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H Blakemore . British Army Royal Armoured Corps H Blakemore served with the Royal Armoured 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.
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Pte. Harold Keith Blaker . British Army 10th Btn. Gloucestershire Regiment from Olveston, Gloucs (d.17th February 1945) Keith Blaker was my grandfathers brother. He is remembered on the Rangoon Memorial.
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Winifred Mary Maud Blaker . Womens Land Army from Laurel Cottage, Nichol Lane, Bromley, Kent I know my mum Winnie Blaker helped on the farm, milking cows.
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Pte. Harold Blakesley . British Army 1st Btn. Worcestershire Regiment from Greta Bridge
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GV Blakeway . British Army GV Blakeway 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.
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Tpr. A Blakey . British Army 1st Btn. Royal Tank Regiment Tpr.A Blakey served with the 1st Btn. Royal Tank Regiment 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.
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J Blakey . British Army Royal Armoured Corps J Blakey served with the Royal Armoured 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.
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JT Blakey . British Army JT Blakey 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.
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N Blakey . British Army N Blakey 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.
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SJG Blakey . British Army Kings Own Scottish Borderers SJG Blakey served with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers 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.
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Carpenter. Gustav Arthur Blamander . Merchant Navy SS Shakespear (d.21st Jan 1941) Gustav Blamander was 64 when he died and is buried in the Mindelo Municipal Cemetery in Sao Vicente, Cape Verde.
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Bombardier Arthur "Doc" Blanchard . United States Army Air Corps from USA Art `Doc' Blanchard was a bombardier with US Army Air Corps. He flew out of Northern Ireland between approximately January and March 1944. He was shot down over the French/German border, was captured and sent to Stalag Luft 6 - his POW number was 3070. Art was held captive for about 16 months, commencing in Germany, but also in Poland and finally Lithuania. I would like to hear from anyone who may have known Doc.
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Stok1. Emile Gustav Blanchard . Royal Navy HMS Falmouth from Bristol (d.22 April 1941) Emile Blanchard, known as Gus was my great uncle. I never met him as he was killed in a German bombing raid on Devonport Naval Barracks on 22nd of April 1941. He was buried in Plymouth Weston Mill Cemetery.
My father, Claude Johnnie Clarke, was orphaned as a child and adopted by Gus and his wife Mrs Florence ˜Dodo Blanchard (nee Wright) and my father thought of them as Ma and Pa.
I attach a quote from the oldDevonport.uk website relating to the 22nd April raid:
During April 1941 the Boscawen accommodation block was destroyed by a bomb, which resulted in the deaths of 113 sailors. The Prime Minister, Mr Winston Churchill, accompanied by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Dudley Pound and Lady Nancy Astor MP, visited the barracks in May 1941 and saw the gymnasium filled with coffins and met some forty injured sailors who had survived the raid, the two groups being separated only by a low curtain.
In 1961 the Royal Navy Barrack was named as a stone frigate, HMS Drake.
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EW Blanchard . British Army Royal Armoured Corps EW Blanchard served with the Royal Armoured 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.
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Pte. Frederick Blanchard . British Army East Yorkshire Regiment from Keighley, West Yorkshire Frederick Blanchard served with the East Yorkshire Regiment.
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Sgt. James William Blanchard . Royal Air Force 106 Squadron from Hull, Yorkshire, England (d.22th June 1944) Sgt James Blanchard was the flight engineer onLancaster LM570 (call sign ZN-Z) when it left RAF Metheringham at 23:15 on the evening of 21/22 June 1944. The mission was to carry out the bombing of a synthetic oil plant (Buer) at Gelesenkirchen, Germany. Whilst airborne, the aircraft was shot down by a German night fighter and crashed at Rossum (Gelderland) on the bank of the Waal, approx 12Km SW of Tiel. All the crew were killed. Seven of the crew are buried in the Uden War Cemetary between Eindhoven and Nijmegen. Sgt Scott is buried in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetary.
The crew were:
- FO Bellingham, K G Captain (pilot)RAF
- Sqn Ldr A J Loughborough (pilot)RAF
- Sgt James William Blanchard (flight engineer)RAF
- Flt Sgt H Gavin (navigator) RAAF
- Flt Sgt L Toomey (air bomber)RAAF
- Sgt A Goodacre (wireless air gunner) RAF
- Sgt S J Malaband (mid upper gunner)RAF
- Sgt C E Scott (rear gunner)RCAF
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James Blanchard . British Army 63rd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery from Liverpool
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Marcel Blanchard . French Army My Dad, Marcel Blanchard served with the Armée de Terre Française
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W/O. J. J. "Paddy" Blanche . Royal Air Force 227 Squadron from N Ireland Lancaster mid-upper gunner Paddy Blanche was from Northern Ireland. Having completed a tour of operations in N Africa, he joined 83 Pathfinder Squadron in 1944 before transferring in June 1944 to 617 (Dambusters) Squadron. Subsequently Paddy served in 227 squadron and was discharged on 12th December 1945. He died in London in the 1970s.
Part of his service is recorded by Clayton Moore in his book Lancaster Valour
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P/O Charles Edward Blanchette . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 156 Sqdn. (d.2nd January 1944) P/O Blanchette was a Lancaster flight engineer in 156 Squadron, Lancaster ND 384 GT-D, based at RAF Warboys. The Lancaster was shot down on the night of 1st/2nd January 1944 on their return journey from a raid on Berlin.
Update
The members of the crew were:
P/O GPR Bond DFC - Pilot
P/O CE Blanchette - Flight Engineer
P/O A Morassi - Navigator
F/O AR Bolsover - Airbomber
F/Sgt G Barry - Wireless Operator
F/O V Waterhouse DFC - Airgunner
F/Sgt R Underwood DFM - Airgunner
The aircraft crashed at Grandieu, France and all the crew were killed. They are buried in Chievres Communal Cemetery.
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Ord, Seaman John Blanchfield . Royal Navy HMS Forfar from Bradford, Yorkshire (d.2nd Dec 1940)
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SD Blanchflower . British Army SD Blanchflower 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.
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RSM. Alfred Bland . British Army 3rd Btn. Coldstream Guards Alfred Bland served with the 3rd Coldstream Guards.
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ET Bland . British Army ET Bland 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.
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Able Sea. Harold Bland . Royal Navy HM Tug St Issey from Milnrow, Rochdale (d.28th Dec 1942) Harold Bland is one of the men I am researching on the St Anne's Church, Milnrow Roll of Honour
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HJ Bland . British Army HJ Bland 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.
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Percy Bland . British Army 1st Airborne Division
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W Bland . British Army W Bland 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.
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Sgt Cyril George Blandon . RAF 9 Squadron (d.7th Jul 1941)
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L/Cpl. Jack Blane . British Army No 3 (BR) Casualty Clearing Station RAMC from Bletchley This is the account my father Jack Blane wrote for the family of his war. He wrote it in 2002, at the age of eighty three:
I entered military service at Crookham Barracks, 15th September 1939. After three months’ training I had Embarkation Leave for one week at Christmas.
Having embarked for France on a bitterly cold New Year’s Eve, I was sent to Number 3 Casualty Clearing Station (3 CCS) at Mondicow and remained with that unit throughout the war. It was very cold, with deep snow. I read last year, 2001, that 1940 was the coldest winter since 1815. I only had a stretcher to sleep on and two blankets, in a cold, old house with no heating. For two months I went to bed with all my clothes on, including my greatcoat and gas cape.
When the “Phoney War” ended and Germany invaded, we gradually made our way to the coast. We had some dodgy times on the way, including evacuating a clearly marked ambulance train of severely burned civilians from Rotterdam, whilst under attack from German planes.
On 31st May we were ordered to leave our billet for hopeful evacuation. My sergeant gave me a big pack of medical record books, then told me to set off to Dunkirk and that on the way the others would help me. I set off into France and kept plodding along the sand. I did not see any more members of our unit but finally saw a Royal Navy man. I asked him if there was any chance of getting off. He told me to stay where I was and wait but that I could not take the pack. So I just threw it down and left it on the beach.
I seemed to be alone and must have fallen asleep. When it became dark a lot of other troops assembled and a smallish boat arrived. We had to wade into the sea up to our chests. The Navy chap in charge said that when he ordered, “Stop,” we had to stop trying to get aboard or he would shoot us – and I am sure that he would have.
We were all finally taken to a larger “little ship.” I thought, “Oh, Good: we should be in England by morning.” When I woke up, big shock. We were still cruising off shore and the skipper would not leave while he could see anyone on the beach. The last man to be brought aboard was in a bad way, having been shot by a machine gun. He died within sight of England.
After disembarking I was put on a train and eventually arrived at Oswestry Barracks about midnight, still soaked through. I had one nightmare after this while I was billeted with nice people in Leeds, where I finally rejoined my unit all safe and sound.
From June 1940 to December 1941 I was stationed at various places in England. Kitty and I married on 9th October 1940. That Christmas was the last we had together until 1945.
Our unit left Liverpool in December 1941 and we spent Christmas Day that year in Sierra Leone harbour. Later, I had four lovely days with civilian friends in Cape Town, South Africa. We then went to Palestine and to Beirut – which was a lovely place then.
On our way to the 8th army I met up with my brother Bernard for four hours in Cairo. I never did know how that was arranged or by whom.
I spent Christmas 1942 at Tobruk and New Year’s Eve at Bengazi. Then it was on to the last battle for the 8th Army in North Africa. After that, we went to Malta for two weeks’ rest and then it was the invasion of Sicily and into Southern Italy. Our ship came under heavy fire while we lay off Italy prior to landing.
We sailed for England from Bari on a lousy, overcrammed ship. We had half a ration of bully beef for Christmas dinner 1943. At night all the floors, the dining tables and hammocks, were full of men.
In January 1944 I arrived in England and was stationed in Cambridge, hooray!! I was allowed a sleeping out pass. Kitty came to Cambridge and we had a lovely time, staying with my Aunt Alice. (Our first daughter, Jean, was born in October that year!)
On D-Day, 6th June, we sailed in convoy down the Thames. Once off Dover we could see and hear the big German guns in Calais firing across the Channel. They hit the ship directly ahead of us, setting it on fire. It was terrible to see. How lucky we were to escape unharmed. We lay off the French coast until D-Day plus two. Then we landed on Gold Beach with 30 Corps and set up our Casualty Clearing Station.
We were very busy and it was very noisy from the gunfire. I slept in a ditch. The Germans shelled us one night and two Nursing Sisters were injured. The army moved us to a safer area the next day.
On we went to Brussels and then to Eindhoven. Next it was Nijmegen where the road back (our supply road) was cut off by the Germans for four days.
We took casualties from the battle for Arnhem. Six operating theatres were working, three on day shift and three on night shift. I did not leave the hospital building for two weeks. After two months there we were relieved by the Canadians.
Christmas Day 1944 was spent somewhere in Belgium. Then it was on to the Ardennes and the “Battle of the Bulge” to help the Americans, who suffered heavy losses. There was deep snow and it was bitterly, bitterly cold.
We were back to Nijmegen for the Battle for the Rhine. Twentyfive pounder guns fired over the hospital all day. The forest flooded too and all casualties and equipment were wet through.
I had a short home leave in March, to see Kitty and meet my new daughter for the first time. Then it was back to my unit. We made our way into Germany where, after being in various places, we ended up just outside Hanover.
December 1945 and back in England. I had four weeks demob leave. So Christmas 1945 I was home at last. Demobbed February 1946.
There were Good Times and Bad Times – but always Good Friends.
Jack Blane, 3rd March 2002
Post Script: What my father does not include in this understated account are the horrors he experienced during “his” war. These strongly affected him to the end and when he spoke of them, which he still did only sparingly, it was with great feeling. I, and all our family, are very proud of him.
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