Blaxton
The Blaxton War Memorial is situated on Bank End Road, it carries 9 names from WW1 and 3 names from WW2. The inscription is:
THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918 TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF (Names)
ERECTED BY SUBSCRIPTION IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF THE SUPREME SACRIFICE BY THE MEN OF BLAXTON NAMED ABOVE
SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-45 (Names)
ERECTED BY SUBSCRIPTION IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF THE SUPREME SACRIFICE BY THE MEN OF BLAXTON NAMED ABOVE
SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-45 (Names)
Additional details
Terry Kilcoyne (1592352)
Sergeant - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve - 149 Sqdn 7 August 1944 , aged 20 Born in Doncaster in Q3 1924 Son of John and Rowena Kilcoyne, of Blaxton, Yorkshire. Lived at Sunnyside, Blaxton Runnymede Memorial Stirling LK383 coded OJ-A airborne 21:01 on 6 August 1944 from Methwold to plant mines off Brest (Jellyfish Region). Lost without trace. An eye-witness in another of the Stirlings described: "The cloud base was fairly low, round about 2000 feet, so that the searchlights made bright patches on the underside. "Including ourselves, I was of the opinion that there were two other Stirlings in the area. There were searchlights everywhere, with much light flack and plenty of the heavier stuff. "We were first in, I thought, and as I looked back, as we made our way out through the flack, I saw one Stirling with its port engine on fire and further back there was a big explosion in the air which I thought was the third Stirling." |
Note
There were 12 Stirlings on this mission from 149 Squadron, the other 11 all returned safely. This aircraft (LK383) was the last Stirling lost on a bombing mission. LK383 was initially issued to 90 Squadron on 13th October 1943, it experienced battle damage on 26th March 1944, which was repaired on station and returned to 90 Squadron on 17 April 1944, was passed to 149 Squadron 14th June 1944. When lost it had a total of 346 hours.
The other crew of LK383 were:
F/O Douglas Alan Moore Adams (Pilot) 173518, aged 30
P/O Earl Stanley Cary (Bomb Aimer) RCAF J/89984, aged 27
Sgt John Adolphe Prior (Navigator) 1575451, aged 23
Sgt John Edward Ashfield Cuthbert (Wireless Operator-Gunner) 1315283, aged 23
Sgt John William Robinson (Flight Engineer) 2205557, aged 19
Sgt Leslie Harry Mercer (Rear Gunner) 1897326, aged 38 (was well over the average age of bomber Command aircrew)
It was a generally quiet night for Bomber Command:
40 Mosquitoes attacked the synthetic oil plant at Castrop-Rauxel.
7 Mosquitoes to Cologne and 4 to the Foret de Nieppe, 14 Radio Counter Measures sorties, 10 Lancasters of 8 Group on a special operation in support of ground troops, 10 Mosquito patrols, 12 Stirlings mine-laying off Brest, and 22 aircraft on Resistance operations.
There were 12 Stirlings on this mission from 149 Squadron, the other 11 all returned safely. This aircraft (LK383) was the last Stirling lost on a bombing mission. LK383 was initially issued to 90 Squadron on 13th October 1943, it experienced battle damage on 26th March 1944, which was repaired on station and returned to 90 Squadron on 17 April 1944, was passed to 149 Squadron 14th June 1944. When lost it had a total of 346 hours.
The other crew of LK383 were:
F/O Douglas Alan Moore Adams (Pilot) 173518, aged 30
P/O Earl Stanley Cary (Bomb Aimer) RCAF J/89984, aged 27
Sgt John Adolphe Prior (Navigator) 1575451, aged 23
Sgt John Edward Ashfield Cuthbert (Wireless Operator-Gunner) 1315283, aged 23
Sgt John William Robinson (Flight Engineer) 2205557, aged 19
Sgt Leslie Harry Mercer (Rear Gunner) 1897326, aged 38 (was well over the average age of bomber Command aircrew)
It was a generally quiet night for Bomber Command:
40 Mosquitoes attacked the synthetic oil plant at Castrop-Rauxel.
7 Mosquitoes to Cologne and 4 to the Foret de Nieppe, 14 Radio Counter Measures sorties, 10 Lancasters of 8 Group on a special operation in support of ground troops, 10 Mosquito patrols, 12 Stirlings mine-laying off Brest, and 22 aircraft on Resistance operations.
Ernest Richard Sweetman (2374418)
Driver - Royal Corps of Signals - 11 L of C Sigs
11 April 1945, aged 33
Born in Poplar, London on 15 February 1912
Son of Arthur and Charlotte Sweetman; Husband of Eliza Martha Sweetman, of Blaxton, Yorkshire.
Widow living at Blaxton Grange in 1945
Married in Poplar, London in Q3 1933 - 2 Daughters 1 Son
Naples War Cemetery
The gravestone carries the inscription - Till memory and life depart He will live for ever In my heart. Loving wife Larly & children
Died during the Italian Campaign, probably in one of the General Hospitals that were established in Naples.
Driver - Royal Corps of Signals - 11 L of C Sigs
11 April 1945, aged 33
Born in Poplar, London on 15 February 1912
Son of Arthur and Charlotte Sweetman; Husband of Eliza Martha Sweetman, of Blaxton, Yorkshire.
Widow living at Blaxton Grange in 1945
Married in Poplar, London in Q3 1933 - 2 Daughters 1 Son
Naples War Cemetery
The gravestone carries the inscription - Till memory and life depart He will live for ever In my heart. Loving wife Larly & children
Died during the Italian Campaign, probably in one of the General Hospitals that were established in Naples.
Thomas Cyril Winters (14589805)
Private - Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment) - 1st Bn
23 May 1944 , aged 20
Born in Wigan in Q2 1924
Son of Thomas and Mary Jane Winter, of Blaxton, Yorkshire.
Lived at Violet Bungalow, Station Road, Blaxton
Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio
The gravestone carries the inscription - He bravely answered Duty's call. He gave his life For one and all R.I.P.
On 24th March the 1st Green Howards, part of 5th Infantry Division's 15th Brigade, replaced other units at Anzio. The breakout of the bridgehead was on 23rd May when 1st Battalion, Green Howards launched an attack on the left coastal sector of the enemy positions. A Platoon of 1st Green Howards who were given the task of escorting an R.E. Gapping Party, carrying ladders to the point of the river Moletta at which assaulting Companies were to cross the river. During the move of this party from our forward positions to the Moletta river, a newly laid minefield was encountered and casualties were caused by the explosion of several mines. These casualties included the Platoon Commander of the Green Howards’ Platoon, the Officer in charge of the R.E. detachment and 40% of the entire party. In spite of the very difficult situation caused by this initial reverse and the fact that the enemy were now opening fire on the survivors, a Corporal took command of the party and led them, with as many ladders as could be carried, through the remaining mines to the banks of the Moletta. It was entirely due to the determination and leadership of this N.C.O. that the ladders were placed in position in time to enable the assaulting companies to cross at zero hour. It was on this opening day of the breakout that Private Winters was killed.
Private - Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment) - 1st Bn
23 May 1944 , aged 20
Born in Wigan in Q2 1924
Son of Thomas and Mary Jane Winter, of Blaxton, Yorkshire.
Lived at Violet Bungalow, Station Road, Blaxton
Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio
The gravestone carries the inscription - He bravely answered Duty's call. He gave his life For one and all R.I.P.
On 24th March the 1st Green Howards, part of 5th Infantry Division's 15th Brigade, replaced other units at Anzio. The breakout of the bridgehead was on 23rd May when 1st Battalion, Green Howards launched an attack on the left coastal sector of the enemy positions. A Platoon of 1st Green Howards who were given the task of escorting an R.E. Gapping Party, carrying ladders to the point of the river Moletta at which assaulting Companies were to cross the river. During the move of this party from our forward positions to the Moletta river, a newly laid minefield was encountered and casualties were caused by the explosion of several mines. These casualties included the Platoon Commander of the Green Howards’ Platoon, the Officer in charge of the R.E. detachment and 40% of the entire party. In spite of the very difficult situation caused by this initial reverse and the fact that the enemy were now opening fire on the survivors, a Corporal took command of the party and led them, with as many ladders as could be carried, through the remaining mines to the banks of the Moletta. It was entirely due to the determination and leadership of this N.C.O. that the ladders were placed in position in time to enable the assaulting companies to cross at zero hour. It was on this opening day of the breakout that Private Winters was killed.