Thankyou to Steve for this article. Steve’s late uncle, Eric McIntyre helped him compile this list. Eric went over on D Day + 6 (June 12th 1944) as part of a tank regiment. He survived the war. Steve says …
This week, some 79 years ago the evacuation of over 330,000 British and Commonwealth members of the British Expeditionary Force were successfully evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk by an armada of “Little Ships”
However, there was a resolute rear guard of about 20,000 who kept the Nazis at bay and were not so lucky. They were either captured, wounded or killed and sadly some of Abingdon’s finest were among them.
Bedworth – Charles, Lance Serjeant 5337501, Royal Berks Reg, son of Ernest & Daisey, died of wounds on 21-05/1940, Hainaut, Belgium.
Bennett – Albert Ernest, Prvt 5110890 2nd bat Royal Worcs reg, son of Lilian Hart of Abingdon,died of wounds 30-05-1940,Wulverdingehe,Belgium
Lee, Reginald Percival, Prvt 5336463, Royal Berks Reg, son of Richard & Winifred of Abingdon, died of wounds 29-05-1940, Zuidschote, Belgium
Marsh, Henry John, 5333164, Royal Berks Reg, son of Henry & Ivy, husband to Ann of Abingdon, died of wounds 24-05-1940, Dunkirk, Belgium
Rutty, Lewis Bernard, 5337644, Royal Berks Reg, son of Henry & Elizabeth of Abingdon, died of wounds 10-05-1940, Zuidschote, Belgium
Rutty, Leslie Henry, 5337661, Royal Berks Reg, brother of above, died of wounds 01-06-1940, Veurne, Dunkirk (uncle went to school with them)
This week some 75 years ago the biggest invasion force ever assembled prepared to sail to Normandy on June 6th 1944, D-Day. Once more some of Abingdon’s finest made the ultimate sacrifice.
Belcher, Lieutenant Raymond Charles, 258144 6th Airborne Reconnaissance Group, died on D-Day and is buried at Ranville, Normandy,
(Uncle went to school with him too and spoke of Hitlers orders to shoot all paratroopers on sight)
Burborough, Rex, 5110473, Royal Warwickshires,son of William & Lucy of Abingdon died on 13-07-44 (D + 37) Ryes cemetery, Calvados
Wicks, Major James Macrae, 64611 son of Reginald & Elenor of Abingdon, 1st Bat Hampshire Reg, died of wounds Caen,12-06-1944 (D+6)
(Image of D-Day from Wikipedia from File:D-day – British Forces during the Invasion of Normandy 6 June 1944 B5246.jpg.)
I was looking at the war memorial in Aberystwyth yesterday.and noticed against one of the names W.A.A.F which led me to realise that I had previously never been aware of women being included on such memorials, presumably because they were considered ‘non combatants’? As I read further I saw several other names annotated with women’s organisations, and in fact the dedication alongside Dros Ryddid (for freedom) is to the men and women of the town who gave their lives (or something along those lines). Apart from being an awe inspiring piece of public funded sculpture does anyone know if it is indeed one of the few that includes women or is it just that I’ve not noticed before?