Memorial Book 1939-45 A.J. Dawson Grammar School

Names Documents:

WINGATE A.J. Dawson Grammar School 

 

Cover
 

Wellfield A.J. Dawson Grammar School

Old Students Association

 

Memorial

Book

1939-1945

 

They have gone the second mile

 

First page

 

They have gone the second mile

 

Sergt.  Colin A.G. Armstrong R.A.F.

   Left King’s College, Newcastle to join R.A.F.

   July 1940. – Canada 1941 – received “wings”

   as Fighter Pilot –  27th May 1942 – engaged by

   enemy aircraft –  forced landing into the sea

   off Blankenberg in Belgium

 

Flight-Sergt. George A. Atkinson R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. October 1941.  Trained

   as Bomber Pilot in America from

   March 1942 – January 1943.  Received

   “wings” December 1942.  His bomber

   crashed in the North Sea when returning

   from a raid on Berlin on 23rd November

   1943.

 

Sergt. Air Gunner Richard A. Berry

R.A.F.

   Member of Volunteer Reserve called up

   immediately on outbreak of War September,

   1939.   Reported missing, now presumed

   dead, from air raid on Berlin on the

   night of November 6th/7th 1941.

 

Ord. Seaman Leslie Burrell R.N.

   Enlisted in Royal Navy 10th September

   1940.   Reported missing, presumed killed

   while on service on H.M.S. Cornwall

   5th April 1942.

 

Pte. John W. Cook D.L.I.

   Enlisted 18th July 1939 – sent to France January

   1940 – evacuated from Dunkirk in June 1940 –

   transferred to Middle East August 1941 – taken

   prisoner July 1942.  Escaped – at liberty 10 days,

   recaptured – sent to POW camp Germany. Evacuated

   during Russian advance on Germany.  Accidently

   killed by Allied planes strafing German convoy

   on same road.  Killed 20th April 1945, buried

   at Graselfing with full military honours.

 

Sergt. Thomas Dobson R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. as an Aircrafthand

   19th October 1936.  Received “wings” as

   Air-gunner and Flight-Mechanic in

   1939.   Killed in action – 24th April 1940.

 

Coder Martin Duddin R.N.

   Enlisted – Royal Navy 8th December 1942,

   served on H.M. Frigate “Louis” in North

   and South Atlantic on convoy duty.

   Discharged because of ill health – 15th May

   1944.   Died as a result of War Service –

   26th October 1944.

 

Flight Lieut. William English R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. January 1941.  Gained

   “wings” and Commission – February 1942 –

   acted as Instructor for period – transferred

   to operational work – posted “missing” from 

   air raid on Berlin – 15th February 1944.

   Later information received that he, and six

   of the Lancaster crew buried at Gustraw

   Mecklenburg, Germany.

 

L/Sergt. Eric Fletcher R.A.

   Enlisted 13^th June 1940.  Joined 7th Medium

   Regt. R.A. in the Western Desert – April

   1941.   After serving in Western Desert, North

   Africa, Sicily and Italy – returned to England

   November, 1943.  On 10th June 1944 landed in

   Normandy in action until 23rd March 1945.

   Killed in action on banks of River Rhine –

   buried in the little village of Appeldorn.

 

Pte. George Gascoigne Gordon Highlanders

   Enlisted K.O.S.B. on 18th April 1940.

   Transferred to Gordon Highlanders 17th

   July 1943.   Died of wounds in North West

   Europe – 17th July 1944 serving with the

   B.E.F.   Buried in the Bayeux British

   Cemetery, France

 

Sergt. George W. Gray R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. in 1940.  Received “wings” as

   Wireless Operator – Air Gunner and

   completed one year’s service.  While on

   operational duties at Morayshire, Scotland

   reported missing, presumed killed on 10th

   October 1941.

 

Flight-Sergt. James H.B. Lister R.A.F.

   Received “wings” as Navigator

   Reported missing 7/8th May 1944.

 

Sergt. Charles R. Long R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. 25th November 1940 – transferred 

   to Southern Rhodesia 17th May 1941 where he

   qualified as an Observer, later as a Bomb-aimer.

   Operational work for six months over Italy and

   France – posted missing 8th December 1942

   while laying mines in the Baltic Sea.

   Buried in the Garrison Cemetery at

   Kiel.

 

Sergt. Stanley Mason   R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. in 1942 – qualifying as

   Air Gunner.   Killed on 16th September

   1944 when two planes collided in mid-

   air over Mandalay.

 

Sergt.  Donald McGlen R.A.F.

   Entered R.A.F. as Aircraft Apprentice in

   August 1937 – became Aero engine Instructor

   then volunteered for flying duties as a

   Flight Engineer.  Reported missing 2nd June

   1942 from a “thousand bomber” raid on

   Essen – later presumed killed

 

Petty Officer George Mitchell R.N.

   Joined Royal Navy 11th September 1933 – 

   served during the War on H.M.S. Pylades

   a Minesweeper.  There were no survivors 

   when the ship was lost off the coast of

   France – 28th July 1944 whilst engaged on

   operations for the liberation of Europe

 

Flight-Sergt. John Parker R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. 5th July 1941 and trained

   as a Pilot in America.  Reported missing 

   on 28/29th June, 1943 while on bombing

   operations over Cologne, his sixteenth

   assignment.

 

Able–Seaman William Rutter R.N.

   Enlisted in Royal Navy 11th September 1933

   Travelled extensively in peace-time Navy – 

   and on the outbreak of War was serving 

   on H.M.S. Royal Oak, on which he lost

   his life – 14th October, 1939.

 

Sub–Lieut. (A) Frederick J. Stamper R.N.V.R.

   Joined Fleet Air Arm – April 1940.

   Lost his life on 23rd October, 1941 while on a

   flight from H.M.S. Indomitable in

   mid-Atlantic.

 

A.C. Rex Stewart R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. October 1941.  Transferred

   to Egypt – March 1943 and while serving 

   in the Middle East was killed 23rd October

   1943.

 

Sergt. Bomber Francis O. Stoney

R.A.F.

   Left Downham Market, Norfolk on

   operational flight to Berlin 22/23rd

   November 1943 and failed to return

 

Flight–Lieut. Guy Trevor R.A.F.

   Enlisted R.A.F. 20th September 1940.  Awarded

   “pilot’s wings” and posted as Flying Instructor.

   In July 1944 posted to Photographic

   Reconnaissance Unit and flew 32 operational 

   sorties covering 35,000 miles.  On 13th December

   1945 on test flight of new type “Mosquito”, one

   engine failed and was killed when crash-

   landing.   Completed 2300 flying hours.

 

Leading Signalman Ralph Wilkinson R.N.

   Joined Royal Navy 3rd May 1933.

   Served in the action at Narvik.  Killed

   April 1942 on H.M.S. Erebus when

   bombed by Japanese.

 

Pte. Allan T. Grainger

Northamptonshire Regiment

   Killed in the Italian Campaign on

   1st June 1944 at the Anzio Beach-

   head.

 

Sergt. Robert Heads R.A.F.

   Received “wings” as Pilot in Canada 24th

   March 1944.   Killed on 24th March 1945 

   while piloting a Glider during the air-

   borne operation over the Rhine.

   Buried at Hamminkin, Germany.

 

Wireless Operator Thomas Lee R.N.

   Enlisted in Royal Navy 5th August 1940.

   With H.M.S. Greyhound – fought in battle

   of Matapan – then battle of Crete.  Survivor

   of H.M.S. Greyhound –  transferred to H.M.S.

   Kingston for convoy work between Alexandria 

   and Malta – killed in Malta by enemy action

   4th April 1942.

   Buried in Military Cemetery at

   Imtarfa, Malta.

 

Ralph Lemmon R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. in October 1940.  He specialised in

   training in Coastal Command in October 1941 in

   “Bristol Beauforts”.  On returning from an 

   operational flight over Norway, the objective being 

   the German battleship “Tirpitz” he was killed when

   the plane crashed at Goosepool, near Darlington 

   when attempting to land in dense fog.

 

Flight–Sergt. Engineer John W. Williams

R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. 8th March 1943 – trained at

   Bridlington and Barry.  Attached to Squadron

   for special missions with 12,000 lbs bombs.  Took

   part in raid on German Battleship “Tirpitz”.

   Reported missing on a mission over Bergen,

   Norway on 12th January 1945.

 

Gunner Archibold Young R.A.

   Enlisted 19th October 1939.  Transferred overseas

   on 25th October 1941 and taken prisoner by the

   Japanese on 15th February 1942 – then taken

   to Siam.   Between 10th and 12th July 1945,

   taken up river to Bankok on a barge

   and while disembarking was accidently 

   drowned.   Buried in a small cemetery

   in Bankok.

 

“These also have gone

the second mile”

 

Cyril Dunn

 

Sergt. Thomas Tate Royal Engineers

   Joined H.M. Forces on 18th May, 1944.

   Went abroad on 2nd January, 1945 and was

   with the H.Q. of S.E.A.C. at Bombay,

   Bangalore in India, Rangoon, Kuala Lumpur,

   and Singapore.  Killed in a motor accident

   in Malaya – 11th August 1946, buried at 

   Seramban Cemetery.

 

Sergt. William Wales R.A.F.

   Joined R.A.F. 19th April 1943,

   and was reported missing on operations

   over France on 3rd June, 1944.

NamesW121.07