Family Members

[sniper1shot]

I have to admit that these are all interesting stories.

My grandfather was a prospector in British Columbia (Province in Canada) and literally came "out of the woods" one day to hear that Canada had declared war. He signed up in New Westminister, an outskirt of Vancouver now, for the infantry. Took a course and was found out to be really good with signals etc and ended up being a Signaller with the unit.
He served in the UK but got ill and missed his unit going to Italy. When he got better, there was a call for signallers for the Middle East.
(The family story goes.....) He signed on and ended up with the British 8th Army in Africa and served with Montgomery's HQ. (I have his records and they do state he was in Africa with the British but not which unit) This was at the end of the African campaign. He ends up going to Italy after this and rejoins his unit. Sees some heavy fighting along the way and then ends the war in Holland/Belgium.
His brother (my uncle) served with an Anti-Tank Platoon. They only saw each other once during the war. On an Italian mountain trail they passed each other. Uncle was coming off the hill, grandfather going up it. Talked for a few minutes and then never saw each other until after the war.
Both brothers married 2 sisters who came to Canada as War Brides.
Rarely talked to him on the war but he is a main reason I joined. He passed on 1 year after I joined so I never got to have the "adult" conversations with him.
I tried to get him the Africa Campaign Star but the Medals/Awards dept wrote back that he was not in Africa during the dates required...HAHAHA He missed the award by only a couple months his records show.