WW2: THE ROLL OF HONOUR [In Progress]

THIS SECTION WILL INCLUDE SOME DETAILS OF MOST OF THOSE NAMED ON OUR WAR MEMORIALS.  ANYONE WITH FURTHER DETAILS AND WILLING TO SHARE, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT

knrichardson53@gmail.com

THE GAUNLESS VALLEY WW2 MEN YET TO BE IDENTIFIED ARE:

Butterknowle & Copley

• Dowson W.
• Lowson M.S. Maurice Sewell Lowson – I have some details, yet to be fully researched. He is not on the war memorial but on the church memorial.
• Reed T. – Lynesack Church Memorial

Cockfield

• Duffy L. – was he a New Zealander?
• Fuller R.C.
• Walker N.
• Welch J.

West Auckland & St. Helens

• Oates W.
• Reed G.

Etherley

• Etherington F.
• GreavIson H.
• Guy W.
• Holmes E.
• Millington H.
• Naisbitt R.
• Starling F.R.
• Tarren G. – I have some details, yet to be fully researched
• Young R.
• Smith H.

DETAILS OR THE MEN & WOMEN WHO PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE ARE PROVIDED BELOW.

WEST AUCKLAND WAR MEMORIAL commemorates 36 servicemen, 30 of whom are on a Memorial Scroll Roll in St. Helen’s Church, 8 of whom are commemorated on the Church Lads Brigade memorial plaque also in St. Helen’s Church [indicated thus *].  Thanks to West Auckland Parish Council for publishing a roll of honour in a leaflet associated with the unveiling of the war memorial and garden, details of which have been used here.  I have been informed of another soldier who was killed while on service, not during the war but as a result of duties associated with the subsequent War Trials – Joseph H. Henderson.  I am updating as time permits.  In progress.

• Anderson C.
• Anderson P.
• Baxter M.*
• Byers E.*
• Byers G.*
• Carrick E.
• Clarke R.
• Crow R.
• Curtis W.
• Dickinson A.
• Douthwaite C.
• Harrison R.S.
• Howland H.C.
• Huntington J.E.
• Kelly D.T.
• Lawrence G.E.
• Mitton J.*
• Mooney J.*
• Morley J.*
• Oates W.
• Postgate E.A.*
• Pybus T.
• Raine J.M.
• Reed G.
• Richardson J.
• Robinson J.T.
• Routledge J.
• Siddle H.
• Simpson T.
• Smirthwaite J.L.
• Stout N.
• Stones Edgar.
• Stones Eileen.
• Tallentire H.*
• Wade J.K.
• Wilkinson H.

COCKFIELD WAR MEMORIAL commemorates 8 servicemen and there are 2 men buried in Cockfield Cemetery.  Some men remain undetected, in progress:

• Anderson T.A.S.
• Close F.
• Dowson B.
• Duffy C.
• Fuller R.C.
• Scott J.W.
• Walker N.
• Welch J.
• Roberts D. [Cockfield Cemetery]
• Wall H. [Cockfield Cemetery]

BUTTERKNOWLE WAR MEMORIAL commemorates 10 servicemen, 3 additional men are commemorated on the St. John, the Evangalist Church Roll of Honour & J. Polkington is buried in Lynesack Churchyard.  Some men have not been traced, in progress:

• Blenkinsopp L.
• Dowson W.
• Kellett T.
• Kellett W.
• Kirkup G.
• Lamb T.W. [Lynesack]
• Lowson M.S.
• Parkin B.
• Priestley D.
• Wall H. [Cockfield Cemetery]
• Reed J.P. [also on Copley War Memorial]
• Reed T.
• Speleers A.
• Polkington J. [Lynesack Churchyard]

COPLEY WAR MEMORIAL commemorates 1 serviceman who I have not traced as yet:

• Reed J.P.

ETHERLEY WAR MRMORIAL commemorates 19 servicemen, some of whom remain undetected, in progress:

• Arkless W.G.
• Dent W.
• Etherington F.
• Graham C.
• Grieveson H.
• Guy W.
• Hampson J.R.
• Holmes E.
• Maddison M.
• Millington H.
• Naisbet R.
• Southcombe C.S.
• Starling F.R.
• Tallentire J.G.
• Tarran G.
• Young R.
• Smith K.
• Sanders W.
• Wright W.

Those commemorated will be researched and details posted as time permits.

EVENWOOD WAR MEMORIAL sited in the cemetery commemorates 20 servicemen and there are 4 men buried in the cemetery.

The following work researches the 20 men named on the Evenwood War Memorial and the other 4 men buried in Evenwood Cemetery.  They served in all sections of His Majesty’s Armed Forces, the Army, RAF, Royal Navy and Merchant Navy and they fought & died in most of the theatres of war.

 IN EUROPE: 

Private Ray BROWN 10/Durham Light Infantry aged 19 was the first to fall, 20 May 1940 and is buried at Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, France.

Corporal Russell BELL 10/DLI was wounded and captured at the same time and spent over 3 years as a prisoner of war at Stalag XXA, Thorn. He was shot trying to escape 24 July 1943, aged 28 and is buried at Malbork Cemetery, Poland.

Private Maurice COLLINSON, 2/Parachute Regiment, 14 July 1943, aged 20 during the invasion of Sicily

Lance Serjeant Thomas Henry STOKOE, 127 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, 16 June 1944, aged 25, 10 days after D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy, France

Private Thomas STEPHENSON, 6/DLI, 9 October 1944, aged 32, as the Allies entered the Netherlands. One of 2 brothers to fall.

Gunner Jacky BROWNLESS, Royal Artillery, 14 April 1945, aged 36, at Cassel, in Northern France.

IN NORTH AFRICA:

Gunner Jack LOWSON, 3 Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery, 13 April 1941, aged 23. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt, together with:

Corporal Thomas SNOWDON, 6/DLI, 15 June 1942, aged 22.

Private John STEPHENSON, 6/DLI, 28 June 1942, aged 25.

Corporal Harry RACE, 5^th Battalion, the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, 24 October 1942, aged 36. He is buried at El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt.

Private Tom WATSON, 1/DLI, 23 December 1941, aged 25. He was wounded at Tobruk and being taken to Alexandria, Egypt when the ship was torpedoed. He was picked up by a Royal Navy vessel which was also torpedoed.  He was lost at sea and commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial, London.

Private John PRUDHOE, 7^th Battalion, the Green Howards, 20 March 1943, aged 33. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Medjez el Bab Memorial, Tunisia.

Private Thomas HEAVISIDE, 7^th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 6 April 1943, aged 22 and is buried at Sfax War Cemetery, Tunisia.

At SEA:

Chief Engineer Officer Percy PATTISON, Merchant Navy, SS Tweed. He was wounded 8 April 1941 when his ship was attacked by a U Boat. He died 9 May 1941, aged 58 and is buried in Evenwood Cemetery.

Leading Stoker Moses HUDSON, HMS Grimsby lost at sea 25 May 1941, aged 26 and commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Petty Officer Walter WATSON, HMS Mahratta, lost at sea 25 February 1944 aged 30 and commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

 AIRCREW:

Sergeant John SANDERSON, 202 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 20 November 1943, aged 19. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Malta Memorial.

Sergeant Norman YOUNG, 7 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 27 March 1943, aged 21 and is buried at Sage War Cemetery, Germany.

 IN SOUTH EAST ASIA:

Private George MAUGHAN 2^nd Battalion, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 18 March 1942, aged 27. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial

Private Maurice WILKINSON, 1^st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, 16/17 February 1944, aged 20 and is buried at Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma.

 AT HOME:

Leading Aircraftman Henry BIRCH, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 5 August 1941, aged 27.

Private Thomas WELSH, Royal Army Service Corps, 17 December 1942, aged 30.

Private Maurice PEDDELTY, Durham Light Infantry, 17 January 1945, aged 18

Driver George William RAINE, Royal Engineers, 28 December 1945, aged 29.

ADDITIONAL EVENWOOD MEN

Commonwealth War Grave Commission details record another 4 men with connections to Evenwood.  They are:

1. CANT Albert
2. DIXON William
3. GOLDSTRAW Joseph Henry
4. HUNTINGTON John Edward

CWGC details are as follows:

• 2315011 Lance Corporal Albert Cant, Corps of Royal Military Police who died 27 January 1947 aged 51. The son of John James Cant and husband of Grace Cant of Evenwood.  Remembered with honour Doncaster [Rose Hill] Cemetery.
• 1066828 Gunner William Dixon, 76 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery who died between 31 May and 2 June 1940, aged 36. The son of Mr and Mrs J.H. Dixon of Evenwood, Co. Durham and husband of Hilda Dixon of Sacriston, Co. Durham.  Remembered with honour Dunkirk Memorial.
• T/50778, Private Joseph Henry Goldstraw, 8 Reserve M.T. Coy, Royal Army Service Corps who died between 29 May and 2 June 1940, aged 27. The son of Daniel and Lucy Goldstraw of Chester-le-Street and husband of Doris Goldstraw of Evenwood, Co. Durham A.I.T.A. Remembered with honour Dunkirk Memorial [what does A.I.T.A. mean?]
• 2658528 Guardsman John Edward Huntington, 1st Battalion, the Coldstream Guards who died 16 May 1940 aged 20. The son of John and M.H. Huntington of Evenwood.  Remembered with honour Wilsele Churchyard.  Guardsman J.E. Huntington is commemorated on the West Auckland War Memorial.

Another to be remembered here is 1623818 Sergeant Clarence Arthur PARTRIDGE RAFVR who was killed in action 3 June 1944. Although not an Evenwood resident, his widow Hilda married Evenwood man Bob Stones and their 4 children attended Evenwood and Ramshaw Schools, as did Bob and Hilda’s child, Lynda.

LEST WE FORGET