Eighth Army Veterans

City of Manchester

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.Did you know my Dad/Grandad/GreatGrandad?  He was in such and such a regiment.

There were several hundred thousand of us in the Eighth Army.  Our branch and its extended membership represents a tiny, tiny  fraction of that original constituency.  You will appreciate that apart from our close pals, the vast majority of names and faces now escape our memory.  Nevertheless, many of our experiences are likely to have been similar with your relative and one of the reasons we have put up this website is so that you might find something in common.

2.Did you kill anyone?

It is important for you to understand that 50 million people died in the war. Our members typically took part in joint operations that inevitably did lead to casualties from their actions, both directly and indirectly. On the other hand, one of our most highly decorated members was a medic. No one who took part in the war overlooks the horrible consequences, regardless of their individual actions.

3. How old are you?

Last time I counted, at least 81½.

3. Have you lost your marbles?

No.  The ones you have found must belong to somebody else...  Of course, individual members of our Branch do suffer with infirmity and the loss of mental acuity is particularly upsetting when it occurs.  Collectively, we like to think that we are still capable of independent thought and it often turns out that several minds are better than one.  

4. Have you got loads of medals?

We have campaign medals for taking part in individual aspects of the war.  The precise medals vary from member to Member.  A few of our Members were awarded separate medals for gallantry or exceptionally efficient service.

5. Do you still hate the Germans?

Personally, No! Most veterans now get on well with the Germans.  You should make the effort to do so too. 

6. What are the winning lottery numbers next week?

I'm still thinking about it. Let me know if you find out.

7.  How can I help veterans like yourself?

If you wish to do so, take a look at the section Support Us.