Sidney Botham and Ernest Williamson during WWII ‘did their bit’ for their  community and were recognised for their bravery.

Shall we start with Sidney first?  Sidney was born in 1910 in Sheffield, being the son of John and Emily Botham, who in 1911 were living at Hoyland Road, Hoyland Common- John, was working as a butcher.

Sidney, lived through the Great War and by 1943 he had been a police constable for just over 11 years. Home, was 8 Carlton Terrace, Pontefract for Sidney and his wife of 10 years, Ruby (nee Russell).

As both Sidney and Ernest are both linked to an event, it is now Ernest’s turn! There are three Ernest’s who are born within two years of each other in Yorkshire, but the one that fits the most seems to be the son of John and Harriet Williamson, who in 1911 were living at 8 Hey Lane, Lowerhouses, Huddersfield.  John worked as a tailor.

Ernest, like Sidney was also a policeman, but Ernest is listed as Police War Reserve, living at 146 Lower Oxford Street, Castleford.

What did they do to be written about here?  The follows are snippets from the WWII Civil Defence Gallantry Awards –

Case 2119A – Mr Sidney Botham – 33 years.  Police Constable, West Riding Constabulary, Wakefield – 11 1/3 years.  Civil Occupation – Policeman.

Assistance in the rescue of two Civilians trapped in a burning house at Darrington, York,s on the night of 18th September 1943.

Recommended by – Chief Constable, West Riding.  Commendation dated 14.10.43

Case 2119B – Ernest Williamson – 36 years. Police War Reserve, West Riding Constabulary, Wakefield  – 3 1/3 years.  Details as for 2119A,

Both cases were Recommended by the Committee  and the Treasury 14th December 1943 and Gazetted 21st March 1944.

Particulars of Action –  At 23.45 hours on Saturday, 18th of September, 1943, a Halifax No.2 bomber number B.B.245 crashed, burst into flames, demolishing and setting on fire a row of cottages 200 yards on the Womersley side of Darrington Cross Roads, Darrington, which is three miles south of Pontefract.  The plane, whose parent station was at Riccall R.A.F. Station, was flying north Jto South on a night flying exercise, and all six of the crew were killed.  1032914 Sergeant John Henry Viercant, 4th Heavy Battery, R.A. Womersley, was travelling along the Womersley Road, Darrington, in a motor lorry, in charge of the following men of his unit:- 3662690 Gunner Hugh Donaghy; 858099 Bombardier William Yorkston; 1043079 Gunner Charles Savage; 844866 Gunner John McLeod; 101152 Gunner H Mae-Bishop, and saw a large burst of flame about one mile ahead.  This party was off duty / Police.

That was the event, but lets hear about the event in more detail!

Police Constable 17 Sidney Botham and Police War Reserve 476 Ernest Williamson were on motor patrol duty on the Great North Road, Ferrybridge, when they saw a red flash in the sky towards Doncaster.  They immediately proceeded in this direction, and arrived on the scene just after Sergeant Viercant and his party.  Four of the cottages were burning furiously, but in spite of this Sergeant Viercant, Gunner Savage, Gunner McLeod and the two policemen, seeing by the light of the flames saw two persons John Wardle, and his wife, Alice Maud, trapped under fallen debris, fought through flames and, removing the fallen masonry, etc., rescued Mr and Mrs Wardle, and thereby saved their lives.  During the whole of this time ammunition was exploding in all directions.  All five men further searched the house but failed to find anyone else, and were eventually forced to leave the house owing to the fire, bursting flares and smoke.

These men, together with Bombardier Yorkston, Gunner Donaghy and Gunner Mae-Bishop, then gave all their attention in an endeavour to rescue the trapped occupants of the plane. They broke open the rear turret, and as ammunition was still exploding from it, and to safeguard themselves, Gunner Donaghy climbed inside, removed five belts of live ammunition, and, with assistance, the turret guns.  In an endeavour to locate the crew, Gunner Donaghy, at great personal risk, then proceeded along the narrow body of the blazing plane, and would have gone farther but Sergeant Viercant, realising that his man would soon be cut off by flames, recalled him to the rear turret.

Civil Defence armband

All men had worked with courage and disregard for personal safety, especially Gunner Donaghy.  The soldiers carried on trying to keep the flames down, and formed a bucket chain party, but the fire got out of control.  The two police officers had taken charge and caused the necessary N.F.S. and Civil Defence Services to be hurried to the scene.  There were 4 people killed and 4 people insured who lived in adjoining cottages and a further 6 people rendered homeless.  (Signed C.G. Vaughan, Chief Constable West Riding Constabulary).

Statement of Sergeant Viercant – About 23.40 hours on Saturday 18th September 1943, I was in charge of a party of men of my unit.  We were travelling by lorry along the Womersley Road, Darrington, from the direction of Pontefract towards Womersley.  I then heard a thud, and immediately following this I saw a large burst of flame what I judged to be about 1 mile ahead of us in the vicinity of the road on which we were travelling.  Appreciating that something was wrong I ordered my driver to speed in this direction.  In the space of about  two minutes we reached a place I now know as Chapel Hill, Darrington, and there found that an aeroplane had crashed into a block of cottages on the offside of this road facing Womersley, and some two hundred yards on the Womersley side of Darrington Cross Roads.  Three or four of the cottages were then partly demolished and an aeroplane enveloped in flames was in the midst of the debris.  Ammunition in the plane was exploding almost incessantly, and bullets were whizzing in all directions.

By the illumination of the fire I could see a woman trapped about the middle of the debris of one collapsed house.  Her whole body up to her neck was covered by fallen masonry, and a man hear her was in a sitting position trapped in the debris up to his knees.  These people were obviously helpless to assist themselves and were at this time surrounded by flames rapidly increasing in intensity.   Along with 1043079 Gunner Charles Savage, and 844866 Gunner John McLeod of my unit I at once broke through the flames, and we jointly set about removing debris from around these persons in an effort to rescue them.  At this stage we were joined by two policemen who also entered the burning building and assisted us.  We rescued the two people and removed them on the road clear of the fire, when they were in turn taken to a nearby house.  Before the rescue was effected, the flames had reached these people, and I think they had both suffered burns, cuts and bruises.

Despite the imminent danger of fire and smoke, my two men and the policemen helped to me to make a further search of the house for possibly trapped persons.  We failed to find anyone else, and were driven back by fire, bursting flares, and smoke.  We then made an effort to enter the rear turret of the plane, and here we were joined by 3662690 Gunner Hugh Donaghy, 101152 Gunner H. Mae-Bishop and 858099 Bombardier William Yorkston, all of my unit. We broke open the rear turret with a shovel and an axe. Ammunition was still exploding from within it, and to safeguard us from the danger of this Donaghy climbed inside the turret and removed five belts of live ammunition, and then with assistance removed the turret guns.

Donaghy then tried to go along the body of the blazing plane to search for members of the crew, but I recalled  him because he was thereby putting his life in peril.  We then, as a party had to break off the rescue work owing to the flames being so intense.  My men and the police worked with utter disregard for their own safety.  We then formed a bucket chain and fought the flames, but this was useless, and the fire got completely out of control, and further attempt at rescue would have been futile.  The fire was later extinguished by N.F.S. Units.

It was moonlight, clear, and there was no wind.  The nose of the plane was facing westwards after the crash. I cannot say in what direction or at what height it had been flying prior thereto. (Signed 1032914 Sgt, John Henry Viercant.

 P. S. 17 Sidney Botham – At 11.45 pm Saturday 18th September 1943, I was on motor patrol duty with W.R. 476 Williamson in the Great North Road, Ferrybridge when I saw what appeared to be a red flash in the sky coming from the direction of Doncaster. I proceeded South in this direction, and 11.50 pm came upon the scene of a crashed aircraft in Womersley Road, Darrington.  The plane had crashed into a block of occupied cottages at the side of the road. Both the plane and four of the houses were burning furiously.  A number of soldiers of the 4th Heavy Battery R.S. Womersley were already on the scene.

After ascertaining from Special Constable Waterfall that Pontefract Divisional Headquarters had been warned concerning the crash and resulting fire, I along with E. Williamson joined a number of soldiers in removing debris from a demolished and burning house where it could be seen that two persons were almost completely covered by fallen masonry and who were in immediate danger of being burnt to death.  These two persons John and Alice Maud Wardle were extricated and moved to safety, later to Pontefract Hospital.

By this time other soldiers joined the rescue work and an effort was made to rescue possible occupants of the plane.  During this time rescue was being carried our ammunition was exploding almost incessantly.  In spite of this, one of the soldiers entered the plane by the rear turret door, after the door had been broken open with an axe.  He then removed life ammunition from the plane, and with some assistance the turret guns.  This same soldier attempted to pass farther along the aircraft in search of possible members of the crew but the flames by this time had reached such proportions that any further attempt at rescue was impossible.  The soldiers then formed a bucket chain party until the arrival of the N.F.S., meanwhile nearby  houses were evacuated owing to possible danger of fire.  Later with the N.F.S. in attendance the C.D. Rescue Parties became operative and rescue work was resumed.  At 5 am 19.9.43, four bodies were recovered from the wrecked house of Harry Dean, ‘Glencoe’, Womersley Road, all four bodies were badly charred.  The fire was finally extinguished by the N.F.S. at 5.30 am.

Civil Defence letter to Miss Milnem, Whitehall

A letter from the Civil Defence Regional Office, ‘Wheatfield’, Wood Lane, Headingley, Leeds, to Miss J. M. Milne, Ministry of Home Security, Whitehall, London, tells that the Commissioner and the Chief Constable agreed that as far as the two policemen were concerned  that ‘they might receive a personal letter of congratulation rather than any award or commendation from the King.  These letters world presumably come from the Air Ministry if it were decided to send them. Details if the actions of the soldiers have already been sent to the G.O.C. -in-C., Northern Command, but I am letting you have them to as it may be helpful to bear in mind the part they played when considering the policemen’.

The two policemen did not get an award but were Commended for Brave Conduct and were Gazetted on 21st March 1944, Supplement pages 1330/1.

For further information and eye witness reports visit here 

Sugar Lane iii

Sugar Lane © C Sklinar 2014

The third in the series of headstones, photographed while walking the cemetery photographing headstones for a forthcoming project.  This headstone does not form part of the project but, like a few others, it seemed to stand out!

The very simple and clean looking headstone, with the odd piece of damage just above ground level, is to George Perkin and his wife, Bridget.  Why did this headstone stand out from the rest?

Most headstones give details of a names,  dates of death and if you are lucky, dates of birth. Some, will give a clue as to armed service, while others tell of an occupation, a town of residence or area of birth – information that the deceased or their family were proud of and wished the visitors to the cemetery to see and take note of.

George Perkin’s family were one such family as his headstone proudly displayed his occupation, that of ‘gravestone letterer’.  George died on June 17th 1897 aged 69. But who was he in life?

Rishworth Street, Wakefield. Source unknown.

George was born around 1828/9 in Wakefield. Working backwards, as we only have two names to work with. A look in the nearest census to George’s death, the 1891, we see George aged 63 and his wife Bridget aged 59, living at 2 Rishworth Street, Wakefield. George gave his occupation as ‘retired monumental mason’.  Ten years earlier, 1881, the couple are still living on Rishworth Street, his occupation now being described as ‘gravestone letterer’.

On April 14th 1873 George married his Bridget nee Fearnside. The entry in the church of St John’s, Wakefield tells that both were of full age – George was around 45 years of age. He was living in Rishworth Street and his father’s name was given as William Perkin, a mason.  Bridget’s father was David Fearnside, a blanket manufacturer, living on Northgate – just around the corner from Rishworth Street.  The witnesses to the union were Frederick Kitson Perkin (Kitson was his grandmother’s maiden name), and Ann Ashton. There are two entries in the parish registers for that day, both preceded over by Edward Bell – the first wedding of the day was for George and Bridget and the second was for Harry Mountain and Ann Longbottom.  Reverend Edward Bell, seems to have changed his writing for the second ceremony, seeming a little rushed, having larger writing and not as neat.

Two years earlier in 1871, George is at Rishworth Street, the head of the house and living with his unmarried sister, Mary Ann and Sarah A Fletcher, his niece.  George tells the enumerator that he earns his living by being a ‘gravestone cutter’.  The 1861 census sees George and his siblings living with  Margaret, their widowed mother, still in the same house, on Rishworth Street.  Margaret, aged 58, gives her occupation as ‘provided for by her children’.  George tells he is a ‘stone mason, gravestone cutter and **** at St John’s Church’.  Other sons are working as ‘clock and watch maker’ and two sons are a  ‘mechanic at the local iron foundry’.

Ten years earlier in 1851, there is still no sign of George’s father.  Margaret is now aged 47 years old and on ‘parish relief’. George, aged 24 is a stone mason, as is his brother Henry.  While, Charles aged 21 is a ‘tobacconist’s assistant’ and Edward aged 14 is an ‘errand boyh’.  The remaining five children range between 4 and 11. The age of the youngest child could hold the key to when their father died!

After working back for many decades the 1841 census gives the information – George and his siblings father. Living on South Street, William Perkin, ‘stone mason’, aged 35 (remember the ages are more than likely rounded up in this census).   The Freebmd collection of death’s has two entries for a William Perkin in the Wakefield area.  The first is the March 1/4 of 1849 and the second is also in the March 1/4, but the following year, 1850 – which one is Margaret’s husband? That information is not needed at this time as George and Bridget are the focus of Sugar Lane iii.

George & Bridget Perkin © C Sklinar 2014

George died on June 17th 1897 aged 69 years.

In memory of George Perkin, Gravestone Letterer, Wakefield, who died June 17th 1897, aged 69 years.  Also Bridget wife of the above named George Perkin, who died July 21st 1912 aged 80 years.

An entry in the Probate Registers, tells that George Perkin, gentleman, had Probate granted on the 13th of August to Bridget Perkin, Frederick Kitson Perkin, silversmith and jeweller and Henry Turner gas-fitter.  Effects £2709 10s 2d.

Bridget lived on to see two more decades, dying on the 21st of July 1912 aged 80.  Probate for Bridget was granted in the August, to Herbert Caress, schoolmaster and Walter Lumb, butcher.  Effects £1625 5s 5d.

Bridget died in the year that the Titanic sank. The year that Lawrence Oates, leaves the tent of Scott’s South Pole expedition, never to be seen again.  The year that the first non-stop flight from Paris to London was made in just 3 hours, and  Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel. The Piltdown Man, the famous hoax, claimed to have been found in this year.   This was the year that Suffragettes smashed shop windows in London’s West End.  The movement were in the headlines and would be the following year when Emily Wilding Davison by giving her life for her beliefs.

Sugar Lane cemetery ii –  Hart family.

Hart family headstone © C Sklinar 2014

Another headstone is highlighted from Sugar Lane cemetery, Wakefield.

A simple, yet quite beautiful in its way, and remarkably very well-preserved, is the headstone erected by William and Abraham Hart paying tribute to:

‘our dear father who was drown in the execution of his duty as a Trinity Pilot, near the Tongue Lightship, off Margate, on the 25th of November 1858 aged 33 years,’

Further down the stone –

‘Also of our Dear Mother who died at Wakefield December 26th 1899, aged 78 and was interred here.’

We know who erected the headstone, but why did they not put their parents’ names for all to see?  They were proud of their father but more than likely saddened at the way he lost his life – but who was their father?

Where to start?  An internet live chat with a librarian from Deal came up with nothing on  the drowning, so no clue to his name there.  A quick look at Freebmd for deaths in the deal area around the date revealed  nothing that you could say ‘that’s him’ to.  So I decided to go forwards and eventually go back……………..Bingo!

I looked for Abraham on the 1871 census first, since the name is less popular than William but found no Abraham.  However, the 1861 census showed Abraham aged nine born in Deal (I now had his approximate birth year) living with his mother, Sarah.  This was confirmed by the fact that she gave her occupation as ‘pilot’s widow’.  She was aged 39 and born in Ash (?) Kent.  The family was living at Water Shale in Deal as were quite a few other pilots and their families.  But why was William not with his mother and sibling?

Maritime Museum via Wikipedia

Further researching on the 1861 census showed William to be a pupil at Greenwich Hospital School.  The Royal Hospital at Greenwich was Britain’s largest school of navigation and seamanship.  During the time William attended the school, it was housed in what is now the National Maritime Museum.  I needed to find his birth and in the 1851 census I found William aged one, living with his mother at 20 Water Street, Deal.  The head of the household was Abraham Hart aged 27, who gave his occupation as that of mariner and his place of birth Deal – the anonymous parents of William and Abraham had now come to life.

By 1871 Abraham was living with his mother in St Mary’s Square, Lambeth, where Abraham was a Surveyors Pupil and as for William there were quite a few saying they were born in Kent but nothing to point a finger at and say ‘found you!’.  The family so far were in the South of England. When and why did they come to Wakefield?  The 1881 census answers that question  as by then Abraham, living in Northgate, was an architect and surveyor, married to Elizabeth.  They had three girls and grandma  was living with them.   William in 1881 was married but on the night of the census he was with 11 other pilots on the Granville out of London.

Sarah was not on the 1891 census as I knew she had died  in 1899, Abraham, however, was living at 99 Northgate and by 1901 he was residing at Oxford House, Oxford Road, Wakefield. His brother, William, following in their father’s footsteps, was a Trinity House Pilot in the Cinque Ports living with his wife, Caroline and two children in Malcolme Regis.

Ten years later Abraham was living at 24 Leeds Road and had been married to Elizabeth for 36 years.  The couple had six children but sadly lost one.  William was living in Dover with a group of other Trinity House Pilots, while Caroline, who said they had been married 23 years and had had three children, lived in a nine-roomed house named Sh**ad House, Deal.

Back to the headstone, after ‘our dear mother’ is the epitaph to –

William Kingsford’, the dearly loved and only son of Abraham and Elizabeth Sarah Hart of this city. Born March 12th 1885, died June 5th 1908. ‘Father in thy Gracious Keeping, Leave we now thy Servants Sleeping.

Abraham now of 2 Buxton Place, Newton Bar, died on December 29th 1938 and Probate was granted to Barclays Bank on March 1st of the same year, leaving £1270 11s 4d.

Sugar Lane cemetery

It is amazing how many interesting headstones you can find in your local cemetery or churchyard.

An ever growing population soon brought the churchyard burial grounds to bursting point, making a need for a Municipal cemetery. Sugar Lane cemetery, Wakefield opened in 1859 covers over 9 acres on land once owned by Sir J Pilkington.  The cemetery is divided into Conformist, Non-Conformist and Catholic sections.  The division of religion at the time was shown by the central twin chapels, as many used to say ‘one for us and one for them’.  The funny thing is that both the Church of England and the various Methodist religions used to say the same thing, making the saying work for them.

Over the past 12 months I have been researching over 250 men and women who either rest in or are remembered on headstones in, as it is known locally, Sugar Lane.  Whilst walking every row and reading every headstone I found who would form the basis of the research but also found many other interesting headstones that sadly fall outside the criteria I had set.

Emma & Harold Williams © C Sklinar 2014

One such headstone has kerbstones, with a small header tone flanked by two square stones, each with a receptacle for flowers.  The kerbs are now uneven and there is a stone slab within the kerb stones but only a small portion can now be seen.  At the foot of the memorial is a tribute which reads –

In loving memory of my dear wife, Emma Williams, who died Sept 18th 1959 aged 68 years. Also Harold Williams, dear husband of the above who died Jan 6th 1974 aged 80 years.

© C Sklinar 2014

Nothing remarkable, you might say but the headstone has engraved on it a vessel and the words ‘Arglwydd yw fy Mugail’ (The Lord is my Shepherd).

Possible clues:  Was Mr Williams Welsh or were his family Welsh?  The name Williams and the Welsh inscription below the ship would appear to indicate that.

The Ship: Did Harold serve at sea in WW1, as he was old enough?  Was he in the Royal Navy or in the Merchant Services?

Intriguing, but perhaps the mystery is buried for ever or does someone out there reading this now the answers to these questions.

Tower Poppies – mine is still in its original box

Well, thankfully, my Tower Poppy is still in its original box – no thanks to the delivery driver who left it by my back door on a drizzly day and with no receipt signature.  I still cringe at how the box would have ended up if it had been raining hard………………mush probably.

My Tower Poppy © C Sklinar 2015

Luckily, my poppy arrived with little water damage to the exterior box.  The poppy, was still wet from its wash and there was still some Tower of London moat soil attached and the stem had gone a little rusty, but who cares!

My family, like many other families from around the world, had husbands, brothers, sons and a few wives and daughters who served during The Great War, a war to end all wars and like many other families around the world, we had our losses.

Now, one year on since the eyes of the world focussed on, and crowds headed to the Tower of London with its cascade of blood red poppies, I was in France………..

You may be wondering what is the connection? Read on and you will soon see.

During the summer I was on one of my regular visits to France and Belgium.  The weather was hot, so time was divided between reading outside and researching for information on over 250 WW1 soldiers – well what else do you do whilst on holiday.  There was the odd trip to the local supermarket and time spent chatting to friends.  One cooler day I decided to pay a visit to a local CWGC cemetery – a journey that should have only taken less than 15 minutes.

I had looked at my trusty, or not so trusty, CWGC cemetery booklet, plotted my route and off I went heading for the village and the road marked on the map as being the closest to the cemetery.  I can now tell you that location dots on maps are not always printed in the correct place.  I drove around the village, asked villagers – yes, my broken French worked but nobody knew of the cemetery I wanted.

Back to compare the road map and the CWGC map and try a few of the other local villages. After nearly an hour of driving around some pretty villages I decided to go home and set ‘Sally Satnav’ for home.   I had criss-crossed many roads during the afternoon, and saw places I had seen earlier.  Does this sound familiar?  ‘Sally’ bless her was taking me home via the quickest route and soon I knew where I was, heading to a large round-a-bout near to where a very large supermarket used to stand.  I had been close to this round-a-bout earlier, coming off a road and turning right……..If only I had turned left! There was the focus of today’s outing- Longenesse Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery.

Longenese CWGC cemetery © C Sklinar 2015

Longenesse Souvenir CWGC cemetery is situated alongside the busy D928, Rue des Bruyeres, close by the D942, dual carriageway, that I had exited earlier and turned right, not left!  The cemetery forms part of the large community cemetery.    I parked in the communal cemetery parking area and walked through the French cemetery until I reached the white walls and the twin lodges that seemed to guard the headstones from many nations.

Longenese CWGC cemetery © C Sklinar 2015

The cemetery contains 3177 identified casualties, mainly from WW1 and during that afternoon I paid every one of them a visit.  I was the only one walking around most of the time, another couple parked on the main road, stayed a short while then went, leaving me and a rather large hare who seemed to be enjoying the open space.

Near the entrance are the graves of some members of the Chinese Labour Corps., German soldiers and a row of English nurses and V.A.D. volunteers.  Walking down each row there are a few who I will write about in detail later as they had an unusual surname or they were the recipient of an award – something to make them stand out but not any more special than the rest.

Pvte., T. Houghton © C Sklinar 2015

One such grave that stood out from the others was the grave of Private 2185, Houghton, T, of The King’s Liverpool Regiment, who died on the 30th of May 1915.  Why did his stand out from the others that had photographs and poppy wreaths left in remembrance.  Private Houghton’s grave rested shoulder to shoulder with its neighbour  but at his grave side a Tower of London Poppy had been left by his family with a short message.

Private T Houghton – who are you?  From the message left by his family, I knew that he was called Thomas and was 35 years old when he died.  He was a married man and left 6 children to be looked after by his wife.

Thomas, was born in Formby, Lancashire, lived in Bootle, Liverpool, and enlisted in the town of his birth according to the SWDTGW, but who was he before the war took his life.  The 1911 census has a Thomas with Elizabeth as his wife.  They had been married 7 years and had 5 children, one of them was Ernest – a clue given on the little note.  The website Freebmd has 2 entries for 1903/4 but one stands out.  The 1911 census has Mary Hefferman aged 22, sister-in-law, working as a monthly nurse, living with the family.  So, it looks like Elizabeth is Elizabeth Hefferman, born in Dublin who married Thomas in the December quarter of 1903 in the Ormskirk area.  Thomas worked as a house painter and little did he know that he was to have one more child before joining the army.

Tower Poppy for T Houghton © C Sklinar 2015

The service record for Thomas, on a quick search, is not found, but his Medal Card and the Soldiers’ Effects Register give details on his medal entitlement and how much Elizabeth, his widow and sole legatee was eligible for.  It seems she received £1 11s 11d in October 1915 and £3 War Gratuity on the 17th of October 1919 – not a lot when you have lost the breadwinner in the family and you have 6 children to provide for.

Thomas died on the 30th of May 1915 ‘in action’, and rests should to shoulder with his comrades in a foreign land that will forever be England.