The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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209308 L/Bdr Albert Briggs British Army Royal Artillery from:Manchester My Dad, Albert Briggs on a gondolier in Venice. He is in the foreground. In 1940 my parents Albert and Amelia Briggs, my sister Amelia and myself were bombed out of the little terraced house we lived in in Manchester. It was just a few weeks before my dad was to join the army. This was December 1940. On 17th March my sister died of diptheria age 6yrs and the day after my sister's funeral my mother was admitted to the same hospital as a suspected carrier of the disease. I cannot imagine how my parents must have felt. Of course I was just 3yrs old and do not remember most of this terrible time. However, I do remember being in my auntie's bed and seeing a soldier peeping round the door which was half opened. I have since realized that this was my Dad. Apparantly I stayed with my aunt Edith who was like a second mother to me. I learned later that my father had been given compassionate leave for my sister's funeral but because of the ordeal he had not returned to his unit on time and the redcaps had been sent to take him back to his unit. It is not until you are much older that you fully appreciate your parents. I will always remember until the day that I die how much love and devotion was shown to me and the sacrifices my parents made. My mother's heart must have been breaking but she always managed to make me happy. As for my dad he was the most wonderful father any girl could have. He never recalled all his bad experiences during the war but only told of the funny things he encountered. I am sure we were not alone and like many others at that time we just got on with it. Albert Briggs, seated. Albert Briggs This Italian Family became friends with my Dad. Florence Swinton Add to this record.  Related Content: Royal Artillery Italian Campaign 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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