Donald Ewbank died aged just 25 on the 10th November, 1944 in the Battle of Overloon. He was a Private (Reg. No. 5771938) in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment which suffered particularly high levels of casualties in that battle. His death came sometime after the main involvement of the Regiment in taking Overloon and Venray when the Regiment was involved in carrying out patrols, still in dangerous circumstances, in Venray.

He was born on 11th August 1919 at 6 Walliker Street, Kingston upon Hull. His mother was Amy Ewbank who was a Draper’s Assistant who lived at that address. It is thought that she was living with her parents at the time. No father’s name was given, indicating that Donald was born out of wedlock. Amy had an earlier child named Doreen in 1917, also out of wedlock.

Amy’s parents were Thomas Ewbank and Marion Elizabeth Mellon who had married in 1888. Thomas had various jobs in his life including Railway Clerk, Railway Canvasser, Tramway Conductor and School Attendance Officer, though he was out of work along with his two sons in 1921. Marion’s father was a Master Mariner and Humber Pilot.

Amy Ewbank married Albert Victor Lucas in 1920 in Hull.

At around the time that Amy was planning to marry Albert Lucas, her mother was ill and Amy was helping look after her. This meant that she struggled to look after two young children. She chose to keep Doreen and put Donald in the care of the Board of Guardians of Sculcoates Union Workhouse on Beverley Road in Hull. This is therefore where Donald Ewbank was recorded at the time of the 1921 census when he was aged just 1 year and 9 months. However, Amy found it difficult to pay what was required to keep him in this care. He was therefore put into the care of Doctor Barnado’s Charity which looks after vulnerable children.

In the 1921 census, Amy and Albert Lucas were living with her sister Marion and brother-in-law Herbert Jones in Hull. Present too was Amy and Albert’s 3 months old first child, Phillip Henry Lucas (who himself died in WW2), but also 3 year old Doreen Ewbank. Amy’s mother Marion had just died unexpectedly at the age of 57 at that time and her father Thomas died just 3 years later in 1924 aged 59.

Albert and Amy Lucas went on to have a total of six children between 1921 and 1937 and they had nothing more to do with Donald. Albert was a jeweller and watchmaker. He had considerable financial difficulties which led to him being declared bankrupt twice in 1926 and 1930. He was also fined in 1933 for pawning three watches brought in by clients for repair and imprisoned for 3 months in 1937 for fraudulently selling two pieces of glass as diamonds. Albert Lucas died in Leeds in 1947 and Amy in Harrogate in 1967 aged 73.

Donald’s daughter, Maureen Harenburg, understands that Donald was taken away by Dr Barnado’s from Hull perhaps to Dagenham in Essex, but by at least the age of 3 he was placed in foster care with Oliver and Thurza Pinfold in Middleton Cheney in Oxfordshire. He was one of two boys whom the Pinfold’s took in when their own children had grown up. The other was Donald Wood. She gave them a much needed happy and stable childhood. They returned regularly as to visit their foster parents and regarded them with great affection. Donald Ewbank  was still remembered in 2012 as being “a good lad”.

At about the time he entered secondary education he was moved by Dr Barnado’s to a school in Norwich. When he left he went straight into the Royal Norfolk Regiment, presumably aged 16, and was posted to India. The Battalion returned to England in 1940 and were allotted to home defence. On his return, he spent time training for the D-Day landings. At some point in this period he found himself stationed in Walton on Thames. Maureen’s mother, Kathleen A. Christian, was living there at the time with her parents and working in a munitions factory. She was out for a cycle ride one day but was pushing her cycle up a hill at the same time as Donald was out with a friend to post a letter so they passed each other. Donald’s colleague worked for Kathleen’s boss so Donald was able to contact her to ask to take her out. He had picked up some medical knowledge at some point. One day, Kathleen’s mother said she was unable to go out with him due to being ill with a rash caused by the chemicals in the munitions. The next day he returned with some medicine to help heal the rash. He was also a bandsman in the regiment, playing the clarinet.

He and Kathleen married in Surrey in early 1943. She had been born in Chertsey in Surrey in 1923, so was just 20 at the time while Donald was 23. They went on to have a daughter, Maureen A Ewbank. He seems to have coped well with his disturbed early childhood and developed into a handsome and pleasant young man. He was dearly loved by Kathleen, but sadly she was widowed when he died in the Battle of Overloon in 1944, about a year after Maureen was born. 

After Donald’s death, Maureen and her mother lived with her mother’s parents until her mother re-married in 1948 and went on to have 11 more children.

Occasionally Maureen and her mother visited Mrs Pinfold, but this was not frequent as it was more difficult to keep in touch in those times with less easy transport and limited use of telephones.

Oliver and Thurza Pinfold  were very upset to learn of his death and his name is commemorated on the Middleton Cheney War Memorials. His foster “brother”, Donald Wood had also joined up when the war was declared (regiment unknown) and lost a foot as a result of enemy action – he continued to visit the Pinfolds for many years after the war.

Maureen married John E Harenburg in 1963. Donald now has four grandchildren born between 1964 and 1973 and also eight great grandchildren who are making their way successfully in life.

Apart from knowing her father was dead, Maureen had little knowledge of him until late in life. Neither Maureen nor her mother had any contact with the Lucas family until very recently. However, in more recent times she has found out considerably more about his life both from her mother, her own research and also relatives who have studied the family history.

Maureen has visited Overloon Cemetery to see her father’s grave. She welcomes the idea that he will be included in the Overloon War Chronicles so that he is not forgotten.

Middleton Cheney War Memorial

Middleton Cheney War Memorial

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
Royal Norfolk Regiment Museum 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
Articles from the Hull Daily Mail
Photo and recollections from Mrs Maureen Harenburg (Donald’s daughter)
Photos of Middleton Cheney War Memorial from Middleton Cheney Historical Society and warmemorialsonline website

Additional information from Nancy E Long (Middleton Cheney Voluntary Village Archivist) with memories of Donald  from Mrs Josephine Harvey, great grand-daughter of Oliver and Thurza Pinfold

Research Elaine Gathercole

Alfred Walter James Drake died in the Battle of Overloon on 16/10/1944 and is buried in the cemetery there. He was a Lance Corporal in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment (Service no. 5118748). He was aged 30.
 
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.
 
In the book “Thank God and the Infantry – from D-Day to VE-Day with the 1st Battalion, the Royal Norfolk Regiment” by John Lincoln there are two references to Lance Corporal Drake’s death:
 
p116: Also in B Company, Lieutenant Balsom recalls:
“As we attacked, a German tank broke cover and started retreating towards Venraij and as it went it fired a series of Parthian shots in our direction; one unfortunately landed in the middle of L/Corporal Drake’s section, immediately killing him and wounding others in his section.”
 
P119: Lance Corporal Ernie Seaman MM, one of only three stretcher-bearers in the battalion who survived, unhurt, to the end of the campaign:
“ ….the big battle was Overloon and Venraij, a very sharp battle and bad conditions, very wet, a lot of casualties…..This was where I had my luckiest escape – L/Cpl Drake got a direct hit from an 88mm shell…”
 
Alfred was born on 4th August 1914 in Stepney in the East End of London.
 
His Father was Alfred Thomas Drake who was a lamplighter and his mother was Louisa Drake (nee Hinkley). They had married in 1896 in Tower Hamlets. Louisa was a tailoress at the time and her father was a Tinned Meat Examiner. Both were born in the East End of London. Alfred and Louisa had at 8 children (two sons and 6 daughters) between 1897 and 1914, of which Alfred was the youngest. All were born in the East End. The eldest child, John Alfred Drake, died in infancy and a daughter, Gladys, died aged 1.
 
Sadly, Alfred Thomas Drake died in Stepney in 1917 aged 42, so by the 1921 census Louisa was shown as a widow, aged 45. With her were her remaining son Alfred and five of her daughters plus her brother, James Hinkley, who was a 39 year old single window cleaner. The four eldest girls were all working – two in the clothing trade, one as a bar maid and the other as a grocer’s assistant.
 
By 1939 Alfred WJ Drake was living at 135 Parsloes Avenue, Barking & Dagenham, Essex. He was still single and working as a Stuff-over Frame Maker. He was also an ARP (Air Raid Precautions) First Aider. He was living with his widowed sister, Louisa E Robinson, who still worked in the clothing trade. There too was their uncle, James Hinkley, still single and a window cleaner.
 
At least three of his other sisters had married by this time and had also moved out of the East End to Harrow in Middlesex. They were all living in the same household along with their children and one of their husbands. Another of their husbands was still living in Stepney, living on his own and working at a steelworks there. Clearly, the three sisters had moved away from the East End of London, perhaps in response to advice to evacuate London, a wise precaution given the devastation of the East End that was to follow during the war.
 
In 1940 Alfred WJ Drake married Hilda P B Cox in Brentwood, Essex. In 1939 she had been living in Dagenham, Essex and was an upholsterer’s machinist, born on 20th August, 1918. After Alfred WJ Drake’s death in 1944, a probate record showed him as having lived in Ilford, Essex and his estate was administered by his widow, Hilda P Drake.
 
Alfred and Hilda had a son, also called Alfred in 1943 in Olney, Buckinghamshire. He married Dianne M Hannan in Redbridge, Essex in 1976. Alfred (Junior) died in 2018. They had no children. His widow, Dianne, believes that her husband’s father came home on leave and was able to see his son. He was very reluctant to go back to his regiment and had to be persuaded to do so by a local policeman.
 
Hilda went on to marry Cyril T Campbell at Ilford in Essex in 1949. They had one child, Shirley O Campbell in East Ham in 1950. Hilda Campbell died at Havering in Essex in 2005. Shirley Campbell is also now dead as is one of her two daughters.
 
Dianne Drake recalled that Alfred’s widow, Hilda, and his sister Ethel visited Overloon in 1946/7 with other family members – and Alfred and Dianne Drake had themselves visited the cemetery many times. His mother, Hilda, had asked that half her ashes should be spread on each of her husbands’ graves. Her son obtained special permission for this from the War Graves Commission who complied with this wish. Alfred (Junior) was a friend of the Overloon museum. The day they scattered Hilda’s ashes was the day the museum re-opened after expansion.
 
Emil Molineaux, Alfred’s great nephew, mentioned that his family had been bombed out of the East End of London and had relocated to Essex as a result.
 
Alfred’s nephew, James Molineaux, has provided a number of photos, including one of Alfred in uniform and several of his and Hilda’s wedding day. He recalled: “I can’t remember very much about his young days except perhaps a visit to us in Dagenham. He was very fond of a good cup of tea and my mum had a huge one pint mug just for him. Also he had an uproarious laugh, you know ha-ha-ha, ho-ho-ho.”

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
Extracts from “Thank God and the Infantry – from D-Day to VE-Day with the 1st Battalion, the Royal Norfolk Regiment” by John Lincoln
Photos and recollections from James Molineaux (Alfred’s nephew)

Research Elaine Gathercole
Recollections and assistance from Dianne Drake (Alfred’s daughter in law) and Emil Molineaux (Alfred’s great nephew)

George Edwin Winter died of wounds on 13 October 1944 at Overloon. He was aged 30 and a Private in the 2ndBattalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (Service No. 5249433). He was initially buried at the Maria Regina Monastery in Stevensbeek and transferred to Grave III. D. 2. at the current Overloon War Cemetery on 22nd May 1947.

Military Career

An obituary in the Gloucester Citizen of 28 October 1944 gives a brief indication of George Edwin Winter’s military career: “Private George Edwin Winters, youngest brother of Mr AE Winters of 17 Morpeth Street who has died of wounds in North West Europe. He joined the army in 1932 and served five years in India. From there he went to North Africa where he joined the 8th Army and took part in fighting in Sicily and Italy. After returning to England he went to France in July.”
 
In September 1942, the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment was transferred to the 185th Infantry Brigade which was then incorporated in the 3rd Infantry Division which landed on D-Day on 6 June 1944 with the first assault on the Normandy beaches. It fought from the Battle for Caen and the break out from Normandy to the Rhine crossing. From D-Day until the end of the war, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment lost 286 officers and men killed in action, with nearly another 1,000 all ranks wounded, missing or suffering from exhaustion.
 
The Battalion entered the Netherlands at Asten on 23 September, 1944. This is to the east of Eindhoven. At this time, the Allies were still pursuing Operation Market Garden – with ground and air forces aiming to capture as far as the bridge at Arnhem. However, by 26 September this operation had to be abandoned because of the failure to capture this bridge.
 
The new plan was for the US 7th Armoured Division to move south east through Overloon and Venray to the west bank of the Maas opposite Venlo while British forces, including the 3rd Division, would move eastward, across the German frontier, and capture the forest area known as the Reichswald, from which the Germans had been launching counter attacks.
 
On 1 October, in drenching rain, the 2nd Battalion of the Warwickshire Regiment moved north east to Malden which is between Nijmegen and the River Maas. However, by 9 October, the plan changed again. The attempt by the US 7thArmoured Division to take Overloon and Venray had lost many men and tanks without making much headway. Field Marshal Montgomery decided that he must postpone the Reichswald attack. He needed to clear the Scheldt estuary to open the badly needed port facilities of Antwerp and the lesser, but also essential, task of eliminating the German forces west of the Maas. The latter objective was entrusted to 8 Corps, including the 3rd Division. The 3rd Division was to attack south east to Venray, in the hope of drawing off enemy forces while three other divisions prepared to advance eastward to Venlo.
 
The Battalion was therefore diverted southwards and by 12 October they had moved to near Wanroy, a village south of the Maas and just north of Overloon. That day, 8th Brigade had succeeded in capturing Overloon but were unable to make progress through the woods south of it.
 
Sgt. George W A Davis later gave a vivid description of the conditions which were to come: “The last good, long, sleep we had was about the 10th or 11th of October. Our clothes were filthy, we were near exhaustion, due to lack of food and sleep. It was very cold and rain and sleet all the time, so we were all wet. There were shells, mortar bombs, machine gunning, Moaning Minnies, rockets and German snipers all over the place.”
 
The following day the Battalion moved to a position just 500 yds north west of Overloon with the aim, along with the 2nd Battalion of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, of clearing these woods and then allowing the 1st Norfolk Battalion to pass through and advance on Venray. The Battalion achieved its objective, but they had come under heavy fire from enemy mortars, artillery and small arms fire as well as two tanks when they reached the open ground south of the wood and it had taken longer than expected to clear the woods. By the time the objective was reached it was so late that it was decided not to put the 1st Norfolk Battalion through until the next day. The Warwickshires dug in on the southern edge of the woods.
 
On that day, Lt Douglas Brodie Brown and two other ranks were killed and Lt HTC Merryweather and 18 other ranks were wounded. This was the day on which George Edwin Winter died of wounds, most likely incurred that day.
 
As well as the obituary already mentioned above, another item appeared in the Gloucester Citizen of 13 October 1945. It said “ Winters: In loving memory of L/Cpl George E Winters, died of wounds October 13 1944. Gone but not forgotten – From a few friends.”  It is interesting to note that this gives his rank as Lance Corporal. The Grave Concentration report initially showed his rank as Lance Corporal but was amended to Private.

Family Background

George Edwin Winter was the son of George Winter and Laura Ellen Green who had married in 1895 in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.

George Winter (Snr) was born in 1866 in Northleach, Gloucestershire while Laura was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire in 1877.

In 1901, George (Snr) and Laura were living in the High Street, Bisley, Stroud, Gloucestershire with their first two children: Gladys Ellen born 2 February 1898 and Reginald James born 12 November 1900. George was working as a shepherd on a farm. Gladys had been born in Miserden which is between Cirencester and Gloucester while Reginald was born in Bisley which is just east of Stroud, suggesting that the family had moved to Bisley between 1898 and 1900.

A further three children were born before 1911. Elsie Victoria A. was born on 2 August 1902 in Bisley, then Albert Edward Richard was born on 6 July 1905 in Daglingworth which is just north of Cirencester. Kate Matilda was born in 1909 in the Cirencester area but died in infancy. It seems therefore that the family had moved again between 1902 and 1905.

By 1911 they had moved once more as George and Laura were living at Corndean Farm Cottages, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire with children Gladys, Elsie and Albert. George was working as a Farm Labourer. Winchcombe is just north east of Cheltenham.  The address is where Laura had lived with her parents in 1881. At the time of the 1911 census, young Reginald was a patient in Cheltenham General Hospital.

George and Laura went on to have six more children by 1919. Lucy Mary was born on 15 June 1911 in Winchcombe, then George Edwin was born in 1914 and Dorothy V in 1913, both in Newent which is west of Cheltenham, showing that they had moved again. They seem to have moved to Gloucester district by 1917 as Monica Marjorie Irene was born there in 1917.

However, disaster seems to have struck the family from December 1919. First of all, George (Snr) died aged 53 and was buried on 13 December 1919. Following his death, in early 1920, Laura seems to have had twin boys. One seems to have died before being named, and it seems that Laura herself died then too, possibly in childbirth. She was buried on 15 March 1920 aged 42. The other twin, Leonard Kitchener, then also died and was buried on 5 April 1920 aged just 24 days. Finally, Monica Marjorie Irene died and was buried on 19 June 1920 aged just 2. All were buried in the parish of Quedgeley which is in the south western outskirts of Gloucester.

Gladys E Winter had married Reginald E Franklin in 1917 in Newent. Reginald had been born on 18 November 1894 in Aston, Warwickshire. They had a son, Montague Douglas Edwin on 1 December 1917, a daughter who died at birth in 1919 and another daughter, Doreen Laura Gladys on 7 March 1921, all born in Quedgeley.

In June 1921, their address was The Pitch, Quedgeley, Gloucestershire. Both Montague and Doreen were with them. Reginald was working as an Oil Cake Pressman for Foster Bros. Oil & Cake Mills. However, also there were two of Gladys’ sisters – Elsie V Winter and Mary L Winter (probably Lucy Mary). Elsie was working as a Shop Assistant for Haines Grocers and Mary was at school. It seems that Gladys had taken in two of her sisters after her parents’ death.

George and Laura’s eldest son, Reginald, was serving as a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment in the Infantry Barracks at Waterford in Ireland in June 1921. It isn’t known when he had enlisted but a hospital record shows that he was in that Regiment in December 1918.

Their second eldest son, Albert Edward Richard Winter, seems to have been in trouble with the law as in June 1921 he was an inmate of a Reformatory School at Hardwicke, Gloucestershire which is close to Quedgeley. He was just a month under 16. Reformatory Schools were a form of young offenders’ institution which tried to correct the behaviour of young people who had committed an often minor offence.

It isn’t known where their other two children, Dorothy V aged 8 or George Edwin aged 7, were in June 1921.

Several of George Edwin Winter’s brothers and sisters married over the next few years.

Reginald J Winter married Mary E Burlow in 1923 in Gloucester district. Mary was born on 1 January 1899. They had a son, George Winter, on 18 July 1923. Elsie V A Winter Married Victor C Mashford in 1929 in Cheltenham. She seems to have moved to Newbury in Berkshire as two children were born there: Anthony A J in 1931 and Amanda R in 1935. Albert E R Winter married Doris E White in 1929 in Gloucester. Doris had been born on 2 September 1907. They had a child, Barbara Helen Winter, on 28 June 1930 in Gloucester. Lucy M Winter married Albert Dickerson in 1938 in Gloucester. Albert was born on 8 January 1914.

As has been seen, George Edwin Winter joined the Army in 1932 aged 18.

In September 1939 his eldest sister Gladys Franklin and her husband Reginald were living at 21 Victoria Street, Gloucester with their two children. Reginald was working as a Refiner at a Seed Crushers. Montague was a general labourer and Doreen was a Machinist in a Toy Works.

His brother Reginald was living with his wife at Little Cugley, Newent, Gloucestershire with their son George and also Edwin T Clayton, a 51 year old Farm Carter. Reginald was working as a Cowman. 

His sister, Elsie, was living at 23 Priory Road, Newbury, Berkshire, however, her marriage appears to have broken down as she was living with Stanley J Mosson (born 11 January 1899) and referring to herself as Elsie V A Mosson. Stanley was the Head Waiter at the Chequers Hotel. Four unnamed children were present, presumably including Anthony and Amanda, and also a 13 year old school girl called Barbara L Pitt. Elsie later married Stanley in 1942 and the two children, Anthony and Amanda, were re-registered with his name at that time.

His brother, Albert, was living at 17 Morpeth Street, Gloucester with his wife and child. However, two other unnamed children seem to have been present. It isn’t known who these were. Albert was working as a Lorry Driver.

His sister, Lucy,  was living with her husband Albert at 24 Slaney Street, Gloucester. Albert was working as a Confectioner (Cake Maker). They had no children as yet. Two single men were living with them: Edward Doyle born 28 February 1911 who was a builder’s labourer and Reginald Gale born 12 August 1920 who was an Aero Engine Fitter. These were probably lodgers.

Again, it isn’t known where his other sister Dorothy was at this time.

In 1939,  George’s sister Gladys’ son, Montague Franklin, had joined the Royal Artillery as a Gunner (Service No. 965113). He married Kathleen Julienne Dee in 1942 in Gloucester and they had a daughter, Christabel Marie Sandra Franklin on 21 July 1942. However, Montague died on active service in India on 24 July 1943, just a few days after his daughter’s first birthday. He is commemorated at the Kirkee War Cemetery in India.

Gladys’ daughter Doreen married Philip J Rust in Gloucester also in 1942 and had a child, Wendy Doreen Rust, on 13 December 1943 in Gloucester. They were living with Gladys at 21 Victoria Street at the time.

However, Gladys’ husband had died in 1941, meaning she had lost both her husband and son during the war.

She re-married on 31 March 1943 at All Saint’s Church, Gloucester. Her husband was Hubert George Cornwall of the Gloucestershire Regiment who came from Cheltenham.

During the war, in 1940, George’s sister Lucy (who called herself Mary) and her husband also had their first child Diana A Dickerson.

As has been seen, George Edwin Winter died of wounds on 13 October 1944 near Overloon.

After the War

After the war, George’s sister, Lucy Mary Dickerson, and her husband had two more children in Gloucester: Patrick Charles 11 January 1949 and Keith A 1952.

George’s brothers and sisters died between 1957 and 1980: Albert who still lived at 17 Morpeth Street Gloucester on 1 March 1957, Gladys who still lived at 21 Victoria Street Gloucester on 21 February 1964, Lucy Mary in 1970, Reginald in 1978 and Elsie in 1980. Elsie died in Newbury, Berkshire while the others all died in Gloucester.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
Traces of War Website for Royal Warwickshire Regiment War Diaries
History of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1919-1955 by Marcus Cunliffe
Account of Sgt George W A Davis of the Royal Warwickshires                                  
Wikipedia for information on the Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Gloucester Citizen of 02 April 1943, 16 December 1943, 28 October 1944, 24 July 1945, 13 October 1945 and 11 January 1949  

Research Elaine Gathercole