242337 L/Cpl. Charles Ireland British Army 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps from:East Ham, London (d.10th Jun 1945) Charles Ireland was the eldest son of William F. Ireland and Marie Ireland (nee Piper). His eldest sister Ellen was my mother.
As part of the BEF and as a professional soldier, he formed part if the rearguard force at Calais where the brigade held the Germans back to permit the Dunkirk evecuations to happen. He survived the combat but was taken into captivity and marched across Europe to Stalag XXB where he was badly used by the enemy.
In the summer of 1944, he was repatriated through the Red Cross exchange system because he was diagnosed with TB. As a 7 year old I recall his home coming to 32 Mafeking Ave. Where having got home was thrust into our back yard Anderson to avoid the V1 weapons that were raining down.
He died shortly afterwards and was interred in Manor Park Cemetery
He had a younger brother, James Ireland.
Jimmy was in the KRRC Rangers (9th Battalion) and fought fierce combat with the Axis forces in Greece and then Crete. He also was taken into captivity with the an Australian Division. He came back to East Ham in time to be part of the Victory Parade through London.
He also spoke with an Aussie accent. He married his childhood sweet heart, Lilian Fox, from Plaistow and after their first child Tony came along, they enmigrated to Australia in 1949.
The Ireland family has regrown since then in South East Victoria.
They were my uncles and rarely a day elapses that I don't remember them.
Jim passed in 1998. I am his nephew and l live in Far North Queensland. At time of writing l am 80 years old. I owe my life and my own family to men like my uncles.
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