Gdsmn. George William Birkett
British Army 2nd Btn. Grenadier Guards
from:Mapplewell, S Yorkshire
George Birkett was my father's older brother. He served with the Second Battalion, Grenadier Guards from April 1939 until discharged 26th June 1952. My father and his sisters, my aunts, worshipped him and we all loved him very much. He was very handsome and I have his photograph on my mantlepiece to this day. In those days, men did not talk about their war experiences, especially to their wives, mother's and sisters, but the following are the facts I was told before the passing of my parents and aunts on my father's side of the family.
My uncle was evacuated from Dunkirk following the aborted first invasion of France in April 1940, having spent time on the beaches being straffed by the Germans before the rescue boats and ships arrived. In June 1944 he was part of the British Expeditionary Force that landed in NW Europe. By this time the regiment were armoured and they were told to march to Nijmegan where the Americans would be waiting for them. The Americans were not there but the Germans were. My uncle's friend tried to make a run for it and was shot dead in front of him.
He was taken POW and marched into Germany. There was no food for the Dutch or the Germans and each town or village they marched through they found the people lined up at the side of the road spitting at them. He was taken to Stalag XIIA, which I understand was a distribution camp for POW's who were then transferred elsewhere. I do not know anything further other than his record shows he was repatriated on 16th May 1945.
He subsequently fought in Malaysia and left the regiment in June 1952. I am so proud of him. My only regret is not knowing more about his war experiences. He died in 1963 when I was 13 years old. His mother, my grandmother and his brother and sisters as well as his wife and 3 children were devastated. He suffered greatly from nerves after the war, not surprisingly.
