Bernard Slack
In 1939 Bernard had already enlisted and was at O/Tel Signal School.
Educated at Ravensdale School and worked at Mansfield and Bilsthorpe collieries
- Family History
- Military history
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Son of George Ernest and Mary Elizabeth Slack of 20 Hall Street, Mansfield.
Siblings; Ernest (1913-14), Aubrey (1915), William H (1918), Roy (1925) John (1927) and Rosemary (1930).
HMS Esk: E class destroyer.
Was on mine-laying duties when she ran into a newly laid German minefield on the the 31st of August 1940. The Texel Disaster:involved HMS Express, HMS Ivanhoe, HMS Icarus, HMS Intrepid and HMS Esk laying miners of Texel Netherlands. HMS Express hit a mine, the Ivenhoe went to her assistance but also hit a mine as did HMS Esk. The Esk sank. In all over the 5 ships involved 300 men were killed and a further 100 were either injured or taken prisoner. 127 men from the Esk were killed.
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 28/9/1940: Fates of Two Mansfield Brothers.
One a prisoner, the other persumed dead.
Mr and Mrs E Slack of 20 Hall Street, Mansfield have four sons, two of them have been serving in the forces whilst another is 15 years old and the fourth son has not been called up.
This month they have received news that one of their boys serving with the Navymust be persumed dead, whilst the other serving with the Army and is a P.O.W in Germany.
William H and Bernard Slack
Bernard, aged 19 was serving on a destroyer, during the evacuation of Dunkirk. He joined the Navy when he was 17 as a wireless operator. Prior to enlisting he worked at mansfield and Bilsthorpe collieris and was educated at Ravensdale School.
William Herbert aged 22, had not been heard of from for 5 months, but they were informed last week that he was a P.O.W in Germany. He was called up last July and drafted to France on New's Year Day. He was working a searchlight for thre R.A near Boulogne. Educated at Carter Lane School and worked at Bilsthorpe Colliery.
Bernard's uncle, (his mother's brother), Pte William Rigg died on 16/9/1916 whilst serving with the Sherwood Foresters in France.
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 29/8/1941: In Memoriam
Slack-Rigg: In loving memory of my dear nephew, Bernard Slack lost with HMS Destroyer Esk. September 1st 1940 also my dear brother Pte William Rigg who fell in the Great War Sept 1916. from Auntie and Sister, Alice, Blidworth.
Alice and Mary Elizabeth were sisters.
Graham Harold Slack of the Sherwood Foresters who died 14th October 1943 was Bernard's cousin. George Ernest, Bernard's father and John Harold, Graham's father were brothers in 1911 they were living at 29 Gladstone Street, Mansfield.
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