| MARKET GARDEN |
15th September 1944
The 7th Battalion had been in Brussels for six days, and then it rejoined the 130th Brigade at Deurne in Belgium for the operation "Market Garden."
17th September 1944
HATCH, Private, WILLIAM ALBERT CHARLES, 14618070. Age 21. Son of John William and Rose Florence Hatch, of Holloway, London.
20th September 1944
After a series of conferences at Army, Corps and Divisional levels, the Brigade moved through Eindhoven to Grave. The first task for the 7th Battalion was to clear part
of Nijmegen, but no enemy were encountered. The Battalion then took over the responsibility of protecting the southern ends of the two great bridges over the Waal, with
one troop of tanks, one section of antitank guns and one of 3-inch mortars in support of each pair of companies.
At this time strenuous efforts were being made to link up with the Airborne Division at Arnhem, and 214th Brigade was already in action south of Elst while 129th
Brigade was over the Waal ready to pass through it to secure a bridgehead over the Lek at Arnhem. The 130th Brigade was then to pass through 129th Brigade into
Arnhem itself and clear the town of the enemy.
21st September 1944
GERRISH, Private, LLEWELLYN, 14704250. Age 18.
HOSKINS, Private, FRANK, 1734540. Age 37. Son of Frank and Ellen Hoskins; husband of Annie Hoskins, of Manchester.
WRIGHT, Private, ERNEST, 2088120. Age 23. Son of James Edward and Ada Wright, of Levenshulme, Manchester.
23rd September 1944
But when the breakthrough into Arnhem failed, 130th Brigade received new orders and was sent forward on to Driel to the west of the other two brigades, who were still
battling furiously in the Valburg EIst area. The objective of 130th Brigade was to occupy the south bank of the Lek from Driel to Heteren and to try to contact the
airborne troops cut off on the north bank. The 7th Hampshire, on the left of the 5th Dorsets, were to link up with the 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment, who were
protecting the Division's left flank.
The Battalion reached its allotted area without incident and found that the high bank which ran along the south side of the river varied in distance to the water's edge from
about two hundred yards to half a mile or more. The situation was further complicated by the fact that the opposite bank rose steeply and dominated the south bank,
which was without a vestige of cover. The Battalion had three companies up: "B" Company (Major Chesham) on the right, in patrol touch with the 5th Dorsets, "A"
Company (Major Viner) in the center, and "D" (Major Braithwaite) on the left. "C" Company (Major Nayler) was in reserve, and there was a squadron of I3th/I8th
Hussars, and one platoon of medium machine guns from 8th Middlesex. When the Battalion took up their positions, a number of enemy antiaircraft guns in the open were
gleefully engaged by the Battalion's mortars and supporting artillery with very good results. The Battalion was in this position for eleven days, until the 4th October,
during which the snipers on the dyke road did some excellent work. In the eleven days continuous action the Battalion was involved in three different affairs.
24th September 1944
The first was at night when "B" and "C" Companies, commanded by the Second-in-Command, Major Rooke, helped in the very gallant crossing of the River Lek made by
the 4th Dorsets. "C" Company assisted in loading the assault boats with stores, while "B" Company helped to ferry the boats across. Unfortunately, boat casualties and the
strong current made the task exceedingly difficult and only about five loads of medical equipment, food and ammunition were ultimately landed on the other bank.
25th September 1944
HADLUM, Private, JOSEPH FRANCIS, 14716122. Age 18. Son of Francis and Ada Mary Hadlum, of Ashford, Kent.
KING, Serjeant, CHARLES WILLIAM, 5954113. Age 26. Son of William George and Annie Maud King, of Luton, Bedfordshire; husband of Alice King, of Luton.
26th September 1944
SMITH, Lance Corporal, SIDNEY ARTHUR HENRY, 5512260. Age 30. Son of Sidney Charles Hamilton Smith and Margaret Ellen Smith; husband of Kathleen
Mary Smith, of Waterlooville, Hampshire.
28th September 1944
TURNER, Sergeant, PHILLIP JOHN, 5506426. Age 31.
27th September 1944
The second affair was at night when a small force of enemy managed to cross the river in front of the 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment, opposite to Renkum and began to
infiltrate towards Heteren. "C" Company, supported by a troop of tanks, went to deal with this situation and a violent battle flared up. The enemy were numerically
stronger than "C" Company, but the company contained them all day until they were mopped up by a battalion of 214th Brigade attacking from the south.
29th September 1944
BARNETT, Private, LESLIE ALBERT EDWARD, 14436173. Age 18. Son of Reginald Ruben Victor and Bertha May Barnett, of Moulsecoombe, Brighton, Sussex.
PETHYBRIDGE, Lance Corporal, KENNETH JOHN, 14680907. Age 19. Son of Percival Redvers Pethybridge and Ivy Minnie Pethybridge, of Whitehill,
Hampshire.
30th September 1944
NYE, Private, GRAHAM, 14724376. Age 18. Son of James W. and Phyllis M. Nye, of Grays, Essex.
1st October 1944
The third affair was when a party of the enemy got across the river and occupied a factory in front of "B" Company, holding the bridgehead they had won with the
greatest determination. For the next four days repeated attempts were made by various companies in turn to dislodge him, but in vain. The enemy fought off every attack
with fanatical bravery, and although, in all, six assaults were made on his position none were completely successful.
The conditions presented several problems. Between the battalion positions and the factory area was some five hundred yards of marshy exposed ground. Several of the
Battalion's attacks were made more difficult by a heavy river mist which reduced visibility to a yard. Moreover the enemy had well-sited machine guns among the
confused tangle of factory buildings.
During the many attacks on the factory buildings there were many examples of personal gallantry. The second-in-command of "D" Company, Captain H. J. Anaka, a
Canadian officer serving with the Battalion, attacked a machine-gun post single-handed with a Bren gun and slew several of the enemy before he himself fell mortally
wounded. Private Barlow went in firing his Bren gun from the hip and killed at least four before he was himself killed by a grenade. On another occasion Sergeant A. R.
Powell led his platoon in several gallant but unsuccessful efforts to work his way closer to the enemy, until he was ordered to withdraw. He controlled the withdrawal
with the greatest skill, though he himself was wounded, and he carried one of his own wounded men to safety across a distance of over two hundred yards, over ground
swept by fire. Sergeant Powell received the M.M.
Sergeant H; Bailey, commanding a platoon in an attack on the factory buildings, succeeded in getting his men so close to the enemy and in such a commanding position
that he was able to use his Bren guns with devastating effect. Unfortunately, it was not possible to get the remainder of his company up to him and Sergeant Bailey was
ordered to withdraw his platoon. This he did brilliantly, although they had now been brought under very heavy fire. Sergeant Bailey's coolness and personal courage in the
action of 27th September, and again in the attack on the factory, were recognized by the award of the M.M.
1st October 1944
WESCOTT, Corporal, EDWARD ARTHUR JAMES, 5500388. Age 27. Son of Horace Davey Wescott and Alice Mary Wescott, of Boscombe, Bournemouth,
Hampshire. His brother Robert Charles also died on service.
YELDING, Lance Corporal, PERCY, 5502763. Age 29. Husband of Margaret Yelding.
PARKER, Corporal, WILLIAM THOMAS GEORGE, 5509081.Age 33.
LAWTON, Private, ALBERT EDWARD, 5827483. Age 19. Son of Mary Lawton, of Egremont, Wallasey, Cheshire.
LOVER, Private, LEONARD, 14724558. Age 19.
PRENTICE, Lance Corporal, SIDNEY WALTER, 5953526. Age 28. Son of Charles William and Ellen Prentice, of Hildersham, Cambridgeshire.
2nd October 1944
RIX, Private, DONALD JAMES, 14440557. Age 18. Son of Sidney Thomas Rix and Florence Januarye Rix, of Downham Market, Norfolk.
MORRISON, Serjeant, CYRIL, 2931034. Age 26. Son of Peter and Mabel Morrison; husband of Dorothy Ingham Morrison, of Wallasey, Cheshire.
RHEAD, Private, JOHN WILLIAM, 5050972. Age 24. Son of Arthur Edgar and Mary Rhead, of Stoke-on-Trent; husband of Marion Rhead, of Abbey Hulton,
Stoke-on-Trent.
SHELDON, Private, STANLEY GEORGE, 4919135. Age 26. Son of George and Hannah Sheldon; husband of Mary Charlotte Sheldon, of Rickhill, Co. Armagh,
Northern Ireland.
TRAIN, Corporal, ARCHIBALD, 5953902. Age 29
WARD, Captain, EDWARD ARTHUR COPE, 126414. Age 36. Son of Arthur John and Mabele Jennifer Ward; husband of Patricia Mary Ward, of Chelsea,
London.
3rd October 1944
ROWELL, Private, REGINALD, 14709673. Age 19. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Rowell, of Enfield, Middlesex.
ANDREWS, Corporal, DOUGLAS HARRY, 5502096. Age 25. Son of Alfred and Bessie Andrews, of Moordown, Bournemouth, Hampshire.
AGAMBAR, Private, FRANK CHARLES, 14575766. Age 19. Son of Thomas Frank and Sarah Rose Agambar, of Islington, London.
THOMPSON, Private, KENNETH JAMES WILLIAM, 14709690. Age 19. Son of William James Thompson and Louisa Ethel Thompson, of Borden, Kent.
YOUNG, Corporal, JOHN ANDREW, 5989620. Age 22. Son of John Andrew and Mary Young; husband of Ellen Johanna Young, of Poplar, London.
BARLOW, Private, ERNEST THEODORE, 13053490. Age 24. Son of Siegmund and Stephanie Baruch, of Oporto, Portugal.
STOCK, Lance Corporal, RICHARD CHARLES, 4399548. Age 21.
ELLIOTT, Corporal, GEOFFREY GORDON, 14569827. Age 19. Son of Stanley Charles and Annie Elliott, of Hinton Ampner, Hampshire.
4th October 1944
Another M.M. was won by Sergeant S. Mussell in one of the last attacks on the bridgehead in the early hours. Sergeant Mussell personally controlled his sections in the
confused enemy positions, moving from one to the other and exposing himself to heavy and close enemy machine-gun and grenade fire. When a grenade burst near him
he calmly removed the pieces of phosphorus from his legs and carried on, taking his platoon right on to its objective, destroying several enemy machine-gun positions and
killing at least twenty of the enemy.
Throughout this bitter and close fighting at the bridgehead which the enemy defended so very stubbornly, every one of Colonel Talbot's men fought magnificently, and
none more so than Major C. G. T. Viner, who was awarded the M.C. He manned an exposed observation post himself on 2nd October and brought punishing fire to bear
on the enemy crossing the river to reinforce the bridgehead, and on the 3rd and 4th he led "A" Company against the enemy positions with great skill and dash.
The Battalion was relieved on the evening of 4th October after four days' violent fighting against the German bridgehead, in which it lost one hundred and fifty all ranks.
Among those killed were, as well as Captain Anaka, Captain Ward, and Lieutenants A. E. Hope and W. Jenkins.
In addition, Captain O. D. Quy and three other officers were wounded.
The Battalion then moved south to the Gromsbeek Mook area on the Dutch German border facing the Reichswald Forest for a month, being relieved and relieving other
battalions in the Division as brigade sectors were changed over. There was much patrolling, and snipers with the forward companies often sent back valuable information
by patrolling forward alone and getting to within a few yards of the enemy. Throughout this whole period, of course, the Battalion suffered much shelling, and there was
always the added discomfort of the very bad weather.
EMMETT, Lance Corporal, LESLIE MAURICE, 14406267. Age 20. Son of Eli Robert and Elsie May Emmett, of Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire.
ROSE, Private, ROBERT RICHARD, 14412720. Age 20.
ALDRICH, Lance Serjeant, JOHN MARIA, 5504020. Age 27. Adopted son of Charles and Antonia Aldrich; husband of Marjorie Hilda Aldrich, of Slough,
Buckinghamshire.
PEACH, Private, LESLIE SAMUEL, 6400700. Age 27. Son of Florence Peach; nephew of Mr. J. F. Atfield, of Horsham, Sussex.
CARTER, Private, RICHARD MICHAEL JOHN, 14424430. Age 19. Son of Richard and Marion Florence Frances Carter, of Basingstoke, Hampshire.
ANAKA, Captain, HARRY JOHN, CDN/123. Royal Canadian Infantry Corps attd. 7th Bn Hampshire Regiment.
LOMAS, Private, HARVEY, 4804655. Age 26.
MEECH, Private, RANDOLPH EDWIN STANLEY, 5505458. Age 29. Son of Florence Meech, of Wimborne, Dorsetshire..
OUGHTON, Lance Serjeant, HARRY EDWARD, 5505847. Age 30. Son of Harry Edward Oughton and of Lily Maud Oughton (nee Cane), of Portsmouth.
5th October 1944
JENKINS, Second Lieutenant, WILLIAM, 333904. Age 30. Son of William and Louisa Jenkins; husband of Iris Elsie Jenkins, of Southsea, Hampshire.
8th October 1944
BETTS, Private, HARRY, 5393491. Age 23. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Betts, of Tetsworth, Oxfordshire.
9th October 1944
MORRIS, Private, RONALD WILLIAM, 5498738. Age 26. Son of William and Elizabeth Morris; husband of Mary Morris, of Boscombe, Bournemouth, Hampshire.
WHITE, Private, WILLIAM JEFFREY, 14626604. Age 19. Son of William George and Florence Mary White, of Willesden, Middlesex.
11th October 1944
PEASE, Private, ELLIOT ARTHUR, 5506369. Age 30. Son of Arthur George and Amy Pease; husband of Gestured Ada Pease; of Gosport, Hampshire.
15th October 1944
BAKER, Private, BASIL NORMAN, 14436886. Age 18.
21st October 1944
OSMAN, Private, WALTER THOMAS, 5503473.
24th October 1944
PHILLIPS, Lance Corporal, WILLIAM LEONARD, 5958113. Age 31. Son of Harry Leonard and Edith Phillips; husband of Viola Phillips, of Ponder's End,
Enfield, Middlesex
25th October 1944
COLYER, Private, ERNEST CHARLES, 14572632. Age 19.
26th October 1944
LONGHURST, Lance Corporal, JACK ARTHUR MADDOCK, 5500675. ge 27. Foster-son of Mrs. E. L. Childs, of Boscombe East, Bournemouth, Hampshire.
28th October 1944
JENKINS, Private, RONALD GEORGE, 14675644. Age 19. Son of Thomas and Linda Ethel Jenkins, of Shefford, Bedfordshire.
OATEN, Private, KENNETH FREDERICK, 14439962. Age 18. Son of Frederick and Elsie May Oaten, of Sidley, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex.
4th November 1944
McQUILLAN, Private, THOMAS, 14538022. Age 19.
6th November 1944
WORT, Private, ERNEST ALFRED HENRY, 5502538. Age 30. Son of George and Alice Wort, of Ash; husband of Rose Wort.
9th November 1944
The Battalion moved out of the area and had a week's rest and training near Maastricht, after which it returned with the Division and was moved from position to
position, carrying out a number of different roles, though the pattern throughout was much the same. For the forward companies there was always night patrolling, and
there was the usual spasmodic shelling and mortaring by the enemy, invariably returned in good measure. Often the enemy were very close and the battalion snipers came
into their own.
20th November 1944
BROOKS, Private, GEORGE, 5504081. Age 25. Son of Frederick and Alice Brooks, of Bilting, Kent.
HYDE, Private, ARTHUR WILLIAM, 5512402. Age 29. Son of William Samuel and Lottie Elsie Hyde, of Portsmouth; husband of Doreen Molesworth Hyde, of
Drayton, Portsmouth.
FAGG, Lance Serjeant, RONALD HILLARY, 5956181. Age 24. Son of Ernest Hillary Fagg and Louisa Fagg, of Watford, Hertfordshire.
21st November 1944
In one of the positions held by the Battalion in the Gilrath area, the enemy opposite occupied a line of villages on the reverse slope of a ridge so that their positions could
not be observed. The forward companies "A," "D," and "C," held a strip of wood about halfway up on our slope of the ridge. During the night a fighting patrol from "D"
Company got into an enemy "S" minefield and lost five killed and four wounded, including its leader, a most excellent soldier, Sergeant Cozens, M.M. The next night the
Company Commander, Major Braithwaite, took out a party to bring in the bodies of those killed. Two were recovered successfully, but the third set off a mine, wounding
Major Braithwaite and Captain C. B. Clarke and two men, one of whom was Sergeant Mussell, M.M.
During this period, in which both the 1st and 7th Battalions were in the same area, 21st Army Group was holding a line from the island north of Nijmegen to the
Geilenkirchen area, where it linked with the Americans. All the while the Allies were building up in preparation for the final operations, to cross the Rhine and thrust into
Germany itself.
22nd November 1944
GATES, Private, FRANCIS JAMES, 5732270. Age 36. Son of Francis James Gates and Lilies Maud Gates, of Jersey, Channel Islands; husband of Jeannette Gates.
GREEN, Private, CHARLES, 1773336. Age 24. Son of Charles and Francis Mary Green, of Ladywood, Birmingham.
BARROW, Private, CEDRIC HERBERT, 14496994. Age 18. Son of Herbert George and Elsie Dora Barrow, of Moulsecoomb, Brighton, Sussex.
BRYANT, Private, PERCY HAROLD, 5501391. Age 24.
COLEMAN, Private, JOSEPH, 5504118. Age 27. Son of M. Joseph and May Coleman; husband of Florence Coleman.
26th November 1944
JENNER, Lance Serjeant, WILLIAM HERBERT CHARLES, 5500973. Age 23. Son of Fredrick Charles and Eva Maud Jenner, of Bournemouth, Hampshire;
husband of Joan Jenner, of Boscombe, Bournemouth.
27th November 1944
MARTIN, Lance Corporal, JAMES, 14436531. Age 19. Son of James and Irene Clara Martin, of Southsea, Portsmouth.
STILING, Private, ALBERT EDWIN, 5626395. Age 29. Son of Charles and Ellen Stiling; husband of Annie Catherine Stiling, of Challacombe, Devon.
28th November 1944
HARRISON, Private, FRANK CHARLES, 5512389. Age 26
14th December 1944
CRAW, Lance Corporal, JOSEPH, 3049536. Age 38. Son of William and Mary Ann Craw, of Edinburgh; husband of Marjory Ogilvie Craw, of Craigmillar,
Edinburgh.
19th December 1944
The 43rd Division was about to move back to a rest area to prepare for the projected large-scale operations to advance to the Rhine, when the Ardennes offensive forced
a change of plan. Accordingly 130th Brigade was directed to an area north of Liege to protect the bridges over the Meuse, and the 7th Hampshire moved to Hasselt and
then to Celles (Liege), to secure the bridges at Huy and Seraing. They were also to deal with any enemy paratroopers that might be dropped in that area. Fortunately, no
enemy appeared and, thanks to the considerable good will and friendliness of the local inhabitants, the Battalion was able to enjoy a most satisfactory Christmas.
The 7th Battalion had been in Brussels for six days, and then it rejoined the 130th Brigade at Deurne in Belgium for the operation "Market Garden."
17th September 1944
HATCH, Private, WILLIAM ALBERT CHARLES, 14618070. Age 21. Son of John William and Rose Florence Hatch, of Holloway, London.
20th September 1944
After a series of conferences at Army, Corps and Divisional levels, the Brigade moved through Eindhoven to Grave. The first task for the 7th Battalion was to clear part
of Nijmegen, but no enemy were encountered. The Battalion then took over the responsibility of protecting the southern ends of the two great bridges over the Waal, with
one troop of tanks, one section of antitank guns and one of 3-inch mortars in support of each pair of companies.
At this time strenuous efforts were being made to link up with the Airborne Division at Arnhem, and 214th Brigade was already in action south of Elst while 129th
Brigade was over the Waal ready to pass through it to secure a bridgehead over the Lek at Arnhem. The 130th Brigade was then to pass through 129th Brigade into
Arnhem itself and clear the town of the enemy.
21st September 1944
GERRISH, Private, LLEWELLYN, 14704250. Age 18.
HOSKINS, Private, FRANK, 1734540. Age 37. Son of Frank and Ellen Hoskins; husband of Annie Hoskins, of Manchester.
WRIGHT, Private, ERNEST, 2088120. Age 23. Son of James Edward and Ada Wright, of Levenshulme, Manchester.
23rd September 1944
But when the breakthrough into Arnhem failed, 130th Brigade received new orders and was sent forward on to Driel to the west of the other two brigades, who were still
battling furiously in the Valburg EIst area. The objective of 130th Brigade was to occupy the south bank of the Lek from Driel to Heteren and to try to contact the
airborne troops cut off on the north bank. The 7th Hampshire, on the left of the 5th Dorsets, were to link up with the 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment, who were
protecting the Division's left flank.
The Battalion reached its allotted area without incident and found that the high bank which ran along the south side of the river varied in distance to the water's edge from
about two hundred yards to half a mile or more. The situation was further complicated by the fact that the opposite bank rose steeply and dominated the south bank,
which was without a vestige of cover. The Battalion had three companies up: "B" Company (Major Chesham) on the right, in patrol touch with the 5th Dorsets, "A"
Company (Major Viner) in the center, and "D" (Major Braithwaite) on the left. "C" Company (Major Nayler) was in reserve, and there was a squadron of I3th/I8th
Hussars, and one platoon of medium machine guns from 8th Middlesex. When the Battalion took up their positions, a number of enemy antiaircraft guns in the open were
gleefully engaged by the Battalion's mortars and supporting artillery with very good results. The Battalion was in this position for eleven days, until the 4th October,
during which the snipers on the dyke road did some excellent work. In the eleven days continuous action the Battalion was involved in three different affairs.
24th September 1944
The first was at night when "B" and "C" Companies, commanded by the Second-in-Command, Major Rooke, helped in the very gallant crossing of the River Lek made by
the 4th Dorsets. "C" Company assisted in loading the assault boats with stores, while "B" Company helped to ferry the boats across. Unfortunately, boat casualties and the
strong current made the task exceedingly difficult and only about five loads of medical equipment, food and ammunition were ultimately landed on the other bank.
25th September 1944
HADLUM, Private, JOSEPH FRANCIS, 14716122. Age 18. Son of Francis and Ada Mary Hadlum, of Ashford, Kent.
KING, Serjeant, CHARLES WILLIAM, 5954113. Age 26. Son of William George and Annie Maud King, of Luton, Bedfordshire; husband of Alice King, of Luton.
26th September 1944
SMITH, Lance Corporal, SIDNEY ARTHUR HENRY, 5512260. Age 30. Son of Sidney Charles Hamilton Smith and Margaret Ellen Smith; husband of Kathleen
Mary Smith, of Waterlooville, Hampshire.
28th September 1944
TURNER, Sergeant, PHILLIP JOHN, 5506426. Age 31.
27th September 1944
The second affair was at night when a small force of enemy managed to cross the river in front of the 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment, opposite to Renkum and began to
infiltrate towards Heteren. "C" Company, supported by a troop of tanks, went to deal with this situation and a violent battle flared up. The enemy were numerically
stronger than "C" Company, but the company contained them all day until they were mopped up by a battalion of 214th Brigade attacking from the south.
29th September 1944
BARNETT, Private, LESLIE ALBERT EDWARD, 14436173. Age 18. Son of Reginald Ruben Victor and Bertha May Barnett, of Moulsecoombe, Brighton, Sussex.
PETHYBRIDGE, Lance Corporal, KENNETH JOHN, 14680907. Age 19. Son of Percival Redvers Pethybridge and Ivy Minnie Pethybridge, of Whitehill,
Hampshire.
30th September 1944
NYE, Private, GRAHAM, 14724376. Age 18. Son of James W. and Phyllis M. Nye, of Grays, Essex.
1st October 1944
The third affair was when a party of the enemy got across the river and occupied a factory in front of "B" Company, holding the bridgehead they had won with the
greatest determination. For the next four days repeated attempts were made by various companies in turn to dislodge him, but in vain. The enemy fought off every attack
with fanatical bravery, and although, in all, six assaults were made on his position none were completely successful.
The conditions presented several problems. Between the battalion positions and the factory area was some five hundred yards of marshy exposed ground. Several of the
Battalion's attacks were made more difficult by a heavy river mist which reduced visibility to a yard. Moreover the enemy had well-sited machine guns among the
confused tangle of factory buildings.
During the many attacks on the factory buildings there were many examples of personal gallantry. The second-in-command of "D" Company, Captain H. J. Anaka, a
Canadian officer serving with the Battalion, attacked a machine-gun post single-handed with a Bren gun and slew several of the enemy before he himself fell mortally
wounded. Private Barlow went in firing his Bren gun from the hip and killed at least four before he was himself killed by a grenade. On another occasion Sergeant A. R.
Powell led his platoon in several gallant but unsuccessful efforts to work his way closer to the enemy, until he was ordered to withdraw. He controlled the withdrawal
with the greatest skill, though he himself was wounded, and he carried one of his own wounded men to safety across a distance of over two hundred yards, over ground
swept by fire. Sergeant Powell received the M.M.
Sergeant H; Bailey, commanding a platoon in an attack on the factory buildings, succeeded in getting his men so close to the enemy and in such a commanding position
that he was able to use his Bren guns with devastating effect. Unfortunately, it was not possible to get the remainder of his company up to him and Sergeant Bailey was
ordered to withdraw his platoon. This he did brilliantly, although they had now been brought under very heavy fire. Sergeant Bailey's coolness and personal courage in the
action of 27th September, and again in the attack on the factory, were recognized by the award of the M.M.
1st October 1944
WESCOTT, Corporal, EDWARD ARTHUR JAMES, 5500388. Age 27. Son of Horace Davey Wescott and Alice Mary Wescott, of Boscombe, Bournemouth,
Hampshire. His brother Robert Charles also died on service.
YELDING, Lance Corporal, PERCY, 5502763. Age 29. Husband of Margaret Yelding.
PARKER, Corporal, WILLIAM THOMAS GEORGE, 5509081.Age 33.
LAWTON, Private, ALBERT EDWARD, 5827483. Age 19. Son of Mary Lawton, of Egremont, Wallasey, Cheshire.
LOVER, Private, LEONARD, 14724558. Age 19.
PRENTICE, Lance Corporal, SIDNEY WALTER, 5953526. Age 28. Son of Charles William and Ellen Prentice, of Hildersham, Cambridgeshire.
2nd October 1944
RIX, Private, DONALD JAMES, 14440557. Age 18. Son of Sidney Thomas Rix and Florence Januarye Rix, of Downham Market, Norfolk.
MORRISON, Serjeant, CYRIL, 2931034. Age 26. Son of Peter and Mabel Morrison; husband of Dorothy Ingham Morrison, of Wallasey, Cheshire.
RHEAD, Private, JOHN WILLIAM, 5050972. Age 24. Son of Arthur Edgar and Mary Rhead, of Stoke-on-Trent; husband of Marion Rhead, of Abbey Hulton,
Stoke-on-Trent.
SHELDON, Private, STANLEY GEORGE, 4919135. Age 26. Son of George and Hannah Sheldon; husband of Mary Charlotte Sheldon, of Rickhill, Co. Armagh,
Northern Ireland.
TRAIN, Corporal, ARCHIBALD, 5953902. Age 29
WARD, Captain, EDWARD ARTHUR COPE, 126414. Age 36. Son of Arthur John and Mabele Jennifer Ward; husband of Patricia Mary Ward, of Chelsea,
London.
3rd October 1944
ROWELL, Private, REGINALD, 14709673. Age 19. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Rowell, of Enfield, Middlesex.
ANDREWS, Corporal, DOUGLAS HARRY, 5502096. Age 25. Son of Alfred and Bessie Andrews, of Moordown, Bournemouth, Hampshire.
AGAMBAR, Private, FRANK CHARLES, 14575766. Age 19. Son of Thomas Frank and Sarah Rose Agambar, of Islington, London.
THOMPSON, Private, KENNETH JAMES WILLIAM, 14709690. Age 19. Son of William James Thompson and Louisa Ethel Thompson, of Borden, Kent.
YOUNG, Corporal, JOHN ANDREW, 5989620. Age 22. Son of John Andrew and Mary Young; husband of Ellen Johanna Young, of Poplar, London.
BARLOW, Private, ERNEST THEODORE, 13053490. Age 24. Son of Siegmund and Stephanie Baruch, of Oporto, Portugal.
STOCK, Lance Corporal, RICHARD CHARLES, 4399548. Age 21.
ELLIOTT, Corporal, GEOFFREY GORDON, 14569827. Age 19. Son of Stanley Charles and Annie Elliott, of Hinton Ampner, Hampshire.
4th October 1944
Another M.M. was won by Sergeant S. Mussell in one of the last attacks on the bridgehead in the early hours. Sergeant Mussell personally controlled his sections in the
confused enemy positions, moving from one to the other and exposing himself to heavy and close enemy machine-gun and grenade fire. When a grenade burst near him
he calmly removed the pieces of phosphorus from his legs and carried on, taking his platoon right on to its objective, destroying several enemy machine-gun positions and
killing at least twenty of the enemy.
Throughout this bitter and close fighting at the bridgehead which the enemy defended so very stubbornly, every one of Colonel Talbot's men fought magnificently, and
none more so than Major C. G. T. Viner, who was awarded the M.C. He manned an exposed observation post himself on 2nd October and brought punishing fire to bear
on the enemy crossing the river to reinforce the bridgehead, and on the 3rd and 4th he led "A" Company against the enemy positions with great skill and dash.
The Battalion was relieved on the evening of 4th October after four days' violent fighting against the German bridgehead, in which it lost one hundred and fifty all ranks.
Among those killed were, as well as Captain Anaka, Captain Ward, and Lieutenants A. E. Hope and W. Jenkins.
In addition, Captain O. D. Quy and three other officers were wounded.
The Battalion then moved south to the Gromsbeek Mook area on the Dutch German border facing the Reichswald Forest for a month, being relieved and relieving other
battalions in the Division as brigade sectors were changed over. There was much patrolling, and snipers with the forward companies often sent back valuable information
by patrolling forward alone and getting to within a few yards of the enemy. Throughout this whole period, of course, the Battalion suffered much shelling, and there was
always the added discomfort of the very bad weather.
EMMETT, Lance Corporal, LESLIE MAURICE, 14406267. Age 20. Son of Eli Robert and Elsie May Emmett, of Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire.
ROSE, Private, ROBERT RICHARD, 14412720. Age 20.
ALDRICH, Lance Serjeant, JOHN MARIA, 5504020. Age 27. Adopted son of Charles and Antonia Aldrich; husband of Marjorie Hilda Aldrich, of Slough,
Buckinghamshire.
PEACH, Private, LESLIE SAMUEL, 6400700. Age 27. Son of Florence Peach; nephew of Mr. J. F. Atfield, of Horsham, Sussex.
CARTER, Private, RICHARD MICHAEL JOHN, 14424430. Age 19. Son of Richard and Marion Florence Frances Carter, of Basingstoke, Hampshire.
ANAKA, Captain, HARRY JOHN, CDN/123. Royal Canadian Infantry Corps attd. 7th Bn Hampshire Regiment.
LOMAS, Private, HARVEY, 4804655. Age 26.
MEECH, Private, RANDOLPH EDWIN STANLEY, 5505458. Age 29. Son of Florence Meech, of Wimborne, Dorsetshire..
OUGHTON, Lance Serjeant, HARRY EDWARD, 5505847. Age 30. Son of Harry Edward Oughton and of Lily Maud Oughton (nee Cane), of Portsmouth.
5th October 1944
JENKINS, Second Lieutenant, WILLIAM, 333904. Age 30. Son of William and Louisa Jenkins; husband of Iris Elsie Jenkins, of Southsea, Hampshire.
8th October 1944
BETTS, Private, HARRY, 5393491. Age 23. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Betts, of Tetsworth, Oxfordshire.
9th October 1944
MORRIS, Private, RONALD WILLIAM, 5498738. Age 26. Son of William and Elizabeth Morris; husband of Mary Morris, of Boscombe, Bournemouth, Hampshire.
WHITE, Private, WILLIAM JEFFREY, 14626604. Age 19. Son of William George and Florence Mary White, of Willesden, Middlesex.
11th October 1944
PEASE, Private, ELLIOT ARTHUR, 5506369. Age 30. Son of Arthur George and Amy Pease; husband of Gestured Ada Pease; of Gosport, Hampshire.
15th October 1944
BAKER, Private, BASIL NORMAN, 14436886. Age 18.
21st October 1944
OSMAN, Private, WALTER THOMAS, 5503473.
24th October 1944
PHILLIPS, Lance Corporal, WILLIAM LEONARD, 5958113. Age 31. Son of Harry Leonard and Edith Phillips; husband of Viola Phillips, of Ponder's End,
Enfield, Middlesex
25th October 1944
COLYER, Private, ERNEST CHARLES, 14572632. Age 19.
26th October 1944
LONGHURST, Lance Corporal, JACK ARTHUR MADDOCK, 5500675. ge 27. Foster-son of Mrs. E. L. Childs, of Boscombe East, Bournemouth, Hampshire.
28th October 1944
JENKINS, Private, RONALD GEORGE, 14675644. Age 19. Son of Thomas and Linda Ethel Jenkins, of Shefford, Bedfordshire.
OATEN, Private, KENNETH FREDERICK, 14439962. Age 18. Son of Frederick and Elsie May Oaten, of Sidley, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex.
4th November 1944
McQUILLAN, Private, THOMAS, 14538022. Age 19.
6th November 1944
WORT, Private, ERNEST ALFRED HENRY, 5502538. Age 30. Son of George and Alice Wort, of Ash; husband of Rose Wort.
9th November 1944
The Battalion moved out of the area and had a week's rest and training near Maastricht, after which it returned with the Division and was moved from position to
position, carrying out a number of different roles, though the pattern throughout was much the same. For the forward companies there was always night patrolling, and
there was the usual spasmodic shelling and mortaring by the enemy, invariably returned in good measure. Often the enemy were very close and the battalion snipers came
into their own.
20th November 1944
BROOKS, Private, GEORGE, 5504081. Age 25. Son of Frederick and Alice Brooks, of Bilting, Kent.
HYDE, Private, ARTHUR WILLIAM, 5512402. Age 29. Son of William Samuel and Lottie Elsie Hyde, of Portsmouth; husband of Doreen Molesworth Hyde, of
Drayton, Portsmouth.
FAGG, Lance Serjeant, RONALD HILLARY, 5956181. Age 24. Son of Ernest Hillary Fagg and Louisa Fagg, of Watford, Hertfordshire.
21st November 1944
In one of the positions held by the Battalion in the Gilrath area, the enemy opposite occupied a line of villages on the reverse slope of a ridge so that their positions could
not be observed. The forward companies "A," "D," and "C," held a strip of wood about halfway up on our slope of the ridge. During the night a fighting patrol from "D"
Company got into an enemy "S" minefield and lost five killed and four wounded, including its leader, a most excellent soldier, Sergeant Cozens, M.M. The next night the
Company Commander, Major Braithwaite, took out a party to bring in the bodies of those killed. Two were recovered successfully, but the third set off a mine, wounding
Major Braithwaite and Captain C. B. Clarke and two men, one of whom was Sergeant Mussell, M.M.
During this period, in which both the 1st and 7th Battalions were in the same area, 21st Army Group was holding a line from the island north of Nijmegen to the
Geilenkirchen area, where it linked with the Americans. All the while the Allies were building up in preparation for the final operations, to cross the Rhine and thrust into
Germany itself.
22nd November 1944
GATES, Private, FRANCIS JAMES, 5732270. Age 36. Son of Francis James Gates and Lilies Maud Gates, of Jersey, Channel Islands; husband of Jeannette Gates.
GREEN, Private, CHARLES, 1773336. Age 24. Son of Charles and Francis Mary Green, of Ladywood, Birmingham.
BARROW, Private, CEDRIC HERBERT, 14496994. Age 18. Son of Herbert George and Elsie Dora Barrow, of Moulsecoomb, Brighton, Sussex.
BRYANT, Private, PERCY HAROLD, 5501391. Age 24.
COLEMAN, Private, JOSEPH, 5504118. Age 27. Son of M. Joseph and May Coleman; husband of Florence Coleman.
26th November 1944
JENNER, Lance Serjeant, WILLIAM HERBERT CHARLES, 5500973. Age 23. Son of Fredrick Charles and Eva Maud Jenner, of Bournemouth, Hampshire;
husband of Joan Jenner, of Boscombe, Bournemouth.
27th November 1944
MARTIN, Lance Corporal, JAMES, 14436531. Age 19. Son of James and Irene Clara Martin, of Southsea, Portsmouth.
STILING, Private, ALBERT EDWIN, 5626395. Age 29. Son of Charles and Ellen Stiling; husband of Annie Catherine Stiling, of Challacombe, Devon.
28th November 1944
HARRISON, Private, FRANK CHARLES, 5512389. Age 26
14th December 1944
CRAW, Lance Corporal, JOSEPH, 3049536. Age 38. Son of William and Mary Ann Craw, of Edinburgh; husband of Marjory Ogilvie Craw, of Craigmillar,
Edinburgh.
19th December 1944
The 43rd Division was about to move back to a rest area to prepare for the projected large-scale operations to advance to the Rhine, when the Ardennes offensive forced
a change of plan. Accordingly 130th Brigade was directed to an area north of Liege to protect the bridges over the Meuse, and the 7th Hampshire moved to Hasselt and
then to Celles (Liege), to secure the bridges at Huy and Seraing. They were also to deal with any enemy paratroopers that might be dropped in that area. Fortunately, no
enemy appeared and, thanks to the considerable good will and friendliness of the local inhabitants, the Battalion was able to enjoy a most satisfactory Christmas.
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