大象传媒

Introduction

This article has been submitted to the 大象传媒 鈥淧eople War鈥� website by Joseph Ritson, a volunteer with the Radio Cumbria CSV Action Desk at the Whitehaven Maritime Festival on 25 鈥� 26 June 2005. The Festival incorporated the county of Cumbria official commemoration for the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War Two. It has been submitted with the permission of Mr George Dooley and Mr Jim Tweedie. The author fully understands the terms of the 鈥淧eople鈥檚 War鈥� website.

East Yorkshire Regiment

George Dooley is from Bradford, West Yorkshire and Jim Tweedie is from Whitehaven, Cumbria. During World War Two George and Jim served together in the 2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, a part of the 3rd British Infantry Division.

George and Jim were among the Allied troops to land in France on D-Day, 6 June 1944. They landed at 鈥楽word Beach鈥� in the 鈥楤ritish Sector鈥� of the Landing Beaches. Among the Allied casualties on D-Day was one of their comrades from the ERY, Peter Scholes from Leeds (now in West Yorkshire).

Commemorating the war

In June 2004 George and Jim went to France and took part in the 60th Anniversary Commemorations of the D-Day Landings. Among the places they visited were 鈥楽word Beach and the cemetery where Peter Scholes is buried at Ranville, just to the east of 鈥楶egasus Bridge鈥�. They are both members of the Normandy Veterans Association.

On 26 June 2005, George and Jim marched in the World War Two 鈥榁ictory Parade鈥� at Whitehaven, Cumbria along with approximately 1000 other veterans of World War Two. The march went from St Nicholas' Church Gardens, Lowther Street to the harbourside for a short service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving.

Afterwards, Jim and George returned with many of the other Veterans to St Nicholas' Church Gardens for a bite to eat. It was here that I caught up with them and they were kind enough to share a few moments talking to me. They had been proud to have taken part in the Parade, and naturally, proud to have served in their unit during World War Two. It was another great day for both of them.

Additional information

I checked the Commonwealth War Graves Commission citation for Peter Scholes, 2nd Battalion East Riding Yeomanry. Peter's Service Number was 4546584. Peter is buried in Grave I.B.19 at Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, France (near 'Pegasus Bridge'). Peter was 20 years old when he died, the son of John William and Mary Jane Scholes.

The citation mentions that Peter's brother Jack Scholes also died in World War Two. According to the CWGC records, this particular Jack Scholes died in Burma on 18 February 1943 serving with the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Jack Scholes is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial as he has no known grave.

Thanks to Jim and George for sharing some of their memories. It is also due to Jim and George that I was able to honour their friend Peter Scholes and Peter's brother Jack in this account.

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