Memories of WW2

[rascal]

It is only as I get older that I link together memories from my early life back in the very late 60s and early 70s. I was born into a nice part of Newcstle called Jesmond. Next door to us lived a middle aged woman on her own. My earliest memories involve her taking care of me and my little brother around 70-71, her babysitting us whilst my mum went shopping, or my parents went to the pub. I used to spend ages plunking away on Mrs Mac's piano, and looking back she had infinite patience with me. It was only years later when reminicing about my earliest memories with my mother that I found out that her husband was a merchant seaman whose ship was sunk in the Atlantic, and her only child was a fighter pilot who lost. The reason why she was alone was that the war took her husband and son, but for the couple of years I was aware of her she was the best auntie I had.

We moved away and by the time I was able to comprehend her loss and the love she showed me it was far too late.

Similar thing here, my dad left home when I was 3 never to be seen again. Mum raised us 3 boys and the only discipline I got was my granddad who with nana spent Sunday's with us. I was a pretty good kid until my teens. A good friend of mines dad took me under his wing, taking me and his family away boating or visiting places. He was a self employed sparky who I looked up to. I looked up to him and later in life I too started a business and prospered. I ran into his son, my friend at a school reunion. Gary told me his dad was still alive. He lives about 5 hrs away but I rung him about 10 years ago and thanked him for being a good influence on my life. He truely had a huge effect on my life.

Russ

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

Thank you all for sharing your stories
My Dad was too young to serve in WWII
His brother served in the Philippines
He refused to ever speak of his experience
I do not think that he was part of the Bantaan Death March. He did witness unspeakable things
Mother "s Brother was in the Navy CB division.
He served in Guam
He was younger than Dad's Brother and did not enter the war until near the end
After Japan was bombed and capitulated his assignment was to dump heavy construction equipment off of cliffs into the ocean
The U.S. decided that it was more cost effective to destroy the equipment rather than transport it back
Uncle was always asked "Why destroy the equipment instead of leaving it for the locals to use in rebuilding?"
Uncle said that there were still Japanese on the island
The U.S. did not want the equipment to get into their hands
Fact or lore IDK.
There is a national WWII
museum in NOLA
It is amazing. I have been 3 times and want to visit again. The exhibits are Constantly being updated and added to
A trip to NOLA is worthwhile even if all you do is visit the museum
The fun, food and music are an add on.
Thanks to all of your friends and family for their selfless service during this horrible conflict
The lives lost are beyond counting

Our family made donations to the WW2, formerly D Day Museum.
While there we learned Pres Roosevelt's driver
Owned a bar, Evelyn’s a few blocks away.
We headed there and there he was serving gumbo and Sugarless Hurricanes cussing up a cesspool of profanities.

98 years old and still holding court at the bar.
Had a big scrapbook he busted out and it was an amazing encounter with history.