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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
Announcements
- 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
- The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 25 years. If you would like to support us, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting and admin or this site will vanish from the web.
- 19th Nov 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than
264989 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible.
- Looking for help with Family History Research?
Please read our Family History FAQs
- The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
If you enjoy this site
please consider making a donation.
Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them.
The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.
World War 1 One ww1 wwII second 1939 1945 battalion
Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Want to know more about 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards? There are:1410 items tagged 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Sgt. Arthur Holbrook 4th (Armd) Btn. Grenadier Guards I know a little about Arthur Holbrook only because he opened up to me as I had joined the Armed Forces myself, his only grandson to do so, so we had that very little but brief bond. He told me about his involvement in Operation Bluecoat which I understand was an Armoured Brigade Assault. He spoke to me of Normandy having landed there towards the end of June after the main Operation Overlord landings. His medals are now on display on a wall at the Grenadier Guards Club in Windsor but I've not been there since he passed.
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L/Cpl. Lewis George Winstone 4th Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.30th March 1945)  From a letter Lewis Winstone wrote to his mother in 1942:-
Arriving at Barracks from leave I was told I was one of the very few men who had been chosen from this Battalion to go up to Windsor Castle for the celebration of Princess Elizabeth;s birthday, and to represent the Battalion.
When the parade presented arms to the Royal Family, and the massed band played the National Anthem, it sent a shudder through us.
This is the first time for a long period that a Princess has been Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. After the National Anthem we were inspected by the Princess Elizabeth and her parents. The King wore the uniform of the Grenadier Guards. After the inspection we had a march past in review order, the Princess taking the salute.
In the evening I went to the BBC variety concert in one of the great halls of the Castle, also attended by the Royal Family and many distinguished guests.
The best moment of all was when the King and Queen were walking out, and I happened to be sitting about three quarters of the way back and at the end of the nearest gangway, and for the first time in my life I had a few words with their Majesties. What made them stop and speak to me I don't know. Since then I have been I have hardly kept my hat on!
From the Battalion war diary for 30th March 1945:-
Coesfield was very heavily cratered, so No's 1 & 3 squadrons found a way round. No.1 Squadron advanced 25 miles & halted just East of Millenbeck. L/Corporal L Winstone (Recce Troop) was killed by spandau fire while climbing out of a bazooka'd Honey tank.
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