Williamson | Sydney
Biography
Sydney John Gilbert Williamson (Service No. 3655853) was killed in action on 14 October 1944. He was a Private in the 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment and was aged 25. He was initially buried at Cemetery A. vd Wijst, Overloon and subsequently re-interred on 13 May 1947 in grave I.B. 14 in the Overloon Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. His inscription reads “O God, how mysterious are Thy ways to take our Syd in the best of his days.”
Family background
Sydney was the son of John Williamson and Sarah E Birkett who had married in Birkenhead in 1917. John had been born on 26 July 1885 and Sarah on 15 September 1895. They seem to have had children as follows: Edith Margaret 12 January 1918, Sydney John Gilbert 8 May 1919, Edna 9 May 1922, James 1926 and William L 1934, all in Birkenhead.
In 1921, John and Sarah were living at 124, Oliver Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire. John was working as a Labourer for J A Bains. Edith and Sydney were with them.
By September 1939, John and Sarah were living at 151 Livingstone Street, Birkenhead. John was working as a Ship’s Plater. Edith, Sydney and Edna were living with them and another unnamed child – presumably either James or William. Edith was working as a Shop Assistant Multiple Stores; Sydney as a Flour Mills Labourer and Edna as a Daily Domestic Servant.
Sidney married Jean Kirton on 17 June 1944. Jean was born on 13 August 1923. In September 1939, she was living with her parents, Richard and Anne Victoria Kirton, at 1 Gray’s Terrace in Durham. Richard was born on 11 December 1898 and worked as an underground miner. Anne was born on 27 October 1900. Also present were their son, John Kenneth Kirton, born on 25 September 1921, and another unnamed child. John worked as an assistant steward at a Works Club and Jean worked as a general factory worker.
Military career
Sydney enlisted on 20 October 1939. He stated that he was born on 8 May 1919 in Birkenhead. He gave his address as 151 Livingstone Street and his religion as Church of England. He initially gave his father, John Williamson, of the same address as himself as next of kin, though he changed this to his mother at the same address on 19 December 1940. He was described as being 5ft 4in tall and weighed 140 lbs. He had brown eyes and black hair. He was declared grade A fit but this was changed to A1 on 12 March 1940. He had been working as a storeman when he enlisted though also described himself as a labourer in his Pay Book. He was posted as a Private to the 1/4th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment. The 1/4th Battalion was a Territorial Battalion which served in the 164th Infantry Brigade, part of the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division. He attended a War Course in May 1941. At some point it seems that he qualified as a driver.
He suffered an accident on 25 November 1941 at Newhaven. He was acting as batman to a Captain. He and another soldier were carrying an urn full of boiling water up the stairs at their billet for the Captain. The urn tilted and splashed Sydney on his right hand. He suffered 2nd degree burns. However, it was not considered to affect his ability as a soldier. No blame was attached to him or anyone else for this incident and it was considered to have occurred while he was on duty.
He was attached to the HQ of 55 Division at Durham with effect from 8 May 1942 and ceased to be attached on 2 June 1942 at Yarm.
During 1941 to 1943 he had three or four periods of leave of between 7 and 9 days each year. One in September 1942 was when he was stationed at Oxley near Wolverhampton.
He had a further 9 days’ leave from 28 February to 8 March 1944 followed by several training courses in May to July. This included passing through a gas chamber, rifle courses and a light machine gun course. He passed a Basic Personal Training Course on 12 July. During this time, he was again declared A1 fit.
Sydney was granted compassionate leave from 16 to 22 June 1944. During this time, on 17 June, he married Jean Kirton of 1 Gray’s Terrace, Redhills, Durham City in Durham. After his marriage he altered his next of kin to his wife at this same address.
Sydney was declared fit for overseas service on 3 August 1944 and embarked for North West Europe on 10 August 1944. He was posted to the 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment on 22 August 1944.
By D-Day, the 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment was part of the 8th Infantry Brigade (which included the 1st Suffolk Regiment and 2nd East Yorkshire Regiment) attached to the 3rd Infantry Division, nicknamed Monty’s Ironsides. With this division, it landed at Sword Beach on D-Day and fought its way through Normandy, taking part in the battles for Caen and the Falaise Pocket.
By 22 August, when Sydney joined them, they were at La Chappelle-au-Moine. Here they had a period of rest and training until 3 September. On that day they moved across the Seine to Les Andelys, south east of Rouen. They remained in this new area, again training for what was to come and with some recreation until 16 September.
From 16 to 18 September they then moved in three stages through Belgium to reach Lille St Hubert, just south of the Dutch border, south of Eindhoven. Here they were to assist the East Yorkshire and Suffolk Regiments to make a bridgehead over the Escaut Canal which they crossed on 20 September to reach Hamont, just west of the Dutch border and then reaching Weert in the Netherlands by the 22nd, despite the Allied forces facing difficulties from bridges which had been destroyed.
They remained in this vicinity until 25 September when C Company moved eastward towards Schoor as part of a plan to clear the west bank of a canal which lay further east. The whole Battalion were expected to take part in this the following day, but it had been decided that they were to move to Maarheeze that day, so only C Company took part in this. Their progress was slow, so they were ordered to disengage and continue after the rest of the Battalion to Maarheeze. On 27 September they moved on again to reach Bakel which is just north east of Eindhoven. The following day they moved again slightly further north to Mortel to allow the American 7th Armoured Division to occupy the area at Bakel. The Americans were moving through to St Anthonis. The Battalion remained at Mortel until 1 October when they moved further north to Heumen which is just south of Nijmegen and north of Cuijk and then to nearby Mook on 3 October.
By this time, Operation Market Garden further to the north had failed to take the bridge at Arnhem. This left the Allies in a narrow corridor through the Netherlands. An attempt was made by the American 7th Armoured Division on 30 September to widen this corridor east to the River Maas by attacking Overloon from their position at St Anthonis, but this attack failed.
The 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment remained at Mook until 8 October when they moved south to Wanroij. It had been decided that the Americans were to withdraw and leave widening the corridor through Overloon, Venray and Venlo to the British. Initially, it was intended that the attack on Overloon would begin on 11 October. However, this was postponed until 12 October due to the very wet weather and ground conditions.
On 12 October the attack started at noon with a very heavy artillery barrage. The 2 East Yorks. led the attack on what was described as Dog Wood to the west of Overloon while the 1 Suffolks targeted Overloon itself. Both achieved their objectives by 1500 hours, but with some mopping up still to do. The 1 South Lancs. were initially held in reserve but at 1700 hours A and D Companies were ordered to advance to clear a remaining area with one troop of the 3 Grenadier Guards in support of each forward Company. They met very little opposition and by dusk were in position on the forward edge of a clearing to the west of Overloon. They moved a little further south the following day, but were then instructed on 14 October to move to a road between Rouw and Halfweg north east of Overloon to secure control of a junction leading from that road to Schaartven. This was the day on which Sydney was killed in action.
He had served for a total of 4 years and 360 days of which 65 were served in North West Europe. He was awarded medals as follows: 1939/45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal.
His wife was awarded a pension of £1 a week from 29 January 1945. The letter notifying her of this which was dated 3 January 1945 was sent to her at his parents’ address at 151 Livingstone Street, Birkenhead though on 8 December 1944 it had been indicated that any personal effects were to be sent to her at 1 Gray’s Terrace Redhills, Durham.
The Birkenhead News of 28 October 1944 reported Sydney’s death as follows:
“Local Footballer Killed
Private Sidney John Gilbert Williamson of 151 Livingstone Street has been killed in action in N.W. Europe. He was 25 years of age, and worked at Buchanan’s Flour Mills until October 1939 when he joined the Army. Private Williamson went over to France about two months after D-Day and was killed this month. He was a keen footballer and had played for local clubs. He leaves a widow.”
It seems that Sydney’s mother was still trying to find out where her son was buried in September 1945 as she received a letter from the War Office dated 6 September 1945 saying that this had not yet been reported to their office. Further communications in 1952 and 1954 from what was then the Imperial War Graves Commission regarding his headstone and entry in their Register were addressed to his mother who still lived at 151 Livingstone Street, Birkenhead.
Sydney’s wife had gone on to marry Fred Story in Durham Central in 1947. It is thought that they had two children in the Durham area. Sydney’s sister Edna kept in touch with his wife Jean for many years after she remarried.
Sydney’s mother, Sarah Ellen Williamson, died in 1973 in Birkenhead. Her address was still 151 Livingstone Street. It isn’t known when his father died, but it is thought to have been before his mother. Both are believed to be buried in the Landican Cemetery in Birkenhead.
Sydney’s name is recorded on the memorial plaque to be found on the brass panel on the 1st floor landing in Birkenhead Town Hall.
