William Henry Tracey was killed in action on 14 October 1944 in the vicinity of Overloon. He was aged 30 at the time. He was a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment (Service No. 4203281). He was initially buried at Vogelsangs Farm in Overloon and re-interred on 15 July 1946 in grave I. C. 4 in the Overloon CWGC Cemetery. The inscription on his grave reads “So great the loss I’ll not complain but trust in God to meet again.”
 
No photo of William Henry Tracey has yet been found. Should anyone reading this have a photo of him or further information regarding him – or if they are aware of any errors in his biography below can they please contact the Foundation?
 
William Henry Tracey was the son of William Henry and Violet Mary Ann Tracey of Rotherhithe in London and the husband of Annie Tracey also of Rotherhithe.

William’s Father’s Family

William Henry Tracey (Snr.) was the eldest of at least 12 children of Patrick Joseph Tracey and Hannah Hersey who had married in Southwark, London in 1887. William Henry Tracey (Jnr.) was born in 1887, also in Southwark. However, four of their children died in infancy and one aged 9, leaving just 7 to survive to adulthood.
 
In 1891 Patrick, Hannah, William and his sister were living at 19, Robinson Terrace, Deptford, London. By 1901 they were living with all five of their surviving children at 274, Rotherhithe New Road. By 1911 the family were living at 70 Fawcett Road, Deptford, but young William and his eldest sister had left home. It isn’t known where William was at this time. The family had also taken in two single female lodgers in their 20s.
 
Hannah Tracey died in 1911, and Patrick went on to marry Mary Ann Wilson in 1915. In 1921 they were still living at 70, Fawcett Road and Patrick’s two youngest children were still with him. They now had two male boarders.
 
Rotherhithe and Deptford are both on the south bank of the Thames, to the east of Tower Bridge and opposite the Isle of Dogs in an area of docks.
 
In 1891 and 1901 Patrick was working as a general labourer, but in 1911 he was employed as a Bone Boiler and by 1921 as a Carman (delivery driver) for Wickens & Pease Co.  Bone Boiler. This business boiled and crushed bones from slaughterhouses to produce tallow, fertiliser and supplied bones for bone products.
 
Patrick Tracey (Snr) died in 1930.

William’s Mother’s Family

William’s mother was Violet Mary Ann Tracey (nee Thompson). She was born in 1887 to Samuel Thompson and Esther Elizabeth Hathaway who had married in Southwark in 1881. They had nine children between 1882 and 1899, all born in Rotherhithe. Samuel worked as a Lighterman, using a smaller vessel to load and unload ships at the docks on the Thames.
 
In 1891 the family were living at 18, Acorn Place, Rotherhithe. With them were their first five children including Violet Mary Ann. By 1901 the family had moved to 33, Trinity Road, Rotherhithe where they probably remained until they died. In 1901 all 9 children were present. Their two eldest daughters were working as housemaids, and their eldest son was a Dock Labourer. By 1911 their three eldest children had left home. This included Violet Mary Ann. It isn’t certain where she was at this time. Three brothers who were still at home were working as labourers and her sister Florence was working as a Factory Hand. In 1921, Samuel was unemployed but had still been working as a Lighterman. Only two boys and a girl were still at home. The boys were working at the Union Oil Mills and Florence was working as a Jam Packer at T. Lipton Ltd.
 
Esther Thompson died in 1923 and Samuel in 1925.

Willliam’s Birth Family

William Henry Tracey (Snr.) married Violet M A Thompson in Southwark in 1913. William Henry Tracey (Jnr) was their first child, born on 31 July 1914 in Rotherhithe. They had a daughter, Violet Elizabeth, in 1916, also in Rotherhithe.
 
It seems that around 1919 William (Snr.) had fallen from the side of a ship. As a result, he was paralysed in the right arm and leg and was subject to terrible pains in the head and was no longer able to do work of any kind. It is likely that he had also been working in the London Docks like his wife’s father.
 
In 1921 Violet was living at 53, Fawcett Road, Deptford together with her two children – but her husband was not present. His absence may have been connected with his disability.
 
They went on to have two more children: Patrick G on 1 May 1926 and Joyce L on 7 December 1929. William’s brother Patrick Tracey married Violet’s sister, Florence Rose Thompson, in 1925. They had a daughter, June R Tracey, on 11 June 1930.
 
Sadly, it was reported in an article in the Bromley & West Kent Mercury of 24 December 1931 that William Henry Tracey (Snr) of Fawcett Road, Rotherhithe had taken his own life. He had been missing from home since 9 December. His wife said at the inquest that he had not been able to work for 12 years since his accident. His head was very bad that day and he went out for a walk and never returned. He had told her now and again that he was tired of life. His brother Patrick, of Rudford Road, Rotherhithe, said his brother had been very depressed since his accident and took no interest in life.
 
His body was found with his throat cut at 9.30 am on the previous Saturday in a field at Farnborough by a farm labourer, John Cooper, on his way to allotments at Farnborough Hill. The doctor who examined him said the body was frozen stiff. There were wounds on both sides of the neck and an attempt had also been made to sever a vein in the right arm. The wounds might have been made with a safety razor blade. He was satisfied they were self-inflicted. Death was due to exposure following a shock and probably occurred the previous evening. The inquest recorded a verdict of “suicide while of unsound mind”.
 
In September 1939, Violet Tracey was living with her son William Henry (Jnr) and daughter Violet at 70 Fawcett Road, Surrey Quays, Deptford, the house previously occupied by William’s parents. She was working as a Kitchen Hand and shown as widowed. William (Jnr.) was working as a Carman (delivery driver) for a Sugar Confectionery business. Violet was a Milliner making Ladies’ Hats.
 
Her brother-in-law and sister, Patrick and Florence Tracey were living at 6 Rudford Road, Deptford with their daughter June. Patrick was a Builder’s Labourer and Florence was a Bakelite Finisher.
 
The other two children, Patrick and Joyce Tracey, were living at 9 Gloster Terrace, Brighton and Hove, Sussex, in the household of Ernest H and Ellen Burton. Ernest and Ellen were born in 1912. One unnamed child was present who was born in August 1935. Patrick and Joyce were both at school. Present also were two other children who were also at school, Michel E Riley and Stanley C Greenwood both probably born in 1926. It is possible that all four children were evacuees from London.

William’s Marriage

William’s wife was Annie James. She was the daughter of Henry George James and Martha Flanagan who had married in Southwark in 1894. Annie was the youngest of 10 children born between 1894 and 1914. However, two of the children died young, leaving just 8 who survived childhood. Henry worked as a Timber Porter (specifically Deal) for the Port of London Authority.
 
In 1901 Henry and Martha were living at 25, Braddon Street, Rotherhithe with their first three children. In 1911 they were living at 1 Bryants Alley, Rotherhithe Street. All seven of their surviving children were present. The two eldest girls were working as Wood Choppers. In both 1901 and 1911 Maria Gibbs, Henry’s mother-in-law, was living with them.  In 1921 their address was given as 2, Bryans Court, Rotherhithe. Only their five youngest children were with them, including now Annie. One brother worked as an Assistant Timber Sawyer for Messrs Burt, Boulton & Haywood and a sister worked as a Coffee Packer for Messrs Samuell Hanton & Son, Wholesale Grocers.
 
Martha James died in 1926 and Henry G James in 1933.
 
In September 1939, Annie James was living with her brother, William, at 118 Acorn Walk, Rotherhithe. She was working as a Capsule Maker. William, who was working as a dock labourer, had married Annie A Dunkley in 1938. Living with them was their first child, Vera, born 1938.  
 
It will be seen that William Henry Tracey enlisted on 20 June 1940. He married Annie James on 31 January 1942. They had no children.
 
Also in 1942, William’s sister, Violet, married John C Backhouse. He had been born on 11 February 1914 in Bermondsey and was the son of William J Backhouse and Elizabeth Backhouse (nee McCarthy).  In 1921 John was living with his parents at 5, Rudford Road, Deptford. William was working as a Carman for H G Quolding Carman & Contractor. There too was his elder brother, William J Backhouse, who was born in 1912 and three children of his mother by a first marriage. John and his now widowed father were still living at 5 Rudford Road in September 1939. John was working as a Stevedore and his father as a Fish Offal Collector’s Motor Driver. Next door at 6 Rudford Road at this time was Violet’s uncle, Patrick Tracey and her Aunt Florence so this may be how Violet and John met. Like William and Annie, it is not thought that Violet and John Backhouse had any children.
 
This was clearly a close-knit docklands family.

Military Career

William Henry Tracey enlisted on 20 June 1940. He stated that he was born in Rotherhithe, London on 31 July 1914. He was living at 70 Fawcett Road, London SE16. He gave his mother, Violet Mary Ann Tracey, at that address as his next of kin. He was described as 5ft 9 ½ in tall and weighed 154 lbs. He had blue eyes and brown hair and was grade A1 fit. He gave his occupation as a Driver’s mate and his religion as Church of England.
 
He was initially posted as a Fusilier to 311 Infantry Training Centre of the Royal Welch Fusiliers. He was transferred to the North Staffordshire Regiment on 8 January 1941 and posted as a Private to the 7th Battalion on 14 January. The 6thand 7th Battalions formed part of the 176th Infantry Brigade of the 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division.
 
After William married Annie James on 31 January 1942, he named her as his next of kin at 131 Acorn Walk London SE16, close to where she lived with her brother in September 1939.
 
On 3 December 1942, the 7th Battalion left the 59th Division and served with the 228th Infantry Brigade. This served as part of the Orkney and Shetland Defences. On 29 July 1943 it transferred to the 207th Infantry Brigade with the same role.
 
William was posted to 42 Reinforcement Holding Unit on 6 July 1944 and embarked for Europe on 12 July 1944. He was assigned to 32 RHU on the 15th and then to the 6th Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment on 21 July 1944. This Battalion had landed in Normandy in June 1944 as part of Operation Overlord where they fought in the Battle for Caen and gained an excellent reputation during Operation Charnwood and the Second Battle of the Odon. William will have been assigned to them after the Battle of Odon. The Battalion It had been in France for less than two months when, in August 1944, along with other infantry units of the 59th Division, it was broken up to supply replacements to other British units due to a severe shortage of infantry replacements throughout the Army at the time. As a result, William was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment on 26 August 1944.
 
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 a German bridgehead on the River Maas near Venlo.
 
On 9 October 1944 the Battalion found itself in Haps, just south of Nijmegen. They were ordered to move south to St Anthonis on 11 October, but this was postponed to the following day due to bad weather. The move was completed on 12 October. 
 
They were kept in reserve for the battle that was being fought around Overloon. The 8th Infantry Brigade was tasked with capturing Overloon and advancing to Venray. Shortly before nightfall, they heard that Overloon had fallen and that the battalions of the 8th Division were struggling to hold their ground.
 
On Friday, 13 October the aim was for the Royal Ulster Rifles, followed by the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and then the Lincolnshires 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. They would be supported by Churchill Tanks of the 4th Tank Grenadier Guards. The Lincolnshires therefore moved down to a position just northwest of Overloon that day.
 
In addition to the difficult terrain, two other factors played a crucial role – the Germans had dotted the entire area with their dreaded “Shuhminen.” These wooden mines were difficult to detect. They didn’t tend to kill but inflicted severe injury to the victim’s legs. In addition, the German troops had a strategic observation point from Venray’s church tower. Any Allied troop movement would be watched and relayed to their artillery which would result in a barrage of shells.
 
The Royal Ulster Rifles and the King’s Own Scottish Borderers began the attack on the forests. However, it soon became apparent that they were barely making any progress, leaving the Lincolnshires out of the battle all day. Nevertheless, the Lincolnshires suffered one man killed and 3 wounded.
 
On the 14 October, the day on which William died, the plan was for B Company to be guided through a wood held by the Royal Ulster Rifles to its front edge from where they would carry out a recce to check if a stream was passable and if the northeastern corner of a wood to the south was held by the enemy. However, the guides were late and the move through the wood was slower than expected, so the recce did not take place. At 7.30am the Company began to advance south out of the wood. However, before the Company had advanced 100 yds the enemy opened fire from a track about another 100 yds ahead. The advance continued but came under such heavy fire with so many casualties that the Company Commander issued an order to retreat back to the Royal Ulster Rifles’ position. By this point one Lieutenant and 34 other ranks had been killed or wounded.
 
Following a recce by the Company Commanders, it was decided to launch an attack at 1530 hours with D and A companies in the lead. The enemy had been seen moving in the area of the stream in front of the wood. It was thought that the enemy holding the Battalion objective were probably a Company strong. Immediately the attacking force came into the open they were subjected to intense artillery and mortar fire but they pressed steadily on to reach their objective. During this action the Battalion suffered very heavy casualties including four officers killed and another four wounded. A total of 27 men of the 2nd Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment who died that day are buried alongside each other at Overloon, including William Henry Tracey.

He was noted as having qualified as a Driver i/c by the time of his death. He had served for 4 years and 117 days of which 94 days were in North West Europe. He was awarded medals as follows: 1939/45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939/45
 
His personal effects were sent to his wife at 131 Acorn Walk, Rotherhithe on 1 March 1945. They consisted of an identity disc, a wallet with photos, letters and some stamps.

Aftermath

By the mid 1940s, William’s mother, Violet M A Tracey, had moved to 74 Fawcett Road. With her were her son Patrick G Tracey, and her daughter and son in law John C & Violet E Backhouse. Patrick married Kathleen D Wisby in 1949 in Bermondsey and she then lived there too.
 
William’s sister, Joyce L Tracey, married Eric J Southam in Bermondsey in 1951.
 
William’s mother, Violet M A Tracey, died in 1958 in Lewisham.
 
His sister, Violet Backhouse, died in 1973 in Lambeth and John Backhouse in 1976 in Greenwich.
 
Patrick G Tracey died in 1975 in Southwark and Kathleen Daisy Tracey in 1998 in Bexley.
 
Annie Tracey did not remarry after William’s death. She died in Lewisham in 1994 aged 79.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
Wikipedia for information on the Royal Welch Fusiliers and the North Staffordshire Regiment and 207 and 228 Infantry Brigades 
Bromley & West Kent Mercury 24 December 1931
Wandale Industrial Museum – Information on Wickens & Pease Co.
WH Tracey’s Service Record from the National Archives ref no WO 423/487172
Assistance from Sheila Ann Aldred, William’s niece.

Research Elaine Gathercole