New CWGC Commemorations 27th April 2017

CWGC added the following casualties to the WW2 Civilian War Dead Roll today.

BREAM, Dennis Herbert
Died 22.06.42 (Age 10)
Killed when discarded bomb exploded
Reporting Authority: Thedwastre, Rural District

BURDEN, Frank Edward (Age 14)
STACEY, Walter James (Age 15)
Died 12.03.41
Killed when discarded bomb exploded
Reporting Authority: Poole, Municipal Borough

FRY, Peter Edward
Died 28.05.43 Age 15
Accidentally shot by sentry
Reporting Authority: Poole, Municipal Borough

JONES, Alun (Age 14)
JONES, Evan Thomas (Age 14)
MORRIS, John Daniel (Age 14)
Died 26.12.40
Killed when discarded bomb exploded
Reporting Authority: Holyhead, Urban District, Wales

MANNING, Eric Wilfred
Died 23.06.42 (Age 11)
Killed when discarded bomb exploded
Reporting Authority: Bury St. Edmunds, Municipal Borough

MITCHELL, Dennis Reeford (Age 8)
MITCHELL, John Frederick Arthur (Age 11)
RODDICK, Raymond John (Age 8)
Died 02.08.41
Killed when discarded bomb exploded
Reporting Authority: Wareham and Purbeck, Rural District

SCRMGOUR, George McCullen
Died 09.11.42 Age 16
Died when aircraft cannon shell exploded
Reporting Authority: South Shields, County Borough

NOT FORGOTTEN

The above were In From the Cold Project cases (Volunteer: Chris Harley)

 

Not Forgotten

 

All tragic stories, but no doubt just some of many, many more.

Bury Free Press, Saturday, June 27, 1942
DANGER OF HANDLING BOMBS
TWO CULFORD LADS KILLED WHILE PLAYING WITH LIVE MORTAR BOMB
Two small boys living at Culford found a bomb, trundled it along in a handcart and took it to play soldiers. It exploded and both lads lost their lives. This was the substance of the tragic story told to the Coroner for the Liberty of Bury St Edmonds (Mr Thomas Wilson) at the inquest at Culford Village Hall on Wednesday night, on Dennis Herbert Bream (10), son of Mr E H Bream, gardener of Lodge Gate, Culford, and Eric Wilfred Manning (11), son of Mr E W Manning, carpenter, Brockley Cottage, Culford. Bream, who was terribly injured, was killed instantaneously, and Manning died in the West Suffolk Hospital next day, after having both legs amputated. Acting Supt. G W Peake and Sergt. Key represented the police at the inquiry.

Spencer Herbert Geo. Arbon (11), Park Gates, West Stow, related that about three weeks ago he went with Manning and the latter’s cousin, Nigel Manning, to get a bomb which Eric Manning had found. It looked as if it had been fired; the flights were all brown. It was marked 0-10 lbs. Eric hid the bomb about half a mile from the Hill of Heath. On Saturday last, Eric fetched the bomb and put it in the hedge at the bottom of his garden.

Nigel Manning (9), Brockley Cottage, Culford, said that about 6:45 pm on Monday last, Bream and Eric Manning had the bomb in their little handcart. Later he joined them in playing soldiers and they had a length of wire “to wireless one another.” Bream and Eric manning were at one end and he was at the far end. He was lying down when he heard an explosion and saw a cloud of dust. The bomb was about 8 inches long.

Elizabeth May Manning, mother of Eric, told a distressing story. She said that on Monday evening her little boy showed her what he called a bomb, which he said he found in the garden. She told him to have nothing to do with it; it might go off. Her son replied that it was alright; it had gone off. He went off to play soldiers, and about 10 minutes later she heard a loud report. Running out, she found her son lying under a tree on the opposite side of the road, almost in front of the house. She called two airmen who were passing. Her son had called our “Oh, mummy, Oh, my legs.”

Aircraftman C Vorstius and A George, RAF, described how they found Bream dead and Manning gravely injured.

Thos. Wigley, a master at Culford School, living at St Edmund’s Cottage, Brockley Corner, Culford, spoke to getting Lieut. Wills, RAMC, to come and attend to the injured boy.

PC Baker said that a length of wire was stretched along the trees for 60 yards and there was an earphone attached. Near the tree were the wheels of the handcart, which was smashed to pieces. He found fragments of the bomb and some distance away was another piece, on which was printed, “Remove before firing.”

PC Josey, a qualified bomb recognisance officer, said that the fragments were from a three inch British Trench Mortar bomb. It had either been left without being fired when the boys found it, or it had been fired with the safety cap on. In practices, it was usual to fire the first ranging shot with the cap on. He agreed with the Coroner that the cap was unscrewed before the explosion, and either knowingly or unknowingly the striker was probably tapped so that it came in contact with the detonator.

Medical evidence was given by Dr Suzanne Standley.

The Coroner said that the death of these boys was very tragic. One or other or both boys found the bomb and played with it. They must have known that they ought not to have played with it, and Manning’s mother told him not to. The top of the bomb seemed to have been unscrewed. The bomb was dropped and it exploded, and killed both boys. He returned a verdict of death by “Misadventure.” The Coroner added that these were times when one had to overlook things, which in peacetime would be considered criminal. There was no means of finding out who was responsible for leaving the bomb so that these boys found it, but he felt there ought to be some definite principle on which these bombs should be collected after practices.

After expressing his sympathy with the parents, the Coroner said he hoped that the publicity given to the accident would result in little boys leaving absolutely untouched such objects and in parents leaving no stone unturned to prevent them getting such things. These remarks were not pointed at Mrs Manning at all; they were general remarks addressed to parents.

Mr Wigley voiced a tribute to the lad Eric Manning. He said that he served in France in the 1914-18 war, and among wounded soldiers never did he see greater courage than that displayed by Eric Manning after he had received his injuries, “I shall never forget it,” said the speaker, who also added a tribute to Lieut. Willis for his attention to the boy.

There will be a joint funeral at Culford this (Friday) afternoon.


The Western Gazette, Friday, March 21, 1941
SOUVENIR HUNTING DANGERS
BOMB KILLS TWO BOYS
The danger of members of the public interfering with articles found after air raids was tragically emphasised by an incident at a South Coast town. Two boys, James Stacey (14) and Frank Burden (15), were playing with a bomb, which they had found in a recreation ground, when it exploded. They were so severely injured that Stacey died soon after admission to hospital and Burden died a few hours later.

Returning a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence at the inquest on Friday, the Coroner said, “I would be glad if the Press could emphasise again what a short time ago was emphasised in this Court – how exceedingly dangerous it is for anyone to interfere with objects of this description. I would venture to again repeat what is often said in the Press. Anything like this on being found should be left entirely alone, and the authorities or the Police communicated with. I sincerely hope it may be a warning to other boys.”

An errand boy, Leslie Tilsed, said that Stacey found a live bomb in a hole. He threw it on some rocks and hit it with an iron bar, but it would not go off, so he took it home. Witness also tried to explode it.

Kenneth Samways, a schoolboy, said that on a later occasion Stacey threw the bomb on the road, and also stood it against a tree and hit it without result. Later witness found a similar bomb and hid it in a wood, but when he heard Stacey’s one going off with a loud explosion he showed it to a warden.

Special Constable Charles Laughton said he went to a playing field when he heard a loud explosion, and found the two boys lying on the ground badly hurt.

The father of Burden said that in the hospital his son described the bomb which injured them as the same type as one which he (witness) had. The boy said that the other lad “bumped” the bomb.

The father of Stacey said he had previously seen his boy with the fins of bombs, and witness had frequently warned the boy against touching such things. He thought boys should have been kept off the ground where they found the bomb.

Dr G B Libby, house physician at the hospital, gave evidence of the injuries from which the boys died, and PC Habgood described the bomb handed over by Samways.


Gloucester Citizen, Monday, May 31, 1943
SEA CADET KILLED
An inquest will be opened at a South Coast town this afternoon on Peter Fry (15), of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, who was shot and killed by a sentry’s rifle. His friend, Peter James Bareham (16), of Wealdstone, Middlesex, is in hospital with a wound in the elbow. The boys were attending a Sea Cadets holiday camp, and it is understood that they were talking to the sentry when his rifle went off.


The Manchester Evening News, Friday, February 14, 1941
BOATHOUSE EXPLOSION KILLED THREE
How three Holyhead boys met their death in an old Lifeboat House on Boxing Day was related by a playmate, now recovered from his injuries, at the inquest, when a verdict that the boys were killed by an explosion was returned, the jury saying there was no evidence of negligence. Alun Jones (13), of Field Street, was killed instantly. Evan T Jones and John D Morris, both aged 14, of Mill Bank Gardens, died in hospital the following morning from their injuries.

The survivor, Emrys Evans (12), of Rock Street, said they found an object near the lifeboat house. They took it to the building, where Alun Jones bumped it on the floor.


The Western Gazette, Friday, November 21, 1941
TRIPLE FATALITY
BOYS’ DEATH FROM MISADVENTURE
CORONER AND RANGE PRECAUTIONS
A verdict of “Death from misadventure” was returned at the inquest on three boys who on August 2nd were killed by the explosion of an object which one of them picked up and threw against a stone wall whilst playing on land near a firing range in the South of England. The Deputy-Coroner held the inquest at the house of a police constable on Tuesday.

The boys killed were brothers, named John Fredk. Arthur Mitchell (aged 11) and Dennis Reeford Mitchell (8), and Raymond John Roddick (8), and the inquest had been adjourned to enable Michael Roddick, twin brother of Raymond, who escaped with severe injuries, to leave hospital (where he had undergone operations). He gave his evidence reclining on a couch, with his left leg in irons.

The Deputy-Coroner, who said there was not sufficient evidence to show the type of missile which exploded and caused the boys’ deaths, said he thought the Military Authorities in this case might, if possible, tighten up the regulations to ensure more warning was given to the public of the danger of picking up “this type of thing” on the range, as it was near to a public footpath, and there were no means of keeping the public off. He wished, if possible, the Military Authorities would take greater care in searching for missiles – the Police Inspector watching the proceedings also suggested the posting of suitable notices – the Coroner concurred.

The range officer stated there was now a range warden on duty every day, and if he found anything he immediately reported the matter.

BOY’S TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE
Michael Roddick stated that he and his three companions wre playing near the path. John Mitchell picked up the object and started playing with it, and banged it on a stone in trying to break it and “get the inside of it.” There was a bang, and the three boys, who were sitting down, were blown off the ground, and witness, who was a yard away, was hit in the leg. Dennis Mitchell asked him to help him, but witness could not lift him, and he obtained help.

A constable stated the scene of the accident was close to an old track known as the old coach road, on the fringe of the firing range. There was a public right of way unfenced across the land, and nothing to stop the public going there. A notice stated, “No person will pass this whilst red flags are flying.” No such flag was flying in the afternoon in question.

The range officer stated there were standing orders in existence laying down precautions before and during firing. A flag was put up and sentries posted around the danger area whilst firing was in progress.

The Coroner: Do you not think if proper search had been made the object could have been found? – Witness: If it was laying in the open ground there was no reason why it should not be found. It was the practice of the unit to make a search and destroy anything if it was found. The fact that an object could not be accounted for should be reported to headquarters. The difficulty, of course, was finding objects in rough country.

The soldier father of the twins stated that since the explosion notices had been posted warning the public against picking up missiles.

The Coroner expressed sympathy with the parents of the boys, and Mrs K W Mounsey (representing the Treasury) and the Police Inspector associated themselves with the expression.


No report found concerning George McCullen Scrimgour [Chris, note spelling], located, but death notice published the following day.
The Sunderland Echo & Shipping Gazette, Tuesday, November 10, 1942.
SCRIMGOUR – 18 Hylton Street, Marsden, on November 9, aged 16 years. George McCullen, beloved son of John William and Jane Scrimgour. Interment Thursday at Whitburn Cemetery. Friends please accept this intimation and meet at Cemetery, 3 pm.