Army Chaplains who died in WW2
Alpha listing of Army Chaplains WW2
prepared by David Youngson
BAILEY,Thomas William.
BALAAM, Cyril George.
BANTING, Gareth Bernard.
BARCLAY, Thomas.
BARRATT, Harold Norman.
BARRY, Gerard.
BARTLEET, John Charles.
BARTON. John Godfrey MC.
BATEMAN, Gordon Hinton.
BATTYE, Harry.
BENSON,Bernard Joseph.
BERNARD, Geoffrey.
BERRY, Walter Henry Arthur.
BINGHAM, Cecil Henry.
BOND, Geoffrey.
BORNSTEIN,Harry.
BOUTWOOD, Frederick Sadler.
BOYLE, Andrew.
BROWN, Holman.
BUSH, William George.
CAPE, Robert Edward.
CARNEGIE, Cameron Dundas.
CHALK, Richard Cradocke.
CHAMBERS, Gilbert John Marion
CLARKE, Vernon Callard.
COPLAND, William Robert.
COSTELLO, Bernard.
CURRAN, James Gerard.
DALGLEISH, John Dixon.
DAVIES, John Talfryn.
DEAN, John Oswald.
DODGE, Ernest J.
DOUGLAS, James.
ELLIOTT, Derek. Balfour MC.
ELLIS, Cecil Robert William.
EMSLIE, Douglas MM.
FERGUSON, Oswald Kenneth.
FIRTH, Peter Francis.
FUNNELL, Ernest William.
GEORGE, Edward Thomas.
GILGUNN, William Gerard.
GLENNIE, John Douglas.
GORDON, ARTHUR Currie.
HAIGH, John Foster.
HALL, Joseph F. Starforth.
HAWKSWORTH, Cecil James.
HAYES, John.
HIRST, Joseph.
HOBLING, Joseph Charles.
HOBSON MATTHEWS, Geoffrey Gervase.
HOOKER, Solly.
HORDERN, Philip Stapleton.
HOURIGAN, David Francis.
IRWIN, Henry James.
JONES, Harold Samuel.
KAY, George Alexander.
KENNY, James William.
KIDMAN, Herbert.
KNOWLES, Jonathan Maynard.
LEVIS, George Alexander.
MACALULAY, Ian.
MACDOUGALL, John.
MCLEMAN, Alastair.
MCMAHON, Patrick Joseph.
MACPHERSON, Robert.
MARCHANT, William Gladstone.
MARTIN, Francis.
MILLS, William Gilchrist.
MINTON SENHOUSE, Cyril.
MOREIN, Wolf.
MORRIS, Ivor Joseph.
MORT, Richard.
MUSGRAVE, Francis William.
NESBITT, Gerard.
NEWSON, John Arthur.
O’CALLAGHAN, James.
OGILVY, Walter Tulliedph.
PARKES, Roland Charles Illingworth.
PARRY, George Edward Maule.
PODMORE, Reginald Thompson.
PRICE, John Hooper.
PRYOR, Archibald Selwyn.
QUINN, Joseph Edward Gough.
RAWSTHORNE, Peter.
RICHARDSON, Edward Richard.
RICHES, Leslie Philip.
RICKARD, Cedric Brian.
SHORT, John Harold.
SINTON, Thomas Christopher J.
SMITH, Harry.
SMITH, Henry.
TAYLOR, Henry Jefferys Leigh MC.
TAYLOR, James Shepherd.
THOMAS, David Daniel.
WAGG, Henry Thurlow.
WALLACE, Charles Cameron.
WATSON, Harold.
WHITROW, Ralph Henry TD.
WILLIAMS, Arthur Wellesley P.
WILLIAMS, Derrick Lovell.
Army Chaplains who died in WW2
Michael Allbrook
Thomas William BAILEY
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to the Royal Artillery. Army no. 161017
He died on active service on 28 March 1944. He was 37.
He was the son of William H and Mary Alice Bailey and the husband of Nesta Bailey of Hatch End, Middlesex
He is buried in grave XV B 31 Sangro River War Cemetery.
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 345 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End
Cyril George BALAAM
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to 5th Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment. Army no. 238530
He died on active service on 4 January 1944. He was 33
He was the son of John James and Sarah Edith Balaam and the husband of Grace Lilian Balaam
He is buried in grave II K 16 Minturno War Cemetery
Additional Information
M Th
His address for Probate was 30 Champion Road, Upminster
Gareth Bernard BANTING
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to No. 2 Commando. Army no. 159706
He died of his wounds on 10 October 1944. He was 32
He was the son of the Revd Edgar Banting and Charlotte Emily Banting, Plumtree Rectory, Nottingham
He is buried in Tirana Park Memorial Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Cantab)
His address for Probate was The Rectory, Plumtree
Quote from the No. 2 Commando War Diary dated 10 October 1944 at Sarande: " Revd. Banting takes party from 3 Tp. to bury Capt. Parsons, Lieut. Coyle, Gnr. Clarke, and Pte. Lyons. After burial he moved fwd. to bury German dead in the same posn., but is blown up on a mine. Stretcher party finds he has died of wounds - carried back to Sarande by M.O. before nightfall. Stretcher party moving down hillside encounter mines - 3 men badly wounded. Parties brought down to Sarande in pouring rain."
Rev Banting was buried the next day at 3pm
For a photo see:
http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/In+Remembrance/Padre+Gareth+Banting+-+No_2+Commando.jpg.html
He is also remembered on the Plumtree Memorial
See: http://www.plumtreeparishcouncil.org.uk/revd-gareth-banting.asp
Thomas BARCLAY
Chaplain 4th Class, Army no. 127097
He died on active service 21 June 1940. He was 45
He was the son of Thomas and Mary Barclay of Glasgow and the husband of Isabella Allan Barclay of Cathcart, Glasgow
He is buried in grave 44 Kilmun Cemetery, Argyllshire
Additional Information
MA (Glasgow). Church of Scotland.
His appointment as a Chaplain was announced in the London Gazette on 4 June 1940. Military records indicate that he had been involved in the Campaign in France which ended at Dunkirk.
His address for Probate was St Andrew’s Manse, Sandbank, Argyllshire.
Harold Norman BARRATT
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no 87272
He died on 4 February 1943. He was 34
He was the son of Frederick Samuel and Brunton Barr Barratt and the husband of Katharine Mary Barratt of Edinburgh
He is buried in grave 4 B 24 Tabarka Ras Rajel War Cemetery, Tunisia
Additional Information
BA (Leeds)
His appointment as Chaplain appeared in the London Gazette on 23 May 1939 effective from 24 May 1939
Gerard BARRY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 8th Battalion, Royal Scots Army no 244139
He died on 14 September 1944. He was 33
He was the son of John and Bridget Barry, of Liverpool
He is buried in grave IIA25 Geel War Cemetery, Belgium
Additional information
From the Catholic Herald 29 September 1945
Pioneer of the Young Christian Workers' organisation in the great new housing area of Huyton, Fr. Gerard Barry was also well-known in Scouting circles as Scoutmaster of the St. Aloysius Troop —now to be named "Fr. Barry Own," by direction of the Scout Commissioner. A Solemn Requiem Mass, with military honours, was offered in the church of St. Aloysius, Roby, on Wednesday,
by Fr. Thomas Barry, the brother of Fr. Gerard. British and American troops mounted guard.
The panegyric was preached by Fr Cyril Taylor, and the service concluded with the sounding of the Last Post. A memorial to Fr. Gerard Barry will be erected, taking the form of shrine to St. Aloysius, patron of youth
John Charles BARTLEET
Chaplain 4th Class Army no 101735
He died whilst on active service in a road traffic accident in the Middle East on 17 July 1942. He was 39
He was the son of the Revd Edwin B Bartleet and Sophie Bartleet, Meole Brace, Shrewsbury and the husband of Alice Elizabeth Bartleet, SRN, SCM, QN, of Tettenhall, Shropshire
He is buried in grave C A 6 Gaza War Cemetery, Israel
Additional Information
He attended Oakham 1917-1920.
John Bartleet achieved a 2nd in Theology at Oxford, was ordained in 1927 and appointed Vicar of Meole Brace in 1931.
Gaza, where he died, was a major Hospital base at the time
He gave his address for Probate as Catterick Camp
John Godfrey BARTON MC
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no 144935
He died on active service on 25 September 1944. He was 33
He was the son of the Revd Charles Godfrey Barton, MA, and Edith Muriel Barton of Rottingdean, Sussex
He is buried in grave XVII H 3 Coriano Ridge War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was St Germans Clergy House, Roath
Gordon Hinton BATEMAN
Chaplain 1st Class
He died from pleurisy whilst on active service on 25 April 1942. He was 52
He was the son of Hinton E Bateman MD and Emily Bateman of York and the husband of Marjorie B Bateman
He is buried in grave 6 E 7 Ismailia War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
Additional Information
MA (Oxon)
His address for Probate was Garden Cottage, Seabrook Road, Hythe
Harry BATTYE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no 131300
He died on 20 July 1945. He was 51
He was the son of Henry and Sophia Battye and the husband of Helen Battye of Thundridge
He is buried in the SE corner of St Mary’s Churchyard, Thundridge, Hertfordshire
Additional Information
MA, Hons (Cantab) Trinity Hall
His death is registered in Leeds so he had probably been released from the Army as a result of his health
Bernard Joseph BENSON
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to HQ 1st Airlanding Brigade. Army no. 205968
He died of his wounds on 27 September 1944. He was 30
He was the son of Henry and Bridget Benson of Shipley, Yorkshire.
He is buried in grave 4 B 10 Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery
Additional Information
He was attached to the Medical HQ taking part in the Battle of Arnhem, during Operation Market Garden. He was seriously wounded whilst on duty at the Hospital when it was shelled by German forces, his arm was almost severed and was amputated. Visit http://www.paradata.org.uk/people/rev-bernard-joseph-benson for more There is also more information and a photo are to be found on: http://www.warcemeteries.nl/Benson.html
His address for Probate was 68 Wrose Road, Shipley
Geoffrey BERNARD
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 248379
He died on active service on 11 October 1944. He was 34
He was the son of Dr Claude Bernard, MRCS, LRCP, and Florie B Bernard and the husband of Rose M Bernard of Salisbury.
He is buried in grave IV B 15 Florence War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA (Bristol).
His address for Probate was 465 Fishponds Road, Bristol
Walter Henry Arthur BERRY MiD
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 291270
He died on 27 July 1944. He was 40
He was the son of Walter Joseph and Mary Selena Eleanor Berry and the husband of Kathleen Berry of Keston, Kent.
He is buried in grave III C15 Ranville War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Cantab.)
Obituary from Bromley and West Kent Mercury, 1 September 1944
Died in Normandy. The Rev. Walter Berry.
The death has occurred in Normandy of the Rev. Walter Berry, Chaplain to the Forces, only son of Mr and the late Mrs Berry of Brabourne, Oakwood Road, Crofton. Mr Berry was an MA of Caius College, Cambridge, and before taking his Holy Orders was for a number of years, engaged in business in the City. His ambition was always the church and in 1938 he entered King’s College, London, where he studied divinity for a year. His first appointment was a curacy at Bexleyheath. A year and a half later he was appointed Vicar of Horton Kirby. He left his parish about a year ago to take up the duties of a chaplain, and was only 43 when he met his death.
His address for Probate was The Vicarage, Horton Kirby
Cecil Henry BINGHAM
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 241309
He died on active service on 31 August 1944 as the Allied Armies were fighting their way north through Italy. He was 34
He was the son of John Henry and Elizabeth Bingham, of Newry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.
He is buried in grave II E 17 Montecchio War Cemetery
Additional Information
M.A. (Trinity College, Dublin).
His address for Probate was Holloway, Pershore, Worcestershire
Geoffrey BOND
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 95796
He died on active service on 21 March 1941. He was 30
He was the son of Eleanor and the late Lieutenant Bernard Bond, of The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and
Derbyshire Regiment) who had been killed in action in France in 1916, and the husband of Patricia Rosemary Bond, Knott Park, Oxshott.
He is buried in grave 7 G 1 Benghazi War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA(Cantab.). His
address for Probate was Little Paddock, Witley, Godalming
Harry BORNSTEIN
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 202626
He died on active Service on 28 November 1943.
He was the husband of Miriam Bornstein of East Finchley.
He is buried in grave 6 A 9 Tripoli War Cemetery
Additional Information
At this time Tripoli was the site of no. 89 General Hospital
His address for Probate was 24 Brim Hill, Finchley
Frederick Sadler BOUTWOOD
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 135547
He died on 10 July 1941 at the Victoria Hospital, Friary Road, Lichfield. He was 33
He was the son of Robert Frederick and Alice Maude Boutwood of Hastings.
He is remembered in Kent County Crematorium, Charing
Additional Information
Frederick was a member of The Guild of All Souls which is an Anglican devotional society dedicated to prayer for faithful departed
Christians.
His address for Probate was Priory Mount, Holmesdale Gardens, Hastings
Andrew BOYLE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 108069
He died on 28 November 1940. He was 47
He was the son of James and Mary Boyle.
He is buried in sec 15 grave 7 Farnborough Cemetery
Additional Information
DD
Holman BROWN
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 43595
He died on 7 November 1943 at the Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot. He was 58
He was the son of John James and Faith Holman Brown and the husband of Muriel Caldicot Brown of Rottingdean, Sussex.
He is remembered on panel 1 St John's Crematorium, Woking
Additional Information
He was Mentioned in Despatches in WW1
His address for Probate was Hindhead View, Holt Pound, Hampshire
His death is registered in the Civil records which suggests that he had left the Army probably through poor health
William George BUSH
Chaplain 4th Class attached to the Royal Artillery. Army no. 90410
He died on active service on 19 June 1941. He was 38
He was the son of Harry Cunningham and Alice Maud Bush and the husband of Louisa Maud Bush of Darwen, Lancashire
He is buried in Coll. grave 2 H 1-5 Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 101 St Albans Road, Darwen
Robert Edward CAPE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 260316
He died on active service in Normandy shortly after the Allied Invasion on 25 June 1944. He was 30
He was the son of Herbert Taylor and Alice Mildred Thorp Cape and the husband of Catherine Buchanan Bowie Cape of Glasgow
He is buried in grave III F 26 Ranville War Cemetery
Additional Information
M.A. (Glasgow).
Cameron Dundas CARNEGIE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 301343
He died on active service on 16 July 1944. He was 27
He was the son of John Clarke Carnegie and Mary Denoon Carnegie, of Edinburgh.
He is buried in grave VI. L. 1. La Delivrande War Cemetery, Douvres
Additional Information
MA.
Extract from George Watson's College website see:
http://www.gwc.org.uk/our-school/history-of-george-watsons-college/watsons-war-records/?surname=&conflict=WW2®iment=&cemetery=&page=3
Cameron D. Carnegie, Chaplain to the Forces, son of the late Mr. John C. Carnegie and Mrs. Carnegie, 135 Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, attended Watson's from 1927 to 1934. After graduating M.A. at Edinburgh University in 1939, he studied at New
College, and acted as student-assistant in St. George's Parish Church, where he later became Assistant. On the outbreak of war he was eager to enlist as a combatant, but was persuaded to finish his Divinity course with a view to a Chaplaincy. He was accidentally killed on active service in Normandy in July 1944.
Richard Cradocke CHALK
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 18th Battalion, Reconnaissance Corps. Army no. 139815
He died in Changi PoW Camp on 21 March 1942 from his wounds which were received when he was attending wounded comrades. He was 41
He was the son of Thomas Cradocke and Annie Maria Chalk of Akeley, Buckinghamshire.
He is buried in grave 8 A 19 Kranji War Cemetery
Additional Information
He was Rector of Wilden and Vicar of Ravensden, Beds,
Gilbert John Marion CHAMBERS
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 35 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Army no. 171381
He died in Changi PoW Camp on 13 July 1945. He was 45
He was the son of John Moginie Chambers and Elsie Gertrude Chambers and the husband of Kathleen Chambers of Nursling, Hampshire
He is buried in grave 14 B 14 Kranji War Cemetery
Additional Information
The book, The Changi Murals by Wally Hammond, states that he had been a vicar near Romsey near Southampton before the
war and his daughter had his diary
Colin George CLARKE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 313431
He died on 8 June 1946. He was 36
He was the son of Percy and Emily Elizabeth Clarke and the husband of Gertrude Lena Clarke
He is buried in plot 4 row J grave 4 Yaba Cemetery, Nigeria
Additional information
His address for Probate was 87 Malfant Street, Cardiff
Vernon Callard CLARKE MiD
Chaplain 3rd Class, Army no. 125659
He died on 22 September 1942. He was 28
He was the son of Bernard Callard and Elsie May Clarke of Llanbedr, Conway, Caernarvonshire.
He is buried in grave 2 B 22 Heliopolis War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA, BD (Glasgow).
His address for Probate was Moncrieff Church of Scotland Manse, East Kilbride
William Robert COPLAND
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 94093
He died on active service on 16 September 1942. He was 31
He was the son of John and Mary Copland and the husband of Agnes Mitchell Copland, of Gourock, Renfrewshire.
He is remembered on panel 15 column 2 of the Brookwood Memorial
Additional Information
He is remembered also on the memorial in Old West Kirk in Greenock
The Brookwood Memorial commemorates nearly 3,500 men and women of the land forces of the Commonwealth who died during WW2 and have no known grave, the circumstances of their death being such that they could not appropriately be commemorated on any of the campaign memorials in the various theatres of war. They died in the campaign in Norway in 1940, or in the
various raids on enemy occupied territory in Europe such as Dieppe and St Nazaire. Others were special agents who died as prisoners or while working with Allied underground movements. Some died at sea, in hospital ships and troop transports, in waters not associated with the major campaigns, and a few were killed in flying accidents or in aerial combat.
I have not discovered the circumstances of his death
Bernard COSTELLO
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 254173
He died on active service on 5 April 1946
He is buried in grave 3 F 19 Munster Heath War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was St Giles Rectory, Kingston upon Hull
A Roman Catholic Chaplain
James Gerard CURRAN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 211517
He died on 4 May 1944
He is buried in the Community Plot of the Holy Ghost Fathers, Dean's Grange Cemetery, Co Dublin
Additional Information
A Roman Catholic Chaplain who died in Ireland
John Dixon DALGLEISH
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 69274
He died on active service on 18 September 1943. He was 33
He was the son of James and Charlotte Thomson Dalgleish and the husband of Kathleen Mary Dalgleish of Wolverhampton.
He is remembered on panel 15, column 2 of the Brookwood Memorial
Additional Information
MA.
The Brookwood Memorial commemorates nearly 3,500 men and women of the land forces of the Commonwealth who died during WW2 and have no known grave, the circumstances of their death being such that they could not appropriately be commemorated on any of the campaign memorials in the various theatres of war. They died in the campaign in Norway in 1940, or in the various raids on enemy occupied territory in Europe such as Dieppe and St Nazaire. Others were special agents who died as prisoners
or while working with Allied underground movements. Some died at sea, in hospital ships and troop transports, in waters not associated with the major campaigns, and a few were killed in flying accidents or in aerial combat.
I have not discovered the circumstances of his death
Reginald Vincent DAVIES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 306291
He died on active service in Occupied Germany on 19 November 1947. He was 33
He was the son of Alfred and Margaret Davies and the husband of Thelma Davies of St. John's Wood.
He is buried in grave 13 D 18 Hanover War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA
John Talfryn DAVIES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 270524
He died on active service on 11 August 1944 when the armies were struggling to close the Falaise Gap. He was 38
He was the son of Daniel and Sarah Davies of Brynhyfryd, Swansea and the husband of Phyllis Elizabeth Davies of Brynhyfryd.
He is buried in grave VI E 7 Tilly sur Seulles War Cemetery in Normandy
Additional Information
BA, BD.
His address for Probate was Cartref Clyd, Penvillia Road, Swansea
John Oswald DEAN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 52744
He died on 16 April 1942. He was 35
He was the son of William Henry and Amelia Dean and the husband of Ena Dorothea Jane Dean of Tewkesbury
He is buried in grave 7 A 3 Kranji War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA Lampeter.
He was born on 30 October 1906 in Caerleon, Monmouthshire according to his family history site. He became a Prisoner of War with the fall of Singapore in February 1941 and held in Changi Jail until his death
Ernest John DODGE
Chaplain 3rd Class Army no. 56922
He died on active service on 23 June 1941. He was 38
He was the son of Henry and Emma Dodge and the husband of Ida Dodge of Sheffield.
He is buried in grave 19 F 3 Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Maison Bonninci, rue Mohamed Ali Ismali, Egypt
James DOUGLAS MiD
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 5th Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment. Army no. 244123
He died on active service on 5 August 1944. He was 34.
He was the son of John and Kathleen Douglas and the husband of Annie Hildegarde Douglas of Dunmurry, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
He is buried in grave VII C 3 Tilly-Sur-Seulles War Cemetery
Additional Information
Extract from the Douglas Archives http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/james_douglas24.htm#.UjbghsakrCc
In 1942 a former curate, of Magheralin Parish, the James Douglas, joined the Forces as a Padre. Sadly, he was killed in the Normandy landings in 1944, and was later mentioned in dispatches, having been in the front line with his men.
Mr. Douglas was appointed curate of Magheralin in August 1933 and remained there for five years before moving to Colebrook as Rector in February, 1938 and later joining the army as a padre. The resilient and complete faith in God which had characterised Mr. Douglas' ministry in Magheralin was the gift he took with him to the field of battle. That he was able to share God's saving
grace with so many young men, and urge them to place their trust in God was indeed a special calling for Mr. Douglas. He felt honoured that God had called him to do this business and he answered that call faithfully to the end. A Padre leading his men in prayer in the fleeting minutes before battle is a sobering moment.
The Rev. James Douglas was born in Waterford and educated in Wesley College and Trinity College, Dublin. When he first came to Magheralin, he lodged at first in the `Wilderness' with the Gilpin family. Later in 1935 he married and moved to the curate's house at 19 Avenue Road.
Derek Balfour ELLIOTT MC
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 76530
He died on active service on 1 February 1943. He was 30
He was the son of John Wilson and Isabel Penman Elliott of Paisley, Renfrewshire.
He is buried in grave I E 13 Milan War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.).
Cecil Robert William ELLIS
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Army no. 144121
He was killed on active service on 5 January 1944 in the fighting around Monte Cassino. He was 32
He was the son of the Rev Canon Cecil Charles Ellis MA and Margaret Ellis of Didsbury Rectory, Manchester.
He is buried in grave VII F 17 Cassino War Cemetery
Additional Information
AKC.
His address for Probate was the Rectory, Didsbury
From the Kings College website: http://kingscollections.org/warmemorials/kings-college/memorials/ellis-rev.-cecil-robert-william
He was killed in action on the Italian front. He had been ordained in 1934 and had been senior curate at Ellesmere Port since 1936.
He was educated in West Didsbury, at Giggleswick and at King’s College, London.
Evening Chronicle, 11 Jan, 1944,
Douglas EMSLIE MM MiD
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 111056
He died on 12 June 1940 as Dunkirk was evacuated. He was 41
He was the son of the Rev William and Jessie Douglas Emslie and the husband of Anna Emslie of Crieff, Perthshire
He is buried in grave 33 St. Valery-En-Caux Franco-British Cemetery
Additional Information
The website: http://www.scotsatwar.org.uk/rohprints/e.htm
tells us that he was awarded the Military Medal in WW1 and killed on active service at St. Valery-En-Caux France on 12 June 1940. This was shortly before the 51st Highland Division surrendered after attempts to evacuate them from the beaches failed.
Douglas Emslie has a unique claim in Scottish history as he was the first person to stand in any Scottish election as a Scottish
Nationalist. The election took place in the old Montrose Burghs seat and Douglas made his Party H.Q. at Arbroath Railway Station since the porter there was the first person he met as he got off the train from Aberdeen. Thankfully the porter was also a nationalist and offered the use of the British Rail Waiting Room to Douglas.
The city of Inverness in Scotland is twinned with St. Valery-En-Caux given their historical past. There is a memorial plaque to him:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Derek+Balfour+ELLIOTT&rlz=1C1CHVO_enGB525GB525&oq=Derek+Balfour+ELLIOTT&aqs=chrome..69i57.2995j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=rev+Douglas+EMSLIE+
It is now in Crieff Parish Church, but it was originally inside The West Church, Crieff, where he was minister
Oswald Kenneth FERGUSON
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 100139
He was killed on active service on 2 February 1944 in an accident. He was 44
He was the son of Alistair and Gertrude Ferguson and the husband of Leslie Margaret Ferguson, OBE.
He is buried in grave 4 B 3 Heliopolis War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA
His address for Probate was the Vicarage, Chetwode, Buckinghamshire and he was Vicar of Barton Hartshorn with Chetwode
He had served in WW1 and with the BEF in Northern France when he was evacuated at the time of Dunkirk
Peter Francis FIRTH
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 257744
He was killed on active service on 7 June 1944 on D Day plus 1 in Normandy. He was 33
He was the son of Ernest Cecil C and Agnes St. J Firth of Scorton, Lancashire.
He is buried in grave 1 J 15 Hermanville War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.), Croix de Guerre (France).
His address for Probate was the Priory Scorton, near Preston and the death announcement refers to Father Firth
Ernest William FUNNELL
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 91362
He died on 30 March 1942. He was 35
He was the son of Ernest David and Fanny Matilda Funnell and the husband of Elvina Funnell of Tonbridge, Kent
He is remembered on face 18 of the Rangoon Memorial
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Ashleigh Goxhill, Barrow on Humber
He was a Wesleyan Minister
Albert Edward FARRUGIA BUGEJA
Chaplain 4th Class attached to Royal Malta Artillery. Army no. 195079
He died on 13 May 1941.
He is buried in grave div. west sec a compt h grave 12. Addolorata Cemetery, Malta
Additional Information
The London Gazette refers to the Right Reverend
Edward Thomas GEORGE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 22nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Army no. 178165
He died between 21 and 22 June 1941. He was 46
He was the son of John and Hannah George and the husband of Helen Mary George of Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent.
He is buried in row K, grave 3 St. Mary Church Cemetery, Tenby
Additional Information
He was appointed Chaplain (UB) on 17 April 1941
He was educated at University College, Cardiff and Memorial College, Brecon and served in the Royal Air Force in WW1
He died in June 1941, shortly after the Dunkirk evacuation.
Whilst he is buried at Tenby, he is not commemorated there nor is any explanation of his death apparent.
William Gerard GILGUNN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 216113
He died on 11 December 1942.
He is remembered on Screen Wall, panel 1 Glasnevin or Prospect Cemetery, County Dublin and he is buried in the south sec grave
6A11-115A/1 there
Additional Information
Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian) Irish Province
Community PQRST
John Douglas GLENNIE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 34719
He died on 30 September 1940. He was 43
He was the son of Charles E and Elizabeth J Glennie and the husband of Margaret Murison Glennie of West Linton, Peeblesshire.
He is buried in Compt. H Grave 8 Mars Walk Cemetery, Stirling
Additional Information
MA, BD
His address for Probate was The Manse, Kirkpatrick Durham
Arthur Currie GORDON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Army no. 91866
He on active service on 8 June 1940 when the Black Watch were part of the Highland Division forming the defensive perimeter around Le Havre to enable the evacuation to be maximised. He was 36
He was the son of the Rev William Gordon BD and Alison Gordon and the husband of Agnes Doreen Gordon of Drainie Manse, Morayshire.
He is buried in grave 3 Blangy sur Bresle Communal Cemetery
Additional Information
MA, BD (Edin).
From The Glasgow Herald 19 June 1940
"Killed in action with the British Expeditionary Force, in June, 1940, Rev. Arthur Currie Gordon B.D., Chaplain to the Forces, and minister of the parish of Foveran, Aberdeenshire, husband of Agnes Doreen Mathers."
His name is also on the Foveran Memorial
Probate records give the date of death as 6 or 7 June and the UK Army Roll of Honour gives 6 June
John Foster HAIGH
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 133404
He died on 23 September 1943 when he was a PoW of the Japanese Army. He was 42
He was the son of George William Haigh and of Emmeline Haigh and the husband of Annie Haigh of Luddenden, Yorkshire
He is buried in grave B3 J 10 Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
Additional Information
The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by Commonwealth, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project
driven by the need for improved communications to support the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians also died in the course of the project, chiefly forced labour brought from Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, or conscripted in Siam (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar).
Two labour forces, one based in Siam and the other in Burma worked from opposite ends of the line towards the centre. The Japanese aimed at completing the railway in 14 months and work began in October 1942. The line, 424 kilometres long, was completed by ecember 1943.
The graves of those who died during the construction and maintenance of the Burma-Siam railway (except for the Americans, whose remains were repatriated) were transferred from camp burial grounds and isolated sites along the railway into three cemeteries at Chungkai and Kanchanaburi in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar.
Thanbyuzayat became a prisoner of war administration headquarters and base camp in September 1942 and in January 1943 a base hospital was organised for the sick. The camp was close to a railway marshalling yard and workshops, and heavy casualties were sustained among the prisoners during Allied bombing raids in March and June 1943. The camp was then evacuated and the
prisoners, including the sick, were marched to camps further along the line where camp hospitals were set up. For some time, however, Thanbyuzayat continued to be used as a reception centre for the groups of prisoners arriving at frequent intervals to reinforce the parties working on the line up to the Burma-Siam border.
His address for Probate was Mill House, Luddendenfoot, Halifax
Joseph Frederick Starforth HALL
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 43114
He died on 6 September 1941 at the Royal Masonic Hospital, Hammersmith. He was 49
He was the son of Richard and Hannah Jane Hall and the husband of Dora Tudor Hall of Frampton Mansell, Gloucestershire.
He is remembered on panel 2, St. John's Crematorium Woking
Additional Information
His address for Probate was St Thomas Rectory, 80 Maryon Road, Charlton, London
He had served as a Lieutenant in WW1
Cecil James HAWKSWORTH MiD
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 90874
He died from his injuries following a motor bike accident on 7 July 1944 in 149 Field Ambulance Station. He was 35
He was the husband of Diana Hawksworth of Kingsclere, Hampshire.
He is buried in row B 2 Jerusalem War Cemetery, Chouain, France
Additional Information
AKC
He had also served in the Italian Campaign
His address for Probate was Priors Mill Cottage, Kingsclere
He is mentioned in the book The Faithful Sixth(DLI) by Harry Moses
On the 6 July, 6th Battalion the DLI suffered a real loss with the tragic death of Padre Hawksworth, the Church of England padre. He was seriously injured whilst riding a motorcycle. He was taken to 149 Field Ambulance but later died of his injuries. He had been with the Battalion since the end of the Sicilian Campaign and his loss was felt deeply by all officers and other ranks. His funeral was held later in the 50th Divisional cemetery.
John HAYES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 199879
He died on 21 January 1945 as a PoW of the Japanese Army. He was 36
He was the son of Michael and Agnes Hayes.
He is buried in grave 7A F 24 Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma
Additional Information
Taukkyan War Cemetery is the largest of the three war cemeteries in Burma (now Myanmar). It was begun in 1951 for the
reception of graves from four battlefield cemeteries at Akyab, Mandalay, Meiktila and Sahmaw which were difficult to access and could not be maintained. The last was an original 'Chindit' cemetery containing many of those who died in the battle for Myitkyina. The graves have been grouped together at Taukkyan to preserve the individuality of these battlefield cemeteries Burials were also
transferred from civil and cantonment cemeteries, and from a number of isolated jungle and roadside sites. Because of prolonged post-war unrest, considerable delay occurred before the Army Graves Service were able to complete their work, and in the meantime many such graves had disappeared. However, when the task was resumed, several hundred more graves were retrieved from scattered positions throughout the country and brought together here.
His address for Probate was Milltown Park, Dublin
Joseph HIRST
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 263524
He died on 18 February 1946. He was 32
He was the son of James and Emily Hirst and the nephew of Catherine Walton of Skerton, Lancaster.
He is buried in grave 21 E 22 Taukkyan War Cemetery
Additional Information
We know that he was a RC Chaplain
His address for Probate was English Martyrs Church, Garstang Road, Preston
Joseph Charles HOBLING
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 53 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Army no. 95885
He died on active service on 18 December 1944. He was 36
He was the son of Joseph Charles and Clara Hobling of Kilburn.
He is buried in grave 2 B 4 Klagenfurt War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 19 Summerfield Avenue, Queens Park
He was a prisoner of the German Army, PoW Number 1118 He was in Stalag XVIII-A in Wolfsberg, Austria
It would appear that there was a Posthumous recommendation for a mention in Despatches
Geoffrey Gervase HOBSON MATTHEWS MiD
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion, The King's Shropshire Light Infantry. Army no. 96035
He died on active service in the retreat to Dunkirk on 31 May 1940. He was 36
He was the son of John and Alice Hobson Matthews.
He is buried in plot 2 row 19 grave 2 Town Cemetery, Dunkirk
Additional Information
He was a member of Order Of St Benedict (Downside)
Solly HOOKER
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 231878
He died on 12 February 1946 in Trimulgherry Hospital, Delhi. He was 31
He was the son of Joseph and Polly Hooker and the husband of Freda Hooker of Stamford Hill.
He is buried in grave 5 C 10 Madras War Cemetery, Chennai
Additional Information
BA (Lond.).
Information from: www.pinnershul.org/content/memorial-board-former-harrow-synagogue#RevSollyHooker
His Hebrew name was Shabtai Ben Yerachmiel Yonah Halevi. Bachelor of Arts. Chaplain to the Forces - born in 1915 into a family from Vilnius in Lithuania.
His parents were Yerachmiel (“Joe”) and Pesia (“Polly”) Hooke. Solly was, with his twin sister Frances, the third of their eleven children.
He studied at Jews’ College and at University College London, gaining a first class Bachelor of Arts degree in Semitics.
In 1938 he married Freda Dora Hausman. In November 1939 after a period as Student Minister at the Central Synagogue he succeeded Reverend Cohen as the Minister of the Harrow Hebrew Congregation.
In April 1942 Reverend Hooker, as many Jewish ministers, became a Chaplain to the Forces.
He was posted first to Glasgow (Jewish chaplains could not be compelled to go abroad, and married with a small daughter Ruth and with Freda expecting another child, he was hardly enthusiastic to do so). However in August 1943 the Senior Jewish Chaplain told him that three other ministers had declined for personal reasons to go abroad and asked him to consider going. Viewing this as his duty, he did so. Days after he reported in London, his second daughter Judith was born in Glasgow.
He served with the Eighth Army from August 1943 until January 1944 in Egypt and in Tunisia and Algeria, responsible as Jewish Chaplain for the whole of Tunisia and Algeria. He went to Italy with the Eighth Army, where the family has a photograph of him conducting a Passover Seder Service. In one of the letters he wrote from Italy he says:
“I am learning and I am strong and I am confident in ultimate success. Above all else I am grateful to God for all kindnesses towards us and for the progress that He has enabled us to make at what can still be regarded as the beginning of my life. God bless my darling wife and daughters, and may we soon experience the Grand Reunion, Peace and Love, where now is War and Hate.”
In August 1945 he returned home for a short period of leave and met his daughter Judith for the first time; it was her second birthday. In September he was posted to India. In India he began to show symptoms of illness and he was admitted to the British military hospital where, on 12 February 1946, at the age of 31, he died of natural causes.
He rests in the Madras War Cemetery. His tombstone commemorates Chaplain to the Forces the Rev S. Hooker B.A. Royal Army Chaplains Department. The inscription reads “He walked blamelessly, worked righteously and spoke truth in his heart”.
In March 1946 there was a memorial for him in London. Reverend Hooker’s wife Freda has passed away; his two daughters are Ruth Ketko and Judith Fainer. Ruth lives in New Zealand with her family and Judith lives in Israel with her family.
Philip Stapleton HORDERN
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 77494
He died on active service on 30 November 1942. He was 42 and born in Transvaal
He is buried in grave IV M 2 Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia
Additional information
His address for Probate was Merrington, Lavender Hill, Maybury, Woking
David Francis HOURIGAN
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Airlanding Brigade. Army no. 102157
He died on active service on 10 July 1943 in Sicily on the day that the Allied Armies invaded. He was 36 and born in Eire
He was the son of Thomas and Mary Hourigan.
He is buried in grave I E 11 Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily
Additional Information
He was a member of The Sacred Heart Fathers
Henry James IRWIN
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 11th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Army no. 270523
He died between 20 and 25 September 1944 at Arnhem in the Battle there. He was 28
He was the son of James Thomas and Sarah Ann Irwin of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
He is buried in grave 26 A 2 Oosterbeek War Cemetery Arnhem
Additional Information
BA
Harold Samuel JONES
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 104052
He died on active service on 24 April 1941. He was 39
He was the son of John and Mary Jane Jones and the husband of Lilian Louisa Jones of Haverfordwest.
He is remembered on face 8 of the Athens Memorial
Additional Information
He was Pastor of Saron Congregational Church, Tredegar
He was initially posted as missing, believed drowned. If therefore he was on a ship, it does not narrow the search as no less than 19 vessels of all types and sizes were lost on this date.
However the troopship HMS Ulster Prince would appear to be the most likely
George Alexander KAY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 8th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Army no. 150817
He died on active service 7 June 1944, D Day plus one. He was 36
He was the son of Thomas George Brierley and Fanny Kay and the husband of Janet Evelyn Lucas Kay of Watermillock, Cumberland.
He is buried in grave IA M 2 Ranville War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.). He was born in New Zealand
His address for Probate was Stone Cross, Mayfield
James William KENNY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 6th Airborne Division. Army no. 287957
He died on active service 24 March 1945 in Operation Varsity, the crossing of the Rhine. He was 32
He was the son of James William and Matilda Kenny of Blackpool.
He is buried in grave 37 D 11 Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was The Rectory, Warwick Square, Carlisle
Herbert KIDMAN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 42624
He died on 7 July 1940 at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford. He was 60
He was the son of William and Ann Kidman and the husband of Alice Gwyn Kidman of Onchan, Isle of Man.
He is remembered on the right hand column in Oxford Crematorium
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Wesley House, Haldon Avenue, Teignmouth
William Denton KIRK
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 309209
He died on active service on 26 July 1946. He was 40
He was the son of William and Mary Kirk and the husband of Marion Kirk of Sunderland.
He is buried in grave 3A B 6 Hamburg Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 23 Co-operative Terrace, Sunderland
Jonathan Maynard KNOWLES MiD
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 95803
He died on 1 June 1940 on active service during the withdrawal to Dunkirk. He was 26
He was the son of Captain Jonathan and Viva B Knowles of Bordon.
He is buried in plot 9 row 4 grave 2 New Communal Cemetery Oostende
Additional Information
MA(Cantab.).
His address for Probate was Ashley House, Usk, Monmouthshire
George Alexander LEVIS
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Army no. 101011
He died on active service on 4 December 1943. He was 31
He was the son of Thomas B and Dorothy M Levis of Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.
He is buried in grave II K 11 Minturno War Cemetery, Italy
Additional Information
BA
Ian MACALULAY
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 121108
He died on active service on 26 October 1944. He was 28
He was the son of the Very Rev. James J. Macaulay and Margery Macaulay of Edinburgh.
He is buried in grave IV D 22 Geel War Cemetery, Belgium
Additional Information
BA Hons. (Cantab.).
John MACDOUGALL
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 279927
He died on active service on 10 August 1944. He was 33
He was the son of Daniel and Flora Macdougall and the husband of Dolly Macdougall of Durness, Sutherlandshire.
He is buried in grave IX B 20 Ranville War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Glasgow).
Alastair MCLEMAN
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 2nd Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Army no. 91868
He died on 2 June 1940. He died in Great Britain just as the troops were returning through Dunkirk. He was 28
He was the son of George Low and Edith McLeman and the husband of Margaret McLeman of Lasswade, Midlothian.
He is buried in sec F grave 1832 Innerleithen Cemetery
Additional Information
MA
Minister of Graissing Church – on his gravestone
Patrick Joseph MCMAHON
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 218709
He was killed on active service on 14 August 1944. He was 27
He is buried in Ussy Churchyard, Calvados
Additional Information
During the battle for the Falaise Gap after the Normandy Landings, he went out under fire in an ambulance to rescue a wounded Canadian soldier. On the return journey a shell hit the ambulance and he was killed.
He was born in Dundalk and ordained in 1940.
See: http://www.militarian.com/threads/rev-patrick-joseph-mcmahon-army-chaplain.5646/
Robert MACPHERSON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion, The London Scottish, Gordon Highlanders. Army no. 102573
He died on active service on 16 September 1944. He was 34
He was the son of Thomas and Nancy Macpherson and the husband of Margot Helen Macpherson of Dundee.
He is buried in grave II B 65 Gradara War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA, BD
This cemetery contains the graves of casualties incurred during the advance from Ancona to Rimini, which broke the German's heavily defended Gothic Line and, at the time he died, in the heavy fighting around Rimini
He was educated at The Glasgow Academy and is on their Memorial
William Gladstone MARCHANT
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 322808
He died on active service on 28 April 1945. He was 35
He was the son of Arthur D and Alberta E Marchant and the husband of Hildegarde Marchant of Hamilton, Victoria, Australia.
He is buried in grave 9 E 7 Madras War Cemetery, Chennai, India
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Willowdene, Church Street, Sheringham
Francis MARTIN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 154990
He died on active service on 27 May 1944. He was 31
He was the son of Francis Douglas and Eleanor Martin of Frome.
He is buried in grave XI E 3 Cassino War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA (Oxon.).
His address for Probate was 48 Jersey Road, Gloucester but Army records state that he was born in Glasgow and lived in Northamptonshire
William Gilchrist MILLS
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 123999
He died on 1 April 1943.
He was the son of John Mills
He is buried in grave 4 J 19 Hadra War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria
Additional information
He attended Glasgow University 1933-1936 and gained an Arts Degree
Cyril MINTON-SENHOUSE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 151 (The Ayrshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Army no. 133104
He died on 30 June 1944. He was 35
He was the son of Herbert H D and Emily H Minton-Senhouse and the husband of Rebe Kathleen Minton-Senhouse of Haslemere, Surrey.
He is buried in grave V D 3 Ryes War Cemetery, Bazenville
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.).
Wolf MOREIN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 188503
He died at Devizes General Hospital on 18 September 1941. He was 33
He was the son of David Mendel and Judes Morein and the husband of Gertrude Morein of Highbury.
He is buried in sec QX Row 1 grave 1 Willesden Jewish Cemetery
Additional Information
BA.
His address for Probate was 88 Aberdeen Park, Highbury
Ivor Joseph MORRIS
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade. Army no. 157811
He died on active service on 26 October 1942 during the second Battle for El Alamein. He was 30
He was the son of Joseph Peregrine Morris and Mary Morris.
He is buried in grave XIX E 6 El Alamein War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA (St David's College, Lampeter).
He was commissioned in January 1941 and killed in action during the 7th Armoured Brigade's push through North Africa.
Richard MORT MiD
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. Army no. 101843
He died on active service on 11 June 1942. He was 35
He was the son of Thomas and Lucy Mort and the husband of Kathleen Mort of Normoss, Lancashire.
He is buried in grave 11 A 12 Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma near Tobruk
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Shenstone, Newton Drive East, Blackpool
Francis William MUSGRAVE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment. Army no. 147348
He was killed by shell fire on 2 August 1944 during the battalion’s attack at Mont Pincon, Normandy. He was 39
He was the son of William Gummow and Mary Musgrave and the husband of Alma Grace Musgrave of Hove
He is buried in grave X C 1 Hottot-Les-Bagues War Cemetery, Normandy
Additional Information
BA Lampeter
His address for Probate was 16 Goldstone Way, Hove
Gerard NESBITT MiD, Croix de Guerre
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Army no. 163330
He was killed on active service on 5 July 1944. He was 33
He was the son of Stephen and Jane Nesbitt of Felling-on-Tyne, Co. Durham.
He is buried in row B 1 Jerusalem War Cemetery, Chouain, Normandy
Additional Information
DPhil.
His address for probate was 32 Heworth, Burn Crescent, Felling, Gateshead
He was appointed Chaplain inDecember 1940
This information is extracted from 8th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry by Major Lewis and Major English:
Padre Nesbitt was killed today by a stray shell whilst burying the dead. He had been with the 8th DLI since the end of 1940 and was well loved by all ranks whether of Roman Catholic faith or not. His quiet manner yet very strong personality impressed all those who came in contact with him. Always cheerful and willing to help anyone in trouble, he was regarded as a personal friend by many. He was a great example of courage and fortitude and his death deeply affected the Battalion. All the old officers of the 8th DLI headed by the CO attended the funeral
John Arthur NEWSON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 5th Royal
Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps. Army no. 191487
He died
on active service on 20 July 1944. He was 38
He was the son of John
Newson MBE and Ada Emily Newson and the husband of Sophie Newson of Norbury,
Surrey.
He is buried in grave II F 9 Bayeux War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for probate was Holbrook Hall, Little Waldingfield, Sudbury
Educated at Norbury College, Salisbury Theological College
He drowned in France while leading a human chain to rescue Canadian Soldiers
James O'CALLAGHAN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 88257
He died on active service on 11 April 1944. He was 37
He was the son of Timothy and Mary Eileen O'Callaghan of South Shields, Co. Durham.
He is buried in grave 5 B 5 Kohima War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for probate was The Presbytery, St Mary’s Cathedral
The Japanese advance into India was halted at Kohima in April 1944 and Garrison Hill, a long wooded spur on a high ridge west of the village, was the scene of perhaps the most bitter fighting of the whole Burma campaign when a small Commonwealth force held out against repeated attacks by a Japanese Division. The fiercest hand to hand fighting took place in the garden of the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow, around the tennis court, but the heaviest casualties on both sides occurred after relieving forces reached the Garrison and the Japanese were driven off the ridge, so re-opening the road to Imphal.
Walter Tulliedph OGILVY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 8th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Army no. 118329
He was killed in action on 25 March 1945 at Arnhem. He was 33.
He was the son of Nora Kathleen Ogilvy of Stanley, Co. Durham and the late Walter Tulliedeph Ogilvy
He is buried in grave 37 B 5 Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.).
His address for probate was Altyre House, Stanley, County Durham
He had previously been reported missing in Libya in 1942
Roland Charles Illingworth PARKES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 322805
He died on active service on 16 April 1945. He was 27
He was the son of Charles Herbert and Katherine Joyce Parkes of West Worthing.
He is buried in grave 3 B 3 Digboi War Cemetery, India
Additional Information
BD London. UB
He was commissioned in July 1944
His address for probate was Downie House, The Glen, Worthing
During WW2, Digboi was an operational area of the Burma Campaign. The town of Digboi, is near the Burmese border and a military hospital was established there.
The Cemetery was started for burials from the hospital
George Edward Maule PARRY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 7th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Army no. 173033
He died on active service on 6 June 1944. It was D Day. He was 29
He was the son of Muriel Constance St. J Parry of Leytonstone and the late Allen James Parry.
He is buried in grave 21 Bénouville Churchyard
Additional Information
His address for probate was Norfolk Lodge, 14 Bushwood, Leytonstone
The bridge over the Orne canal at Benouville was captured intact on the night of 5/6 June 1944 by the 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and the 7th Battalion, Parachute Regiment 6th Airborne Division.
There are 23 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-45 war in this churchyard. 15 of whom belonged to the 6th Airborne Division plus their Chaplain.
Arthur Wellesley PARRY WILLIAMS
Chaplain, 4th Class attached to 113 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery Army no. 216105
He died on active service on 16 December 1943. He was 37
He was the son of William and Eda C Parry Williams and the husband of Joan O Parry Williams of Clapham.
He is buried in grave I D 3 Minturno War Cemetery, 75 kms north of Naples
Additional Information
BA (Oxon.)
His address for probate was 42 Pier Avenue, Herne Bay
He was commissioned in December 1941 and was posted to North Africa attached to the 113 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. He was with the regiment during the campaign in North Africa and the ensuing invasion of Italy where he was killed.
He had trodden on a land mine and died of his wounds. A full account written by his son appears on:
http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/view.php?uid=210853
Reginald Thompson PODMORE
Chaplain 4th Class Attached to 3rd Corps Ammunition Park. Army no. 111748
He died on active service between 21 May 1940 and 23 May 1940. He was 38
He was the son of Rev Claude and Ella V Podmore
He is buried in grave 8 Divion Communal Cemetery Calvados
Additional Information
Educated Keble College, Oxford. BA. Then Ely Theological College
His address for probate was The Mission House, Marston, Oxford the is was the base for Society of St.John the Evangelist, Cowley
Father Reginald Thompson Podmore who was killed in action while tending the wounded shortly before the evacuation from Dunkirk.see:
http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/32550-ss-leibstandarte-and-chaplain-the-rev-reginald-podmore-rachd/
The Museum of Army Chaplaincy has a hand written account compiled in 1981 by Mr Bill Priest of Great Yarmouth who served at 3rd Corps HQ Dec 1939 – 1940: Quote
‘Reg Podmore, joined the RAChD in January 1940, his hair already gone grey, his cheeks bright and his eyes gleaming with
purpose. At the age of 40 he had left a rather remote sect of the Church of England – the Cowley Fathers – for the rougher world of soldiering, a young’s man’s profession in any age. His first and only charge was a large transport unit – attached to III Corps – HQs – of some 1200 souls, under the command of Col. Mike Cahill, a veteran of the Great War. The unit’s job was ‘ammunition’,
and the loss of some 500 men during the three week’s battles in May 1940 confirmed the old British adage that what soldier’s know about war is seldom worth knowing!
The Spring of 1940 saw the unit scattered in and around a delightful Artois village on the edge of the Bethune coalfield complex. Chaplain Podmore established a small church in one of the rooms off the main hall in the village. Salle de Fetes, opened a canteen for many of his ‘parishioners’ and ran occasional boxing matches.
The interminable phoney war ended abruptly on 10 May and the unit began to make some preparations for the move into Belgium; known euphemistically as Plan ‘D’. For some reason this move was to halted on the Belgium border for several days at a place called Montecourve. It was during the stay at Montecouvre that Padre Podmore asked to be permitted to return to his old HQs in Artois for some supplies he had left there. It was the last time that any of us saw this remarkable man; who had the knack of being both chaplain and friend to all alike.
Whilst he was being driven through the mining village of Divion en Artois, his car was machine-gunned by an advance company of
an SS Division. (A week later SS troops massacred 97 prisoners from the Royal Norfolk Regiment at Le Paradis and 80 Royal Warwickshires at Esquelbecq) The story of the Le Paradis Massacre is told in Cyril Golly’s book ‘The Vengeance of Pte Pooley (Lavenham Press £3.95) and account of the Esquelbecq affair by Revd Les Aitken MBE in his ‘Massacre on the road to Dunkirk, Worhoudt 1940 (W Kimber £4.95).
Chaplain Podmore’s legs were shattered and when the SS realised they had shot a Padre they refused medical assistance and left him to die on the pave. The sight was more than a Frenchman in a nearby house could stand. He carried the Chaplain into his front room where he made him as comfortable as possible. R T Podmore died at about 4.30 on 22 May, the first Padre to die
during the 1939 – 45 War on Active Service.
His vestments and organ were buried in the Frenchman’s garden where they remained until the Liberation of the Pas de Calais, when they were dug up and returned to the Podmore Family in Eastbourne. For giving aid and comfort to the enemy to the SS arrested the Frenchman and his family and they would have been imprisoned but for the fact the person concerned was the chief of the local coalmine whose miners went on strike until their boss was released.
(In spite of numerous enquiries the present writer has been unable to trace the Frenchman concerned)
R T Podmore is buried in the tiny hillside cemetery with large slag heaps standing sentinel nearby.
He is the only Britisher buried in the cimitiere communal from the 1939 -45 War, although there are 6 graves from the old Loos battles of 1915. Twice a year local veterans hold a service at his graveside.’
John Hooper PRICE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 125463
He died on 19 December 1941. He was 42
He was the son of David and Mary Price and the husband of Mary Elizabeth Price of Gwithian, Cornwall
He is buried in grave D 154A Kantara War Memorial Cemetery
Additional Information
BA
His address for probate was The Vicarage, Newbiggin on Lune, Ravenstonedale, Westmoreland
Kantara was a Hospital Centre
Archibald Selwyn PRYOR
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 26457
He died on active service on 3 August 1944. He was 41
He was the son of and Margaret and the late Selwyn Pryor and the husband of Elizabeth Gulielma Pryor of Purley, Berkshire.
He is buried in grave I C 8 St. Charles De Percy War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Cantab.).
His address for probate was The Rectory, Upper Broughton, Melton Mowbray
St Charles de Percy War Cemetery is the southernmost of the Normandy cemeteries. The majority of those buried
died in late July and early August 1944 in the major thrust made from Caumont l'Evente towards Vire, to drive a wedge between the German 7th Army and Panzer Group West.
Joseph Edward Gough QUINN MC
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 91404
He died on active service on 23 September 1943 in the immediate aftermath of the invasion. He was 29
He was the son of the Rev. Chancellor James Quinn, RUI, BA, and Muriel A. M. Quinn of St. Jude's Rectory, Belfast.
He is buried in grave V A 8 Salerno War Cemetery, Sicilly
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.)
Exhibitioner of Shrewsbury School and Scholar of Christ Church.
Lecturer in Honours Schools of Theology and of Modern History. Chaplain of St. Peter's Hall.
His address for Probate was 668 Ravenhill Road, Belfast
He was educated at Shrewsbury where he was an Exhibitioner and Matriculated in 1933 having won a History Scholarship to Christ
Church. He was President of Athletics and a member of Oxford University Centipedes. He graduated with a 2nd in history in 1935 and in theology in 1937. After graduating, he was a Lecturer in Theology and of Modern History at Wycliffe Hall.
Ater he was ordained in 1938, he was Chaplain of St. Peter's Hall
From April 1939, he was a Chaplain attached to the 5th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. He served with them in France, Syria and Italy.
He was awarded the Military Cross which was announced in the London Gazette on 20 December 1940
‘Rev. Quinn acted as chaplain to the Battalion throughout the operations in Belgium and France and was outstanding for the cool manner in which he tended to the wounded without a thought for his own safety. On every occasion when the Battalion occupied a defensive position he refused to go back to the transport lines but stayed in the forward area, encouraging the men and by his personal example of fearlessness inspiring all who came in contact with him. On several occasions, owing to the M.O. becoming a casualty, he took charge of the R.A.P. He was badly wounded on 28 May, while tending the injured. He showed a fine example of coolness and courage.’
He was killed at Salerno
See http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/cathedral/memorials/WW2/joseph-quinn
Peter RAWSTHORNE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Army no. 99438
He died on active service on 14 December 1941. He was 28
He was the son of Felix Rawsthorne LDS, and Ethel Rawsthorne.
He is remembered on column 95 of the Singapore Memorial
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.).
He was killed south of Alor Star at Gurun, Malaya in close quarter fighting when his unit was over-run
Edward Richard RICHARDSON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to HQ
Squadron, 9th Armoured Brigade, Royal Armoured Corps. Army no. 133105
He died on active service on 19 April 1945 in the hard fought final stages of the
campaign. He was 38
He was the son of Edward Richard and Margaret Mary Richardson
He is buried in grave IV B 22 Argenta Gap War Cemetery, Italy
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 58 St Martins Road, Blackpool
Leslie Philip RICHES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 101549
He died on 1 June 1940 in the retreat to Dunkirk. He was 30
He was the son of Philip and Rose Riches and the husband of Dorothy E F Riches of Banstead
He is remembered on column 131 of the Dunkirk Memorial
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 39 Sandersfield Road, Banstead
Cedric Brian RICKARD
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 125312
He died on active service on 5 September 1944. He was 38
He was the son of Thomas George and Mabel Alice Rickard
He is buried in grave VI G 2 Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy
Additional Information
BA (Oxon.).
His address for Probate was 39 Nacton Road, Ipswich
John Harold SHORT
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion,
Leicestershire Regiment. Army no. 139505
He died on 25 October 1943. He was 35
He was the son of Ernest P and Lilian Short of Burgess Hill, Sussex
He is buried in grave 4 E 45 Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
Additional Information
The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by Commonwealth, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project driven by the need for improved communications to support the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians also died in the course of the project, chiefly forced labour brought from Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, or conscripted in Siam (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar).
Two labour forces, one based in Siam and the other in Burma worked from opposite ends of the line towards the centre. The Japanese aimed at completing the railway in 14 months and work began in October 1942. The line, 424 kilometres long, was
completed by ecember 1943.
The graves of those who died during the construction and maintenance of the Burma-Siam railway (except for the Americans, whose remains were repatriated) were transferred from camp burial grounds and isolated sites along the railway into three cemeteries at Chungkai and Kanchanaburi in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar.
Thanbyuzayat became a prisoner of war administration headquarters and base camp in September 1942 and in January 1943 a base hospital was organised for the sick. The camp was close to a railway marshalling yard and workshops, and heavy casualties were sustained among the prisoners during Allied bombing raids in March and June 1943. The camp was then evacuated and the prisoners, including the sick, were marched to camps further along the line where camp hospitals were set up. For some time, however, Thanbyuzayat continued to be used as a reception centre for the groups of prisoners arriving at frequent intervals to reinforce the parties working on the line up to the Burma-Siam border.
Thomas Christopher John SINTON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Army no. 91501
He died on 23 October 1943 which was the first day of the second Battle of El Alamein when Allied Forces recaptured the town. He was 37
He was the son of the Rev Thomas Sinton DD and Catherine Sinton.
He is buried in grave 12 C 14 El Alia Cemetery, Algeria
Additional Information
MA (Edin.).
His address for Probate was Tower Manse, Stanley and of Arrochar Blair, Atholl
He was the Minister for Tower Church, Stanley
Harry SMITH
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 95864
He died on active service on 15 August 1944. He was 37
He was the son of Leonard and Cicely Smith of Littleover, Derby
He is buried in grave I A 12 Brouay War Cemetery, Calvados
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 13 Cavendish Vale, Nottingham
He died just as the Allied Forces were gaining control of Normandy
Henry SMITH
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. Army no. 135499
He died on active service on 15 February 1942. He was 29
He was the son of Thomas and Jeanie Angus McPherson Smith and the husband of Muriel Burnett Smith of Dumfries.
He is buried in coll. grave 26 A 1-4 Kranji War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA
I believe that he was a PoW of the Japanese Army held in Changi Jail. I would welcome comment on this
Henry Jefferys Leigh TAYLOR MiD MC
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 29th Armoured Brigade, 11th Armoured Division. Army no. 188501
He was killed on active service by mortar fire on 23 September 1944. He was 31
He was the son of Russell Leigh and May Taylor of Clifton on Teme, Worcestershire.
He is buried in grave V B 7 Mierlo War Cemetery, Netherlands
Additional Information
University College. BA (Oxon)
His address for Probate was Clifton Lodge, Clifton on Terne
At the time of his death he was trying to rescue some Dutch children
James Shepherd TAYLOR
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment). Army no. 95734
He died on on active service on 30 June 1944 soon after the D Day landings. He was 43
He was the son of Peter Chalmers and Helen Chalmers Taylor and the husband of Evelyn Ramsay Taylor of Glasgow.
He is buried in grave II D 1 St. Manvieu War Cemetery, Cheux, Normandy
Additional Information
MA Glasgow. Church of Scotland.
He features on the War Memorial at the Kelvin Stephenson Memorial Church, Glasgow see:
http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=6680
David Daniel THOMAS
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 305657
He died on active service on 11 July 1944 soon after the D Day landings. He was 32
He was the son of Samuel and Anna Maria Thomas and the husband of Esther Thomas of Pen-Y-Graig, Glamorgan.
He is buried in grave XXI E 19 Bayeux War Cemetery, Normandy
Additional Information
BA Hons. (Wales).
Henry Thurlow WAGG MiD
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 11th Armoured Division. Army no. 294758
He died on active service on 19 July 1944 after the Normandy Landings. He was 35
He was the son of James Henry and Eva Wagg and the husband of Kathleen Wagg of North Lancing, Sussex
He is buried in grave 3 C 9 Hermanville War Cemetery, Normandy
Additional Information
He also appears on the North Lancing War Memorial
Charles Cameron WALLACE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 6th Battalion, Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment). Army no. 127276
He died on active service on 27 July 1943. He was 36
He was the son of Alfred and Dorothy Wallace and the husband of H Mary Wallace of Chesham.
He is buried in grave IV J 7 Catania War Cemetery, Sicily
Additional Information
UB
His address for Probate was Uplands, Lowndes Avenue, Chesham and his name is included on Chesham War Memorial
He died at the time when the Allied forces had established their foothold in Sicily
Harold WATSON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 7th Battalion, Border Regiment. Army no. 38843
He died on war service on 12 November 1941. He was 32
He was the son of Dacre and Mary E Watson of St Bees and the husband of Doris H Watson of St Bees.
He is buried in grave 58 in the Churchyard of the Priory Church of Saint Mary And St Bega, St. Bees, Cumberland
Additional Information
He died as the result of an accident in the south of England
His address for Probate was 413 Whalley Road, Clayton Moors Accrington
Ralph Henry WHITROW TD
Chaplain 2nd Class to the Brigade of Guards and Deputy Assistant Chaplain General, London District. Army no. 40452
He died on war service on 18 June 1944 in London when a flying bomb hit the Guards Chapel. He was officiating, although the Bishop of Maidstone was leading the service. He was 47
He was the son of Benjamin and Mary Whitrow and the husband of Brenda Muriel Whitrow of Winchester.
He is buried in square 27 grave 3693 West Hill Old Cemetery, Winchester
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.)
Hon. Minor Canon of Winchester Cathedral.
His address for Probate was Weeke Rectory, Winchester
He had served in France in the Royal Field Artillery in WW1
My thanks to Jan Gore who has so carefully researched this event.
Derrick Lovell WILLIAMS
Chaplain 4th Class attached to No. 45 Commando, Royal Marines. Army no. 297476
He died on 5 June 1944. He was 30
He was the son of Hal and Cecil Margaret Williams of Hampstead and the husband of Rosalind Anne Williams of Sheen.
He is buried in sec M 12 grave 79 Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton
Additional Information
MA (Cantab.).
His address for Probate was 42 Temple Sheen Road, Surrey
prepared by David Youngson
BAILEY,Thomas William.
BALAAM, Cyril George.
BANTING, Gareth Bernard.
BARCLAY, Thomas.
BARRATT, Harold Norman.
BARRY, Gerard.
BARTLEET, John Charles.
BARTON. John Godfrey MC.
BATEMAN, Gordon Hinton.
BATTYE, Harry.
BENSON,Bernard Joseph.
BERNARD, Geoffrey.
BERRY, Walter Henry Arthur.
BINGHAM, Cecil Henry.
BOND, Geoffrey.
BORNSTEIN,Harry.
BOUTWOOD, Frederick Sadler.
BOYLE, Andrew.
BROWN, Holman.
BUSH, William George.
CAPE, Robert Edward.
CARNEGIE, Cameron Dundas.
CHALK, Richard Cradocke.
CHAMBERS, Gilbert John Marion
CLARKE, Vernon Callard.
COPLAND, William Robert.
COSTELLO, Bernard.
CURRAN, James Gerard.
DALGLEISH, John Dixon.
DAVIES, John Talfryn.
DEAN, John Oswald.
DODGE, Ernest J.
DOUGLAS, James.
ELLIOTT, Derek. Balfour MC.
ELLIS, Cecil Robert William.
EMSLIE, Douglas MM.
FERGUSON, Oswald Kenneth.
FIRTH, Peter Francis.
FUNNELL, Ernest William.
GEORGE, Edward Thomas.
GILGUNN, William Gerard.
GLENNIE, John Douglas.
GORDON, ARTHUR Currie.
HAIGH, John Foster.
HALL, Joseph F. Starforth.
HAWKSWORTH, Cecil James.
HAYES, John.
HIRST, Joseph.
HOBLING, Joseph Charles.
HOBSON MATTHEWS, Geoffrey Gervase.
HOOKER, Solly.
HORDERN, Philip Stapleton.
HOURIGAN, David Francis.
IRWIN, Henry James.
JONES, Harold Samuel.
KAY, George Alexander.
KENNY, James William.
KIDMAN, Herbert.
KNOWLES, Jonathan Maynard.
LEVIS, George Alexander.
MACALULAY, Ian.
MACDOUGALL, John.
MCLEMAN, Alastair.
MCMAHON, Patrick Joseph.
MACPHERSON, Robert.
MARCHANT, William Gladstone.
MARTIN, Francis.
MILLS, William Gilchrist.
MINTON SENHOUSE, Cyril.
MOREIN, Wolf.
MORRIS, Ivor Joseph.
MORT, Richard.
MUSGRAVE, Francis William.
NESBITT, Gerard.
NEWSON, John Arthur.
O’CALLAGHAN, James.
OGILVY, Walter Tulliedph.
PARKES, Roland Charles Illingworth.
PARRY, George Edward Maule.
PODMORE, Reginald Thompson.
PRICE, John Hooper.
PRYOR, Archibald Selwyn.
QUINN, Joseph Edward Gough.
RAWSTHORNE, Peter.
RICHARDSON, Edward Richard.
RICHES, Leslie Philip.
RICKARD, Cedric Brian.
SHORT, John Harold.
SINTON, Thomas Christopher J.
SMITH, Harry.
SMITH, Henry.
TAYLOR, Henry Jefferys Leigh MC.
TAYLOR, James Shepherd.
THOMAS, David Daniel.
WAGG, Henry Thurlow.
WALLACE, Charles Cameron.
WATSON, Harold.
WHITROW, Ralph Henry TD.
WILLIAMS, Arthur Wellesley P.
WILLIAMS, Derrick Lovell.
Army Chaplains who died in WW2
Michael Allbrook
Thomas William BAILEY
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to the Royal Artillery. Army no. 161017
He died on active service on 28 March 1944. He was 37.
He was the son of William H and Mary Alice Bailey and the husband of Nesta Bailey of Hatch End, Middlesex
He is buried in grave XV B 31 Sangro River War Cemetery.
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 345 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End
Cyril George BALAAM
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to 5th Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment. Army no. 238530
He died on active service on 4 January 1944. He was 33
He was the son of John James and Sarah Edith Balaam and the husband of Grace Lilian Balaam
He is buried in grave II K 16 Minturno War Cemetery
Additional Information
M Th
His address for Probate was 30 Champion Road, Upminster
Gareth Bernard BANTING
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to No. 2 Commando. Army no. 159706
He died of his wounds on 10 October 1944. He was 32
He was the son of the Revd Edgar Banting and Charlotte Emily Banting, Plumtree Rectory, Nottingham
He is buried in Tirana Park Memorial Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Cantab)
His address for Probate was The Rectory, Plumtree
Quote from the No. 2 Commando War Diary dated 10 October 1944 at Sarande: " Revd. Banting takes party from 3 Tp. to bury Capt. Parsons, Lieut. Coyle, Gnr. Clarke, and Pte. Lyons. After burial he moved fwd. to bury German dead in the same posn., but is blown up on a mine. Stretcher party finds he has died of wounds - carried back to Sarande by M.O. before nightfall. Stretcher party moving down hillside encounter mines - 3 men badly wounded. Parties brought down to Sarande in pouring rain."
Rev Banting was buried the next day at 3pm
For a photo see:
http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/In+Remembrance/Padre+Gareth+Banting+-+No_2+Commando.jpg.html
He is also remembered on the Plumtree Memorial
See: http://www.plumtreeparishcouncil.org.uk/revd-gareth-banting.asp
Thomas BARCLAY
Chaplain 4th Class, Army no. 127097
He died on active service 21 June 1940. He was 45
He was the son of Thomas and Mary Barclay of Glasgow and the husband of Isabella Allan Barclay of Cathcart, Glasgow
He is buried in grave 44 Kilmun Cemetery, Argyllshire
Additional Information
MA (Glasgow). Church of Scotland.
His appointment as a Chaplain was announced in the London Gazette on 4 June 1940. Military records indicate that he had been involved in the Campaign in France which ended at Dunkirk.
His address for Probate was St Andrew’s Manse, Sandbank, Argyllshire.
Harold Norman BARRATT
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no 87272
He died on 4 February 1943. He was 34
He was the son of Frederick Samuel and Brunton Barr Barratt and the husband of Katharine Mary Barratt of Edinburgh
He is buried in grave 4 B 24 Tabarka Ras Rajel War Cemetery, Tunisia
Additional Information
BA (Leeds)
His appointment as Chaplain appeared in the London Gazette on 23 May 1939 effective from 24 May 1939
Gerard BARRY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 8th Battalion, Royal Scots Army no 244139
He died on 14 September 1944. He was 33
He was the son of John and Bridget Barry, of Liverpool
He is buried in grave IIA25 Geel War Cemetery, Belgium
Additional information
From the Catholic Herald 29 September 1945
Pioneer of the Young Christian Workers' organisation in the great new housing area of Huyton, Fr. Gerard Barry was also well-known in Scouting circles as Scoutmaster of the St. Aloysius Troop —now to be named "Fr. Barry Own," by direction of the Scout Commissioner. A Solemn Requiem Mass, with military honours, was offered in the church of St. Aloysius, Roby, on Wednesday,
by Fr. Thomas Barry, the brother of Fr. Gerard. British and American troops mounted guard.
The panegyric was preached by Fr Cyril Taylor, and the service concluded with the sounding of the Last Post. A memorial to Fr. Gerard Barry will be erected, taking the form of shrine to St. Aloysius, patron of youth
John Charles BARTLEET
Chaplain 4th Class Army no 101735
He died whilst on active service in a road traffic accident in the Middle East on 17 July 1942. He was 39
He was the son of the Revd Edwin B Bartleet and Sophie Bartleet, Meole Brace, Shrewsbury and the husband of Alice Elizabeth Bartleet, SRN, SCM, QN, of Tettenhall, Shropshire
He is buried in grave C A 6 Gaza War Cemetery, Israel
Additional Information
He attended Oakham 1917-1920.
John Bartleet achieved a 2nd in Theology at Oxford, was ordained in 1927 and appointed Vicar of Meole Brace in 1931.
Gaza, where he died, was a major Hospital base at the time
He gave his address for Probate as Catterick Camp
John Godfrey BARTON MC
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no 144935
He died on active service on 25 September 1944. He was 33
He was the son of the Revd Charles Godfrey Barton, MA, and Edith Muriel Barton of Rottingdean, Sussex
He is buried in grave XVII H 3 Coriano Ridge War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was St Germans Clergy House, Roath
Gordon Hinton BATEMAN
Chaplain 1st Class
He died from pleurisy whilst on active service on 25 April 1942. He was 52
He was the son of Hinton E Bateman MD and Emily Bateman of York and the husband of Marjorie B Bateman
He is buried in grave 6 E 7 Ismailia War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
Additional Information
MA (Oxon)
His address for Probate was Garden Cottage, Seabrook Road, Hythe
Harry BATTYE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no 131300
He died on 20 July 1945. He was 51
He was the son of Henry and Sophia Battye and the husband of Helen Battye of Thundridge
He is buried in the SE corner of St Mary’s Churchyard, Thundridge, Hertfordshire
Additional Information
MA, Hons (Cantab) Trinity Hall
His death is registered in Leeds so he had probably been released from the Army as a result of his health
Bernard Joseph BENSON
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to HQ 1st Airlanding Brigade. Army no. 205968
He died of his wounds on 27 September 1944. He was 30
He was the son of Henry and Bridget Benson of Shipley, Yorkshire.
He is buried in grave 4 B 10 Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery
Additional Information
He was attached to the Medical HQ taking part in the Battle of Arnhem, during Operation Market Garden. He was seriously wounded whilst on duty at the Hospital when it was shelled by German forces, his arm was almost severed and was amputated. Visit http://www.paradata.org.uk/people/rev-bernard-joseph-benson for more There is also more information and a photo are to be found on: http://www.warcemeteries.nl/Benson.html
His address for Probate was 68 Wrose Road, Shipley
Geoffrey BERNARD
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 248379
He died on active service on 11 October 1944. He was 34
He was the son of Dr Claude Bernard, MRCS, LRCP, and Florie B Bernard and the husband of Rose M Bernard of Salisbury.
He is buried in grave IV B 15 Florence War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA (Bristol).
His address for Probate was 465 Fishponds Road, Bristol
Walter Henry Arthur BERRY MiD
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 291270
He died on 27 July 1944. He was 40
He was the son of Walter Joseph and Mary Selena Eleanor Berry and the husband of Kathleen Berry of Keston, Kent.
He is buried in grave III C15 Ranville War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Cantab.)
Obituary from Bromley and West Kent Mercury, 1 September 1944
Died in Normandy. The Rev. Walter Berry.
The death has occurred in Normandy of the Rev. Walter Berry, Chaplain to the Forces, only son of Mr and the late Mrs Berry of Brabourne, Oakwood Road, Crofton. Mr Berry was an MA of Caius College, Cambridge, and before taking his Holy Orders was for a number of years, engaged in business in the City. His ambition was always the church and in 1938 he entered King’s College, London, where he studied divinity for a year. His first appointment was a curacy at Bexleyheath. A year and a half later he was appointed Vicar of Horton Kirby. He left his parish about a year ago to take up the duties of a chaplain, and was only 43 when he met his death.
His address for Probate was The Vicarage, Horton Kirby
Cecil Henry BINGHAM
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 241309
He died on active service on 31 August 1944 as the Allied Armies were fighting their way north through Italy. He was 34
He was the son of John Henry and Elizabeth Bingham, of Newry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.
He is buried in grave II E 17 Montecchio War Cemetery
Additional Information
M.A. (Trinity College, Dublin).
His address for Probate was Holloway, Pershore, Worcestershire
Geoffrey BOND
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 95796
He died on active service on 21 March 1941. He was 30
He was the son of Eleanor and the late Lieutenant Bernard Bond, of The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and
Derbyshire Regiment) who had been killed in action in France in 1916, and the husband of Patricia Rosemary Bond, Knott Park, Oxshott.
He is buried in grave 7 G 1 Benghazi War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA(Cantab.). His
address for Probate was Little Paddock, Witley, Godalming
Harry BORNSTEIN
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 202626
He died on active Service on 28 November 1943.
He was the husband of Miriam Bornstein of East Finchley.
He is buried in grave 6 A 9 Tripoli War Cemetery
Additional Information
At this time Tripoli was the site of no. 89 General Hospital
His address for Probate was 24 Brim Hill, Finchley
Frederick Sadler BOUTWOOD
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 135547
He died on 10 July 1941 at the Victoria Hospital, Friary Road, Lichfield. He was 33
He was the son of Robert Frederick and Alice Maude Boutwood of Hastings.
He is remembered in Kent County Crematorium, Charing
Additional Information
Frederick was a member of The Guild of All Souls which is an Anglican devotional society dedicated to prayer for faithful departed
Christians.
His address for Probate was Priory Mount, Holmesdale Gardens, Hastings
Andrew BOYLE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 108069
He died on 28 November 1940. He was 47
He was the son of James and Mary Boyle.
He is buried in sec 15 grave 7 Farnborough Cemetery
Additional Information
DD
Holman BROWN
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 43595
He died on 7 November 1943 at the Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot. He was 58
He was the son of John James and Faith Holman Brown and the husband of Muriel Caldicot Brown of Rottingdean, Sussex.
He is remembered on panel 1 St John's Crematorium, Woking
Additional Information
He was Mentioned in Despatches in WW1
His address for Probate was Hindhead View, Holt Pound, Hampshire
His death is registered in the Civil records which suggests that he had left the Army probably through poor health
William George BUSH
Chaplain 4th Class attached to the Royal Artillery. Army no. 90410
He died on active service on 19 June 1941. He was 38
He was the son of Harry Cunningham and Alice Maud Bush and the husband of Louisa Maud Bush of Darwen, Lancashire
He is buried in Coll. grave 2 H 1-5 Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 101 St Albans Road, Darwen
Robert Edward CAPE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 260316
He died on active service in Normandy shortly after the Allied Invasion on 25 June 1944. He was 30
He was the son of Herbert Taylor and Alice Mildred Thorp Cape and the husband of Catherine Buchanan Bowie Cape of Glasgow
He is buried in grave III F 26 Ranville War Cemetery
Additional Information
M.A. (Glasgow).
Cameron Dundas CARNEGIE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 301343
He died on active service on 16 July 1944. He was 27
He was the son of John Clarke Carnegie and Mary Denoon Carnegie, of Edinburgh.
He is buried in grave VI. L. 1. La Delivrande War Cemetery, Douvres
Additional Information
MA.
Extract from George Watson's College website see:
http://www.gwc.org.uk/our-school/history-of-george-watsons-college/watsons-war-records/?surname=&conflict=WW2®iment=&cemetery=&page=3
Cameron D. Carnegie, Chaplain to the Forces, son of the late Mr. John C. Carnegie and Mrs. Carnegie, 135 Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, attended Watson's from 1927 to 1934. After graduating M.A. at Edinburgh University in 1939, he studied at New
College, and acted as student-assistant in St. George's Parish Church, where he later became Assistant. On the outbreak of war he was eager to enlist as a combatant, but was persuaded to finish his Divinity course with a view to a Chaplaincy. He was accidentally killed on active service in Normandy in July 1944.
Richard Cradocke CHALK
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 18th Battalion, Reconnaissance Corps. Army no. 139815
He died in Changi PoW Camp on 21 March 1942 from his wounds which were received when he was attending wounded comrades. He was 41
He was the son of Thomas Cradocke and Annie Maria Chalk of Akeley, Buckinghamshire.
He is buried in grave 8 A 19 Kranji War Cemetery
Additional Information
He was Rector of Wilden and Vicar of Ravensden, Beds,
Gilbert John Marion CHAMBERS
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 35 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Army no. 171381
He died in Changi PoW Camp on 13 July 1945. He was 45
He was the son of John Moginie Chambers and Elsie Gertrude Chambers and the husband of Kathleen Chambers of Nursling, Hampshire
He is buried in grave 14 B 14 Kranji War Cemetery
Additional Information
The book, The Changi Murals by Wally Hammond, states that he had been a vicar near Romsey near Southampton before the
war and his daughter had his diary
Colin George CLARKE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 313431
He died on 8 June 1946. He was 36
He was the son of Percy and Emily Elizabeth Clarke and the husband of Gertrude Lena Clarke
He is buried in plot 4 row J grave 4 Yaba Cemetery, Nigeria
Additional information
His address for Probate was 87 Malfant Street, Cardiff
Vernon Callard CLARKE MiD
Chaplain 3rd Class, Army no. 125659
He died on 22 September 1942. He was 28
He was the son of Bernard Callard and Elsie May Clarke of Llanbedr, Conway, Caernarvonshire.
He is buried in grave 2 B 22 Heliopolis War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA, BD (Glasgow).
His address for Probate was Moncrieff Church of Scotland Manse, East Kilbride
William Robert COPLAND
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 94093
He died on active service on 16 September 1942. He was 31
He was the son of John and Mary Copland and the husband of Agnes Mitchell Copland, of Gourock, Renfrewshire.
He is remembered on panel 15 column 2 of the Brookwood Memorial
Additional Information
He is remembered also on the memorial in Old West Kirk in Greenock
The Brookwood Memorial commemorates nearly 3,500 men and women of the land forces of the Commonwealth who died during WW2 and have no known grave, the circumstances of their death being such that they could not appropriately be commemorated on any of the campaign memorials in the various theatres of war. They died in the campaign in Norway in 1940, or in the
various raids on enemy occupied territory in Europe such as Dieppe and St Nazaire. Others were special agents who died as prisoners or while working with Allied underground movements. Some died at sea, in hospital ships and troop transports, in waters not associated with the major campaigns, and a few were killed in flying accidents or in aerial combat.
I have not discovered the circumstances of his death
Bernard COSTELLO
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 254173
He died on active service on 5 April 1946
He is buried in grave 3 F 19 Munster Heath War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was St Giles Rectory, Kingston upon Hull
A Roman Catholic Chaplain
James Gerard CURRAN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 211517
He died on 4 May 1944
He is buried in the Community Plot of the Holy Ghost Fathers, Dean's Grange Cemetery, Co Dublin
Additional Information
A Roman Catholic Chaplain who died in Ireland
John Dixon DALGLEISH
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 69274
He died on active service on 18 September 1943. He was 33
He was the son of James and Charlotte Thomson Dalgleish and the husband of Kathleen Mary Dalgleish of Wolverhampton.
He is remembered on panel 15, column 2 of the Brookwood Memorial
Additional Information
MA.
The Brookwood Memorial commemorates nearly 3,500 men and women of the land forces of the Commonwealth who died during WW2 and have no known grave, the circumstances of their death being such that they could not appropriately be commemorated on any of the campaign memorials in the various theatres of war. They died in the campaign in Norway in 1940, or in the various raids on enemy occupied territory in Europe such as Dieppe and St Nazaire. Others were special agents who died as prisoners
or while working with Allied underground movements. Some died at sea, in hospital ships and troop transports, in waters not associated with the major campaigns, and a few were killed in flying accidents or in aerial combat.
I have not discovered the circumstances of his death
Reginald Vincent DAVIES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 306291
He died on active service in Occupied Germany on 19 November 1947. He was 33
He was the son of Alfred and Margaret Davies and the husband of Thelma Davies of St. John's Wood.
He is buried in grave 13 D 18 Hanover War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA
John Talfryn DAVIES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 270524
He died on active service on 11 August 1944 when the armies were struggling to close the Falaise Gap. He was 38
He was the son of Daniel and Sarah Davies of Brynhyfryd, Swansea and the husband of Phyllis Elizabeth Davies of Brynhyfryd.
He is buried in grave VI E 7 Tilly sur Seulles War Cemetery in Normandy
Additional Information
BA, BD.
His address for Probate was Cartref Clyd, Penvillia Road, Swansea
John Oswald DEAN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 52744
He died on 16 April 1942. He was 35
He was the son of William Henry and Amelia Dean and the husband of Ena Dorothea Jane Dean of Tewkesbury
He is buried in grave 7 A 3 Kranji War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA Lampeter.
He was born on 30 October 1906 in Caerleon, Monmouthshire according to his family history site. He became a Prisoner of War with the fall of Singapore in February 1941 and held in Changi Jail until his death
Ernest John DODGE
Chaplain 3rd Class Army no. 56922
He died on active service on 23 June 1941. He was 38
He was the son of Henry and Emma Dodge and the husband of Ida Dodge of Sheffield.
He is buried in grave 19 F 3 Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Maison Bonninci, rue Mohamed Ali Ismali, Egypt
James DOUGLAS MiD
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 5th Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment. Army no. 244123
He died on active service on 5 August 1944. He was 34.
He was the son of John and Kathleen Douglas and the husband of Annie Hildegarde Douglas of Dunmurry, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
He is buried in grave VII C 3 Tilly-Sur-Seulles War Cemetery
Additional Information
Extract from the Douglas Archives http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/james_douglas24.htm#.UjbghsakrCc
In 1942 a former curate, of Magheralin Parish, the James Douglas, joined the Forces as a Padre. Sadly, he was killed in the Normandy landings in 1944, and was later mentioned in dispatches, having been in the front line with his men.
Mr. Douglas was appointed curate of Magheralin in August 1933 and remained there for five years before moving to Colebrook as Rector in February, 1938 and later joining the army as a padre. The resilient and complete faith in God which had characterised Mr. Douglas' ministry in Magheralin was the gift he took with him to the field of battle. That he was able to share God's saving
grace with so many young men, and urge them to place their trust in God was indeed a special calling for Mr. Douglas. He felt honoured that God had called him to do this business and he answered that call faithfully to the end. A Padre leading his men in prayer in the fleeting minutes before battle is a sobering moment.
The Rev. James Douglas was born in Waterford and educated in Wesley College and Trinity College, Dublin. When he first came to Magheralin, he lodged at first in the `Wilderness' with the Gilpin family. Later in 1935 he married and moved to the curate's house at 19 Avenue Road.
Derek Balfour ELLIOTT MC
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 76530
He died on active service on 1 February 1943. He was 30
He was the son of John Wilson and Isabel Penman Elliott of Paisley, Renfrewshire.
He is buried in grave I E 13 Milan War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.).
Cecil Robert William ELLIS
Chaplain 4th Class, attached to 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Army no. 144121
He was killed on active service on 5 January 1944 in the fighting around Monte Cassino. He was 32
He was the son of the Rev Canon Cecil Charles Ellis MA and Margaret Ellis of Didsbury Rectory, Manchester.
He is buried in grave VII F 17 Cassino War Cemetery
Additional Information
AKC.
His address for Probate was the Rectory, Didsbury
From the Kings College website: http://kingscollections.org/warmemorials/kings-college/memorials/ellis-rev.-cecil-robert-william
He was killed in action on the Italian front. He had been ordained in 1934 and had been senior curate at Ellesmere Port since 1936.
He was educated in West Didsbury, at Giggleswick and at King’s College, London.
Evening Chronicle, 11 Jan, 1944,
Douglas EMSLIE MM MiD
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 111056
He died on 12 June 1940 as Dunkirk was evacuated. He was 41
He was the son of the Rev William and Jessie Douglas Emslie and the husband of Anna Emslie of Crieff, Perthshire
He is buried in grave 33 St. Valery-En-Caux Franco-British Cemetery
Additional Information
The website: http://www.scotsatwar.org.uk/rohprints/e.htm
tells us that he was awarded the Military Medal in WW1 and killed on active service at St. Valery-En-Caux France on 12 June 1940. This was shortly before the 51st Highland Division surrendered after attempts to evacuate them from the beaches failed.
Douglas Emslie has a unique claim in Scottish history as he was the first person to stand in any Scottish election as a Scottish
Nationalist. The election took place in the old Montrose Burghs seat and Douglas made his Party H.Q. at Arbroath Railway Station since the porter there was the first person he met as he got off the train from Aberdeen. Thankfully the porter was also a nationalist and offered the use of the British Rail Waiting Room to Douglas.
The city of Inverness in Scotland is twinned with St. Valery-En-Caux given their historical past. There is a memorial plaque to him:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Derek+Balfour+ELLIOTT&rlz=1C1CHVO_enGB525GB525&oq=Derek+Balfour+ELLIOTT&aqs=chrome..69i57.2995j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=rev+Douglas+EMSLIE+
It is now in Crieff Parish Church, but it was originally inside The West Church, Crieff, where he was minister
Oswald Kenneth FERGUSON
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 100139
He was killed on active service on 2 February 1944 in an accident. He was 44
He was the son of Alistair and Gertrude Ferguson and the husband of Leslie Margaret Ferguson, OBE.
He is buried in grave 4 B 3 Heliopolis War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA
His address for Probate was the Vicarage, Chetwode, Buckinghamshire and he was Vicar of Barton Hartshorn with Chetwode
He had served in WW1 and with the BEF in Northern France when he was evacuated at the time of Dunkirk
Peter Francis FIRTH
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 257744
He was killed on active service on 7 June 1944 on D Day plus 1 in Normandy. He was 33
He was the son of Ernest Cecil C and Agnes St. J Firth of Scorton, Lancashire.
He is buried in grave 1 J 15 Hermanville War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.), Croix de Guerre (France).
His address for Probate was the Priory Scorton, near Preston and the death announcement refers to Father Firth
Ernest William FUNNELL
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 91362
He died on 30 March 1942. He was 35
He was the son of Ernest David and Fanny Matilda Funnell and the husband of Elvina Funnell of Tonbridge, Kent
He is remembered on face 18 of the Rangoon Memorial
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Ashleigh Goxhill, Barrow on Humber
He was a Wesleyan Minister
Albert Edward FARRUGIA BUGEJA
Chaplain 4th Class attached to Royal Malta Artillery. Army no. 195079
He died on 13 May 1941.
He is buried in grave div. west sec a compt h grave 12. Addolorata Cemetery, Malta
Additional Information
The London Gazette refers to the Right Reverend
Edward Thomas GEORGE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 22nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Army no. 178165
He died between 21 and 22 June 1941. He was 46
He was the son of John and Hannah George and the husband of Helen Mary George of Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent.
He is buried in row K, grave 3 St. Mary Church Cemetery, Tenby
Additional Information
He was appointed Chaplain (UB) on 17 April 1941
He was educated at University College, Cardiff and Memorial College, Brecon and served in the Royal Air Force in WW1
He died in June 1941, shortly after the Dunkirk evacuation.
Whilst he is buried at Tenby, he is not commemorated there nor is any explanation of his death apparent.
William Gerard GILGUNN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 216113
He died on 11 December 1942.
He is remembered on Screen Wall, panel 1 Glasnevin or Prospect Cemetery, County Dublin and he is buried in the south sec grave
6A11-115A/1 there
Additional Information
Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian) Irish Province
Community PQRST
John Douglas GLENNIE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 34719
He died on 30 September 1940. He was 43
He was the son of Charles E and Elizabeth J Glennie and the husband of Margaret Murison Glennie of West Linton, Peeblesshire.
He is buried in Compt. H Grave 8 Mars Walk Cemetery, Stirling
Additional Information
MA, BD
His address for Probate was The Manse, Kirkpatrick Durham
Arthur Currie GORDON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Army no. 91866
He on active service on 8 June 1940 when the Black Watch were part of the Highland Division forming the defensive perimeter around Le Havre to enable the evacuation to be maximised. He was 36
He was the son of the Rev William Gordon BD and Alison Gordon and the husband of Agnes Doreen Gordon of Drainie Manse, Morayshire.
He is buried in grave 3 Blangy sur Bresle Communal Cemetery
Additional Information
MA, BD (Edin).
From The Glasgow Herald 19 June 1940
"Killed in action with the British Expeditionary Force, in June, 1940, Rev. Arthur Currie Gordon B.D., Chaplain to the Forces, and minister of the parish of Foveran, Aberdeenshire, husband of Agnes Doreen Mathers."
His name is also on the Foveran Memorial
Probate records give the date of death as 6 or 7 June and the UK Army Roll of Honour gives 6 June
John Foster HAIGH
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 133404
He died on 23 September 1943 when he was a PoW of the Japanese Army. He was 42
He was the son of George William Haigh and of Emmeline Haigh and the husband of Annie Haigh of Luddenden, Yorkshire
He is buried in grave B3 J 10 Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery
Additional Information
The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by Commonwealth, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project
driven by the need for improved communications to support the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians also died in the course of the project, chiefly forced labour brought from Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, or conscripted in Siam (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar).
Two labour forces, one based in Siam and the other in Burma worked from opposite ends of the line towards the centre. The Japanese aimed at completing the railway in 14 months and work began in October 1942. The line, 424 kilometres long, was completed by ecember 1943.
The graves of those who died during the construction and maintenance of the Burma-Siam railway (except for the Americans, whose remains were repatriated) were transferred from camp burial grounds and isolated sites along the railway into three cemeteries at Chungkai and Kanchanaburi in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar.
Thanbyuzayat became a prisoner of war administration headquarters and base camp in September 1942 and in January 1943 a base hospital was organised for the sick. The camp was close to a railway marshalling yard and workshops, and heavy casualties were sustained among the prisoners during Allied bombing raids in March and June 1943. The camp was then evacuated and the
prisoners, including the sick, were marched to camps further along the line where camp hospitals were set up. For some time, however, Thanbyuzayat continued to be used as a reception centre for the groups of prisoners arriving at frequent intervals to reinforce the parties working on the line up to the Burma-Siam border.
His address for Probate was Mill House, Luddendenfoot, Halifax
Joseph Frederick Starforth HALL
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 43114
He died on 6 September 1941 at the Royal Masonic Hospital, Hammersmith. He was 49
He was the son of Richard and Hannah Jane Hall and the husband of Dora Tudor Hall of Frampton Mansell, Gloucestershire.
He is remembered on panel 2, St. John's Crematorium Woking
Additional Information
His address for Probate was St Thomas Rectory, 80 Maryon Road, Charlton, London
He had served as a Lieutenant in WW1
Cecil James HAWKSWORTH MiD
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 90874
He died from his injuries following a motor bike accident on 7 July 1944 in 149 Field Ambulance Station. He was 35
He was the husband of Diana Hawksworth of Kingsclere, Hampshire.
He is buried in row B 2 Jerusalem War Cemetery, Chouain, France
Additional Information
AKC
He had also served in the Italian Campaign
His address for Probate was Priors Mill Cottage, Kingsclere
He is mentioned in the book The Faithful Sixth(DLI) by Harry Moses
On the 6 July, 6th Battalion the DLI suffered a real loss with the tragic death of Padre Hawksworth, the Church of England padre. He was seriously injured whilst riding a motorcycle. He was taken to 149 Field Ambulance but later died of his injuries. He had been with the Battalion since the end of the Sicilian Campaign and his loss was felt deeply by all officers and other ranks. His funeral was held later in the 50th Divisional cemetery.
John HAYES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 199879
He died on 21 January 1945 as a PoW of the Japanese Army. He was 36
He was the son of Michael and Agnes Hayes.
He is buried in grave 7A F 24 Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma
Additional Information
Taukkyan War Cemetery is the largest of the three war cemeteries in Burma (now Myanmar). It was begun in 1951 for the
reception of graves from four battlefield cemeteries at Akyab, Mandalay, Meiktila and Sahmaw which were difficult to access and could not be maintained. The last was an original 'Chindit' cemetery containing many of those who died in the battle for Myitkyina. The graves have been grouped together at Taukkyan to preserve the individuality of these battlefield cemeteries Burials were also
transferred from civil and cantonment cemeteries, and from a number of isolated jungle and roadside sites. Because of prolonged post-war unrest, considerable delay occurred before the Army Graves Service were able to complete their work, and in the meantime many such graves had disappeared. However, when the task was resumed, several hundred more graves were retrieved from scattered positions throughout the country and brought together here.
His address for Probate was Milltown Park, Dublin
Joseph HIRST
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 263524
He died on 18 February 1946. He was 32
He was the son of James and Emily Hirst and the nephew of Catherine Walton of Skerton, Lancaster.
He is buried in grave 21 E 22 Taukkyan War Cemetery
Additional Information
We know that he was a RC Chaplain
His address for Probate was English Martyrs Church, Garstang Road, Preston
Joseph Charles HOBLING
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 53 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Army no. 95885
He died on active service on 18 December 1944. He was 36
He was the son of Joseph Charles and Clara Hobling of Kilburn.
He is buried in grave 2 B 4 Klagenfurt War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 19 Summerfield Avenue, Queens Park
He was a prisoner of the German Army, PoW Number 1118 He was in Stalag XVIII-A in Wolfsberg, Austria
It would appear that there was a Posthumous recommendation for a mention in Despatches
Geoffrey Gervase HOBSON MATTHEWS MiD
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion, The King's Shropshire Light Infantry. Army no. 96035
He died on active service in the retreat to Dunkirk on 31 May 1940. He was 36
He was the son of John and Alice Hobson Matthews.
He is buried in plot 2 row 19 grave 2 Town Cemetery, Dunkirk
Additional Information
He was a member of Order Of St Benedict (Downside)
Solly HOOKER
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 231878
He died on 12 February 1946 in Trimulgherry Hospital, Delhi. He was 31
He was the son of Joseph and Polly Hooker and the husband of Freda Hooker of Stamford Hill.
He is buried in grave 5 C 10 Madras War Cemetery, Chennai
Additional Information
BA (Lond.).
Information from: www.pinnershul.org/content/memorial-board-former-harrow-synagogue#RevSollyHooker
His Hebrew name was Shabtai Ben Yerachmiel Yonah Halevi. Bachelor of Arts. Chaplain to the Forces - born in 1915 into a family from Vilnius in Lithuania.
His parents were Yerachmiel (“Joe”) and Pesia (“Polly”) Hooke. Solly was, with his twin sister Frances, the third of their eleven children.
He studied at Jews’ College and at University College London, gaining a first class Bachelor of Arts degree in Semitics.
In 1938 he married Freda Dora Hausman. In November 1939 after a period as Student Minister at the Central Synagogue he succeeded Reverend Cohen as the Minister of the Harrow Hebrew Congregation.
In April 1942 Reverend Hooker, as many Jewish ministers, became a Chaplain to the Forces.
He was posted first to Glasgow (Jewish chaplains could not be compelled to go abroad, and married with a small daughter Ruth and with Freda expecting another child, he was hardly enthusiastic to do so). However in August 1943 the Senior Jewish Chaplain told him that three other ministers had declined for personal reasons to go abroad and asked him to consider going. Viewing this as his duty, he did so. Days after he reported in London, his second daughter Judith was born in Glasgow.
He served with the Eighth Army from August 1943 until January 1944 in Egypt and in Tunisia and Algeria, responsible as Jewish Chaplain for the whole of Tunisia and Algeria. He went to Italy with the Eighth Army, where the family has a photograph of him conducting a Passover Seder Service. In one of the letters he wrote from Italy he says:
“I am learning and I am strong and I am confident in ultimate success. Above all else I am grateful to God for all kindnesses towards us and for the progress that He has enabled us to make at what can still be regarded as the beginning of my life. God bless my darling wife and daughters, and may we soon experience the Grand Reunion, Peace and Love, where now is War and Hate.”
In August 1945 he returned home for a short period of leave and met his daughter Judith for the first time; it was her second birthday. In September he was posted to India. In India he began to show symptoms of illness and he was admitted to the British military hospital where, on 12 February 1946, at the age of 31, he died of natural causes.
He rests in the Madras War Cemetery. His tombstone commemorates Chaplain to the Forces the Rev S. Hooker B.A. Royal Army Chaplains Department. The inscription reads “He walked blamelessly, worked righteously and spoke truth in his heart”.
In March 1946 there was a memorial for him in London. Reverend Hooker’s wife Freda has passed away; his two daughters are Ruth Ketko and Judith Fainer. Ruth lives in New Zealand with her family and Judith lives in Israel with her family.
Philip Stapleton HORDERN
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 77494
He died on active service on 30 November 1942. He was 42 and born in Transvaal
He is buried in grave IV M 2 Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia
Additional information
His address for Probate was Merrington, Lavender Hill, Maybury, Woking
David Francis HOURIGAN
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Airlanding Brigade. Army no. 102157
He died on active service on 10 July 1943 in Sicily on the day that the Allied Armies invaded. He was 36 and born in Eire
He was the son of Thomas and Mary Hourigan.
He is buried in grave I E 11 Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily
Additional Information
He was a member of The Sacred Heart Fathers
Henry James IRWIN
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 11th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Army no. 270523
He died between 20 and 25 September 1944 at Arnhem in the Battle there. He was 28
He was the son of James Thomas and Sarah Ann Irwin of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
He is buried in grave 26 A 2 Oosterbeek War Cemetery Arnhem
Additional Information
BA
Harold Samuel JONES
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 104052
He died on active service on 24 April 1941. He was 39
He was the son of John and Mary Jane Jones and the husband of Lilian Louisa Jones of Haverfordwest.
He is remembered on face 8 of the Athens Memorial
Additional Information
He was Pastor of Saron Congregational Church, Tredegar
He was initially posted as missing, believed drowned. If therefore he was on a ship, it does not narrow the search as no less than 19 vessels of all types and sizes were lost on this date.
However the troopship HMS Ulster Prince would appear to be the most likely
George Alexander KAY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 8th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Army no. 150817
He died on active service 7 June 1944, D Day plus one. He was 36
He was the son of Thomas George Brierley and Fanny Kay and the husband of Janet Evelyn Lucas Kay of Watermillock, Cumberland.
He is buried in grave IA M 2 Ranville War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.). He was born in New Zealand
His address for Probate was Stone Cross, Mayfield
James William KENNY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 6th Airborne Division. Army no. 287957
He died on active service 24 March 1945 in Operation Varsity, the crossing of the Rhine. He was 32
He was the son of James William and Matilda Kenny of Blackpool.
He is buried in grave 37 D 11 Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was The Rectory, Warwick Square, Carlisle
Herbert KIDMAN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 42624
He died on 7 July 1940 at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford. He was 60
He was the son of William and Ann Kidman and the husband of Alice Gwyn Kidman of Onchan, Isle of Man.
He is remembered on the right hand column in Oxford Crematorium
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Wesley House, Haldon Avenue, Teignmouth
William Denton KIRK
Chaplain 4th Class Army no. 309209
He died on active service on 26 July 1946. He was 40
He was the son of William and Mary Kirk and the husband of Marion Kirk of Sunderland.
He is buried in grave 3A B 6 Hamburg Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 23 Co-operative Terrace, Sunderland
Jonathan Maynard KNOWLES MiD
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 95803
He died on 1 June 1940 on active service during the withdrawal to Dunkirk. He was 26
He was the son of Captain Jonathan and Viva B Knowles of Bordon.
He is buried in plot 9 row 4 grave 2 New Communal Cemetery Oostende
Additional Information
MA(Cantab.).
His address for Probate was Ashley House, Usk, Monmouthshire
George Alexander LEVIS
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Army no. 101011
He died on active service on 4 December 1943. He was 31
He was the son of Thomas B and Dorothy M Levis of Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.
He is buried in grave II K 11 Minturno War Cemetery, Italy
Additional Information
BA
Ian MACALULAY
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 121108
He died on active service on 26 October 1944. He was 28
He was the son of the Very Rev. James J. Macaulay and Margery Macaulay of Edinburgh.
He is buried in grave IV D 22 Geel War Cemetery, Belgium
Additional Information
BA Hons. (Cantab.).
John MACDOUGALL
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 279927
He died on active service on 10 August 1944. He was 33
He was the son of Daniel and Flora Macdougall and the husband of Dolly Macdougall of Durness, Sutherlandshire.
He is buried in grave IX B 20 Ranville War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Glasgow).
Alastair MCLEMAN
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 2nd Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Army no. 91868
He died on 2 June 1940. He died in Great Britain just as the troops were returning through Dunkirk. He was 28
He was the son of George Low and Edith McLeman and the husband of Margaret McLeman of Lasswade, Midlothian.
He is buried in sec F grave 1832 Innerleithen Cemetery
Additional Information
MA
Minister of Graissing Church – on his gravestone
Patrick Joseph MCMAHON
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 218709
He was killed on active service on 14 August 1944. He was 27
He is buried in Ussy Churchyard, Calvados
Additional Information
During the battle for the Falaise Gap after the Normandy Landings, he went out under fire in an ambulance to rescue a wounded Canadian soldier. On the return journey a shell hit the ambulance and he was killed.
He was born in Dundalk and ordained in 1940.
See: http://www.militarian.com/threads/rev-patrick-joseph-mcmahon-army-chaplain.5646/
Robert MACPHERSON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion, The London Scottish, Gordon Highlanders. Army no. 102573
He died on active service on 16 September 1944. He was 34
He was the son of Thomas and Nancy Macpherson and the husband of Margot Helen Macpherson of Dundee.
He is buried in grave II B 65 Gradara War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA, BD
This cemetery contains the graves of casualties incurred during the advance from Ancona to Rimini, which broke the German's heavily defended Gothic Line and, at the time he died, in the heavy fighting around Rimini
He was educated at The Glasgow Academy and is on their Memorial
William Gladstone MARCHANT
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 322808
He died on active service on 28 April 1945. He was 35
He was the son of Arthur D and Alberta E Marchant and the husband of Hildegarde Marchant of Hamilton, Victoria, Australia.
He is buried in grave 9 E 7 Madras War Cemetery, Chennai, India
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Willowdene, Church Street, Sheringham
Francis MARTIN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 154990
He died on active service on 27 May 1944. He was 31
He was the son of Francis Douglas and Eleanor Martin of Frome.
He is buried in grave XI E 3 Cassino War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA (Oxon.).
His address for Probate was 48 Jersey Road, Gloucester but Army records state that he was born in Glasgow and lived in Northamptonshire
William Gilchrist MILLS
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 123999
He died on 1 April 1943.
He was the son of John Mills
He is buried in grave 4 J 19 Hadra War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria
Additional information
He attended Glasgow University 1933-1936 and gained an Arts Degree
Cyril MINTON-SENHOUSE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 151 (The Ayrshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Army no. 133104
He died on 30 June 1944. He was 35
He was the son of Herbert H D and Emily H Minton-Senhouse and the husband of Rebe Kathleen Minton-Senhouse of Haslemere, Surrey.
He is buried in grave V D 3 Ryes War Cemetery, Bazenville
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.).
Wolf MOREIN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 188503
He died at Devizes General Hospital on 18 September 1941. He was 33
He was the son of David Mendel and Judes Morein and the husband of Gertrude Morein of Highbury.
He is buried in sec QX Row 1 grave 1 Willesden Jewish Cemetery
Additional Information
BA.
His address for Probate was 88 Aberdeen Park, Highbury
Ivor Joseph MORRIS
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade. Army no. 157811
He died on active service on 26 October 1942 during the second Battle for El Alamein. He was 30
He was the son of Joseph Peregrine Morris and Mary Morris.
He is buried in grave XIX E 6 El Alamein War Cemetery
Additional Information
BA (St David's College, Lampeter).
He was commissioned in January 1941 and killed in action during the 7th Armoured Brigade's push through North Africa.
Richard MORT MiD
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. Army no. 101843
He died on active service on 11 June 1942. He was 35
He was the son of Thomas and Lucy Mort and the husband of Kathleen Mort of Normoss, Lancashire.
He is buried in grave 11 A 12 Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma near Tobruk
Additional Information
His address for Probate was Shenstone, Newton Drive East, Blackpool
Francis William MUSGRAVE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment. Army no. 147348
He was killed by shell fire on 2 August 1944 during the battalion’s attack at Mont Pincon, Normandy. He was 39
He was the son of William Gummow and Mary Musgrave and the husband of Alma Grace Musgrave of Hove
He is buried in grave X C 1 Hottot-Les-Bagues War Cemetery, Normandy
Additional Information
BA Lampeter
His address for Probate was 16 Goldstone Way, Hove
Gerard NESBITT MiD, Croix de Guerre
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Army no. 163330
He was killed on active service on 5 July 1944. He was 33
He was the son of Stephen and Jane Nesbitt of Felling-on-Tyne, Co. Durham.
He is buried in row B 1 Jerusalem War Cemetery, Chouain, Normandy
Additional Information
DPhil.
His address for probate was 32 Heworth, Burn Crescent, Felling, Gateshead
He was appointed Chaplain inDecember 1940
This information is extracted from 8th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry by Major Lewis and Major English:
Padre Nesbitt was killed today by a stray shell whilst burying the dead. He had been with the 8th DLI since the end of 1940 and was well loved by all ranks whether of Roman Catholic faith or not. His quiet manner yet very strong personality impressed all those who came in contact with him. Always cheerful and willing to help anyone in trouble, he was regarded as a personal friend by many. He was a great example of courage and fortitude and his death deeply affected the Battalion. All the old officers of the 8th DLI headed by the CO attended the funeral
John Arthur NEWSON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 5th Royal
Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps. Army no. 191487
He died
on active service on 20 July 1944. He was 38
He was the son of John
Newson MBE and Ada Emily Newson and the husband of Sophie Newson of Norbury,
Surrey.
He is buried in grave II F 9 Bayeux War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for probate was Holbrook Hall, Little Waldingfield, Sudbury
Educated at Norbury College, Salisbury Theological College
He drowned in France while leading a human chain to rescue Canadian Soldiers
James O'CALLAGHAN
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 88257
He died on active service on 11 April 1944. He was 37
He was the son of Timothy and Mary Eileen O'Callaghan of South Shields, Co. Durham.
He is buried in grave 5 B 5 Kohima War Cemetery
Additional Information
His address for probate was The Presbytery, St Mary’s Cathedral
The Japanese advance into India was halted at Kohima in April 1944 and Garrison Hill, a long wooded spur on a high ridge west of the village, was the scene of perhaps the most bitter fighting of the whole Burma campaign when a small Commonwealth force held out against repeated attacks by a Japanese Division. The fiercest hand to hand fighting took place in the garden of the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow, around the tennis court, but the heaviest casualties on both sides occurred after relieving forces reached the Garrison and the Japanese were driven off the ridge, so re-opening the road to Imphal.
Walter Tulliedph OGILVY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 8th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Army no. 118329
He was killed in action on 25 March 1945 at Arnhem. He was 33.
He was the son of Nora Kathleen Ogilvy of Stanley, Co. Durham and the late Walter Tulliedeph Ogilvy
He is buried in grave 37 B 5 Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.).
His address for probate was Altyre House, Stanley, County Durham
He had previously been reported missing in Libya in 1942
Roland Charles Illingworth PARKES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 322805
He died on active service on 16 April 1945. He was 27
He was the son of Charles Herbert and Katherine Joyce Parkes of West Worthing.
He is buried in grave 3 B 3 Digboi War Cemetery, India
Additional Information
BD London. UB
He was commissioned in July 1944
His address for probate was Downie House, The Glen, Worthing
During WW2, Digboi was an operational area of the Burma Campaign. The town of Digboi, is near the Burmese border and a military hospital was established there.
The Cemetery was started for burials from the hospital
George Edward Maule PARRY
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 7th Battalion The Parachute Regiment. Army no. 173033
He died on active service on 6 June 1944. It was D Day. He was 29
He was the son of Muriel Constance St. J Parry of Leytonstone and the late Allen James Parry.
He is buried in grave 21 Bénouville Churchyard
Additional Information
His address for probate was Norfolk Lodge, 14 Bushwood, Leytonstone
The bridge over the Orne canal at Benouville was captured intact on the night of 5/6 June 1944 by the 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and the 7th Battalion, Parachute Regiment 6th Airborne Division.
There are 23 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-45 war in this churchyard. 15 of whom belonged to the 6th Airborne Division plus their Chaplain.
Arthur Wellesley PARRY WILLIAMS
Chaplain, 4th Class attached to 113 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery Army no. 216105
He died on active service on 16 December 1943. He was 37
He was the son of William and Eda C Parry Williams and the husband of Joan O Parry Williams of Clapham.
He is buried in grave I D 3 Minturno War Cemetery, 75 kms north of Naples
Additional Information
BA (Oxon.)
His address for probate was 42 Pier Avenue, Herne Bay
He was commissioned in December 1941 and was posted to North Africa attached to the 113 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. He was with the regiment during the campaign in North Africa and the ensuing invasion of Italy where he was killed.
He had trodden on a land mine and died of his wounds. A full account written by his son appears on:
http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/view.php?uid=210853
Reginald Thompson PODMORE
Chaplain 4th Class Attached to 3rd Corps Ammunition Park. Army no. 111748
He died on active service between 21 May 1940 and 23 May 1940. He was 38
He was the son of Rev Claude and Ella V Podmore
He is buried in grave 8 Divion Communal Cemetery Calvados
Additional Information
Educated Keble College, Oxford. BA. Then Ely Theological College
His address for probate was The Mission House, Marston, Oxford the is was the base for Society of St.John the Evangelist, Cowley
Father Reginald Thompson Podmore who was killed in action while tending the wounded shortly before the evacuation from Dunkirk.see:
http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/32550-ss-leibstandarte-and-chaplain-the-rev-reginald-podmore-rachd/
The Museum of Army Chaplaincy has a hand written account compiled in 1981 by Mr Bill Priest of Great Yarmouth who served at 3rd Corps HQ Dec 1939 – 1940: Quote
‘Reg Podmore, joined the RAChD in January 1940, his hair already gone grey, his cheeks bright and his eyes gleaming with
purpose. At the age of 40 he had left a rather remote sect of the Church of England – the Cowley Fathers – for the rougher world of soldiering, a young’s man’s profession in any age. His first and only charge was a large transport unit – attached to III Corps – HQs – of some 1200 souls, under the command of Col. Mike Cahill, a veteran of the Great War. The unit’s job was ‘ammunition’,
and the loss of some 500 men during the three week’s battles in May 1940 confirmed the old British adage that what soldier’s know about war is seldom worth knowing!
The Spring of 1940 saw the unit scattered in and around a delightful Artois village on the edge of the Bethune coalfield complex. Chaplain Podmore established a small church in one of the rooms off the main hall in the village. Salle de Fetes, opened a canteen for many of his ‘parishioners’ and ran occasional boxing matches.
The interminable phoney war ended abruptly on 10 May and the unit began to make some preparations for the move into Belgium; known euphemistically as Plan ‘D’. For some reason this move was to halted on the Belgium border for several days at a place called Montecourve. It was during the stay at Montecouvre that Padre Podmore asked to be permitted to return to his old HQs in Artois for some supplies he had left there. It was the last time that any of us saw this remarkable man; who had the knack of being both chaplain and friend to all alike.
Whilst he was being driven through the mining village of Divion en Artois, his car was machine-gunned by an advance company of
an SS Division. (A week later SS troops massacred 97 prisoners from the Royal Norfolk Regiment at Le Paradis and 80 Royal Warwickshires at Esquelbecq) The story of the Le Paradis Massacre is told in Cyril Golly’s book ‘The Vengeance of Pte Pooley (Lavenham Press £3.95) and account of the Esquelbecq affair by Revd Les Aitken MBE in his ‘Massacre on the road to Dunkirk, Worhoudt 1940 (W Kimber £4.95).
Chaplain Podmore’s legs were shattered and when the SS realised they had shot a Padre they refused medical assistance and left him to die on the pave. The sight was more than a Frenchman in a nearby house could stand. He carried the Chaplain into his front room where he made him as comfortable as possible. R T Podmore died at about 4.30 on 22 May, the first Padre to die
during the 1939 – 45 War on Active Service.
His vestments and organ were buried in the Frenchman’s garden where they remained until the Liberation of the Pas de Calais, when they were dug up and returned to the Podmore Family in Eastbourne. For giving aid and comfort to the enemy to the SS arrested the Frenchman and his family and they would have been imprisoned but for the fact the person concerned was the chief of the local coalmine whose miners went on strike until their boss was released.
(In spite of numerous enquiries the present writer has been unable to trace the Frenchman concerned)
R T Podmore is buried in the tiny hillside cemetery with large slag heaps standing sentinel nearby.
He is the only Britisher buried in the cimitiere communal from the 1939 -45 War, although there are 6 graves from the old Loos battles of 1915. Twice a year local veterans hold a service at his graveside.’
John Hooper PRICE
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 125463
He died on 19 December 1941. He was 42
He was the son of David and Mary Price and the husband of Mary Elizabeth Price of Gwithian, Cornwall
He is buried in grave D 154A Kantara War Memorial Cemetery
Additional Information
BA
His address for probate was The Vicarage, Newbiggin on Lune, Ravenstonedale, Westmoreland
Kantara was a Hospital Centre
Archibald Selwyn PRYOR
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 26457
He died on active service on 3 August 1944. He was 41
He was the son of and Margaret and the late Selwyn Pryor and the husband of Elizabeth Gulielma Pryor of Purley, Berkshire.
He is buried in grave I C 8 St. Charles De Percy War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA (Cantab.).
His address for probate was The Rectory, Upper Broughton, Melton Mowbray
St Charles de Percy War Cemetery is the southernmost of the Normandy cemeteries. The majority of those buried
died in late July and early August 1944 in the major thrust made from Caumont l'Evente towards Vire, to drive a wedge between the German 7th Army and Panzer Group West.
Joseph Edward Gough QUINN MC
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 91404
He died on active service on 23 September 1943 in the immediate aftermath of the invasion. He was 29
He was the son of the Rev. Chancellor James Quinn, RUI, BA, and Muriel A. M. Quinn of St. Jude's Rectory, Belfast.
He is buried in grave V A 8 Salerno War Cemetery, Sicilly
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.)
Exhibitioner of Shrewsbury School and Scholar of Christ Church.
Lecturer in Honours Schools of Theology and of Modern History. Chaplain of St. Peter's Hall.
His address for Probate was 668 Ravenhill Road, Belfast
He was educated at Shrewsbury where he was an Exhibitioner and Matriculated in 1933 having won a History Scholarship to Christ
Church. He was President of Athletics and a member of Oxford University Centipedes. He graduated with a 2nd in history in 1935 and in theology in 1937. After graduating, he was a Lecturer in Theology and of Modern History at Wycliffe Hall.
Ater he was ordained in 1938, he was Chaplain of St. Peter's Hall
From April 1939, he was a Chaplain attached to the 5th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. He served with them in France, Syria and Italy.
He was awarded the Military Cross which was announced in the London Gazette on 20 December 1940
‘Rev. Quinn acted as chaplain to the Battalion throughout the operations in Belgium and France and was outstanding for the cool manner in which he tended to the wounded without a thought for his own safety. On every occasion when the Battalion occupied a defensive position he refused to go back to the transport lines but stayed in the forward area, encouraging the men and by his personal example of fearlessness inspiring all who came in contact with him. On several occasions, owing to the M.O. becoming a casualty, he took charge of the R.A.P. He was badly wounded on 28 May, while tending the injured. He showed a fine example of coolness and courage.’
He was killed at Salerno
See http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/cathedral/memorials/WW2/joseph-quinn
Peter RAWSTHORNE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Army no. 99438
He died on active service on 14 December 1941. He was 28
He was the son of Felix Rawsthorne LDS, and Ethel Rawsthorne.
He is remembered on column 95 of the Singapore Memorial
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.).
He was killed south of Alor Star at Gurun, Malaya in close quarter fighting when his unit was over-run
Edward Richard RICHARDSON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to HQ
Squadron, 9th Armoured Brigade, Royal Armoured Corps. Army no. 133105
He died on active service on 19 April 1945 in the hard fought final stages of the
campaign. He was 38
He was the son of Edward Richard and Margaret Mary Richardson
He is buried in grave IV B 22 Argenta Gap War Cemetery, Italy
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 58 St Martins Road, Blackpool
Leslie Philip RICHES
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 101549
He died on 1 June 1940 in the retreat to Dunkirk. He was 30
He was the son of Philip and Rose Riches and the husband of Dorothy E F Riches of Banstead
He is remembered on column 131 of the Dunkirk Memorial
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 39 Sandersfield Road, Banstead
Cedric Brian RICKARD
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 125312
He died on active service on 5 September 1944. He was 38
He was the son of Thomas George and Mabel Alice Rickard
He is buried in grave VI G 2 Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy
Additional Information
BA (Oxon.).
His address for Probate was 39 Nacton Road, Ipswich
John Harold SHORT
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 1st Battalion,
Leicestershire Regiment. Army no. 139505
He died on 25 October 1943. He was 35
He was the son of Ernest P and Lilian Short of Burgess Hill, Sussex
He is buried in grave 4 E 45 Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
Additional Information
The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by Commonwealth, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project driven by the need for improved communications to support the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians also died in the course of the project, chiefly forced labour brought from Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, or conscripted in Siam (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar).
Two labour forces, one based in Siam and the other in Burma worked from opposite ends of the line towards the centre. The Japanese aimed at completing the railway in 14 months and work began in October 1942. The line, 424 kilometres long, was
completed by ecember 1943.
The graves of those who died during the construction and maintenance of the Burma-Siam railway (except for the Americans, whose remains were repatriated) were transferred from camp burial grounds and isolated sites along the railway into three cemeteries at Chungkai and Kanchanaburi in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar.
Thanbyuzayat became a prisoner of war administration headquarters and base camp in September 1942 and in January 1943 a base hospital was organised for the sick. The camp was close to a railway marshalling yard and workshops, and heavy casualties were sustained among the prisoners during Allied bombing raids in March and June 1943. The camp was then evacuated and the prisoners, including the sick, were marched to camps further along the line where camp hospitals were set up. For some time, however, Thanbyuzayat continued to be used as a reception centre for the groups of prisoners arriving at frequent intervals to reinforce the parties working on the line up to the Burma-Siam border.
Thomas Christopher John SINTON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Army no. 91501
He died on 23 October 1943 which was the first day of the second Battle of El Alamein when Allied Forces recaptured the town. He was 37
He was the son of the Rev Thomas Sinton DD and Catherine Sinton.
He is buried in grave 12 C 14 El Alia Cemetery, Algeria
Additional Information
MA (Edin.).
His address for Probate was Tower Manse, Stanley and of Arrochar Blair, Atholl
He was the Minister for Tower Church, Stanley
Harry SMITH
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 95864
He died on active service on 15 August 1944. He was 37
He was the son of Leonard and Cicely Smith of Littleover, Derby
He is buried in grave I A 12 Brouay War Cemetery, Calvados
Additional Information
His address for Probate was 13 Cavendish Vale, Nottingham
He died just as the Allied Forces were gaining control of Normandy
Henry SMITH
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. Army no. 135499
He died on active service on 15 February 1942. He was 29
He was the son of Thomas and Jeanie Angus McPherson Smith and the husband of Muriel Burnett Smith of Dumfries.
He is buried in coll. grave 26 A 1-4 Kranji War Cemetery
Additional Information
MA
I believe that he was a PoW of the Japanese Army held in Changi Jail. I would welcome comment on this
Henry Jefferys Leigh TAYLOR MiD MC
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 29th Armoured Brigade, 11th Armoured Division. Army no. 188501
He was killed on active service by mortar fire on 23 September 1944. He was 31
He was the son of Russell Leigh and May Taylor of Clifton on Teme, Worcestershire.
He is buried in grave V B 7 Mierlo War Cemetery, Netherlands
Additional Information
University College. BA (Oxon)
His address for Probate was Clifton Lodge, Clifton on Terne
At the time of his death he was trying to rescue some Dutch children
James Shepherd TAYLOR
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment). Army no. 95734
He died on on active service on 30 June 1944 soon after the D Day landings. He was 43
He was the son of Peter Chalmers and Helen Chalmers Taylor and the husband of Evelyn Ramsay Taylor of Glasgow.
He is buried in grave II D 1 St. Manvieu War Cemetery, Cheux, Normandy
Additional Information
MA Glasgow. Church of Scotland.
He features on the War Memorial at the Kelvin Stephenson Memorial Church, Glasgow see:
http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=6680
David Daniel THOMAS
Chaplain 4th Class. Army no. 305657
He died on active service on 11 July 1944 soon after the D Day landings. He was 32
He was the son of Samuel and Anna Maria Thomas and the husband of Esther Thomas of Pen-Y-Graig, Glamorgan.
He is buried in grave XXI E 19 Bayeux War Cemetery, Normandy
Additional Information
BA Hons. (Wales).
Henry Thurlow WAGG MiD
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 11th Armoured Division. Army no. 294758
He died on active service on 19 July 1944 after the Normandy Landings. He was 35
He was the son of James Henry and Eva Wagg and the husband of Kathleen Wagg of North Lancing, Sussex
He is buried in grave 3 C 9 Hermanville War Cemetery, Normandy
Additional Information
He also appears on the North Lancing War Memorial
Charles Cameron WALLACE
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 6th Battalion, Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment). Army no. 127276
He died on active service on 27 July 1943. He was 36
He was the son of Alfred and Dorothy Wallace and the husband of H Mary Wallace of Chesham.
He is buried in grave IV J 7 Catania War Cemetery, Sicily
Additional Information
UB
His address for Probate was Uplands, Lowndes Avenue, Chesham and his name is included on Chesham War Memorial
He died at the time when the Allied forces had established their foothold in Sicily
Harold WATSON
Chaplain 4th Class attached to 7th Battalion, Border Regiment. Army no. 38843
He died on war service on 12 November 1941. He was 32
He was the son of Dacre and Mary E Watson of St Bees and the husband of Doris H Watson of St Bees.
He is buried in grave 58 in the Churchyard of the Priory Church of Saint Mary And St Bega, St. Bees, Cumberland
Additional Information
He died as the result of an accident in the south of England
His address for Probate was 413 Whalley Road, Clayton Moors Accrington
Ralph Henry WHITROW TD
Chaplain 2nd Class to the Brigade of Guards and Deputy Assistant Chaplain General, London District. Army no. 40452
He died on war service on 18 June 1944 in London when a flying bomb hit the Guards Chapel. He was officiating, although the Bishop of Maidstone was leading the service. He was 47
He was the son of Benjamin and Mary Whitrow and the husband of Brenda Muriel Whitrow of Winchester.
He is buried in square 27 grave 3693 West Hill Old Cemetery, Winchester
Additional Information
MA (Oxon.)
Hon. Minor Canon of Winchester Cathedral.
His address for Probate was Weeke Rectory, Winchester
He had served in France in the Royal Field Artillery in WW1
My thanks to Jan Gore who has so carefully researched this event.
Derrick Lovell WILLIAMS
Chaplain 4th Class attached to No. 45 Commando, Royal Marines. Army no. 297476
He died on 5 June 1944. He was 30
He was the son of Hal and Cecil Margaret Williams of Hampstead and the husband of Rosalind Anne Williams of Sheen.
He is buried in sec M 12 grave 79 Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton
Additional Information
MA (Cantab.).
His address for Probate was 42 Temple Sheen Road, Surrey