Militaria collectors anyone?

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I'm still trying to help my grandfather find his old photo albums from WWII. I know they're there somewhere, full of interesting pics of his Lancaster days and more. I saw them a long time ago. Now we just have to find them again!
The man in the avatar is him, btw. Just an early war portrait from 1940.
 
Obviously he must have specialised in low level attacks



I just thought id say Doug that ! have a feeling that this could end up being one of the best threads so far.
I would love to see some pictures of relatives of you guys who served in the forces or worked on the home front as well as seeing the objects that you lot have collected over the years perhaps if possible the brief history behind them if known.
So far I am very impressed keep it going lads
 
I have been collecting for about 15 years so if I could ever get my house built and get my collection out of my mothers house I could take some pictures of them. I will try and take some when I go down next weekend.
 

I also think it would be great to see some items, with the historical background. It would work as a "reference topic" or something like that... I tried to do something like this when posting the pictures of World Wars handguns at WWII Weapons forum...

It seems that there are many family stories and militaria items around here! So it would be easy, isn´t it?

Douglas.
 
This all sounds fascinating stuff guys
That's important work you're doing there Evan in many ways its as much a tribute to these guys as a historic account and gives them the recognition they perhaps have not got yet deserve.
Imagine in two or three hundred years time being able to read accounts from these ranker's who fought in this war.
At the moment I'm reading ordinary soldiers accounts from the 95th rifles fighting with Wellington in the Peninsular war you can almost smell the black powder and whine of shot.
Great stuff Evan I wish you every success with your project, well done sir.
 
Thanks, Erich inspired me to actually start compiling the stories. It is quite something to hear these guys tell their stories. Once you get them started, you wil be on a long conversation. I think Bernie Schneider had one of the interesting things to say about his generation. He said that most people didn't talk about it because they all had a story to tell, so their's didn;t seem important. Plus he said that some will start to listen and then get distracted with somethign else. If you get a chance to talk to a vet and listen to them. The stories that come out are really amazing!

These guys also have alot of humility. Bernie is a great example. He was awarded the silver star for herosim that made me shudder. He was a rifleman assigned to a mortar squad. His job was to protect them when they were firing their mortars. They were ambushed and receiving machine gun and artillery fire. He pulled back to get away from the fire and found out that he was the only one that did. Although wounded himself, he went back and brough the other 7 wounded guys to safety. All of this while under constant fire and being wounded himself!

I thought to myself, this is amazing, what heroism! He said it was no big deal! I also spoke with a Navy Cross recipient who again thought it no big deal. They are usually quiet, unassuming men. But if you can get them to talk and give them your undivided attention, you will see years peel away from them. They sit or stand taller and prouder as they tell their stories. It has truly been a real treat to get to talk to these guys.

My working title for my writings of their stories is "My Heroes, My Friends". It is a story in itself. I went looking for stories and made some real genuine friends.
 
Sounds like the kind of story's I love Evan.
The ex wartime service personnel I have spoken to often are unassuming but that seems the norm because after all that's what mostly they where ordinary people in extra ordinary times and for some it was in that moment it seem to galvanize them into doing incredible acts of bravery I just feel so sad for all the lads who's bravery was never witnessed and whom death was their only epitaph or the others whom just being there was to end up being a terminal gesture of bravery.
Cheers fellas i,ll have a pint for yer.
 
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