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Forums - General Discussion - A Veteran in Your Family?

My great great grandfather lived near the train station, where he spied on the trains. He got caught by the Germans and went to prison. However, on a certain day (the birthday of the emperor or something), the Germans were in a good mood and let all the prisoners go. He stayed home for the rest of the war, his bakery went bankrupt, and he developed an alcohol addiction.

Another fun war story: my great great grandmother (not the wife of the guy above) got shot and killed right after the war ended, by Germans who were pissed because they lost the war.



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I've heard stories of my German great-grandfather that may or may not be true i don't particularly care for. Other than that no veterans beyond the year of mandatory service we have to go through in my country



My father served in the Korean war.  He died when I was in High School but, before that, I only heard mention it a few times in my entire life and then only briefly.  I remember him talking about working on tank retrievers, which is where he got his heavy machinery skills.  He could fix anything he got his hands on.  Oddly, I also remember him talking with another veteran about villagers eating dog meat.  He never once spoke about anything to do with the actual war itself.

Many years after his death, my cousin found a photo album of his and brought it over.  It was full of pictures of Japan.  I never even knew he'd been there.  



My father served in the german military for 12 years, as far as I know he had one deployment outside Germany, he was in Croatia during and after the Balkan war but never got involved in actual fighting because he was part of an maintenance company.
Other than that I guess at least one of my great-grandfathers fought in WWII.

Fun fact: my dad picked my first name after my great-grandmother's brother who died at the east front in WWII.

Last edited by MrWayne - on 11 November 2018

As far as modern times go, most Arabs in Israel don't serve in the army (including my town).
I'm not really aware of any ancestors who fought in wars, Palestinians never really participated in much of the fighting, and when they did, it was mostly townfolk and not from our small villages.

I have heard stories though that my great great grandfather was once beaten by British soliders around the time of WWI and the later British mandate, because he snooped on their train, so there's that :P



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No but I sorta wish I did. Happy(?) Armistice Day!



My grandfather was in the navy.

During the late 50 and 60s he served in missions in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. He never saw any action though, this was already after Indonesia’s independence, and a time of peace. I also have an uncle who served with NATO forces in Lebanon in the 80s, but I haven’t seen him for 10 years, which was also the first time in 10 years. I don’t think I have any other relative who has been in the military, for at least up to my great-grandparents.

Last edited by S.Peelman - on 11 November 2018

Both of my grandfathers served in WWII. One in the Navy, the other the Coast Guard. One uncle was in Vietnam. Amazing to think it's been 100 years since WWI. The last veteran from then died in 2012. In 20 years or so, there won't be a soul alive that was even born before its end.



I'm proud to say that nobody in the last few generations of my family was involved in any warring.



No and I'm glad I don't. Chances are he would of had to fight in the British army if I did and that wouldn't sit well with my family considering we have a relative murdered by the British Armed forces.