With grateful thanks to Susan Eldridge for the use of her photographs.

© Susan Eldridge July 2003  

Ribble Valley Memorials

1. Trooper Bernard Astin, serving with the Royal Armoured Corps, died on 13^th April 1945, age 22.  Resting at Forli War Cemetery, Italy

2. Lieutenant Michael George Kenyon Barnes. Royal Engineers. Aged 32. Died 30/03/1945. Resting Clitheroe Cemetery.

3. Flight Sergeant Geoffry Wilkinson Battersby. Engineer 550 Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 24. Died 29/08/1944. Resting Reerso Churchyard Western   Zealand, Denmark.

4. Sergeant Henry Keith Bradburn 37 Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 23. Died 27/03/1945. Resting Reichwald Forest Cemetery, Germany.

5. Lieutenant James Albert Brotherton. Royal Corps of Signals. Aged 23. Died 27/03/1945. Resting Reichwald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.

6. Lance Corporal Arthur Brown. 1st Battalion. Durham Light Infantry. Aged 21. Died 10th Octover 1944. REsting Coriano Ridge War Cemetery. Italy.

7. Trooper William Bugler. King's Own Royal Regiment. (Lancaster). 1st Battalion. Aged 22. Died 27th June 1942. Resting Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt.

8. Corporal Edward Vernon Bush. 6th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment. Aged 25. Died 15/02/1943. Resting Medjez El Bab War Cemetery, West of Tunis,Tunisia.

9. Corporal Frank Cawley. Royal Air Force. Aged 31. Died 07/11/1944. Remembered Runnymead War Memorial, Windsor.

10. Private John James Chatburn. 52 A.A Regiment Royal Artillery. Royal Army Service Corps. Aged 25. Died between 26/04/1941 and 27/04/1941. Resting Athens Memorial, Phaleron War Cemetery, Athens.

11. Sergeant George Albert Coleshill. 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Aged 38. Died 13th August 1944. Resting Fulham Palace Road, Cemetery, London.

12. Sergeant (Navigator) Thomas James Crabtree. 635 Squadron Royal Air Force. Aged 20. Died 12/09/1944. Resting Reichwald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve,Nordhein, Westfalen, Germany.

13. Able Seaman Frank Albert Crompton. H.M. Trawler Saltarello Royal Navy. Aged 23. Died 16/09/1944. Resting Florence War Cemetery, Girone. Italy.

14. Private Frederick William Davis. 5th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment. Aged 27. Died 22 October 1942. REsting El Alamein War Cemetery Egypt.

15. Flight Engineer Thomas Dawson. 158 Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 28. Died 30/03/1945. Resting Hamburg Ohisdorf Cemetery, Germany.

16. Corporal Charles Dewhurst. 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers. (City of London Regiment). Aged 30. Died 14/12/1943. Resting Sangro River War Cemetery, Torino Di Sangro, Italy.

17. Bombardier Joseph Dixon. 156 Battery 52 Light A.A. Regiment Royal Artillery. Aged 25. Died 22/05/1941. Resting Athens Memorial, Phaleron War Cemetery, Athens.

18. Gunner John Driver 156 B 52LT AA Royal Artillery. Aged 29. Died 02/06/1941. Resting Remembrance Memorial, Athens.

19. Guardsman John Wilcock Edmondson. 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards. Aged 28. Died 01/06/1940. Resting Dunkirk Memorial, Nord, France.

20. Aircraftman Jack Eland. Royal Air Force. Aged 25. Died 06/05/1942. Resting Clitheroe Cemetery.

21. Aircraftman Robert Goodbier Royal Air Force. Aged 23. Died 16/01/1945. Resting Clitheroe Cemetery.

22. 2nd Lieutenant Rowland Mercer Gradwell. York and Lancaster Regiment (Prince of Wales Own). Aged 27. Died 15/06/1944. Resting Imphal war Cemetery, India.

23. Sergeant W/Op William Gradwell. Royal Air Force. Aged 21. Died 02/06/1942. Resting Helopolis War Cemetery, Cairo, Egypt.

24. Private John Bernard Hall. 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment). Aged 30. Died 22/05/1944. Resting Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio, Italy.

25. Flight Sergeant Ronald Hargreaves. Gold Coast Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 25. Died 03/02/1943. Remembered Runnymead War Memorial, Coopers Hill, Windsor.

26. Pilot Officer Raymond Raynes Hartell. 207 Squadron. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Aged 21. Died 11th August 1942. Remembered Runnymede War Memorial, Surrey.

27. Sapper Thomas Hayhurst. Royal Engineers. Aged 40. Died 29/08/1944. Resting grave 825, Clitheroe Cemetery.

28. Private Walter Hayhurst. 5th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment. Aged 23. Died 24/07/1944. Resting St Charles De Percy War Cemetery, Calvados, France.

29. Gunner Arthur Hindle 130 Battery 23 LT A.A Regiment. Royal Artillery. Aged 19. Died 08/04/1941. Resting grave 1240 Clitheroe Cemetery.

30. Sergeant Fred Holt. (W/OP/Air Gunner). 97 Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 21. Died 24/11/1941. Resting Grave number 1228A, Clitheroe Cemetery.

31. Private Fred Howorth. 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment. Aged 19. Died 23/05/1940. Resting Nord Oost Cappel, France.

32. Flight Sergeant Harry Hudson (Navigator) 21 Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 34. Died 21/04/1943. Resting Abbebille Communal Cemetery, Somme, France.

33. Trooper John Ireland 10th Royal Hussars Royal Armoured Corps. Age 35. Died 15/05/1945. Rsting Faenza War Cemetery, Faenza, Italy.

34. Private Edward Kirk. 2nd Battalion, The Loyal Regiment. (North Lancashire). Aged 21. Died 09/04/1945. Resting Florence War Cemetery, Italy.

35. Lance Bombardier Ernest Kitson. Royal Artillery. Aged 36. Died 25/04/1947. Resting Clitheroe Cemetery. Number 1701.

36. Corporal Peter Liver. Royal Corps of Signals. Died 04/07/1944. Aged 21. Resting at Caserta War Cemetery, Italy.

37. Driver Alan Lloyd Royal Corps of Signals. Aged 39. Died 16/04/1944. Resting 159, All Saints Churchyard. Pendleton.

38. Guardsman John Edward Lord. 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards. Aged 26. Died 20/02/1944. Resting Minturno War Cemetery, Italy.

39. Trooper Ernest Malcolm Macgregor. 2nd Nothamptonshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps. Aged 21. Died 3 August 1944. Resting Bayeux War Cemetery, Calvados, France.

40. Lance Bombardier John Eric Mennell.  168 Battery 56 LT AA Regiment Royal Artillery. Aged 23. Died 10/10/1944. Resting Florence War Cemetery, Gerone, Italy.

41. Gunner George Edwin Mennell. 155 Battery 52 LT AA Royal Artillery Regiment. Aged 25. Died 07/04/1943. Resting Bari War Cemetery, Carbonara, Italy.

42. Private Frank Miller. 7th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Aged 33. Died 14/09/1944. Resting Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Riccione, Italy.

43. Flying Officer George Bertram Musson. Royal Air Force. Aged 35. Died 14/09/1942. Resting Malta Memorial, Floriana, Velletta, Malta.

44. Wing Commander Rowland Gascoigne Musson. Pilot. 172 Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 31. Died 24/08/1943. Resting Heanton Punchardon Churchyard, Devon.

45. Private Frederick Nadin. 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. Aged 20. Died 17/07/1944. Resting Bayeux War Cemetery. France.

46. Sergeant Robert Norris. (W/Op) 7th Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 22. Died 23/09/1943. Resting Becklingen War Cemetery, Soltau, Germany.

47. Fusilier Peter Robert Owen. 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Aged 20. Died 8th April 1943. Remembered Rangoon Memorial, Myanmar.

48. Sergeant Cyril Pickles. 20th Anti Tank Regiment Royal Artillery. Aged 31. Died 13/04/1945. Resting Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.

49. Coder Stanley Smith Pollard. Royal Navy. HMS King Bor Aged 19. Died 22/06/1945. Resting Kristiansand Civil Cemetery, Norway.

50. John Towers. Civilian. Aged 39. Police War Reserve. Died 27th December 1942.

51. Pilot Officer John Towler Pratt. (DFM) Flight Engineer. 97 Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 22. Died 17/12/1943. Resting Clitheroe Cemetery. Grave 889.

52. Pilot Officer Herbert Joseph Ryan. 14 Squadron. Royal Air Force. Aged 20. Died 19/04/1945. Remembered Panel 28. Runnymead Memorial Coopers Hill, Englefield, Windsor.

53. Gunner Stanley Rydeheard 168 Battery 56 LT AA Regiment Royal Artillery. Resting Florence War Cemetery. Girone, Italy.

54. Gunner Robert Scott (CDS) 156 Battery, 52 LT.AA Regiment Royal Artillery. Aged 33. Died 02/06/1941. Resting Suda Bay War Cemetery, Crete, Greece.

55. Sapper Edward Eric Sheppard. 9th Airborne Field Coy, Royal Engineers. Aged 21. Died 17th September 1944. Resting Weston Supermare Cemetery, Somerset.

56. Gunner Simon Aron Silifants. 156 Battery. 52 LT AA Regiment. Royal Artillery. Aged 23. Died 05/10/1943. Resting Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy.

57. Sergeant Thomas Richard Smith. 156 Battery. 52 LT A.A Regiment. Aged 37. Died 20/05/1941. Remembered Face 2, Athens Memorial, Greece.

58. Driver Thomas Speak. Royal Army Servce Corps. Aged 35. Died 31/08/1943. Resting Row 29. St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Clitheroe.

59. Flight Sergeant Walter Stewart. 461 Squadron Royal Air Force. Aged 28. Died 30/08/1943. Remembered Panel 139, Runnymead Memorial, Coopers Hill, Englefield Green, Windsor.

60. Private Jack Sturgess. 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. Aged 23. Died 27th May 1941. Remembered Athens Memorial, Greece, Face 5.

61. Lance Corporal Robert Taylor. 16 Bomb Disposal Coy. Royal Engineers. Aged 30. Died 07/05/1941. Resting 1216, Clitheroe Cemetery, Waddington Road. Clitheroe.

62. Walter Horace Taylor (Fireman). Aged 42. Died 23/12/1940. Resting Clitheroe Cemetery. Grave number 1249.

63. Pilot Officer (Flt Engineer) George Robert Tomlinson 9 Squadron Royal Air Force. Aged 21. Died 27/01/1944. Resting Grave Durnbach War Cemetery, Munich, Germany.

64. Trooper John Tomlinson. 144th 8th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment. Royal Armoured Corps. Aged 24. Died 28/07/1944. Resting Banneville La Campagne War Cemetery, Calvados, France.

65. Private George Hargreaves Trotter. 1st Battalion, The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire). Aged 34. Died 29/09/1945. Resting grave 615 Clitheroe Cemetery, Waddington Road, Clitheroe.

66. Staff Sergeant Arthur Viges Army Catering Corps. Originally attached to the Royal Engineers. Aged 41. Died 13th May 1944 at Calderstones and resting at Clitheroe Cemetery.

67. Flying Officer Herbet Lofthouse Walmsley. 205 Squadron. Ryal Air Force. Aged 30. Died 11/06/1943. Remembered Column 424. Singapore Memorial. Kranji War Cemetery.

68. Lance Corporal Tom Warner. 1st Battalion Durham Light Infantry. Aged 25. Died 20th June 1942. Resting Imtarfa Military Cemetery, Malta.

69. Flying Officer Thomas Mulby Watson. (Nav) Royal Air Force. Aged 22. Died 11/12/1944. Resting Grave 868 Clitheroe Cemetery, Waddington Road, Clitheroe.

70. Corporal James Weaver. 7th Queens's Own Hussars. Aged 24. Died 21/11/1941. Resting Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya.

71. Pilot Officer John Hoyle Whalley. 54 Squadron Royal Air Force. Aged 23. Died 13/01/1944. Resting Adelaide River War Cemetery, Northern Territory, Australia.

72. Flying Officer Leonard Priestly Whipp. (Pilot) 105 Squadron Royal Air Force. Age 24. Died 19/10/1944. Resting Chatburn Christ Church Cemetery.

73. Lieutenant Charles Edward Whiteside. Royal Army Service Corps. Aged 29. Died 19/08/1943. Resting 1138 Clitheroe Cemetery. Waddington Road, Clitheroe.

74. Lance Corporal J Edgar Wilkinson. Military Police. Aged 33. Died 27/11/1942. Resting Kohima War Cemetery, India.

75. Pilot Officer James Hargreaves Wilkinson. (Pilot) 78 Squadron Royal Air Force. Aged 21. Died 27/04/1944. Resting Clichy Northern Cemetery, Hauts de Seine, North Paris, France.

76. Private James George Wilsher. 2nd Battalion The Loyal Regiment. (North Lancashire). Aged 28. Died 23/01/1942. Remembered Singapore Mememorial, Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore.

77. Sergeant Richard William Wilson (W.Op/Air Gunner). Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 214 squadron. Died 16/07/1942. Aged 22. Resting Clitheroe Cemetery.

78. Sergeant Roy Wilson. (Bomb Aimer) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 05/09/1943. Aged 24. Resting Clitheroe Cemetery.

79. Sergeant Harold Windle. (W/Op/Air Gunner). 218 Squadron Royal Air Force. Aged 30. Died 29/07/1942. Resting Kiel War Cemetery, Kiel, North of Hamburg, Germany.

80. Sister Mary Woodhouse. Territorial Army Nursing Service. Aged 37. Died 07/12/1942. Remembered Brookwood Memorial, Surrey.

81. Sergeant Edward Joseph Worswick. C Squadron 9th Queens Royal Lancers. Royal Armoured Corps. Aged 29. Died 24/10/1942. Resting El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt.

82. Private William Wrigley 30th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment. Aged 21. Died 10/05/1942. Resting St Josephs Catholic Cemetery, Clitheroe. Number 1005.

83. Gunner Eric William Yelland. 28 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Aged 23. Died 19th September 1941. Resting, Asmara War Cemetery, Eritrea. This is near the Red Sea.

84 We now list Lieutenant Commander Richard Newstead Garnett who died on board H.M.S Submarine Thetis on the 1st June 1939. We list him here as this accident which resulted in the death of 99 men was in June two months before the war commenced. Only 4 men survived this tragedy. This was a new class of submarine and was being taken out on sea trials and Lt Commander Garnett was invited aboard along with other commanders, ship yard builders and other staff from Cammel Laird in Birkenhead where the submarine had been built. It departed at 10am and by 3pm had sunk buried 160 feet down. R N Garnett Lt Commander was Commander of HMS Taku. Full details of this terrible accident will be researched at a later date.

The submarine was captained by Lt Commander G H Bolus who also died. The Thetis was raised on September 2nd -12 weeks later with the loss of another life a diver. The majority of the men were buried in a mass grave at Holyhead. Lt Commander G H Bolus was buried at sea. We have as yet to find out if Lt Commander Garnett was buried at Holyhead or returned to the Ribble Valley.

We do know that his family dedicated a beautiful stained glass window in the church at Low Moor. Article from the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times dated Friday 10th May, 1940. R N Garnett was the third son of Mr and Mrs Newstead Garnett "Shireburn", Clitheroe. The window was unveiled by his Mother. It is the work of of a London artist, Miss Jessie Bayes. Of modern design it admits the maximum of light. The Biblical incident of Christ calming the storm is chastley depicted and the window contains the Latin inscription " Dulce et Decorum est prop patria mori" a sweet and noble thing it is to die for one's country.

The new window was dedicated in the presence of a large congregation by the Rev. G P Lowe, Vicar of Peel, Littlle Hulton, brother in law of Lt Commander Garnett. Among those present were the Mayor and Mayoress Councillor and Mrs F Bentham). During the service, which was conducted by the Vicar (Rev I Pugh) the hymns "Lead Kindly Light" "Ye servants of the Lord" "How bright these glorious spirits shine" and "Eternal Father, strong to save" were sung.

In the course of his address the Rev G P Lowe said that in church not only the words we sang, spoke or heard made indelible marks upon our characters, but we were often very deeply impressed by what we saw. That afternoon they had set apart in that House of God a beautiful window, designed by an artist of repute, which would in the years ahead make its impression upon thousands of worshippers.

After describing the window, Mr Lowe said not only was it beautiful, but its subject matter was most appropriate, depicting one of the most beautiful incidents in our Lord's life -the stilling of the storm. There were people to-day who found it difficult to believe our Lord's miracles, forgetting that Christ was able to do what he did by virtue of what 'He' was. His miracles and cross fitted in the framework of the historical foundation of our faith that Jesus was the Saviour of the world and the living God.

In a reference to Lt Commander Garnett's associations with the church and district and to his stirling character, Mr Lowe said it was a great privilidge to know him, to respect him and love him. He was a man who never talked about himself and who had all the confidence of the unassuming. "He was cheerful and friendly and he had a thoroughly kind disposition, with not a trace of meaness in his character," Mr Lowe added.

Lt Commander Garnett took a great delight in simple things. Mr Lowe continued. He loved nature, and one of his great enjoyments was to spend his leisure time fishing. He felt sure that when Jesus called the fishermen to follow him on Galilee he must have known something of their characteristic patience. Something of Lt Commander Garnett's ability was evidenced by the fact that at a comparitively early age he was given command of a vessel (H.M.S. Taku), and he had also a wonderful sense of duty.

In an age when so many people were talking about their rights, it was wholesome to find someone with so keen a sense of duty.

In the clock tower of Birkenhead Priory, St Mary's Gate, Birkenhead are metal plaques dedicated to each man who lost his life that day. The tower overlooks the Cammel Laird Shipyard where the submarine was built and many who created her lost their lives.

The submarine was renamed H M S Thunderbolt but on the 14/03/1943 was sunk by the Italian Sloop Cisogna at 08.45am with the loss of 62 men.  More information to follow.

Once more information is researched we shall include Lt Commander R N Garnett on our main web site.

All Resting and Remembered around the World. God Bless. Fought and died for Freedom, Liberty and Peace.

Private George Hargreaves Trotter. Aged 34. Died 29/9/1945.

1st Battalion The Loyal Regiment. Service No. 3718559. Buried Clitheroe Cemetery.

And

Private William Wrigley. Aged 21. Died 10/5/1942.

30th Battalion -South Lancashire Regiment. Service No. 3391180. Buried Clitheroe Cemetery.

Royal Engineers Emblem which is near the Low Moor Memorial as they were based in the former Mill in that area.

Photographs taken by Mel Diack

This is a photgraph of Clitheroe during World War II.

It is shown here with thanks to Clitheroe Past and Present