St Chad's College War Memorial
Second World War Roll of Honour.
Barrett James*
James Joseph Brady Petty Officer Stoker P/KX 82853
H.M. Submarine Undaunted Royal Navy.
Born 29th January 1915 in Wolverhampton the son of Thomas and Agnes M. Brady.
The 1939 register records James living at 362 Cannock Road with his parents who were employed as club stewards.
Killed in action 13th May 1941 aged 26.
HMS Undaunted sailed for her Mediterranean patrol from Malta on 1st May 1941. Ordered to patrol off Tripoli the submarine failed to return on her due date of 11th May and attempts to contact her failed. It is believed that she fell victim to the Italian torpedo boat Pegaso who had sailed from Tripoli on the 12th. At 20:30 that evening Pegaso signalled that she had attacked a submarine with depth charges and that a large patch of oil had been observed, indication of the submarine’s destruction.
Panel 53, Column 3. PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL.
Cox Francis*
Fletcher, Arthur Charles Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) 952276
102 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Arthur and Isabel Fletcher, of Merry Hill, Wolverhampton.
Killed in action 14th June, 1941 aged 20, when his aircraft was shot down by flak at Kirchhellen near Essen during a raid on Schwerte.
Grave Reference 31. H. 3-6.
Reichswald Forest Cemetery, Germany.
Hall, Gilbert Harry Major 149395
5th Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment
Living before the war at 8 Uplands Avenue Bradmore Wolverhampton.
Died 30th November 1944.
Grave Reference XII. H. 7.
GROESBEEK CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY, Netherlands.
Harper, Frederick Fellows Gunner 1502999
2 Bty., 16 H.A.A. Regt. Royal Artillery.
Born 1918 in Wolverhampton son of Richard Fellows Dorothy Harper, of Fallings Park.
Died 3rd January 1941 aged 22.
Grave Reference P. 148.
CAIRO WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY, Egypt.
Healey Joseph*
Heenan John*
Hirst Edward*
Horobin, George Henry Flight Sergeant 939826
62 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Born 1916 at Cannock son of David and Betsy Horobin.
Killed in action 26th January 1942 aged 26.
His aircraft (a Hudson bomber) was damaged by Ki27 fighters during an attack on the invasion fleet at Endau Malaya and crashed at Sembawang, Singapore.
Column 414.
SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, Singapore.
Lane William Lance Corporal 321240
No3 Commando Royal Armoured Corps.
William was born in March 1921 in Wolverhampton the son of John Thomas and Georgina Lane. In 1921 they were living at 8 Coven Street, Wolverhampton along with William's six older siblings Edward, Annie, John, Alice, Lilian, and Alfred. John Thomas was employed as a blacksmith.
William's mother, Georgina, died in December 1932 aged 53. By 1939, his father was living in Kimberley Street, Wolverhampton.
William was killed in action 27 December 1941 aged 21 during operations at Vaagso, Norway. On 27th December 1941 British Forces of the newly formed Combined Operations carried out a raid on the island of Vaagso.
The operation was code named "Archery" also known as the Måløy Raid and was carried out by British Commandos supported by the Royal Navy, RAF, and Norwegian troops.
The aim of the operation was the destruction of fish-oil production and stores which the Germans used in the manufacture of high explosives.
The commando force was made up of 570 troops, German opposition in the town was much stiffer than expected as, unknown to the British, a Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops) unit of experienced troops from the Eastern Front was there on leave.
At around 14:00, the commandos started their withdrawal having destroyed four factories, the fish-oil stores, ammunition and fuel stores, the telephone exchange, and various military installations, leaving much of the town in flames.
The Commandos sustained 17 killed and 53 wounded.
Panel 1. Column 2. Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial.
Marshall, Gordon Winston Hall Able Seaman D/JX 169960
H.M.S. Grasshopper Royal Navy.
Born 11 May 1919 in Wolverhampton son of John Henry and Louise May Marshall, of Wednesfield.
In 1939 Gordon was living at 19 Raynor Road Wednesfield and was employed as a lorry driver at an airport.
Killed in action 14th February 1942 aged 22 years when H.M.S. Grasshopper was attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft off the island of Sebayer.
Panel 66, Column 1.
PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL.
Martin Francis*
Moncur, Gilbert James Lieutenant 113425
1st Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Born 1918 in Staffordshire, son of James and Caroline Mary Moncur, of Radford Rise, Stafford.
Died 17th November 1941 aged 23.
Panel 2.
KHARTOUM MEMORIAL, Sudan.
Nock, Gerard Captain 95349
1/6th Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment attatched to 2nd Bn. Devonshire Regiment.
Born in Shropshire son of Thomas Edward and Caroline Anne Nock, of Shifnal.
Died 20th September 1943 age 28.
Grave Reference 7. E. 6.
TRIPOLI WAR CEMETERY, Libya.
Rogers, Robert James Flight Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) 1183329
460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Son of Frederick Oswald and Maude Rogers, of Wolverhampton.
Killed in action 27th January, 1943 aged 22 when his aircraft crashed at Viersen-Ummer about 10 miles west of the target during a raid on Dusseldorf.
Grave Reference 2. C. 18.
Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
Rose Arthur*
Saunders Anthony*
Slater Francis*
Somerville-Woodiwis, Adrian John Sergeant 927551
83 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Born 1916 in Wolverhampton son of Adrian and Gwladys Somerville-Woodiwis.
Killed in action 1st September 1941 when his aircraft a Hampden 1 was shot down by a night fighter of 3./NJG1 piloted by Oberleuntnant Willi Ditmer. The incident happened at Deurne 7 miles east of Helmond during a raid on Cologne.
Grave Reference Plot JJ. Grave 32.
EINDHOVEN (WOENSEL) GENERAL CEMETERY, Netherlands.
Treadwell John
Walsh John Albert Corporal 2351680
7th Armd. Bde. Sigs. Royal Corps of Signals.
John was born 24th April 1914 in Wolverhampton son of Thomas Bernard and Gertrude Teresa Walsh. In 1921 they were living at 121 Owen Road, Wolverhampton along with John's younger brother Thomas and their maternal grandmother Maria Hill.
John married Victoria Ivy Faulkner B.Sc. September 1939 in Wolverhampton. They lived at 55 Birches Barn Avenue and John was employed as an elementary schoolmaster.
John died 11th May 1943 aged 29.
C. B. 14. Khayat Beach War Cemetery Israel and Palestine (including Gaza).
Wooldridge, William Joseph Leading Aicraftman 1612385
6 Operations Room, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Born 14th July 1921 at Sedgley son of Felix and Agnes Wooldridge.
Died 30th November 1944 aged 23.
Grave Reference 2. A. 5.
MAYNAMATI WAR CEMETERY, Bangladesh.
This memorial is not in Wolverhampton, it is in the Chapel of St Josephs College Dumfries.
The picture of the memorial has been provided by Paul Goodwin who has allowed me to use it on this site.
