Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

Not sure why your quote ended up in the middle of my post @Bluejayway, rather than at the beginning .

 

We can't comprehend what horrors these poor souls went through, as my Dad used to say decades ago, 'you youngsters don't know you're born', I understand that now. My Gt Uncle was on the convoys, all I know about it was that his ship was torpedoed and he went into the freezing water, he was quickly rescued but he ended up stone deaf.

As a young kid in the 50s there was a neighbour, a man, who could hardly walk down the street for shaking, we were rightly told not to stare. It can be an evil world. No compensation for these brave men.

 

Evening everyone. It’s sunny still here so drying my hair in the breeze whilst the jacket spuds are doing. I’ve done loads in garden today. First splinter of the season (through gloves) and I’m pretty sure the anti-inflammatory gel will be used tonight for my knees.

Have a relaxing evening folks.

 

As a forces 'brat' I have a huge respect for all of the people who fought to keep us free. My lecturer had been a P.O.W. in Changi Jail in Singapore and his stories were horrifying yet riveting on the odd occasion we could persuade him to talk about it. There were times when he would just go silent and we knew then to just let things go.

 

Oh well done AuntyRach. When (if) I get nice weather tomorrow I will be tackling some jobs in the garden.

 

@Bluejayway - I don't know which ship(s) my uncle was on for the convoys. He was on a Naval Reserve trawler the MS Wallasea travelling back from Ireland when that was torpedoed close to St Michael's Mount in Cornwall in Jan 1944. He was only 22 and his wife had just given birth to my cousin only 2 weeks prior. Fortunately he was given 2 days leave and did get to meet his new son - but only very briefly.

I only knew that he served on the Arctic convoys because, in about 2015, I spent some time with my aunt (his sister) going through family photos and family history and she told me. It came as a huge shock to her to find out where his ship was actually sunk. Apparently my grandmother went to her grave in 1958 still terribly distressed at the thought of her son dying in freezing Russian waters in the depths of winter. It might have helped to know it was in such a beautiful, tranquil spot.

We don't know if his body was recovered. There are several graves in the Penzance cemetery for known sailors from the ship and as many again for unidentified sailors from the same vessel. There are not as many graves as there were souls on board...

Something else which shocked me was that his son didn't know of the graves in Penzance until I told him and could show him photos in the early 2000's. That suggests that none of the family were ever told where he might lie. I'm pretty sure his parents and my mother (his sister) didn't know. The fact that everybody thought he died in Russian waters suggests that a lot of information was witheld at the time and not forthcoming in subsequent years.

It was only my digging at the maritime museum and then on the internet as more documents came into the public domain that the truth unfolded.

 

@Punkdoc - Svalbard is very much on the list along with Greenland and the Northwest Passage. I love remote, icy places (but only if I have somewhere warm and comfortable to retreat to!).

 

That is heartbreakingly sad @Topbird. I hope that your 'find' helped your cousin find some closure.

 

It’s marvellous that we now have the resources to discover all that “lost” info @Topbird . Such a shame that it wasn’t given to the relatives at the time, it would have made such a difference to them. I know my Dad was so very proud to have taken part in the convoys although he didn’t give much away to his family. If his father hadn’t died at the end of the war I believe he would have stayed in the RN.

 

Yes and no LB.
He has done a lot of his own internet research about the ship and so knew quite a bit of that side of the story but is always pleased to receive extra info as it emerges.
However, there was no reference to the Penzance graves and I only found out about them thanks to a very helpful chap in the NMM in Falmouth who had a particular interest in local WWII naval history.
David emigrated to Australia and NZ back in the 60's and has spent very little time in the UK since then. He was really quite upset to think that he could have visited the graves when he was here - if only he had known about them.

 

Catch you all tomorrow.

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I’m just watching the bats flit about in the clear dusk sky (to be clear, I am safely indoors as I am a bit squeamish about them flying too close).

I shall be taking a herbal tea up to bed soon and catching up on some tv, so night night all.

 

Hello all, some interesting posts above about WW11 and holidays in cold places so thanks for posting those.
I've had a very enjoyable day, had a relaxing and much needed shoulder and back massage this morning, then met a friend for coffee/cake (a naughty lunch!) at a local GC where we both used our money off vouchers. I got new Showa gloves and we each bought a large bottle of Tomarite at half price. I also admired the car she's just bought second hand - we now have matching colour Fiesta's! Weather wise it was much nicer than yesterday but by the time I got home at 3pm, I didn't feel like gardening.
Oh dear, just heard that my elder brother (80 next week)has been involved in a car accident near Taunton, his car's been written off by another driver on the wrong side of the road on a blind bend! Thankfully, he appears to be okay, just badly bruised and has been released from hospital into the care of his son who he was on his way to see. I've just lost one brother, couldn't bear to lose another.

 

Goodness @lizzie27, can imagine how your heart must have jolted. At 80 the hospital wouldn't have taken a chance releasing your brother if wasn't fit to go home. Trusting his bruises soon heal up. Sounds like you have a lovely morning though.

Been a busy day for me today, so no gardening duties. Think I've got Thursday free to venture out, providing the weather is ok.

 

Thanks @Jenny_Aster, it was indeed a nasty shock. Just hope he's ok tomorrow. Thankfully the DIL he's staying with used to be a paramedic so she will be keeping an eye on him.