Hi I’m looking into my Nan’s Brother, my Uncle Jim. He died in 1980 and would never talk to me on the subject of his war. At his funeral his Daughter was told by the wife of one of his army mates that he had been in Popskis. We all knew he had seen a lot of action in North Africa as well as later in the war. I joined the PPA group on Facebook and they directed me to you and your record of an R Sheekie.
His name was James Charles Sheekey know by the family as Jim. Originally from 17 Willow St in Westminster, I have post cards from his father sent home in 1914, 1st Middx 19th Brg. They I believe moved to another area of London and then during the 2nd war lived at 53 Greenway in Bromley, Kent.
His Number on his war medals is T/64529. DVR J Sheekey. He had the Africa and France and Germany star. I had aluminium swastika Pfenigs that he had bought back and the German phrase book he was issued with.
One of the stories in the family were that he was captured in Africa by the Italians and he and another managed to steal a “Butchers truck” and escape. Another was that he had been hidden in a well by Arabs, something his daughter told me just recently.
Another was that he was dropped on Nijmagen during Market Garden. I questioned this as I knew the British airbourne were at Arhiem and the 82nd were there but it seemed so.
I used to use an old cab driver who lived in Greenway, as a courier from where I worked at the Wellcome pharmaceutical research. He related to me of how my Uncle was in the Airbourne and would return on leave busted down to private and the next time back to Sergeant, always fighting.
He came home with PTSD he would knit and got into growing veg and compeating against my Grandad. My nan told me of them walking through Crown Meadows on Bromley Common and a pane flew over, he was scrabbling in the dirt trying to find cover.
Being in the army cadets he would only say don’t do it, or don’t join.
My name is Andy Ribbens and my email is
iggyribs@gmail.com.
I am wondering if these are the same man?
