My Grandad Harold was a Royal Marine Commando during WW2. He was in 7th Battalion which was assigned to port guard duties. In September 1942 his battalion sailed for South Africa to guard the ports but weren't needed so they sailed for Egypt. Whilst in Egypt his war diary, not very complete and mainly in morse said that while in Egypt he met with a large party of Yugoslavia refugees and was taken to their camp for dinner. He said they were very nice people. I know you are interested in the morse code and we have deciphered it. it mainly says things like "18th August 1942 STOP practicing my morse code STOP weather very nice STOP"
Whilst in Egypt he caught malaria and was shipped back to England where he spent the rest of the war. He was afflicted with malaria all his life and it would occasionally be stricken down with it when I was child. He died over 25 years ago and only ever talked abou thte war once. His battalion was reassigned as 48 commando and many of his friends we assigned to other commandos. These friends took part in the Raid in St Nazaire and he lost many friends there. 48 commando was part of the special service brigade and took part in D-Day. A letter from a friend 3 days later described the loss of more friends.
My family is lucky, we exist because my Grandad got malaria, the most deadly of all diseases, otherwise there was a significant probability that he wouldn't have made it and my father wouldn't have been born after the war.
Enough reflection on if and whats and maybes. We know for a fact that he was in South Africa because of this photo
What a brilliant and heartfelt entry, Martin. Wow. Your grandad sounds like a wonderful man, and I'm sure he would've been right chuffed to see this work you've done in his memory. Terrific work.
ReplyDeleteCheers he was a good man, his tiny wife, my Granny obviously, was the boss. You didn't mess with her
DeleteMartin - a really touching entry, both words and images. Thankyou for the reminiscence. The idea of keeping a diary in morse seems simultaneously both entirely apt and really strange.
ReplyDeleteMy father also spent time in South Africa during the war, though he was in the RAF, and on his way to India and Burma. I can't remember whether it was as late as 42, but I think it might have been. I do know that he travelled on, of all ships, the Windrush.
Highly unlikely that he met your Grandfather, of course, but who knows?
Thanks Noel, He was in Durban for 5 weeks, arrived on Empress of Russia and left on the Arona in late December 42. They may have met, let's say they did. Cool to have sailed on the Windrush, never thought of it as having a career previous to becoming 2nd most famous merchant ship
DeleteWow, what a great post and an even better tribute to your Grandad!
ReplyDeletecheers
DeleteWhat a wonderful entry!
ReplyDeletethank you
DeleteTop entry , brilliant history matey
ReplyDeletethanks, needed my dad and a lot of google fu
DeleteBrilliant stuff Martin and a fitting tribute.
ReplyDeleteMy Great uncle Isaac - who incidentally taught me to swim - was a Royal Marine on D-Day.
cheers, I wonder if he was part of the special service brigade
DeleteWhat a wonderful tribute for the Gallery of ancestors. Thanks for sharing his story with us.
ReplyDeletethank you
DeleteImpressive work Martin, very cool!
ReplyDeletethank you
DeleteA great tribute Martin - "Per Mare Per Terram"
ReplyDeletealways, thanks
DeleteWonderful vignette and great story Martin.
ReplyDeletethank you
DeleteGreat tribute Martin. Well done.
ReplyDeleteBruceR
thank you
Deletewhile the entry figures are well pa8nted, as we have come to expect from you, It's the story of your granddad that's gold to me, thanks heaps for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteVery interesting history and recreation.
ReplyDeletethank you
DeleteNice vignette and lovely bit of personal history!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks
DeleteGreat little vignette Martin
ReplyDeletecheers
Matt
Many thanks
Deletethats awsome! great work.
ReplyDeletethank you
DeleteSuper figs and story, nice job 👏
ReplyDeleteRegards KenR
cheers
Delete