Ormond | Henry
Biography
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.
