WW2 Casualties
Sources
Thomas Ashworth (3rd April 1918 - 23rd July 1943) Aged 25
Thomas – born in Coates – was the son of Tom Ashworth and Eliza Ann Ashworth (née Merchant).
In 1939 the family lived at 14 Council Houses Coates and he appears on the 1939 Register as a General Brickyard Heavy Worker. I have discovered* that he lived at 136 March Road, Coates prior to enlistment (exact source needed) and that he was keen on football and sport. Thomas was Private 5827895, 4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Taken prisoner in 1942 by the Japanese, he died of dysentery 23 July 1943. He is buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand: Plot 10. Row F; Collective grave 2-10 L4. He was my 2nd cousin, once removed.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10759381/thomas-ashworth
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2664999/ashworth,-thomas/
James Bent (30th Jan 1919 - 31st Jan 1945) Aged 26
{NB One source gives birth year as 1918 but Free BMD confirms 1919}
James was the son of Frederick and Emma Bent, who lived at 4 Whalley Street, Peterborough. He enlisted in 1919 having previously worked as a labourer. He had an interest in boxing. He left a widow, Eileen Fanny Bent (née Bedford) living at 122 March Road, Coates: they had married in 1940 and had a son, Michael. James was Corporal EX/1184, No 42 of the Royal Marine Commando, Royal Marines. He was killed at Kangaw and is buried in Taukkayan War Cemetery, Myanmar (Burma). Plot 4. Row G. Grave 6. I have not managed to locate James on the 1939 Register (if he was already in the Marines he will not be listed).
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56609257/james-bent
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2084305/bent,-james/
Donald Herbert Bryan (19th August 1921 - 13th March 1943) Aged 21
Donald was the son of Herbert Bryan and Mabel Bryan (née Cook), of Coates, Cambridgeshire and was baptised there in 25th September 1921. (The Coates war memorial styles his surname as Brian). He was a brickyard worker and keen cyclist. He served as an Able seaman, Service Number C/SSX 33252, aboard the S.S. Empress of Canada. Although another source places him on the HMS Pembroke II: this simply means his memorial is at Chatham since (it appears) HMS Pembroke is the name of the Royal Naval Barracks there. He was buried at sea.
{Source *1: Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Author: Peter Singlehurst; Series Title: British Commonwealth War Graves Registers, 1914-1918; London, United Kingdom}
{Source *2: Registers of Reports of Deaths: Naval Ratings.; Class: ADM 104; Piece: Piece 128; Piece Description: Piece 128 (1939 Sept - 1948 June)}
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14367474/donald-herbert-bryan
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2465395/bryan,-donald-herbert/
Albert Coulson (1923 - 7th June 1944) Aged 21.
Private 5891321, Northamptonshire Regiment, attached 3 Commando. Son of Thomas & Mary* Coulson, of Wype Rd, Eastrea; husband of Nellie May Coulson (née Quartermaine, of High Wycombe, Bucks) who he married early in 1944. He worked for the London Brick Company. Albert was killed on the second day of the ‘D’ day landings but has no known grave, so he is commemorated on Bayeux Memorial, Calvados, France. Panel 16, Column 2.
*My research suggests his mother was Rhoda Lavinia Favell (who may have been called Mary for short!) so I shall try to establish whether this is so.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56274021/albert-coulson
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2627228/coulson,-albert/
John Read (12th Jan 1907 - 8th November 1942) Aged 35.
Address (at birth) [6] Council Houses Coates Cambridgeshire England. He was the son of Mr James Read and Mrs Elizabeth Read (née Lutkin); his wife was Rose Ellen Read (née Marshall). John was a Gunner 1749526, 12 Battery, 6 Heavy AA Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died 8 November 1942, a Prisoner of War who has no known grave. John is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial, Singapore. Column 28. I understand that, whilst being transported by ship as a PoW, the ship sank and he lost is life.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56233336/john-read
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2142584/read,-john/
Kenneth Roy Tinkler (12th August 1924 - 18th January 1945) Aged 20
The son of Charles Tinkler and Annie Mary Tinkler (née Tarry), of Whittlesey. He was Fusilier 14566682, 4/5 Royal Scots Fusiliers. It is likely that Kenneth was killed during Operation Blackcock. He is buried in the Sittard War Cemetery, Limburg, Netherlands. Section H. Grave 17. (This is sometimes referred to as the Ophoven War Cemetery)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blackcock
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18394116/kenneth-roy-tinkler
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2055423/tinkler,-kenneth-roy/
Herbert Wheatley (Oct 1914 - 22nd May 1941) Aged 26
Herbert was the son of George Ernest Wheatley and Nancy Wheatley (née Hurry). In 1940 he married Leila Cowan) of Pocklington, Yorks. Before he enlisted in 1935 he lived at Gravel House Coates. He became Warrant Officer Class III 555142, 3rd King's Own Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps and awarded the Oak Leaf in 1941 (Mentioned in Dispatches) . He died during the fighting in Crete but has no known grave. Herbert is commemorated on Athens Memorial, Greece. Face 1.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18975208/herbert-h-wheatley
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2630205/wheatley,-herbert
- http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Cambridgeshire/Coates.html
- Ancestry.co.uk
- Coates War Memorial
- Pamphlet by John Hart of Whittlesey*
Thomas Ashworth (3rd April 1918 - 23rd July 1943) Aged 25
Thomas – born in Coates – was the son of Tom Ashworth and Eliza Ann Ashworth (née Merchant).
In 1939 the family lived at 14 Council Houses Coates and he appears on the 1939 Register as a General Brickyard Heavy Worker. I have discovered* that he lived at 136 March Road, Coates prior to enlistment (exact source needed) and that he was keen on football and sport. Thomas was Private 5827895, 4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Taken prisoner in 1942 by the Japanese, he died of dysentery 23 July 1943. He is buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand: Plot 10. Row F; Collective grave 2-10 L4. He was my 2nd cousin, once removed.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10759381/thomas-ashworth
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2664999/ashworth,-thomas/
James Bent (30th Jan 1919 - 31st Jan 1945) Aged 26
{NB One source gives birth year as 1918 but Free BMD confirms 1919}
James was the son of Frederick and Emma Bent, who lived at 4 Whalley Street, Peterborough. He enlisted in 1919 having previously worked as a labourer. He had an interest in boxing. He left a widow, Eileen Fanny Bent (née Bedford) living at 122 March Road, Coates: they had married in 1940 and had a son, Michael. James was Corporal EX/1184, No 42 of the Royal Marine Commando, Royal Marines. He was killed at Kangaw and is buried in Taukkayan War Cemetery, Myanmar (Burma). Plot 4. Row G. Grave 6. I have not managed to locate James on the 1939 Register (if he was already in the Marines he will not be listed).
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56609257/james-bent
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2084305/bent,-james/
Donald Herbert Bryan (19th August 1921 - 13th March 1943) Aged 21
Donald was the son of Herbert Bryan and Mabel Bryan (née Cook), of Coates, Cambridgeshire and was baptised there in 25th September 1921. (The Coates war memorial styles his surname as Brian). He was a brickyard worker and keen cyclist. He served as an Able seaman, Service Number C/SSX 33252, aboard the S.S. Empress of Canada. Although another source places him on the HMS Pembroke II: this simply means his memorial is at Chatham since (it appears) HMS Pembroke is the name of the Royal Naval Barracks there. He was buried at sea.
{Source *1: Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Author: Peter Singlehurst; Series Title: British Commonwealth War Graves Registers, 1914-1918; London, United Kingdom}
{Source *2: Registers of Reports of Deaths: Naval Ratings.; Class: ADM 104; Piece: Piece 128; Piece Description: Piece 128 (1939 Sept - 1948 June)}
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14367474/donald-herbert-bryan
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2465395/bryan,-donald-herbert/
Albert Coulson (1923 - 7th June 1944) Aged 21.
Private 5891321, Northamptonshire Regiment, attached 3 Commando. Son of Thomas & Mary* Coulson, of Wype Rd, Eastrea; husband of Nellie May Coulson (née Quartermaine, of High Wycombe, Bucks) who he married early in 1944. He worked for the London Brick Company. Albert was killed on the second day of the ‘D’ day landings but has no known grave, so he is commemorated on Bayeux Memorial, Calvados, France. Panel 16, Column 2.
*My research suggests his mother was Rhoda Lavinia Favell (who may have been called Mary for short!) so I shall try to establish whether this is so.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56274021/albert-coulson
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2627228/coulson,-albert/
John Read (12th Jan 1907 - 8th November 1942) Aged 35.
Address (at birth) [6] Council Houses Coates Cambridgeshire England. He was the son of Mr James Read and Mrs Elizabeth Read (née Lutkin); his wife was Rose Ellen Read (née Marshall). John was a Gunner 1749526, 12 Battery, 6 Heavy AA Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died 8 November 1942, a Prisoner of War who has no known grave. John is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial, Singapore. Column 28. I understand that, whilst being transported by ship as a PoW, the ship sank and he lost is life.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56233336/john-read
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2142584/read,-john/
Kenneth Roy Tinkler (12th August 1924 - 18th January 1945) Aged 20
The son of Charles Tinkler and Annie Mary Tinkler (née Tarry), of Whittlesey. He was Fusilier 14566682, 4/5 Royal Scots Fusiliers. It is likely that Kenneth was killed during Operation Blackcock. He is buried in the Sittard War Cemetery, Limburg, Netherlands. Section H. Grave 17. (This is sometimes referred to as the Ophoven War Cemetery)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blackcock
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18394116/kenneth-roy-tinkler
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2055423/tinkler,-kenneth-roy/
Herbert Wheatley (Oct 1914 - 22nd May 1941) Aged 26
Herbert was the son of George Ernest Wheatley and Nancy Wheatley (née Hurry). In 1940 he married Leila Cowan) of Pocklington, Yorks. Before he enlisted in 1935 he lived at Gravel House Coates. He became Warrant Officer Class III 555142, 3rd King's Own Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps and awarded the Oak Leaf in 1941 (Mentioned in Dispatches) . He died during the fighting in Crete but has no known grave. Herbert is commemorated on Athens Memorial, Greece. Face 1.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18975208/herbert-h-wheatley
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2630205/wheatley,-herbert