Norrie Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Another bit of paperwork in today....this belonged to Edward Stapley, signed up to the 20th Hussars in August 1908....lots of research to be done on this.. Inside the paybook was a very apt note...:) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Hello Norrie, What a superb Item you have found, in great condition considering the age. But really good to read the text and see this "Hero's" name and service number. Well Done....Let us know how you get on researching his Army Career. Best to you.....Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norrie Posted May 17, 2021 Author Share Posted May 17, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Desert Rat said: Hello Norrie, What a superb Item you have found, in great condition considering the age. But really good to read the text and see this "Hero's" name and service number. Well Done....Let us know how you get on researching his Army Career. Best to you.....Ian I found his old home...No 4 https://goo.gl/maps/j2UEN1Ai8Woqpkb17 Edited May 17, 2021 by Norrie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Auld Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 What I like about all these or Wehrpass etc is that they unique to an individual, just a little snippet of history that is not duplicated like say a helmet or gas mask etc.... Rich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davejb Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 A bit of topic but you will see where I am going with this, Years ago when I was about 19 years old, I would always go down to Camden Passage in London as there was a very good Military fair , One time I saw an old guy there selling Army Pay books, he had quite a lot but there was something about them that looked off, they were all badly damaged and looked blood stained, For some reason I felt that I would call my mates dad, He did,nt live far from there, He was a very good collector of all things military, He came over saw them and started to ask where this guy got them from, This guy was very off, and so my mates dad called the Police, We latter found out that this guy was a Medic and was on one of the D Day beaches, this peice of crap for a person, took the pay books off the dead and never handed them in but sold them years latter and was making money out of it, He went to prison for 2 years , The police found other items at this guys house and were able to find the next of kin to quite a few relatives. I am pleased to say that this guy died a few weeks latter after coming out of prison, at least that was what we were told, I hope it was true 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norrie Posted May 19, 2021 Author Share Posted May 19, 2021 19 hours ago, Richard Auld said: What I like about all these or Wehrpass etc is that they unique to an individual, just a little snippet of history that is not duplicated like say a helmet or gas mask etc.... Rich Yep, I think that's why I like them so much...makes it all sort of personal...:) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norrie Posted May 19, 2021 Author Share Posted May 19, 2021 17 hours ago, Davejb said: A bit of topic but you will see where I am going with this, Years ago when I was about 19 years old, I would always go down to Camden Passage in London as there was a very good Military fair , One time I saw an old guy there selling Army Pay books, he had quite a lot but there was something about them that looked off, they were all badly damaged and looked blood stained, For some reason I felt that I would call my mates dad, He did,nt live far from there, He was a very good collector of all things military, He came over saw them and started to ask where this guy got them from, This guy was very off, and so my mates dad called the Police, We latter found out that this guy was a Medic and was on one of the D Day beaches, this peice of crap for a person, took the pay books off the dead and never handed them in but sold them years latter and was making money out of it, He went to prison for 2 years , The police found other items at this guys house and were able to find the next of kin to quite a few relatives. I am pleased to say that this guy died a few weeks latter after coming out of prison, at least that was what we were told, I hope it was true Good grieff.....I cant imagine someone thinking about making money out of yer mates, and especially at a time like that!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davejb Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 Well it just goes to show that there are some evil gits in this world, but to do that, and he was a medic and at a time of War, plus how many were never identified and there next of kin never found out what happened to them, I hope he is rotting in hell 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 Hello to you both, As Dave has said.....I cannot believe that this Medic took these books off the dead "Heroes" of the the D-Day Beaches......came home an never sent them to the War Department to confirm their deaths, and leave the grieving family in mental chaos....Then had the disgraceful audacity to sell them and make some money....Whatever the reason, there is no excuse....!!! Desert Rat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 Hello, Does anyone have a pay book etc from any soldier from the 8th Army to show us on MCN.....My Dad fought in the Western Desert, then up through Sicily, then landing on the beaches of Salerno, up through Italy then recalled for the D - Day Invasion, in which he landed on Sword Beach in the afternoon of the 6th June 1944, fought up through France, into Belgium, Holland and across to Germany with Monty's 21st Army group......Recalled to the UK when the War ended......but brought only a few items back as mementoes, but not any pay book or any demob papers...can anyone help Please? Thank you sincerely and Best Wishes....Desert Rat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norrie Posted May 20, 2021 Author Share Posted May 20, 2021 5 hours ago, Desert Rat said: Hello, Does anyone have a pay book etc from any soldier from the 8th Army to show us on MCN.....My Dad fought in the Western Desert, then up through Sicily, then landing on the beaches of Salerno, up through Italy then recalled for the D - Day Invasion, in which he landed on Sword Beach in the afternoon of the 6th June 1944, fought up through France, into Belgium, Holland and across to Germany with Monty's 21st Army group......Recalled to the UK when the War ended......but brought only a few items back as mementoes, but not any pay book or any demob papers...can anyone help Please? Thank you sincerely and Best Wishes....Desert Rat Hi Ian, I'm sure I can help....I'm sure I have mjust what you are after.......paperwork, letters etc etc ??...give me a couple of days, to get photos set up and I'll get it sorted for you...:) Hope you like what you see mate...:) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 (edited) Hello Norrie, That sounds .....Superb, thanks so much, just a few momento's that would be good with my very small collection my Dad brought back. Please send me some images and the £.? Very Grateful and Best to you......Ian He was a despatch rider for the Army and rode a BSA, then went on to drive American Trucks, then in the Western Desert a Tank Transporter.....To collect the damaged tanks after a battle (also he had to get inside then collect the body parts of the crew, put all into canvas sacks of the tank crew who, when the 88mm passed through the tank it didn't have the velocity to pass straight through the other side, so it spun around inside the tank.....decapitating the crew as mincemeat......!!! Load up the tank/ tanks and return to base to be cleaned out and made ready for the next battle, there were Churchill, Shermans and others? He went to War as a young "Boy" as they All did, but returned a broken man and died in 1973 at 53 yearsold.....My Hero!!! Edited May 20, 2021 by Desert Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Register for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now