Children still alive of Great War veterans

[Guest]

My father served in The Lincolnshire Regiment. and was injured on the front line on 15th September 1915 at Popperinge Belgium. His name was Charles Caley, and he was selected in Stamford for the 4th Lincolnshire Territorials August 1914. His regimental number was 2468, not a difficult one to remember.

 

He married my mother in 1932 and she was some 12 years younger than him. My parents had three children, and I was the youngest. I was born in 1942 when my father was 49 1/2 years old. My Dad died in 1977.

 

It strikes me that there can't be many of us around who can claim to have a father who fought in the First World War. In fact other than my surviving older sister, and two cousins still alive whos father was a German POW, I know of nobody else.

There are plenty of people with direct connections to WWII personnel but not with the earlier war.

 

I thought it was an interesting topic for people, like me, to know of others blessed with father's born in the 1800s

 

Dr Raymond Caley

[Paul Bradford]

Hi Raymond,

 

An interesting post. I hope that others come forward. You have the luck to have spoken directly to someone that was there. I met a few when I was younger, but unfortunately failed to ask questions. Too late now and very much regretted.

 

Regards

 

Paul

[Derek Black]

I think there's a previous thread similar to this to be found?

 

From the millions who served in (and survived) the war, many will have had children in their 40's and some even later. Which would make their offspring in their 70's, so likely good number of these to be found still hale and hearty.

 

Derek.

[AOK4]

I've met a few years ago Conrad von Bülow-Bothkamp, son of the German pilot Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp (ace in both WWI and WWII). Conrad is born in 1950.

 

Jan

[sassenach]

1 hour ago, Derek Black said:

I think there's a previous thread similar to this to be found?

 

From the millions who served in (and survived) the war, many will have had children in their 40's and some even later. Which would make their offspring in their 70's, so likely good number of these to be found still hale and hearty.

 

Derek.

And, of course, nieces and nephews of men who served.

[DavidOwen]

Welcome to the forum Raymond

I look forward to the stories that follow from all concerned.

David

[BereniceUK]

Can't add directly to the topic, but, as recently as January 2017, I was in email contact with the daughter of a Boer War soldier.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Very slightly off on a tangent, but a famous (infamous) ex-Westminster schoolboy died a couple of weeks ago aged 98, whose (even more infamous) father was a Great War veteran:

https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_von_Ribbentrop

 

[mancpal]

Raymond,

 

Both my parents are still alive at the age of 91. Each had a father who fought with the Manchesters during WW1, one became a POW and the other an amputee.

As veterans tended not to speak of their experiences neither had any great knowledge of their fathers military history. My mother said her father had a dreadful time as a POW and whilst I'm sure it won't have been the most comfortable of times for him it would appear his brother had a much more eventful time (Egypt, Gallipoli, dysentery, France, RFC, falling foul of Lothar von Richthofen , shot down again the following month and finished the war in a military hospital wih jaundice). None of which we would have known without my initial interest and the help of those more informed than I.

My fathers memories of growing up with a  disabled father again are sparse though he remembers occasionally having to take his Dads "tin leg" to a workshop near Belle Vue (Manchester) to have repairs carried out. He also remembers his father suffering with an itchy foot, sadly it was the missing one so I'm hardly surprised he was regarded as having a bit of a temper born out of frustration.

As many veterans never spoke of the war it's not surprising their offspring often know so little beyond the odd place name or family rumour, probably why this and other such fora are invaluable in unravelling the details of our past

 

Simon

 

[ilkley remembers]

My mother died recently but her father had enlisted into the 2nd Border Regiment in 1891 and served in the Waziristan Campaign 1894-95 and has the clasp on his IGSM. Later he was a Territorial in 5 DLI and served in WW1 with the Royal Engineers in Gallipoli where he was wounded and subsequently discharged in 1916 at the age of 44.

[asanewt]

Our uncle Herbert's three daughters are alive and all in 90's, his brother's  daughters died young, uncle Tommy was killed 1917 at 21 unmarried,

Typical slice of life methinks.

[keithfazzani]

My mother is still alive aged 92. Her father, my grandfather, fought with 13 KRRC. Enlisted October 1914 and demobbed March 1919. He saw the whole thing through. I remember him very well. Towards the end of his life he did tell me a few tales. At that time I had no specific interest in the war so didn’t really ask him  all I would today! 

 

Twelve years ago, when my mother was 80 I took her to France and Belgium and retraced the steps of 13th KRRC. Quite an emotional trip. With the benefit of Linesman we were able to stand where he had probably stood 90 or so years previously. 

 

Of course and not wishing to go off topic I have asked her many questions about the war she remembers, the last war. Her experience of being evacuated to Kent directly under the Battle of Britain and her return to London to survive the Blitz and later V1 and V2 attacks.     

Edited 1 June , 2019 by keithfazzani

[GWF1967]

  I had the honour of returning the medals of a man who served in the 1/5th Somerset Light Infantry,  to his  90+ year old daughter.  Also included were the medals awarded to his brother who served in the Royal Navy at Jutland,  and brother-in-law, who was captured at Arras in 1917 with 8th S.L.I, and held in Gottingen camp;   She had never seen any of the medals before.

   Her father never spoke of the war. Her uncle on the other hand often told her of life as a P.O.W, and was especially dismissive of her complaints about rationing during WW2.

Her recollections seemed incredibly clear.

[TGM]

2 hours ago, DavidOwen said:

Welcome to the forum Raymond

I look forward to the stories that follow from all concerned.

David

Ditto.

This may interest some: The Army Children Archive (TACA) 1914-1918

 

 

[horatio2]

My father fought at Gallipoli.

[Pat Atkins]

For those of a certain age and musical bent, John Baine a.k.a. Attila The Stockbroker is the son of a WW1 veteran.

[Buffnut453]

My Mum is still alive and kicking, aged 89.  Her Dad served in the RGA in Italy.  

[Margosh]

Until last year, and certainly whilst I have been a member of this Forum, my Mother was still alive and her father was Royal Engineers 1914/5-1919. He was born in 1893.

(Sadly Mum died last year just days after her 94th birthday but she remembered well snippets of information he had given).

 

Margaret

[gilbo139]

I,m a youngish 67, I was at school with a lad whose father was in the 2 nd Worcester’s at Gheluvelt..... they were in fact living in a service house in Gheluvelt Park which is a memorial park with houses built for ex servicemen. He is at most only 68 years old, could he be one of the youngest surviving children ?? 

[KONDOA]

My father, age 93 , is still alive. His father served in East africa and France. He, my father, served in Egypt and Palestine.

 

Roop

[seaforths]

My uncle is still with us. Born in Oct 1945 when granddad was 48. Unfortunately, he has learning difficulties and is an elective mute. He has a framed photo of granddad in uniform in his room and a few years ago, I bought him a copy of Derek Bird’s book ‘The Spirit of the Troops is Excellent’ which is packed with photos of 6th Seaforth. We went through the book and I talked to him about it and the photograph he has and took another couple in to show him as well. His body language, facial expressions and nods showed he was able to make the connection between the book and his father but sadly, I can’t get any further than that with him. I also took him to Fort George Highlanders Museum but he wasn’t able to connect and his attention span wasn’t great on that day.

[seaJane]

My Dad is going strong at 84 and his dad, 1900-1992, joined the RAF in 1918 and got about 6 months training in before catching the flu (and recovering).

[Waggoner]

My sister-in-law’s father served in the CEF. Her mother was his second wife and she was the youngest child. She is now in her mid-60s!

 

All the best,

 

Gary

[Uncle George]

Here’s an interesting 2014 article, ‘Children of Civil War Veterans Still Walk Among Us, 150 Years After the War’:

 

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/special-features/2014/11/141111-veterans-day-150-anniversary-civil-war-memories/

 

At this time there were “fewer than 35” living children of veterans of the American Civil War.

[MartH]

My Aunt was born in 1942, her father was born in 1895 and served on the eastern front from 1916  till 1918. He died in 1986, and I knew him well.