World war 2 historians

[Graydo]

Hi,
Can anyone recommend a good world war 2 historian please.
My wife would like to know more about her Grandfather's military career and incarceration in Stalag XXB and XX1B.

Thanks in advance

Graydo

 

[Verteuil Man]

I got my fathers WWII record a few months ago. He was in the Marines and always played down. I applied to the Royal Navy for the records. It took about 3 months as they are still paper records. It will give you a starting point.

 

[ChrisSue]

Hi,
Can anyone recommend a good world war 2 historian please.
My wife would like to know more about her Grandfather's military career and incarceration in Stalag XXB and XX1B.

Thanks in advance

Graydo

What, and how much, information do you have?

 

[carolyn]

I got my fathers WWII record a few months ago. He was in the Marines and always played down. I applied to the Royal Navy for the records. It took about 3 months as they are still paper records. It will give you a starting point.

He would have given you a slap for not saying the Royal Marines. I’ve just applied for my Dad’s service record. He was in the Royal Navy. He joined up after the war when he was 16 or 17. It came about because we’ve just applied for and got his medal for serving in the Pacific when the bombs were tested. I assumed his service number would be on that but it isn’t.

My sister was about to do it when they first came out but she died suddenly. My Son in Law got on the case and I’m glad.

 

[Graydo]

What, and how much, information do you have?

Hi,
My wife has his dob, dod, what stalags he was in,service no, when and where he joined the army, where he was captured and when he was released and the ship that brought him back from France.
From what my wife tells me he was captured early on in the war and spoke fluent German by the time he came back.

She thinks that he was over in France before the start of the war for some "special reconnaissance" but have no way of confirming this.

Graydo

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[enark]

Service number should suffice

£30 secures service record

 

[Bryony]

The Germans kept very, very good records. It’s worth a good amount of internet searching with the information you have. The likelihood is that you’ll find loads of their records now available. They’ve digitised a lot of them now. Search with name and service number and see what pops up. I did a similar search for a friend once and managed to find out where their relative had been captured and exactly where they’d been taken and so on. All from the German records openly available. Best of luck.

 

[Graydo]

Thats great, thanks.
Dont think my wife had thought of searching the German records.
I'll let her know.

Graydo

 

[Chris]

When we were researching my grandfathers war records the Royal Air Force were really helpful right down to proving details of his grave number and position at Yokohama war cemetery just outside Tokyo. I don’t think the Japanese kept any real records of those who were captured and died in POW camps.

When I visited his grave I was under no illusions that his body had actually been buried there, the headstone was just symbolic.

His date of death (8/12/1942) came from a diary that a fellow POW kept and not from anything supplied by the Japanese.

 

[Phill D]

Another place to ask for records is the regimental museum of his regiment. I was really surprised and impressed by the information I received on my grandfather. Agreed it was ww1 but it is worth a shot.
A small donation to the museum as they are all volunteers that do the research.

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[Bryony]

If you haven’t already, then do also sign up for the free trials on Ancestry and other similar sites. Perfect timing as they often have very good special access offers around Remembrance Sunday so worth a look. Tons of military stuff available on there. Some a bit more hidden, but a good starting point. Free trials are usually 30 days. Just make sure to cancel before the time is up if you don’t want to start paying. And beware … it is an addictive hobby!!

And a search on National Archives website. If you register (for free) you can usually download a number of documents for free each month. They may have a useful digitised record on there too. Search with name and service number.

 

[Riverbankannie]

He would have given you a slap for not saying the Royal Marines.

Well my great grandfather ( George, 1832 - 1903) was in the Marines - before they got their Royal title! Probably not Verteuil Man ‘s father though !
I searched for his service record in the Kew National Archives - it’s an amazing document detailing the ships he was on and the conflicts, in the Baltic against Russia at the bombardment and capture of Bomarsund, at the bombardment of Sveaborg, in China for the Opium Wars and the taking of Canton, and even India for the Mutiny.
Some court marshals too with a promotion to Corporal and the and good conduct medals.
Well it must have been a tough life for the rank and file, coming from a small village in Devon, joining up in Plymouth and being moved to Portsmouth.
After all that that, when finally discharged having to find work in the new docks on Isle of Dogs, London. Unfortunately all medals if any kept in family, were lost in the blitz.

 

[CazPaul]

When we were researching my grandfathers war records the Royal Air Force were really helpful right down to proving details of his grave number and position at Yokohama war cemetery just outside Tokyo. I don’t think the Japanese kept any real records of those who were captured and died in POW camps.

When I visited his grave I was under no illusions that his body had actually been buried there, the headstone was just symbolic.

His date of death (8/12/1942) came from a diary that a fellow POW kept and not from anything supplied by the Japanese.

My uncle Cyril fought the Japanese Chris, fortunately he survived unlike your grandfather bless him
As a kid I’d never heard such language he used to say against the Japanese army but a lot of the words began with F and B and C.

 

[carolyn]

Well my great grandfather ( George, 1832 - 1903) was in the Marines - before they got their Royal title! Probably not Verteuil Man ‘s father though !
I searched for his service record in the Kew National Archives - it’s an amazing document detailing the ships he was on and the conflicts, in the Baltic against Russia at the bombardment and capture of Bomarsund, at the bombardment of Sveaborg, in China for the Opium Wars and the taking of Canton, and even India for the Mutiny.
Some court marshals too with a promotion to Corporal and the and good conduct medals.
Well it must have been a tough life for the rank and file, coming from a small village in Devon, joining up in Plymouth and being moved to Portsmouth.
After all that that, when finally discharged having to find work in the new docks on Isle of Dogs, London. Unfortunately all medals if any kept in family, were lost in the blitz.

It was more to do with the fact that if you missed the Royal bit off the Royal Marines and the Royal Navy you’d be talking about Americans and he felt the difference was significant!

 

[Riverbankannie]

It was more to do with the fact that if you missed the Royal bit off the Royal Marines and the Royal Navy you’d be talking about Americans and he felt the difference was significant!

Yes but my GG Grandfather a Marine not a Royal Marine. The Royal bit came much later.

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[carolyn]

Yes but my GG Grandfather a Marine not a Royal Marine. The Royal bit came much later.

I know, I was explaining why my much younger Dad didn’t like it and Verteuil Man Dad wouldn’t either. Once they became Royal Navy and Royal Marines they were very proud of that difference. It was irrelevant to your Great Great Grandfather although they became Royal in 1802 I thought.

 

[Bryony]

According to our Royal Marine son (and the internet!) they became "Royal" in 1802. Are you confusing it with the Commando bit? That became a thing later on during the Second World War.

 

[carolyn]

According to our Royal Marine son (and the internet!) they became "Royal" in 1802. Are you confusing it with the Commando bit? That became a thing later on during the Second World War.

I’m glad I’m correct. I do have a bit of a thing about it I know! One of Dad’s older brothers was one of the first Commandos in the Second World War. Sadly he was murdered in Sachenhausen just before the war ended.

 

[SIFTA SAM]

'Boot neck' is/was their slang identity, with 'Pongo' (Army), 'Brylcreem Boy' (RAF), 'Hairy Fairy' (Fleet Air Arm) and 'Fish Head' (RN).