Did You Know These of The Ninth? B&C 98 Jun 02

FREDERICK EDWARD BLAKE 5769650
Harvey Blake wrote, by e-mail: ‘My father Frederick was at Dunkirk and got out badly hurt.'
Click here for Frederick's obituary

Harvey wishes to learn more of his father's Service history. Frederick was in India in 1934, in France in 1940 and at Dunkirk. In which Bn or Bns would he have served?
The obituary for Jack Forrest in B&C 84 Jun 95 indicates that in 1934 the 2nd Bn were in Devonport and the 1st Bn were in India in 1936.

Should any readers have any knowledge of Frederick Blake please write via the Norfolk Section Editor.

Click for photographs of a :Field Service postcard sent in May 1940 from 'Somewhere in France' and a
Place mat from a function at the Bohar Union Board, India 'in front of the Presidential House' 17 Jan 1934

LCPL 'TAMMY' ARTHUR EDWARD AMES
Expanded from B&C 97 Dec 01
Arthur M Ames seeks anyone who served with his father, LCpl ‘Tammy’ Arthur Edward Ames, A Coy, 4 R Norfolk KIA Singapore in the early hours of 11 Feb 1942 aged 24. Tammy is buried in Kranji War Cemetery, plot 17 A 14. He was born 31 Jan 1918 in Great Yarmouth while his father, Arthur Samuel, a fisherman, was serving on a Mine Sweeper.
A cousin, Bill Ladmore, (80 on 5 Apr 2002), was serving in D Coy at the time and became a FEPOW. Bill was at Bordon with the 4th Bn at the outbreak of WW2, then served with 2 R Norfolk and 1 R Norfolk until 1952. Bill and his wife Olive have a photograph of Tammy's grave.
Click here for Tammy's obituary.
If you served with Tammy please contact the Norfolk Section Editor.

JIM CAMERON, SGT ‘NELSON’ LONG, RSM SPRINGETT, GEORGES LES STRANGE AND GEORGE WESTGATE
Expanded from B&C 97 Dec 01
Jim Cameron in Ontario, Canada, served in 2 Royal Norfolk. At an Aug 01 'Georgic' Reunion in London, England, Jim was asked by the son of Sgt ‘Nelson’ Long to find anyone who served with his late father. The nickname 'Nelson' arose after he lost an eye during training at Nelson and Britannia Barracks in Norwich.

Jim Cameron has also been asked about George Westgate, whom he believes has died, in a letter he assumes is from George's daughter. George served in the Royal Norfolks but it is not known in which Bn. If you served with George please contact the Norfolk Section Editor.

Another request for information concerns RSM Springett and also Georges Les Strange, born in 1897, who served with the Regt during WW1 and was awarded the MM in 1916.

Present at the 'MV Georgic' Reunion in Aug 01 was Capt Ian Page, Jim's B Coy Commander, (Philip Ian Page so known as 'Pip'), who had joined the Bn at Secunderabad in the summer of 1945.

B&C 93 Dec 99 reported: 'Following the Independence of India on 15 Aug 1947, the 2nd Bn The Royal Norfolk Regt were the first British Infantry Bn to leave India. They left aboard the MV Georgic, bound for the UK and eventual disbandment of the Bn in Mar 48.'
Articles on the departure appeared in B&C 88 Jun 97 p N26 and in B&C 90 Jun 98 p N11.
In 1998 and 1999, a few ex-2nd Bn members have met on the Saturday nearest to 15 Aug to commemorate the occasion. The venue has been The Union Jack Club, close to Waterloo Station in London.

For more, see:
Georgic Index
B&C 88 Jun 97 - The Norfolks leave India in Aug 1947 by Sydney Smith of The Daily Express
B&C 90 Jun 98 - Dutchie Holland by Gordon Spong
B&C 91 Dec 98 by Ron Phelps
B&C 93 Dec 99 by Gordon Spong
B&C 94 Jun 00 - Len Brazier by Capt John A Todd
B&C 95 Dec 00 - Aug 00 Reunion by Gordon Spong
B&C 100 Jun 03 Obituary John Watson

FEPOWS Bert Bourner, Don Burnham, Cyril Clark, Popeye Clark, Arthur Collingwood, Darkie Garnham and Bill Perry
From Richard M Toombs, Chief Petty Officer, US Navy (Retired), Spokane, Washington browndal@seniorglobe.org
"In searching the web I found your B&C obits information on FEPOW members. I have a friend in Tilney St Lawrence, who was a member of the 5th Royal Norfolk Regiment and I am working with him to locate several friends from his days as a POW.
Don Burnham mentioned he was a member of the Southend FEPOW Group but I am unable to locate the group on the web. Don's sister and husband are very close friends of ours and my wife and I were able to meet Don in Sep 2001 while visiting the village of my ancestors.
I am wondering if you may have some leads as to where to look for them.
The names are: Bill Perry, Darkie Garnham and PJF 'Popeye' Clark, all from Norfolk. Don Burnham is 85 years old and very active. I hope to save his story for others to read and honor him. Any assistance will be of great help.
Please feel free to forward my e-mail address - browndal@seniorglobe.org - to anyone who may help."

The Webmaster contacted Maj Tom Eaton and he informed Cyril Ramsey, 5th B FEPOW 1942-45 of Norwich who provided a Norwich postal address and tel no for PJF 'Popeye' Clark! Unfortunately, the number is discontinued.

Sadly, there is a 5 R Norfolk soldier listed as a casualty in Arthur Lane's 'When You Go Home' that may be Bill Perry. LCpl Charles William Perry 5776964.

Other names and home areas of those of his mates that Don remembers are: Arthur Collingwood from East London, Bert Bourner from South Mimms and Cyril Clark from Leicester. Don does not know if any or all of them survived.
None of those are listed as casualties.

Can anyone help Richard with any leads? Please copy any information to the Norfolk Section Editor.

This appeal is repeated on the 'e-mails' page.

Afternote from Webmaster Dec 05: William Collingwood advised that Arthur Collingwood has died.

FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Came a query by e-mail - no, nothing to do with that disgraceful Bowler Hat !
JAMES ROLAND GREGORY
Mark Gregory seeks information about his late grandfather, James Roland Gregory, known as John. His obituary was in B&C 88 Jun 97. With the 6th Bn in the Middle East and Malaya, John was a FEPOW 1942-5 and did a tape recording for the Imperial War museum.
If you can help, write to him via the Norfolk Section Editor.

This appeal is repeated on the 'e-mails' page.