War Memorial:Pinner Synagogue discovers Second World War memorial missing for 60 years

Discussion in 'War Cemeteries & War Memorial Research' started by CL1, Nov 8, 2012.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    Attached Files:

  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    LATUTIN, SIMMON
    Rank:
    Captain
    Service No:
    242974
    Date of Death:
    30/12/1944
    Age:
    28
    Regiment/Service:
    Somerset Light Infantry

    seconded to Somalia Gendarmerie
    Awards:
    G C
    Grave Reference
    1. 3.
    Cemetery
    NAIROBI WAR CEMETERY
    Additional Information:
    Son of Morris and Freda Latutin; husband of Margaret Latutin, of Harrow, Middlesex.


    Citation
    The following details are given in the London Gazette of September 10th, 1946: "The King has been graciously pleased to approve the posthumus award of the George Cross, in recognition of most conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner, to Captain Simmon Latutin." Captain Latutin was on duty at the Training School of the Somaliland Gendarmerie at Mogadishu. The rocket store caught fire and became a blazing inferno into which Captain Latutin rushed into and succeeded in rescuing an officer who was unconscious and badly burnt. Although alight himself, Captain Latutin re-entered the store and rescued the Company Serjeant Major. Captain Latutin died as a result of his wounds the next day.
     
  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    Initials on Memorial differ I.B shown as D.B. on CWGC
    Rabbi contacted to inform/confirm and CWGC contacted to confirm.


    SCHNEIDER, DAVID BERNARD
    Rank:
    Lance Serjeant
    Service No:
    4619349
    Date of Death:
    31/08/1945
    Age:
    28
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
    Grave Reference
    6 D. 15.
    Cemetery
    TEHRAN WAR CEMETERY
    Additional Information:
    Son of Joseph and Minnie Schneider, of Harrow, London, England.
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    Initials on Memorial differ I.J shown as J.I. on CWGC
    Rabbi contacted to inform/confirm and CWGC contacted to confirm.

    SHAER, JOSEPH ISRAEL
    Rank:
    Flight Sergeant
    Trade:
    Nav.
    Service No:
    1294047
    Date of Death:
    13/04/1944
    Age:
    24
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

    540 Sqdn.
    Grave Reference
    Sec. K.4. Grave 155.
    Cemetery
    OXFORD (WOLVERCOTE) CEMETERY
    Additional Information:
    Son of Samuel Jacob and Clara Millie Shaer.
     
  5. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    NEWTON, SIDNEY
    Rank:
    Flight Sergeant
    Trade:
    Pilot
    Service No:
    1802988
    Date of Death:
    27/07/1945
    Age:
    23
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
    Grave Reference
    9. D. 17.
    Cemetery
    MADRAS WAR CEMETERY, CHENNAI
    Additional Information:
    Son of Barnett and Augusta Newton, of Harrow, Middlesex.
     
  6. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    COHEN, DAVID ISADORE
    Rank:
    Flight Sergeant
    Service No:
    1391163
    Date of Death:
    21/02/1944
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

    9 Sqdn.
    Panel Reference
    Panel 216.
    Memorial
    RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
     

    Attached Files:

  7. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    SANDOW, ALFRED
    Rank:
    Sergeant
    Trade:
    Flt. Engr.
    Service No:
    1455048
    Date of Death:
    01/03/1943
    Age:
    21
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

    50 Sqdn.
    Grave Reference
    Plot 1. Row A. Coll. grave 1.
    Cemetery
    WADENOIJEN PROTESTANT CHURCHYARD
    Additional Information:
    Son of Hyman and Kate Sandow.
     
  8. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    FRANKAL, BERTRAM MAX
    Rank:
    Sergeant
    Service No:
    1605533
    Date of Death:
    08/04/1945
    Age:
    29
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

    466 Sqdn.
    Panel Reference
    Panel 274.
    Memorial
    RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
    Additional Information:
    Son of Leon Frankal, and of Augusta Frankal, of Kenton, Middlesex. F.S.M.C.
     

    Attached Files:

  9. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    FIELD, HILLIER
    Rank:
    Serjeant
    Service No:
    6896698
    Date of Death:
    03/11/1942
    Age:
    32
    Regiment/Service:
    King's Royal Rifle Corps

    2nd Bn.
    Panel Reference
    Column 65.
    Memorial
    ALAMEIN MEMORIAL
    Additional Information:
    Son of Lazare and Tina Field, of Golders Green, Middlesex.
     
  10. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    RUTTMAN, HYMAN
    Rank:
    Fusilier
    Service No:
    6478768
    Date of Death:
    26/09/1944
    Age:
    33
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

    1st Bn.
    Grave Reference
    VII. A. 13.
    Cemetery
    FAENZA WAR CEMETERY
    Additional Information:
    Son of Woolf and Yetta Ruttman, of South Harrow, Middlesex.
     
  11. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    HOOKER, The Rev. SOLLY
    Rank:
    Chaplain 4th Class
    Service No:
    231878
    Date of Death:
    12/02/1946
    Age:
    31
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Army Chaplains' Department
    Grave Reference
    5. C. 10.
    Cemetery
    MADRAS WAR CEMETERY, CHENNAI
    Additional Information:
    Son of Joseph and Polly Hooker; husband of Freda Hooker, of Stamford Hill, London. B.A. (Lond.).
     
  12. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Clive,

    It is nice to know that the finders carried out further research and traced the living relatives in order for them to attend the Memorial Service.

    Nice post to read.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  13. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    SIMMONDS, HAROLD

    Rank:
    Corporal
    Trade:
    W.Op.
    Service No:
    44244
    Date of Death:
    23/05/1943
    Age:
    45
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Air Force
    Grave Reference
    Block U. Grave 3.
    Cemetery
    EAST HAM (MARLOW ROAD) JEWISH CEMETERY
    Additional Information:
    Son of Hyman and Sarah Simmonds; husband of Lily Simmonds, of Kenton, Middlesex.
     
  14. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    The rededication of a missing memorial on Sunday “went brilliantly”.

    More than 300 people attended a Remembrance Day service at Pinner Synagogue during which a memorial to Jewish Pinner residents, who died in World War Two, was unveiled.

    The congregation included 54 family members of the 11 servicemen named on the memorial board which had been missing for 60 years.

    Brian Eisenberg, a member of the synagogue, said: “It really went brilliantly.

    “The hall was full and the comments were all that it was a very moving and fitting tribute.

    “We spoke about each soldier individually so everybody felt they got to know the people a little bit.

    “It was very moving and the families were tremendously positive about it.”

    The Cecil Park synagogue has been undergoing refurbishment and, as a result, the senior caretaker and project manager were tiding out a storeroom.

    At the back of the room, underneath a pile of rubbish, the two men, John Castle and David Summers, uncovered the memorial which was created in the aftermath of the war.

    Mr Eisenberg told the Harrow Times: “There’s no evidence that the board was ever mounted in the old synagogue.

    Related links
    Missing memorial unveiled during Remembrance Day service
    “We were rooting around in the cupboard as part of the renovation and they found it buried in a dark corner and wondered what it was.

    “It’s such an exciting thing because it’s got so much personal history and everyone is so fired up about it.”

    The synagogue had the board restored and then dedicated its energies to tracing the families of those mentioned on it.

    As a result of weeks of hard work by researcher Laurence Harris the family of each serviceman was traced and they attended the unveiling.

    Mr Harris, who has worked to trace Jewish history for the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? programme, said it had been an “amazing pleasure” to find out the stories of the 11 soldiers.

    He added: “I was told that one of the names on the board was the brother of one of the members of our community so that’s where I started really.

    “One of the first things I found is that some of the information on it was not necessarily accurate. It took me about four or five weeks to find ten of the families – the 11th was a real challenge but we found them eventually.

    “The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, it’s really been amazing.

    “Some of them had information that we didn’t have, and for others I was able to provide information that they didn’t have which was personally a really nice thing to be able to give them.”
    Unveiling of missing memorial 'went brilliantly' (From Harrow Times)
     
  15. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Great story but the question must be 'why was the memorial apparently not displayed?'
     
  16. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery Patron

    The Reverend Solly Hooker (Shabtai ben Yerachmiel Yonah Halevi)
    Simmon Latutin (Shimon ben Moshe)
    David Bernard Schneider (Dovid ben Yehuda)
    Joseph Israel Shaer (Yosef ben Yehuda)
    Sidney Newton (Nacovitch Shlomo ben Dov)
    David Isadore Cohen (Dovid ben Jacob)
    Alfred Sandow (Avraham ben Hyman)
    Hillier Field ( Fielscovitch)
    Harold Simmons
    Hyman Ruttman (Chaim ben Ze'ev)
    Bertram Max Frankal (Baruch ben Menachem Yehudah)
     

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