Personal Stories of WW2

[tonika]

Has anyone got any personal stories, from relatives, or colleagues from WW2 ?. I've had one, or two told to me by workmates over the years, and find them fascinating. One of my favourites was from a guy called Bob, who was an Engineer at the place I was working in Scotland at the time, back in the early '70's. He never spoke about the war, until one day during a lunch break someone brought up about his father being killed, just after the Normandy Landings.

Bob then told us about he himself, and how lucky he was not to be killed either, Hi story starts when he was with the 1st Parachute Brigade, hitching a ride on top of a British tank in North Africa in 1942, the tank hit a mine, and part of the track landed on his legs, leaving him unable to walk. In fact after nearly a year in hospital he back in action with his unit. In the spring of 1945 his unit had entered Germany. He was in a patrol that was ordered to go out and capture German soldiers, and bring them back for interrogation, they were also give the explicit instructions that no one was to fire their weapon, unless it was absolutely essential, so as not to warn the enemy. Also, anyone seriously wounded was to be left.

He said after a short time his reconnaissance patrol were taken by surprise by a group of Hitler Youth, it was then he was nearly killed. A Hitler Youth, who he said could not been any more than 14 years old lunged at him with a 'barbed' bayonet. Bob had been in the Para's from the outset, and was as tough as nails, he also said his training had been excellent. But this young boy who lunged his bayonet at him was so fast, before he could defend himself, that the 'barbed' bayonet entered his stomach, and when the boy pulled his bayonet out it brought some of Bobs intestines out with it, he thought he was a 'gonner'. Luckily for him a Sergeant in the patrol smashed his rifle butt, into the young boys face, and continued to pulverize him, finishing him off. The Sergeant put his intestines back inside his stomach, and tied something around his waste, before leaving him there. He said what considered a lifetime lying there, turned out to be no more than an hour before another patrol picked him up, and took him back for medical treatment. He then showed us the scars to prove it. Anyway I'm sill fascinated by this story, just wondered, if anyone else has any others ?.

[j keenan]

Fantasy crap !!

[tonika]

Fantasy crap !!

On the contrary the guys full name was Bob Dawson, from England (I'm Scottish by the way), he was dead genuine, I can assure you. Of-coarse you're entitled to your opinion, but I believe him 100%, knowing what type of person he was.

[Sheldrake]

Hmm the parachute Regiment. Along with the SAS the largest regiment in the British Army judging by the number. His name doesn't feature in paradata.

What was this man's army number? Which battalion and company did he service in?
May be true
Or maybe not
https://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Walts
https://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Walting_With_Confidence

[j keenan]

Fantasy crap !!

On the contrary the guys full name was Bob Dawson, from England (I'm Scottish by the way), he was dead genuine, I can assure you. Of-coarse you're entitled to your opinion, but I believe him 100%, knowing what type of person he was.

Scottish
Type of man,hard as nails
His unit was destroyed at Arnhem
The patrol was captured by HJ ? A sergeant from the patrol was then allowed to smash a HJ's head in ? He was left on his own with a stomach wound in enemy territory.Before another patrol found him ? Garbage !!

[tonika]

Hmm the parachute Regiment. Along with the SAS the largest regiment in the British Army judging by the number. His name doesn't feature in paradata.

What was this man's army number? Which battalion and company did he service in?
May be true
Or maybe not
https://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Walts
https://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Walting_With_Confidence

Can't say as this was what he said during a lunch break, in 1974 when I worked with him at a Scottish factory, he never gave any details of the information you seek. I never saw him again after I left in February 1975. Whether the story is true, or not, I can never really be sure, but he was such a decent guy, that story has stuck with me ever since then. What I saw with my own eyes was a large scar on his stomach, and taking him at face value I personally still believe what he said.

[tonika]

Fantasy crap !!

On the contrary the guys full name was Bob Dawson, from England (I'm Scottish by the way), he was dead genuine, I can assure you. Of-coarse you're entitled to your opinion, but I believe him 100%, knowing what type of person he was.

Scottish
Type of man,hard as nails
His unit was destroyed at Arnhem
The patrol was captured by HJ ? A sergeant from the patrol was then allowed to smash a HJ's head in ? He was left on his own with a stomach wound in enemy territory.Before another patrol found him ? Garbage !!

Perhaps you're correct, I'm only repeating what the guy said during a lunch break. As I say, you can only speak of people as you find them, and this guy was decent, hence I still believe him. He was usually quiet and reserved and kept to himself mostly. The only reason he spoke about this that one time about the war, was as someone said prior to this, that they lost their father just after the Normandy Landings.