Originally Posted by
Innominate
My family was lucky: no deaths, although Uncle Frank went to France in early 1918 and was back by the summer without a leg. Other uncles served in the Second World War (one pre-war Coldstreamer, apparently at Dunkirk and El Alamein, another was in tanks) and came through apparently unscathed.
I think it was very much the luck of the draw. On my paternal side my oldest uncle signed up but was under age. My grandfather got him out. Later he joined the RAF. Of 7 great uncles not one had a child of the right age to fight.
On the maternal side my grandfather was a regular In the Indian Army, I know his three brothers were also In the Army and all survived intact. In the 2nd I lost an uncle missing presumed killed when his night fighter disappeared - there was no action that night.
In the 2nd, only my father was in action in the merchant navy.