Lewis Thomas Mellors
Miner
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Son of Lewis Ward Mellors and Phoebe Ellen Mellors of 21 Ravensdale Road, Mansfield.
Siblings: Winifred (1917), Harold Ward (1919), Victor (1923), Nellie E (1927) and Maureen Clara (1936),
Lewis Ward Mellors fought in WW1 with the Sherwood Foresters. He had enlisted on 10th September 1914 until he was discharged due to disability in 1918. He had received a gun shot wound to his right thigh on 27th January 1918 but was also suffering from constant nasal catarrh which meant he couldn't wear a gas mask.
On 17th August 1935 at St Peter's Church Mansfield Lewis Thomas married Esther Frost. At the time Lewis was living at 3 Rock Valley Mansfield and Esther at 36 Woodhouse Road, Mansfield.
Their daughter, Patricia was born in 1936 and in 1939 they where living at 32 Argyll Street, Mansfield.
After the invasion of Norway by Germany on 9/4/1940, the Norwegian Government asked Britain for help and a hastily devised plan was put together to counter the three pronged invasion. 148 Brigade was earmarked for landing at Andalsnes and then to turn North at Dombas to "operate" against German forces at Namsos. It was entitled "Sickleforce" and should have been at Divisional strength before contact. The Brigade (Brig H de R Morgan), consisting of 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (TA) (Lt Col T A Ford) HQ and B Company at Newark and 5th Leicesters (TA), was at half strength on sailing for Norway with only two companies of Leicesters embarked and the third battalion (4th Lincolns) deployed with 146 Brigade for the direct assault on Namsos. The merchant ship Cederbank carrying the anti-tank artillery, communications equipment, Bren carriers, motor transport, and most of the ammunition and food was torpedoed and sunk during passage. The Brigade disembarked at Andalsnes on 18 April with the battle dress, rifles and personal ammunition they stood in and with no transport. During passage, Brig Morgan had received 3 signaled changes to his orders, the final one being to turn south at Dombas and assist the remnants of the Norwegian army to stem the advance North from Oslo of the German army spearheaded by the Armoured Division "Pellengahr". Relying on Norwegian trains as a means of reaching the front, the Brigade moved south to Lillehammer in the Gudbrandsal valley. On 19 April, 148 Brigade made contact with German forces in the open valley south of Lillehammer and staged a fighting withdrawal north to allow the remnants of the Norwegian army to pass through their positions and regroup. After four days of constant fighting in Arctic conditions and with very little food or sleep, the brigade made a stand about a mile south of the village of Tretten, to prevent the road bridge falling into enemy hands and thus cutting off the Norwegian "Dahl Force" which was retreating on the opposite side of the valley.
The 8th bn arrived in Norway on the 18th April 1940. By the 22nd they were surrounded and running out of ammunition and so withdrew to Tretten . At 1pm on the 23rd the Battle of Tretten started but due to lack of ammunition and heavy casualties they were over run by the Germans.
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 7/2/1941: Soldier's Death Confirmed
Mrs E Mellor of 21 Ravensdale Road, Mansfield has received official notification that Pte Lewis Thomas Mellors of the Sherwood Foresters has died of wounds ans is buried in the North Cemetery, Lillehammer. He was first reported missing in the Norwegian Campaign on 23rd April 1940. He leaves a widow and daughter, Patricia.
It was almost 10 months before Esther was official notified of Lewis's death
Photo of Lewis Thomas Mellors