The following is a list of the casulties of World War II, compiled by Philip and Janet Fryer [Details regarding H. Phillips supplied by Grace Hamilton nee Phillips]. For more details, where available, click on an individual name.
LONG BENNINGTON WAR MEMORIAL
NAME SERVICE No REGIMENT DATE OF DEATH CEMETERY
Sgt H S Headland 325810 Royal Armoured Corps 24/10/1942 El Alamein War Cemetery
Pte E W Loveless 2664728 Coldstream Guards 16/07/1944 Florence War Cemetery
Pte E North 4804095 Royal Engineers 10/07/1945 Cologne Southern Cemetery
Flt Sgt H Phillips 2200275 RAF Volunteer Reserve 22/03/1944 Gosselies Communal Cemetery
Joyce M Kirton Civilian War Casualty 07/03/1941 St. Swithun’s Long Bennington
JOYCE MAY KIRTON Civilian War Dead who died age 18 on 7th March 1941. Daughter of Mr. E. Kirton Valley Lane, Long Bennington, Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Newark Advertiser (12th March 1941)
RAID ON BUILDINGS IN N. MIDLANDS TOWN
SOME DEATHS: HARD WORK BY RESCUE PARTIES & OTHERS
The splendid morale of the public was a feature of the result of the bombing of buildings in a North Midlands town when an enemy raider dived from low clouds.
It was in the early afternoon when the rattle of anti-aircraft guns from the ground indicated that a Nazi plane was over the town. People in the streets dashed for shelter. Visibility was poor, but the noise of the plane could be heard. It flew into view, and bombs were seen leaving the machine. Bombs exploded and there was an accompaniment of fire from the machine guns positioned at vantage points. It was also stated there was some machine gunning from the plane.
Clouds of smoke indicated where the bombs had dropped. The ambulances of the Medical Services turned out quickly, and within a short time rescue squads were at work. These were later assisted by parties sent from other places in the region.
Second Attack
In the midst of the rescue work a plane - either the same one returning or another one - appeared out of the clouds, and its close proximity was indicated by another tattoo from ground defences. Another bomb was dropped, causing more damage, but the ambulance workers and rescue parties continued with their task.
Casualties were rushed with all speed to hospital, where stretcher party volunteers worked untiringly. Members of the Home Guard co-operated at vital points, and W.V.S. members instituted a liaison service between the hospital and relatives of the injured.
A highly placed official of the Civil Defence Services spoke appreciatively of the way the various sections came into operation. “The parties all functioned well,” he said, “and carried out in a cool way, under actual conditions, what they had been trained to do in practice tests.”
“It was a grim experience, but they stuck to it.”
All Worked Well
Two W.V.S. canteens which were quickly on the scene remained for some time providing food and tea for the rescue parties, and the Sub-Controller of the A.R.P. Services said the rendered exceptionally good service. “The ladies remained with their canteens,” he said, “cutting up and providing refreshment with only one thought - being of service to others.”
The members of the Medical Services did valuable work, and a typical comment was “Everybody put their backs into the job.
One girl victim had intended leaving her work at the week-end to get married, and a workman who was killed had only been discharged from the Army a few weeks ago.
When the Mayor of the town visited some of the injured in hospital he found them quite cheerful, and when he asked one young woman how she felt she replied “Champion.”
Newark Advertiser (19th March 1941)
LONG BENNINGTON
Obituary – The sympathy of the whole village goes to Mr. E. Kirton, Valley Lane, in the loss of his daughter, Joyce May, who died suddenly at the age of 18 years. The funeral took place yesterday week the Rev. F. C. Hamlyn officiating. Chief mourners were: Mr. E. Kirton (father), Miss Beryl Kirton, Mrs. Easingwood (sisters), Mr. W. Gulliver (brother), Pte. M. Mawman (fiancé), Mr. and Mrs. G. Kirton (grandparents), Mr. and Mrs. W. Kirton (aunt and uncle), Miss. B. Kirton (cousin), Mr. and Mrs. R. Cragg, Miss. J. Musgrove, Mr. and Mrs. Newton, Mrs. Town, Mrs. Thompson, Miss. D. Hall (friends). The bearers were Messrs. Chambers, Clews, Witcomb, Dring (old school friends). Deceased was a member of First Aid Post at Newark. There were many floral tributes.
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Sergeant HUGH STEVEN HEADLAND 325810 Royal Armoured Corps Nottinghamshire Yeomanry who died age 22 on 24th October 1942. Son of Charles Preston and Bertha Headland, Long Bennington, Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Newark Advertiser (11th November 1942)
KILLED IN EGYPT
Sergt H S Headland, of Long Bennington.
Official notification was received on Friday, by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Headland, Long Bennington, that their youngest son, Sergt. Hugh Steven Headland, had been killed in action in the Middle East.
Sergt. Headland, who was familiarly known as Peter to his many friends, was in the Yeomanry at the outbreak of war, and saw service in Palestine and Tobruk. He was subsequently transferred on active service to a Tank Unit, and it is believed met his death in the early stages of the recent offensive on October 24th.“ "Peter” Headland was a popular youth at Long Bennington, and a member of the Church choir. He was only 22 years of age, and worked before the war at Castle Motors, Newark. An enthusiastic motor-cyclist, Sergt. Headland took part in local races. Much sympathy has been expressed with the family.
ROLL OF HONOUR.
Headland – Killed in Action, with the M.E.F., on October 24th, Sergt. Hugh Steven (Peter) aged 22, of the Notts. Yeomanry, dearly loved youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Headland, of Long Bennington.
Photograph kindly supplied by Mrs Pam Willis, sister of Sergeant Headland.
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Sapper ERIC ROBERT NORTH 4804095 Royal Engineers 936 Port Construction and Repair Company who died age 26 on 10th July 1945. Son of Ernest and Ethel North and husband of Mrs. Gwendoline North, Church Street, Long Bennington, Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Newark Advertiser (8th August 1945)
DEATHS
North – On July 10th, 1945, Eric, the dearly loved husband of Gwendoline North, and daddy of Alan, accidentally killed on the Western Front.
Newark Advertiser (15th August 1945)
SAPPER E. NORTH OF LONG BENNINGTON.
Official notification has been received by Mrs. G. North, of Long Bennington, that her husband, Sapper Eric North, of the Royal Engineers was accidentally killed on the Western Front on July 10th 1945. He joined the Forces in 1939 and had seen service in Norway, Iceland, Normandy and then Germany, and it is distressing to find that after surviving these campaigns he should meet his death through and accident.
Before the war Sapper North was employed at Cafferata’s, Hawton.
Mrs. North wishes to thank all friends for their kindness and sympathy shown in her sudden bereavement.
The sympathy of the whole village is extended to Mrs. North and the little son, Alan, and also the parents, Mr. and Mrs. North. The members of Long Bennington branch of the British Legion met at the Memorial Garden on Sunday where a wreath was laid in memory of deceased and afterwards attended a service in the Parish Church, conducted by the Vicar, Rev. Bawtree Williams.
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Flight Sargeant HERBERT(BERT) PHILLIPS 2200275 RAF Volunteer Reserve who died on 22/03/1944 whilst on active service and is buried in Gosselies Communal Cemetery.
The family lived in Valley Lane and then Church Street, Long Bennington. Bert had two sisters, Doris and Grace. The following biography is supplied by Grace.
Herbert Weston (Bert) Philips was born on 10th May 1924. He attended Long Bennington Village School until he was aged 14 and then tried several jobs before commencing an apprenticeship at Worthington Simpson in Balderton.
In 1941, when Bert was 17 and a half he volunteered to join the RAF and was accepted for training as an Air Gunner. Subsequently he was made Flight Sergeant and was posted to Lissett near Driffield in East Yorkshire as mid-upper gunner in Halifax Bombers. With the same crew he had completed more than 20 raids. On the night of the 22nd/23rd March 1944 however their luck changed. Whist returning from a bombing raid on Frankfurt their plane was shot down over Belgium. There were no survivors. Bert was just 2 months short of his 20th birthday when he was killed. He now lies together with the other crew members in the services section of the town cemetery of Gosselies near Charleroi, Belgium. His name is also recorded in the RAF book of remembrance held at York Monster, which honours those who lost their lives whilst serving on Yorkshire airfields.