Major Geoff Wall's grandfather, John Francis Wall, sailed with His Majesty's Ship (HMS) Illustrious during the Battle of the Atlantic and served until 1945 when he was wounded in action.
“My father was born in 1939 and did not see his father (my grandfather) until he came home after the war. My father was brought up by his grandparents. My grandmother worked on the switchboard for the fire department during the war,” said Major (Maj) Wall.
“My grandfather passed away at 69 years old when I was only nine-years-old. I didn't have a chance to talk with him often. He was a quiet guy.”
Maj Wall was motivated to share his grandfather's story to help us all remember the price of the freedoms we enjoy today.
“His service was borne of a sense of purpose against a common enemy, that of opposition to our way of life and freedoms. It is an ongoing battle, recognized but often out of sight of the general public,” he said.
“As we enjoy those very freedoms, it is important to continue to remember their service through recognition of our current serving personnel who serve us today.”
John Wall volunteered for military service and entered the Regular British Forces in October 1939.
He embarked on his training with the Regular Royal Navy (RN) at HMS Raleigh in Devonport, England, on March 19, 1941 moving shortly afterwards to HMS Drake, the main Naval Training Establishment in Devonport. In April 1941, HMS Drake was subjected to bombardment and many people were…
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