Souvenirs Of Ww2, What the troops brought home Options

[Gallusbisom]

My Uncles all served in the war and some of the stuff they brought home is amazing. I have a menu from Burn's Night, Jan. 25th 1943, Khartoum. It has been signed by many of the boys who were there that night. One lad played with my Uncle for Springburn Thistle, J. Brown, and of course, John Barbour. These young men were from places like Arbroath (N. McIntosh) Paisley (A. Allan) Falkirk (R Loudon) Doncaster (W. Hepworth) Shotts (D.Dweill) Kinning Park (J. Mc Chesney), Auld Reekie (J. Philp) Denny (G. Barr) Blantyre (J. Anderson) Grangemouth and many more. If this would be of interest to anyone I could have it scanned and put on the boards for any family members who may wish a copy. About 22 sigs. but who knows how many of these kids made it home?

Does anyone eslse have unusual stuff like this? Maybe plastic raincoates from Germany etc.? Cuckoo clocks with knocks in the pendulum where the guys were using them for target practice?

GB

[Heather]

The only thing I have that I can call a war souvenir, is a white satin handkerchief edged with lace with a bouquet of flowers embroidered in one corner and embroidered underneath,' To my dear daughter '. I got it in 1941 and still have it as good as new. I think dad bought it when he was stationed in Iceland with the Royal Navy. My elder sister also has one, and mum has a pink one with, ' To my dear wife '.

[Catarina]

I have my Dad's leather portfolio he used during the war with his initials on it . The following items are still in it.

1..A birthday card I sent him,signed with love
from your "wee china". Also a half burned steel backed picture of me.
2. A soldiers Service book.
This showed his medical records,
vacccinations.protective inoculations (what's the difference between these two?)
particulars of new artificial dentures supplied. As for these dentures,
I recall how my dad explained how crudely these were made in a hurry,and
how uncomfortable they were..As a matter of fact although he suffered from
Malaria,the only complaint I ever heard him talk about were these dentures.
This book also contained his last will and testament.
3. His Boys Brigade Membership Card. Seems he was a member of the 174th
Glasgow Company.
4, two medals from the St Andrews Ambulance Assoc.,and a black and red patch
which he wore on his uniform in the Army,representing his being with the
ambulance core during the war.
5. A book of prayers,which is very original. Has a prayer for each day of the year.

My Father served his time in Burma.

[elle]

Nice you have these memories of your Dad, Catarina. They will always bring him close to you.

[Catherine]

Rena that's a lovely post of all those things....yours too Gallus and Heather.

No World War 2, but ma Dad had what he called his Great Mac from the American Army that he brought home { ah think he thoat he looked like Bogey } no tae mention the creme de la creme.....a GOLD silk dressin gown that he paraded aboot in when we werr havin a laugh

He jist got out before Vietnam, he wis lucky cos no one from his original Platoon came home from there.

[stuarty]

i still have my daddy's pay book and it has his discharge over to the rhf ans his will and a few other bits and bobs a know that it was used in a schools project for my ex husbands niece its amasing what a wee book can tell you eh

[Melody]

I've got my Grampa's WW1 medical discharge papers. They are in a wee leather wallet with stud fastenings. Can't remember the date on them I must look them out, that'll be me posted missing for days if ah start in ma memories box.

[buntyq]

Might be repeating myself here but when Suzy and I visited my old home in Auckland Street in 2005 there were pieces of my Dad's old Air Raid/Garden Shed piled up at the bottom of the garden - after all those years! I wonder if they are still there? My Dad would have converted them into a garden sculpture - trash to treasure.

[*Dudley Walker*]

After many years of looking them out ,having a nostalgic look at them,and then putting them a way again...I finally did something positive with some of my Dad's WW2 memorabilia.

1. His letters to his mother from his POW camp at Stalag XXa (Marienburg).First one dated October 1940 after his capture in May 1940...all kept in pristine condition in a metal Senior Service cigarette tin.Including some very colourful Christmas cards printed in the camp by POWS.

2. A German map he acquired! This outlined the route they were taken on during the Death March over 3 months in early 1945.In the coldest recorded temperatures in the twentieth century.

3. His medals,pay book and Discharge book.His name was John Walker,he served with the 51st Highland Division (Gordons)

I finally,after years of thinking about it,had a montage of the above framed and it hangs with pride now in my hallway.

Additionally I had my grandfather's (David Walker)WW! medals and a group photograph of him,my dad and grandmother framed and this sits alongside my dad's.

So ....job done.