Hi there.
I am currently doing some work on WWII, due to my grandfather's participation. Andries Johannes de Bruyn de Jager
Question: Why the shortage of projects for this? Or am I just not finding them?
Been through lists and lists of Geni projects covering WWII (internationally), but not much relating to what I'm busy with. Especially in comparison to WWI, where there's a separate project for SA soldiers, and intl ones for casualties, memorials, etc.
Also went through this project list of SA-related projects, and again only the WWII East African Campaign. :(
Who should I speak to about getting a project or two started?
Topics I'm working on / Suggested projects:
(some of these just SA, others international)
SA soldiers during WWII
North African Campaign
- Battle of Bengazi - in particular the Fall of Tobruk where approx 35,000 Allied soldiers were captured, including the SA 2nd Div.
SA POW's during WWII (including those captured in above mentioned conflict)
SA POW's held in Libya, Italy, Poland, Germany (etc?)
WWII SA medals, or even just WWII medal recipients
SA escaped POW's participating in resistance movements (e.g. Italy).
POW camps during WWII
Battles of WWII
WWII casualties
SA armed forces (or navy or air force) - WWII, or even just all of it lumped together.
Side Note:
My mother collected her father's war stories, did lots of research, and recently published the book (Afrikaans for now, English edition later this year). So I'm trying to link up the book's info to Geni, and track the soldiers mentioned by name in the book.
Most of the returning soldiers preferred not to speak of their experiences (some never do), including my grandfather, so it took just about 20 years to put this story together.
Surely there must be more info (even oral history) available to us and consequently more interest in comparison to WWI and the Anglo Boer War? Fathers and grandfathers (instead of GGG-grandfathers) who participated, with medals, memoirs, notes, diaries, service records, military pensions, and maybe even some still living. And better record keeping by the authorities both in SA and overseas.
While looking for additional info based on my grandfather's story, I've come across lists and lists of SA POW's with rank, name, service number, and POW camp number. Some of these lists may not be completely accurate (as I've been warned), but it's a start. Some of these have been drawn from the UK Archives at Kew, which we don't have easy access to. Also Red Cross reports, photo's, etc. Even some service records for SA soldiers completely unrelated to myself and not to be found on Geni (see example below).
Just seems like such a shame that there is just one SA project for this, unless I'm completely mistaken (which is completely possible).
I don't know how to go about starting another proper project, and would really appreciate some help or just advice to get going. PLEASE! Then at least I can "dump" the records that I do find into the project and maybe in the process help someone else find info on a father or a grandfather.
For example: (service record from SA military archives)
Capt. Johannes Casparus Lemmer, service number #196819. Served in Egypt & Libya 10/6/1941-20/6/1942. POW Italy 29/6/1942-11/9/1942, POW Germany -28/3/1934. Arrived UK 7/4/1945. RTU (returned to unit?) 6/5/1945. Medals: 1939-45 Star, AFrica Star, War Medal 1939-45, Africa Service Medal, Military Cross.
I'm not that clued up with military stuff, and can't decipher some of the abbreviations and jargon, but I'm learning. Would be great though to have a helping hand from someone who knows more about military stuff. I am not a Pro user at the moment, so my navigation on Geni gets stumped in places. Getting a Pro user to collaborate on any of this would be fantastic!
Anyway. Hope to hear from at least one person who is interested in this topic.
Kind regards,
Leone
