What kind of battle scars did you're ancestors fathers and Grand fathers received by fighting in wwII?(It can be also uncles,nephews or even female ralitives that may have been shot too.) My mothers uncle was shot in the neck and survived,he had a huge neck scar! Since only one was shot and none were killed,i think all of my ancestors ran from the emeny. I got no others stories to tell. LOL.
Don't forget that scars don't have to be physical, Heidi - they can be psychological. I am sure many of your ancestors had those, even though they were lucky not have received any physical ones. None of my relatives fought in the war (as far as I know) though my grandparents were involved in admin and farming during the war, in India, for the British.
My Father had a scar on his left cheek, which would become more obvious in cold weather, where a spent round lodged in his cheek where the jaw bones join. Two small scars on right and left calf muscles, these were wounds received 13th June 1944. 2 shrapnel scars on both thighs as a result of actions in August 1942, North Africa. Scar left arm, shrapnel, North Africa, April 1943. As has been suggested his worst injuries were the nightmares he endured for the rest of his life !!!!
Very true, this thread is for mental scaring for life of you're ancestors during ww2. Thanks for recorrecting me.
Battle Scars Hi Heidi, During the very little heard of confrontation, when each side was on edge, during the exercises of the Soviet Army, when they strayed across the international border, winter 1951, I found myself the victim of friendly fire. A squaddie who had been on duty too long, squeazed one off and I ended up in a ditch with a very sore leg. Somewhere in the forum I discussed my experience of aquaflaveline as opposed to penicillin. Most know of my long and loyal service with the military. I am afraid, now being 77 and beginning to mature, a very difficult and rare thing in the male of the species, even though I realise this war was inevitable and I am proud of the outcome, but I no longer have the non-seeing joy of watching the fighting of an extended and bloody war. Now when I see on television, footage of the atrocities commited on both sides, even though I feel that we had no option but to retaliate and try to rectify the situation of people and countries being tortured and enslaved, I find no happiness, only a feeling of great sadness at the sight of too many dead and wounded. After my duty had ended in the army, I extended my service into the T.A. To the many who asked if I was a military nut, I replied by saying, If you own a house it would be stupid not to have fire insurance ! That is what we are, the equivalent of fire insurance, but for our country. I know also that mental scars do exist and that there are countless numbers still affected by what they had to endure. They forever deserve our support if we come across them. May I end by saying, please be proud of the things we achieved, the items we invented and developed and the victory we so rightly enjoyed, but also remember the suffering caused to the many, in every facet of the war on both sides. Cheers Keith
After the Australian 6th Division took Bardia, the 6th went onto Tobruk where my father was critically injured on 21st January 1941. His Brigade (19th) apparently got the short straw and he survived the day he thought as most of the shooting had ceased............ Wham bang shot in the arm and twice in the left thigh, he went to ground as you would and boom he was hit by mortar shrapnel. He was cut to pieces and left by the first medic team and not until the second medical team who came later did they realise that he was still alive. The eventually got him to hospital at El Kantara where he spent four months before being sent back to Australia. His injuries: A hole in his skull the size of a tennis ball: Severe concussion A metal plate plate put in his skull His nose torn apart from top left to bottom right (you could only see the scar when it was cold as it used to turn blue) Three fractures of the jaw A large gash in the neck Three fingers torn apart - Wire used to tie them back together Shrapnel in his arms and from neck to waist. Extensive plastic surgery. Here he is in El Kantara Hospital in Egypt a few months later after plastic surgery. View attachment 3086 He was lucky that the foremost Australian Plastic Surgeon was there to put him back together: Sir Benjamin Rank was a man that could be mentioned in the same breath as Archibald McIndoe.(of Guinea Pigs fame)
These are a couple of my father before he left for the Middle East (He is on the left) and another not long before he retired as a guard/messenger with the Reserve Bank of Australia in Melbourne after 32 year service. He could not return to his pre war trade as a Cabinet Maker due to his injuries. View attachment 3087 View attachment 3088
WOW. All of you're ancestors had a really rough time!I read every single one of them,i think all of them deserve me to read all and respect all. I will never of knowen what it would be like to be in there situation,I love war and learning about war but i can't kill in battle,it's not me,i am a chicken. All of the stories appelled to me,wishe di knew more about my story.
Howdy Keith. Cool, you were born way before the ww2 years, you're a ww2 vet that frought agianst Germany and German soldiers? I think my first post may have cause you to write you're above posts,i should have worded my first post a bit better. I respect and honour all ww2 vets,including you're self. Glad that you survived you're ww2 and other war experience,i really do. So,when you were fighting in ww2,did you ever shot at Germans soldiers or did you capture any German soldiers and did they ever speak to you at all, and in English? If this is too much for you to talk about cause you might get upset,thats allright,i will respect you and just let me know, you don't want to talk about it. I would understand completely.
Wounding and scarring Hi Heidi, Please understand, I was lucky not to be old enough to be involved in the war of 1939/45, ( apart from a little "D" Day jaunt ) I was a victim of an accident, during, if anything the cold war. I was only 8 years old when the war broke out and only 15 when I had the priviledge of watching the victory parade in London from the second story window of my mothers office in Regent Street. I have a couple of snaps somewhere that I took on the occasion, if I find them I'll post them. I was also lucky during my initial army service not to go to Korea, through being accidentally overlooked at the time the posting. Indeed I had a very charmed life and had a marvelous time due to my alternate posting to Austria, where I had the priviledge of wearing the arm badge of the 8th. Army which was the insignia of B.T.A. I like many of my generation, had our geography lessons spiced up by the news and following the exploits of our armies in the various theatres of war, and took great delight in their many sucesses. In our naivety we failed to realise the enormity of the suffering, it is only in later life after attending so many Armistice Day parades, then at a much more mature age bowing our heads in rememberance of not only our own losses but also remembering the losses of so many more that were a direct cause of the conflict. I, like many others, are alive and enjoy the freedoms that we have today, as a direct result of the sacrifices of our older generation. They didn't go to war to enjoy it, or for any other reason, but to save our countries from being over-run by a cruel regime that wished to subjugate everyone and everything for their own use. At my age I think I have missed two Armistice Day parades, which was due to ill health. I remember, and so many people, who care, remember. Please be one of them. Cheers Keith
Interesting story you have here..That would be great to see the victory parade in london. Thanks. I appreicate you're war efforts in the other wars and risking you're life and i am one of those who care and remember the war years.:grouphug:
As far as actual body injuries go as far as I know my family was very lucky. My uncle Mal was a regular army Warrant Officer when WW2 broke out, he fought in many theatres of war that the Aussies were in, (except Syria & the Track) including 6th Div Bardia Promoted to LT in field, Tobruk, Greece, promoted to Captain helped guard the Greek king during escape to Crete, fought Germans in Crete, back to Tobruk with 9 Div as liaison officer with Notts Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, Commanded Yeomanry Coy in Tobruk for short while after OC killed, he being a Reg and a officer was placed as OC for a while. RTA, fought IJA PNG, Fought IJA Borneo, ended war as Lt Col (substantive rank was still Major) Ended regular Army career in 1965 after 35 years as a Reg substantive rank Lt Col actual rank Bgdr. Mind strong but changed forever. Uncle Tom 6th Div, RTA early 1941, AIF independent commando company PNG then 7th Div Borneo, he is the one who with mates found priest and nuns gutted and hung from trees, body scars not much mental scars terrible never settled back into life even though he was Mayor of Horsham in early 1960's. Actual Body scars dad, Korea shrapnel inside upper left thigh, CCF rifle butt to right side of head, three dead teeth for life. Only escaped being bayoneted due to next Aussie who shot the Chinese man. Large Gun fight broke out over top of dads body Chinese vs Aussie as both sides wanted my dad who was half conscious while gunfight went on. So in my family and WW2 it was more mental scarring than anything, same with dad (Korea) one and one half combat tours one peace keeping tour, he didn't worry about his wounds and scars,or dead teeth, he just nightmared almost every night of his life. Great Grand Father WW1 died of gun shot wound to the head, August 1916, he was a 45 Y/O Lance Jack. (Slang for Lance Cpl)
Nothing on my side of the family but there's some relatives who were in WWI that I'm still working on. My father-in-law's Dad, as many of you know, was a DEMS gunner in the RN. He spent some time in a psychiatric hospital (name escapes me at present) after, we believe, his surviving the sinking of the Viceroy of India.
Dems Gunners Hi Andy, I don't know if I've already told, but my best mate and Crib & guzzle friend was on D.E.M.S. during the war. He spent most of his time in Australian waters, never saw any action, according to him. The Gunner assigned to ship was a Royal Marine Sgt, who apparently was a very good drinker. His ship was the S.S. Taranacka, I believe. Cheers Keith
You have mentioned it before, Keith. Taranaki from memory. There's a book on Aussie DEMS gunners that I'll catch one of these days.
My Grandfather was very lucky in regards to physical scars. All he sustained was a chunk of bone knocked from the bridge of his nose. He ran in to a washing line in an Italian garden after there gun position was overun during the night. Mental scars I think were always with him. He joined the RA TA in Bristol in 1936 along with a friend from his village. His friend was the first to be killed in action when they went overseas. Siege of Tobruk, April 1941. His battery was in action during an air raid on the harbour. The luftwaffe had changed tactics that day and the dive bombers made direct attacks against the HAA emplacements. A matador loaded with ammunition took a direct hit. It was next to the gunpit that Grandads friend was in. 2 killed instantly one more died of his wounds the following day. That stayed with Grandad all his life.
Scars Hi Heidi, My Grandad lost his wedding ring finger, they got shot down and when they exited the plane, got his ring caught and we all know the rest of the story. Martin
wow, thankes for sharing! what army did yuo;re granddad fight fore? Did thee germans shot him downe? Hope that;s thee only thing he had too suffer during ww2!
Wounded in action I am an 84 year old WW2 American veteran that was wounded in action on two seperate occasions during WW2. The First time was on December the 16 th 1944 on the first day of the battle of the Bulge. I took a bullet through the leg. The second time was three days after we crossed the Rhine at Remagan. My left arm was shattered, I took grenade shrapnel in my right thigh, I had a head wound, and took a bullet in my right shoulder by a German as I laid on the ground. i was taken prisoner and escaped 16days later. My country (USA) granted me a 85% disability rating, and have never denied me medical attention. Read my story. Franek's Story - Growing Up
Hi frank You're story is one of the best and interesting i have read. You were shot on the ground by a german soldier? that's not fair ,you could not defend you're self. You should also post you're story on these forums aswell! WW2 forum and the Armchair general forum,they would absulutly love you're story! Mostly Americans on those forums. Exspecialy the ww2 forum,they actually have like 5 ww2 vets that actually post on there alot of times,you might actually serve with those guys (long shot though) thanks for sharing you're story.
