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Gateway School 1929-33.

In October 1941 the 135th Field Regiment travelled to Canada on the Polish ship Sobieski. On arrival in Halifax, the regiment transferred to the American troopship USS Mount Vernon, which departed on the 10th November 1941 for the Middle East. While in a stopover at Capetown, South Africa, the final destination was changed and the Mount Vernon arrived in Singapore on the13th January 1942, during a Japanese air raid. There then followed four weeks of intense fighting, before the British surrendered on the 15th February 1942.

Gunner Bakewell became a prisoner-of-war, and after being held in Singapore he was sent to the notorious Burma-Thailand Railway. Work on the 265 mile long railway began in October 1942 and was completed a year later. Gunner Bakewell was among the almost 7,000 British prisoners-of-war who died during its construction.

He is buried in Chungkai War Cemetery, Thailand, Grave 3. N.12.

History 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 June 1942. The two sections of the line finally met near Konkoita towards the end of October 1943 and the completed line, 424 kilometres long, was operational by December 1943.

The graves of most 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.

The cemetery was designed by Colin St Clair Oakes.

Son of David and Maud Barnacle. Gateway School 1930.

Walter Barnacle enlisted on the 15th November 1939, and served in India before his battalion was posted to Malaya. In December 1941 the battalion was attempting to slow down the Japanese invasion of that country. Because of the heavy casualties it had sustained during the early stages of the fighting, it was amalgamated with the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment on the 20th December to form the “ The British Battalion”. This new battalion was involved in the fierce fighting during the Battle of Kampar between the 30th December 1941 and 2nd January 1942, during which time Lance Corporal Barnacle was killed. He is buried in Taiping War Cemetery, Malaysia, Special Memorial, 2. A. 18.

History information

At the time of the Japanese invasion of Malaya, Taiping was on the British line of retreat down the west coast. Its normal garrison of one Indian Infantry Battalion had been augmented, a casualty reception station organised, arrangements made with the civilian authorities for the provision of 500 beds for military patients, and 20 Combined General Hospital (Indian Army) had been posted there.

During the fighting the Indian 6th and 15th Brigades used Taiping as a rest and re-fitment centre for a few days; and, as the withdrawal southwards developed, numerous Indian Army medical units worked there for short periods before each in turn had to move towards Singapore with the fighting forces.

Taiping War Cemetery was created by the Army after the defeat of Japan for the reception of graves brought from the battlefields, from numerous temporary burial grounds, and from village and other civil cemeteries where permanent maintenance would not be possible.

There are separate entrances to the two parts, the plots of Christian graves lying on the south-eastern side of the road and the Muslim and Gurkha graves on the opposite side. In the Muslim and Gurkha section the Stone of Remembrance stands in front of a high bank which forms the north-western boundary. The two small shelters in the cemetery have been constructed of local stone, and a low stone wall flanks the road on each side. There are now 864, 1939-1945 war Commonwealth casualties and 1 Dutch casualty commemorated in this site, more than 500 of whom are unidentified.

Son of Nellie Elizabeth Barratt and Stepson of Bertie Simpson. Gateway School 1934-38.

Sergeant (Navigator/Bomb Aimer)

13 Squadron gave air support to the American 5th Army and British 8th Army fighting in the Italian campaign. It was engaged mainly on night operations intended to hinder, and as far as possible prevent, the movement of reinforcements and supplies to the enemy front-line. Flares were dropped to identify targets when there was no moon, and bombs were released at heights generally below 2000 feet making the aircraft vulnerable to ground fire.

Sergeant Barratt was one of the crew of Baltimore FW358 that crashed at Pontemoli, Italy, during a night operation. He is buried in Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa, Italy, Grave III. A. 11.

Crew members:

Baltimore Bomber

Pilot- Flt. Lt. William Lawrence Saunders-Knox-Gore, 128927, aged
Navigater/Bomb aimer – Sgt. Arthur Barratt, 1579787, aged 21
Wireless Op. – Sgt. Joseph William Lenton, 1615679, aged
Wireless Op. – Sgt. Norman Lewis Young, 1238128, aged

History information

The Italians entered the war on the Allied side, declaring war on Austria, in May 1915. Commonwealth forces were at the Italian front between November 1917 and November 1918, and rest camps and medical units were established at various locations in northern

Italy behind the front, some of them remaining until 1919. From November 1917 to the end of the war, Genoa was a base for commonwealth forces and the 11th General, and 38th and 51st Stationary Hospitals, were posted in the city. Staglieno Cemetery contains 230 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There are also 122 Second World War graves, most of them garrison burials, whilst others were brought in from the surrounding country.

The 1939-45 plot was designed by Louis de Soissons.

Son of Frederick and Emmie Bentley. Gateway School 1931-34.

Wireless Operator/Air Gunner

In addition to bombing targets in Germany and occupied Europe, Bomber Command aircraft also carried out mine-laying operations in coastal waters. These were referred to as ‘gardening’ operations by the aircrews. Sergeant Bentley was one of the crew of Lancaster W4177 that failed to return from a mine-laying operation off the coast of the Frisian Islands. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 78.

Overlooking the River Thames on Cooper’s Hill in Runnymede, Surrey, is Runnymede Memorial, sometimes known as the Air Forces Memorial. The memorial commemorates more than 20,000 airmen and women who were lost in the Second World War during operations from bases in the United Kingdom and North and Western Europe who have no known grave.

KEY FEATURES

• The memorial commemorates the men and women of the air forces of the Commonwealth who were lost in air and other operations over western Europe during the Second World War
• Designed by Sir Edward Maufe, it is made of Portland stone and consists of a shrine embraced by a cloister
• The shrine is adorned with three stone figures by Vernon Hill representing Justice, Victory and Courage
• The engraved glass and painted ceilings were designed by John Hutton and the poem engraved on the gallery window was written by Paul H Scott
• The memorial was unveiled on 17 October 1953 by Queen Elizabeth II.

Son of Charles and Bertha Bentley. Husband of Margaret Bentley. Gateway School 1929-34

Operation Varsity was designed to gain a foothold across the River Rhine in western Germany. It began on the 24th March 1945, led by the British 6th Airborne Division (which, at the time, included the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion), and the US 17th Airborne Division, in addition to ground offensive operations. In all 4,978 British and 9,387 American troops were flown in by glider or dropped by parachute.

The 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery R.A. began forming up on 9 May 1943, at Marlborough Barracks, Bulford, Wiltshire under the command of Major T.H.P. Dixon, M.C., R.A. The nucleus for the unit came from ‘D’ Battery, 103rd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery.

This battery, along with the 3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, was formed to provide the anti-tank defence for the two parachute brigade’s of the 6th Airborne Division. It was officially taken on the strength of the 6th Airborne Division on 9 July 1943.

By May 1944 the Battery had completed all their training, had been on extensive exercise with the units they were to support, and had carried

out practice ‘shoots’ with the new ‘Sabot’ ammunition. They had also carried out training and practice ‘shoots’ with the glider pilots who would fly them into action.

Sergeant Bentley was killed during the the first day of the operation. He is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, Grave 39. A. 8.

History Information Reichswald Forest War Cemetery was created after the Second World War when burials were brought in from all over western Germany and is the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the country. Some of those members of the land forces buried there died in the advance through Reichswald Forest in February 1945. Others died crossing the Rhine, among them members of the airborne forces whose bodies were brought from Hamminkeln, where landings were made by the 6th Airborne Division from bases in England. Some of the airmen buried in the cemetery lost their lives in supporting the advance into Germany, but most died earlier in the war in the intensive air attacks over Germany. Their graves were brought in from cemeteries and isolated sites in the surrounding area. There are now 7,594 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 176 of the burials are unidentified.

There are also 78 war graves of other nationalities, most of them Polish. Special Memorials to 9 airmen are located at the East boundary wall, near Plot 10. Further Special Memorials to 7 airmen are located within Plot 31, near the Cross of Sacrifice. The cemetery was designed by Philip Hepworth.

Son of Daniel and Alice Beresford. Gateway School 1930-33.

There 80 CWGC graves in Saffron Hill Cemetery.

Aircraftman Beresford died of natural causes at Cardiff Royal Infirmary. He is buried in Saffron Hill Cemetery, Leicester, Section D. Grave 96.

Son of Mrs F. S. Champness. Gateway School 1932-36.

Corporal Bilney’s battalion was part of the 1st Airborne Division during Operation Market Garden, the attempt to seize the bridges over the major rivers in the Netherlands. On the 17th September 1944, the battalion was transported to Arnhem over two days in Horsa gliders from RAF Manston and RAF Broadwell. Larger pieces of equipment were carried in a Hamilcar glider from RAF Tarrant Rushton. German resistance, bad weather and problems with supplies and reinforcements led to heavy losses, and the objectives were not taken. The 1st Airborne Division was forced to form a perimeter at Oosterbeek which they held stubbornly until the 25th September, when it was decided to withdraw the remnants of the division across the lower Rhine. Of the 767 men of the 2nd (Airborne) Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment who landed at Arnhem, 124 were evacuated and 558 were reported missing. Those missing were mainly men who became prisoners-of-war. The remaining 85 men of the battalion were killed during the fighting, including Corporal Bilney. He is buried in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Netherlands, Grave 18. A. 7.

History Information

Following the Normandy landings of June 1944, the Allied advance through northern Europe was extraordinarily rapid and on

11 September 1944, the Second Army entered the Netherlands just south of Eindhoven, the first Allied troops to set foot in the country since its fall in May 1940. Their next aim was to cross the Rhine before the Germans had time to

reorganise after their recent setbacks, securing crossings over the rivers and canals that stood in their path at Grave, Nijmegen and Arnhem. 'Operation Market Garden' would involve the United States 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, the Commonwealth 1st Airborne Division and the Polish Parachute Brigade. On 17 September 1944, the 1st Airborne Division began landing west of Arnhem, but German resistance, bad weather and problems with supplies and reinforcements led to heavy losses, and their objectives were not taken. They were forced to form a perimeter at Oosterbeek which they held stubbornly until 25 September, when it was decided to withdraw the remnants of the division across the lower Rhine. Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery contains the graves of most of those killed during the September landings, and many of those killed in later fighting in the area. There are now 1,684 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 243 of the burials are unidentified and two casualties are commemorated by special memorials. There are also 79 Polish, three Dutch and four non-war (including three former Commission employees) graves in the cemetery. The cemetery was designed by P.D. Hepworth.

Son of Harry and Mabel Bonner. Gateway School 1932-37.

In order to meet the need for pilots for both the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm, the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) was set up, and Leading Airman Frederick Bonner was sent to Canada. After an initial 10-week course, he was selected for pilot training and went to an Elementary Flying Training School (E.F.T.S.). Instruction normally began using the Fleet Finch trainer. During the 8-week programme, the student pilot had to complete 50

hours of flying, and was expected to be able to go solo after 8 hours dual flying with an instructor. When the student pilot had finished this course, he was sent to a Service Flying Training School (S.F.T.S.). Leading Airman Bonner was assigned to No 13 S.F.T.S. at St Eugene, Ontario. Here he

continued to fly the Fleet Finch, before progressing to an aircraft such as the North American Harvard. He was killed on a training flight crash at St. Eugene, Ontario, and is buried in Vankleek Hill (Greenwood) Cemetery, Ontario, Canada, Plot 222.

From the records it looks as if another young Fleet Air Arm trainee pilot was involved in the same crash, both men being buried in the same plot.

Son of Bernard and May Bramley. Gateway School 1935-37.

Gordon Bramley joined the Royal Navy in 1939, and served on the sloop HMS Flamingo before being transferred to the corvette HMS Salvia. On the 24th December 1941 HMS Salvia was escorting convoy TA-5 from Tobruk in Libya to Alexandria in Egypt. All 106 members of the crew died when the ship was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-568. Steward Bramley is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 58, Column 1.

Standing on Southsea Common overlooking the promenade in Portsmouth, Hampshire, is the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. It commemorates nearly 10,000 naval personnel of the First World War and almost 15,000 of the Second World War who were lost or buried at sea.

Son of Harold and Phyliss Brawn. Gateway School 1935-1940.

Flight Engineer

Sergeant Brawn was one of the crew of Halifax DT482 that took off from RAF Lindholme at 20:35 hours on the 24th March 1944. The aircraft was on a night circuits and landing exercise when it crashed near the airfield at 21:12 hours and burst into flames. All on board were killed. Sergeant Brawn is buried in All Saints Churchyard, Scraptoft, Leicester.

Crash of Halifax DT482 near Lindholme airfield.

On the evening of 24th March 1944 the crew of this 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft carried out a night circuits and landings exercise. They took off from Lindholme at around 20.35hrs and on board was an instructor with four trainee aircrew. Twenty five minutes later the aircraft made approach to land at Lindholme but then carried out an overshoot at around 300 feet off the ground. The aircraft then sank towards the ground and crashed at 21.12hrs just off the south-west side airfield and burst into flames. The crash team from Lindholme airfield would have been on the site quickly but sadly all on board were killed. The crash occurred in the area behind Boston Park on land near Cockwood and Gate Farms.

As the aircraft came in to land the undercarriage would have been lowered and locked down in preparation to land, also the flaps on the wings would have been lowered to slow the aircraft. The crash site was investigated and it was found that while the aircraft

crashed with the undercarriage still down the flaps were found to be in the up position. It was assumed that when the overshoot was made the flaps had been raised instead of the undercarriage. The levers for both were next to each other in the cockpit and this was a reasonably common mistake in training.

DT482 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was awaiting collection on 22nd August 1942. It was initially taken on charge by 103 Squadron Conversion Flight at Elsham Wolds and then transferred to the parent 103 Squadron itself. On 31st October 1942 it transferred to 1656 H.C.U. at Lindholme. As a result of the damage sustained on 11th February 1943, 10th April 1943 and then on 15th August 1943 minor Cat.A(c) damage was the damage assessment each time and it was repaired on site each time and returned to 1656 H.C.U. use. On 24th March 1944 it crashed near Lindholme and was badly damaged. Cat.E2/FA damage was recorded and the aircraft was written off.

• Instructor Pilot - F/Lt John Edward Sanderson DFC RAFVR (142852), aged 23, of Withington, Manchester. Buried Salendine Nook Baptist Chapelyard, Huddersfield, Yorkshire.
• Trainee Pilot - P/O Raymond Henry Gardner RAFVR (171094), aged 20, of Leeds. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (F/E/7).
• Flight Engineer - Sgt Bernard John Brawn RAFVR (1868334), aged 19, of Leicester. Buried Scraptoft Churchyard, Leicestershire.
• Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Peter Dennis Newman RAFVR (1399876), aged 20, of Fulham, London. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (F/E/6).
• Air Gunner - Sgt John Harold Gilbertson RCAF (R/214779), aged 19, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (F/E/5).

Gateway School 1933-36

Son of William and Lilian Carter. Husband of Mary Carter.

On the night of the 14th October 1939, the German submarine U-47 commanded by Gunther Prien, managed to evade the anti-submarine defences of Scapa Flow. Prien found the battleship Royal Oak at anchor and fired two salvoes of torpedoes, ripping out the bottom out of the ship which sank in ten minutes. Among the 833 members of her crew who died was Able Seaman Carter. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 33, Column 2. Prien returned to a hero's welcome in Germany, which included a triumphal procession through Berlin. He died on the 7th March 1941, when U-47 was sunk with all hands in the North Atlantic.

History information

After the First World War, an appropriate way had to be found of commemorating those members of the Royal Navy who had no known grave, the majority of deaths having occurred at sea where no permanent memorial could be provided.

An Admiralty committee recommended that the three manning ports in Great Britain - Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth - should each have an identical memorial of unmistakable naval form, an obelisk, which would serve as a leading mark for shipping. The memorials were designed by Sir Robert Lorimer, who had already carried out a considerable amount of work for the Commission, with sculpture by Henry Poole. The Portsmouth Naval Memorial was unveiled by the Duke of York (the future George VI) on 15 October 1924.

After the Second World War it was decided that the naval memorials should be extended to provide space for commemorating the naval dead without graves of that war, but since the three sites were dissimilar, a different architectural treatment was required for each. The architect for the Second World War extension at Portsmouth was Sir Edward Maufe (who also designed the Air Forces memorial at Runnymede) and the additional sculpture was by Charles Wheeler, William McMillan, and Esmond Burton. The Extension was unveiled by the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother on 29 April 1953.

Portsmouth Naval Memorial commemorates around 10,000 sailors of the First World War and almost 15,000 of the Second World War.

Wireless Operator/Air Gunner

Gateway School 1931-36

Son of Herbert and Lily Carter. Husband of Ethel Carter.

Sergeant Carter was one of the crew of Wellington T2967 that took off from RAF Snaith at 18:15 hours on the 22nd October 1941. The aircraft was on an operation to Mannheim in Germany, and failed to return as aircraft was shot down and crashed at Wiesbaden Rambach. Sergeant Carter is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany, Joint Grave 5. C. 15-16.

History Information

Crew members were:-

• Sergeant A L Bradshaw, Sergeant P P F Du Pre
• Pilot Officer G C O'Neill (RCAF) Sergeant K Carter
• Sergeant H I S Arme Sergeant R L Hunt

Keith Carter is also remembered on the Roll of Honour and war memorial from the now closed United Reform Church of Christ, Evington Road. Both items are in the care of Leicester City, County & Rutland At Risk War Memorials Project at All Saints Church, Leicester LE1 4PH.

The site for Durnbach War Cemetery was chosen, shortly after hostilities had ceased, by officers of the British Army and Air Force, in conjunction with officers of the American Occupation Forces in whose zone Durnbach lay. The great majority of those buried here are airmen shot down over Bavaria, Wurtemberg, Austria, Hessen and Thuringia, brought from their scattered graves by the Army Graves Service. The remainder are men who were killed while escaping from prisoner of war camps in the same areas, or who died towards the end of the War on forced marches from the camps to more remote areas. DURNBACH WAR CEMETERY contains 2,934 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 93 of which are unidentified. One grave in the cemetery (III. C.22.) contains the ashes of an unknown number of unidentified war casualties recovered from Flossenburg. Also, one grave (IV. A. 21.) contains the remains of 6 unidentified U.K.

airmen. There are also 30 war graves of other nationalities, most of them Polish. Within the Indian section of the cemetery will be found the DURNBACH CREMATION MEMORIAL, commemorating 23 servicemen of the army of undivided India who died while prisoners of war in various places in France and Germany, and who were cremated in accordance with their religion.