Granddad Blackhall, Royal Horse Artillery
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Grandad resumed his banking career after the war and when he retired in 1949 was manager of Lloyds Bank in Sparkbrook. I remember that he said that during WW2 he was a 'firewatcher' in B'ham but I haven't any further details of this.
What a smashing thread Janice. Brilliant idea!
My uncle, Samuel Woolley, fought in WW1 and it affected him badly. I'm not sure off-hand which regiment he was in to start with but he was transferred to another where he wore a kilt and apparently when the material got wet and froze it cut their legs to ribbons.
First picture is Samuel by what looks like a train. He's in the back row on the right. Second picture is after he was transferred. Third is William, on the right, Sam's younger brother who ran away and joined the army. He was too young so they brought him back! He waited for his birthday and joined the navy and was a radio operator. Last picture is them both together, at the beginning of the war I imagine.
These blokes were so proud of their horses.
Across all the many books I've read about the Great War, the overriding sorrow that the soldiers had was for the dreadful things that happened to
the poor animals that were caught up in the slaughter.
I have a Samuel Woolley in my family tree also. X
When I was in the army, the RHA were allways considered a "cut above" the rest of the Gunners.Hi,
My Granddad was a shoeing smith in the Royal Horse Artillery.
Sadly I never met him, as he died at the age of 54 in 1938.
Kind regards
Dave
We tend to think of operations on the Western Front and many are unaware of the East African Campaign where the country was far more hostile than the enemy, disease, lack of water and food being particulary hard on the animals:Relatives, of a sort, I believe. They were the 18000 dogs, of various breeds, countless number of horses, mules and other animals that worked alongside humans in the combat zones.. Many, like their human friends, never made it off the battlefield.
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Hi Rowan, I have just seen your message above and believe that your grandfather was James Henry Bott who was my grandmother, Ruby Eveline's, brother! If on the right track, his second wife was named Ada, and I remember visiting them at Kington, Hereford. Ruby's first husband, Charles Cunnington, my grandfather, was killed in WW1 on the 9th or 10th April, 1917 at the battle of Arras as a result of a direct hit and so there is no known grave. Ruby and Charles had two children, my father being one of them. Ruby did marry again and had 3 more children. Charles' brother, Daniel, also died in WW1 of his wounds in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) on the 26th January, 1917, and is buried at the Amara War Cemetry, Iraq. I always think of them on Remembrance Sunday. I don't know anything about a Harold and family being killed in Aston in 1940.As the Day pf Remeberence has arrived I think of family I didnt know who died during both wars my respect goes out to them and all there commarades who were killed with them.
I remember ARTHUR EDWIN BOTT of the KRRC and several other family I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT who died in WW1 also am remebering HAROLD BOTT and his family were bombed and were killed in Aston in 1940.
May they all rest in peace
Hi Rowan, I have just seen your message above and believe that your grandfather was James Henry Bott who was my grandmother, Ruby Eveline's, brother! If on the right track, his second wife was named Ada, and I remember visiting them at Kington, Hereford. Ruby's first husband, Charles Cunnington, my grandfather, was killed in WW1 on the 9th or 10th April, 1917 at the battle of Arras as a result of a direct hit and so there is no known grave. Ruby and Charles had two children, my father being one of them. Ruby did marry again and had 3 more children. Charles' brother, Daniel, also died in WW1 of his wounds in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) on the 26th January, 1917, and is buried at the Amara War Cemetry, Iraq. I always think of them on Remembrance Sunday. I don't know anything about a Harold and family being killed in Aston in 1940.