Matthew met Edward and David Toms in the picture framing shop they ran. When they framed a booklet of Matthew's father's quotes (which included a few lines about WW2) he got to know a little about Edward's war. But it was only when Edward died and obituaries appeared in national newspapers, that Matthew found out quite how extraordinary Edward Toms' war had been.Send us a textSupport the show
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Episode 7. Eric and George. And George.
Eric Grant talks about his father George who took 11 bullets after parachuting into Arnhem.He also talks about his mother, Pearl; about wartime romance; and about a desire to erase wartime history.Send us a textSupport the show
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Episode 3. Andy and Andy
Matthew speaks to Londoner Andy Trevillion about his father, also called Andy.Andy Senior's war saw him rescued from Dunkirk; fighting Rommel in the Western Desert; seeing action in Southern Italy; and, after the war, fighting in Greece.Retired architect Andy describes his father as "A good bloke, an easy person to be around". But it was only after his death that Andy Junior fully appreciated the extent of the toll that his father's war experiences had taken.Send us a textSupport the show
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Episode 4. Joe and John
Matthew speaks to Cumberland farmer Joe Roe about his father John.Joe was born in 1947 but describes the Second World War as "a thread which ran through my entire life".John's war took him to Dunkirk; the Western Desert; Italy; and, afterwards, to Palestine.When he came home, John took over the local post office. But, says Joe, "Not a day seemed to go by when the war wasn't mentioned in some way."Send us a textSupport the show
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1:11:05
Episode 6. Robert and Hugh
Matthew talks to Robert Sackville-West about his father Hugh.Hugh won a Military Cross for his heroic actions in a tank battle during the liberation of France. But none of his family knew the full details of how he won his medal until after he died.Send us a textSupport the show
A new podcast (April '25) about men who fought in World War Two, whose stories will be told by their sons.In each episode, Matthew Collins speaks to a son who tells the story of his father's war and explores its effects - on his father and on himself.Matthew's father, Patrick, joined the RAF in May 1939 when he was 17. He returned from the war at the age of 24, more mature in many ways than Matthew was at 40. But his father rarely talked about the war. And when he did, he usually told light-hearted war stories - rather than discuss seriously what he'd seen and done. Matthew has long known that he was partly shaped by his father's war. His dad's war experience seeped into his consciousness - often to Matthew's annoyance. So, after his father died, he started to compare notes with other veterans' sons. He then started recording interviews with men who told the stories of their fathers' war and reflected on its effects - on their fathers and on themselves.So far, he's recorded 20 interviews with men all over the UK. To coincide with the 80th anniversary of VE Day, six have just been launched as podcasts - along with a 17 minute taster episode. More episodes will be released in May. Pics of the fathers and sons featured are at: www.matthewcollins.com POSTSCRIPT:There are many more World War Two Vets' sons out there - with personal-historical reflections to share. Matthew wants to document as many as possible.He's already travelled around the UK recording interviews. And will continue to do so, funding this project out of his own pocket. But ideally, he could do with assistance. If you would like to support this podcast, please see "Support the Show" under each episode’s info. Or go to: https://www.patreon.com/wesonsofww2vetsThank you.
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