Wheatley Hill 1939-45 Casualties C-H

Sunderland Echo 30/12/40: 'First Class Stoker J Burnside (26) of Wordsworth Avenue, Wheatley Hill, who has served in the Royal Navy for over four years, is officially reported missing.' Reported killed in Action: Sunderland Echo 11/1/41.

F Carr

Still to be researched

Chaytor, Pte Thomas Henry

Ex-Durham Light Infantry Prisoner of War. Died after his return to Wheatley Hill, on March 8th 1947, aged 28.

Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Chaytor of Wheatley Hill

Not listed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Buried Wheatley Hill Cemetery, Co Durham.

Eddy, Leading Stoker William C/KX 84571

HMS Curacoa, Royal Navy

Died: 2nd October 1942, aged 28

Son of William and Selina Eddy, of Wheatley Hill, Co Durham

Chatham Memorial, Kent, 61, 2

The Curacoa was a 'C' Class cruiser of 4,200 tons and was lost in one of the great forgotten tragedies of World War Two. On October 2nd 1942, the liner Queen Mary was approaching the Irish coast with 15,000 US troops aboard. HMS Curacoa was tasked with escorting the liner on the last part of her journey, but as the two zig-zagging ships closed in on each other, they collided and the Queen Mary, travelling at some 28 knots, sliced the cruiser in two. Fear of the U-boat threat meant that she was unable to stop to pick-up survivors. 338 died and only 26 were rescued. There was a news blackout on the incident until after the war.

English, Flt Lt William 117836

630 Squadron RAF

Died: 15th February 1944, aged 22

Son of Henry and Elsie English, of Wingate, Co Durham

Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery 6 D 20

630 Squadron was an Avro Lancaster heavy bomber squadron at this time.

Fletcher, L/Sgt Eric 1567978

7th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery

Died: 23rd March 1945, aged 25

No CGWC Next of Kin Details

Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, 53 D 16

Gibson, Boy 1st Class Gordon, P/JX 157592

HMS Royal Oak, Royal Navy

Died 14th October 1939, aged 17

Son of James and Helen Gibson, of Wheatley Hill, Co Durham

Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire, Panel 34, Column 2

The battleship HMS Royal Oak was sunk by the German U-Boat U-47 at Scapa Flow with the loss of 833 lives.

Sunderland Echo 16/10/39: Reported missing: Gordon Gibson (17) of 40 Quetlaw Road, Wheatley Hill. Joined the Royal Navy 1937, previously an underground datal boy at Wheatley Hill Colliery.

Grady, Gunner Martin 93588

130 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

Died: 30th June 1943, aged 24

Son of William and Katherine Ann Grady, of Wheatley Hill, Co Durham

Maynamati War Cemetery, Bangladesh 2 E 13

Martin Grady was in the same class at St Godric's RC School as Les Rowley of Wheatley Hill and Peter Wilson and Tom Tunney of Thornley, all of whom were taken POW in 1939-45.