Ernest Edward Willerton
Ernest's older brother Albert was listed in the 1939 England & Wales Register as working as a card minder in cotton mill. This would be at the William Hollins & Co Mill at Pleasley Vale, it seems likely that Ernest followed his brother and also worked at the Pleasley Vale Mills.
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Son of George Henry and Lillian May Willerton of 7 Recreation Drive Shirebrook.
Siblings: George Henry (1915), Albert (1923) and Lillian (1930).
The South Staffordshire Regiment were in Normandy and took part in the Battle of Caen from 26th June to 21st July 1944.
War Diary:
10/7/1944: Cambes Halt 00:10 hrs: 'C'Coy report two men on M/C (mine countermeasures?) have run into mine in area. The Comd Officer asked Capt Seldon if he can get volunteers to get them off, but in any case the pioneers are got hold of.
00:30 hrs: Capt Seldon, Lt Kirkland and Sgt Doughly, have got the two men off, both are very injured and one is apparently an R.S.M (Regimental Sargeant Major).
11:35 hrs: Shelling in area for 5 mins, thereafter complete quiet.
09:00 hrs: O. Group mostly admin problems.
10:00 hrs: We provide a burial party for the 2/6 S Staffords. A Div Cemetery is formed at 019743.
10:00 onwards: French refugees keep turning up, it is difficult to know what to do with them. Bde leave it to the Comd Officer. We try and find out if they are O.K. and let them go.
11:00 hrs: Div Comd visits Comd officer, he put's us in the picture and tells us the Div (and the Bn) has done well. The rest of the day is spent cleaning up the battle field, we are warned that we would be going back later. The I.O. (Intelligence Officer) attends Bde at 22:00 to get the "dope". We are to move to rest (874828) during dark (03:00)
23:59 hrs: O. Group to issue instructions to move.
11/7/1944: Cambes Halt 02:30 hrs: Troops embus and pass SP (Start Point) at 0329 (Basly) and arrive at new area. Pierre Artus 8782 at 06:00 hrs.
After 'getting in' we spent the day resting and reorganising. The troops are allowed to Bayeux but the place is so full of troops it apparently is NOT so enjoyable. 1 OR(Other Ranks) Died of Wounds.
This other rank is probably Ernest as he was the only member of the regiment to die that day and so may have been one of the two men who had been wounded the day before whilst mine clearing. Ernest was buried at Bayeux Cemetery which is close to where they were based at the time. Cambes is just north of Caen and Pierre Artus is to the west, just north of Bayeux.
Over the next 2 weeks the 1/6th bn take part in the Battle for Caen, on the 16th they suffer 38 killed 88 wounded or shell shocked with further casualties in the following days.
Buried at Bayeux War Cemetery plot II. C. 10.
No photos