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On this day in 1943, Sidney John Jones (1901-1943) was killed in action in the Sicily Landings, in the Second World War. Sidney, who was 42, was a company sergeant major in the 2nd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. He was among 160,000 Commonwealth and American troops who invaded Sicily on … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…July 31, 1943: Sidney killed in Sicily Landings

I have just finished my first major commission as a family history researcher – a detailed project researching the Clewlow family. Spanning almost 300 pages – and filling four volumes – it traces the family back to the early 1600s in Staffordshire. The work was completed for hotel director … [Read more...] about Epic family history project completed

On this day in 1916, Francis Leach (1894-1916) was killed on the Somme in the Great War. Francis, a private in the 8th (Service) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, died in the Battle of High Wood – a high point commanding a large area of ground where the three-month Battle of Somme was fought … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…July 20, 1916: Francis killed in Battle of High Wood

On this day in 1916, Albert Ashmore (1895-1916) died of wounds sustained in action in the Great War. Albert, a private in the 6th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, was 21 when he lost his life in France on July 20, 1916. The Western Times reported his death on August 4, 1916. The … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…July 20, 1916: Albert dies of wounds in France

On this day in 1917, Warwick Rendle (1891-1917) was killed in action on the Western Front in the Great War. Warwick, a gunner in 234th Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery, died on July 18, 1917 in Ypres. He was 26. In May 1916, after the introduction of conscription, Warwick claimed … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…July 18, 1917: Gunner Warwick killed on the Western Front

On this day in 1944, Mary Hannah Wyburn Hicks and her daughters, Annie Priscilla and Frances Lucy were killed in a devastating ‘Doodlebug’ attack in London. They died when their home, 231, Plashet Grove in East Ham was torn apart in a V1 Rocket explosion on July 17, 1944. The rocket struck … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…July 17, 1944: Mother and two daughters killed in bomb attack

On this day in 1945, James ‘Jimmy’ Philip Gard (1919-1945) died while being held as a Canadian prisoner of War in Japan in the Second World War. Jimmy was 26 when he lost his life on July 14, 1945. His military records reveal that he died after ‘drinking fuel that was handled by prisoners of … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…July 14, 1945: Jimmy dies as a prisoner of war in Japan

On this day in 1944, John William Beer (1922-1944) died in Normandy, a month after the D-Day landings. A private in the 4th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, he was 22. He arrived in Normandy two weeks after D-Day and died as his battalion fought their way through France and … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…July 6, 1944: John dies after D-Day landings

On this day in 1944, Victor ‘Vic’ Selwyn Curd (1916-1944), a New Zealand-born pilot of great ability, was killed in a flying accident in Scotland during the Second World War. Victor, a 28-year-old lieutenant, and his passenger, Lt John Jefford, died on July 4, 1944 when their Avenger torpedo … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…July 4, 1944: Victor killed in flying accident

On this day in 1916, Samuel ‘Sam’ Roberts (1895-1916) was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme in the Great War. As dawn broke on a ‘beautiful’ and ‘breathless blue morning’, on July 1, 1916, Sam, a corporal in the 8th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, stood shoulder to shoulder … [Read more...] about ON THIS DAY…July 1, 1916: Sam killed on first day of Battle of the Somme