The Wartime Memories Project - The Second World War

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you agree to accept cookies. If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.     Site Home     WW2 Home     Add Stories     WW2 Search     Library     Help & FAQs  WW2 Features     Airfields     Allied Army     Allied Air Forces     Allied Navy     Axis Forces     Home Front     Battles     Prisoners of War     Allied Ships     Women at War     Those Who Served     Day-by-Day     Library     The Great War  Submissions     Add Stories     Time Capsule     Childrens Bookshop  FAQ's     Help & FAQs     Glossary     Volunteering     Contact us     News     Bookshop     About Advertisements World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

Grp.Ldr. Nellie Elizabeth Bagley .     Women's Land Army Kingsland My mother, Nellie Bagley, (as she then was) served in the WLA in Herefordshire during WW2, based at Kingsland Hostel and at one or two other places in the same county. She is now 89, and has very clear detailed memories, some of which I will add here later now that I know this site exists. Jan Latusek ('Joz') Add to this record. William Baglow .     British Army Grenadier Guards My great uncle's UK army number was 2617178. We think he was in the Grenadier Guards during World War 2. In a letter he wrote from Wellington Barracks, he says he was in Number 2 company, Number 4 platoon. However, we don't know the battalion he was in. Is it possible to identify his battalion through his army number? Rachel Bethell Add to this record. WOII. David Ernest "John" Bagnall MID.     British Army 2nd Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment   from Bournemouth My Father David Bagnall never spoke about the war. We found out he'd changed his name to join up, and was known as John, though his name was David. We know he was in the Dorsetshire Regiment. He was at Dunkirk, in Burma, and after the War was in India, from that I think he must have been in the 2nd Battalion. We know he was twice Mentioned in Dispatches, because he had 2 oak leaves on his medal ribbons, but other than that we know nothing of his time in the Army. My brother and I would love to know some of his story, and if anyone has any information, we would be very grateful to hear from you. My Mother had a book with photographs of him with Lord Mountbatten, and I think, General Slim. Jennifer Osborne Add to this record. Sqn Ldr. Douglas Rivers Bagnall DSO DFC & Bar..     Royal Air Force 108 Squadron Doug Bagnall served with No. 108 Squadron, RAF. Andy Bagnall Add to this record. Edward Cornelius Bagnall .     Auxiliary Fire Service   from Hall Green, Birmingham My father Ted Bagnall worked at the BSA during the Second World war and served in the Auxiliary Fire Service based in Birmingham city. My mother also worked at the BSA for part of the war. Her name was Maud Ellen Bagnall. She must have left employment before 1943, as I was born in February of that year. I believe my father sustained an accident to his eye around this time and spent a considerable amount of time at Blackwell Hospital (Lickey Hills). If anyone knows of them, I would be very, very grateful to hear from them. Valerie Lewis Add to this record. JF Bagnall .     British Army Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry JF Bagnall served with the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below. Dan Add to this record. John Joseph Bagnall .     John Joseph Bagnall was a POW in Stalag 8b during WW2. Add to this record. Harold Bagshaw .     British Army Royal Artillery Simon Add to this record. Harry Bagshaw .     Stalag 8b Add to this record. Olive Winifred Bailes .     Women's Royal Naval Service After a whirlwind romance Ernie Cochrane of the RAMC proposed to Olive Winifred Bailes. They met at a YMCA dance in London and married at St George & St Ethelbert Parish Church, East Ham, London on 26th of July 1944. There were no photographs of this wartime wedding as there was no photographic paper available at the time. They were married for over 50 years and had four children. Add to this record. Bailey .     Add to this record. A Bailey .     British Army A Bailey served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below. Dan Add to this record. Sgt. Alan R. Bailey .     RAF 12 Sqdn. Alain Bailey served as a Bomb Aimer Add to this record. Pte. Alan Bailey .     British Army 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry   from Milton, Staffs (d.17th Jan 1944) Allan Bailey is buried in Bari, Italy. I would like to know what happened to him and how he died. Any information would be useful. Add to this record. Ldg.Sea. Albert Jack Bailey .     Royal Navy H.M.S. Hunter   from Weymouth (d.10th Apr 1940) Albert Bailey was the son of Robert James Bailey and Elizabeth Margaret Bailey, nee Swinnock, born 16th of November 1908 at Weymouth. His father, Robert James, also served in the Royal Navy and was a Chief Petty Officer serving on H.M.S. Tipperary at the Battle of Jutland, where Robert was killed. Albert enlisted in the Royal Navy on 20th of May and was serving on the H Class destroyer HMS Hunter when the ship was lost during the first Battle of Narvik. Add to this record. Sgt. Alfred Bailey .     Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 10 Squadron   from Canklow, Rotherham, Yorkshire (d.27th Jun 1944) Alfred Bailey was a Wireless Operator with 10 Squadron. He was killed on the 27th June 1943 and is buried in Eindhoven. He was 21 years old. Add to this record. Pte. Alfred Bailey .     British Army 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry   from Lonxdon Arthur Bailey served as a dispatch rider and went ashore at Normandy. He finished the war in Hamburg. He was part of the liberation of Middlebeers and Reichwald Forest. Arthur was then sent to Palestine at the war's end until 1946. Add to this record. Sgt. Allfred Bailey .     Royal Air Force Air Gunner. 10 Squadron   from Rotherham, Yorkshire (d.29th June 1943) Sgt. A. Bailey was a young lad that came from Rotherham. He worked for Guest & Chrimes, Ltd., when he left to join the RAF. The staff all chipped in to get him a wrist watch and wishing him the best of luck. In March 1941 his brother Syd had joined the RE..so it was a sad time for all. Alfred was sent to No 10 Squadron at Melboune just ouside York. He must have had some fun because he bought a bicycle to get round on. Some of his mates were from all over, Canada, one from Sheffield, Derby, and Liverpool. This was some of his crew. The crws knew that planes get lost and never return and on the night of the 27th June 1943 he sat down and wrote a letter to his Mom ...sad to say, his last.On that same day he posted it, that same day he and his crew went on an operations raid.. No one knows what..but on that night the Halifax Crew of 7 were reported missing.They were all under 22 years of age. The crew were Sg. A Bailey, WO/AG Sgt. H. Pape from Liverpool FO. H. Pearson from Derby PO S. Peat from Sheffield Sgt. H. Ericson from Canada Sgt P.L. Rakoczy from Canada and Sgt. J.G. Sweeney also from Canada In October 1944 the crew was laid to rest at Woensel Cemetery, Holland. It was then it came to light that the plane had been shot down by Night Fighers over Holland.All that I know is that the target was Colione.The sad thing is that they did the bombing raid and got shot down on the way back. But the family did get to go to the resting place of their brave son and his crew in 1948. the loving mother died 1981. Some of her ashes lie with him today. The other point is that his bicycle was stlen by someone on the base. All of the paper work from the Air Ministry on Sgt. A. Bailey was, and still is, with the family. Andrew Fox Add to this record. Sgt Arthur Bailey .     Royal Air Force 9 Sqdn   from St.Helens,Lancashire. (d.8th Oct 1943) I don't really know much, but I was told that Arthur Bailey was a wireless operator airgunner and was shot down over France. I was told this when I was 10 year's old, I am now 54 years old, and have found out, through the internet that he was actually shot down,in Germany near Kiechlinsbergen and is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, outside Munich. I am going to visit his grave soon. His own mother did not know this information,so no one has ever visited. Editors Note: The crew were: Lt E.G.Roberts, USAAF Sgt P.Shaw F/O F.G.Arliss P/O W.Chadwick Sgt A.Bailey Sgt T.H.Tibbles Sgt R.J.Darby Keith Obrien Add to this record. Arthur "Bill" Bailey .     British Army 44th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment   from Fareham Hampshire Arthur Bailey did his tour of duty in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and then on the beaches of Normandy up through France, Belgium and Holland before crossing the Rhine into Germany. Add to this record. Cpl. Carl W. Bailey .     United States Army 125th Engineers My grandfather, Cpl. Carl W Bailey, was a POW from January to April 1945. He was part of the 125th Engineers. He died in 1987. Does anyone have information about him or his unit? Allison Swinson Add to this record. Cpl. Carl William "Buckwheat" Bailey .     US Army 124th Armoured Engineers Battalion   from Port Matilda, Pennsylvania Carl Bailey was a decorated disabled WWII Veteran Bronze Star, Purple Heart and POW Medal. He served with 125th Armored Engineers Battalion, 14th Armored Division. He was captured in Alsace, France on the 1st of January 1945 and held as a POW at Stalag IVb, Mulenburg, Germany. Carl as part of the 14th Armored Division landed along the cost of Southern France in August 1944 and joined the 7th Army's advance up the Rhone Valley in pursuit of the German 19th Army. They continued to push through the Vosge Mountains into Alsace. In January 1945, The 7th Army fended off the last organized German offensive (Operation Nordwind) in the west. On January 1st 1945 Carl Bailey was captured when the 125th Armored Engineers as part of Task Force Middleson tried to defend a crossroad near the town of Bannstein, Alsace, France. He was liberated by forces of the Soviet Union on April 23rd 1945. He left the service with a 30% disability classification which was later increased to 100% in 1960 retroactive to 1943. Lawrence Bailey Add to this record. Sto1 Douglas Bailey .     Royal Navy HMS Victorious   from Blackpool Christine Spencer Add to this record. Temp. Sub Lt. Eng. E. J. L. Bailey .     Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve HMS Forfar Sub Lt Bailey was amongst the survivors of the Forfar. Add to this record. Sgt. Edward Bailey .     British Army Royal Warwickshire Regiment   from Wednesbury My grandfather, Edward Bailey known as Ted, was in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment during world war 2 and believe he may have been in India and Burma. I have looked on war records online and having some trouble finding him. Unfortunately I do not have his soldier number. I believe he may have been ranked sergeant at one stage but there is a belief in the family he may have lost this rank. Any information you may have would be very much appreciated.  Simon Lewis Add to this record. Sgt Edward William Bailey .     British Army 1st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment   from Sheffield Sian Goodlad Add to this record. Ernest Bailey .     Army 59th Newfoundland heavy Royal Artillery   from Trinity Bay, Newfoundland My father, Ernest Bailey, came from Trinity, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. I'm trying to find anyone who knew my father or heard anyone mention his name when talking about their time in the war. My father went to northwest Europe with his regiment on the 4th July 1944. My husband and I went to Trinity and donated his medals to Trinity War Museum. As his uniform was in the museum there I felt it was the place for his medals to be. Molly Sharman Add to this record. Ernest Bailey .     Army 59th Newfoundland heavy Royal Artillery   from Trinity Bay, Newfoundland My father, Ernest Bailey, came from Trinity, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. I'm trying to find anyone who knew my father or heard anyone mention his name when talking about their time in the war. My father went to northwest Europe with his regiment on the 4th July 1944. My husband and I went to Trinity and donated his medals to Trinity War Museum. As his uniform was in the museum there I felt it was the place for his medals to be. Molly Sharman Add to this record. Staff Sgt. Eugene G. Bailey .     US Army Company K 112th Infantry Regiment My Dad, Staff Sergeant Eugene G. Bailey 28th Division 112th Infantry Company K. Was caputured during the Battle of the Bulge on December 17th, 1944. He never talked about his time in the war. However, he was in four campaigns, Normendy, Northern France, Rhineland and the Ardennes. He received a bronze metal for following a line which lead to a Germen Bunker. In turn the bunker was taken out. As a pow he was held at both Stalags IXB and IXA. He arrived at Stalag IXB on December 26, 1944 and was transfered to Stalag IXA on January 26, 1945. I found in his Bible a picture of a group of men all in uniforms on the back of the picture it is written it was taken in April 1945 after liberation of pow camp. I really would like to know who the other men are in the picture and if they remember my dad. I do not know if this was his unit or the other men from the Stalag IXA. Eugene Bailey (back row, fifth from the right) after his liberation, in Paris during April 1945 I also have his hand written journel it reads: December 12th 1944 - left for Paris December 13th 1944 -arrived Paris December 14th 1944- sick December 15th left Paris stayed in Reames December 16th arrived Orwen on Belgium Luxburg Germany Boarder - Heavy Arty-bombing December 17th Heavy arty, bombing 2000 - Town surrounded 2010 - Captured Watch taken Walked all night December 18th walked all day- 1/3 Loaf bread cheese, marmalade December 19th in PW cage December 20th walked all day December 21st walked all day December 22nd walked all day December 23rd Boarded train no food December 24th on train no food no water December 25th on train no food little water December 26th 1/6 loaf, little meat 0100 on train December 26th left train at 0900 Bad orb Stallager (IXB) Stew at 1200 Bread 1/6 at 1600 December 27th Life in Pw Stew ¾ lieder per day Bread 1/6 loaf …… No recreation at all December 28-31 Same Jan 1-24 continue Same-meat -cottage cheese - marmalade One or twice a wk Jan 25th 1945 Boarded train Jan 26th Arrived STL. 9A No food Jan 27th- Stew & Bread Food Tea better Jan 28th Same Jan 29th Same Food Better but very insufficient French PW donating a few smokes From RC packages Jan 30th Situation unchanged Getting very thin & weak News excellent Russians - 65 miles from Berlin Jan 31 Food same-cottage cheese no butter A break in the weather thawing At this point in the journal I do not know if the dates are for Feb. or March the first entry looks to me like it is 3-1 Situation unchanged 2-3 same 3-4 shaved 1st time since Dec 14 1944 5 war news0 rosins 25miles from Berlin 6 situation unchanged 7 2 letters one card 8 red cross Box 1 per 4 men 9 dined well, smoked well 10 same 11 grub gone smokes too. 12 -20 grub poor-no smokes recreation (I can not tell what it says) This ends the dates however there is more on the paper. Marshall imaan 19098805 Blankets-NO GI Bed NU 8 Alex Justus = 36376532=2456 Blankets=No-GI Bed Ndill Landberg+36220111=2430 Blankets (unreadable) Lam Mrchunee=20320737=24015 Blankets NO GI Bed NO 108 Wed- 1000-1100 Stockseb by Bolger Sat. 1000- 1100 making up of a newpaper by jones Thur Quiz contest 1000-1100 I cont from each section Fri. winners- Fri. There are other man named in my dads journal. I have researched the names some are from Stalag IXB. My dad was almost 6 feet tall and weigh in 1979. Reseaching all of this has made me a very proud daughter. Thank you for your time. Diana Thomas Add to this record. Staff Sergeant Eugene G Bailey .     US Army 28th Division 112th Infantry My Dad, Staff Sergeant Eugene G. Bailey served with the 28th Division 112th Infantry. He was captured on December 17, 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. He was sent to Stalag IXB and then transferred to Stalag IXA on January 25, 1945. I have a group or unit picture taken in Paris after the liberation dated April 1945. This site is a great way to honor our WWII heroes. Diana Thomas, a very proud daughter Diane Thomas Add to this record. Page 2 of 138      First Page   Previous Page   Next Page    Last Page

Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

The free section of the Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers. We have been helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items. The website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources and we currently have a huge backlog of submissions. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running. Hosted by: The Wartime Memories Project Website is archived for preservation by the British Library Copyright MCMXCIX - MMXXIV - All Rights Reserved We do not permit the use of any content from this website for the training of LLMs or for use in Generative AI, it also may not be scraped for the purpose of creating other websites.