大象传媒

Introduction

St Nicholas鈥檚 Church, Whitehaven can be found on Lowther Street in the town centre. It is an Anglican Church, but partially because of its central location within the town, many of the war memorials for the wider community, of all faiths or none, are located within its grounds. These wartime memorials include a 鈥楶eace Tree鈥�, the R.A.O.B. (鈥楤uffs鈥�) War Memorial and the Normandy Veterans Memorial. These three memorials can be found in the Church Gardens .

Inside the Church Tower is a Great War (World War One) Memorial recording the names of parishioners who were casualties in that war. There are also two memorials of World War Two. Firstly, there is a casket containing sand from the Dunkirk Evacuation Beaches, commemorating the 1940 evacuation from France. Secondly there is a Memorial Plaque commemorating the World War Two casualties from the parish of St Nicholas.

I would like to thank the Reverend John Bannister for allowing me to photograph the Memorial Plaque. At the time of writing this article (June 2005) the Reverend Bannister is the Team Vicar for the town that includes St Nicholas鈥� Church.

The Dunkirk Casket

In 2000 all the Branches of the Dunkirk Veterans Association put up their standards for the last time. That year was the 60th Anniversary of the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from mainland Europe following the German breakthrough in 1940 by circumnavigating the Maginot Line.

Before it voluntarily disbanded, members of the West Cumbria Branch of the 1940 Dunkirk Veterans Association presented a casket containing sand from the Evacuation Beaches to St Nicholas鈥檚 Church. It represents the high cost paid by many in rescuing troops from France. At the very least 鈥楧unkirk鈥� limited the scale of a major defeat in the early part of World War Two.

Many men and boys from Whitehaven and West Cumbria were involved in the Dunkirk evacuation, particularly those who were in the local Territorial Army (the 5th Battalion Border Regiment). The casket is on a shelf in a corner of St Nicholas鈥檚 Church Tower, immediately beneath the World War Two Memorial Plaque. It represents a visual aid reminder to the events of 1940, so that in years to come people will remember what happened. There is a simple but significant phrase inscribed on the casket:

鈥淔rom glorious defeat grew the shoots of final victory鈥�.

World War Two Memorial Plaque

The St Nicholas Parish World War Two Memorial Plaque has 20 names inscribed on it. This is a far fewer number than the Great War Memorial, but nevertheless each name represents someone who paid the ultimate price in the service of their country. Each one of these names represents a person who was loved by their family and friends. It is important they should be remembered.

The list of names and a little about those I have been able to discover a few details about is given below. I know relatives and friends of three of the people commemorated on the plaque: George Acton, William Henry Acton (known as Billy) and Elizabeth Cowan (known as Betty). I have previously written a separate article about Elizabeth Cowan in World War Two.

I have checked the Commonwealth War Graves website for a little information about the others listed. Unfortunately, sometimes the Commonwealth War Graves information listed is incomplete so for some of those commemorated on the St Nicholas Memorial I have been unable to positively check further details, such as unit, next of kin and age at time of death. Should time allow at some future date, further research by checking the St Nicholas鈥檚 Church Registers and local newspapers from the war years should provide at least some of the missing details. I apologise if there are any inaccuracies in these details.

Those Commemorated

1. George Acton:
George was an Able Seaman in the Merchant Navy, and on board the S.S. Empire Leopard (London), Merchant Navy vessel who died aged 23 on 2 November 1942. He was one of the sons of John and Evelyn Acton. George is also remembered with honour on the Tower Hill Memorial of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in London.

George was one of four Whitehaven men who lost their lives on the S.S. Empire Leopard, including his brother Billy (see below).

2. William Henry Acton:
William (or Billy as he was known) was the brother of George Acton and another son of John and Evelyn Acton. He was also an Able Seaman on the S.S. Empire Leopard (London), Merchant Navy vessel. He was aged 27 when he died on 2 November 1942. The family home was on George Street, about five minutes walk from St Nicholas' Church.

Billy鈥檚 name is commemorated with honour on the Tower Hill Memorial, London. Yet, at the time of writing this article (June 2005), the CWGC do not have any next of kin listed for him.

One likely reason for this being missing may be due to the fact that Billy was married only a couple of weeks before going back to sea for what turned out to be his final journey.

On Monday 10 August 1942 Billy, who was John and Evelyn Acton鈥檚 third son, married Mary Nulty of Church Street, Whitehaven. The Reverend C.E. Nurse conducted the happy ceremony at St Nicholas鈥� Church, which the local newspaper described as a 鈥減retty wedding鈥�. So, Mary became Billy鈥檚 next of kin only a short time before he was posted 鈥榤issing presumed lost at sea鈥�.

The Actons have been one of the best-known extended families in West Cumberland for many years. A cousin of George and Billy, Private Abe Acton, won the Victoria Cross for Valour in the First World War. Private Abraham Acton V.C. was subsequently killed in action in the First World War. As with his cousins George and Billy, Abe has no known grave.

3. John Allan听:
I am unsure from the CWGC information which of the World War Two casualties known as John Allan is the one that is also commemorated on the St Nicholas Plaque. However, there are two Merchant Seamen by that name commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial so it may be one of those (they both died in 1941).

4. William Moore Allen:
Sergeant William Moore Allen (Service No T/61417) died while serving with the 58th Division Troops Company in the Royal Army Service Corps. He died aged age 31on 18 June 1944 during the Battle of Normandy. Sergeant Allen was the son of Andrew and Edith Allen, of Whitehaven. He is buried Bayeux War Cemetery, Calvados, France (Grave Reference No XIV.H.16).

5. Joseph Banks:
Sergeant Joseph Banks (Service No 1091782) died while serving with the 83 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He died at the age of 22 on 3 January 1944. He was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Swan Banks. He is remembered by the CWGC at the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery in a collective grave (Collective Grave 6.A.18-23).

6. Elizabeth Cowan:
Leading Aircraftwoman Elizabeth Cowan, or Betty as she was known, (Service No 2096437) served with the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She died at the age of 30 from bomb blast injuries on 24 October 1945. Betty was one of the daughters of Walter John and Elizabeth Cowan from the Bransty district of the town.
[NB - Betty was also a cousin of my father].

Betty's sister Margaret had tried to sign up at the same time, but failed a medical so she stayed in the town, working for the local newspaper, 'The Whitehaven News'. Betty is buried in Whitehaven Cemetery (Grave Reference: Ward 5. Sec. J, Grave 62).

7. Thomas Fee:
Sergeant Thomas Fee (Service No 1527088) was serving with 101 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve at the time he died on 13 April 1943. The CWGC information states he was a Sergeant (Pilot) but unfortunately it does not give either next of kin or his age. However, he is buried in Whitehaven Cemetery (Grave Reference: Ward 5, Sec. J, Grave 50).

8. Joseph Banks Hayton:
Sergeant Joseph Banks Hayton (Service No 1119824) was serving with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve when he died at the age of 34 on 16 November 1943. He was a Wireless Operator / Air Gunner). According to the CWGC site he was the son of Amos and Arm Hayton. In addition to being mentioned on the St Nicholas Memorial, the CWGC honours Sergeant Hayton on the Special Memorial at Harrington (St Mary) Churchyard, a village between the towns of Workington and Whitehaven.

[NB 鈥� The CWGC site gives the first name of Sergeant Hayton's mother as 鈥楢rm鈥�. Possibly this should read Ann?].

9. David William Hopkin:
I could find only one David William Hopkin on the CWGC site from World War Two. Although his hometown is not given, this should be the right person. Lance Corporal David Hopkin (Service No 3709228) was serving with the Corps of Military Police and died at the age of 33 on 8 June 1941. He was the son of David Ebenezer and Elizabeth Hopkin and is buried at El Alamein War Cemetery (Reference: XXIX.J.21).

10. William Joseph Martin:
Gunner William Joseph Martin (Service No 852437) was serving with 51 (The Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry) Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery when he died on 16 June 1943. He was the son of Nicholas and Mary Isabella Martin and is buries at Ranchi War Cemetery, India (Grave Reference: I.G.8)

11. Richard Morgan:
Able Seaman Richard Morgan (Service No P/JX 268000) was serving with H.M.S. President III, Royal Navy when he died on 19 April 1946. The CWGC does not give his next of kin or age, but it does say he is buried at Whitehaven Cemetery (Grave Reference: Ward 5, Sec.H, Grave 115).

12. Stanley Thompson Park:
Lieutenant Stanley Thompson Park (Service No. 72565) was serving with the Border Regiment and died aged 29 on 3 June 1947. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Thomas Park and the husband of Nancy Lena Park, of Carlisle and is buried at Wreay (St Mary) Church Cemetery, St Cuthbert Without, Cumbria.

13. Gilbert Ellwood Pearson:
Lance Corporal Gilbert Ellwood Pearson (Service No. 3607258) was serving with the 2nd Battalion Border Regiment and was aged 27 when he died on 5 June 1944. He was the son of Ernest and Margaret Pearson and is buried at Imphal War Cemetery (Reference: I.B.4).

14. John Richardson:
From the CWGC site, I believe the John Richardson commemorated on the St Nicholas Memorial is Lance Sergeant John Richardson (Service No 3607262) serving with the 2nd Battalion Border Regiment who died aged 27 on 5 June 1944. This was the same day as Gilbert Ellwood Pearson and they are buried next to each other at Imphal War Cemetery, India (Reference I.B.5). He was the son of Joseph and Ada Richardson and the husband of Lilian Richardson of Hornsey, Middlesex.

15. Leslie Robinson:
From the CWGC site, there is insufficient information to confirm which of the casualties known as Leslie Robinson was the parishioner from St Nicholas. The one that seems most likely is Flight Sergeant Leslie Robinson (Service No. 946897) serving with 9 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 8 April 1945 and buried at Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery (Collective Grave 7. D. 4-6) [apologies if incorrect].

16. Ernest Edward Shepherd:
Private Ernest Edward Shepherd (Service No. 14658301) was with the 2nd Battalion, The King's Regiment (Liverpool) and died on 2 January 1946. He was the husband of Maggie Shepherd and buried in Whitehaven Cemetery (Grave Reference: Ward 6, Sec.E, Grave 69).

17. Robert Stables:
Lance Corporal Robert Stables (Service No. 7882897) was with the 7th Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps, and died at the age of 30 on 6 December 1942. He was the son of William and Margaret Ann Stables and the husband of Josephine Stables of Whitehaven. He is buried at Ancona War Cemetery, Italy (Grave Reference: III.A.13).

18. Robert Thomas:
Sergeant Robert Thomas (Service No. 1681745) was with 51 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He died aged 20 on 18 December 1944. He was the son of Robert and Mary Clelland Thomas and the husband of Lilian Thomas from Kells, Whitehaven. He is buried at Vernay War Cemetery, Netherlands (Grave Ref: I.C.4).

19. Harold Todhunter:
Sergeant Harold Todhunter (Service No. 1523611) was with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve died aged 22 on 14 August 1944. He was the son of George and Jane Todhunter and is buried at Whitehaven Cemetery (Grave Reference: Ward 5, Sec.P, Grave 10).

20. Clifford Roger Williams:
Lieutenant Clifford Roger Williams (Service No.72170) was with the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps and formerly of the 110th Regiment (5th Battalion, the Border Regiment), Royal Armoured Corps. he died aged 26 on 26 March 1943. He was the son of John Roger and Sarah Helen Williams and the husband of Mary Williams and is commemorated by the CWGC at Medjez-El-Bab Memorial, Tunisia (Face 5).

Additional Whitehaven wartime casualties

As mentioned above George Acton and William Henry Acton were Merchant Seamen who died while sailing with the S.S. Empire Leopard (London) Merchant Navy vessel on 2 November 1942. Two further Whitehaven seamen were also lost on board that vessel, although they are not mentioned on the St Nicholas Memorial. That is because they were not parishioners of that church.

However, I will include their names in this article. One was Able Seaman William Scott Truett who died aged 21. He was the son of William Beck Truett and Margaret Ellen Truett of Kells, Whitehaven. The other Whitehaven seaman who lost his life on the S.S. Empire Leopard was Able Seaman Thomas William Walters Cradduck, husband of Mrs R. Cradduck and who was 41 when he died. Like George and Billy Acton, these other two seamen are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London.

Conclusion

This article has largely focused on those who are commemorated on the World War Two memorials at St Nicholas鈥檚 Church, Whitehaven. The names engraved on war memorials or headstones are a visual reminder of real people known and loved by many who were casualties of war.

As can be seen from the twenty or so people who I have written about in this article, they were the sons, daughters, husbands and fathers of people from one medium-sized town in Cumbria. A similar story could be written for virtually every city, town or village from every country involved in World War Two. Each name on a memorial represents a personal tragedy not just for the person who died, but for those that cared for them.

I have only obtained a little information about each person in this article. With a little further research it would be possible to find out more about them. The victims of World War Two should be remembered. Another fact that is evident from the above list of names is that casualties of World War Two did not immediatey end after V.E. Day or V.J. Day. Some of them died many months after the cessation of hostilities. Hopefully their sacrifice will not have been in vain and there will never be another World War.

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