Typically, for my generation, I was brought up very aware of the suffering that my family and their friends as well as my contemporaries had experienced in the two World Wars.
We concentrate on the Fallen but the wounded and the captured suffered, usually for the rest of their lives. Consider the horrendous impact of these wars, everyone lived in ignorance of the situation of those they loved. These were the years before radio, television, telephone and social media and the enforced separation caused immense and lasting heartache.
Our family were typical and I would like to mention those who served to illustrate the extent of the involvement. This is my attempt to record their sacrifice.
World War One
Ted Ambler was shot and killed whilst on patrol in No Man’s Land in May 1918. His Mother never recovered and wore black or grey until her death in the 1950s.
Percy Barugh and his brother Artie both served in the Royal Artillery.
Walter Bonsall served in the Army Service Corps and was invalided out with Shell Shock from which he never recovered.
Jack P Fenner, East Yorkshire Regiment and his cousin, Noel Fenner served in the Royal Field Artillery and were both killed in France.
Arthur Oakden, served in the infantry having also served in London as a Special Constable and three of his brothers also served in WW1 in the Police and Fire Brigade. In WW2, they were Fire Wardens throughout the Blitz serving in Spitalfields, London and continued this until the end of the war.
World War Two
Edward Oakden, a Territorial who served in Tanks with the Eighth Army fighting in North Africa, landing in Sicily, Italy and then in Normandy. He was severely wounded in the invasion of Normandy, 1944 and spent a year in hospital.
Ethel Wood was married and living in Malaya and she and her children were on the last boat to leave Hong Kong in 1941 when the Japanese invaded. They arrived in Freemantle, Australia and waited for news. Her husband, Frank had been captured and made to work (a slave labourer) on the Burma – Siam Railway and died in captivity. They heard of Frank’s death in late 1944 and returned to England.
Garth Allbrook, a Territorial initially with the Essex Regiment who was transferred into the Royal Artillery. He was a Major working with radar guided Air Defence systems.
Gwenda Allbrook, a Territorial with the Essex Regiment who was transferred into the WAAF and left as a Squadron Officer.
Bill Martyn, a Territorial who ended up a Captain in Bomb Disposal.
Harold Wright served in the Far East in the Royal Engineers
Mick Barugh, a Territorial with REME, he spent 24 hours in the sea at Dunkirk, posted to Africa where he contracted Malaria. He spent most of the rest of the war being hospitalized and died in 1952 in his early 40s.
Norah Barugh worked in an ammunition factory
Peter Barugh was an Army fitness instructor including supporting the North African Campaign.
Ann Barugh served as a Wren.
Ruth Barugh served as a Wren and held senior rank.
Jimmy Wignall was working on military aircraft design and construction.