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First Bacupian To Be Decorated
The Bacup Times of May 16th 1942 proudly announced the home coming of the First Bacupian to be decorated in the present war. He was Able Seaman Thomas Brown R.N of 22 Church Street Stacksteads. Awarded the Distinguished Service Medal he was welcomed home by the Mayor and friends and neighbours in Church Street Stacksteads hung banners and flags to celebrate.
A.B Brown was the youngest son of Mrs. M.A. Rouen of 4 Hannah Street Bacup and the late Mr. John Brown. Married with a small son A.B Brown was a member of the crew of the destroyer H.M.S Farndale, which while escorting a convoy sank one of the largest, fastest and newest Italian Submarines the Amaranti Caracioli, in the Mediterranean sea on December 11th 1941. A.B. Brown had been the port look out on the bridge and had first spotted the submarine at about three miles distance. A German Army general was one of the 53 army personnel and German Air Force members rescued and taken prisoner.
Other Medals Awarded
A/B Norman Clegg
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World War II was the largest and most violent armed conflict in the history of mankind. Many Bacup and Stacksteads men took part in the war, this page will feature their stories.
In June 1940 the British government organised a military operation to withdraw their British and Allied troops from Northern France after a heavy defeat following the German break through to the channel Ports. The Germans tried to enter Dunkirk but failed, they used dive-bombers to attack the soldiers who were stood on the beaches waiting to be evacuated. The army of French, English and Belgian held back the Germans from entering Dunkirk long enough for the soldiers to evacuate. By June about 4,338,200 Soldiers (French, English and Belgian) were rescued and bought to England.
BACUP SOLDIER RESCUED FROM SEA BACUP SOLDIER WHO SWAM ABOUT FOR TWO HOURS. Typical of the experience of many has been that of a Bacup soldier Pte. George Stanworth. A driver in the R.A.O.C with the B.E.F in Flanders. He was taken off along with many others last Wednesday week. The ship was sunk in the channel with the result that Stanworth had to swim about for two hours before being rescued. Private Stanworth who is the son of Mr and Mrs J.W.Stanworth, of 15 Todmorden Road, Bacup, is married they a baby son, and his wife and parents have received a letter telling them what has happened. He mentioned that he has seen other local lads out there but does not know there present whereabouts. The letter states: " I am alright. Have had a rough time. I am feeling a bit shell shocked but we will be ok in a day or two. We had a hell of a time and we lost everything we had coming over. We are supposed to be getting leave in a couple of weeks. I am ready for it I can tell you. Pte Stanworth who has been in the army for six months, is now in a military camp in the south of England. He was driving a Army waggon at the time of evacuation and the vehicle had to be dumped and left. Afterwards he took part in the fighting. His brother Jack a well known local swimmer and his father well known as a member of the firm of Stanworth Bros, motor coach proprietors and haulage contactor.
SURVIVED FIERCE FIGHTING AT LILLE.
Relatives have received news of the safe arrival in the South of England of Pte. David Watters 28, of 14 Greave Fold, Bacup a local postman. As an anti tank gunner, Pte. Watters has been involved in some heavy fighting in the French cotton town of Lille. He was called up as a reservist at the outbreak of the war. Previously he had served with the forces in Egypt for seven years. His wife had not heard news of him until she received a postcard telling of his getting safely to this country.
LOST ALL HIS EQUIPMENT. Another unwounded Bacup survivor of the evacuation is Pte. W. Clarke, son of Mrs and the late Mr William Clarke, of Market Street Bacup. He was landed at a Kent port and is at present in a military camp in the west country. A telegram received on Monday conveyed the glad news to his mother. Pte Clarke lost all his equipment in the evacuation. Pte Clarke worked at the Valley Supply Company Farholme Mill Stacksteads before joining the army.
STACKSTEADS SOLDIER WOUNDED. A silence of five weeks was broken by the receipt of a letter by the parents of Lance Corporal Roland Aspinall, of the East Lancashire Regiment, telling then that he suffering form a gunshot wound in the right arm. He is the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Alfred Aspinall, of Cutler Crescent, Stacksteads and had been taking part in the fighting in Flanders. The letter stated that Lance Corporal Aspinall was among other British soldiers landed in Kent. He has been taken to a military hospital in the South. Aspinall worked at Kilnholme Mill Stacksteads his father being employed there also.
STACKSTEADS FUSILIER IN HOSPITAL. John James Quinn aged 24, Lancashire Fusiliers, whose home is at 16 Blackwood Road Stacksteads, is in a southern hospital with pneumonia following severe shrapnel wounds. He received his wounds in the fighting in Belgium, and was evacuated from Dunkirk, and entered hospital on Monday on reaching England. His wife, they have two children received a telegram regarding his condition and she visited her husband on Tuesday. He told her that at the time he was wounded he was with other Bacup lads. Enemy planes appeared overhead and he was struck by shrapnel, his steel helmet being knocked over his face.
FAIRLY GONE THROUGH IT. A Bacup soldier who was married a week after Easter, Gunner Richard Heaton Foster, of the Royal Artillery, whose home is at 480, Rochdale Road Britannia , has informed his wide of his safe arrival in this country with men of the B.E.F who have returned from France. In his letter Gunner Foster who joined the forces with is age group last Christmas stated that he was right, bug added that he had fairly gone through it, having lost all his kit. His father lives at Weir. Private Ernest Clegg 23 second son of Mrs J. R. Smith, of 487 Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, and the late Pte, George W. Clegg, of the Lancashire Fusiliers has informed his mother by letter that he is among B.E.F soldiers home from Flanders in a Southern rest camp. Clegg is serving in the same regiment as did his father who was killed in the Gt War a month before the armistice. Up to joining the Territorial Army at Haslingden at the outbreak of war Clegg worked at Globe slipper works Waterfoot.
GREAT TO BE BACK IN DEAR OLD ENGLAND. Another Bacup soldier who had returned safely is Private Joseph Aspinall R.A.S.C. 21 year old son of Mr and Mrs Arthur Aspinall of 11 Gordon Street. In a letter to his parents, Aspinall states that he was safe and sound and quite happy adding it is great to be back in dear old England. His elder brother John is serving with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
WADED UP TO HIS NECK IN THE SEA HOW A BACUP SOLDIER GOT AWAY FROM DUNKIRK Among the Bacup survivors of the B.E.F epic in Flanders who have this week been home on 48 hours leave is Sapper Eric Seddon, Royal Engineers. of 131 Newchurch Road, Lee Mill, and formerly of Sharneyford. Before he got away from Dunkirk he experienced terrible bombardments of bombs and shells. After wading out from the beach until up to his neck he was taken aboard a boat and brought back to England. He was particularly bitter about the merciless bombing by the Germans of fleeing refugees many of who he saw in dire need of food.
HIS STEEL HELMET SAVED HIM BACUP CRICKETER IN EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK A well known playing member of Bacup Cricket Club Corporal Harry Ellis 24 of the R.A.M.C second son of Mr and Mrs J.F.Ellis of 147 Newchurch Road, Bacup who has been attached to a field ambulance unit with the B.E.F in Flanders is at home on leave . He was among the last to be evacuated after having helped deal with the wounded in that operation. Corporal Ellis has seen some fierce fighting and on one occasion only his steel helmet saved him from being a casualty. He celebrated his 21st birthday while overseas and though he did not get the birthday presents sent out to him at the time he was given a packet of cigarettes by a thoughtful Sergeant. The latter was killed very shortly afterwards. Ellis who worked at New Hey Mills will return to his depot tonight.
FOUGHT AT ARRAS Another Bacup soldier, Signaller Harry Elsworth is at present somewhere in the fighting at Arras. He was among soldiers evacuated from Boulogne and in a letter to his parents received on Tuesday he stated that he was on the way to his depot. He is not wounded. Elsworth who is the son of Mr and Mrs E Elsworth of 59 Pleasant View Bankside Bacup had been in the army for the past two years. His brother is in the R.A.F.
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Bacup Times April 10th 1943
Bacup Times June 9th 1945 Two Bacup brothers James Edward ( Eddie ) Mills, serving in the Merchant Navy, and A.B. Richard Kenneth Mill, R.N. second and youngest sons of Mr and Mrs, J.E.Mills, 252, Rochdale Road, had an unexpected reunion in and overseas port recently. As the naval vessel in which he is serving was proceeding out to sea, Kenneth spotted his brother's ship. He dashed to the bridge to flash a signal, but his brother forestalled him with a message of greeting and best wishes. Kenneth's ship returned to port the same afternoon, and the following day he was able to go aboard his brothers vessel, where they had a happy time together for about 1 hour 30 mins. As Kenneth's ship again left port the next day they were able to wave farewell to each other.
NORMANDY The Allied invasion of Hitler's "Fortress Europe" began in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944 when American and British paratroops dropped behind the intended invasion beaches to disrupt German communications. At dawn, the sea invasion began as an Allied Armada disgorged thousands of troops at five beaches along France's Normandy coast. By the end of the day, the Allies had achieved a tenuous toe hold that would be laboriously expanded over the next weeks and would lead ultimately to the Nazi defeat in the West.
Personal Stories of Local Men and the Normandy Landings
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From Malta With Love
Bacup Times September 26 1942
A number of Bacup Lads are among others from Rossendale who are sharing in the defence of Malta, the much bombed George Cross Island in the Mediterranean. Four of them serving with the Lancashire Fusiliers are seen in the above photograph. They are standing left to right: Fus R Pearson, Fus C Greenwood and Fus D Maden and in front Lance Corporal A Aspinall. In a note accompanying the snap Fus Greenwood states: "I feel some of our townspeople would like to know that Bacup is well represented in this gallant little island-not much larger than the valley we love so dear and long to see again. If only for the rain at dear old Sheephouse.
They Met In The Middle East
Bacup Times September 1943.
Many instances of Bacup lads coming across each other while serving overseas have been recorded in our columns. This week we have received the following letter from three of our townsmen, . Tpr N.E.Morris, R.A.C. Pte. J.R. Topping. R.A.S.C. and TPR, Wright Walker, R.A.C, who have met in the Middle East. Havinf read some of the reports in the time of lads from Bacup meeting out here we'd like to tell you what pleasure it gives when these meetings occur. Somehow it makes you eel that Bacup has made its powers felt all over the world and that no matter where you are you'll always eventually meet a Bacupian. Out here especially, you keep wondering and saying to yourself " will I ever meet one of out blokes ". These metting of service men happen when we least expect them as our case proves. I was at the base awaiting transport to my regiment when who should I meet in the canteen but Jack Topping, of the R.A.S.C. In no time we were yarning about Bacup and our homes. For one night the war was forgotten. It was, " Do you know so and so"? " Do you remember this"? etc, and as we left each other that night, we vowed that no matter where we were we'd always keep in touch with each other. Next morning a rather breathless Jack turned up at my billet, saying "guess who I've seen ? It's reet , Wright Walker, you know him he lives up Burnley Road". Promptly we both set out to find him , and before long we succeeded and very soon three happy blokes were at it again. Jack and I got a lot of news from him, as he had only been in Egypt three days. He is in the R.A.C, like myself, and is waiting posting to a regiment. To use his own words on meeting us. " Eh it's grand, I didn't ever expect to meet twp Bacup lads out here ". Well, that's how it all happened. Were together, the three if us, and are happy to remain so for a little while. One of these days whilst in Cairo we met Tommy Lane of the R.A. and once more we had a Bacup session.In conclusion we would like to that you for the " Times " . Through it we know all the news and when it does arrive every scarp is read, even the advertisements and for one glorious hour we are back home. Also our thanks for the Bacup W.V.S for their parcels, which brighten up our lives out here, and we do appreciate them. Anyhow for the present tell everyone to keep smiling. We are. Three Bacup Lads. Tpr, N.E. Morris, R.A.C. Pte. J .R. Topping, R.A.S.C. Tpr. Wright Walker, Royal Armoured Corps.
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