Son of Alfred Jesse and Evelyn Ruth Hill, husband of Joan Mary Hill and father of Jenny Stone, born Hill. 

Raymond Jesse Hill takes off on Saturday 14 October 1944, the day Overloon was liberated, in a Taylorcraft Auster I, serial number MT142, from a hastily constructed airfield near Sint Anthonis. Lieutenant Hill belonged to 658 Squadron, which had only been formed in 1943, in support of English artillery. Its first deployment was on 6 June 1944 during D-day.

The English pilot had to locate German artillery positions between Overloon and Venray. On his way to that area, the low-flying Hill sees Annie Nabuurs between Overloon and Westerbeek, who enthusiastically waves to him with all she has. He waves back. After his mission, the 24-year-old Hill flies again over the farm where the then 17-year-old Annie lived. A few moments later, he is shot out of the sky. Hill did not survive, leaving behind a wife and his daughter Jenny, a few weeks old.

The plane appears to have been shot down by its own artillery. It crashes burning not far from
Duivenbos campsite. In this area, the number of downed aircraft is very high. An area of 5
km2 contains at least 4 crash sites, 3 of which have been defined through soil surveys. The search for Lt Hill’s plane is still ongoing. 

Annie Nabuurs keeps a diary, describing how she became an eyewitness to this dramatic crash just above her farm. How she happily waved in the apple orchard at the pilot, who was flying so low, she saw him wave back. And moments later the loud bang and fireball in the sky followed by black debris crashing down in the apple orchard. 

She describes how some time later, a priest knocked on their door to be allowed to cut some dahlias for the grave of the pilot who had just died, waving at her only recently. Overwhelmed by emotion and grief, Annie and her family accompany the priest to a spot in a nearby meadow where Lieutenant Hill is temporarily buried by a group of Royal Air Force soldiers. 

The whole event stayed with Annie throughout her life, even when she emigrated to Canada and hoped that one day she would be able to tell relatives of Lieutenant Hill how she was involved in the last moments of his life. 

This meeting took place years later via an online video connection, when, after a long search by Leo Janssen of Werkgroep Vliegtuigcrashes en Noodlandingen WOII in Boxmeer and Sue Eynon, Hill’s daughter Jenny was found and put in touch with Annie in Canada. 

The Hill family visited the grave at Overloon War Cemetery in the 1960s and 1980s. Annie also returned to the Netherlands several times and visited Lieutenant Hill’s grave each time. 

Ons Erf 2020

Peel en Maas, May 2020

De Gelderlander 29-06-2020

Photo’s collection family van den Broek-Nabuurs

Research Leo Janssen, Sue Eynon

Albert Ransom (Service No. 4350100) was killed on 12th October 1944. He was a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment.
 
Privates J Coombs and GR Elliot, also of the East Yorkshire Regiment, died on the same day and JW Dawson died on the following day.
 
The 2nd Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment took part in the D- Day landings in June 1944 and lost many men as a consequence. A substantial number of reinforcements joined the Battalion in late July when it had returned across the Orne to Beuville, near Caen in France. It played a part in action to secure a road junction at Vire in mid August but played no further part in the Battle of Normandy. In September they were in Belgium and successfully crossed the Escaut canal as part of the ill-fated Market Garden operation, arriving in Gernert in Holland on 26th September where they received a tremendous welcome. October saw the 2nd Battalion involved in some of the heaviest fighting since the end of June, amid continual rain and mud. The battalion played its part in capturing Overloon on 12th to 15th October, suffering 49 casualties.
 
Albert was born in 1910 in Sheffield. He was the son of Walter and Annie Elizabeth Ransom. Walter had married Annie Elizabeth Wright in 1887 in Sheffield.
 
In 1911 they were living at 3 Corby Street, Sheffield. Walter was a Steel Casting Fettler. Sheffield was famous as a centre of steel making. Walter was born in 1864 and Annie Elizabeth in 1869. They had 5 children living with them. Tom was aged 21 and working as a Blacksmith at a Steel Works. Walter was 20 and a general labourer, but unemployed at the time. Their three younger children were Annie Elizabeth aged 16, John aged 14 (who was a wheelwright’s labourer) and Albert himself who was just 6 months old. A sixth child called Jane who was 12 was a patient in the Lodge Moor Fever Hospital in Eccleshall.
 
Albert’s father, Walter Ransom, died in 1915, aged 51 at Eccleshall. Albert would only have been 5 years old at the time.
 
In 1921 his mother Annie was living at 60, Corby Street, Sheffield. With her was her daughter Jane Ransom, aged 23 and shown as a Tile Cutter Machine Operator at Jones & Calvers at Attercliffe. So too was Albert, now aged 10 years and 9 months. They had a visitor by the name of John Grayson living with them at the time of the census. He was born in 1896 in Sheffield and working as a driller at the Farnley Iron Company in Leeds. Jane Ransom went on to marry him in 1922. Two boarders were living with them. One was William Hassal, a married man of 45 from Cannock Chase in Staffordshire who was a Miner Coal Getter at the Nunnery Colliery Company. The other was William Smedley, a 63 year old  single man born in Sheffield who was a Blacksmith General at John Brown & Co, Saville Street, Sheffield.
 
In 1932 Albert married Evelyn Gunn in Sheffield. In September 1939 they were living at 340 Shirecliffe Road in Sheffield. Albert’s birth date was given as 14th September 1910 and he was described as a Steel Mill Helper at a Steel Works. Evelyn’s birth date was given as 11th October 1909. A record was closed indicating the presence of a child. Also noted was the name Williams next to Evelyn’s name indicating a subsequent marriage.
Albert and Evelyn had three children as follows: Kenneth in 1934 Ecclesall Bierlow District, Eric in 1936 and Alan in 1943 – the latter two both in Sheffield. Kenneth died in 1934 in infancy – thought to be from consumption.

It was probably Albert’s mother, Annie E Ransom, who died in 1943 in Sheffield aged 75.

Albert’s wife, Evelyn, received the telegram telling her that Albert was dead but only after hearing it first from one of his friends.

She did go on to marry Horace Williams in 1949 in Sheffield. They had one child, Stanley born in 1950 in Sheffield who died in 2001.

FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
Military records from ForcesWarRecords website
Companies House Records
Photos and additional information from Alan Ransom, Albert’s son

Information on the East Yorkshire Regiment from a thesis written by Tracey Cragg for her PhD with the Department of History, University of Sheffield 2007 “An `Unspectacular’ War? Reconstructing the history of the 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment during the Second World War”.

Research Elaine Gathercole

Flying Officer Arthur Leonard was one of the crew of the Lancaster NG251 that crashed in Dölzig, near Leipzig by anti-aircraft fire by the 14th Flak Division of the German Army. 

The crew consisted of:

Pilot / F/Lt. J.P. Morris 130129 RAF / Venray War Cemetery the Netherlands
Flight Engineer / Sgt. A.G. Furber 3025228 RAF / Venray War Cemetery the Netherlands
Navigator / F/O. A. Leonard 160715 RAF / Overloon War Cemetery the Netherlands
Bomb Aimer / Sgt. H.J. Bailey 1601442 RAF / Venray War Cemetery the Netherlands
Wireless Operator / Sgt. W. Roberts 2206786 RAF / Venray War Cemetery the Netherlands
Mid Upper Gunner / Sgt. G.C. Dennis 2204350 RAF / Overloon War Cemetery the Netherlands
Rear Gunner / Sgt. T.J. Hooper 2217010 RAF / Berlin War Cemetery Germany

On 6 December 1944, the aircraft took off from North Killingholme for an operation against the IG Farben Leuna chemical paint factory near Merseburg. 

IG Farben was one of Nazi Germany’s largest synthetic oil and chemical plants. The factory employed 35,000-50.000 workers including about 10,000 prisoners and forced laborers. 

This made the factory a prime target for the Allied bombing offensive against German oil production. 

The 14th Flak Division was responsible for protecting the factory and had thousands of troops and workers working to defend it. Many bomber flights were carried out but many planes were also shot down. A great loss of Allied men. 

Allied air raids contributed significantly to Germany’s defeat in World War II by depriving the country and its troops of vital resources. On 4 April 1945, production at Leuna ceased completely.

Arthur Leonard was temporarily buried at Margraten CCC-6-146 and later on reburied at Overloon War Cemetery. 

Read more about the crew and their time at the 550 squadron in this side-story. 

Wikipedia 

Research Gerard Berkers, Anny Huberts

Henry Ormond was killed on 13th October, 1944 in the Battle of Overloon. He was aged 22 and a private in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment (Service Number 5961339).

The 1st Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment was still in India on the outbreak of the Second World War. It remained there until July 1940, when it returned home. It landed in Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944). In the ensuing campaign in North-West Europe, the regiment won two of its five Victoria Crosses of the war, the highest number for any single regiment. It suffered particularly heavy casualties in the Battle of Overloon.

At the time of his death, the Royal Norfolk Regiment were approaching Overloon from Oploo to the north and spent that night in woods around the village. The exact circumstances of his death are not currently known.

Although military records, and indeed his grave, give his surname as Ormand, in all earlier records it is shown as Ormond.

Henry Ormond was born on 29th July 1922 in Westport, County Mayo in Ireland. His parents were Lawrence Cornelius and Bridget Ormond. Cornelius L Ormond (vs Lawrence Cornelius) was married to Bridget Chambers in Blackburn in 1918.

Henry had an older sister, Mary Agnes Ormond, who was born on 18th May, 1919 in Westport, County Mayo and a younger sister Margaret A Ormond who was born in 1926 in Blackburn. The dates suggest that the family were living in Ireland from at least 1919 until sometime between 1922 and 1926.

Henry’s father, Lawrence, was born on 25th (or 27th) November 1893 in Blackburn and baptised as a Roman Catholic on 3rd December that year. His parents were given as Laurence Ormond and Mary Ann Ormond (nee Ainsworth.)

In 1901 and 1911 Bridget Chambers was living at Coolnabinnia, Letterbrick, County Mayo in the house of Thomas and Mary Chambers, aged 78 and 72 respectively in 1911. Bridget was shown aged 18 and 28 respectively, suggesting she was born in 1883. Thomas and Mary were described as her parents, despite being rather elderly. There too in both years were her siblings Catherine, Anne and Francis, aged 30, 26 and 24 respectively in 1911. The whole family were Roman Catholic. Her parents could speak both Irish and English. In 1911 only Catherine and Anne were shown as able to read and write.

In 1939 Henry was 17 and living with his parents at Pleasant View, Laburnum Road, Blackburn. He was single and an apprentice in a foundry at the time. There is no evidence he ever married. His father was a Stoker. At this time his mother’s birth date was given as 6th Jan 1884. There too was Henry’s older sister, Mary Agnes Ormond, who was aged 20 and working as a shop assistant. A closed record indicates that his younger sister, Margaret, was probably also present.

Lawrence Ormond died aged 61 on 17th December, 1954, at 10 Laburnum Road, Blackburn. He was given a Roman Catholic funeral service at St Alban’s Church and interred at Pleasington New Cemetery on Dec 21st. His probate record shows that he was also known as Cornelius Lawrence Ormond.

Bridget Ormond died on 6th Nov 1978 in Blackburn. She was living at 366 Whalley Old Road Blackburn. Her birth date was now given as 8th January, 1885 and she was shown as 93. She was given a Roman Catholic funeral at Our Lady of the Assumption and interred at Pleasington New Cemetery on Nov 10th 1978.

Mary Agnes Ormond married Alvin J Rigby in Blackburn in 1943. A photograph of their wedding provided by her niece, Anne Slee, shows Henry in uniform on the left of the picture and Margaret Ormond as bridesmaid. Alvin Rigby is also in uniform. They had one child, Alvin D Rigby, in 1945 in Blackburn but, according to Anne Slee, they later moved to Montreal in Canada where they had two more children.

Margaret A Ormond married Henry Critchley in Blackburn in 1956. They had two children, both born in Blackburn: Anne M Critchley in 1957 and Anthony John Critchley in 1959. Anne M Critchley married Paul Slee in Blackburn in 1984 where they still live. They had three children, all in Blackburn, who are now aged between 27 and 38. Sadly, Anthony John Critchley died in Blackburn on 30th December 2009, aged just 50. He never married.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records (England and Ireland); Irish Census; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
Military records from ForcesWarRecords website
Information from “Thank God and the Infantry – from D-Day to VE-Day with the 1st Battalion, the Royal Norfolk Regiment” by John Lincoln
Photographs, details of Lawrence and Bridget Ormond’s death and other information provided by Anne Slee (Henry’s niece)

Research Elaine Gathercole

Corporal Percy Virgo (Reg. No. 5127049) of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment died in the Battle of Overloon on 13th October 1944 having served in the army for around 3 years.

An article in the Birmingham Mail of 27th October, 1944 was written by a journalist on the front line sometime after September 17th. He mentions meeting Percy when describing conditions in the field as the men waited in almost complete silence in slit trenches just fifty yards from the enemy prior to attacking a position near Overloon. It was published just three days after the announcement in the Staffordshire Sentinel of his death which also included his photo:

Royal Warwicks in Front Line
Fifty Yards from the Nazis

In a silent forest, which is an offshoot of the Reichswald,on the Dutch German frontier, I met the silent company of the Royal Warwicks, writes a military observer. I went there with two gunner officers of a field regiment Royal Artillery who were to direct a shoot from our forward observation post.

With them I reported to the commander of “B “ Company of the Royal Warwicks, Major Eric Butterworth.

His HQ was only a few hundred yards from the enemy and even in there I noticed the officers and men of the Royal Warwicks spoke in their low frontline voices. The forward platoon of this company is completely silent, for the enemy is so near that even the softest voice might carry to the Germans and give our position away.
“We are the furthest forward company of the 2nd Army “said Major Butterworth. “We took over this position from the American Airborne who were not sorry to be relieved. They had been in this area for several days, an outpost of their great “drop” on September 17.

“They advised us to go extremely warily. There are sharp eyed German snipers on the look out for any movement which might give them a target.”

The position when I went there was fairly quiet. Our shells screamed over towards the enemy and mortar bombs crumped in the trees about half a mile away.

In slit trenches.

The second in command Captain Patrick Johnson of Compton Hall, Compton, Wolverhampton, took me round one of the platoon positions. The men were in slit trenches on a forward slope under the cover of young trees. Their rifles and Bren guns trained on flat country on the other side of the road and along the road itself.

In this semi silent platoon I had whispered chats with Pte. Stanley Adams, 456 Chinnbrook Road, Billesley, Birmingham and Cpl. Percy Virgo (aged 21), from 19 Raymond St, Shelton Stoke in Trent.

In the completely silent platoon’s position, they were not receiving visitors of any kind, but I met the platoon commander, Lieut. Frank Clayton of Hammerwich Vicarage, Lichfield at Company Headquarters.
“Our foremost section is only 50 yards from the enemy, so our men have to keep very quiet”, he said.

“Last night with Captain Johnson, I went out forward of that section. We got so close to the Germans that we could hear them talking and closing the bolts of their rifles. They spotted us and opened up, but they didn’t hit us. A grenade fell near us, but it didn’t explode. That was a bit of luck.”

Percy was born in late 1923 so was just 21 when he died. He did not marry. His parents were Percy Virgo and Harriet James who had married in 1912 in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire and were living at 19 Raymond St, Shelton in 1944. His father was born on 18th October 1893 and was a Tile Maker, reflecting the substantial ceramics industry in Stoke on Trent. Harriet was born on 4th August 1892. Both were born in Stoke on Trent. Percy’s grandfather, William Virgo, had been born in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.

Percy (Snr) and Harriet Virgo had 4 boys and 6 girls between 1913 and 1934. Sadly, two of the boys did not survive infancy. The eldest boy, George W Percy, had joined the RAF in 1940 and rose to the rank of Corporal. He was killed in Libya on 29th May, 1942. His death was only finally reported in the Staffordshire Sentinel on 7th October 1942. He left a wife, Ada, but no children.

Prior to the war, Percy was employed by Mr GA Robinson, Engineer, Hartshill while George had been employed as General Confectionery Driver & Salesman at Caudwell’s Victoria Bakery in Hanley. Teresa Virgo, Percy’s niece, believes that while George was available for conscription, Percy was not, perhaps due to being in a restricted occupation. However, he joined up either because George had done so or when he became aware that George had died.

The death of both George and Percy left Percy and Harriet with just their six daughters and one remaining son, William, who was born in 1934 so took no part in the war. Teresa Virgo is William’s daughter.

Percy Virgo (Snr) died in 1977 and Harriet in 1980 – both in Stoke.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
Military records from ForcesWarRecords website
Articles in the Staffordshire Sentinel and Birmingham Mail
Photo of Percy from Staffordshire Sentinel 24/10/1944 (Image © Reach PLC. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.)
Assistance from Teresa Virgo (Percy’s niece)

Research Elaine Gathercole

Joseph Harry Pettitt was killed in the Battle of Overloon on 16/10/1944 and is buried in the cemetery there. He was a Corporal in the 2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment (Service No. 6151189).
 
He was born on 8th May 1907 to Joseph Henry Pettitt and Alice Eliza Elizabeth Pettitt (nee Stone) in Sutton, Surrey. His parents had married in 1906 in Horsey, Norfolk.
 
In both 1911 and 1921 Joseph Harry Pettit was living with his family at 105 Clarence Road, Sutton, Surrey. His father, Joseph Henry Pettitt, was born in 1877 in Pimlico, London. He was described as a Milk Carrier in 1911 and a Tram Conductor for the South Metropolitan Electric Tramways & Lighting Company in 1921 (though by 1939 he was again shown as a Milk Roundsman). His mother, Alice, was born in 1876 in West Flegg, Norfolk. Joseph Harry was the eldest of their children. His siblings were Charles Louis Claude born 1911, Audrey Sylvia born 1915 and Ralph Cyril born 1917.
 
Joseph Harry Pettitt married Winifred M Kendall in 1926 in the Epsom district. Winifred Mildred Kendall had been born in 1907 in Mildenhall in Suffolk. They had three children: Claude W born 1926, Donald born 1934 and Hazel A born 1937.
 
By September 1939 Joseph and Winifred were living at 107 Clarence Road, Sutton, Surrey, next door to Joseph’s parents who were still living there with  two of their adult children. Joseph was described as a journeyman plumber. It seems that Donald and Hazel were living with Joseph and Winifred while their eldest child, Claude, was living next door with Joseph’s parents.

Hazel has been able to provide details of his military record.
 
It indicates that he enlisted on 19th March, 1942. It claims he joined the East Sussex Regiment – though no such regiment appears to have existed (the nearest equivalent being the Royal Sussex Regiment) – so it may instead have been the East Surrey Regiment. The record goes on to say “embodied Territorial Army and posted to 12 (or L2) Infantry Training Corps”. On 18th August 1942 he was posted to the 10th Battalion.
 
Assuming this was the 10th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment, it was one of six hostilities-only, territorial battalions in the Regiment. It was formed at Kingston on 4 July 1940, but was based in locations in Devon and Cornwall up to June 1942 when it returned to Devonport. It moved to Essex in January 1943 joining the 45th Division for three weeks before being deployed to Cookstown and Portglenone in Northern Ireland.
 
Joseph himself was appointed Lance Corporal on 1st October 1942. He attended a course in Regimental Provost Duties at Military Prison from 13 to 25th February 1943 – so it isn’t certain if he then also went to Northern Ireland.
 
The 10th Battalion returned to West Sussex at the end of 1943. During this period many men were transferred out for service in the Middle East and in the 21st Army Group. Its final task was to prepare and run a camp marshalling sub-area in Hambledon, Hampshire, for Operation Overlord until disbanded in August 1944.
 
On 29th March 1944 Joseph was promoted to Acting Corporal and on 27th June 1944 was granted the War Substantive Rank of Corporal. He was posted for overseas service in North West Europe on 13th July 1944. On 27th July 1944 he was transferred to the East Yorkshire Regiment and posted to the 2nd  Battalion 21 Army Group.
 
Joseph will have joined the 2nd Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment after it had already lost many men at D-Day. The Battalion had undergone a great deal of preparation for this over several years. Many of the reinforcements may not have had such comprehensive training, but hopefully Joseph had as he had been in the Army since 1942. A substantial number of reinforcements joined the Battalion on 31st July when it had returned across the Orne to Beuville, near Caen in France, and Joseph may have been part of this strengthening of the Battalion.

The 2nd Battalion played a part in action to secure a road junction at Vire in mid August but played no further part in the Battle of Normandy. In September they were in Belgium and successfully crossed the Escaut canal as part of the ill-fated Market Garden operation, arriving in Gemert in Holland on 26th September where they received a tremendous welcome.
 
October saw the 2nd Battalion involved in some of the heaviest fighting since the end of June, amid continual rain and mud. The battalion played its part in capturing Overloon on 12th to 15th October, suffering 49 casualties.
 
On the 16th October the battalion received fresh orders to attack Venray. Delays meant that the battalion came under smoke mortar fire and did not set off until 5pm, with a participant saying “it was one of those cases of hanging about waiting with nothing to do under fire, when nerves get very strained”. When they did set off progress was slow as the tracks were difficult to follow and sniping in the vicinity “made people rather jumpy in the dark”. It must have been around this time that Joseph was killed.
 
The following day the attack on Venray continued, finally reaching the town. By first light on the 18th, the Germans had withdrawn and the battle was over, at the cost of nine “other ranks” killed, forty-one, including one officer, wounded, and eleven men missing. Survivors recall the action in Venray was particularly intense, with all their training coming into play. The Divisional Commander described the troops of 3rd Division during this period of fighting as “desperately gallant soldiers with a wonderful spirit”, having concluded that the conditions under which they had fought were “quite Bloody”.
 
Joseph’s military record shows medals issued for him were the 1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star and War Medal 1939-45.

Joseph’s daughter Hazel says that when aged about 8 – so around 1945 – she and her mother visited Joseph’s grave in the Netherlands. They had been invited there by the family who had billeted Joseph prior to the attack on Overloon. They lived in Gemert. They could speak no Dutch and the family could speak no English so they communicated by signs. The family lived on a small farm – more a smallholding – with maybe just a few cattle etc. It was an old house with a fireplace in the corner which could heat the whole house. The family was an extended one with included uncles etc. all living together. Information provided by the Gemert Archives team indicates that a number of properties around Gemert were used as billets. In some cases this might just involve sleeping in a barn with or without straw while in other cases families welcomed men into their home and gave them beds, which must have been a real luxury at that time.
 
Not long after the visit to Gemert, Winifred Mildred Pettitt died a widow in 1952 in hospital in Surrey aged just 45 while her daughter was just 15. She was still living at 107 Clarence Road.
 
Claude went on to marry Jean Watkinson in Surrey later in 1952. They had one child, Keith Pettitt, in 1955 but all have now passed away. Donald Pettitt married twice but there were no children from either marriage and he, too has passed away.
 
Hazel married Zdzislaw Jozef Feliks Kozera in Surrey in 1963 and she now lives in Wellington, New Zealand. They had two children, both born in New Zealand: Teresa Alicia Kozera (called Tereska) and Veronica Anne Kozera (called Veronika). Tereska married Paul Anthony Alsford in 1987. They live in Wellington, New Zealand. They have 2 sons, Simon, who lives with his wife and children in New Zealand and Nicholas who lives with his wife and child in Perth, Australia. Veronika married to become Veronika married then divorced. She lives in Perth with one son, Konrad, while her other son, Daniel, lives in Christchurch, New Zealand. Hazel, Tereska and Veronika have all helped with this biography.

FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
Military records from ForcesWarRecords website
Military record obtained by Joseph’s daughter, Hazel Kozera
Information from Gemert Archives regarding billeting via Leo Janssen
Photos and information from Hazel and also Tereska and Veronika Kozera – Joseph’s granddaughters
Further details of precise birth, marriage, death locations from Joseph’s cousins Tony Pettitt and Pamela Page
Wikipedia entry for the East Surrey Regiment
Information on the East Yorkshire Regiment from a thesis written by Tracey Cragg for her PhD with the Department of History, University of Sheffield 2007 “An `Unspectacular’ War? Reconstructing the history of the 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment during the Second World War”.   

Research Elaine Gathercole