Blood for the Baron!

My grandad, William Watson (well, actually my dad's stepdad, but that's by-the-by) on parade with the Normandy Veterans association. He's still alive - a little infirm but still living independently in his flat near the beach in Aberdeen.

That's good your grandad is still alive annie mine sadly had alzheimers and died of cancer.

Yes, I'm lucky - he's 92 and he's got his marbles My other grandad would've been 110 this year; He wasn't in the war because he was a colonial officer in Nigeria.

This is a picture of William Woods, my first cousin twice removed (my granny's first cousin).
His family moved from Ireland to England in 1925, he later joined the RAF and was commissioned in 1938.

He was one of the Gloster Gladiator pilots who defended Malta against the Italian air raids of June 1940.
He later flew Hurricanes and was awarded the DFC in January 1941.
Unfortunately he was killed in action during The Battle of Athens on April 20th 1941.

He was born on November 12th 1912 so today is his 100th birthday.


The fuselage of one of the Gladiators that he flew is in the Valetta War Museum, the same place where the bell from The Baron's Grandad's ship is on display, it's a small world.





You can read more about him here:
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/commonwealth_woods.htm

I'm pretty sure I went to the Valetta War Museum I can recommend it to anyone.

Small world indeed. My Granddad wound up on the same airfield (Isle of Man) where Mr 463's Dad served. I also had 2 uncles that fought through North Africa to Italy in the NZ Div Cav, the unit where the LRDG was formed from. One of them was involved in laying cable across the Rapide and the other (legend has it) bought down a Stuka with his Enfield. Hit the pilot.

Never know, my uncles may have run into Grandad Marshall and Cuz Woods during those campaigns.

Annie, my Nan has turned 90, still in full control of her marbles too. Very glad she's still around as I love her dearly.

It was my Granddad who served at Jurby on the Isle of Man. He was a PTI! Picture to follow when I find them!

Aha, dunno why I thought it was your Dad. Maybe they ran into the Laserblutt's?

My grandad was from Hamilton, Scotland Mark we moved to the Isle of Man but only my Niece was born here.

I used to live near Hamilton..... in New Zealand.