Dennis England was killed in action on 13 October 1944 in the vicinity of Overloon. He was aged 19 at the time. He was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery, 20 Anti-Tank Regiment (Service No. 14428645). He was initially buried at Duivenbos-Hondsbergweg, which is a wood just west of Overloon. He was
re-interred on 28 May 1947 in grave IV. C. 12. in the Overloon CWG Cemetery. The inscription on his grave reads: “You have not gone our dearest son but just stepped into God’s most loveliest room.”

Military Career

It isn’t known when Dennis joined the Royal Artillery, but given his age, it was probably in 1943.
 
The Royal Artillery 20 Anti-Tank Regiment was formed in November 1938 by conversion of Royal Artillery 20 Field Brigade. Anti-Tank regiments usually consisted of four gun batteries each with twelve guns. Each infantry division had a single Anti-Tank regiment. As Anti-Tank guns have a limited effective range, they were deployed either close to or on the front line in highly camouflaged positions, often sited to cover a road or strong point. As well as their main role in destroying tanks, Anti-Tank regiments were also used to provide artillery support. They tended to continue operating in his way even when they had self-propelled guns.
 
The Royal Artillery 20 Anti-Tank Regiment served the entire war with 3 Infantry Division. After fighting with the British Expeditionary Force in France in 1940 it then trained at home until D-Day in June 1944. Dennis’ journey to Overloon is likely to therefore to have followed the route of 3 Infantry Division.  
 
Following the failure to take the bridge at Arnhem in Operation Market Garden in late September 1944, the Allied Forces were left in a very precarious narrow salient through the Netherlands. It was the aim of Operation Aintree to widen this salient by heading south from Nijmegen to take Overloon and then Venray before finally eliminating an important German bridgehead on the River Maas near Venlo which also would provide access to the Ruhr.
 
The American 7th Armoured Division initially tried to take Overloon but failed to make much progress. On 12 October British Forces assisted by a massive artillery barrage succeeded in capturing Overloon. On Friday, 13 October the aim was for the Royal Ulster Rifles, followed by the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and then the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment to clear wooded areas just west and south of Overloon in which the Germans had entrenched themselves, then cross a stream called the Molenbeek between Overloon and Venray. Given where he was initially buried, it is possible that it was while in support of this action that Dennis lost his life.

Family Background

Dennis England was the son of George Frederick England and Annie Elizabeth England (nee Humphrey) of Teddington, Middlesex.
 
George Frederick England was born on 1/1/1889. He married Annie Elizabeth Humphrey in late 1915 in Camberwell. Annie had been born on 21/9/1888.
 
However, George had earlier enlisted on 26/7/1915 as a Private in the 7th Battalion of the London Regiment (Service No. 352363). He gave his age as 26 years and 6 months when in fact he was 2 years younger. There is a suggestion that he gave his profession as a Constructional Engineer, when in fact in 1911 he was a waiter in a restaurant. He was in France from 26/1/1917 to 13/8/1918. Towards the end of that time, from 18/4/1918 to 10/8/1918 he appears to have had various spells in hospital with mustard gas symptoms, sometimes at the Le Treport Military Hospital near Dieppe. He returned to England on 14/8/1918. He took leave at Christmas 1918 which he spent at 32 Walpole Road, Teddington but returned to hospital afterwards. On 16/1/1919 a doctor assessed his physical condition. He had a cough, shortness of breath and disturbed sleep as a result of the mustard gas poisoning and was anaemic. He was assessed as having a 20% disability as a result. He was discharged on 18/2/1919 with his permanent address again given as 32 Walpole Road. His age was now given as 32 and his birth year as 1887 when, in fact, he was only 30.
 
Rather oddly, George seems to have been recorded as single throughout his Army career and no children’s names were indicated on at least one form. His father, William England, was given as his next of kin with an address of 24 Carroun Road, Clapham.
 
However, it seems that Annie and George had had a child, William J England, in early 1917 in Camberwell, while George was in the Army. Just after George left the Army, they had another child,
Leslie Gordon George on 3/6/1919 in Kingston.
 
In June 1921 George Frederick England was living with his father and mother, William and Mary Ann England, at 24, Carroun Road, Kennington, Lambeth, the same address as they and Frederick had lived at in 1901 and 1911 and which he had given as his father’s address as next of kin on his Army record. His father was 63 and was working as a Brewery Labourer for Allsopps Brewery in Vauxhall. His mother was 64. George Frederick England was described as married and was working as a waiter at the Empress Club at 35 Dover Street West. All three had been born in Crewkerne in Somerset. It was indicted that George had one child, aged 2, but neither his child nor his wife were present.
 
Meanwhile, Anne E England was living at 32, Walpole Road, Teddington with her widowed mother, Anne Humphrey who was the head of the household. This was the address which George had given as his permanent address on discharge from the Army. With Anne England was her son Leslie G England aged 2. It isn’t certain whether Anne and George’s elder child, William J England, had survived as he wasn’t with either parent in 1921, but no death record has been found. Anne’s mother,  Anne Humprey was aged 58 and was born in Wherwell, Hampshire. In the same household were five of her other children: John 1892, Florence Rose 1893, Mabel 1896 , Albert B 1901, Elsie Violet 1904. John, Florence and Mabel were born in Stoke Newington while Albert and Violet were born in Teddington suggesting they had moved to Teddington between 1896 and 1901. John was working as a Capenter for F Young, Builder; Florence was working as a Domestic Servant to Mrs Miller, a Dress maker; Mabel was working as a Domestic Servant for Mrs Reff; Albert was working as a File Cutter for Mr Karl, but was out of work and Elsie was working as a private nurse for Mr Archbutt.
 
It isn’t certain why George and Annie were apart in 1921. It may have been to do with George’s work.
 
However, George and Annie went on to have two more children, both in the Lambeth district: Doris M on 9/2/1923 and Dennis in 1925.
 
In September 1939 Annie and George were living at 137 Waldgrove Road, Teddington. George was working as a Club Waiter. With them were Leslie, Doris and probably Dennis though he wasn’t named. Leslie was working as a General Labourer and Doris as a Sweetmaker. It was indicated that Doris later married someone called Duffell. Also present was a Daily Maid born 31/3/1898 called Mabel Humphrey who may have been Annie’s sister.
 
Sadly, Dennis was killed on 13/10/1944 near Overloon.
 
His father, George Frederick England, possibly died in Middlesex in 1948 and his mother, Annie Elizabeth England, died on 10/4/1965 in the Royal Hospital, Richmond, Surrey. Her address was given as 137 Waldegrove Road, Teddington.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records; British Newspaper Archive
Royal Artillery 1939-45 Website

Research Elaine Gathercole