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J Grundy . British Army Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment J Grundy served with the Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment 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.
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J Grundy . British Army J Grundy 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.
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J Grundy . British Army Lancashire Fusiliers J Grundy served with the Lancashire Fusiliers 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.
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J Grundy . British Army Royal Armoured Corps J Grundy served with the Royal Armoured Corps 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.
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JH Grundy . British Army JH Grundy 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.
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Bmbdr. John Frederick Grundy . British Army 109th Light AA Battery Royal Artillery from Billesley, Birmingham Fred Grundy served with the Royal Warwickshire TA and 109th Light Anti Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery.
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N Grundy . British Army N Grundy 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.
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Sgt. Ernest Alfred Francis Grunsell . Royal Air Force 78 Squadron from Hounslow, Middlesex (d.27th March 1941) Bomber Command decided a combined attack on Cologne and Dusseldorf for the night of 27th of March 1941
A total of 77 aircraft flew crossed The Netherlands towards Germany. 38 British Wellington bombers flew to Cologne, of which one was missing later on. A fleet of 39 allied aircraft including 22 Hampdens, 4 Manchesters and 13 Whitleys flew to Dusseldorf, leaving one Manchester and one Whitley missing.
At exactly 7.29pm aircraft Z6470, code EY-G took of from RAF Dishforth. P/O Seager was the commander of its five-man crew. His Wireless Operator had regular contact but after 9.30pm it remained silent. The night fighters were already aware of the approaching bombers and one after another the Bf 100 took off. At 10.00pm, there was an air raid alarm in Venlo. Soon the German searchlights flashed on in search of prey. Shots broke through the nightly silence.
The Whitley was soon captured in light beams of German searchlights. He tried to escape, but Oberfeldwebel Herzog from the 3rd Staffel NJG1 of Fliegerhorst Venlo saw the plane in the searchlights and shot it down. The plane made its last dive. The aircraft came down in De Peel between Sevenum and Helenaveen. The entire crew was killed and maimed.
Initially, two bodies were found near the aircraft. Later three members of the crew were buried next to each other in Venlo. Probably the remains have ended up in the coffin of one of the other crew members. Apparently one other crew member was only found later, but he also was buried at the Venlo cemetery.
In 1947, their mortal remains were reburied at War Cemetery Jonkerbos in Nijmegen.
(Source: a.o. Heemkunde association Sevenum NL Book: Mayday Mayday Mayday from Hub Groeneveld)
Crew of the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley MkV Serial Number Z6470 Squadron code EY-G of 78 Squadron are all buried in Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Nijmegen
- Pilot Officer Kenneth Frank Seager, Reg.nr. 85289. RAF
Age 25, Son of Frank Seager and Ethel Saffell of Great Totham, Essex UK
- Sergeant Pilot Alan Kingley Mills, Reg.nr. 742274, RAF
Age 20, Son of Frederick Herbert and Lily Mills of Leicester.
- Sub-Lieutnant Air Observer Peter John Hoad,
Royal Navy, H.M.S. Daedalus. MiD. Age 22, Son of John and Florence Elisabeth Hoad of Esher, Surrey.
- 4 Sergeant Wireless Operator Jack Mitchell, Reg.nr. 942752 RAF Volunteer Reserve Age 20
- 5 Sergeant Wireless Op./Air Gunner Ernest Alfred Francis Grunsell, MID, Reg.nr. 752233RAF Volunteer Reserve, Age 20, Son of Francis George Grunsell and Rose Grunsell of Hounslow Middlesex.
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Sergeant Ernest Alfred Grunsell MID.. RAF 7 Squadron from Hounslow (d.27th Mar 1941)
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Tech4 Edward William Gruss . United States Army 46th Tank Battalion from Baltimore, Md. USA (d.18th Apr 1945) This is the story of my great uncle Edward W. Gruss who died of wounds and is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten. He served with the 46th Tank Battalion, 13th Armored Division
I've spent the past few weeks honoring both his sacrifice and memory by telling his story to historians and people dedicated to making certain, the soldiers lost will never be forgotten. If we forget our mistakes, history is bound to repeat itself.
Edward lost his father at a very early age, 6 years old. Edward had an older brother, James. They were very close. James died at 14 of complications due to rheumatic fever, Edward was about 10. This was about 4 years after losing his father. His mother tried to give him extra attention during this time and because of this, she became extremely close to him.
Edward was dating a woman named, Betty, before he joined the service in 1941 and would most likely have married after his discharge.
When Edward was killed, Betty was pregnant with his child. Upon learning of his death, she lost the child.
To quote from my family history:
"He lost his father when he was 6 years old, his big brother when he was 10, fathers a child, who he may not even have known about, serves heroically in the was which goes unnoticed, his child is miscarried, he is killed in battle in Germany, his body remains buried in Holland and his family members cannot mention his name."
It further mentions that the family should recognize his sacrifice for his country and his rightful place in our family. He died for me and for America. He doesn't deserve to have given his life without at least some acknowledgement. Please, if you can help me I would be most appreciative. Thank you.
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Sgt. Derrick Waren Gruub . Royal Air Force from 379 Whitten, Isleworth, Middlesex Derrick Gruub served with the Royal Air Force at RAF Bradwell Bay.
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Flight Sergeant Malcolm Henry Grydon . RAAF (d.25th May 1944) During the second World War the Allied and German soldiers, who were killed in Goirle, Noord Brabant, the Netherlands and in the neighbourhood, were buried at the Roman Catholic cemetery from the parish St. Jan in Goirle.
After the war the remains of the German soldiers were reburied in Ysselsteijn (near Venray) and most of the allied soldiers were reburied in Bergen op Zoom (War Cemetery and Canadian War Cemetery) and in Leopoldsburg (Belgium, War Cemetery).
At this moment there are 27 Allied graves in Goirle. Every year we commemorate the victims of World War II, both soldiers and civilians. We know their names, but who were the persons behind the names? What were their lives before they died? Where did they come from? How did they die? Under what circumstances?
It is my intention to give the victims a face, to write and keep the story behind the gravestones because we always will remember the soldier who died for our liberty. We can forget names, but not faces. I will try to write down all their stories for the next generation so they will know who was commemorated.
Maybe someone can help me with Flight Sergeant Malcolm Henry Graydon, RAAF 419443, who died on the 25th May 1944, age 23.
Send me a letter or an e-mail with additional information, a photograph or a copy of any personal document, which I can use for The Memory Book or a website. Thank you in advance for your help.
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William "Wild Bill" Guarnere . United States Army 101st Airborne Division from Philadelphia William "Wild Bill" Guarnere of South Philadelphia, a member of the famed 101st Airborne Division whose World War II exploits were portrayed in the TV mini-series Band of Brothers, died Saturday, March 8, 2014
He didn't talk about the war when his two sons were growing up, even though he organized Army reunions beginning in 1947 and even though he lost his right leg while helping a wounded comrade.
"He never said a word," his son said. "I served in Vietnam in 1967. When I came home, I asked my father what he did in the war. He said, 'The war is over, kid. Forget about it.' "
Forgetting was not an option after writer Stephen Ambrose immortalized the members of Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division in his best-selling book, later made into the HBO mini-series. The chronicles followed the soldiers from their training in Georgia in 1942 through the harrowing battles they fought across Europe until the war ended in 1945.
As Mr. Guarnere told The Inquirer in 2010, D-Day was not only terrifying but vengeful. He learned of his brother Henry's death at the hands of the Germans in Italy just before parachuting directly into a firefight in Normandy, France.
"I couldn't wait to get off the plane," Mr. Guarnere recalled. "I killed every German I could. That's why they called me 'Wild Bill.' I landed in the middle of a square and they [Germans] were shooting at us. They were kind of scared; we were scared, too."
Mr. Guarnere was instrumental in getting a monument erected in Normandy to honor the leadership of his unit, particularly his former commander, Richard Winters.
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W.O. Joseph Jacques Alfred Guay. . 408 Sqd. from 17th April 1943
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Tel. Allan Geoffrey Gubb . Royal Navy HMS Dorsetshire (d.5th Apr 1942)
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Nurse Sallie Gubby . Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps Nursing Detachment (d.17th May 1942) Nurse Gubby was 54 when she died. She is buried in the Hong Kong (Happy Valley) Jewish Cemetery in Hong Kong.
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Fernand Guedon . French Army I have moved to Bazoges En Pareds, Vendee, France to an old farm building which contains some pencil writings and drawings. I wondered if they mean anything to anyone, or if anyone can steer me in the right direction. There are several names written, although most are hard to make our or are worn away with time. The two main ones are: Fernand Guedon and Auguste Guedon,
Stalag IXA, Komando: 1004 Gefangimmen (the rest is illegible) 1460. 15 May 1940 Prisoner de Guerre.
Another word which is a little vague: pebusenfrei and other names: Maurice Chaveau, Hoetrol Chataiganei, Marie Jouepose, Bonnie Jerome 1942.
These surnames are pretty much a guess but I would be grateful if anyone can let me know if someone would be interested in viewing this or knowing the details.
Update
Try contacting the local `ancien combattants' group (like the British Legion). If you google it, they have a website. Failing that, the local press may be interested in the story. (Pete)
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James Guerin . British Army Royal Ulster Rifles
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George Guess . British Army 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders George Guess and the 17th Infantry Brigade including 6th Seaforth crossed the straits of Messina and landed in Italy on September 3rd 1943. By 2nd January 1944 they had returned to the west of Italy to take part in the operations to cross the Garigliano River. Unfortunately, George was captured in Minturno on January 18th and ended up bound for Germany on a POW train. It was on this journey that the Allerona tragedy took place.
On 28th January 1944 at the Orvieto North railway bridge at Allerona, Italy, a train full of Allied prisoners, most of whom had come from Camp P.G. 54, Fara in Sabina, north of Rome, was hit by friendly fire from the American 320th Bombardment Group. U.S. Army member Richard Morris was on the train and wrote that the journey was stopped on the bridge over the river, and that the German guards fled as soon as the bombs struck. The prisoners were left locked inside the carriages. Many, including George Guess, managed to escape through holes in the boxcars caused by the bombing, and jumped into the river below. It was a great tragedy of the war resulting in the deaths of hundreds of men.
He survived the wreck with a fractured upper left leg. Once recovered he was sent to Stalag 344 in Lamsdorf, Poland.
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A Guest . British Army Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment A Guest served with the Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment 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.
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Cyril Jack Guest . British Army Royal Corps of Signals from Farnham, Surrey My uncle, Cyril Jack Guest, was in the Royal Corps of Signals attached to the 8th Army Desert Rates.
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Pte. Donald Guest . British Army 6th Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment from Goole, Yorkshire (d.25th January 1942) Donald Guest was one of the vast number of men who were called to attend a Medical Board Centre in 1939 under the Military Training Act, 1939. Donald, at the time, was employed by Lep Transport (Goole) in the garage department. No doubt he had kept up with the daily news bulletins over the year and his call up would not have come as a surprise. This was the first step on a journey which ended with him being killed in action against the Japanese in World War 2.
The third son of George William and Mary Ann Guest, Donald was born in Hook Road, Goole, on 11th October 1918. On leaving St. John`s National School, Goole, he started his working life as a milkman with the Goole Co-operative Society, and later at Miss Smith`s dairy at Portington. With this kind of working environment, he became a well known and popular figure in the area and family photographs and recollections show why this was the case.
When his call up came Donald was attached to the 6th Battalion of The Royal Norfolk Regiment. After military training which was mainly on Bren Gun carries, he and his fellow comrades were posted to various places around the British Isles. One of the final duties performed by the battalion was on the docks at Liverpool. At the time the docks and the shipping there were under a period of heavy bombing by the German air force. Under constant threat of exploding bombs their duties were to stop looting of warehouses and orders were given to shoot any suspected looters.
After his duties in Liverpool, Donald arrived back on leave in Goole towards the end of September 1941 to spend time with his family. His time here was interrupted by a telegram for him to report back to camp at Knowsley Park near Prescot on Merseyside by the 2nd of October. At this time, when he left his family in Goole, they did not realise this would be the last they would see of Donald alive.
Rejoining the 6th Battalion, Donald and his colleagues settled into army life ready for their next call of duty. On parade later that month they were told that they were leaving camp but no destination was indicated. Rumours were rife as to where this would be; the Middle East being the favourite. The Battalion with the rest of the 53rd Brigade arrived by rail at Gourock near Glasgow on the 29th of October 1941. Moved from the dockside by ships tender, they climbed on board the Duchess of Atholl, a cruise ship in peace time, but now used as a troopship. Over the next day the river was an hive of activity, with other members of the Armed Forces joining other troopships anchored on the River Clyde. The ships siren sounded at 23.00 hrs on the 30th and the troopships with naval escort moved with purpose down the river to open sea. No doubt many of the troops collecting on deck wondered if this would be the last time they would see these shores again.
On board the troops settled down the best they could, many hoping they had the sea legs to endure their journey without too much discomfort. Off the Irish coast this flotilla of ships rendezvoused with the rest of the convoy taking the 18th Division to their unknown war destination. Out in the North Atlantic, Donald, with the rest of his comrades, soon found out why the ship was nicknamed `the drunken duchess`, with many of the troops suffering from sea sickness, plus the added danger of lurking U-boats beneath the waves, made for uncomfortable sailing for everyone on board.
Earlier in the year, Winston Churchill had been trying to persuade President Roosevelt, to provide help with the British war effort. At that time the USA was not at war with Germany and with many members of Congress not in favour, this was always going to be difficult for the President. His position was helped in September when a German U-boat made a failed attack on a U.S. destroyer. Later, when Churchill asked for troopships and Navy escorts for British troop reinforcements for the Middle East, this was granted. The U.S. Navy took command of the convoy under secrecy off the coast of Greenland and sailed for the port of Halifax in Canada.
The convoy docked on the 5th of November 1941 and by the 10th of November the troops were sailing away from Halifax aboard the USS Mount Vernon, another liner converted to troopship duties. Despite the usual confined spaces for non officers they found to their amazement how food was plentiful and what great variety there was. After war time rationing at home this must have seemed like five star luxury. In open waters the ship joined others to form The William Sail 12X Convoy, nicknamed `Winston`s Special`. After calling at Trinidad they sailed towards Cape Town, and while on this course, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and America entered the war. The USS Mount Vernon, after stopping briefly in Cape Town, made for Mombassa, where on December 23rd, Donald was able to send Christmas greetings to his family by telegram.
Just before leaving Mombassa on December, 29th, General Percival, on the island of Singapore, had asked for reinforcements and with its speed capabilities, the USS Mount Vernon was chosen. With one more stop in the Maldives she and her escorts made for Singapore. In her approach to Singapore she narrowly missed a mine and was then spotted by Japanese planes. Fortunately, there was low cloud due to a tropical storm which hindered the planes in making any decisive bomb drops. She arrived undamaged on January, 13th 1942 and immediately started to unload its cargo and troops.
General Percival`s intention was to hold the 53rd Brigade in reserve. The speed at which the Japanese forces moved down Malaya towards Singapore gave him little option but to send the Brigade into action. With a foe they knew little about, and without training or suitable equipment, the odds were stacked against them. The 6th Battalion first saw action on the 17th near Ayer Hitam and suffered their first fatalities. On the 24th of January, after giving a good account of themselves, Donald and his fellow soldiers were told to pull back to Yong Peng where they arrived exhausted. The men had their first hot food in several days.
Next day, after resting, the troops arrived in Batu Pahat, where the intention was to help with other British Forces to hold a new line of defence. Very early on the enemy began to probe these defences, and towards the end of the day troops began withdrawing for Senggarang. This prompted a heavy bombardment by the Japanese. A carrier in the departing convoy, with the plan of driving to Rengit, further along the road from Senggarang, went beyond this destination for some reason, and was ambushed. A group of men were ordered to see if they could find any survivors and also, if possible, clear the road block. One of the Bren Gun carriers sent was driven by Donald Guest. There is no account of what happened, but all the men were killed and the mission failed.
With the confusion after the fall of Singapore, the telegram reporting Donald was missing, did not reach the Guest family until the 26th of March 1942. This stated that Donald was posted as missing on the day Singapore surrendered, the 15th of February 1942. Not until July 1943, when a letter arrived from the War Office stating that an officer from his unit had information that Donald had been killed in action on 25th of January, 1942, but until definite confirmation was received, Private Guest would still be posted as missing. The prolonged wait for final confirmation of what had happened did not reach Donald`s mother until after the war. The War Office sent a letter on the 5th of December 1945, stating Donald had in fact, been killed in action on 25th/26th January 1942. Six days later the Army Council sent the same information bringing an end to any lingering hope Mrs. Guest and her family had of seeing Donald alive again. A death certificate for Donald, dated 10th of January 1946, brought home the reality of his death. Mary Ann Guest, thankful that her other two sons, Oswald and Clarence, came home from serving their country safely, began looking to the future. A twist to this story came on the 18th of January 1943, when another letter came from the War Office. As Mary Ann looked at the envelope did she harbour hopes that everyone had made a mistake and the envelope contained news that Donald was still alive? Unfortunately not, inside was a second death certificate.
Donald is commemorated at Kranji War Cemetery near Singapore and at the Cenotaph in Goole.
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Francis William "Frank" Guest . 2nd NZEF D Company 20th Battalion I'm trying find anyone who may remember my father, Francis (Frank) William Guest, a NZer who fought and was wounded in D Company (I think) of the 2ndNZEF (2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force) 20th Battalion at the Battle of Sidi Rezegh, Libya in November 1942 before being transferred (via about three Italian camps) to Campo 52 in Chiavari. He was moved to Stalag IVB, Muhlberg, just before Xmas day 1943. In the Italian camp and the German camp, he gave lectures, some of which were for courses accredited by the University of London external degree programme. I'm really keen to find anyone who attended his lectures which were on philosophy, psychology and law. I'm working on a short memoir of him for a history of the University of London external programme. The university has commissioned this history to mark the 150th anniversary of its external programme.
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Sgt. Jack Guest . Royal Air Force 50 Squadron (d.12th July 1941) Jack Guest served with the Royal Air Force in 50 Squadron in WW2. On the night of 12th of July 1941 his plane crashed near Veendam, in the vicinity of Veensloot. All of the crew of this plane were killed and they are buried on the local cemetery of Veendam.
Jack was aged 24, he was a WOp/Gunner of the Hampden AE 226 VN. Son of John Arthur and Mary Guest of Gleedless, Sheffield.
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Peter C. Guest . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 116 Wing Transport I served first at Glider & Paratroop Command near Stony Cross 116 Wing Transport in the New Forest. After D-Day went to St Athens for flight engineer training course. Then posted to 218 Gold Coast Squadron at Chedburgh No. 3. Group Bomber Ops. Afterwards sent to 107MU Egypt, then finally to northeast Italy near Udine in 1946/47.
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Sidney Guest . Royal Navy HMS Manchester from Kidderminster, England Sidney Guest joined the Navy aged 18. He served onboard HMS Manchester during Operation Pedestal, when the ship was torpedoed he was identified as 'essential personell', and transferred to HMS Pathfinder.
In 2006 he was made an honorary citizen of the Maltese capital of Valletta in a newspaper article published in the Dorset Echo at the time he said:
"In many ways it was a nice surprise, but it brought up a few things which I would rather forget.
"I was quite moved when I received it. There are a couple of small incidents I recall that still upset me. I was on action stations on the bridge the whole time. One colleague nearby was firing a gun at German bombers overhead when his gun got stuck. The plane was bearing down on us but I managed to clear the ammunition for him, and he shot it down just in time. Some of the memories are a bit vague, but other parts I remember clearly. I will never forget being on that deck, drowned in seawater. We had plenty of near-misses, and of course I was scared. But I was so busy, I had a job to do and got on with it. We were awake solidly for five days and four nights. How we kept our eyes open and wits about us all that time, I'll never know. I remember longing to get to Valletta to put my head down, but we never got there. Once the merchant ships were in, we got out of there as fast as we could.
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W Guest . British Army W Guest 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.
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William Joseph Guest . Royal Navy
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Lt.Cdr. William Frederick Guest . Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves HMS Penelope from Hereford, Dulwich My Father, William Guest served with the RNVR on the HMS Penelope and was a crew member when it was torpedoed in Valetta. Malta. He was also part of the Russian fleet. My Father did not talk about the war but I know he was badly affected and I was named Penelope to commemorate his survival. I would be so glad to have any information about him from anyone who has photos or memorabilia from this frigate.
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Lt. Richard R. Guice . US Army 172nd Field Artillery Battalion
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