South Anston - St James Churchyard, Sheffield Road
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A/M G B CORNELL R N
COOK J W R MANGHAM M N R/O E MOORE M N PTE F BIRKS ARMY PTE T CHAMBERS ARMY PTE N G CHAMBERS ARMY CPL R H DICKSON ARMY MAJ R M DICK DSO ARMY PTE G H FOULDS ARMY CPL J HOGG ARMY LT G H PRESSWOOD ARMY L/BDR J SHELDON ARMY DVR R STEPHENSON ARMY PTE F WARD ARMY SGT/P S APPLEY R A F SGT R E FOULDS R A F F/SGT E LIDSTER R A F SGT J M SNOWDEN R A F F/O A J TURNER R A F P/O R S WOOLASS R A F |
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South Anston Methodist Church
Foulds, Reuben E
Hogg, John
Presswood, G Hugh
Snowden, J Malcolm
Stephenson, Ronald
Turner, Arnold J
Hogg, John
Presswood, G Hugh
Snowden, J Malcolm
Stephenson, Ronald
Turner, Arnold J
Additional Information
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Samuel Appley (536308)
Royal Air Force - 21 O.T.U. 8 February 1942, aged 28 Wellington aircraft crashed on a training flight South Anston (St James) Churchyard Fred Birks (1485732) Royal Artillery - 111 Bty., 39 Lt. A.A. Regiment 31 March 1941, aged 46 Drowned in Lincolnshire South Anston (St James) Churchyard Norman Groves (Chambers) Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers - 1st Bn 6 December 1943, aged 24 Died in Burma Rangoon Memorial Born Norman Groves, mother re-married and became Mrs Chambers Thomas Chambers (3445779) Essex Regiment - 2nd Bn. 19 June 1944, aged 26 Died during the Normandy Campaign Bayeux Memorial George Bennett Cornell (FX./562700) Royal Navy - H.M.S. Indomitable 28 August 1944, aged 20 Died of Wounds Trincomalee War Cemetery Richard Mackenzie Dick (76539) Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) - 14th Bn. 14 March 1944, aged 24 Died during the Italian Campaign Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio Distinguished Service Order Richard Henry Dickson (5045944) Gordon Highlanders - 1st Bn. 9 July 1944, aged 33 Died during the Normandy Campaign Ranville War Cemetery George Henry Foulds (13005214) Pioneer Corps - Aux. Mil. 17 June 1940, aged 40 Died when troop ship Lancastria was sunk Le Clion-Sur-Mer Communal Cemetery Reuben Edward Foulds (1591122) Royal Air Force - 101 Sqdn. 8 June 1944, aged 19 Lancaster aircraft lost on a mission to France Bayeux War Cemetery John Hogg (4747983) York and Lancaster Regiment - 6th Bn. 28 April 1943, aged 23 Died during the North African Campaign Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery Eric Lidster (1025185) Royal Air Force - 83 Sqdn. 22 June 1943, aged 21 Lancaster aircraft lost on a mission to Germany Jonkerbos War Cemetery |
John Walter R Mangham
Merchant Navy - MV Richmond Castle (London) 10 August 1942, aged 23 Lost when vessel sunk in the Atlantic Tower Hill Memorial Eric Moore Merchant Navy - SS Ashcrest (London) 9 December 1940, aged 21 Lost when vessel sunk in the Atlantic Tower Hill Memorial George Hugh Presswood (189969) South Staffordshire Regiment (secondary unit Welch Regiment) - attd. 1/5th Bn. 13 February 1945, aged 28 Died in North West Europe Rheinberg War Cemetery Mentioned In Despatches Jack Sheldon (889297) Royal Artillery - 7 Medium Regiment 28 - 29 May 1941, aged 20 Died in the Middle East Athens Memorial James Malcolm Snowden (1108099) Royal Air Force - 209 Sqdn. 20 August 1943, aged 21 Catalina aircraft crashed on a training flight in East Africa Alamein Memorial Ronald Stephenson (1949850) Royal Engineers - 24 Field Coy. 7 September 1944, aged 23 Died in France Evreux Communal Cemetery Arnold James Turner (125631) Royal Air Force - 9 Sqdn. 11 April 1943, aged 27 Lancaster aircraft lost on a mission to Germany Rheinberg War Cemetery Francis Ward (4688561) King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry - 1st Bn. 13 July 1943, aged 29 Died on Sicily Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily Ralph Skelton Woolass (102073) Royal Air Force - 234 Sqdn. 16 April 1942, aged 24 Spitfire aircraft lost on a mission Runnymede Memorial |
Richard Mackenzie Dick
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Derbyshire Times - Friday, January 15, 1943
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John Walter R Mangham
Merchant Navy record card
Eric Moore
Eric Moore was born in 1919, the only child of Walter Percival Moore and Edith (nee Booth). His birth was registered in the last quarter of 1919 in Ecclesall Bierlow Registration Area, the same district as Walter and Edith married within five year previously. His father died when Eric was only 18 months old. Latterly his mother lived at 5 High Street, South Anston.
Eric became a merchant mariner and in 1940 was the First Radio Officer on the SS Ashcrest, a London registered steamer. The Ashcrest which was built in 1920 had been bought in 1940 by Britain and sailed for the company Crest Shipping. Since March 1940 the Ashcrest had sailed to and back from North Africa, Southern France and North America. On 16 October 1940 she left Milford Haven and arrived in Philadelphia on 6 November after crossing the Atlantic with Convoy OB230. After loading up with steel the Ashcrest left Philadelphia on 16 November and sailed independently to Sydney on Cape Bretton, Nova Scotia to join up with Convoy SC13. The 32 ship convoy with six escorts left Sydney CB on 22 November 1940, and although the convoy was Liverpool bound the ultimate destination of the Ashcrest was Middlesbrough. On 7 December, the Ashcrest, was straggler behind the convoy and sent in a distress signal that her rudder was broken in 54°35N/09°20W. No further news was heard from the vessel and it was reported missing thereafter. In reality the signal also alerted a German submarine, U-140 which sighted the stopped ship in the evening on 8 December and fired one G7e torpedo at 20:20 hours. The torpedo became a surface runner and missed, so after five minutes a second G7e torpedo was fired that hit underneath the bridge and broke her in two. The fore-ship sank immediately and the remaining part after 10 minutes, in a position about 80 miles north west of Ireland. Everyone on the vessel, the master, 36 crew members and one gunner, were lost. Eric Moore was 21 years old and he is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial.
Notes
U-140 just about survived the war, it was scuttled on 2 May 1945, in the Raederschleuse at Wilhelmshaven. Despite the longevity of the boat it only went on three patrols during the entire war and sank only 2 ship other than the Ashcrest.
The Ashcrest was a 5,652 ton merchant steamer built in 1920 by Northumberland Shipbuilding Co Ltd at Howden-on-Tyne. It was launched as ‘War Chateau’, completed as Norwegian ‘Erle’ for Arentz Rederi, Larvik; 1922 sold to Det Forenede Rederi A/S, Oslo; 1924 sold to A/S Erle (Fearnley & Eger), Oslo; 1927 sold to Yugoslavia and renamed ‘Zrinski’ for Jugoslovensko Amerikaniska Plovidba, Spilt; 1928 sold to Jugoslavenski Lloyd Ackionarsko Drustvo, Split; 1940 sold to Britain and renamed ‘Ashcrest’ for Crest Shipping Co, London.
Eric became a merchant mariner and in 1940 was the First Radio Officer on the SS Ashcrest, a London registered steamer. The Ashcrest which was built in 1920 had been bought in 1940 by Britain and sailed for the company Crest Shipping. Since March 1940 the Ashcrest had sailed to and back from North Africa, Southern France and North America. On 16 October 1940 she left Milford Haven and arrived in Philadelphia on 6 November after crossing the Atlantic with Convoy OB230. After loading up with steel the Ashcrest left Philadelphia on 16 November and sailed independently to Sydney on Cape Bretton, Nova Scotia to join up with Convoy SC13. The 32 ship convoy with six escorts left Sydney CB on 22 November 1940, and although the convoy was Liverpool bound the ultimate destination of the Ashcrest was Middlesbrough. On 7 December, the Ashcrest, was straggler behind the convoy and sent in a distress signal that her rudder was broken in 54°35N/09°20W. No further news was heard from the vessel and it was reported missing thereafter. In reality the signal also alerted a German submarine, U-140 which sighted the stopped ship in the evening on 8 December and fired one G7e torpedo at 20:20 hours. The torpedo became a surface runner and missed, so after five minutes a second G7e torpedo was fired that hit underneath the bridge and broke her in two. The fore-ship sank immediately and the remaining part after 10 minutes, in a position about 80 miles north west of Ireland. Everyone on the vessel, the master, 36 crew members and one gunner, were lost. Eric Moore was 21 years old and he is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial.
Notes
U-140 just about survived the war, it was scuttled on 2 May 1945, in the Raederschleuse at Wilhelmshaven. Despite the longevity of the boat it only went on three patrols during the entire war and sank only 2 ship other than the Ashcrest.
The Ashcrest was a 5,652 ton merchant steamer built in 1920 by Northumberland Shipbuilding Co Ltd at Howden-on-Tyne. It was launched as ‘War Chateau’, completed as Norwegian ‘Erle’ for Arentz Rederi, Larvik; 1922 sold to Det Forenede Rederi A/S, Oslo; 1924 sold to A/S Erle (Fearnley & Eger), Oslo; 1927 sold to Yugoslavia and renamed ‘Zrinski’ for Jugoslovensko Amerikaniska Plovidba, Spilt; 1928 sold to Jugoslavenski Lloyd Ackionarsko Drustvo, Split; 1940 sold to Britain and renamed ‘Ashcrest’ for Crest Shipping Co, London.
Merchant Navy record card
George Hugh Presswood
MiD on War Medal Ribbon
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Merchant Navy record card
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Reuben Edward Foulds - 1591122
Nose art of Lancaster ME565
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Reuben Edward Foulds was born on 19 September 1924 to coal miner Reuben Charles Foulds and his wife of four years, Beatrice (nee Miller). He was christened at South Anston Parish Church on 19 October 1924.
Reuben became a Sergeant (Air Gunner), service number 1591122 within the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve serving with 101 Squadron. On D-Day +1 Reuben was part of the seven man crew, the pilot being Canadian, of Avro Lancaster Mk I serial number ME565 with squadron markings SR-Q tasked with bombing a target in France. The aircraft nicknamed ‘Wing and a Prayer’ was airborne at 23:22 on 7 June 1944 from Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire, it was part of a force of 112 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 5 and 8 Groups. They were to carry out an accurate attack on an important 6-way road junction half-way between Bayeuxand St-Lô at Forêt De Cerisy. The surrounding woods were believed to contain fuel dumps and German tank units preparing to counter-attack the Allied forces which landed in Normandy the previous day. The nearest French village was several kilometres away and therefore collateral damage would hopefully be minimal. ND340 of 156 Squadron reported ‘at 01:46 an explosion like a scarecrow in the air dead in front at own height with white smoke and an aircraft appeared to be going down in target area immediately after this scarecrow. The aircraft went down and hit the deck and went up in an orange flash’. It is thought that this was the demise of ME565. Sgt Fould’s aircraft was one of two lost on this operation, it crashed near St-Laurent-sur- Mer (Calvados), 5 km NNE of Trevieres. All the crew were killed in the crash and they were initially buried in the US Military and Allied cemetery at St-Laurent-sur-Mer. In 1948 both Air Gunners (Foulds and Girdwood) were taken to Bayeaux War Cemetery. The others could not be positively identified and they are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Reuben Edward Foulds was on his sixth mission, and was 19 years old. |
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Notes
ME565 was fitted with ABC equipment (Airborne Cigar) to jam German night-fighter transmissions. This required an additional eighth crew member. On this mission only seven crew were carried. The other crew members were: P/O A.L Arnell RCAF J/85254 Sgt J B Carr 1393365 F/O H F Peacock 152783 F/O S J Stott 141547 Sgt W D Knight 938113 Sgt J E Girdwood 1594791 On 12 October 1943 Reuben Edward Foulds was on board an Avro Anson I with serial number LV139 and unit markings of ED-4 of 12 AGS (Air Gunnery School) on a gunnery training flight. The aircraft had taken off from Bishopscourt, Northern Ireland, but lost the target and then their way in poor visibility. They were planning to ditch but saw land and successfully landed at Dublin Airport, Colinstown. Although Ireland was neutral it did not carry out internment, so it refuelled the aircraft and allowed it to take off again at 17:40 for it base. |
© IWM (MH 5622) Avro Anson
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James Malcolm Snowden - 1108099
James Malcolm Snowden was the son of Ernest Alfred Snowden and Emily B (nee Allen), and his birth was registered in Worksop the third quarter of 1920. He was a member of the Scouts belonging to the 73rd Doncaster (Dinnington St Andrew's) Group.
He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 1108099, and became a Sergeant flying with 209 Squadron. The squadron was a flying boat squadron operating a number of different types since 1930. Early in 1941 it began operating the Consolidated PBY Catalina, the type that would become its mainstay for the majority of the war. Then in October of that year the squadron moved to Kipevu, East Africa. On 20 August 1943 Sgt Snowden was a Wireless Operator / Air Gunner on a Catalina IB serial number FP302 which was taking part in a non-operational night time training mission to practice depth charge attacks on pinnace (a small boat). It is thought that the aircraft clipped the sea with its wing whilst searching for the target with ‘special equipment’ and crashed at 20:00. Initially one wing was located and whilst it was being towed ashore it sank. At first light no other debris was located and there were no survivors from the 10 men onboard, which included a ‘passenger’ and also the commanding officer of 209 Squadron flying as 2nd Pilot. James Malcolm Snowden was 22 years and is remembered on the Alamein Memorial.
He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 1108099, and became a Sergeant flying with 209 Squadron. The squadron was a flying boat squadron operating a number of different types since 1930. Early in 1941 it began operating the Consolidated PBY Catalina, the type that would become its mainstay for the majority of the war. Then in October of that year the squadron moved to Kipevu, East Africa. On 20 August 1943 Sgt Snowden was a Wireless Operator / Air Gunner on a Catalina IB serial number FP302 which was taking part in a non-operational night time training mission to practice depth charge attacks on pinnace (a small boat). It is thought that the aircraft clipped the sea with its wing whilst searching for the target with ‘special equipment’ and crashed at 20:00. Initially one wing was located and whilst it was being towed ashore it sank. At first light no other debris was located and there were no survivors from the 10 men onboard, which included a ‘passenger’ and also the commanding officer of 209 Squadron flying as 2nd Pilot. James Malcolm Snowden was 22 years and is remembered on the Alamein Memorial.
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Note
The other crew members were: F/L Edwin Ronald Brooke Roberts AUS 400292 Captain W/C Gerald Evan Wallace 33179 2nd Pilot F/L John Mitchell Inglis 60288 3rd Pilot F/O Victor Bowring Field 48165WOM/AG Sgt Dennis William O’Leary 933257 WOP/AG Sgt J M Growden 1108099 WOP/AG Sgt Ernest Mallon 350034 F/Eng Sgt Stanley Borrill 84738 F Eng Sgt Ernest Hallas 942335 FM ‘A’/AG LAC Norman Edwards 1027867 Passenger |
Catalina
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Ralph Skelton Woolass - 102073
Ralph Skelton Woolass was born in Sheffield on 23 September 1917, son of Stanley Woolass and Jessie Gertrude (nee Skelton). As a boy he attended King Edward VII School in Sheffield from 1926 to 1934. After Ralph left school, the magazine of December 1934, in an article on the school orchestra, laments ‘the ranks of the strings have been thinned by the departure of such veterans as Woolass …’. In the late 1930’s Ralph lived at 263 Richmond Road, Handsworth, Sheffield. As a young man Ralph was keen of flying and gained his aviators certificate with the Great Britain, Royal Aero Club for gliding in 1938. Ralph’s parents were later to live in North Anston.
When Ralph joined up he was in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. The London Gazette of 22 August 1941 published a note of him being granted a commission effective from 20 May 1941. As a result he was promoted from Sergeant to Pilot officer which consequentially resulted in his service number changing from 1064093 to 102073. Ralph was a pilot with Fighter Command’s 234 Squadron flying the Supermarine Spitfire. On 16 April 1942 Ralph was airborne from RAF Ibsley, Hampshire in Spitfire Mk Vb, serial number AR374 (the airframe had been delivered to the squadron on 14 March) for a mission over the Channel. He was shot down by Messerschmitt BF 109s off Cap de la Hague, the north west corner of the Cherbourg Peninsular in France. Ralph Skelton Woolass was killed, aged 24 - officially posted as ‘previously reported missing, now presumed killed in action’. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
When Ralph joined up he was in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. The London Gazette of 22 August 1941 published a note of him being granted a commission effective from 20 May 1941. As a result he was promoted from Sergeant to Pilot officer which consequentially resulted in his service number changing from 1064093 to 102073. Ralph was a pilot with Fighter Command’s 234 Squadron flying the Supermarine Spitfire. On 16 April 1942 Ralph was airborne from RAF Ibsley, Hampshire in Spitfire Mk Vb, serial number AR374 (the airframe had been delivered to the squadron on 14 March) for a mission over the Channel. He was shot down by Messerschmitt BF 109s off Cap de la Hague, the north west corner of the Cherbourg Peninsular in France. Ralph Skelton Woolass was killed, aged 24 - officially posted as ‘previously reported missing, now presumed killed in action’. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
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Notes
He was listed on the roll of honour of King Edward VII School. His name is also listed on the R.A.F. Ibsley Memorial - Cross Lanes, Mockbeggar, Hampshire. There is also a memorial window at the Royal Star and Garter Home, Richmond Hill, Richmond, London with the inscription, ‘The lighting of these windows was presented by Mrs Stanley Woolass in memory of her son Pilot Officer Ralph Skelton Woolass who was lost over the Channel 16 April 1942’. |
