Our grandfathers and fathers and relatives in military service!

[James C]

i would like to show some pictures of my great grandfather ,bert Condé member of the 5th/6th battalion royal welsh fusiliers ,he saw service in gallipoli during ww1 and was a sargeant in the home guard during ww2005.jpg on this group photograph he can be seen on the extreme far right wearing the pith helmet 009.jpg013.jpg004.jpg001.jpg003.jpg001.jpg

[Scout]

Thanks to all who thus far have shared these highly personal pics and info. Some poignant pics.
It adds an extra dimension, that this is family to those who contribute.

[Spitace41]

Ah, that explains the pic on your avatar! Good stuff

[GIZMO8Z]

Here is a great grandfather when he was in the ONB (Italian fascist youth organization)
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Here is my great grandfather's medal grouping from World War I. He fought for the Italians in the Brigata Piacenza. He participated in multiple battles near the Isonzo on the Italian/ Austrian border.
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Here is my Russian grandfather. He was from Rostov and fought in WWII. Other than missing fingers on one hand from the war, I don't know anything about his service. My grandmother says he was captured by the Germans and pressed into service for them as a medical orderly, but I can neither confirm or deny.
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Finally, this is my Russian great grandfather. My grandmother says the Germans came to their farm in Zhytomir Ukraine and conscripted him. He was last seen in 1945.
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[ObKrieger]

i would like to show some pictures of my great grandfather ,bert Condé member of the 5th/6th battalion royal welsh fusiliers ,he saw service in gallipoli during ww1 and was a sargeant in the home guard during ww2005.jpg on this group photograph he can be seen on the extreme far right wearing the pith helmet 009.jpg013.jpg004.jpg001.jpg003.jpg001.jpg

This is fantastic! It's interesting to see how he aged over the years. A true hero (like everyone elses' fathers and grandfathers!).

[Dean]

My great grandfather Bill Oatman served in the 506th PIR, 101st ABN,'E' Co. (Easy company, the infamous "band of brothers" unit) his plane was shot down over France on D-day and he was one of few that survived the jump before the plane crashed. He was captured and escaped a couple times, hid out with the French resistance under a false identity at a farm for several months while German soldiers frequented the home and even ate at the same table. the germans thought he was injured in an allied bomb blast and couldnt talk.He later rejoined his unit when the allies reached his location. Him and a buddy shot a couple german couriers off their motorcycles and headed to Hitlers eagles nest. He later liberated Dachau. You can read his story at military.com , search "soldiers stories Bill Oatman" in the browser there.I also made a thread here at the forum with the story there. He was truly a war hero and a kind man.heres a picture of Myself and him when I was seven and visited him in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately this the only pic I have of him at the moment.

[Dean]

Here is my grandfather, Mike Scroggins. He served in the Army as a radio operator during the Vietnam conflict. I inherited his dog tags and ribbon bar. This is myself and him , I was also seven in the photo. I had very young parents who were not fit to raise me and as a result, I spent much of my childhood being raised by my grandparents. I'm very thankful for this because they were very great people and taught me much and shaped the person I am now, a history maniac! He was also a local surfing legend and is featured at the local surf museum at lighthouse point in Santa Cruz, CA.

-Edit-
Funny story about the dog tags. One time we were watching the movie 'Apocalypse Now' and during a certain scene he was getting memories of the war and bit one tag in half! I later bent it back but kinda wish I left it that way now .he passed away shortly after.

[James C]

here's a picture of my grandfather gerald Condé ,it was taken at an early age some time in his mid teens ,he later went on to join the royal navy as a B gunner on the arctic convoys during ww2 , later on he saw service in the pacific but suffered burn injurys when his battleship took a direct shell hit in close proximity to him ,i believe the ships repairs were undertaken somewhere in western australia ,when he recovered from his injuries he returned to the sea again untill the end of the war 010.jpg

[Dean]

Great stuff you guys have posted In memorium of our families service. Col. James , I can def see the resemblance of you and him! Uncanny for sure. I always thought your avatar was a family member and when I saw the post of you in the BW jacket on another thread, I was convinced.

[Spitace41]

here's a picture of my grandfather gerald Condé ,it was taken at an early age some time in his mid teens ,he later went on to join the royal navy as a B gunner on the arctic convoys during ww2 , later on he saw service in the pacific but suffered burn injurys when his battleship took a direct shell hit in close proximity to him ,i believe the ships repairs were undertaken somewhere in western australia ,when he recovered from his injuries he returned to the sea again untill the end of the war 010.jpg

Looks like he was in the Home Guard?