The Wartime Memories Project - The Second World War

Those who Served - Surnames beginning with B.

Surnames Index


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

Thomas Leslie "Ralph" Bellamy .     Royal Navy HMS Nigeria

Thomas Leslie Bellamy served on HMS Nigeria as a RDF operator, his nick name was Ralph after the actor Ralph Bellamy. The names on this list I received from Mr Bellamy’s daughter are of RDF operators who served with Mr Bellamy.

  • Jock Gross
  • Johnny Bull
  • Andy Ewing
  • Glynn Palmer from Swansea
  • John McPherson

Mr Bellamy has given me some photographs, they are of historic value and as far as Mr Bellamy knows there are only two of HMS Nigeria listing after the torpedo strike.




Sergeant F W Bellamy. .     Royal Air Force No.149 Sqd. (d.6th June 1944)




Flight Sergeant Dominic Bellantino .     RCAF 434 Squadron

My uncle Dominic Bellantino served with the RCAF in 424 Squadron and was killed on the 7th March 1945. He is buried at Rheinberg War Cemetery.

I believe he was stationed at Skipton on Swale and was a gunner for a Lancaster "N". The pilot of his plane was W.D. Lighthall. Does anyone have have some info or photos of his squadron, his plane, etc. or any photos of the Air Base at that time?




Trpr. Bellesby .     British Army Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons

I have a photo of soldiers taken in Palestine: Trooper Bellesby of the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons aka Halifax Cowboys on his horse Starlet, and Pte P S Blakeman, C Coy 1st Btn Essex Regiment, with others.




Pte John Bellew .     Britsh Army 4th Btn Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry   from Wordsley, England

(d.20th May 1940)




L/Cpl Richard Bellingall .     British Army 2nd Btn. Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)   from Manchester

(d.2nd Aug 1942)




F/O. Kenneth G. Bellingham .     Royal Air Force 106 Squadron   from Leeds, Yorkshire

(d.21st Jun 1944)

Ken Bellingham and I were in the same form at Leeds Modern School from 1932 to 1935. After graduation, I never saw Ken until 20th June 1944. I was in my office in the station store when a F/O walked in. I looked up and said "Hello, Ken, what brings you here" His reply was that he was pilot to a replacement crew lost a few days previously in 106 Squadron and that he was scheduled to go out that night. I never saw him again, he was killed on 21st June, but wrote a letter of condolence to his parents, and saw that his possessions were dispatched to the same address.




Sgt. Edward Henry Bellion .     British Army 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards   from Liverpool

Ted Bellion served with the 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards.




George "Judder" Bellion .     Royal Navy HMS Sirius




Ldg. Stkr. Arthur Bellis .     Royal Navy HMS Dorsetshire   from Church, Lancashire

(d.5th Apr 1942)




F/Lt. Iorwerth "Ted" Bellis DFC..     Royal Air Force 21 Squadron   from MOLD

I don't know too much about my father, Ted Bellis. He never told us too much, although I know he suffered what is is now termed as post-traumatic stress disorder, for many years after the war. He was part of the Aarhus Gestapo headquarter raid and received a letter and cuff links from the Danish resistance thanking him for his participation. He also flew with Ted Pennell, navigator, who sustained a serious leg injury during a raid with my father resulting in the loss of the limb.

True heroes for whom I have the ultimate respect. If anyone knew of them I'd love to see or read any stories.

Editor's Note:- There were 2 raids on the Gestapo Headquarters, at Aarhus. The first was on 31st October 1944 and the second (Operation Carthage) was on the 21st March 1945.




A Bellshaw .     British Army 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment Reconnaissance Corps

A Bellshaw served with the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment Reconnaissance Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




Sglmn. Stanley Roy Belsey .     Royal Navy Beach Signal Sec. 1 Royal Navy Signal Division   from Croydon, Surrey

Royal Naval Beach Signal Section 1

My father, Stanley Belsey was a part of Royal Naval Beach Signal Section 1. He carried out landings at Arakan, Rangoon, Port Moresby, and Port Dickson, and was at HMS Chinkara in 1946.




D Belshaw .     British Army

D Belshaw served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




AB. David Belshaw .     Royal Navy HMS Bedouin   from Ashington, Northumberland

(d.4th March 1942)

David Belshaw was only 18 years old when he was washed overboard on 4th March 1942.




Sgt. James Henry Belter .     United States Army

This is a brief story about my grandfather James Henry Belter during his service in WWII while at the Battle of Anzio in Italy. This information was passed down through other family members as he died of a massive heart attack in early August of 1968, which was just a bit over eight years before I was born.

Sometime during the Allied invasion at Anzio while in fierce battle, Sgt Belter was captured by the Germans and was briefly a prisoner in a marching line of other soldiers. His location in the line was at the very end where he walked alongside another American Army prisoner. A Nazi guard followed directly behind them on foot as well. Apparently sensing an advantage at the end of this march, Sgt Belter and the other troop member made small talk taking note that the guard understood not a word of English. At this, they plotted an attack and escape where they were able to physically overcome the guard, beat and choke him to death, take his rifle and pistol and get away undetected by other guards further up the marching line.

Beyond this information I know little else and apparently grandpa Jim did not like to talk about his time fighting in the war. I did inherit the pistol he took off the guard which is a CZ Model 27 .32ACP caliber single action semi-auto handgun holding 10+1 rounds - including holster and additional magazine. The gun itself was a Czech made firearm with Nazi markings identifying it from the period of time Hitler had control of Czechoslovakia industries supplying the German war effort. I keep one of his dog tags on a small tag chain attached to and hanging from the trigger guard. I would have loved to have known him in this world. But I know I will get to see him some day on the other side. Damn proud of what he did in fighting and surviving a very bad campaign during the war.




L. W. Belton .     Auxiliary Fire Service Horsham




John Belyk .     Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Sqd.




Sgt. Adriaan Cornelis Bemmel .     Dutch Army   from Holland




L/Cpl. John Charles Bemmer .     British Army East Kent Regiment   from Middlesex, England

My dad, John Bemmer was a POW in Poland. He was captured at Dunkirk at the start of the war and as far as I know was sent to Marienburg Stalag 20B He was in the Buffs. He never once spoke of his time in the camps. We didn't know till he died and I started to do some research on his time in the Second World War.

I would be forever grateful for any information so I can tell my mum what my dad went through as we know nothing of his life. He used to tell me stories as I grew up but not once did he say he was a prisoner of war. He kept that a secret to his grave. Which I find that so sad as I'm so proud of what he and those other young men had to endure so we could have our freedom today. I don't want my dad's memory to disappear I want to keep it alive. Hopefully someone can help me in my quest.




Pte. Herbert Hall Bemrose .     British Army 5th Btn. Queens Own Cameron Highlanders (d.30th December 1944)

Herbert Bemrose died on the 30th December 1944 aged 34, he was serving with 5th Bn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. Son of Samuel and Jess Bemrose and husband of I. H. Bemrose. He is buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.




Pte Herbert Hall Bemrose .     British Army 5th Btn Cameron Highlanders (d.30th Dec 1944)




Gnr. Johannes M. Benade .     South African Artillery 4 Field Regt.   from Simonstown, Cape Province

(d.21st July 1941)

Gunner Benade was the Son of Gerhardus and Johanna Benade; husband of E. J. C. Benade, of Simonstown, Cape Province.

He was 30 and is buried in the Goedgevonden Farm Burial Ground, Klerksdorp, South Africa.




Kenneth Benally .     US Army F Company 180th Regiment   from New Mexico




W/O James Benbow DFM..     Royal Air Force 97 Squadron.   from Newport Road, Middlesbrough

Jim Benbow, with his wife Madge, owned 'Jims Cafe' on Newport Road, Middlesbrough in the 1930s and 40s. He volunteered for RAF service in September 1940 as an air gunner. He joined 97 Squadron and flew with Pilot Ernest Deverill. Together the crew were involvd in many famous bombings raids icluding the 1000 bomber raids over Cologne, Essen and Bremen. >Also the famous armament works at Le Creusot, for which Jim received the DFM.

After a full tour of duty then teaching others in Scotland the crew reformed to fly again with 97 Squadron (now Pathfinders) and now based at Bourn. On the 17th December 1943 after a successful raid over Berlin they returned to find thick fog and unable to land diverted to Graveley. With little fuel they attempted to land and crashed in the fuel store. Jim was the only survivor but with a badly broken leg and severe burns he was placed under the famous plastic surgeon McIndoe at East Grinstead Hospital, where all McIndoe's patients formed 'The Guinea Pig Club'. Jim returned to Middlebrough in 1945 for the birth of his son Peter and to continue the cafe business. He never fully recovered from his injuries and died 11 years later in 1956, at the age of 47.




Harold Thomas Bender .     Royal Marines HMS Warspite

We know my dad Harry Bender served on HMS Warspite as we have some wonderful pictures of him on board. He died over 25 years ago but never spoke of his time on board. We think he served on another ship and we are trying to find what one it was. If anyone can help that would be great.




John Levi Bending .     British Army Royal Army Service Corps   from Plymouth

John Bending is buried in Rome War Cemetery. Any additional information would be greatly appreciated.




F/O J. L. Bendix DFC..     97 Squadron




Sgt. Gerald Bendle .     British Army Intelligence Corps Royal Welsh Fusiliers   from Neath

My father, Gerald Bendle, enlisted in 1940 and was sent to Northern Ireland before sailing to India in 1943 on the SS Orontes. He was a sergeant in the Intelligence Corps and told me little about the war except that he was incredibly lucky. He learnt Hindi and travelled around India "gathering intelligence" on a motor bike. He was hospitalised in India twice once with pneumonia and once with a broken leg and on both occasions he missed postings from which no one in the battallion returned.

He returned to the UK in March 1946 and was unable to disembark immediately because there was illness on board and they had to fly the yellow flag. Sadly he died on 3rd January 2013 and I suddenly regret not having found out more about this part of his life.




Pte. Charles Molotja Bene .     South African Army Native Military Corps

Charles Bene was captured in the Desert Campaign. He was previously at camp 85. He survived the train wreck on the Orvieto North railway bridge at Allerona, Italy, with a fractured left leg and was went to Stalag 344 Lamsdorf.





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