Tributes

[Eric Zentner]

Fred K Fraley my friend and father in law passed away 09-15-09 and was medic in the 106th and landed D-day+14. The next to last pic is both of us in Bad-Ems Germany in late 2007 where he was stationed at one point . The last pic is his funeral flag and medals that I display proudly.

Eric
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[Thanatos]

Dave, that is a great looking war memorial, is that your local one? I love the 303 and slouch hat on top, very poignant indeed.

Gday Dave,
Yes mate on the grounds of the local RSL (GeorgeTown Tasmania).
Up close the 303 and tin lid are truely magnificant.The original lid was stolen before the security/weather cover was fitted,some people just don't get it.
A quick drag around the AWM by the ear may change their outlook though.There's to much of this going on these day's vandalism,desicration with spray can's,stealing etc. Max penalties should apply to those convicted of such actions.
Have a good one Dave
Dave

[Walkwolf]

Great idea Tom.

Here is my nephew Matt - on his first tour in Afghanistan - 2008, as a Captain
in the Canadian EME, serving with British forces. He is currently 'over there'
as I type this, on his second tour - now with the rank of Major
( Edit April 29, 2019 - Lieutenant-Colonel ).

Click to enlarge:
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I would also like to mention my late Godfather, Wilbur (Wib) Smith, Dispatch
Rider with the Saskatoon Light Infantry in WWII, who served in Italy
(D-Day Dodger) and in Holland.

As well, a friend of my mother, Claude Eustace Bellsmith, Corporal, Royal
Canadian Regiment - killed at Ortona, Italy - December 20, 1943.
Moro River Canadian War Cemetery.

Claude in 1941
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"To Non. With all that's best - now and ever - Claude"


Lastly, my wifes grandfathers brother, Charles (Charlie) Bynski, Private,
from Kenora Ontario - Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) R.C.I.C. - killed
in Holland - April 27, 1945. Holten Canadian War Cemetery.

[mauser98k]

This is my Grandfather and Uncle,
Sgt.Frank Sinclair, Royal Artillery.
Able Seaman,Edward Sinclair, Royal Navy.
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Martin

[M18922]

I have no close relitives or pictures of anyone who fought in the war (though I am sure I have some very distant relitives that fought).
But I will like to make a tribute to my grandfather Bill Lewis who built ships for the british during the war and in the process his house got bombed twice by luftwaffe in Belfast.

Best regards,
Pat

[helmet2id]

My Uncle Charlie was in C Company, 23rd Regiment, 2nd ID. He landed on Omaha Beach on D-day, second wave, as did many soldiers from the 2nd ID who were tasked with the mission of protecting the combat engineers who were clearing the obstacles on the beach. He was a rifleman, but on June 12, 1944 the BAR man in his squad, or what was left of it, was killed. Charlie, who was drafted in 1943, and who had his basic training at Camp Wheeler outside of Macon Georgia in early 1944, had qualified as expert on the BAR, so he picked up the weapon and carried it throughout the remainder of his combat experience in Normandy and Brittany. He shipped out to the UK on either the Queen Mary or the Queen Elizabeth (I don't recall which one) and was lucky enough to be berthed in a stateroom with a regular bunk and a private head, while his cousin George Koteas, with whom he went through basic training, was in one of the holds, sick the entire time. Charlie thought that was hysterical, and teased George about it to the day he died. Charlie was assigned to the 2nd ID in Wales in April, and was one of many from the 2nd ID who was chosen to go ashore with the initial assault waves - the remainder of the Division went ashore on 6/7-9/44. Charlie was in combat from 6/6/44 until the end of the Brittany campaign. He loved to dance and his buddies, all of whom were wounded or killed long before Charlie's 3rd wound, sustained on 9/14/44 during the brutal fighting in Brest, sent him home, called him the "Heebie Geebie Greek on the BAR." When I was a little boy I asked him why, and he said they called him that because when he fired the weapon on full auto from the prone position, "That son of a bitch would have me hopping around like a Mexican jumping bean." In 2008, the Connecticut Secretary of State presented Charlie, and each of several other surviving WWII vets from his town, with a Certificate of Appreciation for their service. I painted houses with Charlie one summer in the mid 70's, just the 2 of us. A few times he just didn't show up. After it happened a couple of times I called him to ask why. My Aunt answered the phone and just said "He was screaming last night in his sleep- I think he will be drinking today." At his funeral one of my other Aunts said Charlie was a happy, funny, "devilish kid" who was profoundly changed by his war time experiences, she simply said "He was never the same when he came back from France." Charlie earned 3 Purple Hearts, and was awarded the Bronze Star for deeds of heroism in the fight for Brest. He couldn't have cared less for the Bronze Star, but he was proud of the fact that he was a combat wounded veteran, and in his coffin, at his request, he clasped his CIB and a flag in his right hand. We lost Charlie a few years ago, just before Christmas. I miss him terribly. Jim G.

[stuka f]

My grandfather on father side was a stretcher-bearer between the two wars, employee during second WW at a great metallurgy factory in Antwerp, he was send on a regular base to Spain??...don't realy know what for, but he left us with numbreous old metal ornaments bearing confiscation numbers of the Germans. Things he managed to safe from been melt down. That must have give me the intrest for antiques.
Grandfather on mother side was in a gaz attack at a very young age in the trenchees during WWI and sufferd of his lungs ever since untill he died in the early '70 ties. Forced labor during WW II, he hated the Germans and didn't fancy my German WW items!! He got the war merit cross for his participation of the first WW.
A uncle of my mum was a Flemish volunteer and joined the Flemisch NSKK, he served in Afrika and at the east front ending up as a SS men. Don't know much more as he was a persona non grata in the familly, he died in then late 80 ties.
My mother's sister married a English soldier who was a member of a logistic battalion doing transports in the port of Antwerp during and at the end of the war.
That guy's brother died in a Japanese camp of war.My aunt and uncle would therfor never go to a Chinees restaurant, even long before the first Japanese retaurant existed anywhere in Belgium or England....
My father was a reserve officer of the Belgian field artillery and served two years as a police / military officer in our previous African colony untill 1960 thise was the end of his military career.
Thats about my familly's military history.
cheers
|<ris

[Frundsberg]

Most of my relatives were in German but some also in Red Army. For understandable reasons no photos were kept in Soviet times with men in Wehrmacht or W-SS uniforms:-). The only photo I have is my granduncle in Luftwaffe uniform but even this only photo was found only afrer is death in well hided place.

[helmet2id]

Two of my other Uncles, Jim and Gus (Dino), also saw combat in WWII. Jim was in the 10th Army and fought throughout the Okinawa battle. He carried a Thompson, but for 2 weeks was a flame thrower operator. After 2 weeks on that weapon, his sergeant decided that Jim had been at risk long enough, and reassigned the flame thrower to a replacement, which probably saved Jim's life. Gus enlisted at age 16, and went in to the Navy. He was assigned to the USS Hambleton, and saw action in the Mediterranean, where the Hambleton engaged and sunk a U-boat, at Normandy during Operation Neptune/Overlord during which action the Hambleton shelled the beaches at Omaha and on the night of 6/11-12/44 engaged and sunk 2 E-boats, southern France during the Anvil invasion, and after the Hambleton was refitted as a mine sweeper, Okinawa. The attached picture was given to me in 2005 by Al Grys, one of Gus' shipmates. Gus passed away in 2002. In 2004 I went to Washington DC with my son on his field trip. On the last day we went to the WWII Memorial, which was open to the public, but had not yet been officially dedicated. I was looking for someone with a 2nd ID Patch but did not see anyone. I did see an old Vet, with his wife, and his son, sitting on one of the benches. I went up to him, apologized for disturbing him, and asked him if he knew Gus Geanuracos. At first he looked stunned, then he stood up and said, "The Big Greek - of course I know the Big Greek!" We spoke for about an hour. He and Gus had been in basic training together, and served in combat until Gus, who was assigned to a 40 MM gun, had his eardrums blown out when a kami kazi nearly hit the boat and exploded. When I met Al he told me that his last name was shortened from a very long Polish name. He also told me that he was called Alphabet by his shipmates, because his last name had every letter of the alphabet in it. Al asked me how I guessed that he knew Gus. I said it was because he was wearing a USS Hambleton hat. Al never saw Gus again after Gus was wounded and evacuated. Al and I have stayed in touch ever since we met. He is over 90 and still sharp as a tack. He sent me this picture, and an official WWII vintage picture of the Hambleton, over the years. In the attached picture Al is the one standing guard with an '03 Springfield. Gus is the one walking towards the photographer. The guy at the bottom of the picture was performing a very important task. Last year I asked Al what he was doing. Al said he had to whisper, because his lovely bride, Susan, was in the next room. He explained that the sailor was hitting a silver quarter with a hammer, to flatten out the rim. They would then drill out the center to make a silver ring, and according to Al - "We would give the rings to THOSE GIRLS as tips" for services rendered. The picture was taken about August 18, 1944, shortly after the Anvil landings. Charlie and Gus are gone now, but Jimmy and Alphabet are still with us - thank God. These were truly great men.

[Jerry B]

My paternal grandfather, Arthur Bond, served in WWI with the Northants regiment, seeing action on the Somme etc. My maternal grandfather, Fred Millard, also served in WWI, though sadly I do not know his service history, though he also served in WWII as a civilian firefighter on an RAF base where he was awarded the George medal for bravery. My father, Les Bond, served as a sergeant in WWII with the Royal Signals in North Africa and Italy, he was wounded by shrapnel from a torpedo whilst on a troopship -some of which he had insitu until he passed away- and was Mentioned in Dispatches for carrying a wounded comrade to safety whilst under enemy fire.

My father in the desert and his medals and cap badge.