Brampton Bierlow - part 2
Mark Leslie Frost - PLY/X 1761
Mark Leslie Frost was born on 21 May 1918 in Rotherham, and baptised at Brampton Christ Church on 23 June 1918. He was the youngest of 11 children born to coal miner George Robert Frost and Mary Jane (nee Needham), who had married in 1900. In 1911 the family lived at 14 Princess St, West Melton, Rotherham, which they still lived at when Mark was christened and later at 68 Winterwell Rd, West Melton.
Mark joined the Royal Navy and became a Marine, service number PLY/X 1761. In 1942 he was on board the light cruiser HMS Edinburgh, which on 25 April sailed to Murmansk in Russia with steel plates for repair of the damaged cruiser HMS Trinidad. Whilst in Murmansk it was loaded with gold bullion for payment of war materials sent to Russia from Britain. HMS Edinburgh left Murmansk on 29 April and joined up with convoy QP11 the following day. Taking position ahead of the body of ships Edinburgh was twice attacked by German submarine U456. The first attack failed but on the second attempt two torpedoes struck on the starboard side. One hit amidships and the other blew away the stern structure including the rudder. Although the ship was able to use the port shafts, steering by engines was impracticable because of the prevailing weather conditions. Little progress was made and a towing attempt by HMS Forester failed when the tow broke HMS Foresight was then taken in tow by the damaged cruiser which proved much more successful until both destroyers had to be detached to refuel. On 1 May after making slow progress eastwards other RN ships and a Russian tug arrived but an attempt to tow again failed. Despite the significant damage the main armament could still be used in Local Control. The following day the ship engaged German destroyers making torpedo attacks and hit Schoemann which was abandoned by her crew and subsequently sank. One of the torpedoes fired by the German destroyer Z24 hit the ship on the port side amidships abreast the hangar. Further major damage amidships sealed her fate as it was unlikely that the structure could remain intact. As salvage was clearly impracticable the ship had to be abandoned. Of the ships complement 790 men of the 847 on board were taken off by HM Minesweepers Harrier and Gossamer before HMS Foresight was ordered to sink the ship by torpedo. The final casualty list recorded that 78 men were killed and 43 wounded.
After surviving the abandonment of HMS Edinburgh Marine Frost was transferred to HMS Trinidad, a Fiji class cruiser, for the voyage home. Earlier HMS Trinidad had been action out to Russia with convoy PQ-13 in March 1942, she and other escorts were in combat with German Narvik-class destroyers. She hit and sank the German destroyer Z 26, and then launched a torpedo attack. One of her torpedoes had a faulty gyro mechanism possibly affected by the icy waters. The path of the torpedo formed a circular arc, striking the Trinidad and killing 32 men. Trinidad was towed clear of the action, and was then able to proceed under her own power towards Murmansk. The German submarine U-378 attempted to engage and sink the damaged cruiser, but was spotted and attacked by destroyer HMS Fury. On arrival in Murmansk she underwent partial repairs. She set out to return home on 13 May 1942, escorted by the destroyers HMS Foresight, HMS Forester, HMS Somali and HMS Matchless. Other ships of the Home Fleet were providing a covering force nearby. Her speed was reduced to 20 knots owing to the damage she had sustained. En route, she was attacked by more than twenty Ju-88 bombers on 15 May 1942. All attacks missed, except for one bomb that struck near the previous damage, starting a serious fire. Sixty-three men were lost, including twenty survivors from HMS Edinburgh, which had been sunk two weeks earlier. The decision was taken to scuttle her and she was torpedoed by HMS Matchless and sank in the Arctic Ocean, north of North Cape.
Mark Leslie Frost was one of the HMS Edinburgh survivors that was lost on HMS Trinidad, he was 23 years old and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
Notes
At the time of Edinburgh's sinking she was carrying a 4.5 ton consignment of gold bullion. The 465 gold ingots, carried in ninety-three wooden boxes, were being
transported in the armoured bomb-rooms situated on the starboard side of the vessel, not far from the original torpedo's impact point. At the time, the estimated worth of the bullion was somewhere in the region of £1.5 million. In the late 1970s the British Government was becoming increasingly anxious to recover the gold. This was not only because it would provide further valuable revenue for the Treasury, but because there was also a growing fear of the wreck being pirated by unscrupulous salvagers, or,
worse, salvaged by the Soviet Union, in whose waters it lay. In the early 1980s, a company called Jessop Marine, run by a seasoned diver from Yorkshire, won the contract for the salvage rights to the wreck of the Edinburgh. In April 1981, the survey ship Dammtor began searching for the wreck in the Barents Sea and after only ten days, they discovered the ship's final resting place at an approximate position of 72°N, 35°E, at a depth of 800 feet. Using specialist camera equipment, the Dammtor took detailed film of the wreck, which allowed them to carefully plan the salvage operation. Later that year, on 30 August, the dive-support vessel Stephaniturm journeyed to the site, and salvage operations began in earnest. Several divers were injured during the operation, but on 15 September 1981, a diver finally penetrated the bomb room and recovered a bar of gold. On 7 October, bad weather finally forced the suspension of diving operations, but by that time, 431 of 465 ingots had been recovered. A further 29 bars were recovered in a subsequent operation in 1986, bringing the total to 460, leaving five unaccounted for.
Mark joined the Royal Navy and became a Marine, service number PLY/X 1761. In 1942 he was on board the light cruiser HMS Edinburgh, which on 25 April sailed to Murmansk in Russia with steel plates for repair of the damaged cruiser HMS Trinidad. Whilst in Murmansk it was loaded with gold bullion for payment of war materials sent to Russia from Britain. HMS Edinburgh left Murmansk on 29 April and joined up with convoy QP11 the following day. Taking position ahead of the body of ships Edinburgh was twice attacked by German submarine U456. The first attack failed but on the second attempt two torpedoes struck on the starboard side. One hit amidships and the other blew away the stern structure including the rudder. Although the ship was able to use the port shafts, steering by engines was impracticable because of the prevailing weather conditions. Little progress was made and a towing attempt by HMS Forester failed when the tow broke HMS Foresight was then taken in tow by the damaged cruiser which proved much more successful until both destroyers had to be detached to refuel. On 1 May after making slow progress eastwards other RN ships and a Russian tug arrived but an attempt to tow again failed. Despite the significant damage the main armament could still be used in Local Control. The following day the ship engaged German destroyers making torpedo attacks and hit Schoemann which was abandoned by her crew and subsequently sank. One of the torpedoes fired by the German destroyer Z24 hit the ship on the port side amidships abreast the hangar. Further major damage amidships sealed her fate as it was unlikely that the structure could remain intact. As salvage was clearly impracticable the ship had to be abandoned. Of the ships complement 790 men of the 847 on board were taken off by HM Minesweepers Harrier and Gossamer before HMS Foresight was ordered to sink the ship by torpedo. The final casualty list recorded that 78 men were killed and 43 wounded.
After surviving the abandonment of HMS Edinburgh Marine Frost was transferred to HMS Trinidad, a Fiji class cruiser, for the voyage home. Earlier HMS Trinidad had been action out to Russia with convoy PQ-13 in March 1942, she and other escorts were in combat with German Narvik-class destroyers. She hit and sank the German destroyer Z 26, and then launched a torpedo attack. One of her torpedoes had a faulty gyro mechanism possibly affected by the icy waters. The path of the torpedo formed a circular arc, striking the Trinidad and killing 32 men. Trinidad was towed clear of the action, and was then able to proceed under her own power towards Murmansk. The German submarine U-378 attempted to engage and sink the damaged cruiser, but was spotted and attacked by destroyer HMS Fury. On arrival in Murmansk she underwent partial repairs. She set out to return home on 13 May 1942, escorted by the destroyers HMS Foresight, HMS Forester, HMS Somali and HMS Matchless. Other ships of the Home Fleet were providing a covering force nearby. Her speed was reduced to 20 knots owing to the damage she had sustained. En route, she was attacked by more than twenty Ju-88 bombers on 15 May 1942. All attacks missed, except for one bomb that struck near the previous damage, starting a serious fire. Sixty-three men were lost, including twenty survivors from HMS Edinburgh, which had been sunk two weeks earlier. The decision was taken to scuttle her and she was torpedoed by HMS Matchless and sank in the Arctic Ocean, north of North Cape.
Mark Leslie Frost was one of the HMS Edinburgh survivors that was lost on HMS Trinidad, he was 23 years old and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
Notes
At the time of Edinburgh's sinking she was carrying a 4.5 ton consignment of gold bullion. The 465 gold ingots, carried in ninety-three wooden boxes, were being
transported in the armoured bomb-rooms situated on the starboard side of the vessel, not far from the original torpedo's impact point. At the time, the estimated worth of the bullion was somewhere in the region of £1.5 million. In the late 1970s the British Government was becoming increasingly anxious to recover the gold. This was not only because it would provide further valuable revenue for the Treasury, but because there was also a growing fear of the wreck being pirated by unscrupulous salvagers, or,
worse, salvaged by the Soviet Union, in whose waters it lay. In the early 1980s, a company called Jessop Marine, run by a seasoned diver from Yorkshire, won the contract for the salvage rights to the wreck of the Edinburgh. In April 1981, the survey ship Dammtor began searching for the wreck in the Barents Sea and after only ten days, they discovered the ship's final resting place at an approximate position of 72°N, 35°E, at a depth of 800 feet. Using specialist camera equipment, the Dammtor took detailed film of the wreck, which allowed them to carefully plan the salvage operation. Later that year, on 30 August, the dive-support vessel Stephaniturm journeyed to the site, and salvage operations began in earnest. Several divers were injured during the operation, but on 15 September 1981, a diver finally penetrated the bomb room and recovered a bar of gold. On 7 October, bad weather finally forced the suspension of diving operations, but by that time, 431 of 465 ingots had been recovered. A further 29 bars were recovered in a subsequent operation in 1986, bringing the total to 460, leaving five unaccounted for.
John Galloway
John Galloway was born in Barnsley on the 5 June 1919, first child of George Galloway, who was employed at a deputy and Sarah Annie (nee Gibson) who had been married for one year. John was baptised on 27 July 1919 at Wombwell St Mary church, when the couple lived at 6 Orchard View, Broomhill. The family later lived at 40 Burman Road, Wath having previously lived in Brampton. John was educated at Brampton Ellis School and Mexbro Secondary School. He was married to Emma (nee Parkin) in March 1941 in the Rother Valley registration district. He couple lived in Goldthorpe.
John Galloway enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in November 1939. He saw service in the Mediterranean (Oran & Dakar), in the Narvik action and also in early 1941 the bombardment of Genoa. John was appointed as a temporary Sub-Lieutenant in January 1942. He was serving with 800 Squadron Fleet Air Arm on the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable. On 13 June 1943 he was killed in an air crash, aged 23 years and is commemorated on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial. It was reported that on the day of the report of Lt Galloway’s death arrived his wife had just given birth to a son, this information was with-held for a few weeks. |
Bernard Harding - 14819044
Bernard Harding was the first child born to Harold Harding and Ethel (nee Corns), his birth being registered in Rotherham in the second quarter of 1926. The Family lived at 144 High Street, West Melton. Bernard was known affectionately as Bunny.
He joined the army and was a Private in the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, service number 14819044. The regiment was part of the 53rd Infantry Division. Private Harding died, in Lower Saxony, Germany between Rethem and Soltau, on 16 April 1945, less than a month before the end of the war in Europe. He was just 18 years old and now lies in Becklingen War Cemetery. |
Patrick Hinchliff - 4541557
Patrick Hinchliff was born in Rotherham in the second quarter of 1917 to Dennis Hinchliff and his wife of two years Nora (nee Duddy).
Patrick Hinchliff joined the Army, service number 4541557, he was a Private in the Army Catering Corps. There was severe fighting in the Netherlands in the vicinity of Overloon in October-November 1944, when the Germans were being cleared out of the region south and west of the Maas in preparation for the final attack on the
Rhineland.
Patrick Hinchliff died on 3 November 1944, aged 27 and is buried in Overloon War Cemetery.
Patrick Hinchliff joined the Army, service number 4541557, he was a Private in the Army Catering Corps. There was severe fighting in the Netherlands in the vicinity of Overloon in October-November 1944, when the Germans were being cleared out of the region south and west of the Maas in preparation for the final attack on the
Rhineland.
Patrick Hinchliff died on 3 November 1944, aged 27 and is buried in Overloon War Cemetery.
James Hodges - 16753389
James Hodges was born in Ormskirk, Lancashire on 29 December 1923 first child of George Henry Hodges and Martha Ann (nee Brown). The family moved to the Rotherham area when James was young and he was about seven years old when a sister was born. He was a member of the Scouts belonging to the 68th Doncaster
(Wath Grammar School) Group. James married in 1942 in the Don Valley registration area.
James (service number 1675389) became a Sergeant (Flight Engineer) on Lancaster bombers with the RAF’s 227 Squadron. The squadron had reformed on 7 October 1944 at Bardney, Lincolnshireas 'A' Flight of 9 Squadron and 'B' Flight of 619 Squadron, moving to Balderton later that month. On 18 December 1944 Bomber Command sent a force of 236 Lancasters of No 5 Group to attacked the distant port of Gotenhafen (now known as Gdynia) on the Baltic coast of Poland. James was on board a
Lancaster with serial number PB723 and squadron markings of 9J-W airborne from Balderton, Lincolnshire. Over the target the aircraft is believed to have been hit by fire from the Marine Flak Battery, Gotenhafen garrison. It is possibly the aircraft crashed into the sea during an unsuccessful attempt at landing in the shallows of Zatoka
Pucka (Puck Bay), at 00:15. Only the pilot, a New Zealander who was on his 16th sortie survived from the seven man crew. This was one of four aircraft lost on this mission. Sgt James Hodges, aged 20 and his fellow crew members are buried in Poland at Malbork Commonwealth War Cemetery. Malbork (formerly Marienburg) is a town on the River Nogat located in the north of Poland to the south-east of the city of Gdansk (Danzig). James who would have celebrated his 21st birthday in a further 11 days, left a wife and daughter.
Other crew members were:
F/O A.J.R.Wilson RNZAF PoW
F/S John William Frank Jordan – 1586987– Navigator – aged 24 - KIA
P/O James Duncan Smith RCAF – J95482– Air Bomber – aged 22 - KIA
P/O Frederick Gordon Stuart Best –185713 – Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner - KIA
F/L Cyril Alfred Banks – 149056 –Air Gunner - aged 32 - KIA
Flt/Sgt Gilbert Milroy Clark - 2212860 –Air Gunner – aged 37 - KIA
(Wath Grammar School) Group. James married in 1942 in the Don Valley registration area.
James (service number 1675389) became a Sergeant (Flight Engineer) on Lancaster bombers with the RAF’s 227 Squadron. The squadron had reformed on 7 October 1944 at Bardney, Lincolnshireas 'A' Flight of 9 Squadron and 'B' Flight of 619 Squadron, moving to Balderton later that month. On 18 December 1944 Bomber Command sent a force of 236 Lancasters of No 5 Group to attacked the distant port of Gotenhafen (now known as Gdynia) on the Baltic coast of Poland. James was on board a
Lancaster with serial number PB723 and squadron markings of 9J-W airborne from Balderton, Lincolnshire. Over the target the aircraft is believed to have been hit by fire from the Marine Flak Battery, Gotenhafen garrison. It is possibly the aircraft crashed into the sea during an unsuccessful attempt at landing in the shallows of Zatoka
Pucka (Puck Bay), at 00:15. Only the pilot, a New Zealander who was on his 16th sortie survived from the seven man crew. This was one of four aircraft lost on this mission. Sgt James Hodges, aged 20 and his fellow crew members are buried in Poland at Malbork Commonwealth War Cemetery. Malbork (formerly Marienburg) is a town on the River Nogat located in the north of Poland to the south-east of the city of Gdansk (Danzig). James who would have celebrated his 21st birthday in a further 11 days, left a wife and daughter.
Other crew members were:
F/O A.J.R.Wilson RNZAF PoW
F/S John William Frank Jordan – 1586987– Navigator – aged 24 - KIA
P/O James Duncan Smith RCAF – J95482– Air Bomber – aged 22 - KIA
P/O Frederick Gordon Stuart Best –185713 – Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner - KIA
F/L Cyril Alfred Banks – 149056 –Air Gunner - aged 32 - KIA
Flt/Sgt Gilbert Milroy Clark - 2212860 –Air Gunner – aged 37 - KIA
Harold Holman - C/KX 134907
Harold Holman was born in Rotherham in late 1922, to William H Holman and his wife of eight years Louisa E (nee Shaw).
Harold joined the Royal Navy, service number C/KX 134907, and served as a Stoker 1st Class on HM Submarine Parthian. In February 1943, Parthian was the only British submarine stationed at Beirut along with the Greek submarine Papanicolis. She then returned to Malta under the command of Lieutenant C. A. Pardoe. In July 1943, HMS Parthian sailed from Malta for a patrol in the southern Adriatic. On the 26th she was ordered to patrol off Capo Otranto. This order was cancelled on the 28th when a new patrol area was given. The submarine was signaled on 6th August to leave the patrol. This signal was not acknowledged and no further contact was made with the submarine. Parthian was due to arrive at Beirut on 11th August 1943, and her failure to do so was presumably due to a mine off Brindisi, southeastern coast of Italy, while returning to Beirut, on or around 6th August. The date that the submarine was due is shown as the date that it became overdue. Harold Holman was lost on 11 August 1943, aged 21 and is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial. |
Douglas Law - P/JX 138916
Douglas Law was born in Rotherham in the second quarter of 1917. He was the youngest child of Alfred Law and Sarah Ellen (nee Dobson), who had married in 1903 lived at 80 High Street, West Melton.
Douglas joined the Royal Navy, service number P/JX 138916, and was based at shore based establishment HMS Vernon. During the Second World War, HMS Vernon became responsible for mine disposal and mine countermeasures. Various sections of HMS Vernon were dispersed to sites throughout the country following heavy air raids on Portsmouth, one of which demolished Dido Building and killed 100 people in a single night. On 3 May 1941, the main part of HMS Vernon was evacuated to Roedean Girls’ School at Brighton.
He died on 29 June 1944 in hospital in Brighton, and is buried in West Melton Congregational Churchyard.
Douglas joined the Royal Navy, service number P/JX 138916, and was based at shore based establishment HMS Vernon. During the Second World War, HMS Vernon became responsible for mine disposal and mine countermeasures. Various sections of HMS Vernon were dispersed to sites throughout the country following heavy air raids on Portsmouth, one of which demolished Dido Building and killed 100 people in a single night. On 3 May 1941, the main part of HMS Vernon was evacuated to Roedean Girls’ School at Brighton.
He died on 29 June 1944 in hospital in Brighton, and is buried in West Melton Congregational Churchyard.
James Lenaghan - 1438522
Avro Anson
James Lenaghan was born in Isle of Whithorn, Wigtownwshire (now Dumfries and Galloway), Scotland on 13 February 1922 to Hugh and Annie Lenaghan. He was married to Daisy Bowen of Wombwell on 16 February 1942 in Leeds. The couple who lived with his parents at Home Farm, Temple Newsam, Leeds had a daughter (Ann) who died shortly after birth.
James enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 1438522, and was a Leading Aircraftman - Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Under Training. On 31 May 1943 James was on board Anson LT778 of 10 Air gunnery School together with two other trainees, an air gunnery instructor and the pilot. He was killed along with the rest of his crew following a collision between the Anson, which came down on the beach at Barrow in Furness and a Martinet serial number HP303, which landed safely.
James was 21 years old when he died. His wife was expecting another baby when James was killed and the child, another daughter (Jamesina Anne) was born about 10 weeks later. He was buried in Brampton Bierlow (Christ Church) Churchyard where his gravestone bears the inscription “You Have Gone, But For Awhile, We Shall Always Remember, Your Loving Smile”.
James enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 1438522, and was a Leading Aircraftman - Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Under Training. On 31 May 1943 James was on board Anson LT778 of 10 Air gunnery School together with two other trainees, an air gunnery instructor and the pilot. He was killed along with the rest of his crew following a collision between the Anson, which came down on the beach at Barrow in Furness and a Martinet serial number HP303, which landed safely.
James was 21 years old when he died. His wife was expecting another baby when James was killed and the child, another daughter (Jamesina Anne) was born about 10 weeks later. He was buried in Brampton Bierlow (Christ Church) Churchyard where his gravestone bears the inscription “You Have Gone, But For Awhile, We Shall Always Remember, Your Loving Smile”.
James Desmond Diggles Longden - 572845
James Desmond Diggles Longden was born in Barnsley
on 19 June 1919. His father Ernest Longden was a originally a colliery
labourer, but by the time of James baptism on 6 July 1921 at Wombwell St Mary
he was an insurance agent. Originally Ernest lived with his wife of thirteen
years Ann (nee Diggles) at 65 Snape Hill, Darfield, near Barnsley,
and then moved to 25 March St. The family later moved to Knollbeck Crescent, Brampton.
After leaving school James enlisted in the RAF as an apprentice in August 1937. he was part of the 36th entry which had it’s 3 year apprenticeship cut by 6 months due to the outbreak of the war, they passed out in January 1940. James, service number 572845, trained as a pilot and attained the rank of Sergeant. He trained with 7 Elementary Flying Training School before moving to 56 Operational Training Unit at RAF Tealing, north of Dundee. On 23 June 1943 he was pilot of Hawker Hurricane serial number L2073, while carrying out dog fighting pilot, Sgt, Longden, collided with another aircraft which caused his aircraft it to spin out of control from 10,000 feet. The Hurricane dived into the sea, about 3 miles east of RAF Leuchars, and James Longden was killed. The other aircraft, although damaged managed to return to base and land safely. James was 22 years old and was buried in Wombwell Cemetery. |