My maternal grandfather, Hedley Clarke. He served in Cologne in World War 1.

In the Second World War he was firstly in the Home Guard but then joined 'Air Traffic Control' and was stationed at Whithorn in Scotland and Wrexham among other places direct the fighting planes.

Of interest was that when he was on duty in the Home Guard in Barrow in Furness a bomb dropped on his house. His wife and 2 children had taken shelter under the dinitable and this saved their lives as the house was severely damaged. One of the children was my mother, and the dining table that saved my mother's life is now in my dining room!!

Sadly I never met him, he died suddenly of a heart attack in 1952, before I was born.

My paternal grandfather was born in 1905 so was too young for WW1 and his father was too old.

In WW2 he was a controller of the Air Raid Precaution (A.R.P. Warden) in the Vickers Shipyard in Barrow, a full time Admiralty post.

Incidentally his Grandfather was also a Cumbrian Primary School Headteacher so there was a Mr Warbrick as a Head at the turn of the 20th and again at the turn of the 21st Centuries!!

My paternal grandfather, Christopher Wishart who was reported "missing in action, presumed dead" during WWII but was in a prisoner of war camp in Italy.

My husband's paternal grandfather.

He served in the 4th Dragoon Guards, 3rd Dragoon Guards and 3rd Reserved Cavalry Regiment during WWI. He received the Bronze Star.

During WWII he served in the Home Guard while his two sons, Fred and Alan, served in the army and navy respectively.

Alan unfortunately was killed during WWII.

My husband's father, Fred Finlay, served as a signal man during WWII.

Awarded the Military Medal in 1945.

Albert Edward Deans, a Harrington grocer, entered the 1st World War as a soldier in the Border Regiment. He rose to 2nd Lieutenant. He was involved in action on battlefields in France where he was shot through the shoulder by a sniper and returned to a London army hospital. Whilst abroad he wrote several diary type articles for the West Cumberland which were published to let people at home know what was actually happening where they were. Fortunately Albert survived the war and went on to have a life in Harrington until 1968.

Harry was the son of Albert and Lizzie Deans (see above), and brother of Bessie Deans who married Robert Johnstone (see below)

Harry compiled a photo album while he was in Canada for his own and his family's benefit.

The photos show him training in Canada, learning to shoot the guns that he would need to fire in the plane.

One photo that says "Homeward Bound" is really very sad as Harry and his plane Lizzie, named after his mum, didn't make it.

Harry died on 25 Nov 1943, aged 21 - at the same time his sister Bessie Deans was in labour with her eldest son Robert, first grandson to Albert Deans, born early 27 Nov 1943.

My dad, Robert Johnstone, Fleet Air Arm, part of the Royal Navy, mechanical engineer on planes maintenance.

He lived at 27 Church Road and then moved over the road to 63 Church Road when he married Bessie Deans.

Not all men were in the armed services during the wars.

Many worked in what was called "reserved occupations", these included working in the coal mines and in the steelworks.

Coal was a much needed commodity during the war as was steel. The pits and steel mills needed to be kept going.

My dad, William Johnston, worked at Risehow Pit near Flimby through the day and 3-4 evenings a week he joined the home guard on the steelworks at Mossbay, helping to guard the works.

All these jobs were vital in the war effort - it was a time when everyone had to pull together and do their bit.

My mum joined the Women's Land Army just before her 21st birthday. The work was extremely hard, having to get up early in the morning and go to bed late at night, but mum thoroughly enjoyed it! The photos show her just before she joined up when she worked in a kennels and attended Crufts, and afterwards during her Land Army days learning to drive a tractor, and working with shire horses.

Although not born in Cumbria she moved to High Harrington and spent the last 24 years of her life there.

My maternal grandfather, 'Cuth' Emerson, was in the RAMC Territorial Force and his picture has him wearing his Imperial Service badge; he tinto the 28th London Regt, 6489, before being Commissioned into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment as a 2nd LT. His name was published in the Birmingham Daily Post casualty list 24 May 1917 as being wounded.

Thankfully, he survived the First World War and went on to serve in WW2 air force, based in the RAF in Carlisle.

My great Uncle Harold was originally in the Royal Engineers and he qualified for his 1914-1915 Star Medal when he went into a theatre of War on 5 November 1914. He was a despatch rider. He was later commissioned into the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He was Killed in Action serving with the 8th Bn. Loyal North Lancs on 10 July, 1916, during an attack towards the rear of the village of Ovillers la Boiselle (Somme). The 8th Bn were fighting along a trench towards the rear of Ovillers and were counter-attacked several times and made little progress - there were 247 casualties. One of these would have been 2nd Lt H T Emerson, his body was never found and he is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. He died aged 18.

One of our pupils has brought in his Dad's medals.

The one on the left is for service in Northern Ireland and the one on the right for service in Iraq.

Carl Stables received his Northern Ireland medal for service in 2005-06.

He received his Iraq medal for two Op TELICs

He was there in 2005/06 and again in 2007/08.

Jack (John Henry Shervinton) was in WW2.

He was part of the Dunkirk evacuation and was a Dunkirk veteran.

As well as photos there are wartime Christmas cards - a leave notification slip that went to his wife.

George Findley b. 1910 d. 1979

Father of Joan Porthouse nee Findley b. 1945 d. 2006

Mother of Anne Falcon nee Porthouse b. 1973

Mother of Thomas Falcon b. 2004

My great granddad was in the 2nd World War and is still here now at the age of 92. He has a bad memory but he can always remember his army number. At only 14 years of age, he worked in the coal mines and was given a badge as a memory. He was then called up to the 2nd World War and was given a special badge as a thank you for fighting in the war. He was given a small, brown book so if he got shot someone would find the book and see all of his details. He was also given a certificate which is really old . I love him so much and he is amazing.

My great, great granda Wilson was in the First World War and his friend Billy Cocton was shot and badly injured and my granda carried him to safety. Sadly, Billy died a few years after the war, as he was run over by a bus and killed.

My granddad died because of old age. He had lived a happy life and had an amazing history of adventure. I never knew my granddad and had never even seen his face because he was my nan's granddad but I still know he was a good one.

I was amazed to find out that two of my granddads were in the army and that they both survived.

Lucas is wearing his Great Grandad's cap, beret and belt.

The hat he is holding is one that his Grandad captured from a German soldier.

Mr Kerr survived the war after being captured at Arnhem - served in the Second World war from 1940 to 1945.

Harry served in the Royal Core of Signals, Border Regiments from 1943-1947.

At 19 years old he was sent over to Normandy (Sword Beach) in a Landing Craft to take part in the D Day landings.

He then fought on through Belgium, Holland to Germany. From 1945-1947 he was sent to the troubles in Palestine.

Our Great Great Granddad who was a policeman during the war in Birmingham.