|
|
Post by shred on Jul 31, 2012 23:04:50 GMT
This article was published in March 1945.
Can anyone help find out any more information on Staff Sergeant Herbert Ranfield?
Staff Sergeant Herbert Ranfield of 15 Croft Street, Salford, told how he was in the D-Day landing as a glider pilot and later in the descent upon Arnhem. Approaching Arnhem, he said, he was “shot off his tow” about ten miles short of his landing zone. The elevator controls of his glider were useless and he was compelled to crash-land. Two members of his crew were seriously injured and he was hurt in the leg. Dutch civilians came to their help and told them British soldiers were not far away. They tried to join the British troops, but found themselves surrounded by Germans.
Ranfield himself was taken to Utrecht and then to an interrogation centre in the district. His refusal to give information cost him three days’ solitary confinement “They took away my Red Cross parcels” he said “ and would not allow me to wash and shave.”
From there he was taken to a town near Krenzberg and was there until January 9. He was one of a party that planned to escape, notwithstanding the Germans’ threat to shoot five men for every man who did so. They did eventually get away, but seven hours later were rounded up by the Volkssturm.
As punishment they were made to move the sledges of evacuating civilians for a distance of 35 kilometres.
They escaped again on January 23 and on February 3 they met the advancing Russians. During part of that time they hid under the stage of a guest-house and for nearly three days they had no food, until some enterprising member of the party crept out to forage and found a tin of German baby food, which they ate lying down under the stage. On the night of this banquet the Russian troops approaching put down a barrage on the district and they kept a look out until they saw the Russian troops approaching, when they made themselves known.
“I have brought some souvenirs with me” said Sergeant Ranfield. One souvenir he had was s Russian cap, fur trimmed and with ear coverings. This was the gift of a Russian, and he wore it during the voyage.
|
|
|
|
Post by stecheet on Sept 18, 2012 13:34:17 GMT
Re Herbert Ranfield
His parents were
Francis Ranfield born 1894 Salford
1911 census resident 16 Dalley St Lower Broughton occupation Tram Trolley boy
He married
Maud Lambourn J/F/M Colchester Essex in 1917
I believe she may be
Maud Lambourn born 1895 Liverpool
1911 census Maud born Liverpool resident Lowcocks yard Gt Clowes St Salford
Francis(Frank) born 1894 died 1976 Barton
Maud Ranfield born 1895 died 1971 Salford
Herbert was born in 1922 Salford
He married Winifred Gladys Robertson in 1944 Salford
She was born 1920 in West Ham
It seems they had 2 daughtersin West Ham . I Will not post the names
Winifred Gladys Ranfield died in 1978 in Havering London aged 58
Herbert may still be alive as I found no death upto 2006 which is the latest I can search.
Wendy
|
|
|
|
Post by shred on Sept 18, 2012 17:17:16 GMT
Thanks Wendy, Good to see he had a family. The IWM have a sound recording of Herbert. The following is a description of the recording: "REEL 5 Continues: first flight as second pilot; acting as second pilot to Staff Sergeant Herbert Ranfield and gaining experience in flying Horsa; flying practice and exercises; stories of forced landing in fog, exercise with full load and difficulties landing during night flight; tow by Albemarle ferrying gliders to Brize Norton. Recollections of participation in Operation Mallard landing at Ranville, Normandy, France, 6/6/1944: prior briefing; load of 6pdr anti-tank gun, equipment and crew; flying kit and personal weapons carried; checking glider and load distribution; take off procedure; flying in formation in high tow position; taking over as pilot including problem with towing Albemarle and slipstream; personal morale; approach to landing zone and release of tow rope; landing near woods, opening tail section and unloading; situation." Link to the IWM collections item. |
|
|
|
Post by ranfje on Sept 21, 2012 17:18:02 GMT
He was my dad! I am surprised that Wendy knows so much about him and I don't even know who Wendy is.
He had 4 children (I'm the youngest) and married again about a year after my mum's death in 1978. He died in 2007.
For reasons I won't go into now, we did not keep in touch.
I have been trying to find out about his war service so
this blog is fascinating; thank you.
Jill Ranfield
|
|
|
|
Post by shred on Sept 21, 2012 18:50:36 GMT
Hi Jill,
Welcome to the forums and thank you for posting.
Wendy is a forum member who helps research a lot of the names we come across. If you feel that any of the information supplied in this thread about your father is inappropriate for a public forum please let us know and we shall delete any information you feel should be removed.
With your permission I shall email the article that I found with regards to Herbert to you, the article contains a wonderful picture of him.
Garry
|
|
|
|
Post by ranfje on Sept 21, 2012 19:00:20 GMT
How many please can I type without looking too desperate :-)
I don't mind the information on the post I was just intrigued who Wendy was. IF you would like any more info, please just ask.
Jill
|
|
|
|
Post by shred on Sept 21, 2012 19:04:35 GMT
Jill, I will send the article to you within the next 5 minutes. Sorry to say I was mixing the article up with another and this one does not have a picture. Sorry.  |
|
|
|
Post by shred on Sept 21, 2012 19:12:21 GMT
Jill,
Email is flying through the ether as I type.
|
|
|
|
Post by ranfje on Sept 21, 2012 19:41:45 GMT
I have it THANK YOU.
The story of his escape matches what he told us. He also told us stories of swapping bars of chocolate with the prison guards for cigarettes. What they didn't realise until the unwrapped the chocolate was they had eaten the chocolate and placed wood in the wrapper! As the guards weren't supposed to trade with the prisoners they couldn't say anything.
Another trick was, during role call, one of the men who had already been counted would move to the end of the line and get counted again - much confusion.
|
|
|
|
Post by shred on Sept 21, 2012 19:54:21 GMT
The story of his escape matches what he told us. He also told us stories of swapping bars of chocolate with the prison guards for cigarettes. What they didn't realise until the unwrapped the chocolate was they had eaten the chocolate and placed wood in the wrapper! As the guards weren't supposed to trade with the prisoners they couldn't say anything. Another trick was, during role call, one of the men who had already been counted would move to the end of the line and get counted again - much confusion. I had to laugh at the chocolate trick. Sheer genius! |
|
|
|
Post by ranfje on Sept 22, 2012 9:23:16 GMT
A few years ago I googled my dad and found an article he was mentioned it about things that could be done with a Spam tin. I didn't keep it a the time and it doesn't come up now. I need to amend my searches to see if I can find it again.
|
|
ned
Corporal
Posts: 48
|
Post by ned on Sept 23, 2012 13:28:20 GMT
Ranfje.
Just slightly off topic but you remark about much confusion reminded me about a true story told to me by a friend of mine, who is now in his eighty's. My friend has a glass eye, he lost one eye when he was three years old. When he was 70, he had to renew his driving licence. I asked him did he have a problem with the DLVC due to the fact that he only has one eye?. He said to me no, they don't know, cause I have never told them!. He then said to me I served 5 years in the RAF during the war. He said, when I had my medical on enlistment I had, as part of it, an eyesight test. He said you know the sort where you cover up one eye with a card and read the letters, then cover up the other eye and do the same again. What I did was obviously read it with my one eye then just swapped the card into my other hand and read it again with my one eye, "and the never noticed." I passed the eye test. He then went on to say I served my country for 5 years in the RAF and if I did that with one eye,I CAN DRIVE A BLEEDIN CAR WITH ONE EYE. "This is a perfectly true story."
We as a country have had, and still are blessed with heroes! To Harold the man mentioned above, GOD bless you Harold, and I hope you are still driving your car when you are 100 years old.
|
|
|
|
Post by ranfje on Sept 23, 2012 13:40:01 GMT
Ned
My dad told us another story about a time he was leaving camp to go on leave. His suitcase was full of food he 'helped himself' to. When asked what he had in his case he told them exactly what he had, right down to the last tin of powdered egg: My father was known for his sense of humour so the quard told him to stop mucking about and let him go!
Who ever said honesty was the best policy probably didn't have that in mind....
|
|
ned
Corporal
Posts: 48
|
Post by ned on Sept 24, 2012 16:57:06 GMT
Ranfje,
No, probably not, but it does rather prove the point.
Who was Staff Sergeant Herbert Ranfield? I don,t know who he was! I would have liked to have known
Him, because like you, I know he was a British lion, and a hero.
I also know that I was born two streets away from where he lived in Salford.
Kind Regards, to you Ranfie. Edwin.
|
|
|
|
Post by shred on Oct 28, 2012 14:38:43 GMT
Jill has very kindly allowed us to post the following pictures and documents. Many thanks, Jill. Herbert Ranfield.  |
|
