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Flt.Sgt. Matthew Miller Hamilton . Royal New Zealand Air Force 484 Sqdn. 114 Squadron from New Zealand (d.22nd April 1944) An Air Gunner in the Royal Air Force, Flight Sergeant Matthew Hamilton of Royal New Zealand Air Force was killed when his Douglas Boston bomber was shot down on a hill near Vallecorsa, a small village in Italy. Two others of his crew were killed but one survived and crawled from the wreckage with a broken leg.
Luigi Ceci was in hiding with his family and watched as German soldiers raced to the crash scene and removed the bodies. Luigi later recovered the bodies and made coffins for them and buried the three airmen.
Sergeant Hamilton was buried 4 times: once by the Germans, once by Luigi again in the village and finally in the War Cemetery at Cassino.
The crew member who survived was Mick Bradley.
The Crew were:
P/O Jenkins, Allen Phill, NZ413078, RNZAF Pilot.
F/Sgt. Hamilton, Matthew Miller, 42325, RNZAF, A/G.
Sgt. Moxey, Percy J.D. 1318956, W.Op./Air Gnr., RAF Volunteer Reserve of Exeter, Devon. aged 22.
F/O Bradley A.E. "Mick" 27117, Navigator, RAF of Worthing, Sussex
My mother Claire Paterson visited his grave site in Italy and met Luigi Ceci, who had buried him after the plane was shot down. Claire never met her father, as she was only a baby when he was killed. Read more
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L/Cpl. Paul George Hamilton . South African Army 17th Field Ambulance Medical Corps My father, Peter Sidney Hamilton, L/Cpl 93262 was a POW in Italy in 1943 at Sforzacosta Camp 53 near Macerata, along with his brother, Paul George Hamilton, L/Cpl 176162 who was with the Medical Corps. They escaped and Paul was shot soon after by the Germans during battle and is buried at the military cemetery at Ancona.
My father, Peter, was transferred to Stalag 4B after he was recaptured by the Germans. Thereafter, it appears he escaped and was later recaptured by the Gestapo. After this, the story seems to fizzle out.
My father passed on in 1999 aged 76.
If anyone has any further information about either of these two men, it will be gratefully received.
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L/Cpl. Peter Sidney Hamilton . South African Army from Durban My father, Peter Sidney Hamilton, L/Cpl 93262 was a POW in Italy in 1943 at Sforzacosta Camp 53 near Macerata, along with his brother, Paul George Hamilton, L/Cpl 176162 who was with the Medical Corps. They escaped and Paul was shot soon after by the Germans during battle and is buried at the military cemetery at Ancona.
My father, Peter, was transferred to Stalag 4B after he was recaptured by the Germans. Thereafter, it appears he escaped and was later recaptured by the Gestapo. After this, the story seems to fizzle out.
My father passed on in 1999 aged 76.
If anyone has any further information about either of these two men, it will be gratefully received.
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R Hamilton . British Army Royal Pioneer Corps R Hamilton served with the Royal Pioneer 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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Sgt. R. J. Hamilton . RCAF 419 Sqd. from Canada
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Lt. Ralph E. Hamilton Oak Leaf Clusters. Army Air Corp 78th Fighter Group, 83rd Fighter Squadron 8th Air Force from Long Beach, CA, USA Lt.Ralph Hamilton was a P-51 pilot who was shot down on a mission to Nurnberg on February 22, 1945 while strafing a marshalling yard in Crailsheim, Germany. He bailed out and was captured trying to reach the Swiss border. He achieved limited popularity among other prisoners for being able to make a delicious white cream sauce out of minimal ingredients, turning rather bland rations into food that was almost edible.
In his notes he said he wrote the following poem under a dim night light, on toilet paper in the camp at Moosberg Kriegsgefangenenlager Stalag VII-A. He said the bedbugs had chewed his wrists, neck, and ankles to a painful mass of itching misery and forced him from his bunk.
A Kriegies's Prayer:
Oh, God, I ask of you in humble prayer,
As I lie in torment far from home,
Keep safe my loving family over there;
Make lighter theirs—this burden
Which they bear.
I ask not why this plan for war was lain,
Nor question your divine authority,
But couldn't you have had the flak refrain
That last time I went down to
Strafe a train?
Oh, God, just slightly overflow thy cup,
And speed me from this vermin-prison’s bed.
Please, God, release me from
This land of Krupp
Before these God-damned bedbugs eat me up!
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Sapper Rapley Harry Hamilton . Royal Canadian Army Royal Hamilton Light Infantry My Dad was a prisoner of war in Stalag 9C. He was sent there from the Battle of Dieppe. He had a knee injury that kept him out of the mines for a little while. His name was Rapley Harry Hamilton attached to the Essex and Kent Scottish, and was a Sapper with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. If anybody has any info about him that they would like to share, please pass it on. My Dad passed away and I am just trying to find out more about when he was a prisoner of war.
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Sapper Rapley Harry Hamilton . Royal Canadian Army Royal Hamilton Light Infantry My Dad was a prisoner of war in Stalag 9C. He was sent there from the Battle of Dieppe. He had a knee injury that kept him out of the mines for a little while. His name was Rapley Harry Hamilton attached to the Essex and Kent Scottish, and was a Sapper with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. If anybody has any info about him that they would like to share, please pass it on. My Dad passed away and I am just trying to find out more about when he was a prisoner of war.
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Rapley "Bud" Hamilton . Canadian Army Royal Hamilton LIght Infantry Royal Canadian Engineers My dad, Rapley (Bud) Hamilton was a prisoner of war in Stalag 9c. He arrived there from Dieppe. He was wounded and spent time in the hospital nearby for his leg wound. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Engineers, was attached to the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, the Essex and Kent Scottish. If anybody has info about him please send it along.
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RC Hamilton . British Army RC Hamilton 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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LAC. Reginald William Arthur Hamilton . Royal Air Force My late husband, Reginald Hamilton, was stationed at RAF Locking amongst others, including the Faroe Islands.
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RF Hamilton . British Army Royal West Kent Regiment RF Hamilton served with the Royal West Kent 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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RG Hamilton . British Army Royal Armoured Corps RG Hamilton 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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RM Hamilton . British Army Gordon Highlanders RM Hamilton served with the Gordon Highlanders 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. Robert Hamilton . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Squadron from Beith, Ayrshire, Scotland (d.14th Oct 1944) Robert Hamilton was the son of Alex Hamilton, known as Sanny and his wife Mary. Along with their six children, two boys and four girls, they lived in the small north Ayrshire town of Beith, Scotland. On the 14th October 1944 at approximately 23 years of age, Robert Hamilton was killed. My family lived in the flat above theirs. I was just a toddler at the time, but I do remember seeing Mary, clutching a piece of paper and coming to share the tragic news with my Mum. She was completely heartbroken at the loss of her son. Robert is interred at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
If any readers knew Robert during his time in military service and are willing to share those memories, it would be greatly appreciated.
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Pte. Robert Brewster Hamilton . British Army 176th (Highland) Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps Robert Hamilton served with 176th (Highland) Field Ambulance RAMC, attached to 7th Battalion Black Watch in 154 Brigade, 51st Highland Division.
He served in North Africa with 8th Army and was part of the 7th Battalion Black Watch that spearheaded the invasion of Sicily, D Day push into North West Europe and amongst the first to cross the Rhine. Also, amongst the first to liberate Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
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Capt Robert Pringle Lothian Hamilton . British Army Pioneer Corps (d.17th Jun 1942)
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P/O S J B Hamilton . RAF 102 sqd
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SJ Hamilton . British Army SJ Hamilton 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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T Hamilton . British Army Cameronians T Hamilton served with the Cameronians 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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W Hamilton . British Army 52nd Regiment Reconnaissance Corps W Hamilton served with the 52nd Regiment Reconnaissance 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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L/Cpl William John "Hammy" Hamilton . Army Kings Royal Rifles Corps from Bethnal Green, London I would like to hear from anyone who knew my father Billy Hamilton, who joined up in 1939 was at Aldershot, Sailsbury, and I think Catterick, he was a cook in the Kings Royal Rifles and was captured when first arriving in France and was placed into a stalag camp which I think the no was 5, he escaped from the camp and went into the partisans but was recaptured and spend the rest of the time in the Stalag until he was released in 1945.
He did a lot of boxing and was origionally from Bethnal Green. Before war broke out he was stationed in Palestine and also at Aldershot and Catterick. I would like to hear from anyone who knew him
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Rfmn. William John "Hammy" Hamilton . British Army Kings Royal Rifle Corps from London My father, William John Hamilton, was in the King's Royal Rifles. He joined up, I think, in 1937. He went to Tel Aviv, Palestine etc. He was captured when arriving in France being one of the first batch over and ended up in a POW camp. I think near Poland he escaped to Czechoslovakia and went with the partisans but was recaptured and served the rest of the time in the POW camp until liberation.
Can anyone tell me where the POW camp was? All I know is the no 5.
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William Hamilton . British Army Royal Artillery from West Calder William Hamilton joined the Royal Artillery and served in Tobruk where he was captured. Made to walk the thousand mile march from Palermo to Brindisi then all the way to Stalag 1Vb where he was prisoner for four and a half years.
He worked in a ball bearing factory. He was liberated by the Russians and came back in a Lancaster. He left his engagement ring and watch hidden in rocks before being taken prisoner. His back was badly damaged by the constant rifle butt by Italian soldiers who marched him up the length of Italy. He never collected his medals as he thought he had let his country down, but his daughter sent for them.
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Pte. William Robertson Hamilton . British Army Royal Army Medical Corps from Carney Hill, Dunfermline, Scotland. (d.6th December 1942)
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P/O S. B.J. Hamiton . 102 Squadron
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Ernest Hamlett . My father was in Stalag XXIB for seven and a half months, and sent to work in the Bad Grund Lead Mine each day. See his story on the website (Ernest Hamlett) and the information about the names on the 20 Reichmark note, which were the names of the prisoners who shared a hut with him in Stalag XIB.
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Eleanor Hamlin . Auxiliary Territorial Service I have an interesting story regarding my Auntie Queenie, Eleanor Hamlin, who was in the A.T.S.(Auxiliary Territorial Service) throughout the war in spite of being deaf. I have inherited her calling up paper at Blyth, Northumberland, her paybook, discharge papers and medals. She volunteered in August 1939, before the war started, and was called up in October, W/17926. According to her paybook, she didn’t have a medical until 1942 and was given A.W.1! In 1944 she was downgraded to B.W.4. She spent the last two years at Catterick. Her commanding officer was Mrs. Edna M. Sheel of Barking, Essex, and for the last seven months of service, she was her batman. She was very adept at lip reading but couldn’t necessarily hear a telephone or fire bell or air-aid siren. On one occasion she was escorted home on leave to make sure she arrived safely because there was a threat of bombing in Leeds. I have just read Roy Terry’s book, "Women at Khaki", which partially explains what could have happened. Until April 1941, the A.T.S. was a voluntary organisation and her medical occurred as conscription was introduced. One complication is that her pay book is only a certified copy up until 1944. In 1942 she was with the 52nd A.A. and finally discharged from G company, Catterick in October 1945. I would love to know more about her service and if anyone remembers her.
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Pte. Harry William Hamlin . British Army 2nd Btn. Seaforth Highlanders from Acton,london (d.23rd March 1945) Harry Hamlin served with the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders.
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