The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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224549 Cpl. Sydney William "Doug" Aster British Army C squadron 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) from:Hackney, London My brother Sydney Aster was called up in about 1941 and trained at Bovingdon Camp in Dorset. He served with the Queens Bays in North Africa, Italy and was at the battle for Monti Casino. At one time, together with a sargent, he was captured and made to sit one side of a camp fire. When all of a sudden the sargent jumped up and took hold of the brazier, which held the fire, and lifted it up all over the Germans and they both ran like wild. Needless to say the sargent suffered from burns on the hands, but was a brave man. Being at the front of the action in the desert, whilst they had a short rest, they could see dust in the distance and were ready for action, only to be confronted by two old dears in a tea waggon. They shouted out would you like a nice cup of tea boys. Everyone was amazed at how they got there, part of the area was mined, the waggon had lost its way, they would loved to have said yes please, but the enemy was very close as they were in the front line! One old dear said is that boy all right round there, they told her yes he is sleeping, but really he had been killed in action. They quickly rounded up someone to escort them quickly back well behind the front lines. Lets hope they made it! It was not very often that friends could be made, for as soon as replacements came up they could be killed the next minute. He often took up position of Tank Commander due to the causality list. As with all the brave men he never talked very much about the war, he was wounded in Italy holding a bridge and was hospitalised for a time at Zabratha, where he remembered wandering amongst Roman Ruins. I wish he could have told me more, but he passed away in 1976. Ron Aster Add to this record.  Related Content: 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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