Fallen heroes remembered

Ironbridge War Memorial before it was moved to the bridge in 1966

Lest we forget… But on this day, Armistice Day, who truly remembers the names on the local war memorial?

There can be only a handful of people alive who have first hand recollections of the fallen of World War One. Rather more can bring to mind those who sacrificed their lives in World War Two.

Len Beeston, an Ironbridge man with a thirst for local history and who died in about 1984, made a point of recording some recollections of local lads who died in the 1939-45 conflict.

It is not clear if they were all his own memories ­ born in 1927, he would have been only 18 at war’s end ­ or he was drawing to some extent on the recollections and knowledge of others.

He jotted down his notes in a booklet – loaned to us by his sister, Mrs Gertie Edwards – which, many years after his own death, brings to life once more some of these Ironbridge heroes.

• WALTER GETHIN ­ “Welsh Guards, killed 1944, near Caen. Known as Wally to his many friends. He lived in The Woodlands before he was married. He had a great sense of humour. Never a dull moment in Wally’s company.”

• JACKIE BIGGS ­ “Royal Navy. Lost at sea. Jackie lived in Chapel Row. His parents later moved to Wrekin View. Jackie did his six weeks’ seamanship and four weeks¹ training at HMS Collingwood, Fareham.”

• TOMMY BIGGS ­ “Royal Navy. Lost at sea. Tommy was a brother of Jackie, younger than Jackie. Like Jackie he volunteered and did his initial 10 weeks’ training at HMS Collingwood.”

• FREDDIE WILLIAMS ­ “Royal Air Force. Freddie was educated at the Coalbrookdale High School. He lived in the Lodge Houses. When he was doing his training for a pilot, he would come over Ironbridge in his Avro Anson plane and swoop low over his mother’s house on The Lodge.”

• BOB STEVENTON ­ “Army. Bob was educated at the Blue School. He lived with his parents in Severnside, ‘The Dip’.  A quiet lad, rather tall and quite capable of looking after himself.”

• HARRY RUSSELL ­ “Lance Bombardier R.H.A. killed in action March 1942. Harry lived in Madeley Road. He was 31 when he died. His entire troop were recommended collectively for the Croix de Guerre by the general commanding the Free French for the heroic conduct displayed in the face of the enemy. His wife received the medal 39 years after the award was made.”

• ALBERT BELLAMY ­ “Royal Artillery. Killed by enemy planes. Albert lived in The Woodlands, the son of Harry Bellamy, the Tontine Bank greengrocer. He was killed while manning the ack-ack guns against the Luftwaffe air attacks. He married Connie Childs and leaves his wife and two children.”

• JACKIE WALL ­ “Lived with his parents in Orchard Lane… in 1939 posted to the 4th Battalion KSLI… On July 2nd, 1944, RSM Wall was seriously wounded by mortar fire. On July 6, 1944, the battalion was saddened by the news that RSM had died of his wounds, which he received at Baron… He was one who always gave of his very best in every job he took.”

(This long entry may have been copied from a contemporary newspaper obituary)

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