was at Winchelsea, we made sure that every member of the crew took home a fresh Dover Sole when they went on leave! Top Brass used to visit in the expectation of wonderful hospitality (eg fresh eggs and fish)! The country was still heavily rationed at this time. Finally, as the war ended I had great fun organising open days at Guildford Barracks. I was demobbed and sent up to Olympia to collect a demob suit: these were so awful that the first thing we did when emerging from Olympia was sell the suits for £2.50 to black marketeers lined up outside! I wish I knew what happened to my unit in Syria after I was wounded, and would love to know their stories. Ivan Pinfield Add to this record.  Related Content: 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. 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. Contact us. 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.

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