Here's another Upper Stratton casualty. Gunner 5122837 Albert Barkham Killed serving with the above unit. Buried Bari War Cemetery. Any info gratefully recieved. His brother Ronald also died in 1943 with 235 Sqn RAF.
Hi I have him as being with 1 A/L Light Regt since January 1943 with 2 Battery. The War Diary reference for this unit at thie time of his death is WO/175/111 and 112 held at the National Archives. Hope this helps in some small way Regards Andy and also WO 169/9443.
Forgot to post his CWGC details Name:BARKHAM, ALBERT REGINALD Initials:A R Nationality:United Kingdom Rank:Gunner Regiment:Royal Artillery Unit Text:1 Airlanding Light Regt. Age:21 Date of Death:09/10/1943 Service No:5122837 Additional information:Son of Albert William and Emily Barkham, of Upper Stratton, Wiltshire. Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:II. B. 6.Cemetery:BARI WAR CEMETERY
Thanks go to airborne medic for sending me extracts from "Winged Gunners." As AndyBaldEagle says Albert Barkham was 2 Battery then he was killed "..Saturday the 9th October, we caught a packet....Jerry started shelling us with his 105s and rounds that came over the ridge fell in our area....Then two shells fell on Fox Troop position...one fell right between two guns." Albert is not mentioned by name but it's highly likely that is how he died. Thank You AndyBaldEagle and airborne medic.
Forgot to post his CWGC details Name:BARKHAM, ALBERT REGINALD Initials:A R Nationality:United Kingdom Rank:Gunner Regiment:Royal Artillery Unit Text:1 Airlanding Light Regt. Age:21 Date of Death:09/10/1943 Service No:5122837 Additional information:Son of Albert William and Emily Barkham, of Upper Stratton, Wiltshire. Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:II. B. 6.Cemetery:BARI WAR CEMETERY What information did you need to know about ronald barkham and his brother albert?they were my cousins, not that i remember either of them but i am in constant touch with their sister,edna. So, ask away and i will hopefully get the info you need.
Kathryn, Welcome to the site. Would it be possible to ask if there's any photos of your two cousins? I grew up in Upper Stratton and Mum still lives there and I'd just like to put faces to the names of the lads from the same area as me.
Kathryn, Some years ago an ex-officer of the unit called Robert Wollacott (I think) published a book on the 1st A/L Light Regiment called Winged Gunners..it cvoers the unit's formation and actions in NA where your realtive died. It might be worth looking out for but be warned is a relatively hard book to find.....
Hi all, I know it is a while since this was posted. Albert (Reg) Barkham was my uncle. I have recently recieved original letters detailing the action in which Reg died. One letter was written by the Padre with the troop at the time and his troop commander Lt Jwoods who later died at Arnhem. Both men were with Reg at the time of his death. Very moving and interesting accounts. I shall type up the letters and post them on here for your information. Regards Ed.
Hi all, I know it is a while since this was posted. Albert (Reg) Barkham was my uncle. I have recently recieved original letters detailing the action in which Reg died. One letter was written by the Padre with the troop at the time and his troop commander Lt Jwoods who later died at Arnhem. Both men were with Reg at the time of his death. Very moving and interesting accounts. I shall type up the letters and post them on here for your information. Regards Ed. Ed Looking forward to reading those, especially anything from Lt Woods, as I have a particular interest in him. Regards Andy
Hi again, and thanks for the replies. I am now in a position to post the letters, so please have a look, Ed. 2/Lieut J Woods, 2nd Airborne Light Bty., RA. C.M.F. 11th October 1943. Dear Mrs. Barkham, May I express my deepest sympathy with you for the loss of your son Albert, who was killed in action here in Italy at 2pm the 9th October 1943. I feel a personal sense of loss, too, as he was my batman, had shared a great deal with me during this campaign. He was manning a machine gun post to the flank of our position when he was killed instantly by a heavy calibre shell which fell about 2 yards from him. It will be a consolation to know that at least he did not suffer any pain. He was buried, by the Padre, with proper Christian ceremony beneath an almond tree at the side if the road. He was a gallant resourceful soldier, and his loss is felt keenly by all ranks of this battery. If there is anything you would like me to do or any information I can get for you if you would drop me a line I shall be happy to do anything I can. Yours sincerely, J Woods. and this is the one from the Padre; 1st Air- Landing Light Regt RA. C.M.F. Oct 26th 1943. Dear Mrs Barkham, My wish is, that the purpose of this letter, could be (playing deleted) of an entirely different nature (function deleted) than that of providing you with good news, rather than its present office, that of confirming the sad news of the loss in action of your dear son. This duty is always a difficult one, as you can well appreciate. One could wish to do so much to alleviate the crushing power of the blow. Words are inadequate at expressing what one’s heart really feels, and I feel that I could wish to be personally present when this arrives, just to show, perhaps by a hand-shake, or the expression of the eyes, just how much we feel the sad loss of our fellow soldiers and brother, Barkham, and how great our sympathy for you is. I can tell you all that you could wish to know I feel that it will help you too, to know the whole truth. I was myself within a hundred yards of your boy when the shell burst, and put him beyond mortal aid. Within a few seconds the Medical Orderly and Doctor were by his side to attend to his wound. From the outset it was obvious that the nature of your sons’ wound was such that he would soon be in God’s hands. The shell burst between him and his friend Gunner Booth, as they lay in their hastily dug ditch trench on the road side, as the Battery were pushing forward in pursuit of the enemy. Every medical aid was immediately rendered, and the wound dressed .Mercifully your son was unconscious the whole time. I arrived within a few minutes of the accident ,took his hand and said a few prayers. It was a matter of seconds, and he quietly passed away. All this happened under heavy shell fire. Your son was buried about a 175 yards from the place where he gave his life for England, his home and his friends. He lies by a little well underneath an Almond Tree, on the Voleresa (?) – Gambatesa Road, and the grave is marked by a wooden cross carved by the loving hands of his friends of the same Battery. All his personal belongings will be forwarded to you in due time. It is a comfort to know that the lad did not suffer, but was soon beyond human pain. Had he a message for you I would convey it, but as I have said repeatedly he was unconscious from the moment that he was wounded. He died of a deep shrapnel wound in the neck. He truly died the death of a brave boy. What there is to tell, I have tried to tell you, but if there is anything more that you could wish to know, or anything that I can do to help, ask and I will comply. Dear Mrs Barkham, war is a cruel thing,, it has no consideration for a mother’s feelings, and it takes without compunction what it demands. We are all prepared willingly to give our lives, that out of all this Evil, some good may come. But when that sacrifice is accepted, it is only those that are left behind, that have to take the full brunt of it. It is difficult to understand fully the depth, width and breadth of a mothers’ love , much more difficult, is it to estimate the heartache that she suffers at so great and irreparable a loss.But what man cannot understand , there is one that can understand everything. One whom we all can turn to in times such as these, God. He is all understanding. He can give us strength and courage, when all human sources have been drained. With our own suffering, he suffers too, and suffers intensely, as he wills only the happiness of his creatures. Where we fail, God will help. So look to him, and you will have comfort and strength to carry on bravely. Our hearts go out to you in this sad day, and we pray that you will have strength and courage to understand the sacrifice that your son has made. Yours very sincerely, Capt V.G.Gray. Padre. Anyway, I am now in the process of writing up my other uncles' diary of when he was an RAF cadet in Alabama and subsequent letters he sent my Gran before he went missing over the North Sea near Norway. Thanks again foer the interest everyone. Ed.
Just a quick question. Does anyone know what the C.M.F stands for. I believe the unit was attached to the Canadians at the time could it be Canadian M..... Force perhaps. Also, I have tried to trace the Padre with no joy whatsoever, does anyone think he could have been Canadian? Ed.
Thanks Owen. I'll keep searching for the Padre. Ed. Have you tried contacting the RAChD Museum ? Museum of Army Chaplaincy - British Army Website
Gray, the Rev. Vernon Gittins Married ((09?).1947, Caernarvon district, Caernarvonshire, Wales) Laura Elizabeth Evans (? - 01.08.2008); one son. 05.11.1914 - (12?).1977 Caernarvon district, Caernarvonshire, Wales Chaplain to the Forces 4th class (with rank of Capt.) 21.03.1942 [225405] 07.02.1951, seniority 06.07.1950 T/Chapl. 3rd cl. (Maj.) 01.09.1954-05.11.1958 Chapl. 3rd cl. (Maj.) 06.11.1958 (retd 05.11.1969) Education: St David's College, Lampeter (BA 1937 (2nd cl. Hist.); St Michael's College, Llandaff (1938). Deacon, 1939. Priest, 1940 Bangor. Curate of Dolgelly, 1939-1942. 21.03.1942 commissioned, Royal Army Chaplains' Department [emergency commission to 14.04.1947] 23.03.1943 - 29.04.1943 8th Battalion The Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps 30.04.1943 - 12.04.1944 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA (1st Airborne Division) 13.04.1944 - ? 21st Army Group, British Increment to 1st Canadian Army 06.11.1946 - 14.04.1947 Unemployed List 15.04.1947 short service commission 07.02.1951 permanent commission 1947 - 1949 Chaplain to the Forces, Pirbright 1949 - 1957 Chaplain to the Forces, East Africa 1957 - 1960 Chaplain to the Forces, Donnington 1960 - 1963 Chaplain to the Forces, British Army of the Rhine 1963 - 1964 Chaplain to the Forces, Colchester 1964 - (1967) Chaplain to the Forces, Hong Kong Curate of Llanfairisgaer, 1946-1947.
