Introduction to the WW2 Site - Please Say Hi Showing 2,351-2,400 of 4,899

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

And back to saying 'hi' to newcomers :)

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Fair point :)

[Colin]

Manray9 wrote: "Geevee wrote: "Thank you Manray9 - added to my list :)"

Winton is quite good on the RN. I liked his bio of Cunningham:

Cunningham

and his account of HMS GLORIOUS'..."

I knew Otto Schuhart, who sank the HMS Courageous. He was one of my many U-Boat commander interviews.

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Welcome Pepper, you joined a great little group. Glad to have you here.

[Alan]

Hello. I am Alan, my main interest is local, that is Norfolk history, anything Bomber command or WW2 radio wise.

Edited to add that is Norfolk UK.

[Howard]

A lot of comment about Cunningham. I recall reading not only of his naval command prowess, but also of his very skillful and sensitive handling of the seizure of the French ships in the eastern Med when the British decided not to risk letting the Germans get them. Things elsewhere did not go so smoothly.

[Manray9]

Alan wrote: "Hello. I am Alan, my main interest is local, that is Norfolk history, anything Bomber command or WW2 radio wise."

Welcome, Alan. I had to look at your profile to see you didn't mean Virginia. Please don't be shy about pitching in.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Alan and welcome to the group, I hope you find a few things of interest in the various threads and forums.

[happy]

Welcome to the group Alan!

[Alan]

Thank you everyone.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Welcome Alan and pleased you've dived right in - I think you are already down as our radio/comms expert :)

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Welcome Alan, to the best little group on GR.

[Alan]

Thanks guys, I will read anything WW2. But bomber Command is a big interest & I am surrounded by former WW2 air strips, so lots of local history is also Bomber Command.
I started playing with radios in my teens & many of my early radios were ex WD. So I two areas of interest go together there.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

RAF Bomber Command is a great subject to be interested in and by the sounds of it you are in a great place full of local history.

[Alan]

During WW1 we were at the heart of Zeppelin activity as the Germans had a radio signal that came across the North Norfolk coast that the Zepp's could fly along to find the UK. During WW2 we had an airfield in every other village.
Einstein spent a part of WW2 here. We had the secret Auxillary units here, as we were open to invasion.
There is stacks of air history here.

[Howard]

Hi. I am hoping I can get some help identifying a book I read a few years ago and a Bomber Command operation.
I thought title was Schnellboot but I can't find it anywhere.Book was great with detail of all materials and engineering that went into their construction. After the disaster at Slapton Sands from Eboat attack of Opn Tiger,Allies knew they had to neutralize them.Railways to Cherburg were frequently bombed to prevent Germans from delivering torpedos there. When they moved the eboats to LeHavre as we hoped, a secret mission was sent to destroy them. Big blockbuster bombs were dropped IN the harbor and blew all the eboats out of the water. This book was first I had heard of that. Can't find any information now. Help?

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Hi Howard, I haven't found the book but think it was this mission:

14 June 1944: 221 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitos of No 1, 3, 5 and 8 Groups carried out Bomber Command's first daylight raid since the departure of No 2 Group at the end of May 1943.

The objectives were the fast German motor-torpedo boats (E-boats) and other light naval forces harboured at Le Havre which were threatening Allied shipping off the Normandy beaches only 30 miles away. The raid took place in 2 waves, one during the evening and the second at dusk. Most of the aircraft in the first wave were from No 1 Group and in the second wave from No 3 Group. Pathfinder aircraft provided marking by their normal methods for both raids. No unexpected difficulties were encountered; the naval port area was accurately bombed by both waves with 1,230 tons of bombs and few E-boats remained undamaged. No 617 Squadron sent 22 Lancasters, each loaded with a 12,000lb Tallboy bomb, and 3 Mosquito marker aircraft to attack the concrete covered E-boat pens just before the first wave bombed. Several hits were scored on the pens and one bomb penetrated the roof.

This raid was regarded as an experiment by Sir Arthur Harris, who was still reluctant to risk his squadrons to the dangers of daylight operations but both waves of the attack were escorted by Spitfires of 1No 1 Group and only 1 Lancaster was lost.

[Howard]

Thank you. I had found info about this raid.I am still confused. I was pretty sure the raid I refer to was pre-emptive, that is, before DDay. The secrecy was not so much about the raid, but its purpose. The disaster at Slapton Sands was kept classified for 40 years. There had also been a big scare that plans for DDay may have been compromised if the eboat crews had recovered the body of missing officer who had plans on him. If the Germans had any eboats at all they would have attacked the invasion fleet. There was derisive talk among eboat crews of proposed desperation tactics considered practically suicidal, and the eboat commanders were loyal to their crews, but I just can't figure that they wouldn't try a night attack unless they actually had no torpedos. Thank you for your reply

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Hopefully someone in the group may have some info to help Howard. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. This lists the Tallboys ops and no raids on Le Havre before 14th/15th June are shown: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallboy_...

[Alan]

On September 5th 1944, Bomber Command dropped 1882 tons on Le Havre.
Also from http://www.battlefieldsww2.com/Remnan...

"In April 1944, as a prelude to Operation Overlord (the Normandy landings), the Royal Air Force made one raid with 60 bombers and again in early May when 40 bombers took part. During this latter attack, one of the bombs hit the gun turret on the northern-most gun, rendering it useless. In early June, a few days before the Normandy landings, there followed another raid in which 50 bombers took part."
"On 14 June 1944, over 200 Lancaster bomber bombed the port of Le Havre: 22 of the planes were loaded with Tallboy bombs (12,000 pound armour-piercing) and were specifically attacking the large bunker used by the Germans' fast attack boats. The bunker suffered several hits and one of the bombs penetrated the roof, causing a partial collapse of the bunker."
That gives some points for google to search by.

[Alan]

The book Barnes Wallis' Bombs: Tallboy, Dambuster and Grand Slam. Gives lots of details about materials etc.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Thanks Geevee for trying to help Alan out in regards to that book.

Alan you could post some of the details in the 'I'm looking for a book' thread and see if you get any more responses.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Rick my fault as I should have moved the post there and asked Howard to carry on his request from there. This mod has failed his own site's rules LOL!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

No problems at all Geevee, I wasn't that worried, just figured some more people might see Alan's request there, that's all :)

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

:)

[Bev]

Hi, I'm Bev (from Ontario, Canada)and I have no professional qualifications in history but find myself drawn to it, n particular to the history of both the Great War and the Second World War. I am especially interested in how Canadians were involved in the wars. I grew up reading from my father's collection of True POW escape stories (many of which I now own) and was fortunate to be able to interview my own uncle about his experiences being captured in Italy and doing a forced March to Germany where he spent a year as a POW. I am fortunate in having my father's letter's home to his Mom and family and their replies back to him. It has helped me have a much better understanding of what life was like both at home and away.

I have recently reviewed James Lingard's book Britain at War 1939 to 1945:What Was Life Like During the War and the review can be found here for those interested.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[happy]

Bev

Welcome to the group

[Bev]

Thanks Happy!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Bev, welcome to the group, like you I also have a fascination for the Great War and WWII. Thanks for posting the link to your review, I'll be checking it out :)

[Paul]

Hi all.

I'm a history teacher and part-time writer. I'm from the UK and now live in Hong Kong (where the Winnipeg Grenadiers fought, Bev).

Like Bev and her uncle (below), I interviewed my gran a few years ago (she's still alive), who escaped from Poland after the war broke out. She made her way to France, where she slipped away on the last boat from Bordeaux as the shells exploded in the water around the ship.

Anyway, it's good to join you all.

Paul Letters

[happy]

Paul,
Welcome to the group. Fascinating story,

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Welcome Bev and Paul--in my family you would be related (My uncle Paul was a maintenance officer in WWII for a C-47 group in Europe...married to his wife Bev)

Bev: most of us are amateur historians but you will also get the benefits of several authors and pro's here.

Paul: great story and excellent choice of careers, we need more history teachers.

[Bev]

Paul where did your grandmother escape to - the UK? Her story must indeed be fascinating!

Speaking of the Canadians in Hong Kong during the Second World War, I was not particularly familiar with this part of our history, but Veteran's Affairs Canada has some wonderful resources available for educators and one of them is a video called "Canada Remembers The Far East". It's just over 24 minutes long and I found it quite fascinating if difficult to watch at times. I don't know if it is ok to post links here, but you can find it fairly easily on their website if you are interested.

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Bev wrote: "Speaking of the Canadians in Hong Kong during the Second World War, I was not particularly familiar with t..."

Bev, we love those links to new information. You can post them in this thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Paul and a warm welcome to the group, I'm sure you will fit right in here :)

[Manray9]

Bev wrote: "Hi, I'm Bev (from Ontario, Canada)and I have no professional qualifications in history but find myself drawn to it, n particular to the history of both the Great War and the Second World War. I am ..."

Welcome, Bev. You'll find in this group a great appreciation of Canada's contributions to victory in both World Wars. Please don't be reluctant to chip in.

[Manray9]

Paul wrote: "Hi all.

I'm a history teacher and part-time writer. I'm from the UK and now live in Hong Kong (where the Winnipeg Grenadiers fought, Bev).

Like Bev and her uncle (below), I interviewed my gran a..."

Welcome, Paul. Around Christmas we paid homage to the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada for their valiant, but doomed, defense of Hong Kong.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Welcome Bev and Paul.

Bev there are a number of fellow Canadians in the group plus many like me who have an interest in how your nation played a key part in WWII on land, sea, in the air and at home as a training ground, farm, factory and port.

Paul that's a great story with you having the foresight to interview her. We had Poland as one of our theme reads in the last 18 months or so too.

[Paul]

Bev wrote: "Paul where did your grandmother escape to - the UK? Her story must indeed be fascinating!

She's a Catholic Pole and had an uncle high up in the military in Warsaw. He knew the SS would persecute all families (- not just individuals -) from whom they may expect resistance leaders to emerge, so he sent her (and other relatives, at various points) out of Poland after the war started. From Warsaw she traveled to Romania, then Yugoslavia, Italy, France, UK. She arrived in the UK without any English - but someone gave her Usborne's "First 1000 Words" - then she became a languages teacher. (She is so good at languages, maybe she became an SOE spy - but she has never admitted that, yet!)

Paul Letters

[Paul]

Manray9,

Hong Kong's defeat - and a mass escape by motor torpedo boat - is my main research focus at the moment. I'll try to find GR thread you're referring to...

[Paul]

Bev wrote: "Paul where did your grandmother escape to - the UK? Her story must indeed be fascinating!

Speaking of the Canadians in Hong Kong during the Second World War, I was not particularly familiar with t..."

I'm watching that now, thanks Bev...

[Paul]

Geevee wrote: "Welcome Bev and Paul.

Bev there are a number of fellow Canadians in the group plus many like me who have an interest in how your nation played a key part in WWII on land, sea, in the air and at ho..."

I interviewed my gran about 15 years ago (she has since developed dementia) but just shoved the notes in a desk drawer for a decade. I've now written up her story as part of a novel.

[Bev]

It's great that these stories are being captured!

[JD]

Hi all, I am Kosie from RSA and am looking forward to find out more about some great WW2 books on the page.

[happy]

Welcome to the group Kosie.

You should be able to find some suitable rec as you puruse the various threads :)

[Manray9]

Kosie wrote: "Hi all, I am Kosie from RSA and am looking forward to find out more about some great WW2 books on the page."

Welcome, Kosie. Here you'll find out about more books than you can read in a lifetime!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Kosie and welcome to the group, any particular area of theatre of WW2 that interests you the most?

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Welcome Kosie, please feel free to join in.

[Mark]

Hello all. I am Mark and I am a long time World War II history buff, especially the ETO. I look forward to discussions and getting recommendations for good books to read.

[Manray9]

Mark wrote: "Hello all. I am Mark and I am a long time World War II history buff, especially the ETO. I look forward to discussions and getting recommendations for good books to read."

Welcome, Mark. This group may fatten your TBR list.