Associate
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- 8 Jan 2004
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IIRC the entire Hearts team went off to fight in WW2 (might have been WW1).
Where "celebs" went in 2nd world war?
- Thread starter salami1212
- Start date
Soldato
David Niven was actually one of the original commandos in WWII
Soldato
Indeed he was. Along with Alec Guinness (Royal Navy), Christopher Lee (SOE?) and Donald Pleasence (RAF).elroberto said:
Donald, I believe, was shot down, captured and tortured.
Don
big_white_dog84 said:
WWI and not many of them came back either.
Same during WWII, being a professional footballer didn't earn you an easy ride, you would have been conscripted just like everyone else if you hadn't volunteered first.
Jokester
Soldato
James Stewart
He was the first movie star to enter the service for World War II, joining a year before Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was initially refused entry into the Air Force because he weighed 5 pounds less than the required 148 pounds, but he talked the recruitment officer into ignoring the test. He eventually became a Colonel, and earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Croix de Guerre and 7 battle stars. In 1959, he served in the Air Force Reserve, before retiring as a brigadier general.
He flew combat missions over Germany.
He was the first movie star to enter the service for World War II, joining a year before Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was initially refused entry into the Air Force because he weighed 5 pounds less than the required 148 pounds, but he talked the recruitment officer into ignoring the test. He eventually became a Colonel, and earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Croix de Guerre and 7 battle stars. In 1959, he served in the Air Force Reserve, before retiring as a brigadier general.
He flew combat missions over Germany.
Associate
A lot of the hollywood and film stars toured in the services entertainment set up to raise the morale of the troops. Glen Miller died when his plane crashed going to an event.
SCM
SCM
This has some info, check out Audie Murphy........
http://www.palletmastersworkshop.com/flipside.html
http://www.palletmastersworkshop.com/flipside.html
Man of Honour
James Stewart used to fly in B17's from an airfield not far from where I used to live. Glatton I think it was called?
Soldato
Chasser said:
Audie Murphy became a movie star becuase of his war record though
Former archbishop Robert Runcie was a tank commander I believe
Richard Todd - fought at pegasus bridge and ended up playing his own commanding officer in the longest day
Prince Philip - long navy record and did his fighting in the far east and the med
George Bush Senior -Dive bomber pilot - was shot down and rescued by US navy submarine
JFk as already stated - MTB skipper
people in those days were willing to do their duty it seems regardless of public standing or fame
and I always wondered why Lee Marvin always looked so comfortable doing war films..now I know...if you have not seen Big Red One..do so..its bloomin great
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Soldato
^^ Lee Marvin, US Marine iirc, got shot in the backside and lost part of it. (ouch)
I used to live about a mile from that airfield!!!!!philstanbridge said:
Soldato
yeah just saw that..RIP
how wierd must it been though to be in a film playing your own CO and revisiting what you actually did in real life 15 or so years previously?!
how wierd must it been though to be in a film playing your own CO and revisiting what you actually did in real life 15 or so years previously?!
Man of Honour
The people who were killed did get killed, yes. lol.
Celebrities in those days were singers, presenters, government and royalty. All 4 kept their jobs, the first two for moral/general entertainment, and the last two for obvious state reasons.
Princess Elizabeth was arguably a celebrity and most definitely royalty, but she joined the military. Subaltern Windsor, driver and mechanic.
Battle royale style
Man of Honour
Didn't the Queen spend time fixing lorries and stuff?
Caporegime
A lot of this could be down to the simple fact that conscription wasn't abolished until the 1950s. Everyone server their duty prior to this, whether at war or not. 