Mum & Dads Geneation.

[Theland]

I so admire the generation that went through the war, on the the battlefields or the hardships at home, then after the war, poverty and rationing.
So tell me about your memories of that generation.

[ummmm]

My parents were too young. Both born after the war ended. Although Irish my granddad fought in the war. He was only 17 when he hit a landmine and had life changing injuries.

He never complained, youngest of 11 children. He was a successful man. He never spoke about the war and I kick myself for not asking. I learnt more about him at his funeral than in life and I lived with him!!

One thing I've told my kids is ask questions. What might seem meaningless today could have a real meaning in the future.

[Theland]

Brilliant post Ummmmm.
It sad when kids lack the history of their own families.

[Pooka1950]

My Dad, who is still going strong at 95, will not talk about his wartime experiences. I know his best friend was blown to pieces right next to him because we used to visit the guy's mother when I was young. He went through horrors that he says he does not want to remember and I respect that.

[NellieMay]

Whenever I have talked to doctors or nurses, especially during my mothers final years they have all said that that generation are the most resilient age group they dealt with - they complained less, were very strong minded, and were the most entertaining.

I was born just after the war and remember rationing. I also remember big family parties and loads of laughter. We had very little materially, but times were good. I can't remember any talk about the war they had been through. I wished I had asked them more.

[NellieMay]

We are all saying the same. Our parents/grandparents didn't talk about the war!

[albaqwerty]

I only know what my mum did during the war and where my father was but that's about it.
They and their friends and other relatives were very talented at changing the subject if a question wasn't one they wished to answer.

[Cloverjo]

My granddad was a PoW. He never talked about it, but in later life he had panic attacks over his memories of it. After he died we found a his bible that he’d used to write notes in. It broke my heart to read it. At the time my granny had two young children and didn’t know if my granddad was alive or dead.

[237SJ]

My Mum spent every night down in the Anderson shelter with her parents, dog and cat for two years. At the beginning of the war they used to stay in their house until the air raid siren went off but after a while, the family decided that they should just as well go down there at the same time every night as at least their sleep wouldn't be disturbed.

[ummmm]

So sad, Jo, in a way I'm glad my gramps got injured and sent home. Without him I wouldn't be here.

He thought he'd lost his leg when he hit the landmine....but he was lying on top of it. His hip never recovered. They discharged him.

[237SJ]

And my Mum said that my Grandad had to put boards over the floor because there was about 2"of water under thieir makeshift beds.

[NellieMay]

My Mums aunt, uncle and her cousin (who was also her best friend) were killed in the blitz. Their house was completely destroyed. My family were all Londoners. My mum suffered mental problems after the war and was hospitalised for six months,enduring electric shock treatment. I was virtually brought up by my grandmother for the first year of my life. There was no way my Dad could look after me. No goverment handouts back then.

[ummmm]

Awful, Nellie. It;s so sad that it's taken all this time for PTS to be taken seriously.

I have minor flashbacks for things that happened. To see someone die, I'd be a mess.

[237SJ]

That's terrible Nellie

[Theland]

I have lots of detail but what strikes me most was the sense of community during real hardship.
Bless 'em all!

[ummmm]

Yes, that seems to have gone. When I was kid I knew most of the people on my street. Now....I wouldn't even recognise my next door neighbours

[Theland]

Ummmm - Facebook etc to blame for that I think.
AB is the only social media I use,

[ummmm]

I think work. Most households have two full time workers.

[naomi24]

Which area of London did your family come from, Nellie?

[emmie]

my grans brothers were in the First world war and not sure if both came home. They didn;t talk about it either.
my mum was evacuated to Bedford from London
during Ww2. She hated it apparently all because the woman made her wear brown stockings. My mum was an only child as her dad passed away when she was 1 so she never got to know him.
I remember that he and my gran worked on the railways so he was exempt from military service.
They didn't talk about the war much at all, all i know was a little bit from my mother,

[waterboatman]

My father was in the army during the war. u never spoke about what she did.