Kenneth Harry Duke Reddish

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Bickford Road, Bilston, Germany, Kenneth Reddish, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Second World War, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton Intermediate School

Kenneth was born on 31 May 1921, the son of Horace D. and Nellie (Eleanor) Reddish. In 1939, they were living at 32 Bickford Road, Wolverhampton, along with Kenneth’s sister, Iris N. M. Kenneth was working as a credit drapers clerk. In 1941, Kenneth married Lily Sharples in Bilston.

Kenneth joined the 142 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Research as a Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.), with the service number 1177700. On 10 September 1942, he took off from RAF Grimsby in a Wellington bomber, but unfortunately the aircraft was lost during a raid on Düsseldorf, and Kenneth was killed in action. He is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany, and is remembered on the Old Intermedians War Memorial, for former students of the Wolverhampton Intermediate School, the Wednesfield Village Roll of Honour.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Ernest Phillips

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Bilston, Duke Street, Edward Street, Ernest Phillips, First World War, Gibraltar, Lancashire, Royal Field Artillery, South Staffordshire Regiment

Ernest was born in 1888, the son of Edward or Edwin and Priscilla or Drusilla Phillips. In 1891, they were living at 14 Duke Street, Bilston, and were living in Edward Street, Bilston by 1901, with Ernest’s siblings Drucilla, Albert, Lilly, Gertrude and Lizzie M. Ernest enlisted with the 1st Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment and was at the South Barracks in Gibraltar by 1911. Ernest married Delia Connor in Prescot, Lancashire, in 1912, and the couple had two children – Drusilla (1913) and Lilian (1915), both born in Prescot.

Ernest served with the 29th Div Ammunition Column of the Royal Field Artillery (service numbers 714 and 614430). He became an Acting Bombardier. He was wounded and unfortunately died of those wounds on 25 December 1916. He is remembered at the Thiepval Memorial in France.

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The research for this blog post was conducted by remote virtual volunteer Jacky de Escofet.

Thomas Patrick Naven

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Devonshire Regiment, Hong Kong, Myatt Street, Second World War, Thomas Naven

Thomas was born on 4 February 1921 in Wolverhampton, the son of John and Amy Naven. By 1939, he was living with his mother, brother John and half-siblings Amy and George Williams at 110 Myatt Street. Thomas was working as an iron gate smith striker. His father, John, had died in 1931.

Thomas enlisted in the 1st Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment (service number 14815743) as a Private. Unfortunately he died on 3 February 1947 in Hong Kong. He is buried in Stanley Military Cemetery in Hong Kong.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Richard Harold Malpas

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Belgium, Church Lane, Daniel Smith Ltd, First World War, Great Brickkiln Street, Richard Malpas, South Staffordshire Regiment, St John's Church, St Paul's Church

Richard was born in Wolverhampton in 1893, the son of Stephen and Mary Ann Malpas. In 1901 they were living at 50 Church Lane, Wolverhampton, together with Richard’s siblings Arthur, Edith, WIlliam and Thomas, as well as boarders Harry and Martha Heath with their children Harry and Stephen. They were at 64 Great Brickkiln Street, Wolverhampton in 1911, by which date Richard was working as a bobber.

Richard enlisted as a Private in the 8th Service Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 1878, later 10079). Unfortunately, he was killed in action on 15 February 1916. He is remembered at the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium, on the St Paul’s Church War memorial sited with the Church of St John, as well as on the memorial to employees of Daniel Smith Ltd, for whom he presumably worked.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.

William Lane

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Kimberley Street, Royal Armoured Corps, Second World War, St Chad's College, Surrey, William Lane

The son of John Thomas and Georgina Lane, William was born in Wolverhampton in 1921. William’s mother, Georgina, died at the age of 53 in 1932. By 1939, his father was living in Kimberley Street, Wolverhampton

He served as a Lance Corporal in the 15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps (service number 321240) but he was killed in action on 27 December 1941. He is remembered at the Brookwood Memorial in Surrey and on the war memorial for St Chad’s College, which he presumably attended.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Ann Eales.

John Harold Kidson

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Aston, First World War, Glamorgan, Greece, John Kidson, Royal Army Veterinary Corps, St Andrew's Church, Sweetman Street, Wrexham

John was born in Wolverhampton on 8 October 1888, the son of Benjamin and Harriet Kidson, and was baptised in St Andrew’s Church on 1 November 1888. In 1891, they were living at 107 Sweetman Street in Wolverhampton, with John’s siblings William and Harriet E. By 1901, he was with his father, sister Harriet E. and brother Albert in Aston in Warwickshire. John married Elvira H. Boynton in Wolverhampton in 1912.

John enlisted at Wrexham and became a Lance Corporal in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (service number SE/24190). He died of pneumonia on 15 October 1918 in Salonika. He is buried in the Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery in Greece. John’s wife, now known as Alice, remarried a Henry A. North in Neath in 1920, and settled in Glamorgan.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote virtual volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.

Christopher and George Edgar Inston

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Bilston, BUrma, Christopher Inston, George Inston, Germany, Lord Street West, Meriden, Royal Armoured Corps, Second World War, West Bromwich, Wilkinson Avenue

The sons of Edward and Florence Inston, George was born in West Bromwich in 1916, and Christopher in Meriden in Warwickshire in 1921. By 1939, their parents were living at 16 Wilkinson Avenue, Bilston, along with two siblings and two closed records.

George enlisted as a Corporal in the 22nd Dragoons of the Royal Armoured Corps (service number 554055). In 1944, he married Ethel Alice Asprey in Bilston, although the General Register Office Index has his surname incorrect as “Tustin”. The couple had a son, Keith J., born in Bilston later that year. Unfortunately George died in Germany on 14 October 1945. His address was 24 Lord Street West in Bradley, Bilston. The value of his effects was £105 16s. 8d. He is buried in Celle War Cemetery.

Christopher enlisted as a Corporal with the 7th Queen’s Own Hussars in the Royal Armoured Corps (service number 409408). In January 1942, the 7th Queen’s Own Hussars was sent to Burma and engaged with the Japanese Army at Pegu 3-7 March.  Between then and late April/early May 1942, the British were to conduct a difficult and dangerous retreat of some 900 miles as they fell back to the Imphal Plain, nestled in the hills of North East India, pursued every step of the way by the relentless Japanese onslaught. During this retreat, Christopher was killed in Myanmar on 28 April 1942. He is remembered on the Rangoon Memorial. Both brothers are remembered on the Bradley Memorial in Bilston and on the Bilston Town Roll of Honour.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote digital volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Frank Harriman

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Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, First World War, Frank Harriman, Heath Town, India, Machine Gun Corps, National Union of Railwaymen, Notts & Derby Regiment, Powell Street, Spring Valley Street, St Mary's Church, St Stephen's Church of England Primary School, Stafford

Frank was born in Stafford on 26 June 1888, the son of John William and Elizabeth Harriman. On 8 August 1888 he was baptised in St Mary’s Church, Wolverhampton. They were living in Spring Valley Street, Wolverhampton in 1891. In 1892, Frank started attending St Stephen’s Church of England Primary School in Wolverhampton. By 1901 they were living at 57 Powell Street in Heath Town, Wolverhampton, and Frank had a younger sister, Elizabeth. Frank became a carriage cleaner for the railway, joining the Wolverhampton Park Village branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants in 1911. Frank was living at 13 Powell Street, and he married Amy Lydia Lucas the same year. They had a daughter, Edna Day, who was born in Wolverhampton in 1912. Frank joined the National Union of Railwaymen in 1914.

Frank joined the Notts & Derby Regiment (service number 89947) and later served with the Infantry Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps (service number 118263). died of influenza on 25 October 1918 while serving in India. He is buried at the Mhow New Cemetery in India.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.

Maurice Gandy

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Ashland Street, Brickkiln Street Primary School, Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co, Maurice Gandy, Seaforth Highlanders, Second World War, Sicily

The son of Francis and Elizabeth Gandy, Maurice was born in Wolverhampton on 27 September 1909. In 1911, they were living at 10 Ashland Street in Wolverhampton. In 1914, Maurice began attending Brickkiln Street Primary School, with the address given as 14 Ashland Street. In 1915 he left the school, apparently because the family “left town”. In 1939, Maurice married Alice May Williams in Wolverhampton, and they presumably had a daughter, Avis M., a year later.

Maurice served with the 6th Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders (service number 3243249). He was killed in action on 13 July 1943, and is buried in the Syracuse War Cemetery in Sicily. He is remembered on the memorial of Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co (Great Britain) Ltd, so he presumably was an employee there.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Frank Hubert Fellows

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Aston, Birmingham, Frank Fellows, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Victoria Street

Frank was born in Wolverhampton in 1894, the son of Alfred and Kate or Kezia Fellows. In the 1901 census, they were living at 56 Victoria Street, Wolverhampton, along with Frank’s siblings Alfred, Arthur and Bert. Frank’s mother died in 1907, and Alfred remarried. By 1911 they were living in Aston, where Frank was working as an apprentice tailor.

Frank enlisted in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (service number 39918). Unfortunately, his arm was wounded, and he eventually died of those wounds on 30 December 1918, just over a month after the war ended. Frank is buried in Birmingham (Yardley) Cemetery.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.