Fylde R.U.F.C. and Woodlands Memorial Ground

Woodlands Memorial Ground - Wikipedia



K Barlass
F Baron
E G Brammer
C H Brierley
H L Bromley
K Burrows
B Critchley
R A F Eltoft
J B Fairhurst
A E Ferguson
H Fish
R A V Grieve
G E Grindrod
R Hartley
S Hawkard
H Heald
G D Holme
P Horsman
A Lockett
G Lucas
D M Muller
D V Osborne
V J D Riddell
R L Sellars
J Walmsley

 

Leading Aircraftman BARLASS, KENNETH
Service Number 1067047
Died 07/01/1942
Aged 21
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of James A. and Mabel E. Barlass, of St. Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire, England.

[There are two F Baron’s, one from Blackpool and the other from Preston. Both are local, but only one the right man; likely Frank. Both entered here until clarified.]

Lieutenant BARON, FRANK
Service Number 256846
Died 28/08/1944
Aged 23
Royal Engineers
Son of Thomas and Isabella Baron, of Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire. B. Eng., Hons.

Serjeant BARON, FRANCIS
Service Number 7880469
Died 05/02/1943
Aged 36
48th Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C.
Son of William and Margaret Baron, of Preston; husband of Alice Baron, of Preston.

Lieutenant BRAMMER, ERIC GEORGE
Service Number 285348
Died 27/03/1945
Aged 22
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Son of Wilfred and Edith Brammer, of Blackpool, Lancashire; husband of N. Brammer, of Blackpool.

Major BRIERLEY, CYRIL HUGH
Service Number 179517
Died 19/10/1945
Aged 32
99 Tipper Coy. Royal Army Service Corps
Son of Herbert and Bessie Dora Brierley; husband of Margaret Spencer Brierley, of St. Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire.

[There is only one HL Bromley on CWGC, but no definite link to St Annes presently. Edit: this link suggests that this man was from Bolton and not therefore the right man, but there is no other it could be using all permutations on CWGC: Roll of honour]

Pilot Officer BROMLEY, HARRY LEIGHTON
Service Number 64224
Died 22/08/1941
Aged 47
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Arthur Paul and Susanna Bromley.

Corporal BURROWS, KENNETH
Service Number S/167712
Died 02/03/1944
Aged 29
Royal Army Service Corps attd Royal Artillery
Son of William and Christina Burrows, of St. Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire.

B Critchley cannot be found on CWGC. There is a CB Critchley on the St Annes War Memorial, but again cannot be found on CWGC (yet).

Gunner ELTOFT, ROBERT AUGUSTUS FRANCIS
Service Number 326705
Died 05/04/1940
Aged 30
77 Field Regt. Royal Artillery
Son of John A. F. Eltoft and Annie Maria Eltoft, of St. Anne's-on-Sea.

Captain FAIRHURST, JOHN BALL
Service Number 85397
Died 02/11/1942
Aged 26
Warwickshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps
Son of Peter and Minnie Fairhurst, of Blackpool, Lancashire.

Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) FERGUSON, ALAN EGERTON
Service Number 139598
Died 06/09/1943
Aged 32
78 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Alfred Oswald and Gertrude Ferguson; husband of Joyce Ferguson.

Bombardier FISH, HAROLD
Service Number 908413
Died 26/09/1943
Aged 26
88 Field Regt. Royal Artillery
Son of Harold Aldred and Alice Fish, of Blackpool, Lancashire.

[There is only one RAV Grieve on CWGC, but no definite link to St Annes presently. Edit: Found this school connection, but still cannot tie him back to St Annes: WW2 Memorial - War Memorials Online]

Lieutenant GRIEVE, ROBERT ARCHIBALD VIVIAN
Service Number 176437
Died 24/10/1942
Aged 35
5/7th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
Son of Robert Grieve and of Winifred Mary Grieve (nee Diamond); husband of Nora Grieve (nee Glenny).

Lieutenant (A) GRINDROD, GEORGE EDWARD
Died 21/06/1944
Aged 29
H.M.S. Victorious, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Son of Frank John and Annie Elizabeth Grindrod, of Blackpool, Lancashire.

Second Lieutenant HARTLEY, ROBERT
Service Number 153633
Died 10/01/1942
137 Field Regt. Royal Artillery

Lieutenant HAWKARD, JOHN STUART
Service Number PO/X 111009
Died 10/09/1943
Aged 20
No. 41 R.M. Commando. Royal Marines
Son of Herbert and Florence Hawkard, of Fairhaven, Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire.

Flight Sergeant HEALD, HAROLD
Service Number 754418
Died 24/07/1941
Aged 23
12 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Walter and Bertha Heald, of Blackpool, Lancashire.

Lieutenant Colonel HOLME, GEORGE DODGSON
Service Number 37672
Died 07/01/1942
Cdg. 137 Field Regt., Royal Artillery

Bombardier HORSMAN, PETER
Service Number 896402
Died 10/01/1942
Aged 23
137 Field Regt. Royal Artillery

A Lockett cannot be found on CWGC. There is a A Lockett on the St Annes War Memorial, but again cannot be found on CWGC (yet).

Ordinary Coder LUCAS, GORDON HENRY
Service Number P/JX 228900
Died 25/03/1941
Aged 30
H.M.S. Mercury. Royal Navy
Son of Emily Jane Lucas, of Cleveleys, Lancashire.

Sub-Lieutenant (A) MULLER, DONALD MORRIS
Died 18/10/1941
Aged 22
H.M.S. Ark Royal. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Son of Paul and Alice Muller, of South Shore, Blackpool.

Sergeant OSBORNE, DEREK VINCENT
Service Number 998686
Died 21/09/1941
Aged 25
602 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Samuel Osborne, and of Mary Christina Osborne, of Ansdell, Lancashire.

Sergeant RIDDEL, VICTOR JOHN DOUGLAS
Service Number 655722
Died 02/05/1944
Aged 24
58 Sqdn. Royal Air Force
Son of John Riddel, and of Maud C. Riddel, of Blackpool, Lancashire.

Sergeant SELLARS, ROBERT LINDON
Service Number 758087
Died 21/04/1941
Aged 23
616 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Robert and Clara Sellars, of Blackpool, Lancashire.

J Walmsley cannot be found on CWGC. There is a J Walmsley on the St Annes War Memorial, but again cannot be found on CWGC (yet). Per information held at St Annes Parish Church this man is named as JH Walmsley, but still not found on CWGC.

 

The prior e-mail has been populated on the basis of the mix of the following information available - Surnames, Initials, Appearance on the St Annes War Memorial and the Residence being in St Annes, Blackpool or their near surrounds. It is likely that it is not 100% accurate, so please do contact me if changes are required.

I found this Fylde Rugby Club history, But it does not include a roll of the War Dead: http://www.fylderugby.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Fylde_history_1919-1969.pdf

Best,

Steve.

 

That's a lovely little memorial. Billy Beaumont's old club too.

 

Hello Steve,

This Fylde RoH May have some interest for you.

I have been researching some of the loose ends on the Fylde Roll of Honour and one of those involves what looked like a connection between Lt-Col GD Holme and Bombadier Peter Horsman, the former is listed on the St Annes War Memorial and the only GD Holme on CWGC but I couldn’t find a connection otherwise with St Annes.

Now got it. They were both in 137th Field Regiment, RA, which was involved in the Malayan debacle in December 1941/January 1942. This regiment was known by nickname as the ‘Blackpool Regiment’. I am currently researching the 137th Field Regiment, RA’s, Roll of Honour and have already found another of the loose ends = Lt Robert Hartley (who is also listed on the St Annes War Memorial).

In Memory

Other sources:

1. 137 Field Regiment | Fylde Coaster - Includes backdrop to the death of Lt-Col GD Holme.

2. 2nd Lt Robert Hartley

Best,

Steve.

 

Thanks Steve, I'll take a good look.

 

In St Cuthbert's churchyard, Lytham.

 

1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION
473 Clifton Drive North , Lytham St Anne's M.B., Lancashire
NAME DOB OCCUPATION
Bessie D Brierley 18 Feb 1881 Chiropodist [widow]
Cyril M Brierley 22 Jan 1913 Commercial Traveller

(I've checked the original image and it should read Cyril H Brierley)


Marriages Mar 1909
BRIERLEY Herbert regd: Stockport 8a 47
WARWICK Bessie Dora regd: Stockport 8a 47


Births Mar 1913
Brierley Cyril H mmn: Warwick regd: Chorlton 8c 1323

Lancashire Births: 1913
BRIERLEY Cyril Hugh Didsbury


According to a family tree on Ancestry, Herbert Brierley died of typhoid fever on 1 Oct 1916 in Salonika.
Casualty

 

Marriages Jun 1936
Ferguson Alan E Beaver regd: Fylde 8e 1662
Beaver Joyce Ferguson regd: Fylde 8e 1662

2 daughters.

1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION
'Fairways', Laburnum Avenue, Ballam Road Lytham St Anne's M.B., Lancashire
NAME DOB OCCUPATION
Alan E Ferguson 26 Mar 1911 India Rubber Water Proofs Joint Managing ?
Joyce Ferguson 21 Dec 1913 Unpaid D Duties
Sorry, this record is officially closed.
Gladys MacDonald (Foster) 26 Aug 1913 Domestic Servant
Sorry, this record is officially closed.


St Cuthbert's Churchyard, Lytham:



IN
EVER LOVING MEMORY
OF
JOYCE
DEARLY BELOVED WIFE OF
ALAN EGERTON FERGUSON
DEC 8TH 1939 IN HER 26TH YEAR
"THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD"
ALSO HER HUSBAND ALAN EGERTON F/LT R.A.F. V.R.
MISSING PRESUMED KILLED MANNHEIM
SEP 6th 1943 AGED 32 YEARS
AND WAS INTERRED IN RHEINBERG CEMETERY

 

Rober A V Grieve was born in Hawick, Scotland in 1907.

There are photos of him here, together with copious info on the Grieve family:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/maxwellancestry/albums/72157629625849150

:

 

I have updated message no. 2 with the confirmatory ‘Ferguson’ information. Thank you.

It appears that Grieve moved around the UK as his business interests dictated and played rugby, so not discounting a connection just yet.

Still work to do on Baron, Bromley, Critchley, Grieve, Lockett and Walmsley, to complete the analysis.

 

There is further information on some of the WWII memorialised at St Annes Parish Church: http://www.stannesparishchurch.org/GraveWalkGuide2016.pdf

See page 12 for further information on Gnr RAF Eltoft.

See page 64 for further clarity on the names of those memorialised. The only further lead on those still needing work is that J Walmsley is actually ‘JH Walmsley’. There are two JH Walmsley’s on CWGC, one from Blackburn and the other from Lancaster. Both are near to St Annes without being local. Still unclear.

 

I started to photograph the war death-related headstones at St. Anne's Church the Saturday before last, but was defeated both by the bitterly cold wind and by having a dodgy foot, which meant I kept nearly losing my balance when treading on tussocks.