Roll of Honour - Standard Motors

Not on the Roll of Honour
DENNIS WILLIAM TIMMS
Casualty


RONALD ALFRED WILKINS
Casualty

NORMAN FREDERCK HEWITT
Casualty

 

Not on RoH
GEORGE HENRY BOWYER
Casualty

 

I suspect that William Boughey was serving as a Chindit with 23 Brigade. I will check the 1st Essex war diary this evening and come back if I find anything. Great project you have going.

 

Thank you. I remember an article about a Chindit (I have to confess I had to Google it at the time) - I'll dig it out and send you the link. From memory it was post war and the gentleman was struggling for work due to what we now call PTSD.

 

Not on RoH
EDWARD OSBORN
Casualty
and likely brother
Casualty

 

Thank you Tony56 for all the help on this and previous.

 

http://www.triumphworks.co.uk/joseph-young Here he is...
I included the Chindit info at the foot of the page to ensure no-one else shared my ignorance.

 

Hi Nick,
Here is Joseph's medal recommendation. He was involved in some ferocious combat during that period, hand-to-hand at times with the Japanese:

Lance-Corporal Joseph Young D.C.M.

Transcript of Distinguished Conduct Medal Citation

Brigade
77th Indian Infantry Brigade

Division
3rd Indian

Unit
1st Bn The South Stafforshire Regiment

Date of
Recommendation

28th March 44

Regtl. No.
4919942

Rank and Name
Lance-Corporal Joseph Young

Action for which recommended :-

At HENU on the 21st, 22nd March 44 the enemy launched a heavy attack on to the position held by the Company. In this attack they succeeded in penetrating the defence area and occupied a portion of BARE HILL feature.

The Platoon in which this NCO was a Section Commander was ordered to counterattack. This he carried out. During all of these preliminary moves his section was under constant fire from enemy LMGs and Mortars. However, he continued his advance in a most determined and courageous manner. In this movement he was wounded by shrapnel in the eye causing partial blindness. He still commanded and directed his Section into attack. As his Section reached the assaulting stage he ordered CHARGE, he himself leading. He threw grenades into enemy positions and bayoneted three more Japanese. His Section inflicted several casualties in this assault and it was due partially to splendid example set by this NCO to his men that accounted for the success.

In the final action he was again wounded by a bullet in the hand, but he still encouraged his Section, continued the assault and succeeded driving the enemy out of a wired trench which they had occupied. He remained in position commanding his Section until the area was clear. By this time he could not see and was only partly conscious. He was later evacuated. Throughout the whole action this NCO showed great courage and determination and was a most inspiring leader to his men.
Dated HENU 28th March 44

Recommended By
Lieut Colonel R.Degg
1st Bn The South Staffordshire Regiment

Honour or Reward
Distinguished Conduct Medal

Signed By
Major General W.D.A. Lentaigne
Comd. 3 Ind.Div.

General G. Giffard
Commander-in-Chief 11 Army Group


(London Gazette 02.01.1945)

 

Not on RoH
WALTER GEORGE HOLT
Newspaper 15 March 1945

Can't find a corresponding CWGC entry, this is the nearest,
Casualty

Casualty lists have 14748142 W G Holt first reported as Leicestershire Regt then corrected to Worcestershire Regt.

There is a marriage record for Walter G Holt and Georgina M Vickers, Q2 1938, Coventry, to concur with newspaper article, I wonder if her name was shortened to Ena as per CWGC. In 1939 they were living at 182 Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry.

 

GEORGE EDWARD MAHERS
Casualty
Newspaper states Standard Motor Co

 

2nd Worcester's were fighting to recapture Mandalay at the time of Walter Holt's death. There might be something to this regard in his CWGC docs.

 

UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Name: Walter Holt
Given Initials: W G
Rank: Private
Death Date: 12 Feb 1945
Number: 14748142
Birth Place: Coventry
Residence: Coventry
Branch at Enlistment: Infantry
Theatre of War: Burma
Regiment at Death: Worcestershire Regiment
Branch at Death: Infantry

TD

 

From the CWGC docs for Walter Holt, there is s concentration report (see below) which states he was originally buried at Mandalay Military Cemetery, before being re-interred at Taukkyan later on.

 

Incredible stuff guys and gals

 

Agreed. Am really enjoying this thread. As a 'Cov kid' I know these streets and roads.

I was wondering of any of these men have memorial plaques in Coventry's memorial park but I can't find a list on t'internet.

 

I have just added another thread HERE - which outlines the Standard Triumph archive - and the serviceman that inspired the idea. I'm more than happy to share any stories if the demand is there, as a thanks for such a positive response to this Roll of Honour.

 

Thank you - it is such an enigma. The Triumph works have a WW1 memorial (in London Road cemetery) off the top of my head there are 66 names on it, yet Standard Motors have no such WW1 memorial (that I know of).


The Triumph works was destroyed completely in the Coventry Blitz (of WW2), no doubt loosing any record of Triumph workers and this Standard Motors Roll of Honour was re-disovered recently after our appeal for any details. (Pic above shows the original 1950's/60's reference we had).

Standard and Triumph merged (Standard bought the Triumph name essentially as no buildings and/or machinery existed) in 1945 becoming 'Standard Triumph' for the returning (Standard) employees.

 

14 March 1946

 

I could not find any individual mention of William in the 1 Essex diary, but there is no doubt in my mind he was with this unit. The diary states on the 15th April (1944), No. 44 Column were ambushed by an enemy patrol south of Phekerkrima and four men were killed. See the attached page.

On the CWGC page for William it states that he was originally buried at a temporary site at Pherkerkrima alongside three other men of the 1 Essex.

The 1 Essex were part of the 23rd British Infantry Brigade, who trained as Chindits and were intended for Burma as part of Operation Thursday. In the end, General Slim kept then back after the Japanese attacked Imphal and Kohima. The Brigade patrolled the area around Kohima in Chindit style, harassing the Japanese lines of communication.