Did any of y'all have relatives/grandfathers who fought in WWI?

[Testerchild]

My maternal grandfather, George Tester, was KIA 28.09.1917 flying as gunner in 20 Squadron's BF2B 'A7210' with Captain JS Campbell, who was also killed. They were shot down by Harald Auffarth in the same patrol as 2/Lt's Tomlin & Noble - shot down by Josef Veltjens. I have visited all four graves, and two years back drove and walked the route of their last patrol, so far as surviving records allow. My grandfather was the son of a Scottish blacksmith, and originally joined the RASC as a horse ambulance driver in 1915. He was in France from about August that year until his death. My mum was born in September 1915, and I don't think he he was ever allowed back on leave to see her.

My other grandfather was Lt R A Sellwood of the 44th Battalion CEF, serving in France, and survived the war. He was born in England but had emigrated to Canada some years before the war, joining the Winnipeg Grenadiers and rising to Colour Sergeant before he was commissioned.

My great-uncle was Seaman John McCullough, from Co. Wicklow in Ireland. He was a merchant seaman before the war, but being RNR was called up very quickly. He was a gunner on the SS Mavis Brook, and was killed in action on 17th May 1918 in the Med, when she was sunk by a U-Boat.

I am very proud of this ancestry.

Bob

[ManfredL]

My grandfather on mothers side born in 1900 was in the bavarian army as were two of his brothers. The south western part of germany called the Palatinate belonged to the bavarians back then.
He was called up in 1918 and was with a bavarian trench mortar battalion.
He also had to serve from late 44 in his second world war in a railway unit in hungary.

His older brother Edmund was in the 4tes Bayrisches Infanterieregiment and survived from 1914-1918. Oldest brother Hugo died from sickness in Macedonia in 1916 or 1917, unit unknown but said to be train or field artillery.

Sadly I don't know about the fathers side. They had to flee Pommerania in `45 and left all possessions and I don't know where to turn for ww1 personal records. They were from the Schneidemühl area. Maybe one of them saw Albatros aircraft in the air back then

[Oosches]

First post after a long time as a mere observer. My grandfather was born in Russia (today Lithuania) in 1891, but was German. He moved to Hagen in Westfalen some time in 1907-10. He joined the Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 10 in 1913 and survived the whole war, moving to the US in the 1920s. He died in 1936 as a result of being gassed and wounded during the war.

[Der Grüne Flieger]

Oosches,

That is tough for your gramps to have been that badly damaged by the gassing? (I presume?). I read a fair amount and it seems common for people to succumb much later in life to the damages of poision gas.

My stepdad's father was an Italian immigrant who, after just being granted US citizenship, went to fight for the US in the war. He went very late in the war was wounded in the leg shortly after arriving. By the time he was out of the hospital, the war was over. I guess he was fairly lucky.

Phil

[Aviation Fan]

And what rich histories they are, too!

I have a grandfather who was an instructor pilot -- he didn't serve, as he was too old, but he trained hundreds.

[Zoring]

Now my Great-Grandfather fought in the 163rd Infantarie Division, just missing the battle of Mons in 1914 (first British Engagment of ww1 by 36 hours) then went on to fight at the Somme and Flanders, afterwards he returned to his job as a carpenter and survivng until 1961, he died i believe from turberculosis if i remember correctly. He was a Gefrieter and i have a later picture where he has been awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class.

[REDBARONGIRL]

Originally Posted by Freebooter

Hello all,
My mother's father served aboard the USS Pueblo in the U.S. Navy during WWI and I had four great uncles who served in the Army, one or two died over there and one came back about half cracked. Just wondered if any of y'all had people who served in the Great War?
Thanks,
Freebooter
Alabama

yes!!my ex-husband's greatgrandfather was in the cav during ww1 and he was a german-american and he actually met up with his cousins who where prisoners at the time.He,of course spoke german,so the army used him to interograte prisoners.REDBARONGIRL

[Barrett]

A distant uncle, Lt. Fred Tillman, flew with the 90th Aero Squadron. (Lt. Frank Tillman joined the 95th in October '18 but I don't kknow his lineage.)
A more distant Tillman relative was Alvin York's battalion commander.

[Barrett]

A distant uncle, Lt. Fred Tillman, flew with the 90th Aero Squadron. (Lt. Frank Tillman joined the 95th in October '18 but I don't know his lineage.)
A more distant Tillman relative was Alvin York's battalion commander.

[Rbailey]

I had two uncles who served in France with the CEF. One was in the 222 battalion and was wounded and discharged as a result. The second was underage and was made a bugler.