World War 2 Memorial
This page remembers our relatives who were killed serving in the armed forces or as a result of enemy action during the 1939 - 1945 war. The entries are in chronological order.
William Alfred Stockdale
Died 2nd November 1942, at sea north of Iceland
William Stockdale is a cousin, born in Workington in 1921 to Florence and her husband Septimus. William joined the merchant navy in about 1937 when he was 16. He stayed in the merchant navy when war was declared. In 1942 he was working as a Fireman/Trimmer on the SS Empire Gilbert on arctic convoys supplying arms and food to Russia via Murmansk. These convoys endured freezing conditions and frequent attacks from German ships, submarines and aircraft. In November 1942 there was a shortage of escort ships from the Royal Navy and an experimental approach was introduced known as Operation FB. Instead of ships sailing as a convoy, they sailed individually from Reykjavik but spaced about 12 hours apart. It was a disaster. Out of 13 ships that sailed for Murmansk, only 5 arrived.
The Empire Gilbert was one of the 13 that sailed - she was sunk by a U-Boat on 2nd November 1942 in freezing waters off Jan Mayen island north of Iceland. 64 crew members were killed including William Stockdale. There were only 3 survivors.
Albert George Hollis
Died 18th September 1943, Salerno, Italy
Albert Hollis was a cousin born in Poplar 1911. He enlisted in the Queen's Own Royal West Kent regiment, and later his battalion became the 44th Reconnaissance regiment. They took part in the allied invasion of Italy in 1943. His regiment landed at Salerno a few days soon after 9th September, and Albert was killed in the fighting on 18th September. He is buried in Salerno War Cemetery.
John James Stockdale
Died 11th September 1944, Le Havre, France
John Stockdale is another cousin born in Workington in 1925. He was in the 5th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. After service in North Africa the battalion came back to the UK and later joined the fighting in France following the D-Day invasion.
The Germans held the port of Le Havre until early September, when the Allies mounted an attack known as Operation Astonia. The attack on Le Havre lasted for three days from 10th September and was a combined operation involving the Royal Navy, RAF bombers, and ground forces including the 5th Seaforth Highlanders. John Stockdale was killed on the second day of the attack, one of 500 casualties. 11,000 Germans surrendered on the third day. John Stockdale is buried in Sainte Marie Cemetery, Le Havre.
