The Zohan

Finally treated myself to a scanner, i have had a load of old family pics awaiting scanning for posterity and thought these might be of some interest.

My father, Sargent Pilot Ivor Whiting (back row, far right) was selected to be in this ww2 propaganda pic which became a recruitment poster.

letter which accompanies the pic.


He flew from early on in the war, i must read up on his log book which i have, including Coastal Command and SOE dropping spies, etc. into occupied Europe in planes such as the Lysander (below)


He also flew the Bristol Beau fighter which was the most heavily armed allied fighter torpedo bomber of WW2 - 5 x 303 machine guns and 4 x 20mm cannons + rockets or bombs mainly used for ship busting which musty have been quite hair raising!



(not sure where this was taken)
Ivor died some 20 years ago and i did not really now him that well as he and my mum split up when i was around 6. I would have loved to have asked him about his exploits.

My uncle Eric (mums side)
Eric was Sargent/gunner in Wellingtons, he was shot down in 1942 (i think) and ended up in Stalag Luft III (the Great Escape camp) where he remained for the rest of the war. He and his crew are the subject of a chapter in a book called Shot Down in the Drink - about downed crews. I have his original copy of the book.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shot-Down-Th...tt_at_ep_dpt_4

Here is Eric (apparently i look a lot like him (only fatter!)

I do not have a lot of war time photos of Eric as he was shot down early on

some other photos,
My step Dad (deceased) served in the Navy, he joined prior to the war, 1937 i believe.
he eventually became a Lieutenant commander before he left. My mum has a great picture of him shaking hands with the Queen (queen mother as was) during his service which i must get off of her.
I have this one, he is right at the front, far right of shot

He served on HMS Cossack and was involved with the capture of the Altmark German prison ship and served in the Royal Marine Commandos for a while. He apparently shared a billet for a time with Jon Pertwee who was in Naval Intelligence. My dad ships where torpedoed and sunk twice, not his fault! He carried a piece of shrapnel. about inside him until the day he died


This pic is from WW1 it is my granddad and his brothers, not sure how many survived the war, i must ask my mum...


that is all for now.

Flaps

iTrader: (1)

There are so many questions I wish I could have asked both my Grandads about the war, some of the stories I have been told are quite horrific!

Thanks for sharing. You should post one of yourself up to see if we can see the likeness.

The Zohan

Just found these,

My step dad Franks fathers brother - Charles Richard Sharpe V.C. The story is all there, i just wish i could have heard it from the man himself.

Rescue Dude

iTrader: (11)

I remember chatting to my grandad years ago about when he was in the cavalry during WW1. He told me about when his troop charged a German trench. Over a hundred set out and only about a dozen came back.

He had to stop as he was in tears talking about it.

Truly scary stuff.

hodgy0_2

great stuff Zohan, and your father looks the very picture of a WW2 fighter pilot

my wifes Grandfather flew Lancasters throughout WW2, in the Pathfinder squadron, he is now 92, such an amazing man.

Does not talk about it too much, but the story I remember most is when he was walking across the airfield at Oakington (Cambs) and the tannoy anounced the end of the war in Europe - it was Tuesday 8 May 1945

Robin said he just collapsed in tears, 5 years of pent up emotion and tension released in a single second

Lee247

Great pictures, Paul

Your Dad was a lovely looking bloke

oldsplice

+1

Turbohot

Yep! Brilliant pics.

Ant

Brilliant pics paul, thanks for sharing

Carlh

cool pics zohan ! though I thought you were a lot younger, if your dad was a 30 year old in WW2, you must be almost as old as PSL

great thread, keep them coming!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Which squadron, do you know? My dad was 83 squadron.

Zohan, I'm guessing your grandad is on the right in that last pic?

ScoobyJawa

Nice one Paul - really interesting

The Zohan

Thanks all for the positive comments


Carl, Ivor joined when he was 18/19 (in 1938) from what i have been told.