Roll of Honour M-Z
Second World War Roll Of Honour.
Martin A.*
Matthews, Victor Claude Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) 1210659
53 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Victor was born 7th September 1920 in Wolverhampton son of Percy and Annie Matthews. In 1921 they were living at 18, Cannock Road, Park Village, Heath Town which was the home of Annie's sister and brother Charlotte and David Amor.
By 1939 they along with Victor's younger sister Mavis were living at 66 Coronation Road, Wolverhampton, Victor was employed as a railway clerk, goods department.
Killed in action 26th March 1943, when the Whitley bomber (1210659) was lost over the North Sea during a navigational exercise, possibly due to enemy action.
Old ground. Row 51. Grave S/1.
Heath Town (Holy Trinity) Churchyard.
Moore, Richard Supply Assistant P/MX 65553
H.M.S. Fiji Royal Navy.
Richard was born 10th December 1918 in Wolverhampton, son of Charles Henry and Nancy Moore. In 1921 they were living at 90 Leslie Road, Park Village, Heath Town along with Richard's older siblings William, Harry, Wilfred, Ethel and Kathleen. Richard's father was a self-employed house decorator.
By 1939 Richard was living with his widowed mother at 90 Leslie Road, Wolverhampton, Richard was employed as a clerk for the Local Government.
Killed in action 23rd May 1941 aged 22. During the Battle of Crete, a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter bomber struck H.M.S. Fiji amidships with a bomb. The forward boiler and engine rooms flooded and gave her a severe list. Despite this damage Fiji was able to maintain a speed of 18 knots until another Bf 109 hit her with another bomb that increased her list to 30 degrees. Abandon ship was ordered in the face of the uncontrollable flooding, and she capsized around 19:30. Her accompanying destroyers were unable to rescue any of the crew until after dark, 241 of her crew were lost, sadly Richard was one of them. 523 crew members survived the sinking.
Panel 57, Column 3. Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Poade, Kenneth Corporal 5258382
1st Bn Worcestershire Regiment
Kenneth was born 26 March 1911 in Wolverhampton son of David Harry and Mildred Ellen Poade. In 1921 they were living at 37 Bank Street, Park Village, Heath Town along with Kenneth's older brothers Harry, William and Frederick, younger brother Wilfred and maternal uncle Frederick Jones.
Kenneth's father died March 1937 in Wolverhampton aged 60.
By 1939 Kenneth was living with his widowed mother and older brother William at 29 Park Lane, Wolverhampton; Kenneth was employed as a grocery manager.
Died of wounds 29th June 1944 aged 33.
XII.D.2. Bayeux War Cemetery, Normandy, France.
His brother Wilfred is also remembered on this memorial.
Poade Wilfred Trooper 7904333
10th Royal Hussars Royal Armoured Corps
Born 31 July 1917 in Wolverhampton, son of David Harry and Mildred Ellen Poade. In 1921 they were living at 37, Bank Street, Park Village along with Wilfred's older brothers Harold, William and Kenneth and his Uncle Frederick Jones.
Wilfred's father died March 1937 in Wolverhampton aged 60.
By 1939 Wilfred was living in Andover, Hampshire, and was employed as a grocery shop assistant.
Wilfred was reported a prisoner of war 6th November 1942 while fighting in North Africa, initially he was held in P.O.W. Camp number 73, Fossoli of Carpi near Modena, Italy. With the surrender of Italy on 8th September 1943 the camp was evacuated, and all prisoners of war moved to Germany, Wilfred was moved to Stalag 4A, Hohenstein. Germany.
Wilfred died 20th December 1946 aged 29 at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham of extreme emaciation, anaemia, acute tuberculous, broncho pneumonia and cardiac failure.
At the time of his death, he was living with his mother at 10 Woden Road, Wolverhampton.
New ground. Row 37. Grave 30. Heath Town (Holy Trinity) Churchyard.
His brother Kenneth is also remembered on this memorial.
Simpson, James William Gunner 4912284
9 Coast Regt Royal Artillery.
James was born 8th April 1915 in Wolverhampton son of Albert and Harriet Simpson. In 1921 they were living at 60 Grove Street, Heath Town along with James' older siblings Florence, Charlotte, Frank, Martha, and younger sister Eva. This remained the family home throughout James' life; before joining the army, he was employed as a riveter.
James was reported a prisoner of war in Maylasia 15 February 1942.
Died 5th March 1943 aged 27 in Malai prisoner of war camp.
Column 30. Singapore Memorial.
Smith, Cyril Edward Sergeant 1202361
15 Sqdn Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Born 30th October 1911 in Wolverhampton son of Benjamin and Mary Smith; he married Ivy North in December 1938 in Wolverhampton. In 1939 Cyril and Ivy were living with Ivy's mother at her house 67 Bruford Road, Wolverhampton, Cyril was employed as a builders foreman. Cyril and Ivy had a son Cyril born March 1940.
Killed in action 21st January 1944 aged 33. Cyril was the flight engineer on Lancaster bomber W4852 of 15 Squadron which flew out of Mildenhall Suffolk at 20.20hrs, the aircraft crashed at Wormlitz ten miles northeast of the target during a raid on Magdeburg.
Panel 238. Runnymede Memorial.
Swan Bertram Private 5391779
70th Bn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Bertram was born 1st February 1923 in Wolverhampton son of Edward and Caroline Swan; he had two older brothers George and John.
Bertram's father died September 1933, by 1939 Bertram and his mother were living at 11 Inkerman Road, Wolverhampton; Bertram was employed as a coremaker moulder.
Bertram died 23rd December 1942 aged 19 at the Cottage Hospital Skegness of endocarditis and influenzal pneumonia, his mother was at his bedside when he died.
Old Ground. Row 9. Grave 26. Heath Town (Holy Trinity) Churchyard.
Whitehouse, George William Lance Serjeant 4910372
1/6th Bn South Staffordshire Regiment.
George was born March 1907 in Wolverhampton son of William Henry and Harriett Whitehouse, in 1911 they were living at No 29 Wood Street, Park Village, Heath Town along with George's older brother Harold and younger brother William.
In 1921 George was living with his parents at 76, Cannock Road, Wolverhampton along with his brother Harold and younger siblings Nellie and Arthur. George was employed as a hairdresser’s assistant.
George married Mary Norman December 1937 in Wednesbury.
George received a Long Service Good Conduct Medal February 1939 which means he had served for a minimum of 18 years in the Territorial Army.
George was living at 28 Jones Avenue, Heath Town, and a painter by trade.
George was knocked down by a motorcycle in Cannock during a blackout period 24th September 1939. He died in The Royal Hospital Wolverhampton 26th September 1939 aged 32.
Old ground. Row 3. Grave 17-1/2. Heath Town (Holy Trinity) Churchyard.
Wildbore Desmond Michael Private 14427279
7th Bn Hampshire Regiment
Desmond was born 8th September 1925 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire son of Robert Wildbore, M.B.E. and Dorothy Wildbore, of Streatham, London. In 1939 they were living at 6 Wimborne Road, Wolverhampton, Desmond was a student, and his father was a civilian instructer engineering at R.A.F. Cosford which was why the family had moved up to the Midlands.
Information taken from the Royal Hampshire Regiment museum -"10th July the 7th Hampshire were given the task of capturing and holding the village of Maltot and the woods beyond. This entailed a long advance down a slope with little cover and in full view of the enemy.
They attacked at 8.15am supported by tanks. Advancing towards Maltot, they met fierce opposition and sustained heavy casualties. Part of the Battalion did manage to enter the village where they attempted to secure defensive positions. Unfortunately, they ran into a very strongly defended enemy position with Tiger tanks concealed and dug in on the outskirts of the village. Consequently, the enemy were able to counterattack strongly and the situation for the companies in the village became hopeless. Although help came from reinforcements, they eventually had to withdraw. The casualties suffered were high, 18 officers and 208 Other Ranks were killed, wounded or missing." Sadly, Desmond was one of them.
Killed in action 10th July 1944 aged 18.
Panel 15, Column 2.
Bayeux Memorial, Normandy, France.
Wilde, Arthur Gordon Private 197152
Royal Army Service Corps
Arthur was born 8th March 1916 in Wolverhampton son of Charles and Mary Wilde. In 1921 they were living at 26, Powell Street, Heathtown, along with Arthur's older brothers Edward and Wilfred. By 1939 Arthur was living at 9 Powell St. Heath Town with Kathleen Wilde (?) and was employed as a butcher.
Died 26th July 1942 aged 26.
2.F.5. Heliopolis War Cemetery, Egypt.
Williams A. M.*
Williams Sydney Bertram Private 2184404
Aux. Mil. Pioneer Corps.
Sidney was born December 1917 in Wolverhampton son of Walter James and Jane Williams, of Heath Town, Wolverhampton. In 1921 they and Sydney's older sister Margaret and younger brother Walter were living at 8 Church Street, Heath Town.
Killed in action 17th June 1940 aged 22.
Sec.18. Plot1. Row A. Grave 57. Rennes Eastern Communal Cemetery, France.
Woodward, Peter Norman Lance Bombardier 953824
88 Field Regt Royal Artillery.
Peter was born 20th September 1919 son of Thomas and Emma Woodward. In 1921 they were living at 3 Cooper Street, Wolverhampton along with Peter's older siblings James and Lily.
By 1939 Peter was living with his parents his brother James and younger sister Gertrude at 57 Ashbourne Road, Wolverhampton; Peter was employed as a lorry driver.
Peter married Florence L. Whitmore December 1939 in Wolverhampton.
Peter was captured 17 February 1942 in Singapore by the Japanese.
Peter died 12th September 1944 aged 24. Peter was aboard the Rakuyo Maru with 1,318 British and Australian prisoners of war and along with the Kachidoki Maru (900 British prisoners of war) were part of a convoy carrying mostly raw materials that left Singapore for Japan on 6 September 1944. The prisoners were all survivors of the Burma-Thailand Railway who had only recently returned to Singapore.
On the morning of 12 September 1944, the convoy was attacked by American submarines in the South China Sea. Rakuyo-Maru was sunk by USS Sealion II and Kachidoki Maru by USS Pampanito. Prisoners able to evacuate the ships spent the following days in life rafts or clinging to wreckage in open water. About 150 British and Australian survivors were rescued by American submarines. A further 500 were picked up by Japanese destroyers and continued the journey to Japan. Those not rescued perished at sea. A total of 1,559 British and Australian prisoners of war were killed in the incident, all missing at sea (1,159 from Rakuy- Maru, 400 from Kachidoki Maru). Sadly, Peter was one of the men lost at sea.
Column 11. Singapore Memorial.
We will remember them.
