Hello BereniceUK, Hope you don't mind but, having found nothing else about this memorial online, I have undertaken some research on the Roll of Honour using Geoff's Search Engine. Reasons? 1. My wife used to live in Bramhall, which you will see is well represented in the RoH; 2. One of my two best friends from my rugby playing days, John, hailed from Bramhall and supported Stockport County FC - unfortunately for him, he died circa 3 years ago; and 3. John and I played up to retirement from the game for a rugby club which is in the same league as Stockport RUFC, albeit at the right end of the table. So, here you go and note, TG Hughes was awarded a DSC and WF Rains an Air Medal (U.S.A.): BLEAKLEY, R – Three possible fits, two of which are officers. None with obvious connections to Stockport. BURTINSHAW, ROBERT JAMES GLOVER Rank: Lieutenant Service No: 89395 Date of Death: 28/03/1942 Age: 25 Regiment/Service: Cheshire Regiment, 6th Bn. and No. 5 Commando Grave Reference: 1. D. 6. Cemetery: ESCOUBLAC-LA-BAULE WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Sydney James Glover Burtinshaw and Lilian Beatrice Burtinshaw, of Bramhall, Cheshire. Lawyer. COCKER, LEONARD Rank: Flight Lieutenant Service No: 61973 Date of Death: 28/10/1942 Age: 25 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 92 Sqdn. Panel Reference: Column 247. Memorial: ALAMEIN MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Tom Hubert and Annie Cocker, of Bramhall, Cheshire. ELLIOTT, JOHN BRADDOCK Rank: Lieutenant Service No: 130907 Date of Death: 24/04/1943 Age: 30 Regiment/Service: Royal Army Service Corps Grave Reference: 9. C. 16. Cemetery: KHARTOUM WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Frank and Annie Elliott, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire. LL.B. (Manchester). HARRISON, DG – Two possible fits, one of which is an officer. None with obvious connections to Stockport. HARRISON, HM – Two possible fits, none of which are officers. None with obvious connections to Stockport. HILL, BRIAN Rank: Flying Officer Trade: Pilot Service No: 150487 Date of Death: 21/02/1944 Age: 21 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Grave Reference: Block 10. Grave 16025. Cemetery: READING (HENLEY ROAD) CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Gregory G. Hill and Dina Christina Hill, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. HUGHES, THOMAS GRAHAM Rank: Sub-Lieutenant Date of Death: 16/03/1944 Age: 22 Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.M.T.B. 417. Awards: D S C Panel Reference: 79, 3. Memorial: CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Thomas Francis, and Elizabeth Blair Hughes, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. LEES, WILLIAM EDWARD SUTTON Rank: Captain Service No: 89463 Date of Death: 12/04/1943 Age: 26 Regiment/Service: Cheshire Regiment, 6th Bn. Grave Reference: 10. C. 8. Cemetery: TRIPOLI WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of William and Kathleen A. Lees, of Bramhall, Cheshire. PRATT, N – No fit. PRITCHARD, DAVID ROE Rank: Sergeant Service No: 1060898 Date of Death: 08/11/1941 Age: 18 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 102 Sqdn. Panel Reference: Panel 50. Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Wilfred and Dorothy Roe Pritchard, of Gatley, Cheshire. RAINS, WILLIAM FRANK Rank: Pilot Officer Service No: 110557 Date of Death: 18/12/1942 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 4 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit. Panel Reference: Panel 3, Column 1. Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL Additional Information: Air Medal (U.S.A.). Son of T. Wilfred and Ivy R. Rains, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. RAMSDEN, PETER THOMAS Rank: Lieutenant Service No: 299743 Date of Death: 06/08/1944 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Royal Armoured Corps, 2nd Lothians and Border Horse, Grave Reference: I. D. 13. Cemetery: AREZZO WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of William Guy and Ada Ramsden, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. NB. Some matches depended on geographical information, but I am fairly confident that they are accurate. Best, Steve.
Thanks very much, Steve. I'd love to know the reason for the award of the Air Medal (U.S.A.) to W.F. Rains. Robert Burtinshaw, Leonard Cocker, John Elliott and William Lees are all also named on Bramhall's war memorial.
RAINS, WILLIAM FRANK Rank: Pilot Officer Service No: 110557 Date of Death: 18/12/1942 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 4 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit. Panel Reference: Panel 3, Column 1. Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL Additional Information: Air Medal (U.S.A.). Son of T. Wilfred and Ivy R. Rains, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. Photo courtesy Mr Jinks ww2talk
PRITCHARD, DAVID ROE Rank: Sergeant Service No: 1060898 Date of Death: 08/11/1941 Age: 18 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 102 Sqdn. Panel Reference: Panel 50. Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Wilfred and Dorothy Roe Pritchard, of Gatley, Cheshire.
HILL, BRIAN Rank: Flying Officer Trade: Pilot Service No: 150487 Date of Death: 21/02/1944 Age: 21 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Grave Reference: Block 10. Grave 16025. Cemetery: READING (HENLEY ROAD) CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Gregory G. Hill and Dina Christina Hill, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire.
28 October 1942 92 Squadron Spitfire Vb EP613 'S' Shot down by Bf 109 (Oblt. Sommer. II./JG 27) near LG.21 (Qotafiya III, Egypt) F/L. L. Crocker +
7-8 November 1941 102 Squadron Whitley V Z6820 Op. Berlin Took off from Topcliffe at 2203 hours. Last heard on w/t at 0743 hours calling for help. Presumed lost over the sea. Crew. P/O. B B P. Roy + Sgt. D R. Pritchard + Sgt. K. Harwood-Smith + Sgt. S. Thomson + Sgt. P H. Stanton + Source - RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol.2 - W R. Chorley
No actual detail on the why, but we know the when. It looks like a very impressive list of personnel who received the award at the same time.
For the personnel listed that a match cannot be made for, would a good close-up of their individual photographs help by narrowing the search down to which service, or their unit by the insignia??
* That would be very useful. We have 13 on the RoH, with only 9 identified. With 11 photographs in close-up we should be able to make progress with finding at least some of the unidentified 4. Are you/anyone able to assist? Best, Steve.
From 'The History Of the Cheshire Regiment In The Second World War' (Crookenden) 1. Lt. RJG Burtinshaw confirmed as photograph at message #1, centre row, right (as you view it). 2. Capt. WES Lees confirmed as photograph at message #1, centre row, middle.
I have undertaken a more in depth look for the 4 (four) fallen members of Stockport RUFC for which CWGC information was previously, either, missing or uncertain. I found DG Harrison via a search of online War Memorial information for Cheadle Hulme, extended this to Bramhall (a blank) and then wider, finding R Bleakley on the Marple War Memorial. Further research was required for DG Harrison as the only apparent officer fit was addressed with parents in ‘Lima, Peru’. Another source was found for Haileybury School which confirmed we had the correct DG Harrison as his brother, HM Harrison (one of our other ‘missing’/uncertain’ men), is also mentioned in his bio. I could find CWGC certificates for both R Bleakley and DG Harrison, but not HM Harrison under any general search criteria… including name, date, parents, address, etc. Following a hunch, I was then able to confirm that DG and HM Harrison went to the same school and located the pertinent information for the latter; he served with the Royal Canadian Artillery. I found a CWGC certificate for HM Harrison by a specific search under ‘Regiment/Corps’ and ‘Royal Canadian Artillery’… bizarrely, this information does not appear on any general search under ‘HM Harrison’. Information for N Pratt is currently still illusive, but all other pertinent information is analysed hereunder. BLEAKLEY, R – http://www.carlscam.com/marple/warmem.htm BLEAKLEY, RONALD MILES Rank: Lieutenant Service No: 225017 Date of Death: 17/06/1943 Age: 27 Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers, 994 Docks Operating Coy. Panel Reference: Panel 4. Column 3. Memorial: BROOKWOOD MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Miles Lonsdale Bleakley and Lily Elizabeth Bleakley, of Llandudno, Caernarvonshire. HARRISON, DG – http://www.carlscam.com/cheadlehulme/warmem.htm and https://www.haileybury.com/honour/ISC%201944.htm (see transcription immediately below). DENIS GOODWIN HARRISON Electrical Lieutenant H.M.S. Saker., Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve who died on Monday 17 January 1944 . Age 26. Additional Information: Son of Ernest and Annie Gladys Harrison, of Lima, Peru. B.Sc. (Engr.). Cemetery: EVERETT (WOODLAWN) CEMETERY Massachusetts, United States of America Grave or Reference Panel Number: Lot 5199. Grave 333. Brother of H M Harrison Killed in Action 14 August 1944 HMS Saker II was the name of the shore facilities in the USA & Canada for all the Fleet Air Arm's activities . Many pilots were sent there to train. HARRISON, DENNIS GOODWIN Rank: Lieutenant Date of Death: 16/01/1944 Age: 26 Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Saker. Grave Reference: Lot 5199. Grave 333. Cemetery: EVERETT (WOODLAWN) CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Ernest and Annie Gladys Harrison, of Lima, Peru. B.Sc. (Engr.). HARRISON, HM – https://www.haileybury.com/honour/ISC%201944.htm (see transcription immediately below). HEDLEY MAURICE HARRISON Captain Royal Canadian Artillery who died on Monday 14 August 1944 . Age 30. Additional Information: Son of Ernest Harrison and of Annie Gladys Harrison (nee Anyan), of Lima, Peru. B.Sc. (University of Toronto). Cemetery: BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Calvados, France Grave or Reference Panel Number: VIII. C. 3. Brother of D G Harrison Died on Active service 17 January 1944 HARRISON, HEDLEY MAURICE Rank: Captain Date of Death: 14/08/1944 Age: 30 Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Artillery, 19 Field Regt. Grave Reference: VIII. C. 3. Cemetery: BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Ernest Harrison and of Annie Gladys Harrison (nee Anyan), of Lima, Peru. B.Sc. (University of Toronto). PRATT, N – Still no fit.
Further information found for DR Pritchard: http://www.gatley.org.uk/gatley-forums/historical-gatley/war-memorial-men
Question for you BereniceUK... I have just worked out how to do an all encompassing search on the CWGC site, i.e. covering all services, countries, etc., but still no luck with tracing N Pratt. There is one that could possibly fit, but the address is Birmingham. Do you know if one of the eleven men in the photograph at message #1 is N Pratt and if so, are you able to get a better definition of his image? Best, Steve.
I'm sorry but I can't help as I have no connection with the club and took the photos when I was in the area one day and knew that there was a memorial there. I'll try to contact the club secretary.
