R Eng. 129 & 131 Forestry Coys & 220 Coy Aux Pioneers (General)

by anderb, Thursday, March 21, 2024, 14:09 (43 days ago) @ unknown

Hi Vurrister
A very delayed response here, but found your page while trying to research 220 Coy.
My grandfather Geoff, was a member of 220 Coy. He married locally- to my grandmother in Lydbrook, so I'm assuming he was part of the coy billeted there. I've a couple of pioneer photos around.
When he married my grandmother, Nesta, she had to present herself to the local police station daily, as her status changed to 'enemy alien'. I believe the local policeman tired of this, as gran had grown up in the village, both her parents were Foresters and lived in the village, and so he thought it unlikely gran would engage in sabotage on behalf of the enemy!
My grandfather enjoyed the pioneers, as the physicality of the work appealed to him. I believe this was in contrast to many of his pioneer comrades, many of who were more intellectually inclined! As you say, they were mostly involved in forestry.
One colourful memory was related by my grans neighbour. He told how the first time he saw Geoff was in the Jovial Colliers. A miner punched my grandad in the face, to which he didn't flinch. Geoff had been a good boxer as a youth in Austria, and so I suppose this didn't particularly phase him.
If can work out how to do it, I'll post some links to Pioneer photos.
-Ander