Remembering Private George Alfred John Robinson of 7th Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment - Killed In Action, 8th July 1944

 

Venture into any British cemetery of an 80 year vintage or more and there is a very high probability that you will spot at least one Commonwealth War Grave Commission (CWGC) headstone, instantly recognisable by their rectangular shape and gently curved top. Of limestone cut from the numerous quarries of Portland in Dorset these headstones are imbued with a brightness that ensures that they stand out from their more drab granite, marble and sandstone neighbours in any graveyard.

When entering a cemetery previously unknown to me, it has become second nature to scan the headstones from afar for that oh so familiar shape. Even if I say so myself, I have become rather adept over the years at spotting them almost instantaneously. However, the official war graves do not represent the full story of the losses experienced across the villages, towns and cities of the UK, far from it in fact. Every plot in the CWGC cemeteries across The Somme valley and Flanders, Normandy and in every other theatre of war fought over by Commonwealth soldiers contain the remains of personnel who were not repatriated. More tragic still are the memorials to the missing that bear the names of those thousands of soldiers with no known burial place.

In his 1914 poem ‘The Soldier’, a patriotic verse concerning the death of an English soldier on the Western Front, Rupert Brooke rather romanticised a death on a battlefield far from home.

‘The Soldier’

‘If I should die, think only this of me:
   That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
   In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
  Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England’s, breathing English air,
  Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
  A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
   Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
  And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
   In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.’

These are certainly fine and stirring words but they would have offered little comfort to the mothers, fathers, wives and sweethearts of the fallen left to grieve back at home. Denied in life of the possibility of visiting a memorial place locally, lost sons and husbands were often commemorated in absentia on family headstones. These memorials are more difficult to spot, but no less poignant for that.

One of my last COVID lockdown walks saw me once again in the Old Cemetery in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire. It came as some surprise to me that I had missed a mention of a young soldier killed in action in Normandy on 8th July 1944. The inscription appeared on a rather overgrown headstone that marked the final resting place of his mother and father.

‘IN LOVING MEMORY OF

A DEAR HUSBAND AND FATHER

GEORGE ALFRED ROBINSON

WHO DIED 3^RD AUGUST 1945

AGED 63 YEARS

 

AND OF HIS SON

GEORGE ALFRED JOHN ROBINDON

KILLED IN ACTION IN NORMANDY

8^TH JULY 1944 AGED 22 YEARS

 

ALSO HIS WIFE

RHODA ELIZABETH

DIED 4^TH OCT 1970 AGED 88 YEARS

 

REUNITED'

 
‘8^th July 1944’, ‘Killed in Action in Normandy’. A date and a place very well known to me for reasons that I will explain.
 
A search of the British Newspaper Archive revealed the news of the young soldier’s death as reported in the Saturday 29th July 1944 edition of the Herts & Essex Observer. 

‘Killed in Action – Mr. and Mrs. George Robinson, of 59, Dimsdale Crescent, have received notification that, their son, Pte. George A (Alfie) Robinson, Royal Norfolk Regiment, was killed in action in July. Pte. Robinson was 22 years of age, was an old Hockerill School boy and at the time of joining up was employed by Messrs. S. Barker & Sons, bakers and confectioners. Three other members of the family are serving in the Forces.’

George was born in Bishops Stortford on 27^th January 1922. I have been unable to ascertain much detail of his early life. Detail of Ancestry based family trees state that George was born in Sawbridgeworth and yet there is no clear indication that his family moved away from the Bishops Stortford area. In the 1911 census the family are recorded as living in Middle Row in the Newtown area, whilst the extraordinary 1939 census sees the family, George included, as residing in Dane Street, in the area of the railway station. Likewise, a family tree source states that he was christened in Thorley. As his parents were married in 1907 at Holy Trinity Church it seems to me to be unusual that their growing family would not be christened in this church rather than another in an area at that time rather distinct from Bishops Stortford. Nevertheless, his early life is not the focus of this post, although of course being an inquisitive soul, I would be interested to know more of his life prior to service.

Private George Alfred John Robinson 5783776 was a soldier of the 7th Batallion Royal Norfolk Regiment. The Battalion was part of the British Expeditionary Force that in 1940 fought in what became known as the Battle of France. Early in the war as a fighting unit within the 51st Highland Division they were not part of the Dunkirk evacuation, they fought on until, depleted of food and ammunition, they were forced into an humiliating surrender at St. Valery-en-Caux on 12th July 1940. Their Commanding Officer, Major General Fortune surrendered 10,000 troops to Erwin Rommel and his 7th Panzer Division.

Back in England the Battalion was reformed in July 1940 around a nucleus of one officer and 29 other ranks who had returned from France, after which the ranks swelled with regular intakes of civilian recruits. As was normal for a newly formed battalion it was assigned duties that combined coastal defence (the 7th defended Grimsby docks for the remainder of 1940) with intensive training.

As Britain’s High Command struggled with the reorganisation of the British Army, successive reassignments of the 7th Royal Norfolks eventually saw them stationed in Loughgall, to the north of Armagh, Northern Ireland, as part of the 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division’s 176 Brigade. This was the point at which the history of the 7th Royal Norfolk Regiment and consequently Private Robinson became very familiar to me as well as that fateful date of 8th July 1944. This was because several years ago, as the 70th anniversary of D-Day approached I started researching my maternal Grandfather’s military service in World War II. He was a soldier serving with the 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment which was also under the command of the 59th (Staffordshire) Division, but with 177 Brigade. As such from the point at which the 7th Royal Norfolks joined the Division to train in the Mountains of Mourne, my Grandfather’s service history and that of George ran along parallel lines.

The 'Pithead' insignia of the 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division

The Battalion returned with the rest of the Division from Northern Ireland and were stationed in Kent as part of 12 Corps from March 1943. In the preparations for D-Day, the North West Europe invasion that all knew to be on the horizon, 59th Division were designated as a ‘follow up’ up Division. Training continued at an intensified pace including Operation ‘Harlequin’ that simulated the mobilisation of men right down to the water’s edge at Dover before the men were turned back. Few of the rank and file knew that this was an exercise rather than the real thing!

The commencement of the Second Front, better known now to history as ‘D-Day’, occurred as we all know on 6th June 1944. As a follow-up division, representatives of the 7th Royal Norfolk Regiment along with all other Divisional units attended a service of commemoration at Canterbury Cathedral where no doubt the thoughts and prayers of all were with their brothers-in-arms who had landed on the British and Canadian assault beaches early that morning.

On 7th June a personal message from General Montgomery (Commander-in-Chief of 21st Army Group) was read out to all troops:

1. The time has come to deal the enemy a terrific blow in Western Europe. The blow will be struck by the combined sea, land, and air forces of the Allies - together constituting one great Allied team, under the supreme command of General Eisenhower.

2. On the eve of this great adventure I send my best wishes to every soldier in the Allied team. To  us is given the honour of striking a blow for freedom which will live in history; and in better days that lie ahead men will speak with pride of our doings. We have a great and righteous cause. Let us pray that "The Lord Mighty In Battle" will go forth with our armies, and that His special providence will aid us in the struggle.

3. I want every soldier to know that I have complete confidence in the successful outcome of the operations that we are now about to begin. With stout hearts, and with enthusiasm for the contest, let us go forward to victory.

4. And, as we enter the battle, let us recall the words of a famous soldier spoken many years ago:-

" He either fears his fate too much,

Or his deserts are small,

Who dare not put it to the touch,

To win or lose it all."

5. Good luck to each one of you. And good hunting on the mainland of Europe.

B. L. Montgomery

General

C - in - C 21 Army Group

The words of Monty are famous, but to my mind, with references to teams, enthusiasm for the contest, this great adventure and good hunting, they strike me as more in keeping with speeches in the halls of Eaton or Harrow than for the ears of the massed ranks of a civilian army!

According to the original plan the 7th Royal Norfolks alongside the rest of 59th Division were due to land on Juno Beach on D-Day + 16 i.e. 22nd June. However, violent storms in the English Channel over the 19th to 21st June meant that the Division was delayed and remained in marshalling areas for some days. For the marching troops (distinct from the Divisional transport) bivouacked in Brighton’s Stanmer Park in fine weather the enforced delay was not as irksome as it could have been.

The Marching troops eventually embarked for Normandy at Newhaven, landing at Courcelleson on 28th June after which they concentrated at Le Manoir. The Battalion’s vehicles and armour sailed out of Tilbury Docks landing at Le Hamel on 29th June.

The 7th Royal Norfolks were permitted scant time to acclimatise to life in a theatre of war, finding themselves at the front line from 5th July when they relieved my Grandfather’s 5th South Staffordshire Regiment.

Private Robinson, his battalion comrades and the rest of 59th Division were about to participate on a three division frontal assault on Caen. The ancient Norman capital had originally been a D-Day objective, but such was the strategic importance of the city in terms of the facilitating an Allied breakout of Normandy and an advance on Paris that it was defended in great strength.

Operation ‘Charnwood’ was to be the push that would deliver Caen into Allied hands. Given the fact that the planned encirclement of Caen had floundered by virtue of a fanatical German defence, Charnwood intended to hammer the city’s defences from the north. The 59th Division was situated in the centre of the battlefront with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division on their right flank and the British 3rd Infantry Division on their left.

With the information that I have I cannot pin George Robinson down to a particular Company, but the engagement that cost him his life ran along the lines of the narrative that follows.

Operation Charnwood saw the first involvement of Bomber Command in engagements on the North West European front. From 21.50 hours to 22.30 hours on the night of 7^th July, George Robinson would have witnessed a display of air power not yet seen in the war to date. A raid comprising no fewer than 467 Halifax and Lancaster bombers pummelled the city with a combined payload of 2,560 tonnes of high explosive, incendiary and delayed-action ordinance. It was a firework display like no other, but the necessity and effectiveness of the raid is still a hugely debated topic almost 77 years after the event.

Head of Bomber Command, Air Chief Marshall Arthur Harris insisted on a 6,000 yard safety margin relative to the forward positions of the British and Canadian troops massed for the assault at zero hour on 8th July. This margin meant that the aerial bombardment fell behind the German front line fortifications and resulted in the decimation of the northern suburbs of the city (as opposed to the intended network of strongly defended positions in the villages and hamlets beyond the city limits that were the attacking forces objectives in Operation Charnwood. The loss of civilian life was high.

Such an overwhelming display of might would have undoubtedly provided a much needed morale boost to soldiers such as George Robinson and my Grandfather as they contemplated the prospect of their first combat, but it offered little in terms of a strategic advantage.

 

Diagram showing the concentration of the aerial bombardment of 7th July that fell behind the forward enemy positions.

It was known that the 59th Division in their first engagement would be facing formidable opposition, not least the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitler Jugend (comprising fanatical young men drawn from the Hitler Youth movement) and the 1st Panzer Division Lebstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (formed from the ranks of Hitler’s personal bodyguard).

No matter how many times I revisit this situation in early July 1944, I struggle to comprehend the idea that a civilian force drawn from the factories, farms and offices of Britain were pitched against the elite forces of the Third Reich, many of whom were hardened and bloodied veterans of many campaigns, not least of them, the Eastern Front.

The objectives of the 7^th Royal Norfolks and 176 Brigade on 8^th July were the fortified villages of Epron, the approach to which necessitated an advance through cornfield crops that were two feet high. These fields were surrounded by hedges and banks in which the Germans had established deadly defensive positions. The situation on the ground was such that the opportunities for reconnaissance in advance of zero hour were limited and heavy reliance was placed on aerial photography. This factor cost much in terms of casualties suffered on the day of the battle.

Map showing the position of Epron and La Bijude and the advances of the 21st Army Group Divisions that resulted in the capture of Caen.

Zero hour for Operation Charnwood was set to 0420 hours. Moments before the off a few artillery pieces stuttered a few bursts which heralded the full fury of the Division’s supporting artillery. At the same time, the big guns of the Royal Navy waded in with their formidable contribution to a dawn chorus from hell. HMS Belfast, Emerald and Rodney anchored in the beachhead added significant weight to the bombardment that became known as the ‘Monty barrage’.

The German defenders were quick to respond, sending over shells from their own artillery, although this left the Norfolks unscathed.

Orders were received at 0620 hours to start phase II of the attack at 0730 hours. This order was made on the assumption that the first phase had concluded successfully. Moreover one of the earliest casualties of the second phase was the Battalion’s radio communication which was rapidly put out of action. The leading Companies of the Battalion, advancing upon their objectives through the aforementioned corn crops, encountered a very confused situation. Despite the fact that the Norfolks had rehearsed an advance through cornfields, a combination of accurate mortar and machine gun fire from the hedgerows enclosing the crop fields, pinned the men down within the fields. Their issues with the advance were compounded by the fact that the opening artillery created a mass of dust that severely compromised visibility to an estimated 300 yards. As a result the tanks were unable to provide any effective support to the advance.

In this confusion the attacking ‘A’ and ‘C’ Companies struggled to make any headway. ‘C’ Company headed towards the fire coming from nearby La Bijude rather than the correct objective of Epron, whilst every officer of ‘A’ Company became a casualty. ‘B’ Company in support were due to mop up after the ‘A’ and ‘C’ Company assault, but they too suffered heavy losses upon deployment in ‘C’ Company’s direction.

It was not until 1045 hours when a runner managed to get a message back to the Commanding Officer that it became clear that the attack had failed and La Bijude remained in German hands rather than with the 6th North Staffordshire Battalion as planned. The loss of the Battalion's 18 sets (field radio) lead to this communication breakdown throughout the morning of 8th July.

With the realisation that the 6th North Staffords had faltered, ‘D’ Company of the 7th Royal Norfolk Battalion with the support of a tank squadron were ordered to capture La Bijude. At the same time the remnants of ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies were reorganised and put in reserve. The combined scratch Company strength was reduced to just fifty men.

‘D’ Company’s assault commenced at 1400 hours but once again fierce and concealed resistance was encountered. Notably, after his own tank was ‘brewed up’ (in Tank Regiment parlance of the day), one Major Cotter continued to direct the tank fire by walking between the machines within full view of the enemy and with little regard for his own safety. A Lieutenant Bartlett was felled, but not before silencing a Spandau machine gun position to the south of the village that was harassing the advance.

At the end of the fighting ‘D’ Company held the southern part of La Bijude, such that anti-tank guns could be brought forward for a continued assault on Epron, but ‘D’ Company were effectively spent by 1530 hours. This being the case, ‘A’ Company of the 7th South Staffordshire Regiment were placed under command with orders to take Epron by nightfall.

 
It was planned that ‘A’ Company would attack the strongly fortified earthworks located to the west of La Bijude whilst ‘D’ Company 7th RNR took Epron. The composite Company comprising the ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies remained in reserve.

The final push to capture Epron started at 2030 hours when tanks opened up against all possible hedgerow positions before the infantry of ‘D’ Company and ‘A’ Company advanced to clear the way into Epron. By 2200 hours, only the odd diehard sniper remained in the village. By night fall, positions were consolidated and anti-tank guns were in place for an anticipated counter attack that never materialised. Reconnaissance into the village reported scores of enemy dead left behind at the German units withdrew from contact with the Allied forces.

By 10th July the majority of the Norman capital of Caen was in Allied hands, albeit over a month later than was originally anticipated by Montgomery.

For their part, the men of the 7th Royal Norfolk Regiment remained in the locale of Epron for a further 36 hours during which the battlefield was cleared and the fallen were commemorated in a memorial service. On 11th July, the Battalion was moved to Ryes close to Arramanches for a period of rest and reorganisation.

The casualty figures for the Battalion in this first engagement were:

Officers: 3 killed 7 wounded 0 missing

Other ranks: 30 killed 111 wounded 1 missing.

George Robinson is accounted for as one of the 30 of the other ranks.

After the Operation Charnwood battles, the fighting units of the 59th Division continued in their efforts to force the enemy out of Normandy and in the direction of the Seine. The 7th Royal Norfolk Regiment fought heroically over the 7th and 8th August 1944 in a tenuously held bridgehead over the River Orne at Grimbosq. These actions would result in Captain David Jamieson of ‘D’ Company receiving the Victoria Cross for his bravery. Back in June 2019 at the memorial raised to commemorate his actions I delivered a speech and a 59th Association wreath was laid.

In the third week of August 1944, Divisional Commanding Officer of the 59th Staffordshire Division, Major General Lyne was instructed to inform the men under his command that the decision had been taken that the 59th were to be disbanded. This was in order to provide similarly bloodied and depleated regiments much needed reinforcement. In this respect, the 59th, as a more recently established Division, was sacrificed in favour of those divisions encompassing older Regiments of the British Army. Thus it was that in the weeks following the disbandment notification, the men of the 59th were transferred to other English, Scottish and Welsh Regiments.

I have for the past few years been a member of the 59th Staffordshire Division Association, with whom I have travelled to Normandy to pay my respects to the men of the Division who fell in the efforts to break out. Sadly, in my time in the Association, no veterans have been able to make the journey across the Channel, but it has been my privilege to be in the company of friends, who like myself, have a connection with the 59th through a relatives who served in the Divisions ranks. It has been with them that I have had the opportunity to travel to several of the CWGC cemeteries most closely linked to the soldiers of the Division. Not least among these is Cambes-en-Plaine cemetery which is located approximately two kilometres to the north east of Epron and six kilometres from central Caen. George Alfred John Robinson lies within these perfectly manicured grounds.

Our pilgrimage of Remembrance takes in this cemetery since many of the men of the 59th Division who fell during the Charnwood fighting on the 8th and 9th July 1944 are buried here. Among them is Private John Rowden James of the 2/6th South Staffordshire Regiment, the father of a fellow  Association member, also named John James. In June 2019 (the last pre-pandemic visit to the battlefields and cemeteries around the city of Caen), John laid a wreath on the grave of the father that he never had the opportunity to know. Like George, John James senior was killed in action on the 8th July in that first engagement for the men of Staffordshire and Norfolk.

1546112 Private J.R. James

The South Staffordshire Regiment

8th July 1944

Age 30

A member of the excellent WW2Talk forum was kind enough to send me a photograph of George’s Cambes-en-Plaine headstone.

5783276 Private G.A.J. Robinson

The Royal Norfolk Regiment

8th July 1944 Age 22

"Thy Will Be Done"

In addition, the 6th June this year saw the unveiling of the Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, Calvados. This memorial commemorates no less than 22,442 soldiers, across 30 nationalities who fought and died within British units to achieve the breakout from Normandy which culminated in the liberation of Paris on 25th August. The gargantuan struggle that occurred in Normandy between June and August 1944 marked the beginning of the end of Nazi tyranny in Europe.

George Alfred John Robinson’s name appears on Column 147 of the memorial. His 59th Division comrade, John James is remembered on Column 145. The memorial will be one of my first ports of call at the point when travel to France once again becomes possible without quarantine requirements.

In little over a week, on 8th July, I will be remembering both George and John, in fact I may dust down the bottle of calvados that resides at the back of the drinks cupboard for the occasion!

‘They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.’

Major Pearson's Modified Webley Revolver

For our reunion visit, the staff of the Staffordshire Regiment Museum made available for our examination the modified Webley revolver that was carried (and used) by Major Pearson in the fighting in and around Caen in the summer of 1944. The weapon had been bequeathed by the Officer to the museum.

The routine cleaning of the gun and its holster would have been one of the duties undertaken by Percy Clews as Major Pearson's batman.

With the original holster

'You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do you, punk?'

'Emotional meeting for the families of WWII comrades' - The Lichfield Mercury 26th December 2019

The Lichfield Mercury ran the story on the reunion in their edition of 26th December 2019. Still just within the poignant 75th anniversary year of the D-Day landings and the Battle for Normandy in which Private Percy Clews was killed.

'Hold the Front Page!' - The Lichfield Mercury Picks Up the Story

As a result of the initial post on the Staffordshire Regiment Museum Facebook page, John Clews contacted the local newspaper, The Lichfield Mercury and I was asked by one of their reporters to provide the story.

L-R: Adrian, Eunice, Nick, John P, Jan, John C

The Staffordshire Regiment Museum 

19th October 2019. 

10th August 1944 – River Orne, Normandy
The Battle for Normandy is nearing its bloody conclusion as German forces are forced into an easterly retreat. Men of the 59th (Staffordshire) Division are engaged in bitter fighting on both banks of the River Orne. 176 Brigade have forced a crossing and are in a desperate struggle to hold a fragile bridgehead, repelling determined enemy counter-attacks launched from the Fôret de Grimbosq. To the south, 177 Brigade are fighting to control the successive ridges of high ground that are a feature of the terrain that leads to the section of the river that overlooks the Norman town of Thury Harcourt.

It is 10th August and a soldier of ‘C’ Company of the 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment lies injured in front of the Company position close to the river bank in the area of the small settlement of Fresnay. Company Commander, Major Bernard Pearson, accompanied by his Batman, Private Percy Clews and a stretcher bearer approach the stricken soldier in an effort to bring him in. They get close to the casualty when the stretcher bearer steps on a shrapnel mine, one of several that the retreating enemy have callously placed around the wounded man. The blast injures the stretcher bearer and the Major and kills Private Clews instantly.

29th August 1944 – Abergavenny, Wales
‘My Dear Mrs Clews’ wrote Major Pearson from the Monmouthshire hospital in which he was recovering from the wounds that he had received on 10th August, ‘You have no doubt been wondering why I have taken so long to write, and offer not only my sympathy, but those of the whole Company at the loss of your Husband, my Batman.

I was hit by the same mine, and I have only just heard officially that Percy was killed, as I had feared.

It isn’t an easy story to tell, Mrs Clews, and I am sure you don’t want to know all the full details.

I found it necessary to lead a patrol with stretcher bearers to recover one of my boys who had been wounded sometime before, and who was in need of treatment. Percy would not think of leaving me behind. We found the man but the Germans had surrounded him with shrapnel mines, I presume they realised that we would try to recover him. A stretcher bearer, after giving aid, trod on a mine which exploded, causing the death of your husband and wounding two of us.

I had the lives of the others to consider so I ordered them back whilst I tried to give Percy some help, but poor lad, he had gone – without pain and without knowing what had happened. He looked very peaceful, his job well done. I had him recovered the same day and he was given a Military funeral, although I regret that I was not present, being on my way to hospital’.

Major Pearson went on to describe his own relationship with his diligent orderly ‘Between an Officer and his Batman there develops a spirit of comradeship far above expression by words – we thought such a lot of each other, and I have grieved for him very much indeed. He was killed giving help to his comrades and myself, and all of the Company have missed him so much. His determination to make sure that I was not left unprotected at any time caused him to be killed’.

The Officer drew the heart-rending letter to a close with the words ‘With best wishes for the future, and rest assured that your Husband will not be forgotten by

Yours sincerely,

B. Pearson. Major.'


Thus it was that Annie Clews joined an ever increasing number of young war widows facing an uncertain future for herself and her son, John, just two-years old at the time of his Father’s death.

1st July 2019 – Bayeux Military Cemetery, Normandy



A small group of people gather around plot XXIII. D. 6. For here lies 4923121 Private Percy Clews of the South Staffordshire Regiment. In the unrelenting high temperatures of a record breaking heatwave over the Continent we, as Anglo-French representatives of the 59th (Staffordshire) Division Association, paused for reflection around the weathered Portland headstone. John Clews, accompanied by his wife Jan, took up position behind the grave and he related the circumstances of his Father’s death as gleaned from Major Pearson’s letter to his Mother sent 75 years ago.

19th October 2019 – The Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Whittington Barracks, Staffordshire

The relatives of three late veterans of the 5th South Staffordshire Regiment sit in the ‘Colonel Butler’ room within the Museum, each somewhat bewildered as to the circumstances that brought them there….

Upon returning from Normandy in July I posted a picture of John’s tribute to his Father, along with a photograph of Private Clews himself on the Museum’s Facebook page. The photographs were accompanied with the outline story and the text of the letter of condolence sent to Percy Clews’ widow. 24 hours later I looked back at the post and amongst the anticipated ‘crying’ and ‘heart’ emojis that are part and parcel of the social media world was a rather excited message from one Nick Parry, which informed me that he was the Grandson of Major Bernard Pearson, author of the quoted letter and the man with Private Clews at the moment he was killed! A rapid correspondence followed from which a plan was hatched to bring the two families together in a meeting at the Museum.

A date was set and arrangements made to meet.

Participating in this most poignant of reunions was Major Pearson’s son, also named John, daughter Eunice, along with Percy’s son and daughter-in-law, John and Jan. Nick and myself as instigators looked on, both very pleased indeed with the outcome so far. Over tea and coffee, memories were shared and photographs compared. It came as some surprise to John and Eunice that their Father and the Clews family had met previously, Major Pearson having maintained a correspondence with Percy’s widow and then later with John himself.

John Pearson had a couple of surprises in store for John Clews. Out of a bag beside the table he produced his Father’s canvas bedroll which John duly opened up to reveal the owners details ‘Major B. Pearson, S. Stafford R.’. In re-rolling the canvas and looping the now musty leather straps through rusted buckles, John was performing the often repeated task of his Father, as maintaining Major Pearson’s personal kit would have been one of his responsibilities as Batman. The relevance of John’s task was not lost among those seated around the table and I believe that some tears were shed.

John Clews opens up Major Pearson’s wartime bedroll. 

In addition, Major Pearson’s modified 38” Webley revolver (now an exhibit in the Museum) was handed around the table. This weapon also links the two soldiers. In a letter to the Museum in which he passed the gun over for ‘safe custody’ he recounted a moment in time during the fighting to take the fortified village of Noyers Bocage, a bloody snapshot of the Normandy experience. On 18th July 1944, the Major was passing through some damaged buildings when, alerted by a noise in the rubble, he turned so see a German soldier bearing down on him with fixed bayonet. The blade passed through the Major’s leg. As the German exerted his effort to withdraw the bayonet, in a ‘kill or be killed’ instant, he fired the Webley hitting the enemy soldier fatally in the chest. On seeing their comrade lying dead, three further soldiers emerged from the interior to surrender and were escorted back to Battalion HQ under the watchful eye of Percy. Major Pearson noted further in the letter that whilst the killing of the soldier was in no way a matter in which to take pride, the subsequent recovery of a machine gun and ammunition from the position made it clear that this action in all probability saved the lives of many men in ‘C’ Company. Once again, at a time of great danger, Percy was at Major Pearson’s side.

The family were at great pains to assure John and Jan that the name and character of Percy Clews was well known to all in the Pearson household. He was described as ‘the best Batman I ever had’ having been personally selected rather than allocated to the post. So the story goes, Percy was chosen in an attempt to keep him out of trouble, which tended to follow him around….. nothing too serious you understand, just uniform violations and such like. In the new role Percy proved himself to be highly adept, capable of conjuring up a brew within moments of Major Pearson calling a halt.

After the war, Bernard Pearson remained in the Army in the capacity of Recruitment Officer and Chaplin. In 1987 he returned to Normandy for the first time in 43 years, where within Bayeux Military Cemetery he conducted a service at the graveside of his fallen Batman. This act evidenced the sincerity of his words to Annie Clews written in August 1944, ‘rest assured that your Husband will not be forgotten’. His expressed feelings for his killed Batman and friend were in no respect platitudes intended for the comfort of a grieving widow.

With stories now shared, thoughts turned to food, but the day had yet one more surprise to serve up to John and Jan. At some point in the late ‘80’s Major Pearson and the Clews family lost contact and as such they had no information concerning Bernard’s passing in 1998 at the age of 86. It then came as a bolt out of the blue to learn that he lies in the Churchyard of St Giles in Whittington, the very village in which John grew up and where he still lives with Jan. Lunch could wait another half hour as we paid an unplanned visit to St. Giles. Whilst there I took a photo graph of John at the grave in a deliberate attempt to mirror the 1987 photograph of Major Pearson at the grave of Percy Clews.

Top: Major Bernard Pearson at the grave of Private Percy Clews in 1987, Bayeux Military Cemetery 

Bottom: John Clews at the grave of Major Bernard Pearson on 19th October 2019, Whittington. 

At the end of an excellent meal, all were in agreement that this had been a very special day indeed and something that should be repeated in the not too distant future. For my part I am just content to have been the catalyst that kick-started the efforts that culminated in this poignant yet happy gathering. 

Right: Private Percy Clews (18th September 1912 – 10th August 1944) 

Left: Major Bernard Pearson (10th February 1912 – 25th March 1998). 

It only remains for me to thank Nick, John, Eunice, John and Jan for their part in such a meaningful event. Thanks are also due to the staff of the Museum for their hospitality as well as their interest in this small detail within the long and illustrious history of the South Staffordshire Regiment. 

Major Bernard Pearson post war

Adrian Andrews
(Grandson of L/Cpl James Kitchener Heath ‘A’ Coy, 5th South Staffordshire Regiment (1914-1995))
October 2019.

A Tribute to a Soldier of the 5th South Staffordshire Regiment 75 Years On

John and Jan Clews at his Father's grave in the Bayeux Military Cemetery

29th June 2019.

Last month it was my privilege to participate with members of the 59th (Staffordshire) Division Association in their annual pilgrimage to the town of Thury Harcourt and its environs. The 59th Division landed on Normandy in late June 1944 as a follow up Division. Highly trained in the UK, their time as an active fighting unit in France was short. Such was the intensity of the fighting in which they were engaged in Operation Charnwood (a frontal assault on the Northern perimeter of Caen) and Operation Pomegranate (engagements to the south west of the city intended to force a crossing over the River Orne) that the Division was formally disbanded on towards the end of August 1944 and its soldiers were transferred to other reinforcement hungry English, Scottish and Welsh Regiments.

The relationship between the 59th (Staffordshire) Division and the townsfolk is very strong by virtue of the fact that on 13th August 1944 the actions of the 59th finally resulted in the liberation of Thury Harcourt.

My Grandfather served with ‘A’ Company of the 5th South Staffordshire Regiment, a unit within 177 Brigade of the 59th Division. My Grandfather came home from the war, injured but otherwise intact, the same cannot be said for many of his Divisional comrades. One such fellow soldier of ‘C’ Company of the 5th Staffs was 4923121 Private Percy Clews who was killed in action on 10th August 1944, 75 years ago yesterday. One of our travelling party that visited the grave within the Bayeux Military Cemetery was John Clews, son of Percy, who was just two years of age when his father fell. With John was his wife Jan. The couple reside in Lichfield which then as now is the home of the Staffordshire Regiment.

At the time of his death, the 5th South Staffs were engaged with the enemy on a series of ridges that approached the River Orne and overlooked the town of Thury Harcourt. In that second week of August the 5th from their high ground vantage point were able to direct vital artillery fire into the dense forest of Grimbosq, that faced the fragile bridgehead that had formed across the Orne, in which Panzer Battle Groups were forming up for counter attacks intended to smash the bridgehead.

At his Father’s plot, John delivered a speech about the fate of his Dad that was largely based upon a letter sent to his mother by ‘C’ Company Commander, Major Pearson which is reproduced below.

‘Copy of a letter sent to Mrs Percy Clews from Major B. Pearson, The South Staffordshire Regiment


Major B. Pearson
The South Staffordshire Regt
Maindiff Court
Abergevenny
Mon. Wales.
August 29th. 1944

My Dear Mrs Clews,

You have no doubt been wondering why I have taken so long to write, and offer not only my sympathy, but those of the whole Company at the loss of your Husband, my Batman.

I was hit by the same mine, and I have only just heard officially that Percy was killed, as I had feared.

It isn’t an easy story to tell , Mrs Clews, and I am sure you don’t want to know all the full details.

I found it necessary to lead a patrol with stretcher bearers to recover one of my boys who had been wounded sometime before, and who was in need of treatment. Percy would not think of leaving me behind. We found the man but the Germans had surrounded him with shrapnel mines, I presume they realised that they would try to recover him. A stretcher bearer, after giving aid, trod on a mine which exploded, causing the death of your husband and wounding two of us.

I had the lives of the others to consider so I ordered them back whilst I tried to give Percy some help, but poor lad, he had gone – without pain and without knowing what had happened. He looked very peaceful, his job well done. I had him recovered the same day and he was given a Military funeral, although I regret that I was not present, being on my way to hospital.

Between and Officer and his Batman there develops a spirit of comradeship far above expression by words – we thought such a lot of each other, and I have grieved for him very much indeed. He was killed giving help to his comrades and myself, and all of the Company have missed him so much.

His determination to make sure that I was not left unprotected at any time caused him to be killed.

He volunteered to join me that morning and was somewhat grieved, his words were “You are not going anywhere without me, are you Sir?” He always said, that to remain behind and wonder what was happening to me, was worse than accompanying me on the various excursions.

Above all my personal feelings, he was so very popular with his comrades. I am told that the whole Company were unbelievably depressed after the news had spread around, and each letter that I have had so far mentions how much they all miss Percy. They cannot miss him anymore than I do. His courage, devotion to duty, his cheerfulness, and his great personality endeared him to all our hearts, a sad loss.

Please forgive me for not writing before – I did hope that in the excitement of the battle that my diagnosis of his death might have been false and in fact he might be alive, I hoped so hard but to no avail.

I do hope that your loss has not proved to be unbearable. My wounds are confined to my left leg and I am managing to get around on crutches.

When I come to Lichfield I will endeavour to call and see you, if I may.

With best wishes for the future, and rest assured that your Husband will not be forgotten by

Yours sincerely,

B. Pearson. Major.'

To read these touching words from a man that I had previously written about in a book about my Grandfather’s service was something else and it was an absolute honour to be with John and Jan Clews as he paid tribute to the Father he never had the opportunity to know.

After the speech John laid the Association wreath at the Cross of sacrifice.

Wreath laying at the Bayeux Military Cemetery Cross of Sacrifice.

59th (Staffordshire) Division Association memorial wreath.

Later we paid a visit to the small but highly poignant Museum to the men of the 59th (Staffordshire) Division in Thury. Here there can be found a photograph of Percy Clews.

Private Percy Clews (Killed in action 10th August 1944)

'C' Company 5th South Staffordshire Regiment.

The inscription on his headstone reads:

“MY DARLING HUSBAND PERCY. LOVE STILL LIVES IN TREASURED MEMORIES. WIFE MEG AND SON”

Memorial to Percy Clews in the 59th (Staffordshire) Division Museum

Thury Harcourt.

A Small Act of Remembrance - Normandy 2019

Grave: Corporal William Edwin Robinson

Location: Bayeux Military Cemetery, Normandy

Date of Death: 9th August 1944

Two weeks ago it was my good fortune to be able to travel to Normandy with members of the 59th (Staffordshire) Division Association on a pilgrimage of Remembrance that formed part of the 75th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings.

My Grandfather, Jim Heath, was born in Silverdale, Newcastle-under-Lyme in September 1914. Although he left The Potteries in 1936 to join his older brothers who had found labouring work in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, soon after war came he travelled to Brighton to enlist. In January 1940 he joined the North Staffordshire Territorials and received instruction to report to Lichfield Infantry Training Centre where upon completion of his basic training he was transferred to ‘A’ Company of the 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. It was with the South Staffords, as part of 59th Division, that he sailed to Normandy as a follow-up Division in the third week of June 1944.

In our small travelling party were close family members (sons and nieces) laying wreaths at the graves of their relatives. But, my Grandfather came back. Nevertheless, I wanted an act of Remembrance of my own. With hundreds or even thousands of graves in each of the three British War Cemeteries that we visited I did some homework to find someone in each with whom I could say that there was a connection with my Grandfather (be it home town or fighting unit or as in this case). Some basic research on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission website threw up some worthy candidates. I picked one Private William Edwin Robinson, like my Grandfather a soldier of the 5th Battalion and of a similar age, separated by 12 months or so (in relative terms at 30 and 31 they were old within their ranks).

On 7th July 1944, the newly arrived troops of the 5th South Staffs looked on from their forming up positions directly north of Caen as Bomber Command sent in wave upon wave of Halifax and Lancaster bombers (467 aircraft all told) over the northern perimeter of the Norman capital. They dropped a combined payload of 2,560 tons of high explosive, incendiary and delayed action bombs. This action was controversial and still triggers passionate debate despite the passage of 75 years. The issue was that Bomber Command insisted upon a 6,000 yard distant safety margin forward of the British line. However, such was the close proximity of the two opposing forces that the raid only served to damage areas behind the German defences and the result was that the bombing gained very little strategic advantage. At best it provided a morale boost to the newly arrived Staffords about to experience combat for the first time.

The 5th South Staffs (of 177 Brigade) were to be held in reserve in front of the fortified village of Cambes-en-Plaine with a view to exploit any gains of 197 Brigade opposite Galmanche and 176 Brigade facing La Bijude, La Londe and Epron.

The 5th first went into action on the afternoon of the 8th July with an attack on the Chateau of Galmanche. In a baptism of blood and fire the 5th Battalion and the 2/6th Battalion suffered heavy losses. Private Robinson’s ‘D’ Company launched a further attack on the Chateau in the half light of evening but were forced to withdraw. A regrouped ‘D’ Company would renew the assault on the 9th.

The fighting on the 9th and 10th July* in which ‘D’ Company of the 5th Battalion were engaged is described within the Battalions War Diary. Where military abbreviations have been used I have added the meaning in brackets for ease of reading.

‘At 1915 hrs 9 July, orders were received for the Coy (Company) attack to be put in on GALMANCHE, an enemy stronghold which the 2/6 S. STAFFORDS had not been able to capture. A recce (reconnaissance) was carried out and a plan was made. A troop of tanks was given to the Coy to support this attack.

The Coy was brought up from the assembly positions and the attack was timed to go in at 2045 hrs. At 2040 hrs the tanks were withdrawn from the Coy, as they had to go and rejoin their Regt. As arranged the attack went in, 16 Pl (Platoon) right, followed by 17 Pl who were detailed to carry out the thorough clearing of the buildings. The final objective was a row of trees some 400 yards from the start line.

The Coy advanced about 200 yards before it was opened up on by 6 or 8 M.G.s (machine guns) firing from either flank – the fire from these M.G.s was held until such time as the nearest M.G.s were firing almost into the rear of the Coy, thereby hemming them in. The enemy M.G.s fire was so fierce, that it was impossible for the Coy to advance further., although some men from 16 Pl actually reached the objective – they were however so few in numbers that they were unable to hold it.

17 and 18 Pls made desperate efforts to enter and clear the buildings, and under the leadership of Lieut L.A Stilling and Lieut T.H. Dando they succeeded in killing several Germans. Fierce fighting continued in the area of the buildings and adjoining orchard, until the enemy fire made it necessary for both the Pls to be withdrawn to the line of the hedgerow some 50 yards from the main buildings. Meantime the remainder of 16 Pl and Coy HQ were pinned to the ground by strong enemy fire from the left and from M.G.s sited in the upper rooms of the house. As it was by this time impossible to advance further, the only alternative was to remain under cover till dark, when it would be possible to withdraw the Coy. At approx. 2315 hrs the Coy was withdrawn, after having been more or less under continual heavy fire for almost 2 ½ hours.

During the clearing of the house excellent leadership was shown by 3770737 Pte (Private) Robinson, who after destroying an enemy M.G. continued to organise parties of men to try and clear the house. The Coy having been withdrawn, it was found that 5 men had been killed and 16 wounded, Lieut L.E. Hall, Comdr (Commander) 16 Pl had also been wounded.

During the night the Coy was reorganised and preparations were made for a further attack the following morning, this time two troops of tanks and on troop of AVREs (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers) were in support.

The attack was starting at 1015 hrs and right away the tanks almost completely destroyed the buildings – the Coy advanced with 17 Pl left, 18 Pl right and 16 Pl following 18 Pl to carry out the clearing of the buildings. On this occasion the attack was successful, the objective taken and held until orders were received to rejoin the Battalion. One man was wounded’.

*As one would expect the account included the above quoted Appendix tallies with the information in the body of the War Diary itself in all but one detail. The Annex states that the fighting took place over the 9th to 10th when in fact the battle was fought over the 8th and 9th July, with the 10th occupied by weapons and equipment salvage and burial of the dead.

An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Chateau and its grounds exists. It is clear even to the non-expert eye the extensive efforts that the SS had made in an attempt to make this stronghold impregnable.

The fortified village of Galmanche ahead of the 59th Division attack.

Today, Galmanche is a remote hamlet. The Chateau has been rebuilt, albeit on a more modest scale. The uninformed visitor would hardly know that anything had happened during the war in this place. Even to those in the know the clues are subtle. If approaching the new building along its extensive drive two of the outer walls of the original Chateau can be seen. Close examination reveals a great many pock marks left by bullets and scars gouged into the masonry by shells. At the top of the driveway almost hidden from view is a memorial to the men of the 59th who gave their lives in the struggle to capture Galmanche.

The battle scarred outer wall of the original Chateau that was destroyed on 9th July 1944.

The memorial to the 59th at Galmanche

(one of the hardest momuments to find in the whole of Normandy).

Our Private Robinson survived the battle and for his leadership of men on 8th July he received the Military Medal.

The citation reads as follows:

‘Pte Robinson took part in “D” Coy attack on the strong enemy posn (position) of GALMANCHE on the evening of 8th Jul 44. His Pl was detailed to clear buildings in which were several enemy machine guns. Several of his section were either killed or wounded, but in the face of heavy enemy fire, Pte Robinson went forward alone with a Bren gun and destroyed one enemy post. He then re-organised his section and continued the attack. Throughout the attack his gallant actions and powers of leadership were an inspiration to his comrades.’

The citation is signed by B.L. Montgomery Commander-in-Chief, 21 Army Group.

The recommendation for the award was initiated on 12th July; just four days after the events took place. However, the passage of the recommendation up the established chain of command was slow such that by the time that Monty added his signature, then Corporal Robinson’s war was over. The Military Medal was awarded posthumously on 19th October 1944.

Corporal William Edwin Robinson was killed on 9th August 1944. He was 31 years old. At that time 176 Brigade had forced a crossing over the River Orne to form a bridgehead opposite the Forêt de Grimbosq. At the same time the 5th battalion with 177 brigade were further to the south fighting for the successive ridges of high ground that approached the river and overlooked the town of Thury Harcourt. It is likely that he fell in this fighting that aimed to hold up German troops and armour and prevent them from turning their attention on the fragile bridgehead at Grimbosq.

In the oppressive heat (37°C in Bayeux) that scorched France on the weekend of our visit, I located the plot and placed a Royal British Legion cross at the grave.

William was son of Emily Duncalf and husband of Annie Robinson, both of Liverpool. His grave bears the inscription ‘A Foreign Grave is a Painful Thing Where Loving Hands No Flowers Can Bring ’.

‘When you go Home, tell them of us and say, For your Tomorrow, we gave our Today’.