L/Bdr Hawley John Thompson (Jack) invalided out of the Royal Artillery with a smashed hip (which plagued him till his death in 2009), promptly joined the Home Guard and served until V.E.Day.

His brothers Tim and Phil volunteered in Sept 39 and served for the duration, being demobbed in 1946.

Tim was in the first unit to enter Bergen Belsen concentration camp.
Phil was a "D Day Dodger", who fought in Libya, Sicily, Italy and France.

Tim died in 2005, Phil still lives in Nottingham.

They were Irish and could have gone back home or remained as neutrals.

Don T.