This new page aims to tell the stories of the men and women of Dursley and Cam and surrounding areas who are commemorated on our War Memorials.
This is work in progress. If you have a relative who is commemorated on one of the Memorials, or have a correction or information please contact Andy Markham on [email protected]
A fair number of our fallen have Welsh roots, probably recruited into Listers. It has not always proven possibly to trace exact links to the town at this point. Many would have moved here in the 30's when there are fewer census records. I am always looking for help in this area.
Any Mistakes Are My Own
DURSLEY
Sergeant Patrick Francis Albyn - Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1907-1943
Born on 29 July 1907 and married to Florence they are shown as living at Rosebery Terrace. He is buried in Dursley Town Cemetery having died on 20 November 1943.
At Rest in Loving Memory
Sergeant William Gilbert John Aplin 429 Squadron RAF 1922-1943
William was born in Chepstow (possibly Lydney) in July 1922 to Gilbert and Grace. He was married to Doreen Yarnold and died in Bochum, Germany on 29 Mar 1943. He is buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. He was the Navigator on a Wellington Bomber that crashed in the target area. The connection to Dursley is not yet known.
He left us, His Last Thoughts Unknown, but the Memory he Left We are Proud to Own
Charles Vallance Barnes
Gunner Jack Bick - 4 Medium Regiment Royal Artillery - 1906-1943
Jack was the son of Albert and Annie, born in Berkeley and died in Tunisia on 4 March 1943 and is buried at Massicault War Cemetery. He was married to Kathleen Mary and they lived at Holywell Cottages, Woodmancote.
Loving Thoughts of my Dear Husband Jack, Wife Mary and Son Alan
Corporal George Clarke Kings Own Scottish Borderers d.1943
Little is known about George aside from that he was accidentally killed and possibly born in Glasgow. His grave in Dursley appears to be maintained by a relative.
Sergeant Phillip Crowley Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry - 1916-1945
Born to Michael and Winifred on 29 Jan 1916 in Pontypridd Philip was killed on 13 February 1945
George Davies
No details have yet been identified on George. Information is sought.
Private Charles Daw Gloucestershire Regiment (attached Parachute Regiment) 1914-1944
Charles was born on 14th January 1914 in Thornbury. He was killed in action at Annebault, Normandy on 21st August 1944. He is buried at Ranville War Cemetery. He was a keen sportsman and had worked for the Gazette. His mother lived at Wellington Place, Woodmancote and he was married to Margaret Parish.
Corporal Wilfred Ernest Evans 5 Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment 1918-1946
Wilfred was born in Barnwood to Ernest and Florence. He is buried in Dursley Town Cemetery having been killed in an accident at Rockstowes having returned to the UK from being a POW taking part in the infamous death marches.
Dearly Beloved Son of Ernest and May Evans, you Live Forever in our Memory
Civilian - Wallace Frederick Fryer 1902-1940
Wallace was born in Cam on 24 May 1902
Aircraftsman 2 Leslie Albert Gardiner RAF 1920-1941
Leslie was, sadly, killed in a motorcycle accident aged 21. His parents Henry and Clara lived on Kingshill Road.
Only those who lose a son can tell the pain of parting without farewell
Private Herbert Charles Grace 2/4th Hampshire Regiment 1911-1944
Herbert son of Herbert and Annie of Cam Peak was lost in the Italian campaign and is commemorated on the Cassino Memorial.
Aircraftsman 1 Horace P Hall 601 Squadron RAF 1908-1943
Horace died on the 26th February 1943. He is buried at Sfax Cemetery Tunisia. He was married to Edith Bloodworth.
Remembrance Lasts Forever
Private Edward Royston Higgins Herefordshire Regiment (KSLI) 1944
Edward died on the 30th June 1944. Tragically his brother also died in 1946 (see below). The parents were Henry and Dora who lived at Kingshill Park. The Herefords had landed in Normandy on the 13th June and were involved in very heavy fighting.
Aircraftsman 2 Stanley James Higgins RAF 1927-1946
Stanley died in a road traffic accident at Defford Aerodrome. He is buried at Dursley Town Cemetery.
Corporal Frank Charles Hill Royal Signals 1914-1943
Sergeant Bernard Lloyd Trayhurn RAF 1913-1940
Was born in Dursley in 1913 to George and Annie Louisa. He died (missing believed killed) on 3 July 1940 in Eritrea and is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial. He was the Air Observer on a Vickers Wellesley of 14 Squadron that was shot down by Italian air ace Capt. Mario Visintini Medaglia during a reconnaissance flight over Dekenhare. No trace of his body was found. Of the three crew who perished only one body was washed up from the sea and buried by the Italians. He was a former Halton apprentice and was one of three boys who lived on Upper Poole Road to lose their lives in the War. Members of Bernard's family still reside in Dursley.
Their Name Liveth for Evermore
Private Ronald Louis Woodward 1919-1940 Gloucestershire Regiment
Ronald was born in Dursley on 15 July 1919 to Caryl and Elizabeth. He was serving with the 5th Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment who were tasked with rear guard duties during the retreat to Dunkirk. He was posted as missing but is listed as died on or about 27th/28th May 1940 and is commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial. His parents lived at what is now 21 Upper Poole Road.
Their Name Liveth for Evermore
Sergeant Douglas James Smith RAF 1925-1944
Douglas was born on the 14th January 1925 to Ivor and Doris Mountford. The family lived at 27 Upper Poole Road. Douglas was an Air Gunner on a Mk 3 Lancaster of 90 Squadron RAF. His aircraft was shot down by an ME410 over Icklingham near Bury St Edmunds. The aircraft was returning from a raid on a V1 site at Biennais. Douglas is buried in Dursley Town cemetery with the following epitaph:
Just farewell, not goodbye, we shall meet again
Sergeant Ralph Beddows - Army Air Corps 1921-1943
Ralph was born in 1921. Ralph was a Glider Pilot who was killed in action on the 14th July 1943 when the Horsa glider he was piloting was released too early during Operation Fustian the airborne invasion of Sicily aimed at capturing the Primosole Bridge and led by the 1st Parachute Brigade. He is commemorated on the Cassino Memorial in Italy. His parents in Ferney Cottages.
Their Name Liveth for Evermore
Second Lieutenant Frank Royston Brinicombe - 7th Bttn The Queens Own Royal West Sussex Regiment Reconnaissance Corps 1918-1942
Frank was born in 1918 the son of Frank and Mary of the Nursery, Woodmancote, Dursley. He was killed on 26th October 1942 and is buried at the Alamein Cemetery. Frank is commemorated with a plaque in the Parish Church of St James, Dursley.
Unto thy servants there is no death but a passing
Captain Percival Charles Collard - Manchester Regiment Royal Artillery
Percival was born in Newport, Wales on 9th October and died the day before his 34th birthday in 1944 in Italy. He would have been involved on the attacks to break the German Gothic line and take Rimini. On the 1939 Register he is shown as living at Rosebery Terrace working as a capstan lathe operator. He is buried at Coriano Ridge War Cemetery.
To live in the hearts of those you loved and left behind is not to die
Sergeant Edward F Collins RAF 9 Squadron 1915-1942
Edward lost his life on the 6 April 1942 in a bombing raid over Cologne. There is a beautiful memorial to this pilot in St James Church, Dursley and his family remain in the town.
Sergeant William Edmund Stewart Cooke RAF 95 Squadron1920-1943
William was born in Oswestry but is residing on the Knapp in 1935 at the house called "Carew". His parents were Edmund and Maud. The father was a local postmaster. His 95 Squadron Shorts Sunderland crashed east of Freetown, Sierra Leone. He is commemorated on the Malta Memorial. The aircraft flew too low when attempting to find survivors of the SS Celtic Star which had been torpedoed.
Their Name Liveth for Evermore
Flying Officer Gwilym Griffiths Hayes RAF 82 Squadron 1920-1945
Son of Annie and Thomas of Boulton Lane but born in Wales (along with many of the Dursley fallen). Shot down piloting a Mosquito in Burma on 29th March 1945. Commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.
Their Name Liveth for Evermore
Flight Sergeant Cynwdd John Jones RAF 1921-1944
Believed to be the son of Abraham and Margaret. FS Jones was piloting a Wellington aircraft in Libya when it flew into the ground. The remainder of the crew survived. The specific link with Dursley is not known at this point.
Sergeant Myrddin Jones RAF 619 Squadron 1922-1943.
Son of John and Mary Jones. Myrddin was an air gunner on a Lancaster Mk 3 whose aircraft crashed SE of Bremen during a raid on Leipzig on 20 October 1943. From Wales it has not been possible to trace the link to Dursley.
Private Arthur Jeffs Kidd 2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment 1917-1940
Another of our fallen who lost their lives at, or near, Dunkirk after initially having been reported as a POW. Shown as living at Rosebery Park having been born in Leek.
Lance Corporal Percy Midgley 2/5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment Reconnaissance Corps RAC1916-1944
Percy was born 23 November 1916, in Yorkshire, to Wilson and Beatrice and married Maude Atkins in July 1940. He is commemorated on the Bayeux Memorial having, presumably, been lost in the follow up to D Day possibly having been lost at sea.
Their Name Liveth for Evermore
Gunner Douglas Lloyd Morgan - Royal Horse Artillery 1919-1942
Douglas was born to John and Ada in Bedwelty, Monmouthshire on 17 July 1919. He died in an Italian Prisoner of War Camp in Ancona, Italy on 10th December 1942. He was married to Gwynneth and in 1939 was living at 23 Kingsdown employed as a general labourer.
Never a son dearer, never a heart more true. I was proud of you Douglas
Ordinary Seaman - Kenneth Henry Owen Royal Navy HMS Ibis 1920-1942
Kenneth was born in Dursley on 16th December 1920 to Frank and Emily (Tocknell). He died on 10th November 1942 and is commemorated on the Chatham Memorial. HMS Ibis was sunk by an Italian airborne torpedo North of Algiers.
Albert Francis Kitchener Parker
Pilot Officer Stanley Arthur Pepworth Distinguished Flying Medal 138 Squadron RAF 1919 - 1945
Born on the 6 January 1919 to Arthur and Dorothy. His aircraft (a Stirling out of RAF Temspsford) was lost, most likely to a Flak ship dropping SOE agents to Norway. 138 Squadron was a Special Duties Squadron. In 1939 Stanley was living on Hill Road and a skilled engine fitter.
Able Seaman Raymond Walter George Phillips RN HMS President 1922-1944
Raymond was born on the 11th January 1922 and died on 19th October 1944 having been lost overboard. His parents were Wilfred and Ivy. The family lived at Silver Street.
Lieutenant Lionel George Pitman Pioneer Corps 1891-1944
Born in Clerkenwell, London to William and Alice Lionel died in Ipswich on 31 November 1944. He was married to Caroline. In 1939 he was working as a clerk at Listers and living at Stoneleigh on Long Street.
Francis Vivian Preece
John Tudor Pugh
Ronald Smith
William Frank Smith
Cyril Jack Spence
Bernard James Spencer
Oliver Lewin Vinton
Greville Frederick Webb
Ronald Louis Woodward
