Capt. PPF Compton, 41466, East Surrey Regiment

Julian, there is a lot of speculation here so we need to be very careful. Just to clarify a point, his death was registered in Chatham, which is slightly different from saying he died in Chatham. It is normal to register a death in the nearest office so perhaps he died there, on the other hand it may have been handy for whoever did the registering (Chatham has military connections). Are you intending to get the death certificate and records, they should reveal all.

 

Julian I quote again
There are dozens of casualties who appear on the Brookwood Memorial whose bodies have now been found Brookwood Memorial.

The BROOKWOOD 1939-1945 MEMORIAL commemorates nearly 3,500 men and women of the land forces of the Commonwealth who died during the Second World War and have no known grave, the circumstances of their death being such that they could not appropriately be commemorated on any of the campaign memorials in the various theatres of war. They died in the campaign in Norway in 1940, or in the various raids on enemy occupied territory in Europe such as Dieppe and St Nazaire. Others were special agents who died as prisoners or while working with Allied underground movements. Some died at sea, in hospital ships and troop transports, in waters not associated with the major campaigns, and a few were killed in flying accidents or in aerial combat
Cemetery

As suggested I know it is frustrating but await the service records that could clear up the detail of his death.

regards
Clive

 

Thanks for this. And the mystery grows. According to the CWGC he is listed as having served with 2/6th Btn. That fits with family anecdotal evidence that he went into the Territorial Army rather than the regulars, due to pressure from his parents. Is it possible he was seconded to another unit on arrival in France?

 

Get those service records

 

You're right Tony, and thanks for your input. It's greatly appreciated. Firstly, I must reiterate that I have made pressumptions about his whereabouts during key events, such as his evacuation from Dunkirk and where he was killed; partly because of the very basic knowledge I've been able to piece together of 2/6th Battalion's involvement in WW2, and partly from anecdotal evidence, which is sketchy at best. So I might be guilty of trying to read between the lines and coming up with the wrong assumptions. Thanks again.

 

Julian you will not be the first to do that we are all guilty at some point.

regards
Clive

 

History

Panels of the memorial commemorate different areas of service and the location. The Land Forces panels commemorate more than 8,500 soldiers of the Commonwealth who died in the campaigns in Egypt and Libya, and in the operations of the Eighth Army in Tunisia up to 19 February 1943, who have no known grave. It also commemorates those who served and died in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Persia.

TD