On the Tripoli War Memorial, Libya is the name of 6210463 Private Jonathan Raine Stobbs, serving with the 1/7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, who died 10/04/1943.

The son of Jonathan Raine Stobbs and Alice Stobbs, of South Shields, Co. Durham.

Jonathan Raine Stobbs was born 12 November 1918, at Easington, Durham. He was the son of Jonathan Raine Stobbs and Alice Ann Honnor, of South Shields.

He originally was in the Northumberland Hussars Yeomanry in September 1939.

He served in the 1/7th Bn., Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own). He was killed in action on 10 April 1943, age 24, in Libya, North Africa.

This was the conclusion of the Battle of Wadi Akarit in which the 51st Highland Division was heavily involved, “supporting the infantry was the Middlesex (Diehards) machine gunners who played a vital role, it was the nature of their roles that they fought in sub-units, attached to the attacking battalions to whom their MMG’s were a welcome addition to the battalion firepower. The machine gunners shared the dangers of the infantry as they advanced on their objectives and while holding their positions against counter-attack”.

He resided at 41 Spohr Terrace, South Shields.

Jonathan was the son of Cpl. J. R. Stobbs

Information supplied by Linda Collier (nee Stobbs) and Pamela Siegel (nee Stobbs)

Source: None Bolder The 51st Highland Division. Richard Doherty

Additional research: James Pasby

Jonathan Raine Stobbs is remembered in Westoe in W101.08 page 77