In preparation for a 75th anniversary commemoration of this former pupil of Bury Grammar School, Lancashire I am trying to establish if the date of death on his headstone at Ranville Cemetery, 30th June 1944, is correct. Some years ago, another researcher maintained that 46 RM Commando records indicated that the incident where Billy was fatally wounded by mortar fire near Sallanelles actually occurred on 2nd July. Could anyone who has access to the unit War Diary possibly confirm this? Many thanks for any help.
Perhaps contact CWGC and ask them to confirm the information they have Marine William Atherton, 'B' troop, died during operations at Sallenelles, Normandy. ATHERTON, William Temperley | ͏ RM 46 Commando ATHERTON, William T, Marine, PLY/X 111533, killed HMS Blackwood, Mourne, Sickle, Elba Landings killed and died, also other RN casualties June 1944 Marine ATHERTON, WILLIAM TEMPERLEY Died 30/06/1944 Aged 19 No. 46 R.M. Commando. Royal Marines Son of Samuel and Lydia Dorothy Atherton, of Radcliffe, Lancashire. INSCRIPTION DEARLY LOVED & TREASURED. "IN HEAVENLY LOVE ABIDING" UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
Accorcing to this database - UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 Name: William Temperley Atherton Event: Death Birth Date: 20 Mar 1925 Birth Place: Redcliffe, Lancs. Death Date: 2 Jul 1944 Death Age: 19 But then his Probate says: England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 Name: William Timperley Atherton Death Date: 22 Jul 1944 Death Place: Lancashire, England Probate Date: 30 Mar 1945 Probate Registry: Manchester, Chester, England But I guess the probate date could be the more erroneous TD
Yes, sorry, I inadvertently failed to include his full name. Many thanks for the replies. Billy was the only son of Great War veteran Samuel Atherton from Radcliffe. He attended Bury Grammar School from 1934 to 1942 and was a member of the school cadet force, then called the Junior Training Corps, still going strong today as the CCF. He applied to join the Royal Marines through the Y Scheme, which I think was designed to recruit potential officers. He joined the marines on his 18th birthday. The date on the death index lends credence to 2nd July as his date of death-the Probate record date is clearly a transcription error for 2nd July, not 30th June. We have visited Billy's grave at Ranville on three of our school battlefield tours over the years, most recently in 2013.
We shall be holding a short act of remembrance for Billy, the only old boy of the school known to have died in the Normandy campaign, on the 75th anniversary of his death.
The photograph I posted is definitely Billy Atherton. It was supplied by the family as his obituary photograph in the 'Radcliffe Times' in 1944 and a copy was provided to me by the son of a cousin, who was one of his closest friends. On the back are written details of his life and death. It records that the photograph was taken when he was 17 1/2. His obituary mentions that after school he joined an Officers' Training Corps. I thought that this was possibly a confused mention of his membership of our school cadet force, which was then designated the Junior Training Corps but had previously been the Bury Grammar School OTC. As far as I can tell, Billy only reached Lance-Corporal. He did pass Military Certificate A. However, might this show him as a cadet officer after school in an actual OTC? I'm afraid I don't know much about the organisation of army cadets in the Second World War period.
1939 Register 32 Bury Old Road, Radcliffe M.B., Lancashire Name - DOB - Occupation - Marital status Samuel Atherton - 27 Jan 1894 - Retail Chemist - Married Lydia D Atherton - 13 Feb 1894 - Unpaid Domestic Duties - Married The record for this person is officially closed.
Does anyone know anything about the Royal Marines' 'Y' Scheme? I have found mention of another former pupil of Bury Grammar who joined the Marines by this route.
General requirements of the 'Y' scheme method of entry to the Royal Navy including the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Marines GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE 'Y' SCHEME METHOD OF ENTRY TO THE ROYAL NAVY INCLUDING THE FLEET AIR ARM AND ROYAL MARINES TD BBC - WW2 People's War - A Journey Through War: Royal Marine Commandos
I realise this is almost 4 years old but the actual photo showing his shoulder insignia as 'Cadet Force' is here on the Commando Veterans Archive / Marine William Temperley Atherton Commando Veterans Archive / ATHERTON, William Temperley | ͏