Those who are named on the War Memorial

In this section

By Michael Allbrook

(Editor's note: click on the blue links to see a photograph)

Edward Bostock DUMBLETON
Stoker 1st Class, HMS Manchester, Royal Navy
He died on 24 March 1941 age 21 whilst his ship was being refitted after its role in the Norwegian Campaign
He lived in Clifton and he is buried in Preston Cemetery, Tynemouth (and on a memorial in Deddington church) 
Elizabeth Pinfold who was the mother of Percival Pinfold (killed in action in 1917) was listed as Edward Dumbleton’s next of kin and so she received the Letter of Condolence from the King

Francis Beesley GARRETT
Flight Sergeant & Rear Gunner, 467 Squadron (RAAF), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve based at Bottesford.  He died on 18 August 1943 age 26 on a raid on Peenemunde in Lancaster Bomber LM342 PO
He is remembered on panel 136 of the Runnymede Memorial (and on a memorial in Deddington church)
His parents were Francis B & Florence R Garrett, Home Farm, Clifton

Additional information
The aeroplane was lost on its first Key Operation with a total of just 42 hours flying time.  LM342 was one of the two 467 Squadron Lancasters that were lost on this operation.
They took off at 21.45hours on 17 August 1943 from RAF Bottesford and the aeroplane crashed in the Baltic while approaching the target. 
All the crew were killed. They were:
  Flight Lieutenant Parry was the Squadron Bombing Leader and was flying as 
  second air bomber.
  'A' Flight Commander Squadron Leader A S Raphael DFC
  Sergeant V Smith
  Pilot Officer R G Carter DFC RCAF
  Sergeant F Grey
  Flight Lieutenant M H Parry
  Flight Sergeant D Fielden
  Sergeant A C Brand
  Flight Sergeant F B Garrett

John Richard Frederick GILKES
Private, 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.  
He died on 16 July 1944 shortly after the D Day invasion of Normandy and during the Battle for Caen; age 19
He is buried in Brouay War Cemetery, Normandy
He was the son of Richard & Lilian R Gilkes of Deddington

William Reginald GREENAWAY
Sergeant (Flight Engineer), 432 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve based at RAF Swale in Yorkshire.  
He died on 27 January 1944 age 22 on a bombing raid on Berlin involving 515 Wellington Bombers
He is buried in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery
He was the son of Reginald & Ethel M Greenaway of Deddington

Additional information
Lancaster no. LL638 of 432 Squadron was lost on its first operation. They had taken off at 17.51 hours on  27 January 1944 and the aeroplane crashed at Schmockwitz, a town 22 km SE from the centre of Berlin.
The crew were:
  Pilot Officer D J Paterson RCAF
  Sergeant W R Greenaway
  Flight Officer F/O A D G Bell RCAF
  Sergeant F W Heinen RCAF
  Flight Sergeant C A Sherwood RCAF
  Flight Sergeant R P Wilson
  Pilot Officer A S Gates RCAF

Ernest Sydney G HALL
Sapper, 576 Corps Field Park Company, Royal Engineers.  
He died on 13 August 1943 age 27.
The Allied Army invaded Sicily on 9 July and the island was captured on 17 August 1943, four days after he was killed
He is buried in Catania War Cemetery, Sicily
He was the husband of Lilian M Hall of Deddington

John H LEWIS
Private, 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, 10 Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.
He is buried in Cassino War Cemetery, Italy
He was the son of Edwin & Charlotte Lewis of Deddington

Lawrence Lee PYMAN
Pilot Officer, 65 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, previously with the Cambridge University Air Squadron.  
He died on 16 August 1940 age 23.  He was a Battle of Britain fighter pilot who, on  14 August 1940, had force-landed his aircraft at RAF Manston. His aircraft was peppered with bullet holes.
He was shot down and killed on 16 August 1940 in his Spitfire I (K9915) over the Channel near Deal at 17:30 hours.
He is buried in Calais Southern Cemetery
He was the son of the late Ronald L Pyman (who was killed in France in 1917) and of C Freyda Roberts (formerly Pyman) of Deddington Manor.  Freyda Roberts ran the Hospital in the old Vicarage in Church Street.
(editor's note: his initials have been incorrectly engraved as L E on the War Memorial)

Henry SORRELL
Driver, 18th Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals.
He died on 12 September 1944 age 33.  He was captured in Thailand and was being transported in an unmarked Japanese Hell Ship, the Rakuyo Mara, when it was torpedoed by the USS Sealion and sank.  1,159 Allied Prisoners of War died.  The Japanese transported PoWs in unmarked ships.  The prisoners were usually being moved to be used as slave labour and the warships had no means of identifying which vessels were actually PoW transporters.
He is remembered on Column 46 of the Singapore Memorial
He was the son of the late H. Sorrell & of Eva Sorrell who moved to Deddington after the war to join her daughters who had been evacuated to Deddington.  He was the husband of Ethel M Sorrell of Islington

Ernest Arthur SYKES

Corporal, Royal Army Service Corps.  
He died on 24 June 1941 age 33.  He was probably involved in the capture of Damascus involving the Free French, The Indian Army, the Australians and the British from the Vichy French Army
He is buried in grave N 23 Damascus Commonwealth Cemetery
He was the son of George H & Clara E Sykes and the husband of Georgina F Sykes of Deddington

Robert Alec Farquhar CHURCHILL Mentioned in Despatches
Lieutenant, HMS Victorious, Royal Navy.  
He died on 12 August 1942 age 31 protecting a convoy to Malta
He is remembered on bay 3, panel 1 of the Lee on Solent Memorial and a stone plaque on the wall of Deddington Parsih Church
He was the son of Alec F & Elinor Churchill and the husband of Olive H D Churchill (nee Townroe) of Cuckfield, Sussex.    

Additional information
Robert Churchill was serving in 884 Squadron which was on the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious.  At the time of his death he was protecting a convoy known as Operation Pedestal which was the last opportunity to deliver essential supplies to the besieged island of Malta.  The operation succeeded but, as the record shows, the cost was very high

Diary for Operation Pedestal on 12 August 1942.
20-Junker 88s attack convoy.
Submarine attacks.
100-German and Italian planes attack- DEUCALION sunk by Arial torpedo,
dud hits Carrier VICTORIOUS.
Italian submarine forced to surface by depth charges.
30-Junker 87s attack carrier INDOMITABLE hit 3-times.
Destroyer FORESIGHT damaged by Arial torpedo and had to be sunk.
Cruisers CAIRO and NIGERIA torpedoed by Italian submarines,
CAIRO abandoned, NIGERIA returns to Gibraltar.
OHIO torpedoed by Italian submarine and on fire. Manages 13 knots after repair.
20-Junker 88s attack. Gunners on ALMERIA LYKES shoot down 2-planes.
EMPIRE HOPE bombed, high octane gas on fire, abandoned and sunk by escort.
CLAN FERGUSON hit and explodes. Italian submarine rescues 53 survivors.
BRISBANE STAR hit by torpedo,
Cruiser KENYA damaged by torpedo from Italian submarine.                   

William Charles COULTON
Private, 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.    
He died on 8 September 1941 age 27.
He is buried in the Churchyard of St Peter and St Paul, Deddington
He was the son of Charles & Kate Coulton and the husband of Ivy M Coulton of Deddington.