Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal

Mr Jones ex RCT 1st Gulf war

Jones was a 6-year veteran of the RCT and RLC. Vivian was a Lieutenant and is a veteran of the first Gulf War in 1991. He passed at the age of 56 with no family and no friends. The military preparation college of training carried the coffin, 3 standard bears were in attendance, Royal British Legion Riders escorted the cortege and a serving bugler from the Scots guards played the last post.

William Wheeler Royal Navy WW2

He was assigned to the Fleet Air Arm within the Royal Navy aboard the air craft carriers. He served on board HMS Activity, HMS Fencer and HMS Invincible amongst others. Bill saw action in the Pacific Fleet and served in Australia, India and was also part of the Artic Conveys who assisted with assuring the safe passage of much needed supplies to the Russian Federation. He was in recent years, very proud to be decorated by the Russian Federation for his contribution to the war effort.

Charles ex RAF WW2

Charles served in the Second World War as a blacksmith in the Royal Air Force working on aircraft repairs. He started at Pembroke in Wales working on flying boats and witnessed a very heavy bombing raid from the Germans causing mass casualties. He was then posted to RAF Kenley and Biggin Hill to work on Hurricanes and Spitfires. Due to the escalation of the battle of Britain he also was witness to friends and colleagues being killed in the German raids. Understandably He did not talk too much ab

Len Rowe Royal Artillery

23.09.1940 to 26.08.1941 During the London Blitz Len served with the 52nd (London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment. 313 AA Battery stationed at Hyde Park Corner together with gunners on the Ack Ack guns shooting down enemy aircraft. He told me “how he gave the order to fire when the aircraft was near to the guns to ensure a hit.” The gunners said “he had nerves of steel” Unfortunately, whilst on the guns one night their barracks were hit and all of his mates were killed. 8/10/1941 Dad left the UK

Edward McCrae Bomber Command WW2

Flt Sgt Edward McRae aged 93 a veteran of 50 Squadron RAF Bomber Command he volunteered in 1944 he was the mid upper gunner in a Lancaster he completed 19 missions over Europe. Crash report from the War Office 1945: BOMBER COMMAND Ferry flight in connection with Operation EXODUS 50 Squadron, RAF (Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire – 5 Group) Lancaster I PD339/J – took off (from Wing, Buckinghamshire?) at about 1640 and 15 minutes later south of Northampton hit a tree while turning steeply to avoid

Dean Purcell SAS

Dean was called up to do National service when he was 18 and went off to Suez for 18 months as part of the Royal Signals Regiment. When he was demobbed he worked for his father’s firm but did not enjoy it. Against his father’s wishes he re-joined the army and did his Special Forces selection. He joined 22 SAS. During his career he served in Malaya, Borneo, Malaya Peninsula, Libya, East Germany, where he carried out sneaky beaky work with the Russians behind the Iron Curtain and then Hong Kong. H

Antoinette Chambeyron French Resistance

During the Second World War, when World War II broke out. Her parents set up their own resistance movement from their home in Aurillac, France to combat the occupying German forces. The couple would eventually be honoured by both the French and British governments for their varied efforts for the Allies.

Ronald Wonacott ex Royal Marine WW2

Ronald, a world war two Royal Marine veteran. He was sent into action in Norway at the start of the war and returned with many of his comrades dead or injured. He was then sent to Scotland to become one of the first commandos.

Edwin Victor Page

a veteran of WW2 Royal Artillery injured in action and posted to the Home Guard for the remainder of the war attaining the rank of WO1