Hi all Last year for my local church I produced a photo book that stands with the roll of honour and displays on each page the last resting place and photos from the local newspaper archives of the men who fell in the Great War. When the book was taken to the local 'Golden Circle' pensioners club it was asked why wasn't there one for WW2? Therefore I'd like to try the same thing again and would ask if anyone has or be in a position to obtain the photos of the last resting place of the following men? If so, would you be willing to share them? If you can I would be most profoundly grateful. Thanks. Jonathan The men are: Name: ARMER, WILLIAM ROY Initials: W R Nationality: United Kingdom Born: Wigan Rank: Lieutenant Regiment/Service:Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) Unit Text: 10th Bn. Age:21 Date of Death: 29/06/1944 Service No: 293212 Additional information: Son of William and Lily Armer, of Worthington, Lancashire. Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead St. Manvieu War Cemetery, Cheux, France. Grave/Memorial Reference:VII. C. 17 Name: BIMSON, JOHN Initials: J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 105 Sqdn. Date of Death: 01/03/1941 Service No: 970880 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Cemetery: GRONINGEN (ESSERVELD) GENERAL CEMETERY Plot RP. Row Class 2. Grave 28. Name: BROOMHEAD, JAMES EDWARD HEATON Initials: J E H Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 21 Date of Death: 01/04/1943 Service No: 3856930 Additional information: Son of Pearse and Mary Broomhead, of New Springs, Wigan, Lancashire. His brother , John W.S.H. Broomhead, also died on service. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:I. F. 6. Cemetery:MASSICAULT WAR CEMETERY Name: CAIN, WILLIAM Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Bombardier Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery Unit Text: 25 Field Regt. Date of Death: 01/10/1944 Service No: 833246 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 2. Memorial: CASSINO MEMORIAL Name: CASSIDY, THOMAS Initials: T Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) Unit Text: 2nd Bn. Age: 24 Date of Death: 23/01/1942 Service No: 3858895 Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Cassidy, of Top Lock, Wigan, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 73. Memorial: SINGAPORE MEMORIAL Photo kindly supplied by Bucklt Name: COLLIER, GEORGE Initials: G Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 27 Date of Death: 12/03/1944 Service No: 3858835 Additional information: Son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Collier, of Aspull, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Face 7. Memorial: RANGOON MEMORIAL Photo kindly supplied by Bucklt Name: CROMPTON, LESLIE WILLIAM Initials: L W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: Royal Army Ordnance Corps Age: 27 Date of Death: 06/04/1944 Service No: 10574546 Additional information: Son of William and Ethel Crompton; husband of Ann Crompton, of Birmingham. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave /Memorial Reference: Panel 19. Column 1. Memorial: BROOKWOOD MEMORIAL Photo kindly supplied by Clive (CL1) Name:FAIRHURST, SYDNEY Initials:S Nationality:United Kingdom Rank:Private Regiment/Service:The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) Unit Text:1st Bn. Age:25 Date of Death:21/04/1943 Service No:3858894 Additional information:Son of John Fairhurst, and of Ellen Fairhurst, of Worthington, Lancashire. Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:1. D. 5. Cemetery: MEDJEZ-EL-BAB WAR CEMETERY Name: GREEN, WILLIAM Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Guardsman Regiment/Service:Grenadier Guards Unit Text: 6th Bn. Age: 23 Date of Death: 17/03/1943 Service No: 2619379 Additional information: Son of Mrs. E. Greenway, of Orrell, Wigan, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: III. BB. 10. Cemetery: Sfax War Cemetery, Tunisia Name: GREGORY, JOHN Initials: J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Corporal Regiment/Service: Welch Regiment Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 26 Date of Death: 11/09/1944 Service No: 3964302 Additional information: Son of Walter and Annie Gregory, of Aspull, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XX, K, 7. Cemetery: Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy Name: HILL, GORDON LESLIE Initials: G L Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Flight Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 50 Sqdn. Age: 23 Date of Death: 26/07/1943 Service No: 1350603 Additional information: Son of Sydney and Minnie Hill; husband of Alice Hill, of Wigan, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 5. D. 1. Cemetery: Uden War Cemetery, Holland Name: HEYES, WILLIAM Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Gunner Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery Unit Text: 70 Field Regt. Date of Death: 07/01/1944 Service No: 1082738 Additional information: Husband of Mary Elizabeth Heyes, of Wigan, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:VII. A. 21. Cemetery: Cassino War Cemetery, Italy Name: HUGHES, JAMES Initials: J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Lance Serjeant Regiment/Service: Royal Scots Unit Text: 8th Bn. Age: 27 Date of Death: 27/03/1945 Service No: 3059151 Additional information: Son of James and Margaret Hughes of Aspull; husband of Bessie Hughes, of Howden Clough, Yorkshire. Born in Wigan Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 58. F. 11. Cemetery: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany Photo kindly supplied by Astrid (Avane) Name: INGHAM, WILLIAM Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Gunner Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery Unit Text: 178 Field Regt. Age: 31 Date of Death: 07/03/1944 Service No: 1087197 Additional information: Son of William and Jessie Ingham; husband of Hannah Ingham, of Toplock, Wigan, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 10. B. 10. Cemetery: Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma Photo kindly supplied by Bucklt Name: INGRAM, JOHN Initials: J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Lance Serjeant Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery Unit Text: 4 H.A.A. Regt. Date of Death: 07/03/1942 Service No: 784432 Additional information: Born in and a resident of Wigan. Husband of Mary C. Ingram, of Woolwich, London. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 5. 4. 2. Cemetery: Pembroke War Cemetery, Malta Photo kindly supplied by Mick at BWG Name:JONES, JOHN EDWARD Initials:J E Nationality:United Kingdom Rank:Corporal Regiment/Service:Reconnaissance Corps Unit Text:18th (5th Bn. The Loyal Regt.) Regt. Age:26 Date of Death:25/08/1943 Service No:3857370 Additional information:Son of Ernest and Annie Jones; husband of Kathleen Elizabeth Jones, of Horwich, Lancashire. Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:B3. E. 12. Cemetery: THANBYUZAYAT WAR CEMETERY Photo kindly supplied by Bucklt Name: MORGAN, WILLIAM Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Border Regiment Unit Text: 2nd Bn. Age: 20 Date of Death: 05/06/1944 Service No: 3782768 Additional information: Son of James and Mary Morgan, of Aspull, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. B. 1. Cemetery: Imphal War Cemetery, India Photo kindly supplied by Bucklt Name: PILKINGTON, THOMAS Initials: T Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Gunner Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery Unit Text: 71 Field Regt. Age: 27 Date of Death: 22/02/1943 Service No: 1082683 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: VIII. C. 25. Cemetery: Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia Photo kindly supplied by Rob (Ramacal) Name: RALPHS, WILLIAM Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: East Lancashire Regiment Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 26 Date of Death: 07/01/1945 Service No: 3774250 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave Memorial Reference: IV. B. 10. Cemetery: Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium Name: SEDDON, JOSEPH Initials: J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: Pioneer Corps Age: 22 Date of Death: 12/02/1945 Service No: 5682747 Additional information: Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Seddon, of Aspull, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave Memorial Reference: IVa. F. 15. Cemetery: Schoonselhof Cemetery, Belgium Name: SOUTHERN, ALBERT Initials: A Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Corporal Regiment: Royal Air Force Unit Text: 37 Sqdn. Age: 23 Date of Death: 09/03/1942 Service No: 631521 Additional information: Son of Walter and Edith Southern, of Aspull, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave Memorial Reference: 1. F. 7. Cemetery: SUEZ WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY Name: SUTCH, ROBERT HENRY Initials: R H Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: Welch Regiment Unit Text: 1/5th Bn. Age: 25 Date of Death: 12/08/1944 Service No: 3964295 Additional information: Son of John and Mabel Sutch, of Aspull, Lancashire; husband of Doris Sutch, of Aspull. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave Memorial Reference: V. C. 24. Cemetery: Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery, France Name: TIERNEY, ALBERT Initials: A Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Gordon Highlanders Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 32 Date of Death: 23/10/1942 Service No: 3780874 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: XXVI. H. 16. Cemetery: El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt Name: WALMSLEY, WILLIAM Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 433 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn Age: 21 Date of Death: 25/03/1944 Service No: 1458471 Additional information: Son of James and Ellen Walmsley, of New Springs, Wigan, Lancashire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave Memorial Reference: 23. F. 2. Cemetery: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany Photo kindly supplied by Astrid (Avane) Name: WEBBER, WILLIAM Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: York and Lancaster Regiment Unit Text: 8th Bn. Age: 28 Date of Death: 07/05/1944 Service No: 4038909 Additional information: Son of William and Elizabeth Webber, of Aspull, Lancashire. Was a member of the Chindits. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave Memorial Reference: 4. C. 2. Cemetery:Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma Photo kindly supplied by Bucklt Name: WILLIAMS, WILFRED Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: East Lancashire Regiment Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 28 Born in and a resident of Aspull, Wigan. Date of Death: 27/02/1945 Service No: 3389451 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 10. D. 3. Cemetery: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany Photo kindly supplied by Tom (Smudger) Name: WINSTANLEY, ERNEST Initials: E Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Lance Corporal Regiment/Service: King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Unit Text: 2nd Bn. Age: 22 Born in wigan and a resident of Hull Date of Death: 14/04/1942 Service No: 4690747 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Face 16. Memorial: Rangoon Memorial, Burma Photo kindly supplied by Bucklt Name:WOODS, CLIFFORD Initials:C Nationality:United Kingdom Rank:Corporal Regiment/Service:Royal Army Service Corps Age:31 Date of Death:13/09/1941 Service No:T/176722 Additional information:Son of Mary Ann Woods, of Aspull, Lancashire. Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference:23. E. 13. Cemetery: BAGHDAD (NORTH GATE) WAR CEMETERY Name: YOUNG, WILLIAM Initials: W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Bombardier Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery Unit Text: 3 Bty., 1 Lt. A.A. Regt. Age: 22 Born in and a resident of Aspull Date of Death: 17/06/1941 Service No: 1510612 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 33. Memorial: Alamein Memorial
Name: CROMPTON, LESLIE WILLIAM Initials: L W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: Royal Army Ordnance Corps Age: 27 Date of Death: 06/04/1944 Service No: 10574546 Additional information: Son of William and Ethel Crompton; husband of Ann Crompton, of Birmingham. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave /Memorial Reference: Panel 19. Column 1. Memorial: BROOKWOOD MEMORIAL
Contact Tony aka 'Bucklt' on here. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/members/bucklt.html He can get you all the Far East ones. He's posted a few threads on here with where he's been & the thousands he has on file.
Ooooeer, and you never saw that question coming????????? I think your parameters must be smaller then "Wigan" as that alone produces 465 Names using Geoffs Search Engine on CWGC. You don't show John Broomhead either!! There are also 1,427 Wigan entries for WW1..... have you missed any? Seriously, it's a great effort to have produced a Book of Remembrance, but there is always a "smart alec" like me who asks the awkward question, as you have already found out! Good luck and I hope Geoffs Search Engine does the job for you!!
Kevin It's a fair point. The memorial in question covers the Wigan districts of Aspull, Haigh, Hindley, New Springs and Ince and it would be a very long thread title to put that lot on. From memory the memorial names 113 men from the Great War and 49 from WW2. I've not shown John Broomhead as he is only buried five minutes from where I live and i'm not that bone idle to ask someone else to take the photo! As for the others I've not named they are either locally buried or I have taken the photos myself. The little attachment is a double page spread of the book I did for the men of the Great War so you can see why I would like the grave and memorial pictures. Jonathan.
Thanks, it was meant to be tongue in cheek! A credit to them (and to you!) Well done and good luck with the search!
Two Wigan Merchant Navy graves if interested ADLINGTON, Senior Ordinary Seaman, JOHN, S.S. Empire Cpperfield (Sunderland). Merchant Navy. 23rd July 1947. Age 25. Son of Mrs. E. Adlington, of Whelley, Wigan. Buried Wigan Cemetery. Sec. O. C of E. Grave 215. The War Graves Photographic Project WILDGOOSE, Third Engineer Officer, HARRY, S.S. Kantara (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 18th June 1945. Age 28. Son of William David and Edith Wildgoose, of Knotty Ash, Liverpool; husband of Evelyn Wildgoose, of Wigan. Buried Prescot Cemetery. Sec. 6. Grave 109. http://www.twgpp.org/information.php?id=1945166
Hello Jonathan, I realise that your request is only regarding particular districts of Wigan and the following may not therefore be relevant, but I had involvement in a recent thread about Eugene Patrick Boyd, The Durham Light Infantry, who was KIA in Setptember 1944 and I believe he was from Wigan. If he is on your list you will find references at: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/unit-documents/17486-gheel-last-battle-help-wanted-3.html I mention this because he won an MM that was previously unrecorded at CWGC and is not (and probably will not) be recorded on his headstone. However, if he is on your list you will be able to record his MM on the Roll of Honour! Best, Steve.
Billy Thanks for the link but unfortunately they do not feature on my list. Steve I wish Eugene Boyd was on my list but unfortunately he isn't. However I will take a look next time in the town centre at the main memorial to see if he is there. The names missing from my list are the locally buried men, men who feature on the Portsmouth Memorial and the names I have yet to match to an entry on the CWGC, Geoff's search engine or any other datatbase (and probably to feature on this forum very soon if I can't find anything!) Thanks Jonathan
The grave and memorial photos continue to come in from some very kind forum members who took the trouble to take the photos and get in touch. So thank you to Clive, Tom, Astrid and Tony (Bucklt) for the good work. Just giving this a bump to see if anyone else has any of the men listed in their collections? Similarly if anybody had the corresponding War Diary page for the dates of death for any of the men and would be willing to share it then I would be extremely grateful for the information. Cheers Jonathan
Jonathon Link to my post and a photo of Thomas Pilkington's headstone on the RA Commemoration thread. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/searching-someone-military-genealogy/21194-royal-artillery-roll-honour-1939-47-a-237.html#post385970 Cheers - Rob
I'll put the 2 Normandy names on my to do list when I go in June. The Schoonselhof one will get done if I go to Holland (I drive near it on route there) later in the year plus the Uden one and another time if I don't. I have a few to get from both.
