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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Movie Stars Medals


mcderms

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Frank Carson gave an interview recently on Radio Ulster about the paras....don't expect him to send any Christmas cards to Aldershot-to say the least!!

Ms Lewis 800m and 1500m was an ex-soldier wasnt she?

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If im right there is a scene from Dads Army where Private Godfrey - Arnold Ridley is in hospital (broken leg i think) with his MM hanging above his bed

A soilders job is to come up with a last miniute soloution to a MP's cock up of a job

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I think the following served in WW1:

Victor Macglagellen in the Royal Irish Rifles.

Flanagan and Allen first met when they were both recovering from wounds in Flanagan Flanaghan was a NCO in a London Regiment and Allen was an Officer in the Artillery.

Stanley Holloway, although a Londoner was a Private in a Lancashire regiment. His experiences soldiering with Lancashire soldiers were passed on via his monologues Albert and of course Sam pick up thee musket.

Richard Todd served in 2/4 KOYLI in WW2 later transferring to 7 (Light Infantry) Para and was among the first to land at Normandy. He often wore his regimental tie in his films. In the Film 'The Longest Day' he played the part of the Commander of the 2nd Ox & Bucks LI capturing Pegasus bridge. In fact he had dropped into Normandy as the Liaison officer between 7 Para and the OBLI, so in fact he had played a part in the real battle. I met him last when he came to St James Palace for dinner, when the Regiment

was doing public duties

Gary Cooper of 'High Noon' fame served with the AEF in France 1917-18 and was decorated.

Arnie

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The previous thread regarding David Niven was originally a regular soldier in the HLI stationed at Tidworth. Not cut out for peace time soldiering he left the army and course subsequently became an actor in Hollywood He came back and was commissioned again into the Rifle Brigade and did join the Phantoms who at that time Commando trained

Robert Ryan served with the USMC and was in the same unit as Lee Marvin the US actor in the OSS in Yugoslavia was Sterling Hayden.

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"Dixon of Dock Green" himself -actor Jack Warner- served as an infantryman in WWI. As Dixon he wore the ribbons of his correct medal entitlement -1914/15 Star trio- and actually continued playing the part well into his 70s. None of that "policemen are looking younger all the time" malarkey in Dock Green, then...

All the best

Paul.

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  • 9 months later...

Just tripped across this old thread and felt compelled to blow the dust off and chip something in.

Victor McLaglen (Gunga Din, The Quiet Man, Bengazi,etc) not only served in the Great War but he had apparently lied about his age and followed his older brother off to the Boer War a number of years before. Apparently he served in the Royal Irish Fusiliers as a Captain and saw action in Mesopotamia. If anyone has a clue as to what his medal entitlement is, I'd love to hear it.

Cheers,

~Dan

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Ronald Coleman was mentioned early on, but no-one mentioned he was in the 14th Londons (London Scottish) at Messines.

The Pte Godfrey thing - he was about to be drummed out because he didn't want to carry a rifle, was injured (I forget how, but it was doing something brave). When the platoon visited (he was being attended by Dolly and Cissy - his sisters), there was a pictire over the bed of him in uniform with MM ribbon. he had been a 'conchie', but acted as a stretcher-bearer. The platoon then decided he could be their medic, so he spent the rest of the war carrying the platoon's first-aid box.

I really must get out more.

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I've just come across a couple that some of you may know;

Lee Marvin did indeed win the Navy Cross (second highest medal, only below the Medal of Honor), I believe at Saipan serving with the U.S. Marines. He tells the story of the bravest man he ever knew, his Sergeant. He tells that this Sergeant stood on the beach under fire directing his men. That Sergeant was Robert Keeshan, also know as "Clarabel the Clown" from the Howdy Doody TV show, later to become "Captain Kangaroo" of kids TV fame.

The other man was a sniper in Vietnam, credited with at least 25 "kills". After the war he became a minister and later had a TV show too. His name was Fred Rogers, also know as "Mr. Rogers". He is said to have worn long sleeve sweaters to cover the tattoos on his arms.

Mike C

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There is a strand of internet folklore about the supposed military service of famous personalities, usually alleging that seemingly mild-mannered actors, presenters etc were snipers or special force soldiers. Some of these (mostly American) are explored in the excellent snopes.com Urban Legend site. The 'Captain Kangaroo' and 'Mr Rogers' stories related by Mike C are both examples of these, unfortunately. Apparently 'Captain Kangaroo' (Robert Keeshan) was in the marines, but joined too late to see action, while 'Mr Rogers' never served in the military. Lee Marvin genuinely did see action but his meeting with Robert Keeshan is a myth.

A recent similar example I encountered in the paper was a rumour that the smug, self-satisfied male presenter of 'Location, Location, Location' was formerly in the SAS. In reality I think it turned out that he dropped out of Sandhurst after a few months.

There is quite an interesting book called 'Stars At War' by Michael Munn which follows several personalities (David Niven, Anthony Quayle, Clark Gable etc) through their war service. Lee Marvin's story is covered in detail. Marvin shared with Charles Laughton the indignity of being shot through the buttocks!

Lee Marvin's story was also explored in an article in the excellent 'After The Battle' magazine, several years ago. They run an occasional feature on famous personalities' war experiences (e.g. Richard Todd).

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The Pte Godfrey thing - he was about to be drummed out because he didn't want to carry a rifle, was injured (I forget how, but it was doing something brave). 

Steven

Pte Godfrey had indicated that he wanted to leave the Home Guard as he couldn't see himself killing an enemy soldier, and that he had joined the Walmington-on-Sea unit as he 'thought it would be different to last time'. After questioning by Capt Mainwaring, he admitted that he'd been a Conscientious Objector in the Great War, which caused Mainwaring, and the rest of the platoon, to shun him.

Godfrey's restitution to popular favour came after he rescued Mainwaring from a smoke-filled building after the Captain had passed out during a training exercise with the ARP; this was at some cost to his own health. It was when the platoon visited Godfrey at home that they noticed a photograph on the wall of him with an MM ribbon on his chest.

Also in the Dad's Army series, I liked the final episode, where Sgt Wilson wore his Great War Captain's uniform and, when Mainwaring asked why he had never told anyone that he had been a Captain in the previous conflict, replied "You never asked me."

Now, about getting out more . . . .

Gareth

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Have any of these been mentioned yet?

Ian Carmichael was in a Tank regiment I believe.

He was, and was an officer in the 22nd Dragoons.

I read his autobiography some years ago and remember that he lost all or part of a finger in an accident. IIRC a hatch slammed down on his hand.

He later saw service in NW Europe, after D-Day.

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Not a film star, but Stan Mortensen, England & Blackpool forward, was said, in the local paper, to have been wounded while flying with the RAF in WW2. Variously described as a WOP/AG and a pilot. Phil B

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There is a strand of internet folklore about the supposed military service of famous personalities, usually alleging that seemingly mild-mannered actors, presenters etc were snipers or special force soldiers. Some of these (mostly American) are explored in the excellent snopes.com Urban Legend site. The 'Captain Kangaroo' and 'Mr Rogers' stories related by Mike C are both examples of these, unfortunately. Apparently 'Captain Kangaroo' (Robert Keeshan)  was in the marines, but joined too late to see action, while 'Mr Rogers' never served in the military. Lee Marvin genuinely did see action but his meeting with Robert Keeshan is a myth.

A recent similar example I encountered in the paper was a rumour that the smug, self-satisfied male presenter of 'Location, Location, Location' was formerly in the SAS. In reality I think it turned out that he dropped out of Sandhurst after a few months.

There is quite an interesting book called 'Stars At War' by Michael Munn which follows several personalities (David Niven, Anthony Quayle, Clark Gable etc) through their war service. Lee Marvin's story is covered in detail. Marvin shared with Charles Laughton the indignity of being shot through the buttocks!

Lee Marvin's story was also explored in an article in the excellent 'After The Battle' magazine, several years ago. They run an occasional feature on famous personalities' war experiences (e.g. Richard Todd).

Thanks Mark. Someone sent me that one a bit ago on the internet. Strange how people want to believe these things. Guess it makes these people bigger than life.

Mike C

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"James Doohan ("Scotty" on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S. Army on D-Day. " WRONG!!!!!!!! He landed with the Canadian Army and was wounded on D-Day. He later trained as a pilot and served as an airbourn Arty Spotter.

Dean

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  • 3 weeks later...

WW1

Erskin Childers - RNAS

Barnes Wallis – RNAS

CS Lewis Som LI

JRR Tolkein Lan Fus

WW2

Kenneth More RN

Jon Pertwee – RN

Michael Redgrave RN

Patrick Troughton – RN

Lord Olivier Fleet Air Arm

Sir Ralph Richardson FAA

Michael Bentine – RAF

Tony Hancock - RAF

Kenneth Horne - RAF

David Lodge - RAF

Denis Norden – RAF

Jack Hawkins - Royal Welch Fusiliers/ ENSA

John Le Mesurier - RAC

William Hartnell – Tank Corps

Kenneth Williams – RE

Dirk Bogarde - army intelligence photographic unit

Peter Cushing - ENSA

Sid James South African Union Defence Force

Post war

Tom Baker– National Service

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J R R Tolkein was mentioned earlier. He was Batallion signalling officer on July 1st 1916, during the bloody attack on Ovillers. He returned to England October 1916 with trench fever, and ill health kept him on home duties thereafter.

Although he never served in Ypres, his experiences are believed to have inspired the following, from 'The Two Towers'

They walked slowly, stooping, keeping close in line, following attentively every move that Gollum made. The fens grew more wet, opening into wide stagnant meres, among which it grew more and more difficult to find the firmer places where feet could tread without sinking into gurgling mud. The travellers were light, or maybe none of them would ever have found a way trough.

Presently it grew altogether dark: the air itself seemed black and heavy to breathe...

Hurrying forward again, Sam tripped, catching his foot in some old root or tussock. He fell and came heavily on his hands, which sank deep into sticky ooze, so that his face was brought close to the surface of the dark mere. There was a faint hiss, a noisome smell went up, the lights flickered and danced and swirled. For a moment the water below him looked like some window, glazed with grimy glass, through which he was peering. Wrenching his hands out of the bog, he sprang back with a cry. 'There are dead things, dead faces in the water,' he said with horror. 'Dead faces!'

Gollum laughed. 'The Dead Marshes, yes, yes: that is their names.' he cackled. 'You should not look in when the candles are lit.'

'Who are they? What are they?' asked Sam shuddering, turning to Frodo, who was now behind him.

'I don't know,' said Frodo in a dreamlike voice. 'But I have seen them too. In the pools when the candles were lit. They lie in all the pools, pale faces, deep deep under the dark water. I saw them: grim faces and evil, and noble faces and sad. Many faces proud and fair and weeds in their silver hair. But all foul, all rotting, all dead. A fell light is in them.' Frodo hid his eyes in his hands. 'I know not who they are; but I thought I saw there Men and Elves, and Orcs beside them.'

"Yes, yes,' said Gollum. 'All dead, all rotten. Elves and Men and Orcs. The Dead Marshes. There was a great battle long ago....

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Winnie the Pooh also served in WWI - illustrator E H Shepard obtained a commission and then joined the 105 Siege Battery (Royal Artillery) and was posted to France, Belgium and Italy. In 1917 he was promoted to the rank of Captain in and then to Major in 1919 just before he returned back to England.

A A Milne described his war service as 'four years of mental and moral degradation". He served in France in 1916, like Tolkien as a signalling officer. His nervous disposition can be judged by the following

'When the War is over and the Kaiser's out of print,

I'm going to buy some tortoises and watch the beggars sprint;

When the War is over and the sword at last we sheathe,

I'm going to keep a jelly-fish and listen to it breathe.

I never really longed for gore,

And any taste for red corpuscles

That lingered with me left before

The German troops had entered Brussels.

In early days the Colonel's "Shun!"

Froze me; and, as the War grew older,

The noise of someone else's gun

Left me considerably colder.

When the War is over and the battle has been won,

I'm going to buy a barnacle and take it for a run;

When the War is over and the German Fleet we sink,

I'm going to keep a silk-worm's egg and listen to it think.

The original Winnie the Pooh was named after a bear called Winnipeg, donated to London Zoo by a Canadian officer after learning that he couldn't take it with him to the trenches. At least that descibes the first part of his name...

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Guest British Sapper

Richard Greene who played Robin Hood in the early 1960's series was in the Green Howards in WW2.

Clark Gable was a Flying Fortress pilot in Norfolk and Lincolnshire. The World premiere of GONE WITH THE WIND was played at Grimsby I believe. My Dad was on anti-aircraft(bofors) and saw Gable a few times. He said that when they played the premiere, there were literally thousands of women near the picture house, he said you couldn't get near for the number of women wanting to see Gable.

Niven like Ustinov and Trevor Howard were both spies for the UK.

I also believe that the band leader Glenn Miller was a spy for the USA, hence the secrecy to his missing in a flight over the Channel.

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A A Milne described his war service as 'four years of mental and moral degradation". He served in France in 1916, like Tolkien as a signalling officer. His nervous disposition can be judged by the following

According to this source A A Milne was in the Warwickshires.

The real life Christopher Robin, Milne's son, Christopher Robin Milne, was an army officer in WW2 and was wounded at Salerno.

http://www.egnet.co.uk/kids/kidshistwinniethepooh.html

The model for "Peter Pan" was an officer in the 60th Rifles killed in WW1. A search of this site will give fuller details. IIRC his CWGC entry mentions "Peter Pan".

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Clark Gable was a Flying Fortress pilot in Norfolk and Lincolnshire. The World premiere of GONE WITH THE WIND was played at Grimsby I believe. My Dad was on anti-aircraft(bofors) and saw Gable a few times. He said that when they played the premiere, there were literally thousands of women near the picture house, he said you couldn't get near for the number of women wanting to see Gable.

Here is a piece on the WW2 service of well known American actors etc. Of course, the author has a (not so) hidden agenda, but the basic facts are still good.

http://www.thepeoplenews.com/September04/page18.html

My father told me that he saw Jimmy Stewart in a pub in East Anglia when they were both in the forces. Also, Douglas Fairbanks Junior. IIRC he said that Fairbanks was in the American Navy.

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A nice Winnie the Pooh site. If I remember correctlt, Christopher Robin went to Stowe school. Although Milne and Shepard both fought in WW1 they never met socially. The first books were published without illustrations, and it was the publisher who gave Shepard the contract to add pictures. I think he also gave us the memorable images for Wind In The Willows.

Given that these were all officers, and the life expectancy of a 2nd Lt was nine months, it makes you wonder who could have been added to this list had they not chanced to be born at the turn of the century.

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Niven like Ustinov and Trevor Howard were both spies  for the UK.

I also believe that the band leader Glenn Miller was a spy for the USA, hence the secrecy to his missing in a flight over the Channel.

Interesting ? Where did this come from ?

Edward

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Another one or two I can think of:

Kenneth Moore - FAA (WWII)

Douglas Fairbanks Jnr - USN (WWII)

Leslie Howard - British Army (WWI) - who did he serve with ? Apparently invlaided out with "shell shock" in 1917

I would have thought that any British film actor of the age of mid-40's (as at 1939) or mid-teens (again as at 1939) would have been enlisted even if only for home service.

Pte Peter Ustinov is a classic example. He did his work in uniform (for most part of his time in the war) butdid it what he did best - acting, screen writing and directing. As a result some of the best of British wartime films were made - "The Way Ahead" and "One of our aircraft is missing".

Similar efforts from Niven, Coward (never in the services), Ambler, etc.

Found this little gem - wonder what it was really like - just look at the names.....

The New Lot (1943)

Directed by

Carol Reed

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)

Eric Ambler

Peter Ustinov

Cast (in alphabetical order)

Bernard Lee .... Interviewing officer

Stewart Rome .... Officer

Robert Donat .... Actor (uncredited)

Raymond Huntley .... Barrington (uncredited)

Geoffrey Keen .... Corporal (uncredited)

John Laurie .... Harry Fyfe (uncredited)

Bernard Miles .... Ted Loman (uncredited)

John Slater .... Soldier in truck (uncredited)

Peter Ustinov .... Keith (uncredited)

And I wonder about the service of Keen, Miles and Donat......

Edward

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And I wonder about the service of Keen, Miles and Donat......

Edward

I don't know about the other two but I doubt that Robert Donat was ever in the army, he would never have passed the medical.

"Ill health and chronic asthma meant that he only ever appeared in 19 films, and actually needed an oxygen mask between takes on the filming of "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness", in 1958, his last film, as he died, at the age of 53, within days of its completion."

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