Tip on tracking war relatives

[paulcheall]

Sometimes the most obvious way is the easiest way. I have been surprised how many times I have simply googled a name, such as Fred Smith WW2, and come up with vital information about that person. Using such methods several of my Dad's old war comrades families have tracked down my Dad's web site and uncovered a whole load of info about their grandfather or whatever.

It's as a result of this that I've been able to set up and recently considerably extend the postings about Wilf Shaw, a 91 year olf ww2 veteran who has been corresponding with me.

There are some great anecdotes from this old soldier - well worth the read. In particular, stories from El Alamein and Wadi Akarit have been added.
 
Here's one story about a boxing tournament:
 
"Sgt Jerry 0'GRADY of Z Coy had a short list of men to whom he was not particularly well disposed. Henry Jefferies and I must have formed a fairly prominent part of that list, as our names seemed to be stuck permanently on the tip of his tongue - we seemed to get all the dirty jobs when fatigues had to be done. Exactly why he had this down on us, we never quite found out - perhaps the fact that we were surplus to requirements in the Signal Platoon and had been put into Z Coy as replacement rifle men made us a little bit Bolshie, which didn't go unnoticed by the Sgt Major.
 
One day, on board the New Mauritania, they decided to run a Battalion boxing tournament and 0'Grady asked the assembled Coy one morning for volunteers - not a single hand was raised, until Jeff nudged me and said, "I'll have a go Shaw if you will". The Sgt Major stared in disbelief when we put up our hands. After just 2 minutes in the ring Jeff had his eyebrow ripped open.  I lasted a little longer but think I was knocked all round the ship before they stopped it. I don't think Jeff and I did a single fatigue after that – 0'Grady treated us like heroes! "
 
Visit this war diary link to read more. http://www.fightingthrough.co.uk/#/wilf-ww2-memoirs-index/4557245411. I'm occasionally adding new stuff so if you want to hear about updates please register at my blog at http://fightingthroughfromdunkirktohamburg.blogspot.com/
 
Thanks
Paul