A long, ongoing pligrimage

[Snapper]

Quite correct. Good man. At Peronne Road, Grimmer, my family and I carefully skirted round a visibly emotional man who was in a state. Eventually I asked his wife who they had come to see and she led us to the grave of his grandfather. By this time he had got in the car by himself.

The poor bloke was so emotional. We sent them off with our best wishes.

Pilgrimages can be very powerful things.

 

If you log on to the cwgc website (www.cwgc.org) and look your chaps up you can find the cemetery and see all the other interesting people there. It's anorakish and a form of collecting, like stamps and engine numbers in way; but it helps you prepare. I do it unashamedly.

 

Thanks a bunch for introducing these folks to us. Much appreciated.

 

MB

[Snapper]

I meant to add that James Mountford of the Royal Berks served in the 10th Bn. This was my father's unit. They were a London TA battalion and part of the 56th London Division. My father served with them in Iraq quelling the Raschid Ali insurrection of 1941 as part of PAIFORCE. They went on to India where the old fella caught malaria and TB at Deolali. He spent the rest of the war in hospitals. The Battalion went to Anzio and was slaughtered there. So I assume that young Mr Mountford was a late war replacement for the Bn when it was reconstituted. My dad would have been 90 on May 13 this year. I will be having a beer for him. You're all invited.

[chevpol]

as promised some more

[Snapper]

From the bottom.

 

Horace Ratcliffe was a 33 year old Lance Corporal with the RAOC. The urn to the left of the grave says he died through an accident in Jersey on 23/11/1945. Perhaps he was clearing up German munitions?

 

John Dabbs was a flight engineer with 149 Squadron which flew Stirlings with the Main Force. 149 was based at Lakenheath.

 

Petty Officer Harold Dashworth Hemmings was the Canteen Manager on the Wanderer Class destroyer HMS Worcester. The urn left by his wife Clarissa states he was 'killed in action' on 11.12.1942. The U-Boat history website tells us that Worcester was in action against German shipping in the Channel on the 12th. She was built in 1919 and modified in 1939. She hit a mine in 1943 and was written off as a constructive total loss. However she was then converted into an accommodation ship as HMS Yeoman off Greenhithe, but was soon sold for scrap.

 

Daniel Pickering served with 214 Field Coy, RE.

 

William Washington was killed in a flying accident in 1942. He was with 2nd (Airborne)Bn South Staffs, so one assumes he was lost in a glider.

Edited January 14, 2009 by Snapper

[Tony B]

Not suprisingly, I have been looking for information on Horace Ratclife, unfortunatley nothing in my available info. I did come across this though for Sapper G.E. Onions 2nd platoon 259 Feild coy Royal Enginners. Died 21.06 1945 buried at St Anne's Church Alderney.

 

 

 

When you return to claim your Island home.

 

 

 

 

 

Let our rejoicing hearts restrain their joy.

 

 

 

 

 

And mediate; you who have English blood.

 

 

 

 

 

Or, owe allegiance to the English throne.

 

 

 

 

 

Seek English justice, and claim your English rights,

 

 

 

 

 

Look on this little mound of fresh cut turf,

 

 

 

 

 

And read his Epitaph; here buried lies,

 

 

 

 

 

The shattered corpse of but a boy,

 

 

 

 

 

Who gave his life to make your land safe

 

 

 

 

 

Returned to English dust to cleanse our soil,

 

 

 

 

 

That this grim corner of the commonwealth

 

 

 

 

 

Might once again by England’s – her field’

 

 

 

 

 

Her air, and all the azure sea around,

 

 

 

 

 

All her flowers, birds and every tree,

 

 

 

 

 

Because this Tommy died – for Alderney

 

 

 

 

It should also be said that a number of German personnel took part in clearing munitions from the Islands, gaining the respect and friendship of thier Allied counterparts, some also died as a result of this work.

Edited January 15, 2009 by Tony B

[Snapper]

Lovely, TB, Lovely.

[Snapper]

Here is a grave at Brookwood with an unusual double badge. Sergeant Beckanovitch of the 1st Division, Serbian Volunteers and 27 yr old Private EG Allen of the 2nd Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

 

Whichever next of kin or representative filled in the registration card for Allen didn't think to add his full names, but did record his late parents, John and Marion.

[Snapper]

"TOSH"

A FINE SOLDIER. A FINE SON AND BROTHER. BUT ABOVE ALL A FINE MAN.

 

This is the grave of 26 year old Captain David Hicks MC of the 1st Royal Anglians who was killed in Afghanistan in August 2007. He had been mortally wounded during an attack on his base, but went back to leading his men before he died. He was originally recommended for the VC, but was eventually awarded the Military Cross. There was no doctor at his base and the MoD had to face tough questioning over whether it's policies contributed to his death.

[Snapper]

Among a mix of nationalities buried with the British and Commonwealth dead at Sai Wan in Hong Kong is Lieutenant R C Gamble of the Philippine

Guerilla Army.

[Snapper]

Battle of Britain participant Hurricane pilot Sergeant John Hugh Mortimer Ellis, better known as Hugh; had the nickname Cock Sparrow in 85 Squadron. On August 29th, 1940 he was shot down in flames while flying L1915 by Bf109s and bailed out unhurt. The plane came down at Brigden Hill Farm near Ashburnham at 1600 hours. He had a day and a half of life remaining. On September 1st he was flying Hurricane P3150 when he was shot down and killed over Orpington. His remains were not found until 1992.

[Tony B]

Any idea where the plane came down? There was a raid over St Mary Cray when an areil mine was dropped. The crater is allegedly where the Gas place is now.

[Snapper]

Yes - near Shoreham, there is an aircraft museum in Shoreham village at Sevenoaks that is... and they have been putting memorials on the crash sites of local BofB crashes including Ellis. They have a website.

 

http://www.shoreham-aircraft-museum.co.uk/memorials-project.htm

 

I think this would be the basis of a good road run on a nice summer day.

 

MB

[Tony B]

Yes, i know it haven't been there for a few years. Must make the effort.

 

you know, that's the beauty of this place. I go past Warren road nearly every day to work, and never knew about Ellis till now.

Edited January 26, 2009 by Tony B

[Snapper]

Just goes to show what a standing over a single war grave can do. The fallen can open up so many doors. It's all good. When you pass the spot where Ellis's memorial stands, say hello for me, TB>

 

Ta!

 

MB

[Tony B]

Mark, I've been along part of the road, probaly about a quarter mile from the memorial every day at least ten times for the last couple of weeks! it is part of the R1 bus route!! will be up there tommorow with camera, also the Pett's Wood gun site mentioned in 'the real Dad's Army'. Judging from the Shoreham site the memorial is on teh section from Court Road to Chelsfeild Station.

[Snapper]

Have fun. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures.

 

MB

[Tony B]

As said. a lovley bright morning, and the perfect excuse to go for a walk. The position of the Ellis memorial is N 51' 21.416' E 000' 05.442' the memorial is on the hill top looking north out over the city he died defending.

[Snapper]

That, I would say, shows what a success this thread is. Thanks very much Tony. I do hope we can maybe do a road run to these places one of these days.

 

Cheers,

 

MB

[Snapper]

Last year, while I was suffering from my knee injury, my wife and friends went to stay in the superb hotel in the former convent at Gosnay, near Bethune. When the £ was doing well against euro it was not an impossible thing to do on a librarian's pay. We used to have occasional murders with ill-mannered middle class tossers - Bunty and Jacastas we called them who had no social graces and were an embarrassment to the English and a necessary evil to the staff.

 

Just down the hill from the convent is the small communal cemetery for Gosnay and along the back is a row of graves of men I can most certainly be proud to be English, and more importantly, British, for.

 

Lieutentant Dering John Jasper Radcliffe was just twenty-two when he died on 31.10.1917. He served with the 5th Bn Grenadier Guards. He had suffered a serious head wound and lost an eye in 1915, but soldiered on.

[Snapper]

A before and after snap of the renovation of the magnificent memorial at Vimy Ridge. I haven't matched the exact names out of pure befuddlement, but the principle is fine.

[Snapper]

Out today on the road between Ashford and Brenzett. I had been hoping to stop for a while at a crash site memorial. Here it is. The place is dedicated to a USAAF pilot named Johnson who got all his crew out of a B17 which was riddled and well ablaze. He stayed at the controls.

[Snapper]

I hope you can read the text...

[abn deuce]

Yes, its readable , One wonders how many times that kind of scene happened through the course of the war BRAVE MEN ALL they came from all walks of life and from across the world .So many so very young.

[Snapper]

Here are the full crew. I like to think that some of them are still with us thanks to the sacrifice of Lieutenant Johnson.

[Snapper]

This is the American cemetery at Brookwood which houses the remains of personnel who died in the Great War. It was used in one of The Omen films.