Harthill
The Harthill War Memorial is in Union Street.
The names are on two tablets mounted on the wall behind the cross monument.
There are 14 names from the First World War on the tablet inscribed:
To the glory of God and in honoured memory of the Harthill men who laid down their lives in The Great War 1914-1919
This cross was dedicated by their fellow parishioners. R.I.P.
There are 5 names of men from the Second World War on a lower tablet under the inscription:
1939-1945
The names are on two tablets mounted on the wall behind the cross monument.
There are 14 names from the First World War on the tablet inscribed:
To the glory of God and in honoured memory of the Harthill men who laid down their lives in The Great War 1914-1919
This cross was dedicated by their fellow parishioners. R.I.P.
There are 5 names of men from the Second World War on a lower tablet under the inscription:
1939-1945
Additional Information
Eric Bradshaw (6023849)
Leicestershire Regiment - 2nd Bn. 15 March 1941, aged 26 Killed in action in North Africa at the Battle of Keren, Eritrea Keren War Cemetery Harry Highfield (D/SSX 32198) Royal Navy - H.M.S. Galatea 15 December 1941, aged 21 Lost when vessel sunk in the Mediterranean Plymouth Naval Memorial Douglas Snowden (4861999) Leicestershire Regiment - 2/5th Bn. 11 February 1943, aged 26 Killed in action in the Tunisian Campaign Medjez-El-Bab Memorial |
Maurice Joseph Lawson Turnbull (107563)
Welsh Guards - Cdg. No.2 Coy. 1st Bn 4 August 1944, aged 38 Killed in action in the Normandy Campaign Bayeux War Cemetery William Vergette (B/37091) Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, R.C.I.C 12 July 1944, aged 33 Killed during the Normandy Campaign near Caen Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers Military Medal during Dieppe Raid |
Eric Bradshaw - 6023849
Eric Bradshaw was the youngest of four boys, he was born in late 1914 to John Willie Bradshaw, a coal miner, and his wife Marion Elizabeth. His birth was registered in Worksop, and he was baptised at Harthill All Hallows Church on 10 January 1915. After leaving school he worked for his brother, Billy Bradshaw, in the shop opposite the church, delivering green groceries. He lived one of the row of cottages down Dishwell Lane.
Eric enlisted in the Army, service number 6023849, and was a Private initially with the Essex Regiment and later in the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. The regiment was in East Africa battling the Italians at Keren in Eritrea. British and Commonwealth forces had already been in two attacks in February when on 15 March 1941 they commenced their third and decisive attack. It was in this day that Eric Bradshaw was killed. He was 26 years old and now lies in Keren War Cemetery. |
Harry Highfield - D/SSX 32198
Harry Highfield was a twin along with Ethel born to Charles
Henry and Edith Highfield of Firvale, Harthill. There births were registered in
Worksop and they were baptised on 10 October 1920 in Harthill.
Harry was an Able Seaman on board HMS Galatea an Arethusa Class Light Cruiser built in 1935. The Galatea was part of the Mediterranean Fleet and in December 1941 was tasked, with other ships, to attack German convoys operating from Italy to North Africa. When this was cancelled, as the convoys had returned to port, the Galatea was ordered to return to Alexandria in Egypt. For seven hours the Galatea was subject to repeated air attacks, however she survived these. Just after midnight, in the first few minutes of 15 December 1941 the Galatea was hit by a salvo of torpedoes launched by the German submarine U-557 whilst entering swept channel 30 miles North West of Alexandria. Galatea listed heavily then suddenly rolled over on her portside with a terrific splash, and sank in just 3 minutes. Some 100 survivors were picked up by the destroyers HMS Griffin and HMS Hotspur but Galatea’s Captain, 22 officers and 447 ratings were killed. Able Seaman Harry Highfield, aged 21, was amongst those lost and is now commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. Note U-557 was sunk with the loss of all hand on 16 December 1941 in the Mediterranean Sea, west of Crete. The Italian torpedo boat Orione saw a submarine and believing it to be British rammed it. |
Douglas Snowden - 4861999
Douglas Snowden born in 1916 and baptised in a private baptism on 19 March 1916. His birth was registered in Worksop by his parents, coal miner William Snowden and his wife Elizabeth, who lived at Fir Vale, Harthill. Douglas worked at Kiveton High Hazel Pit Top, but still received his call up papers.
He was a Private in 2/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment which sailed for North Africa on December 23rd 1942 as part of 139th Brigade, 46th Division to serve as part of X Corps in Tunisia. Douglas Snowden was report missing believed killed in battle near Sedjanene, Tunisia on 11 February 1943, aged 26. He is commemorated on the Medjez-El-Bab Memorial. |
Maurice Joseph Lawson Turnbull - 107563
Maurice Joseph Lawson Turnbull was born in Cardiff on 16 March 1906. He was the son of Philip Bernard Turnbull and Ann Maud (nee Rumney). Maurice was a fine cricketer, playing for Glamorgan whilst still a 17 year old schoolboy. He went to Cambridge where he also captained the university team before going on to captain Glamorgan through the 1930’s. Maurice also excelled at other sports, in and era when it was not unusual for an amateur to play internationals in different sports. He was an outstanding rugby player, playing as a half-back for both the Cambridge University and Cardiff, and went on to win two Welsh caps in 1932. He also won a hockey Blue and was a Welsh hockey international in 1929. He also held the South Wales Squash Rackets Championship. But his true sport was cricket, being Glamorgan`s first ever Test Cricketer, he played nine time for England. In 1938 he was also made a test selector. Maurice was married to Elizabeth C R Brooke in Scunthorpe in 1939, which produced three children whose births were registered in Rother Valley District. The family lived on Thorpe Lane, Harthill.
Maurice was a Major commanding No.2 Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, he was killed in action near Montchamp in Normandy on 4 August 1944. During an attack his company got cut off, and while making a reconnaissance he was shot through the head by a sniper and killed instantaneously. He was 38 years old and is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery.
Maurice was a Major commanding No.2 Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, he was killed in action near Montchamp in Normandy on 4 August 1944. During an attack his company got cut off, and while making a reconnaissance he was shot through the head by a sniper and killed instantaneously. He was 38 years old and is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery.
William Vergette - B/37091
wasWilliam Vergette was the son of Frederick William and Frances Vergette, born in Peterborough in 1911. He emigrated to Canada in the 1930’s.
When World War II started he volunteered and joined the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Regiment, part of the Canadian Army. The Regiment was posted to England where met and married Mary Frances Clarke at Harthill Church on 21st April 1941. He took part in the disasterous Dieppe Raid and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery. He attended Buckingham Palace on 2nd October 1942 where King George VI carried out the investiture. His commendation stated ‘Private Vergette was a Rifleman in Number 20 Platoon, "B" Company, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. During the assault on the Casino in the Dieppe operation, 19 August 1942, and the further advance towards the town, Private Vergette displayed great initiative and leadership in that after the Non-Commissioned Officers of his platoon were killed or wounded he assumed command and led his men in a very gallant fashion throughout the remainder of the operation despite the fact that he himself was wounded. Through his efforts and leadership about twenty-five of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry succeeded in penetrating to the park on the south side of the Casino’. By the time the unit landed in France on 7 July 1944 William Vergette was a Lance Sergeant. He was killed in the Battle for Caen on 12 July 1944 and was originally buried at Rocrenil, near where he fell. On 19 March 1945 he was later buried in the Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France. He was 33 years old when he died. |