1818777 Gnr Brinley James, Royal Artillery

1818777 Gunner Brinley James of 48 Battery, 21st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, died on the 31st December 1944. He was 39 years old, the son of Son of John and Diana James, and the husband of Sarah Irene James, of Trebanos, Glamorgan. Brinley was born in Glamorgan and enlisted there. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Singapore War Memorial in Kranji War Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

224427 2nd Lt James Julian Paul Goodyear, Royal Corps of Signals

224427 Second Lieutenant James Julian Paul Goodyear of the 23rd Mountain Signals, Royal Corps of Signals, died on the 30th December 1942. He was the 22-year-old son of Frederick and Mary Goodyear of Fawley in Hampshire and he is buried in Taukkyan War Cemetery in Myanmar (Burma).

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

6202338 Cpl James Lusham, 1st Bn, Middlesex Regt

6202338 Corporal James Lusham of the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, died on the 29th December 1941 in Hong Kong. He was 25 years old, the son of Albert and Mary Lusham of Deptford in south London. He is buried in the Sai Wan War Cemetery. This from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:

"The island of Hong Kong fell to the Japanese on Christmas Day 1941 following a brief but intense period of fighting. Most of those buried in this cemetery were killed at this time, or died later as internees or prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation. The remains of those who died as prisoners in Formosa (now Taiwan) were brought to Hong Kong for burial at Sai Wan in 1946. There are now 1,505 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War buried or commemorated at Sai Wan War Cemetery. 444 of the burials are unidentified. There are special memorials to 16 Second World War casualties buried in Kowloon (Ho Man Tin) No 3 Muslim Cemetery, whose graves were lost. There are also 77 war graves of other nationalities from this period, the majority of them Dutch and 7 non-world war graves that the Commission maintains on behalf of the MoD. The cemetery contains special memorials to 12 First World War casualties buried in Kowloon (Ta Sek Ku) Mohammedan Cemetery, whose graves have since been lost. At the entrance to the cemetery stands the SAI WAN MEMORIAL bearing the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Battle of Hong Kong or subsequently in captivity and who have no known grave. Additional panels to the memorial form the SAI WAN CREMATION MEMORIAL, bearing the names of 144 Second World War casualties whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith, and the SAI WAN (CHINA) MEMORIAL, commemorating 72 casualties of both wars whose graves in mainland China could not be maintained. Both the cemetery and memorial were designed by Colin St Clair Oakes."

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

7021691 Craftsman Daniel Dinnen, REME

7021691 Craftsman Daniel Dinnen of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, died on the 28th December 1943. He was born in Eire and living in London when he enlisted. I have been unable to locate this man on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission roll of honour website.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)

258592 Lt Owen Charles Bamford, RASC

258592 Lieutenant Owen Charles Bamford of the Royal Army Service Corps, died on the 27th December 1944. He was the son of James Thomas Bamford and Martha Alice Bamford, of Bournemouth, Hampshire, and the husband of Gladys May Dorothy Bamford, of Branksome Park, Bournemouth. He is buried in the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Egypt.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

5621163 Pte Harold Ralph Rainbow, 9th Bn, Devonshire Regt

5621163 Private Harold Ralph Rainbow of the 9th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, died on the 26th December 1939. He was the son of Montague and Mable Rainbow of Ilfracombe, Devon; and he is buried in the town's Marlborough Road cemetery. Harold was just 19 years old when he died.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

3864587 Cpl Maurice Cadden, 2nd Bn, Cheshire Regt

3864587 Corporal Maurice Cadden of the 2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment was one of 62 British Army personnel to die on Christmas Day 1944. He was 24 years old, the son of Joseph and Elsie Cadden of Bury in Lancashire. Maurice is buried in Leopoldsburg War Cemetery in Belgium.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

6021326 Pte Robert Carrigan, 5th Bn, Essex Regt

6021326 Private Robert Carrigan of the 5th Battalion, Essex Regiment, died on the 24th December 1943. He was 27 years old and is buried in the Sangro River War Cemetery in Italy.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

5341912 Pte Joseph Fordonsky, South Staffordshire Regt

5341912 Private Joseph Fordonsky of the 16th (Home Defence) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, died at home in England on the 23rd December 1940. He was born in East London and he is buried in the Jewish Cemetery at Marlow Road, East Ham.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

6458965 CSM Douglas Johnston, 2nd Bn, Royal Fusiliers

6458965 Warrant Officer Second Class (CSM) Douglas Johnston of the 2nd Battalinn, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt), died in France on the 22nd December 1939. He was 24 years old, the son of Henry Steer Johnston and Elizabeth A. Johnston, of Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. He is buried in Croix Communal Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

T/113023 Dvr Terence Brannigan, RASC

T/113023 Driver Terence Brannigan of the Royal Army Service Corps, died in England on the 21st December 1940. He was the son of Daniel and Jane Brannigan, of Fenham, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and he is buried in the city's West Road cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

1036679 Sgt James Bell MM, Royal Artillery

Dundee-born 1036679 Sergeant James Bell MM of the Royal Artillery, died on the 20th December 1941. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that at the time of his death he was 45 years old and serving with the 102nd (The Northumberland Hussars) Light A.A./Anti-Tank Regiment. Sergeant Bell, a Military Medal recipient, was also the husband of Ethel Bell of Chilham in Kent. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial in Egypt.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

2654827 L/Sgt Martin Warrior, 3rd Bn, Coldstream Guards

2654827 Lance-Sergeant Martin Warrior of the 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, died in Italy on the 19th December 1943. He was 30 years old and the husband of Constance May Warrior form Middlesborough. The UK Army Roll of Honour 1939-45 gives Martin Warrior's rank as Guardsman and notes that he was born in and enlisted in Middlesborough. He is buried in Minturno War Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

T/291509 Dvr Cecil William Chilmaid, RASC

32-year-old T/291509 Driver Cecil William Chilmaid of the Royal Army Service Corps, died on the 18th December 1942. He was the son of William and Kate Chilmaid of Rochester in Kent, and the husband of Edith Chilmaid of Rochester. Cecil died on active service in North Africa and he is buried in the ironically named Bone War Cemetery in Annaba, Algeria.

This from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:

"Allied troops made a series of landings on the Algerian coast in early November 1942. From there, they swept east into Tunisia, where the North African campaign came to an end in May 1943 with the surrender of the Axis forces. Bone was occupied by Allied forces on 12 November 1942 and became important as a supply port, and for its airfield. The 70th General Hospital was there during the early months of 1943. Bone War Cemetery contains 868 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. There are also 14 non-war burials, mostly of merchant seamen whose deaths were not due to war service. The cemetery also contains one First World War burial which was transferred here from Bone Communal Cemetery."

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

6148563 Pte Richard George Griffin, 70th Bn, East Surrey Regt

6148563 Private Richard George Griffin of the 70th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, died in east London on the 17th December 1941. A native of Eire, Richard was 20 years old, the son of George William Griffin MC and of Kathleen Mary Griffin, of Lewisham, south London. He is buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Leytonstone, London.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

2614260 Gnr Albert Victor Kirk, Royal Artillery

Ipswich born, 2614260 Gunner Albert Victor Kirk of the 7th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery, died on the 16th December 1943. He was 28 years old, the son of Francis George and Gertrude Eva Kirk of Brantham in Suffolk. Albert died as a prisoner of war of the Japanese and is buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery in Thailand.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

6285786 L/Cpl Ernest Thomas Ellender, 1st Bn, The Buffs

6285786 Lance-Corporal Ernest Thomas Ellender of the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), died in the fighting in North Africa on the 15th December 1941. He was 24 years old and the son of Maurice and Lydia Ellender of Eastry in Kent. Ernest has no known grave and is one of nearly 12,000 men commemorated on the Alamein Memorial at the entrance to the El Alamein War Cemetery in Egypt.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

5835520 Pte Charles Dennis Luff, 5th Bn, Royal West Kent Regt

5835520 Private Charles Dennis Luff of the 5th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, died on the 14th December 1943. He was 34 years old and the son of Charles and Annie Maria Luff of Bedford. He is buried in the Sangro River War Cemetery in Italy.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

2972926 Pte Allan Gow, 1st Bn, A&S Highlanders

2972926 Private Allan Gow of the 1st Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, died on the 13th December 1942. He was 38 years old and is buried in Benghazi War Cemetery in Libya. Allan Dow was born in Arbroath but was living in Stirling at the time of his enlistment.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

14427877 Pte Robert James Ashcroft, 1st Bn, Lincolnshire Regt

14427877 Private Robert James Ashcroft of the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, died on the 12th December 1944. He was 18 years old, the son of Samuel Thomas Ashcroft and Elizebeth Ashcroft of Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire.

Robert Ashcroft is buried in Arnhem's Osterbeek War Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

11517530 Pte Leonard Charles Hedge, RAMC

11517530 Private Leonard Charles Hedge of the Royal Army Medical Corps, died on the 11th December 1944. He was 34 years old, the son of Clement Charles and Harriet Hedge, and the husband of Nellie Elizabeth Hedge of Ealing in Middlesex. Leonard is buried in Turnhout Communal Cemetery in Belgium.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

1456257 BSM John Bevington Moth, Royal Artillery

1456257 Battery Sergeant Major John Bevington Moth of the 21st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, died on the 10th December 1942. He was 38 years old, the son of Harry Francis and Margaret Moth, and the husband of Edith Charlotte Moth of New Malden in Surrey.

John Moth died as a prisoner of war in Japan and is one of 284 men commemorated on the Yokohama Cremation Memorial in that country.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

6457845 Fusilier Christopher Henry Frederick Riley, 1st Bn, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt)

6457845 Fusilier Christopher Henry Frederick Riley of the 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), died on the 9th December 1940. He was 25 years old, the son of Christopher James Riley and Barbara Ann Riley of Thetford, Norfolk. Christopher was born in east London and was living there when he enlisted. He is buried in the Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery in Egypt.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:
Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

794202 Gnr William Edward Pointon, Royal Artillery

794202 Gunner William Edward Pointon of 10 Survey Regiment, Royal Artillery, died on the 8th December 1944. He was 34 years old, the son of Charles and Hannah Pointon of Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, and the husband of Annie Pointon, of Tunstall. He is buried in Mierlo War Cemetery in the Netherlands.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

964193 Gnr Harry Ellis Dilley, Royal Artillery

964193 Gunner Harry Ellis Dilley of the 118th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, died on the 7th December 1943. He was 25 years old, the husband of Vera Charlotte Dilley of Peckham, south London. He is buried in Chungkai War Cemetery in Thailand and therefore almost certainly died in hospital as a prisoner of the Japanese.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

W/184647 Pte Irene Edith Minter, Auxiliary Territorial Service

W/184647 Private Irene Edith Minter of the Auxiliary Territorial Service, died on the 6th December 1942. She was born in East London and is buried in Chingford Mount Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

3596849 Sgt John Joseph Clemenston, 4th Bn, Border Regt

3596849 Sergeant John Joseph Clemenston of the 4th Battalion, Border Regiment, died on the 5th December 1941. He was 26 years old; the Son of Frederick and Edith Clementson of Penrith, Cumberland, and the husband of Linda Clementson, of Penrith. He is buried in Tobruk War Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

7047855 Cpl Arthur Thomas Aston, 1st Bn, Royal Irish Fusiliers

7047855 Corporal Arthur Thomas Aston of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, died on the 4th December 1943. He was 23 years old and the son of Thomas Lawrence Aston and Hilda Jane Aston of Foleshill, Warwickshire. He is buried in the Sangro River War Cemetery in Italy.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

2967616 Pte Robert Dempsey, 2nd Bn, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

2967616 Private Robert Dempsey of the 2nd Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders was a career soldier who died on the 3rd December 1939; that is, seventy years ago today. He was born in Antrim and living in Ross and Cromarty when he enlisted. At the time of his death he was 40 years old. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that he was the son of Robert and Margaret Dempsey of Ballymena, County Antrim in Northern Ireland.

Robert Dempsey is buried in Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore. There was a military camp at Kranji before Britain went to war in 1939, and presumably Robert was stationed in that area and died as a result of sickness or accident. Kranji (and Singapore) would later fall to the Japanese in February 1942.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

207940 Capt David Middleton, Royal Artillery

207940 Captain David Middleton of the 16th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, died on the 2nd December 1944. He was 44 years old, the son of William and Marion Middleton, and the husband of Elizabeth W Middleton, of Airdrie, Lanarkshire. David was born in Motherwell and living in Airdrie when he enlisted. He is buried in Heverlee War Cemetery in Belgium.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1939-1945 Roll of Honour)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission