Moorhead | John Gilbert Howe
Biography
John was born on 22 March 1916 in Fermanagh Northern Ireland.
His parents were Gilbert Howe Moorhead and Eileen Alice Mary O’Connell of Durrant House, North Devon. His mother was a direct descendant of the Irish politician Daniel O’Connell, the first catholic member of the English parliament. He had a brother, Charles Gilbert and two sisters, Barbara Elodie and Helen Mary.
He was at Downside boarding school (Caverel House) from 26 September 1926 to July 1936. Until 1930 in junior school, then to senior school. In 1928, his brother Charles died at Downside at the age of 16 from pneumonia, which in those days was not treatable.
The tragedy surrounding the death of Charles and John had a huge impact on the bereaved families. It was too difficult for them to talk about the tragic deaths of their sons, their brothers.
MILITARY CAREER
John Moorhead joined the King’s Own Scottish Borderers Regiment in India early in World War II and was subsequently transferred to the 26th Hussars Regiment. This regiment was formed in India in June 1941 from part of the 14th/20th King’s Hussars and disbanded again in 1943. At the age of 28, he was attached to the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (3RTR) in India in 1943.
In December 1943, this regiment returned to England and became part of the 11th British Armoured Division and thus also part of the 29th Armoured Brigade commanded by Lieutenant Colonel David Silvertop.
Another part of the 11th Armoured Division is the 159th Infantry Brigade which includes the 3rd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment (3MONS) under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hubert Orr.
David Silvertop’s 3rd Royal Tank Regiment and Hubert Orr’s 3rd Monmouthshire Regiment are paired together, creating the ideal combination of tank and infantry regiment to go into battle together and be able to support each other when and where needed.
A long period of intensive training begins in preparation for D-Day. On 13 June and 14 June 1944, a week after D-Day, the tank division crossed the Channel to the Normandy beaches between Bernières-sur-Mer and Corseulles-sur-Mer. Arriving on the Normandy beaches, 3RTR and 3MONS must immediately go into full battle, including the Battle of Caen (July 1944).
The march continues towards northern France, advancing as much as 650 kilometres in a week. By default, 3RTR is in the front lines of the division and in 3RTR Silvertop is always to be found in the forward positions. Via Calais, the Belgian border is reached and the British move into Flanders. In all the towns that are liberated, the regiments are exuberantly cheered. On 4 September, under Silvertop’s leadership, Antwerp is liberated. An unprecedented celebration breaks out in the city. But the consequence of the very rapid advance is that fuel and supply shortages are created in the regiments, which must be replenished before the advance can continue to the Netherlands.
In the approaching Operation Market Garden, the planned capture of the bridges over the Meuse, Waal and Rhine rivers in the Netherlands in order to push on to the north and then enter Germany, the 8th Corps, of which the 11th Armoured Division and thus 3RTR and 3MONS are a part, is given the task of securing and guarding the eastern flank of the forces advancing towards Arnhem. This meant the capture of the area east of the line Valkenswaard – Eindhoven – Grave and the river Maas.
Operation Market Garden starts on 17 September, but does not progress as planned. Enormous fierce German resistance on all sorts of fronts means that the advance of 29th Brigade, which includes 3RTR and 3MONS, is also slower than planned. Soerendonk was liberated on Wednesday 20 September, followed a day later by Maarheeze, Geldrop and Nuenen. After a German counterattack from Helmond, the Brigade advances and Asten is liberated and Helmond follows a day later, after considerable resistance from German troops in the eastern part of the city. On Saturday 23 September, both the 29th Brigade and the 159th Brigade advance towards Deurne, which is liberated the following day on Sunday 24 September.
They were then ordered to advance towards Oploo and Sint Anthonis. Orr’s and Silvertop’s regiments are the 2 furthest forward regiments, the leading battalions. From Oploo, the British then advance cautiously towards the next village: Sint Anthonis.
During these days of Operation Market Garden, there is also considerable unrest in this eastern part of Brabant, with several clashes between the British and German troops regrouping and stationing themselves.
On Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 September, the village of Sint Anthonis even saw a coming and going of British units and German troops. The situation can be described as chaotic and even resembles a cat and mouse game where when one side withdraws the other reappears in the village afterwards. Also, both sides drive on each other’s route to and from Boxmeer without seeing or running into each other. It must have been a sometimes surreal sight for the residents of Sint Anthonis.
The shock is intense when, on Monday the 25th, a fatal event occurs. In an unguarded moment, during a consultation, machine gun fire from the Germans takes place and one of the bullets fatally strikes Lieutenant Colonel Silvertop and seriously injures Lieutenant Colonel Orr. He is still rushed to an emergency hospital but dies on the way. The two other military, Brigade Commander Harvey and Brigade Major Thompson who were present at this event are wounded but survive.
On Tuesday 26 September 1944, a day after Silvertop’s death and when St Anthonis was in firm British hands, Father Ryan held a memorial service for David Silvertop at 5.30pm in St Anthonis church.
Two days later, on 28 September, a second memorial service for Silvertop and Orr and fallen comrades will be held at 6pm, this time in Westerbeek church.
A day later on 29 September, Lieutenant John Moorhead and Trooper George William Patterson were unfortunately killed near Westerbeek. The War Diaries describe on the 29th that a tank of the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment A squadron is knocked out. It is known that during the Battle of Overloon, one tank of this regiment was knocked out in this area.
It will have been during this shelling that John Moorhead and George Patterson were killed.
They were both buried in the R.C. cemetery in Westerbeek.
The regiment remains in Sint Anthonis after the tragedy and will assist 3MONS in the Westerbeek – Oploo area.
After Overloon and when Bridgehead Venlo is rolled up, the regiment will enter Germany and will continue to have successes until the end of the war.
Ancilla Robinson, John’s niece has visited his grave in Westerbeek and wrote:
“I felt that he has a very lovely peaceful spot in which to rest. Thank you for all that you do in honouring the brave. With best wishes, Ancilla Robinson”
