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Buzz Feed
05-07-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
Real WW2 Stories: Families Share Hidden Histories
My Grandpa Russ was an Air Force pilot during World War II, but like many men of that generation, he rarely talked about what he saw. Recently, my dad and I went through his journal from that time period, and what really struck me were the personal anecdotes, like hanging out with his buddies and his efforts to learn French to flirt with European ladies (Nana wasn't in the picture yet). There were also horrifying details, like an account of watching his buddy die as their plane crash-landed in Switzerland. That's Gramps looking studious in a photo we found tucked into his journal. So when I came across this thread of people sharing their family stories from WWII, I was instantly hooked on these incredibly human stories that show the day-to-day reality of living through this turbulent historical period. Here are some of the most fascinating stories that made history come to life before my eyes: "My grandpa on my dad's side was in the Navy. Served in the Atlantic and Mediterranean as a steamfitter. Got himself a war bride from England, returned to Canada, and became a boilermaker at a paper mill. He died when I was a young teen, so I never heard any stories. His wife, the British war bride, was a WREN [Women's Royal Naval Service] and worked in Army intelligence. She actually worked on the world's first computer, part of Alan Turing's Enigma-cracking group, although she didn't realize it until well after the war, when the information was finally declassified." "All she knew was that she had to watch cylinders turn and then, when they stopped, take a reading, pass it on up, and reset a new cylinder. She had no idea what any of it meant."—KnoWanUKnow2 "My father quit high school and enlisted in the Navy before his 18th birthday late in the war. To quote him, he was afraid the war would end without him. He really wanted to fight Nazis (we are Jewish), but he ended up in the Philippines. I knew he drove a landing craft, but the worst story I ever heard was when the washing machine on his ship tore skin off his hand, and he needed a skin graft. When Saving Private Ryan came out, I mentioned the opening scene and asked how realistic it was." "My grandfather (born 1906) participated in WWII, as a German soldier, and yes, he was a Nazi. At to the early stages of war. He had some real 'are we the baddies' moments that made him change. And he did not talk to my father about what stuff he had done out of shame, but shortly before killing himself in his high 90s, he talked to me about what he did. And explained to me why he lived his whole life long in fear that either Americans, 'the Jews,' or the Russians would get him in revenge." "After the war, he went full SPD (left-social Democratic Party), supported my father being a full-blown antifascist, and the same for me. He was ashamed until his self-chosen death because of his stupidity. He explained to me what led to that, but also told me that this could never be an excuse to switch off one's brain and actively vote for a guy who told the world before in a book what he would do if he rose to power."—Llewellian "My dad was in the North Pacific in WWII. He never talked about it. We finally asked him why when we were old enough to realize how horrible it must have been. He answered direct questions but volunteered little. One story we all loved was him standing in line as weapons were being assigned when they got off the boat. The guy handing them out had a huge bazooka and was eying my 6'2" dad down the line. He did NOT want to lug that thing all over Asia. Another officer went by asking if anyone could type. Dad had been in business college, yay! He spent most of his time in a tent with a typewriter after that." "My mom (96 now) fled from bombs dropped in Tokyo in 1942. So yes, she 'participated' as a Japanese citizen." —CanAny1DoItRight "Both of my grandads pushed the Germans out of France. They didn't talk about it, but they did tell me about how important it was that they did the job for the sake of humanity. And they had very compelling arguments about how the armed conflicts the US took part in after WWII were not worthy in most ways (up to around 1998). Knowing their views and learning their thoughts, I'm sure both Grandpa and Popo are furious that the world isn't fighting harder for Ukraine, financially and militarily." "My dad was in WWII. He was a dancer and comedian and was in a group with Melvyn Douglas, Peter Gennaro, and other entertainers. They traveled around entertaining the troops. When he wasn't doing that, he worked as a cook." —Bitter_Face8790 "My dad was in the Army. He fought the Japanese. He remembers every morning, the Japanese pilots would bomb their camp at 5 a.m. They'd get into a foxhole with trees covering them. They could hear the shrapnel hitting over their heads. One guy in his company completely lost it. He killed himself in his bed. They were all given a cyanide pill in case they got captured by the enemy." "My nonno (grandfather) fought on the Italian side. Before he met my nonna and had my dad and aunt, he had a wife and two young children — a boy and a girl — who were killed in an American carpet bombing raid. He came home and found his village leveled and his family dead. He just started over again." —baitbus666 "One grandfather was too old by a few months to be drafted. The other one went. The only time he ever spoke about it was when he was in the hospital, dying. His dementia made him think it was many years earlier. So occasionally, some military things slipped out." "Both of my grandfathers served in the military: My maternal grandfather was in the Infantry and fought in, among other things, the Battle of the Bulge. My paternal grandfather served in the Army as a photographer for the Department of War; he carried a gun but never fired it." "My maternal grandfather loved telling war stories. I think he processed his trauma by framing his experiences as an adventure. He had grown up in rural Maine and was an outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing, and he thought his early experiences in the woods helped him survive the war. He absolutely had PTSD and had nightmares his whole life.""My paternal grandfather did not like talking about the war, and so far as I know, told stories about it only once, when my brother asked to interview him for a school project. He also absolutely had PTSD and had nightmares his whole life.""Both my grandmothers also participated in the war effort as civilians. My maternal grandmother went to work for the FBI as a file clerk in Washington, DC.""My paternal grandmother had grown up in the deep south with parents who'd very much scripted out her life for her (and it was going to involve some genteel women's college followed by marriage to someone respectable); when the war broke out, this meant suddenly her life opened up in ways she had not expected. She patriotically went north to work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where she met and fell in love with my grandfather (a Yankee son of an immigrant, pretty much the son-in-law of my great-grandparents' nightmares). They settled back down in Dayton, Ohio, after the war. Sadly, she died in her early 60s and I didn't get to know her very well."—SignedUpJustFrThis "Both my folks were in the war. My Dutch mother went through the Nazi occupation and carried messages for the underground on her bicycle. After the war, she was a Red Cross interpreter in the refugee camp where I was born in '47. My American dad was an Army soldier who was in Europe from '43 'til '53. He went through D-Day all the way through to the camps." "My father's father wanted to fight, but he worked at a munitions factory, and they wouldn't let him go sign up. He was considered an essential home front worker. He was always a little bitter about it, but my grandmother once told me that she was so thankful that he was needed and that he couldn't go. My mother's father served, but he never saw active combat. He did ship repair in the Navy and was stationed out of the Port of San Francisco." —MaggieMae68 "My dad was stationed in Australia during WWII, where he got married and divorced within two months to an Australian woman. Meanwhile, my mom was doing her part from home by writing letters to several GIs in Europe. We found their letters to her after she passed away in November. They were quite flirty. She also went to dances and things here in the US with military guys before they shipped out. My parents met and married in the 1950s." "My mother, who was 13 at the time, and her parents were interned in Weihsien, a Japanese prisoner of war camp in north China. While it was fairly miserable, they were not treated as harshly as captured Allied soldiers. My mother would talk about life in camp occasionally." "My father was also a teenager, and he refused to be evacuated from London during the Blitz. He would also talk about surviving the bombing and rationing sometimes."—jlzania "My father served in the Coast Guard in WWII. When we asked him what he did, he said 'nothing.' About a year before he died, he started to tell us about driving landing craft to islands under attack, dodging bullets, and bringing back dead and wounded to the Navy ship he served on. He and his friend, who served under Patton, never talked about the war except with each other. 'No one else would understand.' They kept their trauma to themselves." "My maternal grandfather was killed in a live grenade training camp accident at Fort Benning just weeks after getting drafted into the US Army in July 1945. My mom was 4 years old. My paternal grandfather was a private in the US Army and was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries suffered during the Battle of Aachen in December 1944." —revo2022 "My grandpa was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. I had the luxury of returning with him many years ago. He was a bomber pilot and managed to escape in his plane despite still being slightly drunk from the party the night before." "My stepdad was in the British Army. He had polio as a kid, so he had short legs, so he got to be a tank driver. On his first day out, there was a huge bang, and the tank stopped. He got out of his seat and looked back, and there was no turret. He was the only survivor." "The next day, he was in another tank. That night, everyone slept under the tank for protection. There was no room for him as he was the new guy, so he had to sleep beside the tank. It rained that night. The next morning, the tank had sunk into the mud. Everyone was asphyxiated except Dad, since he wasn't under the tank. He was the only survivor.""No one wanted him after that. They joked about giving him a German uniform and sending him to the other side."—astcell "My Oma lived in Germany, my Opa was in the Army, and brought her home with him. I interviewed my Oma for a WWII report once in high school, and she didn't say much. Her parents died in the war. I don't know how her father passed, but I know her mother died in the attempted assassination of Hitler. A bombing in a restaurant, if I remember correctly. My Oma was 11 at the time. Hitler attended the funeral (it was a group funeral with all of the victims). I got a really great grade on my paper, my Oma's interview, and the photos of her with Hitler at my great-grandmother's funeral earned me extra credit." "My grandfather fought in the Pacific theater. He didn't talk about it often, but I know he was proud of his service. When he died (a bit over 20 years ago), there was a display with several medals. I can't recall exactly what was said, but it was something along the lines of, 'If I go to my grave without anyone knowing how I won these medals, I'll have done my duty.'" —SlightlyTwistedGames "My uncle was in the Air Force and flew on bombing raids over Europe. From what I have seen in movies, that must have been terrifying, but the only stories he told me were funny. He told me one story about a gunner on his plane and how he got a Purple Heart." And finally, "My late father served in the Pacific. Very proud Marine. He talked more about the people he met in China as part of the peacekeeping force after the war was over. But then, when Windtalkers came out, he said, 'I guess I can talk about it now.' He was sworn to secrecy. He guarded one of the Navajo code talkers!" —1rarebird55 Do you have a story to share about your family from World War II? Tell us about it in the comments or via the anonymous form below:
Daily Record
16-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
100th birthday celebrations for Ashgill resident Margaret
Margaret Harrower, who served as a Land Girl during World War II, was joined by family and special guests on her special occasion Birthday girl Margaret Harrower had a celebration fit for a centenarian as she marked her 100th birthday with a royal seal of approval. The resident at Ashlea Court care home in Ashgill received a card from King Charles and Queen Camilla to mark her extra-special birthday, along with commemorative gifts from two namesakes – deputy lord lieutenant of Lanarkshire Margaret Morton and South Lanarkshire provost Margaret Cooper. Described by family and care home staff as 'a remarkable woman', great-grandmother Margaret served as a Land Girl during World War II and proudly showed her service medal on her birthday; and shared her advice to 'enjoy life and make the most of what you have'. The youngest of five children, Margaret was born in Cowdenbeath on May 30 1925. She loved music from a young age, teaching herself to play the accordion aged 12 and going on to play at local functions, weddings and even for friends at Girls' Camp in the 1930s. She was 14 when World War II broke out; and after initially working in and at a local paint shop until she was old enough to help with the war effort, set off from her Fife home intending to sign up to be a WREN – only to meet her friend on the way, with both deciding en route to become Land Girls instead. Margaret calls the experience 'hard work, but one of the most enjoyable times of [her] life'; and was later awarded the land army service medal in 2008 which she continues to wear with great pride on Remembrance Sunday. After the war, she worked as a conductress for W Alexander, with has fond memories of her time on the buses 'and the characters she met'; and later worked as a cashier for the company, retiring on her 60th birthday in 1985. Margaret married in 1948 and welcomed daughter Rita the following year. She continued to live in Cowdenbeath until the age of 95, when she moved in with Rita and son-in-law lan in the South Lanarkshire village of Auchenheath – and continued to help around the house. She is a proud gran to Valerie and husband Gordon, Scott and partner Lynne, and great-grandmother Jack and Nikki, plus family dog Flynn. Margaret moved in to Ashlea Court in September 2023, where staff describe the 100-year-old as 'a remarkable woman who can make you smile and usually laugh at her antics every day'. She was joined to celebrate her special birthday by her loving family, who made a showcase of photos, as well as fellow residents, staff and her namesake special visitors, with the depute lord lieutenant presenting a card and certificate from the King and Queen to mark the occasion, while Provost Cooper presented her with flowers and a certificate from South Lanarkshire.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Nearly half of Brits don't know when VE day happened, new study reveals – as country celebrates 80th anniversary
NEARLY half of Brits do not know when VE Day happened – and one in 10 don't even know what it stands for. With the country gearing up to mark 80 years since the end of World War II in Europe, research of 2,000 adults revealed 46 per cent don't know when VE Day took place. 3 3 And 47 per cent are completely unaware of how their ancestors might have celebrated the momentous occasion in 1945. Despite this, 25 per cent wish they had photos of loved ones marking the day all those years ago. While 38 per cent want to see the celebratory traditions of VE Day kept alive for future generations. The research was commissioned by Findmypast to mark the launch of a VE Day photo archive, and is inviting the public to share their family connections and stories behind the historic images. Pat Owtram, who was 18 when she joined the Women's Royal Naval Service (WREN) after signing the Official Secrets Act in Liverpool's Royal Liver Building – and went on to become a wartime codebreaker – still has vivid memories of 8th May 1945. She said: 'VE Day was an unforgettable day. 'It came as a huge relief, and I remember the cheers and tremendous excitement of the crowds as I joined them outside Buckingham Palace – though I didn't feel I could celebrate fully while my father was still a Prisoner of War. 'VE Day signified the beginning of a brighter future – six long years of war in Europe were over. 'I felt I'd played my part in the WRENs and looked forward to my father returning home. 'Keeping these memories alive is so important – and having access to wartime records really matters. VE Day was a 'jolly' moment but work went on, 100-year-old former Wren says 'They help us remember, understand, and pass these powerful stories on for future generations.' The study also found two-thirds (65 per cent) have either celebrated VE Day in the past or plan to this year. Many will mark the occasion with a moment of silence (41 per cent) and listening to or watching war stories (28 per cent). While others will talk to or about ancestors who served (18 per cent). Historian Lucy Worsley OBE said: 'VE Day in 1945 was a profound moment in our national history, and these images capture that feeling of immense relief and hope – but it's only if we take a deeper look into the stories behind these smiles that we can understand what this moment truly meant. 'That's why I'm calling on the public to delve deeper into their family's wartime experiences. 'This is a powerful way to understand the everyday realties during an extraordinary time, from your great granny on the Home Front operating industrial machinery to your great-uncles under fire on the Normandy beaches. 'On this special 80th anniversary, let's make sure these wartime stories come to light and are remembered.' Jen Baldwin from Findmypast added: 'The findings suggest that although many are still celebrating VE Day, knowledge of the special day is declining. 'Historical newspapers and records offer a treasure trove of information to help uncover and understand your ancestors' experiences. 'This new collection reveals how millions flocked to the streets to celebrate, but the stories behind many of those smiling faces are not widely known. 'We want everyone to help us create a collective record of the nation's wartime family stories – from the eve of war to VE Day celebrations – to preserve these precious memories for generations to come.' 3
Economic Times
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
NYT Strands answers for May 2, 2025: Complete puzzle guide, hints, clue words, and Spangram
NYT Strands puzzle answers for May 2 are here, and today's theme — 'What a trill!' — takes bird lovers straight into the world of songbirds. If you're stuck on Strands #425, this guide breaks down all the hints, clue words, and the spangram you need to finish the puzzle. With bird names like LARK, WREN, and SPARROW, this one sings with feathered fun. We've also included quick solving tips and the full answer list so you don't miss a thing. Perfect for puzzle lovers looking for today's NYT Strands help, hints, and solutions in one place. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What's the theme of today's NYT Strands puzzle? What are the clue words to unlock more hints? WICK , WICKS , SOWS , ABLE , CARE , NEAR , , , , , LAID , DROW , RING , WING , BIRD , SHADE , , , , , COIN, SEEK, GIRD, NOIR, CHICK Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What are the NYT Strands answers for May 2? Popular in International LARK WREN SPARROW WARBLER CARDINAL CHICKADEE What is the spangram for NYT Strands #425? SONGBIRDS Need help solving Strands faster? Tweak what you've already found. Got 'WILL'? Look for nearby letters to build 'BILL' or 'SILL.' Scan for word families. Once you find one bird (like 'WREN'), you'll be able to look for other birds in a similar pattern. Use clues wisely. Every three valid words you enter unlocks a theme word. That's often enough to give your brain a boost. Why is NYT Strands trending now? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs: If you're playing the NYT Strands puzzle today, you might already know that it's chirping with a very specific theme — birds. Strands #425, released on May 2, 2025, comes with the playful theme 'What a trill!' — a nod to birdwatchers and fans of our feathered friends. But if you're not a birder, don't worry. We've gathered all the NYT Strands hints, answers, and help you'll need to solve today's headline clue for today's Strands puzzle is 'What a trill!' — a direct hint pointing toward birds and their songs. If that didn't give it away, the secondary clue, 'Feathered friends,' certainly means all the theme words in today's game are types of birds, particularly songbirds. You'll need to scan the board for familiar bird names, especially the ones known for chirping or you earn more help by identifying any valid four-letter words. Once you find three, you're rewarded with a theme word revealed on the grid. For puzzle #425, players have reported using these helpful clue words to get going:These words helped unlock the theme clues faster. You can use them or find your own combinations — as long as they're four letters or more, they you understand the theme — birds — it becomes easier to spot the actual answers. There are several small bird species that make up the list of themed words today. According to puzzle solvers and CNET's coverage, here are the official Strands answers for May 2, puzzle #425:These words fit the puzzle's bird-centric theme and will use up most of the spangram, which stretches from one end of the board to the other and captures the overall theme, is:This word perfectly ties all the themed answers together and reflects the musical nature hinted at in today's 'What a trill!' you've found the spangram and all the related birds, your board should be completely cleared — that means every letter on the board has been are a few quick, human-tested tips to get better at solving NYT Strands puzzles:Thehas quickly become a favorite alongside Wordle and Connections. With its rotating daily themes and clever layout, it's gaining attention across puzzle communities. According to CNET, Strands is being covered daily alongside Wordle, Mini Crossword, and Connections: Sports Edition — showing how popular and competitive it's challenge, focused on birds and songbirds, adds a fun twist for nature lovers and casual solvers spangram isAnswers include, and more.
South Wales Argus
03-05-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
Caerphilly care home resident shares VE Day memories
Eunice David, a resident of HC-One Wales's Parklands Care Home in Bedwas, was born on May 16, 1924. She was 15 at the start of the Second World War and 21 at the end. Eunice served as a WREN when she was 19 (Image: HC-One Wales) Mrs David, originally from Ely in Cardiff before moving to lee-on-the-Solent with her family, joined the Royal Navy and became a WREN at the age of 19. She served her country for two and a half years, including living and working through the Dunkirk evacuation. She met her future husband, John, in Lee-On-The-Solent while he was in the RAF. They married in Cardiff in 1944 whilst he was on leave from Normandy and were together for 59 years. On VE Day, Mrs David, her husband, and her family celebrated by having a street party in Cardiff with their neighbours. She met husband John whilst working as a WREN and they married in 1944 when he had two weeks leave from the RAF from Normandy (Image: HC-One Wales) Ms David said: "I remember the bells ringing and people cheering, but it was the silence afterwards that stayed with me – the kind of silence that comes with relief and remembrance. "We were just girls doing our duty, but on VE Day, we felt like we'd helped change the world." After her service as a WREN, Ms David and her husband travelled around the world together, most notably to Hong Kong. Eunice now lives in Bedwas and is 100 (Image: HC-One Wales) They had two sons, Neil and Phillip, two granddaughters, Cerys and Stacey, and three great grandchildren. Mrs David moved into Parklands Care Home in June 2022. She is looking forward to celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day by joining in the street party being hosted at the care home. HC-One Wales is a family of 14 care homes across Wales. The mission is to support those in care to lead their best life, with kindness as a key cornerstone of their operation. HC-One Wales offers residential, dementia, or nursing care, guided by a heartfelt desire to support those in its care to live better each moment of every day. It works closely with health and social care professionals and has developed a range of innovative and specialist care services, to support people to make the most of each moment, every day. For more information on HC-One homes, visit the HC-One website. The care home is looking forward to celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8, 2025. It will be hosting a street party for their residents to commemorate the occasion.
