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Cpl. Cecil Douglas "Bill" Sturman
British Army 465 Supply Platoon Royal Army Service Corps
from:Lewisham, Kent
My father, Cecil Sturman, known as Bill, enlisted at Margate, Kent in 1940. He was a Private on enlistment and became an A/Corporal in 1942. He was in 465 Supply Platoon, a butcher by trade. He was also a driver. In April 1943 he was posted to North Africa. He was in Rome when it was liberated and remained there at GHQ 2nd Echelon CMF until 1947.
In Rome he was invited to the home of the Risi's, a local Italian family. My grandfather was a chef and they obviously met through the catering aspects of their work. He eventually became their son-in-law, marrying one of the daughters, my mother Elvira. During the courtship they visited many of the famous venues around Rome such as the Tivoli Gardens, and the Via Appia, often travelling out into the countryside riding bicycles to local beauty spots. They were married at the Garrison Church All Saints in the Via del Babuino Rome, not far from the Piazza Di Spagna in February 1947. Cecil was posted to the Y list in May 1947, and they returned to England to live. His military conduct was recorded as Exemplary and he received a brilliant testimonial from the Army which would have been a fantastic reference for employment in civvy street.
Sadly, he was to find out that he had cancer of the hepatic ducts due to medical conditions contracted during his war service. He spent the next few years in and out of hospitals, and died in 1954 when my sister and I were 5 and 6 years old respectively.
