The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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256284 Marine. Eric Sykes Preston Royal Navy Royal Marines from:Horbury, Wakefield Eric Preston joined the Royal Marines on the 2nd of November 1943 aged 20 and was allocated the Home Division of Portsmouth. He undertook his basic training at Lympstone Depot qualifying in small arms being able to proficiently use a rifle, light machine gun and Sten gun. Eric served in various Battalions in UK and abroad notably the 22nd, 28th and Home Based Ledger Office, spending time at the Royal Marines Infantry Training Centre and the Royal Marine Holding Company preparing for deployment in mainland Europe which occurred on the 18th of February 1945 when he disembarked two days later. Eric saw active service during this time where he remained until the liberation of Europe before returning to the UK on the 28th of June 1945. After the European theatre of war ended Eric embarked on the H.M.A.S Australia on the 17th of December 1945 heading for Australia, however, he had to be taken off ship on the 9th of January 1946 in Durban, South Africa due to contracting Typhoid Fever and he remained at Springfield Military Hospital at HMS Kongoni Naval Base until the 25th of April 1946 before resuming his duties at the said base. Eric received the following medal during his time in the Marines, the France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal His conduct was considered to be very good, although he did have one minor infraction for presenting with a dirty bayonet on the 14th of February 1944. Eric was discharged from the Marines on the 3rd of October 1946. He received a sum of forty pounds, 1 s and 6d for war gratuity and post war credit of wages. He returned to Horbury, Wakefield, West Yorkshire where he lived with his parents until getting married to Nora Cassidy in September 1949. Steven Preston Add to this record.  Related Content: Royal Marines 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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