Balby War Memorial

Name: THOMPSON, GEORGE
Rank: Serjeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: H.Q. 53 Lt. A.A. Regt.
Age: 37 Date of Death: between 27/05/1940 and 02/06/1940
Service No: 4690817
Additional information: Son of Walter and Maria Thompson; husband of Elsie Thompson, of Balby, Doncaster, Yorkshire.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 8.
Memorial: DUNKIRK MEMORIAL

Photo courtesy of Drew5233 (Andy)

 

John, What you may not have realised is that englandphils list of the 73 Names with a Balby address, also have a direct link to the CWGC entry, simply by clicking on the number link for each Name.
You can therefore prepare a "draft" Roll of Honour using the CWGC information as a starting point, not simply a "List" of Names. It should give you addresses that may be worth following up on and make tracing relatives a little easier.
If you have difficulty putting a RoH together, PM me and I'll see what I can do.
Many places didn't "do" a WW2 commemoration, partly war weariness and the fact that WW1 was supposedly the War to end all Wars.
Hope that helps..

 

Name: MARRIOTT, WALTER
Rank: Leading Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. Mahratta
Age: 26
Date of Death: 25/02/1944
Service No: D/SSX 17621
Additional information: Son of Arthur and Elizabeth Marriott; husband of Eileen Marriott, of Balby, Doncaster, Yorkshire.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 85, Column 3.
Memorial: PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

Link to a site with details of HMS Mahratta and it's loss on 25 February 1944.

HMS Mahratta, destroyer

 

Hi Kevin

Thanks for the info - now have the search engine sorted - much appreciared

John

 

Thanks Ramacal

Very much appreciated - and thanks too to Drew 5233 (Andy) regarding photo - will add to my list with suitable acknowledgements to you both and to the Forum

Thanks again

John

 

Would be very interested if there is to be a WW2 memorial at Balby as I found out recently that 2 of my great uncles were killed by the landmines dropped on Weston Road. I know that my mother has had chats with one of her cousins about the possibilty of a memorial but if anyone has any more information that I could pass on to her then I would be very grateful.

 

angelpam: They would seem to be the Nortrops, 51 and 52 in the list in englandphils post #8 ......

 

KevinW4: yes they were the Nortrops, Arthur and Alfred. They lived on Weston Road but am not sure what number.I have managed to go onto the CWGC and have got copies of their certificates so I can print them off for my mum.I have also seen a picture that was taken of the houses damaged there.

 

Sorry, obviously didn't explain what I was referring you to very clearly...
On the 1st page of this thread, there is a list of Balby casualties in Post No. 8 from englandphil.
The 51st and 52nd listed there are the two lads...
If you click on the number, it takes you straight to the relevant CWGC Debt of Honour page..
Name: NORTROP, ALFRED. Age: 16. Date of Death: 09/05/1941
Additional information: Son of John and Alice May Nortrop, of 47 Weston Road, Balby. Injured at Weston Road; died same day at Royal Infirmary.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead. Reporting Authority: DONCASTER, COUNTY BOROUGH

Name: NORTROP, ARTHUR. Age: 19. Date of Death: 09/05/1941
Additional information: Son of John and Alice May Nortrop, of 47 Weston Road, Balby. Died at Weston Road.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead. Reporting Authority: DONCASTER, COUNTY BOROUGH

So, there you have it, they lived at No. 47, Weston Road.

 

Thank you. I got all the information but missed seeing the number.

 

you may be interested in these links if you have not seen them.

Remembering Balby’s Blitz spirit - Readers' letters - Doncaster Free Press


Remember victims - Letters - The Star

I also know that a question will be raised at a meeting at the mansion house tomorrow morning. Will pass on any information I get.

 

John,

I'm not sure if the process will be the same in England as it is up here - sometimes you are a bit weird ;-) - however, I wrote to the Highland Council in order to get the name of Flt Lt Al Squires (see my signature) added to the Nairn War Memorial. The RBL organize Armistice/Remembrance Day commemorations, but they do not have anything to do with the Memorial. There is also government money (at least there used to be!) available for War Memorial upkeep; including the addition of names. I'll try to find my reference.

Good luck with your project!

Roxy

 

John
Will take a photo of Aird's grave next time I am at Stonefall for you

 

Memorial Service for Balby landmine victims
I started a new thread for this as I didn't want anyone to miss it.
After raising a question at a meeting with the mayor of Doncaster , my mother, Margery Nortrop has succeeded in getting a date set for a memorial service for the victims of the German parachute landmines that fell on Balby 70yrs ago killing 16 people including her two teenage uncles Arthur and Alfred Nortrop.
The Memorial service is to be held in the Chapel at Rose Hill Cemetery at 11am on Monday 9th May.
There was an article in Doncaster Star last night which shows a picture of my mum placing flowers on the war graves.

 

fantastic work on balby names, i am interested in finding info on a pilot from Balby, Peter Henry French, he flew with 619 squadron, any help would be appreciated

 

fantastic work on balby names, i am interested in finding info on a pilot from Balby, Peter Henry French, he flew with 619 squadron, any help would be appreciated


20-21 April 1944

619 Squadron
Lancaster I W4127 PG-D
Op. Chapelle

Took off from Dunholme Lodge at 2207 hrs to bomb railway yards. Those who perished were buried within hours of their deaths in Poix-de-la-Somme Churchyard.

Crew.

P/O. P H. French +
Sgt. J. Atkinson +
F/O. E T. Tinker RCAF +
F/O. J S. Thomson RNZAF +
Sgt. R. Thompson +
Sgt. R H. Hortie RCAF. Evaded
Sgt. J W. Randall +

Source - RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol.5 - W R. Chorley.

The La Chapelle raid of 20-21 April 1944

A raid on railway yards at La Chapelle just north of Paris was the first major test for the new No 5 Group marking method, with the group employing not only No 617 Squadron's low-level markers but the three Pathfinder squadrons recently transferred from No 8 Group. A few regular No 8 Group Mosquitos were also used to drop markers by Oboe to provide a first indication of the target's location for the main No 5 Group marking force. 247 Lancasters of No 5 Group and 22 Mosquitos from 5 and 8 Groups dispatched. 6 Lancasters lost. The bombing force was split into two parts, with an interval between them of 1 hour, and each part of the force aimed at different halves of the railway yards. There were a few difficulties at the opening of the attack, with the markers of the Oboe Mosquitos being a fraction late and with communications between the various controlling aircraft being faulty, but these difficulties were soon overcome and both parts of the bombing force achieved extremely accurate and concentrated bombing.

Source - The Bomber Command War Diaries - M. Middlebrook / C. Everitt

 

My Brother Douglas Parker was lost at sea March 1943. SS Dafila. He was a Balby lad
living at 2 Kenilworth Rd. Balby. This is a wonderful thing that you are doing. If interested please contact me for more information. Thank you. Regards
Elizabeth Parker Porter

 

Bump

 

Please can anyone tell me if anything ever came of a War Memorial in Balby for WW2 casualties? It turns out my Uncle (George Maw) was from Balby, was killed in action and got mentioned in the original post. I didn't know much about him until now as my mother got too upset to discuss the subject. Sadly she sadly passed away and I am now finding out more and more each day. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Richard.

 

I am the developer of the Ossie Through The Ages History project which is recording thd history of the Oswin Avenue School Balby. I am attempting to identify former pupils and teachers who served or who wete lost during WW2. Could anybody help me. A starting point would be to have a list of casualties from Balby. Thank you.