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Status:
On original site
Type:
Freestanding
Location:
External
Setting:
Roadside
Description:
Shelter
Conflicts:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
About the memorial:
The Great Totham WW2 memorial is, unusually, a bus shelter. The shelter is a timber-framed structure, with herringbone brickwork nogging in the lower part of the walls and roughly rendered nogging above this. The floor is tiled with quarry tiles. There is a copper dedicatory plaque inside the shelter, which stands on Maldon Road, beside a crossroads. The memorial was built and dedicated in 1950 by public subscription. A local firm, Beadel’s, built the frame, and Messrs Tom and George Whiting and Harold Sach plus one other provided voluntary labour for building it. The copper plaque inside the memorial reads 'This shelter was erected by the people of this parish in grateful memory of those who gave their lives in the service of their country 1939 - 1945”
The shelter needed to have some decayed timbers replaced, to be re-roofed and re-rendered. It was decided that the 60th anniversary of VE and VJ days would be an appropriate time for this. In 2005/6 English Heritage and the Wolfson Foundation offered a grant of £1,500 towards work to clean the floor, to re-paint all the woodwork black, to replace damaged sections of timber, to replace damaged roof tiles, to repair and redecorate the rendered panels, to cut out and replace damaged bricks and to clean the copper plaque, re-patinate if necessary and apply a protective wax.
William George Frederick Barnard 2nd Lothian & Border Yeomanry
Lance Serjeant 7928177 William George Frederick Barnard, 2nd Lothian & Border Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps died on April 23rd 1943 and rests in Grave IV K 1 at the Massicault War Cemetery in Tunisia. William, aged 28, was the son of Samuel J. and Kate Barnard, of Maldon.
David Van Oosterwyk Bruyn R.N.
Lieutenant Willem Adolph David Van Oosterwyk-Bruyn, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, serving on HMS Scotstoun, was killed in action on June 13th 1940 and is commemorated on Panel 44, Column 2, of the Portsmouth Naval Memorial in Hampshire. ‘David’, aged 36, was born in Walton-on-Thames, the son of Willem and Helen Ada Van Osterwyk-Bruyn; and was the husband of Hannah Mary Alice Livingstone Van Oosterwyk-Bruyn, of Great Totham. He was a Batchelor of Arts from Canterbury University. On Aug. 30th 1939 the passenger ship Caledonia belonging to the Anchor Line Ltd, of Glasgow, was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an armed merchant cruiser being renamed HMS Scotstoun. Conversion was completed on Oct 15th 1939. At 07:16 on June 13th 1940, she was hit in the stern by a torpedo from the U-25, about 80 nautical miles west of Barra Island, Outer Hebrides in position 57:00'N, 09:57'W . At 17:29 hours, a second torpedo missed, but a third hit just aft of the funnel and caused the ship to sink by the stern. Six ratings were lost.
Reginald Thomas Clarke R.A.
Gunner 1822817 Reginald Thomas Clarke, 58 (Kent) Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, died on Aug. 6th 1943 and rests in Grave V B 24 at the Enfidaville War Cemetery in Tunisia. At the foot of his gravestone is the phrase;- “Until The Day Break and The Shadows Flee Away.” Reginald, aged 42, was the son of George Arthur and Clara Clarke; and the husband of Irene Clarke, of Great Totham.
Geoffrey Gordon Claxon Wilts. Regt.
Private 14757568 Geoffrey Gordon Claxon, 4th btn Wiltshire (Duke of Edinburgh's) Regt., died on Feb 11th 1945 and rests in Grave 56 F 17 at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Germany. Geoffrey, aged 19, was the son of George James and Edith Mary Claxon of Great Totham. The Battalion War Diary records that on this day:-“Battalion remains in position and situation becomes slightly more quiet. A brigade of 15(S) Div. resume the advance south. In the morning 'D' Coy are ordered to clear some remnants of enemy from a wood to the north of the town, who had not yet been touched by 15(S) Div. who had been advancing from the west. The attack is stopped after the troops were on the start line as the Canadians were doing the job with Crocodiles from the west.”
Barry Ryder Lewis F.A.A.
Leading Airman, FX582343 Barry Ryder Lewis, Royal Navy, serving at H.M.S. Canada died on March 13th 1944 and rests in Plot 406, Grave 8 at the Aylmer Cemetery in Ontario, Canada. Barry, aged 18, was the son of Albert H. and Bertha K. Lewis, of Great Totham. The name HMS Canada was given to the Royal Navy Headquarters at Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1942-1944.
Edward Charles Quy R.A.F
Aircraftman 1st Class 1250381 Edward Charles Quy, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died on March 1st 1945, and is commemorated on Column 454 of the Singapore Memorial. Edward, aged 32, was the son of Clifford and Charlotte Frances Quy; and the husband of Ivy M. Quy, of Great Totham. Edward had been serving at RAF Ipoh, Malaysia, when he was captured by the Japanese. He died in captivity, from Malaria and Beri-Beri, whilst being held in a camp at Lubuan, Malaysia
Guy Alban Stewart Richardson MC R.A.
Captain 164987 Guy Alban Stewart Richardson, M.C., Officer Commanding “F” Troop, 191st (The Hertfordshire and Essex Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, was killed on Dec 3rd 1944 and rests in Row B, Grave 4 at the Roosendaal-en-Nispen Roman Catholic Cemetery in Holland. Guy, aged 27, was the son of Charles Stewart and Maude Emmeline Richardson, of Witham. He was an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects. (Guy’s name does not appear on the Witham War Memorial.)
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 21 DECEMBER, 1944
War Office, 21st December, 1944.
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North West Europe: —
The Military Cross.
Lieutenant (temporary Captain) Guy Stewart Richardson (164987), Royal Regiment of'Artillery (Maldon, Essex.
Kenneth Frank Seager R.A.F.
Pilot Officer 85289 Kenneth Frank Seager, 78 Squadron Royal Air Force was killed at about 23:05 on March 27th 1941, and rests in Grave 20 F 6 at the Jonkerbos War Cemetery near Nijmegen, in Holland. Kenneth, aged 25, was the son of Frank and Ethel Emma Seager, of Great Totham. Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk V, Z6470 EY-G, flying from RAF Dishforth in North Yorkshire, was shot down by a night fighter on a raid to Dusseldorf. The crew, including Kenneth were firstly buried on April 10th 1941 in Venlo and later, in 1947, re-interred at the Jonkerbos War Cemetery.
Arthur Smith R.A.F.
Sergeant (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner) 550966 Arthur Harry Smith, 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, was killed on June 27th 1940 and rests in Grave 4 A 14 at the Hanover War Cemetery in Germany. Arthur, aged 20, was the son of Arthur Harry and Happy Smith, of Great Totham. Handley Page Hampden Mk I, L4078, based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, failed to return from a raid on Langen Hagen airfield, near Hanover, in Germany.
