Relatives - Page 2

GiMpY-wAnNaBe · 11-03-2003, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepnut's slave

My grandfather fought in France in WWII for the Americans. He actually got lost during a battle and from what I hear (fam doesn't talk about it much) ended up in a red light district. Eventually found his troop and got home fine. He was alive and well up until 1 1/2 years ago.

My dad is currently fighting in Iraq... to read an article go to http://www.riley.army.mil/newspaper/news/news1.htm

cool, best of wishes to him

Dyne · 11-04-2003, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canyarion

My grandpa hided from the Germans, if he didn't he would have had to work in a factory to make weapons for the Germans. Now that's a form of heroism isn't it?

Well, my friend's grandfather helped free The Netherlands with Canada from Nazi grasp... heh.

Xantar · 11-04-2003, 03:04 AM

All of my relatives are Vietnamese and were therefore affected in some way by the war. Lots of them moved out. Lots of them lost their livelihoods. I believe a distant uncle also died. There are a lot of long and sad stories in the family.

Jonbo298 · 11-04-2003, 04:14 AM

My great-grandpa fought in WWII (mom's side) and my Dad was in Desert Storm (Navy)

Seth · 11-04-2003, 11:08 AM

My uncle(he was older than my auntie who was a lot older than my dad) died in the Diep invasion.

ZebraRampage · 11-04-2003, 12:05 PM

My Grandfather on my mother's side was in WWII in the army, and he was stationed in Italy, I don't really remember much about his stories though. And my other Grandfather on my father's side was in the navy in WWII, and he was stationed in the Pacific near the Phillipines and Japan even though those countries aren't really so close, he was in that area of the Pacific.

Oh also, my dad was 5 people away from being drafted into the Vietnam war.

DimHalo · 11-04-2003, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bouncer_agb

My uncle(he was older than my auntie who was a lot older than my dad) died in the Diep invasion.

Excuse my ignorance but what was the Diep invasion? (with all respect)

Crono · 11-04-2003, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepnut's slave

Excuse my ignorance but what was the Diep invasion? (with all respect)

The raid on Dieppe was a failure while trying to liberate northern France. 900 Canadians died, many more were taken prisoner.

GiMpY-wAnNaBe · 11-04-2003, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepnut's slave

Excuse my ignorance but what was the Diep invasion? (with all respect)

well think of it this way, if D-Day was the most glorious attack in the war, Dieppe was the complete opposite. The English decided to send the Canadian Army to attack a beach that was so heavily protected and well defended that even if the Entire Allied Forces were fighting, there would still be a good chance the Germans would win...heres what the battle looked like

Germans`````````````````Dead Canadian Troops
_________ ``````````````||
----------|``````````````\/
----------|___________________
---------------------------------\Water

In addition to the whole "Germans on hill with machine guns = Dead Canadians on Beach" thing, there were mountains on either side of the beach, giving the germans even more height, considering there were bunkiers and sniper positions IN the montains....

Dyne · 11-08-2003, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dyne

Why yes, actually.. I'm one of the few who have alive relatives who were on for the German Nazi side in WW2. I've only got to meet one of them, though; my Great Uncle Bill, who's my mother's mother's brother. My mom's father was living in the german-inhabited Poland area, and he was too young to fight, and had no choice but to flee to Canada, where he lived in Vernon, BC, and met my Grandma, who was a second generation canadian, originally from Germany-invaded Poland.

My grandpa still speaks a little Polish, and he's taught me some.

I just talked with my grandpa today. He told me a lot.

Apparently, MANY of my relatives fought for the Germans in WWII, and he was actually held hostage in a concentration camp in Poland by the British for being German! The Germans eventually found and freed him and everyone else in his camp, and he had to flee quickly. Also, there's Great Uncle Fredrik I've never met, who was on the German side as well, and he's alive and well. All the others were either killed in the war (and it's a lot) and the ones who remained died off eventually.

It's kind of neat to reflect on Remembrance Day about how my roots are different from everyone elses'.

Crono · 11-08-2003, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dyne

I just talked with my grandpa today. He told me a lot.

Apparently, MANY of my relatives fought for the Germans in WWII, and he was actually held hostage in a concentration camp in Poland by the British for being German! The Germans eventually found and freed him and everyone else in his camp, and he had to flee quickly. Also, there's Great Uncle Fredrik I've never met, who was on the German side as well, and he's alive and well. All the others were either killed in the war (and it's a lot) and the ones who remained died off eventually.

It's kind of neat to reflect on Remembrance Day about how my roots are different from everyone elses'.

He was held in Poland by the British? That seems kind of odd... because Poland was "liberated" by the USSR in 1945. I don't think the Western Allies went to Poland (because everything east of East Germany [including East Germany] turned communist under the influence of the USSR). I may be wrong, though, but I know that the USSR kind of took some control over Poland when the Warsaw Pact was signed shortly after WWII.

One Winged Angel · 11-08-2003, 07:27 PM

My dad fought at Vietnam. My mom refuses me to ask any questions about it...

Professor S · 11-08-2003, 08:00 PM

The history of my family is a bit iffy when it comes to war. My great uncle (or great great, I'm not sure) was Irwin Von Rommel, the Desert Fox and Field Marshall of the Nazi war machine.

While he was responsible for much of the military death on behalf of Hitler, he also tried to organize the assasination attempt of Hitler also. He beliveed Hitler to be imbalanced and a threat to Germany.

I won't say that he was sympathetic to the plight of the Jew during those days, but he viewed Hitlers obsession with their destruction as counterproductive to the war effort.

On the other side of my family I am a member of the Stuart Clan of Scotland, and share lineage with James I, Mary Queen of Scotts, Charles I, Charles 2, and James 2.

Crono · 11-08-2003, 08:27 PM

Your great great Uncle was Rommel? The same General who served in the Afrikakorps (sp) (I think, and I believe he also command troops in France, and was about to be moved to Eastern front), and later killed by Hitler's request?

That's interesting.

Rndm_Perfection · 11-08-2003, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crono

Your great great Uncle was Rommel? The same General who served in the Afrikakorps (sp) (I think, and I believe he also command troops in France, and was about to be moved to Eastern front), and later killed by Hitler's request?

That's interesting.

That'd be why he's called the Desert Fox, right? Aaah, it's all coming back to me.