Kingstone - St Edward the Confessor
Additional details
Edwin Atkinson (1454621)
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve - 17 O.T.U. 29 September 1943, aged 20 Son of Jonas Frederick and Mary Atkinson, of Barnsley. Barnsley Cemetery Killed when a Wellington aircraft crashed on a training exercise, at 20:20 on 28 September 1943 Wellington HF600 of 17 O.T.U. took off from Turweston, Buckinghamshire for a Bullseye Exercise (a navigational detail simulating a bombing raid on a nominated "target"). Returning to base in the early hours of the following morning, control was lost while orbiting a beacon and the aircraft dived into the ground at 01:14 about 1.5 miles west of Wappenham, Northamptonshire killing its six man crew. |
Walter Brown (4545062)
Serjeant - Suffolk Regiment - 1st Bn. 16 October 1944, aged 34 Born in Barnsley in Q2 1910 Son of Thomas and Lilly Brown; husband of Eleanor Brown, of Blackpool, Lancashire. Originally enlisted in the West Yorkshire Regiment Lived at previously Spring Street, Barnsley Married in Barnsley in Q2 1932 - 2 Daughters Venray War Cemetery Killed in action during Operation Aintree, the battle for Overloon and then the push on towards Venray was launched in late September 1944. After the failure of the initial attack, the 3rd Infantry Divison, including 1st Bn Suffolk Regiment took over the attack on 15th October |
Cyril Cowsell (14522510)
Craftsman - Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
8 April 1944, aged 32
Born in Barnsley in Q4 1911
Son of William and Edith Cowsell, of Barnsley; Husband of May Cowsell, of Barnsley.
Lived at 96 Race Common Road
Married in Barnsley in Q2 1934 - 3 Sons
Barnsley Cemetery
Died at Colchester Hospital
Craftsman - Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
8 April 1944, aged 32
Born in Barnsley in Q4 1911
Son of William and Edith Cowsell, of Barnsley; Husband of May Cowsell, of Barnsley.
Lived at 96 Race Common Road
Married in Barnsley in Q2 1934 - 3 Sons
Barnsley Cemetery
Died at Colchester Hospital
George Dunning (4541078)
West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) - 1/5th Bn. 13 February 1942, aged 24 Son of Joseph Dunning, and of Elizabeth Ann Dunning, of Barnsley, Yorkshire. Brookwood Memorial 1/5th Bn West Yorks were part of 147th Infantry Brigade - they left the United Kingdom on 14 May 1940 and arrived in Iceland on 17 May 1940. It left Iceland on 18 April 1942 and arrived in United Kingdom on 26 April 1942. Drowned with 17 others owing to a sudden wind spiralling up while they were crossing the Hrutafjord in assault boats. All are recorded on the Brookwood Memorial. Note - also died in the same incident was John Herbert Smith of Barnsley - 4539548 |
George Fletcher (1595386)
Sergeant - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve - 106 Sqdn. 14 January 1945, aged 21 Born in Barnsley in Q4 1923 Son of Harold and Norah Fletcher, of Barnsley, Yorkshire. Lived at 9 Cranbrook Street, Barnsley St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen All the crew of Lancaster PB122 were killed on a mission to Leuna sythetic-oil plant near Merseburg. The aircraft was airborne at 16:10 from Metheringham, but whilst homebound, the Lancaster flew into the ground at a steep angle at 23:59 near Vignacourt (Somme), 16 km NW of Amiens. For this mission the bomb load was a 4,000lb 'cookie' and none 500lb bombs. Records list the special equipment on the aircraft as H2S, Loran and Fishpond |
Note
H2S - 3 GHz frequency, ground-looking navigation radar system – eventually, it could be homed in on by the German night fighters' FuG 350 Naxos receiver and had to be used with discretion. This is the large blister under the rear fuselage on later Lancasters.
Fishpond - An add-on to H2S that provided additional (aerial) coverage of the underside of the aircraft to display attacking fighters on an auxiliary screen in the radio operator's position.
Loran (LOng RAnge Navigation) - worked on the same principle as Gee (a navigation system of synchronized pulses transmitted from the UK – aircraft calculated their position from the time delay between pulses) but relied on reflection of the pulse signal from the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere. As its name implies, its range was greater than Gee, it could not be detected by German radar and was therefore safe to use at all times, but generally it was more difficult for navigators to detect the correct pulses, particularly because the reflected rays fluctuated and tended to lose themselves in the extraneous "noise".
H2S - 3 GHz frequency, ground-looking navigation radar system – eventually, it could be homed in on by the German night fighters' FuG 350 Naxos receiver and had to be used with discretion. This is the large blister under the rear fuselage on later Lancasters.
Fishpond - An add-on to H2S that provided additional (aerial) coverage of the underside of the aircraft to display attacking fighters on an auxiliary screen in the radio operator's position.
Loran (LOng RAnge Navigation) - worked on the same principle as Gee (a navigation system of synchronized pulses transmitted from the UK – aircraft calculated their position from the time delay between pulses) but relied on reflection of the pulse signal from the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere. As its name implies, its range was greater than Gee, it could not be detected by German radar and was therefore safe to use at all times, but generally it was more difficult for navigators to detect the correct pulses, particularly because the reflected rays fluctuated and tended to lose themselves in the extraneous "noise".
John Hammond (1439398)
Private - Seaforth Highlanders - 7th Bn.
12 February 1945 , aged 27 (CWGC shows 25)
Born in Barnsley in Q3 1917
(Son of Harry and Sarah Hammond)
Enlisted in RA 1938. Transferred to Cameron Highlanders 3/5/1944
Lived at 23 Dawcroft Ave, Worsbrough Bridge
Rheinberg War Cemetery
On 8 February 1945 Montgomery's 21st Army Group, primarily consisting of the First Canadian Army under Harry Crerar and the British XXX Corps under Brian Horrocks launched Operation Veritable. The objective was to clear German forces from the area between the Rhine and Maas rivers, east of the German/Dutch frontier, in the Rhineland. After having cleared Kleve, the 15th Scottish Division, on 12 feb 45, set out from the town towards Calcar. The 46 Brigade, with the 7th Seaforth, formed into a mobile column, in the lead, headed down the main road to Calcar. The Seaforths soon ran into strong opposition at Qualburg, among others a company of SP guns from the s.Pz.Jg.Abteilung 655, with its strength reduced to four Panzerjäger IV, loaned by the 116.Pz Division to the worn out 84th VG Division to block the main road. The episode is recounted, at about 9am in the morning of 12 February 1945 it was reported that the enemy in some strength were holding Qualburg, a village just beyond the level crossing and less than half a mile from the station. “B” Company, the vanguard of the Seaforth, drove straight for Qualburg in their Kangaroos. The houses were full of enemy, who blocked the road by knocking out four of their Kangaroos with the fire of their Bazookas and of an S.P. sited to fire down the road. Enemy shelling and motaring, too, had grown heavy. The Seaforth debussed in the middle of the enemy position, while the Coldstream reopened the road by towing the crippled Kangaroos out of the fairway. Then, while the Coldstream knocked out the S.P., “B” Company cleared the houses after a sharp fight at very close quarters, killing 25 Germans, wounding many more and taking 65 prisoners. In this brilliant action “B” Company lost two officers and 23 other ranks.
Private - Seaforth Highlanders - 7th Bn.
12 February 1945 , aged 27 (CWGC shows 25)
Born in Barnsley in Q3 1917
(Son of Harry and Sarah Hammond)
Enlisted in RA 1938. Transferred to Cameron Highlanders 3/5/1944
Lived at 23 Dawcroft Ave, Worsbrough Bridge
Rheinberg War Cemetery
On 8 February 1945 Montgomery's 21st Army Group, primarily consisting of the First Canadian Army under Harry Crerar and the British XXX Corps under Brian Horrocks launched Operation Veritable. The objective was to clear German forces from the area between the Rhine and Maas rivers, east of the German/Dutch frontier, in the Rhineland. After having cleared Kleve, the 15th Scottish Division, on 12 feb 45, set out from the town towards Calcar. The 46 Brigade, with the 7th Seaforth, formed into a mobile column, in the lead, headed down the main road to Calcar. The Seaforths soon ran into strong opposition at Qualburg, among others a company of SP guns from the s.Pz.Jg.Abteilung 655, with its strength reduced to four Panzerjäger IV, loaned by the 116.Pz Division to the worn out 84th VG Division to block the main road. The episode is recounted, at about 9am in the morning of 12 February 1945 it was reported that the enemy in some strength were holding Qualburg, a village just beyond the level crossing and less than half a mile from the station. “B” Company, the vanguard of the Seaforth, drove straight for Qualburg in their Kangaroos. The houses were full of enemy, who blocked the road by knocking out four of their Kangaroos with the fire of their Bazookas and of an S.P. sited to fire down the road. Enemy shelling and motaring, too, had grown heavy. The Seaforth debussed in the middle of the enemy position, while the Coldstream reopened the road by towing the crippled Kangaroos out of the fairway. Then, while the Coldstream knocked out the S.P., “B” Company cleared the houses after a sharp fight at very close quarters, killing 25 Germans, wounding many more and taking 65 prisoners. In this brilliant action “B” Company lost two officers and 23 other ranks.
John Harrison (1569468)
Gunner - Royal Artillery - 12 Bty., 6 H.A.A. Regt.
11 May 1945, aged 25
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1920
Son of William and Emily Harrison, of Barnsley, Yorkshire; Husband of Enid Harrison, of Barnsley.
Born Kingstone, Barnsley. Enlisted 1938
Lived at 10 Baker St, Barnsley
Married in Barnsley in Q2 1941
Labuan War Cemetery
Died as a Japanese PoW in Lintang Camp, Kuching, Borneo, the cause of death was shown as general debility. Three years earlier 12 Battery, along with 15 Battery of 6 HAA and other units left Singapore on 30 January 1942 in a convoy of ships. They arrived in Palembang in Southern Sumatra on 2nd February 1942. The anti-aircraft guns were deployed to the two airfields P1 and P2. P2 was forty miles to the South of Palembang and it was defended by 12 HAA Battery. On 14th February 1942 P1 airfield was attacked by a force of Japanese paratroopers who quickly took the airfield and pressed on to Palembang itself and the refineries. The Japanese presence made P2 airfield untenable and so the decision was taken to abandon South Sumatra and the process of evacuation started once more. The route out to Java was down a tenuous 300 mile road and rail route to Oosthaven in the Sunda Straits. The ferries and the frail bridges en route forced the Batteries to abandon their guns and all but their light vehicles. By the 18th February 1942 the survivors of the Batteries had arrived in Batavia, Java minus, of course, their guns and other heavy equipment, and formed part of an infantry unit. Following expansion of the Japanese forces all British personnel laid down their arms and capitulated on 9th March 1942.
Gunner - Royal Artillery - 12 Bty., 6 H.A.A. Regt.
11 May 1945, aged 25
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1920
Son of William and Emily Harrison, of Barnsley, Yorkshire; Husband of Enid Harrison, of Barnsley.
Born Kingstone, Barnsley. Enlisted 1938
Lived at 10 Baker St, Barnsley
Married in Barnsley in Q2 1941
Labuan War Cemetery
Died as a Japanese PoW in Lintang Camp, Kuching, Borneo, the cause of death was shown as general debility. Three years earlier 12 Battery, along with 15 Battery of 6 HAA and other units left Singapore on 30 January 1942 in a convoy of ships. They arrived in Palembang in Southern Sumatra on 2nd February 1942. The anti-aircraft guns were deployed to the two airfields P1 and P2. P2 was forty miles to the South of Palembang and it was defended by 12 HAA Battery. On 14th February 1942 P1 airfield was attacked by a force of Japanese paratroopers who quickly took the airfield and pressed on to Palembang itself and the refineries. The Japanese presence made P2 airfield untenable and so the decision was taken to abandon South Sumatra and the process of evacuation started once more. The route out to Java was down a tenuous 300 mile road and rail route to Oosthaven in the Sunda Straits. The ferries and the frail bridges en route forced the Batteries to abandon their guns and all but their light vehicles. By the 18th February 1942 the survivors of the Batteries had arrived in Batavia, Java minus, of course, their guns and other heavy equipment, and formed part of an infantry unit. Following expansion of the Japanese forces all British personnel laid down their arms and capitulated on 9th March 1942.
Geoffrey Oswald Hawke
Merchant Navy - S.S. Shrewsbury (London)
12 February 1941, aged 21
Son of Charles and Florence Hawke, of Cawthorne, Yorkshire.
Tower Hill Memorial
At 06.50 hours on February 12, 1941, SS Shrewsbury (formerly SS Southborough) was part of the unescorted convoy SLS.64 when she was attacked with shellfire by the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper. Shrewsbury was the first vessel to be hit. The position was 37.12N, 21.20W (about 300 miles S.E. of the Azores). The master and eighteen crew members were rescued - fifteen by SS Blairatholl. Eighteen crew members were in a lifeboat that received a direct hit by a shell and were all killed. Twenty crew members from SS Shrewsbury were lost
Merchant Navy - S.S. Shrewsbury (London)
12 February 1941, aged 21
Son of Charles and Florence Hawke, of Cawthorne, Yorkshire.
Tower Hill Memorial
At 06.50 hours on February 12, 1941, SS Shrewsbury (formerly SS Southborough) was part of the unescorted convoy SLS.64 when she was attacked with shellfire by the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper. Shrewsbury was the first vessel to be hit. The position was 37.12N, 21.20W (about 300 miles S.E. of the Azores). The master and eighteen crew members were rescued - fifteen by SS Blairatholl. Eighteen crew members were in a lifeboat that received a direct hit by a shell and were all killed. Twenty crew members from SS Shrewsbury were lost
George Hobson
No details known
No details known
Jack Kaye (1136927)
Gunner - Royal Artillery - 97 Anti-Tank Regt. 16 July 1944, aged 21 Born in Barnsley in Q2 1923 Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Kaye, of Barnsley, Yorkshire. Enlisted 1941 Lived at 187 Racecommon Road, Barnsley St. Manvieu War Cemetery, Cheux KIA near Gavrus, Normandy during Operation Greenline part of the Second Battle of the Odon |
John Levi
No details known,
unless it is:
Joseph Benjamin Levi (P/JX 356920)
Royal Navy - HMS Vervain
20 February 1945, aged 20
Son of Percy and Rose Ann Levi, of Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Portsmouth Naval Memorial
HMS Vervain was torpedoed and sunk about 25 nautical miles south-east of Dungarvan, Ireland in position 51º47'N, 07º06'W, by the German submarine U-1276 whilst escorting convoy HX-337. Sixty one of the crew were killed and the 33 survivors were rescued by the Denbigh Castle
No details known,
unless it is:
Joseph Benjamin Levi (P/JX 356920)
Royal Navy - HMS Vervain
20 February 1945, aged 20
Son of Percy and Rose Ann Levi, of Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Portsmouth Naval Memorial
HMS Vervain was torpedoed and sunk about 25 nautical miles south-east of Dungarvan, Ireland in position 51º47'N, 07º06'W, by the German submarine U-1276 whilst escorting convoy HX-337. Sixty one of the crew were killed and the 33 survivors were rescued by the Denbigh Castle
Harold Naylor (D/MX 505600)
Wireman - Royal Navy - H.M.S. Penelope 18 February 1944, aged 18 Born in Barnsley in Q2 1925 Son of Charles H. and Martha J. Naylor, of Barnsley, Yorkshire. Lived at 30 Cemetery Road, Barnsley - Plymouth Naval Memorial HMS Penelope was an Arethusa class Light cruiser, she was returning from bombarding enemy positions during Operation Shingle, the landings at Anzio, in which she was part of the Gunfire Support Group TG 81.8. At 06.58 hours on 18 Feb 1944 the unescorted HMS Penelope was hit in the after engine room by one torpedo from U-410 while en route at 26 knots 35 miles west of Naples. The cruiser sank immediately after being hit in the after boiler room by a coup de grâce at 07.16 hours. The commander, 24 officers, 368 ratings and 24 Marines were lost. The survivors were picked up by HMS LST-165 and HMS LST-430. |
Archie Page
No details known.
No details known.
Cyril Priestley (2135921)
Sapper - Royal Engineers - 626 Field Sqn
29 November 1943, aged 29
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1914
Son of Joseph and Kathleen Priestley, of Barnsley, Yorkshire; Husband of Eva Priestley, of Barnsley.
Sangro River War Cemetery
Killed in action in Italy, in the vacinity of the village of Mezzogiorno, when the tank he a six other engineers were riding on was hit by artillery fire
Sapper - Royal Engineers - 626 Field Sqn
29 November 1943, aged 29
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1914
Son of Joseph and Kathleen Priestley, of Barnsley, Yorkshire; Husband of Eva Priestley, of Barnsley.
Sangro River War Cemetery
Killed in action in Italy, in the vacinity of the village of Mezzogiorno, when the tank he a six other engineers were riding on was hit by artillery fire
William Ramsden (961321)
Gunner - Royal Artillery - 56 Heavy Regt 21 April 1943, aged 29 Born in Barnsley in Q3 1913 Son of Samuel and Margaret Ramsden, of Barnsley, Yorkshire; Husband of Minnie Ramsden, of Barnsley. Enlisted 1939 Lived at 7, Grafton Street, Racecommon Road, Barnsley Married in Barnsley in Q1 1936 - 3 Sons Massicault War Cemetery KIA in Tunisia during the final death throws of the Axis forces. Generaloberst Arnim knew that an Allied offensive was imminent and launched a spoiling attack on the night of 20/21 April, between Medjez and Goubellat on the IX Corps front. The Hermann Göring Division supported by tanks from 10th Panzer Division penetrated up to 5 miles at some points but could not force a general withdrawal and eventually returned to their lines. |
John William Rodwell (2618229)
Guardsman - Grenadier Guards - 3rd Bn.
5 February 1943, aged 28
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1915
Son of Joe and Lena Rodwell.
Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery
Died in North Africa during the Tunisia campaign, in the area of Medjez and Baharine, as the Axis forces fell back to the Mareth Line.
Guardsman - Grenadier Guards - 3rd Bn.
5 February 1943, aged 28
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1915
Son of Joe and Lena Rodwell.
Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery
Died in North Africa during the Tunisia campaign, in the area of Medjez and Baharine, as the Axis forces fell back to the Mareth Line.
Edwin Sellers (2655807)
Lance Corporal - Coldstream Guards
18 June 1944, aged 28
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1916
Son of Edwin Bygate Sellers and Mabel Sellers, of Barnsley; Husband of Florence Ivy Isobel Sellers.
Lived at 11 Claycliffe Terrace, Barnsley
Married in Lambeth in Q4 1939 - 1 Daughter
Barnsley Cemetery
On Sunday June 18th 1944, the chapel was packed after the Waterloo Day service. The congregation consisted of Officers, Guardsmen, Allies (these included Canadian Grenadier Guards, US Army and free French) friends and family. At 1110hrs the congregation heard a distant buzzing which gradually grew louder and turned into a roar overhead which drowned out the hymn singing. "On the square outside, forty Guardsmen dismounting guard flung themselves face downward, as right above them the robot raced" (Birmingham Post). The engine cut out and the German V1 flying bomb glided down and struck the north0west corner of the roof, causing the whole building to fall with the exception of the Chancel and Apse. At the time, the second lesson was being read by Lord Edward Hay. He and 121 others including the Chaplain, Director of Music and six Musicians (of which Edwin Sellers was one) of the Coldstream Guards Band were killed, and 141 seriously injured.
Lance Corporal - Coldstream Guards
18 June 1944, aged 28
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1916
Son of Edwin Bygate Sellers and Mabel Sellers, of Barnsley; Husband of Florence Ivy Isobel Sellers.
Lived at 11 Claycliffe Terrace, Barnsley
Married in Lambeth in Q4 1939 - 1 Daughter
Barnsley Cemetery
On Sunday June 18th 1944, the chapel was packed after the Waterloo Day service. The congregation consisted of Officers, Guardsmen, Allies (these included Canadian Grenadier Guards, US Army and free French) friends and family. At 1110hrs the congregation heard a distant buzzing which gradually grew louder and turned into a roar overhead which drowned out the hymn singing. "On the square outside, forty Guardsmen dismounting guard flung themselves face downward, as right above them the robot raced" (Birmingham Post). The engine cut out and the German V1 flying bomb glided down and struck the north0west corner of the roof, causing the whole building to fall with the exception of the Chancel and Apse. At the time, the second lesson was being read by Lord Edward Hay. He and 121 others including the Chaplain, Director of Music and six Musicians (of which Edwin Sellers was one) of the Coldstream Guards Band were killed, and 141 seriously injured.
Ronald Steele (4699867)
Private - Durham Light Infantry - 16th Bn. 20 October 1944, aged 21 Born in Barnsley in Q4 1923 Son of Fred and Ada Steele, of Barnsley, Yorkshire. Parents married St Edward the Confessor, 13/3/1920. Father was a chemical worker and lived at 13 Harvey St, Barnsley. Mother lived at 10 Harvey St. Lived at 30 Harvey Street, Barnsley Bari War Cemetery Ronald enlisted on 18 June 1942, initially with KOYLI, was then transferred to 16th DLI. He was wounded on 26 April 1943 but following his recovery returned to active service. Died in Italy, in one of the General Hospitals that were established in the Bari area after receiving wounds five weeks previously. He was wounded on the 13th September 1944 in the Gemmano area. On the 24th September 1944 Ronald Steele’s mother was notified that her son was in 71st General Hospital with a wound to the head. He was transferred to 93rd [British] General Hospital where his condition deteriorated. On the 10th October 1944 a further letter from the Infantry Record Office at York, was received by the family informing them that Private Ronald Steele had been transferred to the seriously ill list. Yet another letter was received on the 27th October 1944 informing them that their son Ronald Steele had died of his wounds on the 20th October 1944. |
Arthur Tilson (4691273)
Private - King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry - 1st Bn.
23 January 1944, aged 23
Born in Barnsley on 4 April 1920
Son of James and Lucy Tilson. Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Married in -
Minturno War Cemetery
Died in Italy during the crossing of the River Garigliano and push towards Minturno.
Private - King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry - 1st Bn.
23 January 1944, aged 23
Born in Barnsley on 4 April 1920
Son of James and Lucy Tilson. Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Married in -
Minturno War Cemetery
Died in Italy during the crossing of the River Garigliano and push towards Minturno.
Harry Turner (4689978)
Private - King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry - 1/4th Bn.
22 June 1945, aged 27
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1918
(Son of Ivah and Lilian W Turner)
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Accidently killed in post-war Germany
Private - King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry - 1/4th Bn.
22 June 1945, aged 27
Born in Barnsley in Q2 1918
(Son of Ivah and Lilian W Turner)
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Accidently killed in post-war Germany
Frank Worrall (1138238)
Sergeant (Nav.) - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve - 9 Sqdn. 7 April 1943, aged 22 Born in Barnsley in Q4 1920 Son of Robert and Zilpha Worrall, of Barnsley. Lived at 121 Blenheim Road, Barnsley Barnsley Cemetery No. 9 Squadron at that time were based in Lincolnshire at Waddington. Lancaster mk III serial number ED662 coded WS-P crashed 03:30, during the course of a Bullseye exercise, hitting the ground at Kennyhill, 1 mile N of Mildenhall Airfield, Suffolk. The accident was attributed to a total engine failure. Lt.Johnson RA had been attached from 105 Heavy anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Sgt A.E.Ingram KIA Sgt A.J.McCoy KIA Sgt F.Worrall KIA Sgt G.B.Walker KIA Sgt A.H.Page KIA Sgt H.Wells KIA P/O J.F.Leleu KIA Lt G.P.Johnson RA KIA |
Click to access the external website St Edwards, Barnsley Remembers - An excellent website which provides more detailed biographical information