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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 245th (Welsh) Field Company, Royal Engineers? There are:45 items tagged 245th (Welsh) Field Company, Royal Engineers 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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Spr. William James Smith 245 (Welsh) Field Coy Royal Engineers My late dad William (Bill) James Smith served from 1943/46 posted in various European countries Belgium France Holland Germany. He was on the Rhine with the 101st & 82nd American airborne I believe and a Polish armoured division at various times. I have photos of Rhine bridges he I understand was attached to a company called R force at some point? He did not talk much as was the way from what these brave men went through I think at the end of the war in 1945/6 in the Black Forest he went out for rabbits/game and the three of them were walking in the Forest and one fella had in his possession a German Luger pistol and my dad said to him put the pistol away as they are very sensitive by an act of God where my dad was walking they changed their walking formation and the pistol went off and the fella in the position where my dad had been fell shot through the head by accident by the fella who had been forwarned to put away the gun. My Dad tried to stop the blood with his fingers in his head, they were picked up a by a search party after not returning to camp. My Dad did not realise that he had died instantly but would not leave him. I understand that my Dad was put on courts martial with the other fella until the full facts were found he was released with no charge and was commended for what he tried to do at that moment it was as he said an accident and a tragic loss of life and a lesson to respect weapons at all times sad loss to this fella's family. It obviously stayed with my dad till he passed away in June 2000. I have a photo I believe may be one of the fellas who was shot? I do have some other short stories but I cannot substantiate as accurate detail in all my words.
Bless Bill my dad and all the brave men &women in all the wars before then and now for all their brave acts for me and all others to live our lives as we do.
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