A phrase started making the rounds in the early 1900s, made more popular in the lyrics of a WW1 soldier’s song, and used by General McArthur in another theatre of war – “Old Soldiers Never Die, They Just Fade Away”. There have been many versions of the saying, but they all mean the same thing.
The problem is that as they “Fade Away”, so do their memories, lost forever or unintentionally added to or taken from. The purpose of this page is to try and preserve some of those memories for others to see, both in picture and written form, in order that they can be added to.
On a secondary but equally important note it may lead to more old comrades making contact, or being able to identify people and places for those whose memory has dimmed with time. There have been some items submitted recently and they will be added to the page, as and when they have been downloaded, uploaded, edited, and whatever else needs to be done to try and give the best page possible. Please be patient, all material submitted will be placed on the page if suitable.
To try and narrow things down without removing the importance of these memories, photographs of individuals and/or small groups, known or unknown, are preferred as against large groups or photographs of known locations; these will be added to the appropriate page as required, with unknown locations being added to the “Recognise This Place” page. Where names of individuals are known (or suspected), it will help if they are provided – it could jog memories. There is no particular time-span, but a possible start date would be from the time the German Border was crossed in 1945 to the present day and/or those who served at the end of hostilities.
We hope you enjoy this page and ask you to contribute if possible. Suggestions are welcomed, and the page is open to all arms – Army, RN, RAF, MSO, etc – and nationalities.
N.B. As the Webmaster is unable to give as much time as he would like at the moment, it is asked that anyone wishing to submit material or if you have any information on any of these photo’s, contact Paul through the Forum first please.
Image of a letter sent by my Grandfather, Private Peter Freeman 1806771 to his then girlfriend (future wife and my grandmother) Kathleen Gerrard.
A letter from a Hospital bed? Where was this Hospital?
Out of Hospital, and waiting to go home. Who were 211 Coy?
Letters sent by Private Peter Freeman to his future wife at various times in 1945
Can anyone identify the units he was with or their locations?
Courtesy of Jon Freeman, grandson of Peter.
Peter Freeman is to the left of this photograph. It is suggested that the cap badge may be KSLI, can anyone confirm this?
Again, Peter Freeman is on the left, no cap badge visible. The soldier to the right seems to have an “L.I.” type cap badge.
Peter Freeman is standing, it looks as though he is now a Gunner.
Photographs above courtesy of Jon Freeman, Peter’s grandson.
Maurice Taylor 114 Coy RASC 1957 – 1961
Anyone recognise him?
114 Coy RASC on exercise.
Recognise anyone?
CSM Stocks, 114 Coy RASC.
Ring any bells?
Photographs from Maurice Taylor, 23513718, 114 Coy RASC
More of Maurice’s photographs can be seen here
Guard Mounting – Caithness Barracks, Verden sometime in the 1970s
Any familiar faces there? One member of the Guard contacted the webmaster.
He did not know the photograph existed.
Does anyone recognise the plinth behind this soldier?
Does anyone recognise this soldier?
Same soldier – better photograph.
Here he is again – back row 1st left. Do you know him – or anyone else in the photograph?
Written on the back is “1939 – 1945 Grandad and friends”
The person seated in front of him – is this Jack (see below)??
Is this Jack? Jack who? An Artillery shoulder title – but what is below?
He seems to be a Lance Bombardier with conduct stripes, but what might the medal ribbons be?
Does anyone recognise this gentleman? His name was possibly Michael
He may have been in the Celle area in about 1956/1957.
The following two photographs were shown to me by the daughter of Keith Bradbury, who passed away at the beginning of this year. Her father spoke little of his service and she has little idea where he served, except that he did spend some time in Germany.
His wishes were that he was cremated and his ashes scattered in two places. One is in Bolton where he was originally from, and the other where he served in Germany. Whilst she wishes to carry out both parts, she has no idea where in Germany he served. I await further information, no matter how little she may think it is.
Does anyone have any idea where the photographs below were taken, or of the cap badge?
A group photograph taken sometime, it is believed, in the early 1960s. Do you recognise anyone?
Keith Bradbury (possible nickname “Brad”) is in the middle row, 6th from the left.
A rather battered photograph (victim of a cat attack), Keith is on the left.
Can anyone identify the bridge in the background?
Anyone know who that is on the right?
Anyone recognise these two soldiers?
Why are they not wearing gaiters or puttees?
Is that stonework German or British?
Does anyone recognise this man?
The images below are of a British soldier who befriended a family in the Timmendorfer Strand area of Schleswig-Holstein. They are taken from a very short film clip, made in 1945. It is thought that he may have had a connection with the infant British Forces Network, but enquiries along this line have produced nothing definite at present.
Timmendorfer Strand is about 19km/11m north of Lübeck, and about 12km/8m from what was the East-West divide.