I have lived in rural Saskatchewan. That's interesting. I always assumed it was from the early Ukrainian settlers from hundreds of years ago. Must be a mix of both then.
OT: Did anyone in your family fight in world war II for canada?
- Thread starter pylon17
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I have lived in rural Saskatchewan. That's interesting. I always assumed it was from the early Ukrainian settlers from hundreds of years ago. Must be a mix of both then.
The Podium
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67Cup
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My uncle commanded a tank in the army. He was looking out from the hatch of the turret when he was shot by a German sniper. He was extraordinarily fortunate, however, as the bullet passed through his neck without hitting either his spine or the jugular, either of which would have killed him. My wife’s grandfather was an orderly (medic) in the British army in WW I. He had some fascinating stories to tell.
ITM
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WW2 - Canada and Britain.
During the first world war, my GGF (born in Britain) left Canada to go volunteer for Britain. Survived a number of battles until he was wounded too badly to continue at the Somme. Would have been blown to bits had it not been for a gift of Christmas cake newly received from his Mum.
Footnote to the story, he was carried to the first tent hospital and told to keep going - no room. A minute or two later it was blown to smithereens. Spent the next two years and change recovering. When he recovered, moved back to Canada and eventually took work in New York and DC on major building projects. Had to look some video up of some of those projects, and the phrase, They don't make 'em like that anymore was never more true to men of that generation.
During the first world war, my GGF (born in Britain) left Canada to go volunteer for Britain. Survived a number of battles until he was wounded too badly to continue at the Somme. Would have been blown to bits had it not been for a gift of Christmas cake newly received from his Mum.
Footnote to the story, he was carried to the first tent hospital and told to keep going - no room. A minute or two later it was blown to smithereens. Spent the next two years and change recovering. When he recovered, moved back to Canada and eventually took work in New York and DC on major building projects. Had to look some video up of some of those projects, and the phrase, They don't make 'em like that anymore was never more true to men of that generation.
BlueBaron
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Grandfathers and Great Grandfathers, one was in both. To be fair though almost every country was involved so it's unlikely to not have people that were involved.
thewave
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That's a good chunk of time, impressive! Does anyone have family history from prior to the 1700's or late 1600's? The only people with longer seem to have ties to large clans or royal families everyone else got amnesia. jk,
67Cup
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Definitely not royalty but my first ancestor to set foot on this continent arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636. Of course, any old stock Quebecois are likely from families who arrived before 1760. If this were a Habs board, there would likely be lots of such people. And any First Nations people on the board can laugh at us Johnny Come Latelies. Their history on this land simply dwarfs that of latecomers like my own family
My grandfather was in the British army and fought throughout North Africa and Italy, good thing they didn't meet
My nanny was in the RAF during the Battle of Britain and my other grandfather was with the RNZAF in the Pacific theatre
Had a great grandfather on the Western Front during the first world war as well, I was old enough to hear him talk about the trenches
Jesus that sounded grim
I can trace one side of the family back to the early 1400's, they lived around the Wrexham area in North Wales
Yes.
Dad was in the British Navy in WWII.
Never got fired upon.
His story was that he and his pilot crash landed in Cuba, a neutral country while on exercises in the Atlantic early in the war. They were met eventually by a group of soldiers, headed by a British gentleman, who’s first words were “How’s it going, chaps?”
Technacially a POW, said he never ate so good. Never told me much more than that, but I kind of think he was disappointed when the Cubans gave him back.
Did lose an uncle on the Murmansk run.
Then Dad did another 18 years with the Canadian Navy, retired from there in 68.
Dad was in the British Navy in WWII.
Never got fired upon.
His story was that he and his pilot crash landed in Cuba, a neutral country while on exercises in the Atlantic early in the war. They were met eventually by a group of soldiers, headed by a British gentleman, who’s first words were “How’s it going, chaps?”
Technacially a POW, said he never ate so good. Never told me much more than that, but I kind of think he was disappointed when the Cubans gave him back.
Did lose an uncle on the Murmansk run.
Then Dad did another 18 years with the Canadian Navy, retired from there in 68.
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8816 others
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I am a 9th generation Canadian and descendant of United Empire Loyalists - colonists who left the American colonies for British North America before/during the American Revolution.
Both of my grandfathers participated in WW2, though not on the front lines. One was an aircraft mechanic. The other was the navigator on a maritime patrol aircraft, hunting for u-boats.
Both of my grandfathers participated in WW2, though not on the front lines. One was an aircraft mechanic. The other was the navigator on a maritime patrol aircraft, hunting for u-boats.
Anthrax442
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Kazparov
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My mother's maternal side is american. Came to massachusetts in the early/mid 1600's. Last name Savage. Family was oldschool steel & banking money pre great depression apparently. Grandmother grew up very wealthy in Boston and met/married a farm boy from Peterborough while vacationing summers in Bobcaygeon
Petrus
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My maternal grandfather drove trucks for the army (in Canada) during the war. My paternal grandfather served overseas, in Newfoundland, repairing bombers. He stayed in the Air Force for another 30 years after the war and served in multiple postings overseas.
ottomaddox
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notDatsyuk
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notDatsyuk
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Had a grandpa who was in the Pacific as under US Army Air Corp. His unit was part of the 13th air force( 339th Fighter Squadron) took down Admiral Yamamoto's plane(Operation Vengeance). He was mechanic though but he had funny stories on the different islands he was on.
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Grandfather was a tail gunner in a Lancaster bomber - parachute flare went off right beside the plane and damaged his eyes, was nearly blind until the eighties and laser surgery became widely available. One great uncle was in a recce outfit and lost an arm in the liberation of the Netherlands.
TootooTrain
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My british grandfather was an officer in training. Eventually became a lieutenant for the Artillery regiment (Forget it's actual name). He actively chose this because he was strong in mathematics at the time. So it helped him properly aim aswell as project where and how the shells would pass through the air.
He was first in North Africa. He then got moved to Italy where he fought in the great battle of Monte Cassino.
(Photo doesn't have him in it, just googled the specific type of mobile artillery he controlled)
My Grandmother was part of a group of young women who worked out Norway I believe. Their primary duty was intercepting german transmissions, cracking the code, then relaying the gathered information to the allied forces.
He was first in North Africa. He then got moved to Italy where he fought in the great battle of Monte Cassino.
(Photo doesn't have him in it, just googled the specific type of mobile artillery he controlled)
My Grandmother was part of a group of young women who worked out Norway I believe. Their primary duty was intercepting german transmissions, cracking the code, then relaying the gathered information to the allied forces.
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