RootsChat.Com

I thought members might be interested in a podcast which I've launched on aspects of my Dad’s war such as Dunkirk, North Africa and D-Day. The aim of the podcasts is to give you snippets from the book of Dad's memoirs as well as some fascinating updates on his so-called Band of British brothers, some of whom wrote their own memoirs too. So you’ll be hearing quite a lot of great previously unpublished history. There really is some good material, especially from Wilf Shaw and Brian Moss in the 2nd episode on Wadi Akarit.

The podcast can be found via iTunes - just search on WW2 or cheall or click this link which gives you more info -

http://www.fightingthrough.co.uk/#/podcast-war-diary-story-book/4575313237

They are free to download and good if you have any relatives with visual impairment. Once downloaded, you can locate the file onto your hard drive (iTunes makes this easy) and copy across to a CD or memory stick or your ipod etc so can listen while driving or anywhere you would normally listen to the radio, but don't drop it in the bath!!

 Any feedback on the podcasts will be gratefully received.

 Many thanks

 Paul

Fighting Through from Dunkirk to Hamburg - Talk at the National Army Museum, London 12.30pm - Thursday 27 September
I thought members in the London area in particular might like to be informed that I'm doing an hour's talk next week on Dad's memoirs, published by Pen and Sword.
The address is National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London, SW3 4HT and the talk is being held in the Lecture Theatre.
About the talk:
Bill Cheall’s son, Paul Cheall, has spent some years editing his father's memoirs into a form which was ready for publication and the book was finally published in May 2011 by Pen and Sword. His talk has been presented at the Green Howards museum in Richmond, Yorkshire, amongst other venues. It is a mixture of episodes from the book together with many photographs and a number of anecdotes about comrades gleaned from families who have been in contact since the web site was published.
When Bill Cheall joined up in April 1939, he could not have imagined the drama, trauma, rewards and near continuous action that lay in store. First and foremost a Green Howard, as a member of the BEF he saw the sharp end of Hitler’s May 1940 Blitzkrieg and was evacuated exhausted from Dunkirk.
His next move was to North Africa, courtesy of the Queen Mary, to be part of Monty’s 8th Army. After eventual victory in Tunisia, the Sicily invasion followed. Alongside a number of other battle-hardened units, the Green Howards were ordered back to England to form the vanguard of the Normandy Invasion. In the fierce fighting that followed the D-Day landing on GOLD Beach, he was wounded and evacuated. His comrade Sergeant Major Stan Hollis, won the only VC to be awarded on 6 June 1944.
Every cloud has a silver lining and Bill fell in love with his nurse. That did not prevent his return, once fit, to the war zone and he finished the war with the East Lancs as a Regimental Policeman in devastated occupied Germany. For all this he earned seven medals and a wounded-in-action stripe.
Bill experienced many adventures during those action-packed years. Unlike too many, he survived to share these with the reader. Told with modesty, humility and humour, Fighting Through From Dunkirk to Hamburg is, by any measure, a superb fighting soldier’s memoir. Bill passed away peacefully in 1999 following a battle with prostate cancer.
For more background on Bill's war, visit the companion website at www.fightingthrough.co.uk .
An Eastern Daily Press review of the book can be found at http://www.fightingthrough.co.uk/#/war-diary-interview-edp/4554420592
I look forward to meeting any forum members who might attend.
Kind regards
Paul

Wilf Shaw, of Oldham, has been in touch and provided me with a bucketful of war photos and memories. He was at Alamein, Tobruk, Wadi Akarit, Sicily, Holland and more. He was wounded twice and still returned to battle. He is 92 years of age. I have just posted up a full list of over 100 names of comrades Wilf has recalled from his war years, and what he did with them. For anyone researching familes in WW2 it's another treasure trove:

www.fightingthrough.co.uk/#/indices-names-ww2-wilf-shaw/4559555512

If you are looking for any name on my web site, you can use the Search button and it will tell you if the name appears on any of the records.

Paul

PS the photo is of Wilf typing out his memories

Just to let people know I have a had a whole load more photos and stories from 91 year old Wilf which have been posted on the web site. 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