Showing 393 results

People & Organisations
GB-2014-WSA-08382 · Person · 1858-1940

GWILT, CHARLES EVELYN, eldest son of Charles Gwilt, Icklingham, Suffolk, solicitor, and Frances, dau. of Edward Thompson; b. 12 Oct 1858; adm. 23 Sep 1871 (G); left Aug 1875; adm. solicitor Apr 1882; practised in London; m. 15 Jun 1904 Florence Fraser, youngest dau. of George Pimm, Wandsworth, Surrey, miller; d. 25 Oct 1940.

Charles Evelyn Gwilt was born at Chelsea, London on the 12th of October 1858 the eldest son of Charles Gwilt, a solicitor, and Frances (nee Thompson) Gwilt of 18, Markham Street, Chelsea and of Ickenham in Suffolk. He was christened at the Church of St Mary’s Le Strand on the 4th of December 1859.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from the 23rd of September 1871 to August 1875. He qualified as a solicitor in April 1882 and practiced in London. He was initiated as a Freemason and as a member of the Old Westminster’s Lodge on the 1st of February 1893. He was married at St Luke’s Church, Battersea on the 15th of June 1904 to Florence Fraser (nee Pimm) and they lived at 39, Dryburgh Road Putney and later at 42, Park Hill Road, Wallington in Surrey. He was killed when his house was hit by a bomb during an air raid.
His place of burial is not known.

GB-2014-WSA-08361 · Person · 1885-1916

Gundry, Horace Montague, son of Horace Gundry, of Paddington, by Marion Jane, daughter of George Barker, of Hyde Park; b. Aug. 31, 1885; adm. Sept. 22, 1898 (H); left July 1901; entered an architect's office, and in 1908 emigrated to Canada; enlisted in the 7th Canadian Batt. early in 1915; killed in action Sept. 26, 1916; unm.

GB-2014-WSA-08343 · Person · 1921-1945

Groves, Louis Grimble, son of Keith Grimble Groves, barrister-at-law, and Dorothy, d. of Louis Herbert Moore; b. 1 Apr. 1921; adm. Jan. 1935 (R); left Dec. 1938; Univ. of Glasgow; RAF in WW2 (Serg. Met. Air Observer); killed on operational duties 10 Sept. 1945.

Louis Grimble Groves was born at Chelsea, London on the 1st of April 1921 the only child of Major Keith Grimble Groves, a barrister at law, and Dorothy (nee Moore) Groves of 4, York House, Kensington in London, later of “The Varrey”, Kirk Maughold on the Isle of Man. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from January 1935 to December 1938. He went on to the University of Liverpool where he was studying naval architecture when the war broke out.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, trained in Canada and rose to the rank of Sergeant. On his return to the UK he was based at the Metrological Office at RAF Brawdy.
Louis Groves and his crew took off from RAF Brawdy on the 10th of September 1945 in Halifax B (Met) Mk III RG380 X9-N on an “Epicure” sortie, to gather information on the weather over the North Atlantic. On their return to base, they were diverted to RAF Weston Zoyland due to bad weather. There was fog over Weston Zoyland when they arrived there and the aircraft was seen to pass over the airfield but, due to radio interference, communications were poor and it turned away. The aircraft was flying at a height of 1,000 feet when it crashed in dense fog into an escarpment in the Quantock Hills above Crowcombe Hall, to the south west of Williton in Somerset at 7.54pm, killing all on board.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer Keith Gordon Proverbs (Pilot)
Flying Officer John Joseph Frederick Hobden
Flying Officer Lindsay George McMillan
Flying Officer Patrick Alfred Bee
Warrant Officer Roy Donald Cartwright
Flight Sergeant Dennis Norman Everett
Sergeant Louis Grimble Groves (Metrological Observer)
Sergeant John Macilrick Bryce Gordon (Metrological Observer)
Flight Sergeant Robert William Vinton
His funeral took place on the 15th of September 1945.
A Correspondent wrote of him: - “Louis Grimble Groves was a fine young man, a fine sportsman and extremely popular with all who knew him. He spent all his holidays in the Isle of Man and his many friends here and elsewhere will deeply regret his untimely death.”
The L. G. Groves Award was established in his memory by his parents in September 1946. The award is made to recognise those who work to improve safety in the aviation industry. A memorial was placed at the crash site in 2016.
He is buried at St Maughold’s Church.

GB-2014-WSA-08327 · Person · 1867-1940

GROSVENOR, RANDOLPH LEA, eldest son of George Fox Grosvenor MD MRCS, Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London, and Eliza Frances, eldest dau. of Thomas Lea, London; b. 29 Jul 1867; adm. (G) 27 May 1880; left May 1884; Clare Coll. Cambridge, adm. 10 Oct 1805, matr. Mich. 1885; BA 1888; St. Mary’s Hospital; MRCS LRCP London 1896; practised in London; killed in air raid 14 Sep 1940.

Randolph Lea Grosvenor was born at Notting Hill, London on the 29th of July 1867 the eldest son of Dr George Fox Grosvenor MD and Eliza Frances (nee Lea) Grosvenor of 121, Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill in London. He was christened at the Church of St John the Evangelist, Notting Hill on the 2nd of November 1867. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from the 27th of May 1880 to May 1884. He matriculated for Clare College, Cambridge on the 10th of October 1885 where he achieved a BA in 1888 and a MA in 1926. He attended St Mary’s Hospital, Chelsea and achieved MRCS LRCP in 1896. He practised medicine at 75, Oakley Street, Chelsea.
On the 14th of September 1940 the Luftwaffe continued operations against London at was by now the height of the Battle of Britain. A number of separate raids, made up of small formations, crossed the south coast of England during the later afternoon flying at heights of between 17,000 and 20,000 feet. Although many were turned back by Royal Air Force fighters in a running battle, some got through and were able to drop their bombs on London.
Randolph Grosvenor had heeded the sound of the sirens as the enemy raiders approached the city and, having no air raid shelter in his own house, he and his brother Edward and their housekeeper, Mrs. Elizabeth Parke, walked to 5, Upper Cheyne Row, Chelsea. It was the home of Mrs. Mabel Price-Jones and her daughter where she had constructed a small air raid shelter in the basement which was strengthened with sandbags. At around 6.30pm a high explosive bomb struck the house and passed through all of its floors before exploding in the basement. All five of those sheltering there were killed instantly.
Those who died were: -
Randolph Lea Grosvenor
Edward Moberley Grosvenor
Elizabeth Sarah Parke
Mabel Edith Price-Jones
Eileen Price-Jones
His place of burial is not known.

GB-2014-WSA-08274 · Person · 1889-1916

Griffin, Douglas Morley, only son of Professor William Hall Griffin, of Hampstead, by Emily, daughter of John Cripps, of Liverpool; b. Aug. 1, 1889; adm. as K.S. Sept. 24, 1903; left Dec. 1907; went into an architect's office at Liverpool; M.R.I.B.A. 1910; A.R.I.B.A. 1914; enlisted in Sept. 1914; 2nd Lieut. 17th (Service) Batt. the King's (Liverpool) Regt. Nov. 3, 1914; went out to the western front Nov. 1915; d. July 16, 1916, at Abbeville, of wounds received in action on the Somme July 9, 1916; unm.

GB-2014-WSA-08241 · Person · 1889-1918

Gregory, John Sheridan, younger son of Gregory Marcar Gregory, of West Kensington, by Edith Laura, second daughter of. John Sheridan, of Earl's Court; b. Sept. 15, 1889; adm. Sept. 25, 1902 (A); left July 1907; Trin. Coll. Camb., matric. Michaelmas 1908; B.A. and LL. B. 1911; adm. to the Middle Temple Nov. 1913; 2nd Lieut. A. S. C. (Spec. Res.) Aug. 15, 1914, and went out to France three days later; Supply Officer to the 9th Cavalry Brigade April 13, 1915 - Aug. 24, 1917; temp. Lieut. Aug. 1, 1915; Lieut. Feb. 23, 1916; temp. Capt. June 25, 1916, attached to R. F. C. and returned to England in Aug. 1917; returned to France as a qualified Observer Oct. 16, 1917; joined No. 16 Squadron R. F. C. Oct. 18, transferred to No. 35 Squadron Nov. 20; Capt. Nov. 29, 1917; killed in action, being shot down in an encounter with a German machine between Lempire and Epehy, Feb. 19, 1918; unm.

GB-2014-WSA-08174 · Person · 1919-1944

Green, Anthony Lovering, son of Arthur Reginald Green FSAA, of Hampstead, and Gladys Eve­lyn, d. of John William Pryce of Chiswick; b. 17 Dec. 1919; adm. Sept. 1933 (H); left July 1936; articled to an accountant; RAOC 1940, transf. REME, later 1 Troop 5 Commando (Private); killed in action (Burma) 15 Mar. 1944.

Anthony Lovering Green was born at Caterham, Surrey on the 17th of December 1919 the younger son of Arthur Reginald Green FSAA, an incorporated accountant, and Gladys Evelyn (nee Pryce) Green of 959, Finchley Road, Golders Green in Middlesex. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1933 and July 1936. On leaving school he was articled to a firm of accountants.
He enlisted in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in 1940 and transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers before being attached to No. 1 Troop, No. 5 Commando.
At 9.30am on the 14th of March 1944, Nos. 1 and 2 Troops, No. 5 Commando embarked on board landing craft at St Martin’s Island in Burma and landed at the mouth of the Ton Chaung at 11am where they formed a beachhead. A short time later they were followed by Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 Troops who arrived with the equipment. At 11.20am Nos. 1 and 2 Troops moved inland where they advanced to Dodan where they arrived at 11.50am and linked up with the 81st West African Division reconnaissance team to form a defensive perimeter around the town to protect the men bringing up the heavy equipment from the beachhead. At 12.20pm the two Troops moved forward again to Kanyindan, arriving there ten minutes later, where they met more West African troops, and continued on to Alethangyaw where they had established Battalion Headquarters by 1.30pm. At 1.50pm they came under Japanese mortar fire from the surrounding hills. At 2.30pm a section of No. 1 Troop was sent out to patrol towards Maugtula and returned without making contact with the enemy. At 4pm the rest of No. 5 Commando arrived there and began digging in with No. 1 and No. 2 Troops moving to a new position known as Commando Beachhead at 4.30pm. Having established themselves in their new positions they came under mortar and 75mm artillery fire from Hill 211 at 8pm that night.
At 9.30am on the 15th of March 1944, a small group from No. 1 Troop was sent out to clear a village to the west of Commando Beachhead and at noon Nos. 1 and 3 Troops were pushed forward for an attack on Hill 211. A request for an air attack on the hill in support of their attack had been denied. Having arrived in front of the hill, No. 3 Troop began advancing towards the north east over open ground at 1.30pm. They moved through a wood and found themselves facing the enemy positions on the other side of it. No. 1 Troop joined them five minutes later and took up positions in front of them. They immediately came under heavy shell fire during which Anthony Green was killed. The two troops suffered further casualties of one other rank dying of wounds and fourteen more wounded. The wounded were evacuated at 4pm and the survivors withdrew back to their base at 5.30pm.
He is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial Face 19.

GB-2014-WSA-08122 · Person · 1915-1942

Graham-Little, Esmond Birch, son of Sir Ernest Gordon Graham-Little MD MP and Sarah Helen, d. of Maurice Kendall; b. 9 Apr. 1915; adm. Sept. 1928 (B); left July 1933; Corpus Christi Coll. Camb., matric. 1933, BA 1936; called to the Bar (Gray's Inn) May 1938; RAFVR 1940-1 (FO); killed on active service 10 June 1942.

Esmond Birch “Bep” Graham-Little was born at Marylebone, London on the 9th of April 1915 the only son of Sir Ernest Gordon Graham-Little MD, FRCP, MRCS MP and Lady Sarah Helen (nee Kendall) Graham–Little of 19, Upper Wimpole Street, Marylebone and of 1, St George’s Gardens, Lynwood Road, Epsom in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Busby’s from September 1928 to July 1933. He was awarded the Goodenough Medal for Modern Languages in 1933. He matriculated for Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 1933 where he read Engineering and graduated with a BA in 1936. He later trained as a barrister and was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in May 1938.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in May 1939 where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Sergeant (754494) before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 7th of September 1940. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 7th of September 1941.
On the 10th of June 1942, Esmond Graham-Little took off from RAF Castle Camps in Mosquito NF Mk IIF DD603 with his observer, Warrant Officer Wilfrid Arthur Clement Walters, for a night flying exercise. The aircraft had been undertaking Air Indication exercises at around 10,000 feet and when the exercise was completed it turned and went into a shallow dive down through cloud towards the base. The cloud was 10/10ths with tops at between 4,000 and 6,000 feet. It was flying over Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex when it disintegrated in mid air and crashed at Bentfield Bury near Bishops Stortford at 5.05pm, killing both men.
The wreckage was spread over a large area with the aircrafts forward section and starboard engine both catching fire and burning out on the ground.
His funeral took place on the 13th of June 1942.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Grays Inn and on the memorial at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
He is buried at Saffron Walden Cemetery Compt 39, Grave 10.

GB-2014-WSA-08104 · Person · 1911-1942

Graham, Hartley Brisco, son of Hartley Graham, solicitor, of Penrith, Cumbria, and Alice Emma, d. of George Arthur Rivington of Penrith; b. 20 Jan. 1911; adm. Sept. 1924 (R); left July 1929; adm. a solicitor Jan. 1935; practised at Penrith; RA 1939-42 (Lieut.); d. of wounds (Libya) 1 June 1942.

Hartley Brisco Graham was born at Penrith, Cumberland on the 20th of January 1911 the younger son of Hartley Graham, a solicitor, and Alice Margaret Emma (nee Rimington) Graham of “The Larches”, Penrith in Cumberland. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith and at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1924 to July 1929. He served as a Lance Corporal in the Officer Training Corps. On leaving school he qualified as a solicitor and worked in his father’s business at Penrith.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in the Territorial Army on the 24th of May 1939.
He was posted to 72 (Northumbrian) Field Regiment which embarked on board the SS Empress of Asia at Liverpool on the 21st of April 1941 for service in the Middle East. The Regiment landed at Port Tewfik in Egypt on the 23rd of June and by April 1942 they were based at Bir Geff in Libya as part of the 150th Infantry Brigade. On the 21st of April they handed over these positions and relocated to Rotunda Ualeb, between the Trigh El Abd and Trigh Capuzzo, which formed part of the British defences known as the Gazala Line. Their position was known as the Sidi Muftah Box.
On the 30th of May 1942, General Erwin Rommel, commanding officer of the Afrika Corps, made a personal reconnaissance of the area leading to the Sidi Muftah Box with a view to making a major attack on it the following day. Later in the day his men began clearing lanes on the eastern side of the protective British minefields in preparation for the attack. Once this was completed a column of German motorised infantry attacked and penetrated the British positions before being thrown back by the infantry supported by tanks.
On the morning the 31st of May 1942, General Rommel made a formal request to General Cecil William Haydon, officer commanding 150th Infantry Brigade, for the surrender of his garrison. This demand was met without a response. A short time later a heavy artillery bombardment preceded an attack by elements of the German 90th Light Division and the Italian Trieste Division on the British positions. They forced their way forward “against the toughest British resistance imaginable” in intense close quarter fighting before being forced back with heavy losses several hours after their attack had begun. An hour later the attack resumed with the Axis infantry being supported by tanks and with several breaks in the lines being made, all of which were closed after bitter fighting. In spite of the hard fighting by the defenders, by nightfall, when both sides drew back, the size of the Box had halved in size.
On the morning of the 1st of June 1942, the beleaguered defenders were heavily bombarded by artillery and by Junkers 87 “Stuka” dive bombers before massed German and Italian infantry and tanks renewed their assault. After very heavy, often hand to hand, fighting the Sidi Muftah Box fell in the early afternoon with the capture of more than 3,000 prisoners and the destruction or capture of 124 guns and 101 tanks and armoured cars. Rommel came forward to congratulate General Haydon on the magnificent way his troops had fought, only find that his opponent had been killed by shellfire earlier in the day. Hartley Graham was one of the many casualties from the three days of fighting.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Penrith and on the memorial at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith.
He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial Column 31.

GB-2014-WSA-08100 · Person · 1894-1917

Graham, Eric Clive, youngest son of Lionel Henry Graham, of New York City, U. S. A., by Hilda Adeline, daughter of Louisa Whitaker, of Blackheath, Kent; b. June 28, 1894; adm. Sept. 23, 1909 (A); left July 1913; went to Ingleden Park, Kent, to learn agriculture with a view to farming in Canada; enlisted in the Public Schools Batt. of the Royal Fusiliers in Aug. 1914; 2nd Lieut. 3rd Batt. (Reserve) the Manchester Regt. May 26, 1915; left England Feb. 17, 1916, and joined the 1st Batt. of his regiment at Busreh, on the Tigris, March 24; was invalided to Bombay in June, but returned to Busreh Oct. 12, 1916; killed in action at Kut-el­Amara, Mesopotamia, Jan. 9, 1917; unm.