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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945



Remembering those who died this day.

  • Banks Thomas William. Sgt. (d.16th Dec 1944)
  • Emerson John Frederick Wallace. Sgt. (d.16th Dec 1944)
  • Fellner Frederick. Sgt.Mjr. (d.16th Dec 1944)
  • Hatchett Thomas Henry. Gnr. (d.16th Dec 1944)
  • Jones G.. Pte. (d.16th December 1944)
  • Peacock Raymond. Cpl. (d.16th Dec 1944)

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List



The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

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  • 22nd April 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 263973 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible.
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Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text.



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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home.

If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted. World War 1 One ww1 wwII second 1939 1945 battalion
Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.



Want to know more about the 16th of December 1944?


There are:21 items tagged 16th of December 1944 available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.




Stories from 16th December 1944





Cpl. Leslie Shafer?. Army, 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.

I'm search for many years a Corporal Leslie, or his relatives, the surname from Leslie I don't know, on one of the photo?s is his signature and the name look like Shafer. He was round begin December 1944 with his unit in the village of Vught and he often visite us in our home in Hertogenbosch province Nord Brabant-Holland. So far I know he has served in the 51th Highland Division, 152nd Brigade, 5th Bn. Queen Own Cameron Highlanders. Leslie must go with his unit on 16 December 1944 to the Ardennes in Belgium and was billeted in Chaudfontaine on 3 January 1945.

My information say, that his unit returned on 18 January 1945 back in the village of Vught, but we have never more somewhat heard from him.

Who can help me to find him or his relatives, I hope that someone recognize or identify this man on the photo ? He is not Leslie Thompson from Inverness !

 

Leslie with pipe.


Leslie's signature

On the backrow, place two from the rightside: Leslie, Carrier platoon, Cameron Highlanders.

I will know, is he alive or what is happened after he left our family in December 1944. I thank you in advance that you maybe can help me?

Bert Buitenhuis



Sgt.Mjr. Frederick Fellner. MiD. British Army, Royal Regiment of Artillery. (d.16th Dec 1944)

My great uncle Fredrick Fellner, was in Stalag 3a and was killed on the 16th of December 1944 before the war ended. My mother was told by her mother's friend's sister that he was shot while trying to escape but I can't find anything to prove this. I'd love to know a little more. The photographs are of him with other soldiers in India and another of what we believe could be Stalag 3a.

Avril Killeen



Cpl. Raymond Peacock. British Army, Intelligence Corps. (d.16th Dec 1944)

Raymond Peacock died aged 23, born ub Jarrow in 1921, he was the son of John Henderson and Ellen Elizabeth Peacock (nee Davidson) of Jarrow. He is buried in Jarrow Cemetery and is commemorated on the WW2 Roll of Honour Plaque in the entrance of Jarrow Town Hall.

Vin Mullen



Gnr. Thomas Henry Hatchett. British Army, 15th Btn. Durham Light Infantry. (d.16th Dec 1944)

On 16th of December 1944, the Rex Cinema in Antwerp, which was packed full of people, was the subject of a direct hit by a V2 rocket, which killed some 290 Allied personnel, together with many Belgium civilians. One of these people was my grandmother's cousin, Harry Hatchett, of the Royal Durham Light Infantry. Is there anybody out there who has any more information about this incident or could perhaps help with recollections?

Update: Ten minutes before the rocket fell I was one of four friends who had stopped outside the cinema wondering whether to go in. I remember it was showing a Gary Cooper western which I had not seen. One of our party went in. For some unknown reason I decided to go to a cinema across the street showing a film of which I have no memory. The other two walked on. I had barely sat down when there was an explosion and the roof fell in. I staggered out to see a scene of devastation across the road. There was nothing I could do that was not being being done so I walked away. I never saw my friend again.

Stuart Burbridge



Pte. G. Jones. North Caribbean Force, Bahamas Defence Coy.. (d.16th December 1944)

Private G. Jones is remembered on the Nassau Memorial in the Bahamas.

The Nassau Memorial commemorates Commonwealth servicemen of both World Wars who lie buried in cemeteries or churchyards, but whose graves have become impossible to maintain.

s flynn



Sgt. John Frederick Wallace Emerson. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 106 Squadron. (d.16th Dec 1944)

Flight Engineer John Emerson was the Son of Egerton Arthur Emerson and of Constance Emerson (nee Faiers), of Drogheda, Co. Louth, Irish Republic. He had also been a Lieutenant with the 26th (Dublin) Co. Boys' Brigade. He was 24 when he died and is buried in the Anholt Cemetery in Denmark in a Collective Grave.

s flynn










Can you help us to add to our records?

The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them


Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area?

If so please let us know.

Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.




Celebrate your own Family History

Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.

Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.














The free section of the Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers. We have been helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items.

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