Hi Risa - Yes, the land armies were part of women helping out during the war.
The women in my family didn't do that - they were instead working in munitions factories in the north of England, making ammunition for the war effort.
In fact, every single adult member of my family was involved in the war effort, gaining them special awards and a whole stack of newspaper clippings, which my father still has. This was unusual - they were one of the rare commoner families where every single family member worked for the military, defending England and leading to the fall of the Nazi regime.
Times were tough, and everyone did what they could, but some did a little bit more.
My grand-uncle served as a gunner in the Siege of Malta, and was reduced to eating rats to survive.
He is still a hero among the people of Malta, and is treated very well by the Adelaide Maltese community, as he now lives in Adelaide, Australia.
There are so many ways in which we can be heroes. Not all of them are along military lines, but I've done my years of military service in Australia too (in the Army in Signals), in recognition of my family heritage.
I'm proud of my family heritage, and know that they are glad that the memory of their war effort will live on in me, and in my children when I pass the stories, many medals and press clippings on.
Thanks for reminding me of this, and not just on Anzac Day!
When I was reading about Hurricanes and also the British submarine service, Malta came up a lot. Admiration for the people of that amazing island, and your uncle, too.
My dad served as an ULTRA signalman on the USCG-crewed AKA-17 Centaurus, which passed through your area with 4,000 First Div Marines aboard, en route to New Britain, Peleliu, Kwajalein, and Okinawa. As it turned out, my father-in-law was one of those Marines! And the man who built our house, and also the man from whom we bought it, were both on Liberty ships in the same fleet. Strange how these things happen.
My father was one of those in the navy that landed the Marines on shore. His boat was hit so he picked up a gun and started fighting with the Marines.
He told me that war is never good and supported my fight against the draft. We need to fight as citizens our government when it makes bad decisions. Lisa
Hi Risa - Yes, the land armies were part of women helping out during the war.
ReplyDeleteThe women in my family didn't do that - they were instead working in munitions factories in the north of England, making ammunition for the war effort.
In fact, every single adult member of my family was involved in the war effort, gaining them special awards and a whole stack of newspaper clippings, which my father still has. This was unusual - they were one of the rare commoner families where every single family member worked for the military, defending England and leading to the fall of the Nazi regime.
Times were tough, and everyone did what they could, but some did a little bit more.
My grand-uncle served as a gunner in the Siege of Malta, and was reduced to eating rats to survive.
He is still a hero among the people of Malta, and is treated very well by the Adelaide Maltese community, as he now lives in Adelaide, Australia.
There are so many ways in which we can be heroes. Not all of them are along military lines, but I've done my years of military service in Australia too (in the Army in Signals), in recognition of my family heritage.
I'm proud of my family heritage, and know that they are glad that the memory of their war effort will live on in me, and in my children when I pass the stories, many medals and press clippings on.
Thanks for reminding me of this, and not just on Anzac Day!
When I was reading about Hurricanes and also the British submarine service, Malta came up a lot. Admiration for the people of that amazing island, and your uncle, too.
ReplyDeleteMy dad served as an ULTRA signalman on the USCG-crewed AKA-17 Centaurus, which passed through your area with 4,000 First Div Marines aboard, en route to New Britain, Peleliu, Kwajalein, and Okinawa. As it turned out, my father-in-law was one of those Marines! And the man who built our house, and also the man from whom we bought it, were both on Liberty ships in the same fleet. Strange how these things happen.
My father was one of those in the navy that landed the Marines on shore. His boat was hit so he picked up a gun and started fighting with the Marines.
ReplyDeleteHe told me that war is never good and supported my fight against the draft. We need to fight as citizens our government when it makes bad decisions.
Lisa
>when it makes bad decisions
ReplyDeleteThere has been a lot of that lately, neh?