224825 Cpl. William Monk MID.British Army 2nd Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry from:Plymouth My father was Corporal William Albert Ernest Monk DCLI. When I was born, I assume he would probably have been serving in North Africa with his Regiment. I was born in Looe in East Cornwall while Mr Hitler was bombing the life out of Plymouth where both my parents came from. So along with many other expectant mothers at that time they were evacuated to Cornwall.
Sadly my parents divorced in 1951 and I never saw my father after that. I recall seeing a notice in the local paper to say that he passed away about 10 years ago. I remembered that he had wartime medals and that my brother buried them in the back garden (don't ask me why). They were recovered as I recall. I know that he was a useful boxer and represented the Battalion. I know this because I later joined the Army and transferred to The Army Physical Training Corps and was told by the senior officer in the Corps at that time that he knew my father when attached to the Battalion as their PT instructor.
I researched his MID in the supplement to the London gazette on page 7188 dated 20th of December 1940 where he is listed along with Lt Col EGM Porcelli, presumably the CO; Major (Bt Lt Col) WKM Leader,MC; Major (A/Lt Col) EN Willyams DSO; Major JC Phillippo (listed as 'Since deceased'). There were two captains, two 2nd Lieutenants, a WO2, two Sergeants and a L.Cpl. The final two were privates at the time, my father and R Dalby. The Btn formed part of the BEF that was evacuated from Dunkirk. I have tried researching the action for their award but the MOD are less than helpful. The reason for the award of an MID is not recorded. Requests for dates and theatres of war are not available for some unknown reason.
I retired from the Army as a Major but sadly never had the opportunity to talk to my father about his wartime service. I joined the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment in Libya in 1961 and often wondered whether my father travelled the same areas of the desert I exercised over. It was difficult to imagine the stresses the young men at that time endured with little natural terrain for cover and minimal protection from the sun and sand storms. It was bad enough with no one trying to shoot at you so they deserve all the respect later generations sometimes fail give.
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