There are 31 names on our memorial in Eastham Village, Wirral outside St Mary's Church. The men served in all the forces and range in ages from the young to those who were older. Anderson, James J - Lance Sergeant, 194173, Died 26th September 1944 aged 28 - Royal Engineers - 503 Field Company Andrews, Henry - Chief Cook, Died 9th August 1942 aged 32 - M V San Emiliano Bambery, Charles - Able Seaman, P/JX164838, Died 13th February 1943 - HMS Glowworm Bee, William Louis - Senior Second Engineer Officer, Died 22nd January 1942 aged 37 - M V Athelcrown Billington, H A - Lance Corporal, 14435148, Died 28th August 1944 aged 19 - Black Watch (Highlanders) Bradburn Leonard - Pilot Officer, 62294, Died 29th April 1941 RAF Buchanan, William T - Sapper, 2072487, Died 14th December 1939 Aged 24 - Royal Engineers Buist, Robert Cummings - Pumpman, Died 9th April 1942 Aged 29 - M V San Delfino Carmichael, Ian L - Fourth Engineer Officer, Died 4th February 1941 - S S Dione II Cotter, Harold Cecil Kings - Chief Officer, Died 7th March 1941 Aged 40 - S S Doterel - Kings commendation for brave conduct Crawford, Walter Edward - Sergeant (Air Gunner), 2206157, Died 27th April 1940 Aged 19 - RAF Volunteer Reserve - 35 Sqdn Digweed, John Digley - Radio Officer, Died 14th May 1941 Aged 35 - Merchant Navy - buried in Auckland, New Zealand Fear, James Robert - Private, 14584167, Died 28th June 1944 Aged 19 - Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) - 1st Btn The Tyneside Scottish Green, Robert John - Flight Sergeant, 1018504, Died 14th June 1943 Aged 27 - RAF Volunteer Reserve Horton, William H - Can't trace exact record yet Ledsom, Eric - Private, 3714569, Died 11th July 1941 Aged 25 - Kings Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) - 2nd Btn Lyons, Frank Mosford - Lieutenant, Died 16th April 1941 Aged 38 - S S Britannia McAdam, James - Sergeant, 1065235, Died 13th August 1943 Aged 31 - RAF- 420 Sqdn Mercer, Stanley - Gunner, 1136642, Died 3rd November 1943 Aged 20 - Royal Artillery - 132 (The Glamorgan Yeomanry) Field Regiment Murphy, Edward Derek - Sergeant (Pilot), 1436657, Died 18th March 1943 Aged 18 - RAF Volunteer Reserve Nott, Eric Charles - Sergeant (Air Gunner), 1450078, Died 21st February 1944 - RAF Volunteer Reserve Ormiston, David - Private, 14424451, Died 1st July 1944 Aged 19 - Kings Own Scottish Borderers - 6th Btn Osterfield, Frank - Trooper, 7912649, Died 3rd August 1944 Aged 29 - Royal Tank Regiment, R. A. C. Pool, John - Sergeant (Pilot), 656578, Died 18th February 1943 - RAF Probert, Alan Charles - Flight Sergeant (Navigator), 1621153, Died 27th November 1944 Aged 21 - RAF Volunteer Reserve - 189 Sqdn Reynolds, Dennis Leonard - Flight Sergeant (W Op/Air Gunner), 1453495, Died 25th April 1944 Aged 21 - RAF Volunteer 50 Sqdn Roberts, Glyn - Can't trace exact record yet Sadler, Sydney Bateman - Lance Corporal, 3775128, Died 12th May 1944 Aged 26 - The Kings Regiment (Liverpol) - 2nd Btn Wainwright, William Norman - Junior Engineer Officer, Died 1st March 1944 Aged 22 - S S Cadillac (Newcastle-on-Tyne) Williams, Kenneth - Sergeant (Flt Engineer), 2209196, Died 16th August 1944 Aged 22 - RAF Volunteer Reseve - 518 Sqdn Williams, Thomas Daniel - Chief Engineer Officer, Died 25th September 1941 Aged 58 - S S Avecota (Liverpool) I would really appreciate any information about any of our Eastham men. A previous post has details of a number of men from Bromborough - Bromborough and Eastham are neighbouring villages and some of the men listed as not appearing in Bromborough do appear in Eastham! See Post 18 http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-cemeteries-war-memorial-research/20368-ww2-war-memorials-%5Bnot-graves%5D-2.html#post211625 Thank you
Charles Bambery, who died on HMS Glowworm was involved in the what was called " The Battle of the April Storm" when destroyers took on and drove off the German ship Admarial Hipper, I believe the Glowworm actual rammed the hipper. There is a book about this called the Battle of the April Storm that actually goes through the action that day.
Bradburn Leonard - Pilot Officer, 62294, Died 29th April 1941 RAF 29 April 1941 10 OTU Whitley V P4939 Training P/O. L S. Bradburn + Sgt. V G. Pledge + Sgt. R N. Birkhead + Sgt. D F. Percival + Took off 0115 hrs Abingdon for night flying practice but crashed almost immediately, less than a mile NW of the airfield. Eyewitnesses state that while climbing away, the nose of the Whitley appeared to drop, but was then pulled up sharply, leading to loss of flying speed. BCL Vol.7 W R. Chorley
Probert, Alan Charles - Flight Sergeant (Navigator), 1621153, Died 27th November 1944 Aged 21 - RAF Volunteer Reserve - 189 Sqdn 26-27 November 1944 189 Squadron Lancaster I PB745 CA-Q Op. Munich. Took off 2353 hrs Fulbeck. Outbound, crashed near Saltby 8 miles NE of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. F/S. Probert died of his injuries sustained in the crash. BCL Vol.5. W R. Chorley Munich raid 26/27 November 1944 Munich: 270 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos of No 5 Group. 1 Lancaster crashed in France. Bomber Command claimed this as an accurate raid in good visibility with much fresh damage, particularly to railway targets. It has not been possible to obtain a local report.
Reynolds, Dennis Leonard - Flight Sergeant (W Op/Air Gunner), 1453495, Died 25th April 1944 Aged 21 - RAF Volunteer 50 Sqdn 24-25 April 1944 50 Squadron Lancaster III ND876 Op. Munich. Took off 2053 hrs Skellingthorpe. Hit by flak over the target, breaking into two sections and falling at 0154 hrs at Munchen-Laim. BCL Vol.5. W R. Chorley Munich raid 24/25 April 1944 Munich: 234 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitos of No 5 Group and 10 Lancasters of No 1 Group in another No 5 Group method raid on a major German target. 9 Lancasters were lost, 3.5 per cent of the force. The marking and controlling plan worked well and accurate bombing fell in the centre of the city. The intense flak and searchlight defences did not prevent the low-flying Mosquito markers from carrying out their task properly and none was seriously damaged.
Using Eastham to search the CWGC (Thanks, Geoff!!), these have Next of Kon addresses linking to Eastham ANDERSON J 1941723 503 FIELD COY 26/09/1944 ROYAL ENGINEERS ANDREWS H - MV SAN EMILIANO LONDON 09/08/1942 MERCHANT NAVY BAMBERY C P/JX 164838 HMS GLOWWORM 13/02/1943 ROYAL NAVY BARLOW GF 7944223 4TH QUEEN'S OWN HUSSARS 03/01/1945 ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS BEE WL - MV ATHELCROWN LIVERPOOL 22/01/1942 MERCHANT NAVY BUIST RC - MV SAN DELFINO LONDON 09/04/1942 MERCHANT NAVY CAMBRAY THR 4194867 10TH BN 02/10/1940 ROYAL WELCH FUSILIERS CROMPTON R D/MD/X 2211 HMS GLORIOUS 08/06/1940 ROYAL NAVAL VOLUNTEER RESERVE DANIELS RL 3534710 1ST BN 14/02/1942 MANCHESTER REGIMENT DIGWEED JD - - 14/05/1942 MERCHANT NAVY EDWARDS B - - 18/09/1940 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD FEAR JR 14584167 1ST BN THE TYNESIDE SCOTTISH 28/06/1944 BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLANDERS) GIBBONS DL D/JX 190989 HMS PRINCE OF WALES 10/12/1941 ROYAL NAVY HOBSON TNF 39649 HMS BRECONSHIRE 19/01/1941 NAVAL AUXILIARY PERSONNEL (MERCHANT NAVY) LAWSON JD - - 13/03/1941 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD LEDSOM E 3714569 2ND BN 11/07/1941 KING'S OWN ROYAL REGIMENT (LANCASTER) LODGE H 3716281 108 FIRE FIGHTING COY 11/11/1945 PIONEER CORPS LONG FA 7650399 - 15/10/1942 ROYAL ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS MAY PTF 145698 76 SQDN 30/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE MCADAM J 1065235 420 SQDN 13/08/1943 ROYAL AIR FORCE MERCER S 1136642 132 THE GLAMORGAN YEOMANRY FIELD REGT 03/11/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY MOFFATT RGH 4120812 4/5TH BN 15/08/1941 CHESHIRE REGIMENT MOORS RE D/JX652811 HMS CADMUS 31/08/1945 ROYAL NAVY NORMAN RW 14673107 1ST BN 07/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT ORMISTON D 14424451 6TH BN 01/07/1944 KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS ROBERTS R - - 14/03/1941 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD SNOW HE 935502 ATTD 9 AIRBORNE FIELD COY 24/09/1944 ARMY PHYSICAL TRAINING CORPS WAINWRIGHT WN - SS CADILLAC NEWCASTLE ON TYNE 01/03/1941 MERCHANT NAVY EDWARDS B - - 18/09/1940 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD FEAR JR 14584167 1ST BN THE TYNESIDE SCOTTISH 28/06/1944 BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLANDERS) GIBBONS DL D/JX 190989 HMS PRINCE OF WALES 10/12/1941 ROYAL NAVY HOBSON TNF 39649 HMS BRECONSHIRE 19/01/1941 NAVAL AUXILIARY PERSONNEL (MERCHANT NAVY) LAWSON JD - - 13/03/1941 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD LEDSOM E 3714569 2ND BN 11/07/1941 KING'S OWN ROYAL REGIMENT (LANCASTER) LODGE H 3716281 108 FIRE FIGHTING COY 11/11/1945 PIONEER CORPS LONG FA 7650399 - 15/10/1942 ROYAL ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS MAY PTF 145698 76 SQDN 30/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE MCADAM J 1065235 420 SQDN 13/08/1943 ROYAL AIR FORCE MERCER S 1136642 132 THE GLAMORGAN YEOMANRY FIELD REGT 03/11/1943 ROYAL ARTILLERY MOFFATT RGH 4120812 4/5TH BN 15/08/1941 CHESHIRE REGIMENT MOORS RE D/JX652811 HMS CADMUS 31/08/1945 ROYAL NAVY ORMISTON D 14424451 6TH BN 01/07/1944 KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS ROBERTS R - - 14/03/1941 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD SNOW HE 935502 ATTD 9 AIRBORNE FIELD COY 24/09/1944 ARMY PHYSICAL TRAINING CORPS WAINWRIGHT WN - SS CADILLAC NEWCASTLE ON TYNE 01/03/1941 MERCHANT NAVY For the two that you don't have details for, you might want to check these:- Name: HORTON, WILLIAM HENRY Initials: W H Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 50 Sqdn. Age: 35 Date of Death: 18/12/1944 Service No: 2210688 Additional information: Son of Charles Edward and Charlotte Ann Horton; husband of Kathleen Horton, of Prestwich, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave V. A. 76. Cemetery: SCHOONSELHOF CEMETERY Name: ROBERTS, GLYN Initials: G Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Fusilier Regiment/Service: Royal Welch Fusiliers Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 24 Date of Death: 19/11/1943 Service No: 4204899 Additional information: Son of William and Elizabeth Roberts, of Holyhead, Anglesey. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 10. C. 7. Cemetery: KIRKEE WAR CEMETERY Hope this is of help.
Hi Peter! Thank you for your responses - where do I need to look for the other RAF men? Best wishes Tracey
Name: HORTON, WILLIAM HENRY Initials: W H Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 50 Sqdn. Age: 35 Date of Death: 18/12/1944 Service No: 2210688 Additional information: Son of Charles Edward and Charlotte Ann Horton; husband of Kathleen Horton, of Prestwich, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave V. A. 76. Cemetery: SCHOONSELHOF CEMETERY 17-18 December 1944 50 Squadron Lancaster I NG302 VN-R Op. Munich. F/O. L W. Beer + Sgt. A J. Frisby + Sgt. J. Capon + F/S. M J. Macleod RCAF + F/S. I F. Macrae RAAF + Sgt. W H. Horton + Sgt. C E. Dunlop + Took off 1612 hrs Skellingthorpe. Five, including 35 years old Sgt. Horton, rest in Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerp. 18 year old Sgt. Dunlop and Sgt. Macrae RAAF are perpetuated by panels 228 and 251 respectively on the Runnymede Memorial. BCL Vol.5 W R. Chorley. Munich raid 17-18 December 1944 280 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos of No 5 Group. 4 Lancasters lost. Bomber Command claimed 'severe and widespread damage' in the old centre of Munich and at railway targets.
They were shot down by their own AAfire from 8000 and crashed near Goes. As grim as it sounds of Poor Horton, only his right arm, shoulder and part of his chest was found, He was identified by his round green ID disc around his wrist and his red disc in the partial BD pocket still on him
