Lance Sergeant Samuel Hillier (1069816)23rd June 1905 – 3rd April 1943 Samuel Hillier was born on 23rd June 1905 in West Hartlepool to James Hillier, a firewood merchant, and Matilda Hillier. In 1921 he is listed as living at 72 Alice Street, West Hartlepool with his parents and sisters, Mary and Ellen and two older…

Captain Frank Ellis (153643)25th July 1916 – 8th December 1943 Frank Ellis was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire in July 1916. His father was Joshua Ellis (died 27 January 1932), a police constable with the West Riding Constabulary, and his mother was Martha-Ann Ellis. In 1921 he was listed as living with his parents and sister,…

Captain Keith Wilson Mellor7th August 1914 – 12th June 1986 Keith Wilson Mellor was born on the 7th June 1914 in Chorlton nr Manchester. His father was Harold Mellor was a bank clerk at the Manchester Liverpool District Banking Co (which would eventually become NatWest) in Spring Gardens, Manchester. His mother was Ethel Stuart Mellor.…

Major Harry Houghton Wale MC – 524322nd January 1912 – 13th October 2000 Harry Houghton Wale MC was born on 2nd January 1912 in Lancaster, England. His father was Albert Victor Wale (1877 – 1963), a clerk and steward at Lancaster Moor Hospital and mother was Helena Alice Wale (1885 – 1940), a teacher at…

Major Christopher Henry Alexander Barnes28th May 1912 – 4th June 1990 Christopher Henry Alexander Barnes was born on 28th May 1912 in Worksop. His father was Christopher Chevallier Barnes (1873 – 1940) who was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Artillery, and his mother Mary Elizabeth Barnes (nee Robinson). Christopher was listed in the 1921…

Major Edward Brian Walker – 4445911th November 1908 – 1st March 1943 Edward Brian Walker was born in Bolton on 11th November 1908. His father, Arthur Noel Walker (1878 – 1950) was a leather tanner. His mother was Beatrice Walker (1883 – 1950). He has two other brothers and during the 1911 census the household…

Major Robert Mervyn Craske5th December 1909 – 5th May 2001 Robert was born on 5th December 1909 in Farnbrough. Roberts father was Colonel John Craske (CMG, DSO) who served with the Leinster Rifles in Gallipoli during the First World War and Clara Grave Oliver of Halifax, Nova Scotia was his mother. By 1921, Robert was…

Lt. Col John Gerald Hill MBE MC8 February 1895 – 13 November 1975 John was born in Malta on 8 February 1895. His father was Cutts Humphrey Hill (1862-1923) who was an officer in the Gloucestershire Regiment and served in East Indies, Australia, Malta, Egypt and India over 21 years from 1882 to 1903. His…

Major Jack Lewis Hart – 1513191919 – 28 June 2015 Jack Lewis Hart was born in early 1919 in Faversham, Kent. His father, Robert Hart (born 1891) worked for Peek Freans and Co biscuit manufacturer in Bermondsey; and his mother Elsie Hart (nee Jeffrey) (born 1887) was a housewife. Jack became a 2nd Lieutenant in…

Gnr John Joseph Holt MM – 1090554 4 July 1920 – 11 April 2016 John Joseph Holt (born Joseph Burrow) was born in Great Harwood, Lancashire. John was adopted by Mary Charlotte Holt. Mary had been married to John William Holt and had two children who died at a young age. Tragedy would strike again…