LEST WE FORGET - The service of a father and son in two world wars and their ultimate sacrifice. The story of my grandfather and uncle

As an historian whose main area of interest is the social history of WW1, I seldom research into WW2. However, as we approach the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of VE Day, I remembered the phtograph that I have of my Uncle James proudly standing in his uniform. I decided to tell his story as a testament to the ultimate sacrifice that he made, along with thousands of other men and women in the Second World War.

 

My uncle James (Jim) was born in South London in 1907 to Emily and Thomas Cameron. Thomas worked at the Royal Doulton factory in Lambeth and following an argument with his foreman, he joined the Royal Marines at the age of 18. He spent 12 years in the marines, a career that saw him travel the world, including a voyage to Australia and the South Pacific. After his service in the Marines, James' father worked on the railways at Clapham Junction.

 

 Tom in his railwayman's uniform

 

 

Emily (in wonderful hat!)

 

At the outbreak of war, Thomas rejoined his unit.  He died on his 40th Birthday- 20th October 1914 - of wounds received at the siege of Antwerp. This left Emily widowed and with four young boys to bring up alone. James was the second eldest. Thomas's death was so early in the war that he had a full military funeral. I have details of it from a press cutting. I also have a photo of her four boys (including my father, John) taken on the day of the funeral. James is standing, right.

 

 

 

Life must have been hard for the family, who lived in a poor part of  London. Emily had two jobs and often sent the boys to bed dressed ready for school, as she would leave the house early to do one job and then carry on working later in the day. However, from photos that I have, Jim and his brothers were immaculately dressed. James won a scholarship to Emmanuel College in Wandsworth. Such an achievement. His brothers all left school at young ages and went out to work, bringing valuable wages into the home. 

 The boys, circa 1928 seated in the same position as for the photo taken in 1914. 

looking very "well turned out"!

James married Rose Waller in 1933 and by 1939 he was living in Plymouth with his wife, two children, his mother and his aunt. James is a Manager in a Jewellery Department - which I assume is in a department store. This seems to be quite a successful career move from someone from such a working class background. in the 1939 register James is noted as a "special constable" - already keen to "do his bit". 

I do not know when James enlisted in the army. I do know that he was in The 47th (Oldham) Royal Tank Regiment (47 RTR) which was an armoured regiment during the war. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. I have the last letter that my father received from him. He was on a boat "somewhere very hot" and sounded rather fed up! He wanted to get on with his job and do his duty. The family never heard from him again.

 

 

Photo of Jim in his uniform taken in his back garden.

There is a lot of information about the second battle of El Alanein. I have  therfore been able to find out where he was killed. I was helped in this because the commonwealth war grave commission have details of his original burial place which was around Tel el Aqqaqir and I have found details of a battle there on the date he died - 27th October 1942. 

The CWGC records show that after the war, when the Army were able to bury dead servicemen together in dedicated cemeteries, his body was disinterred and he was buried in a cemetery where his grave would be looked after in perpuity.

When checking the records, I discovered that he had been buried with another soldier - Leslie Baker. They shared the same burial plot both in the original grave and also in the later CWGC cemetery. I had the great good fortune to find a photograph of this grave in The Oldham Chronicle. Following publication of the article, a veteran of Alamein contacted the paper and was able to describe his experiences of the same battle.

James and the comrade who died with him were disinterred and their bodies laid to rest where they would be remembered and looked after in perpuity.

 

 

Jim's mum, Emily, died in 1941 and therefore was spared the terrible news that her son, James,who had made a good life for himself with a family and a job with excellent prospects had died, just like her husband, in serviing his country. He had had a good education and according to his daughter, Sheila, loved poetry and nature and took her for long walks in the country. A truly loving father.

As we approach the commemoration of  the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we must not forget the ultimate price paid by many 1000s for our freedom. The suffering of the families and friends of those who died i the war - many of whom lost loved ones in the "war to end wars", as shown in my own family, must also never  be forgotten.

As his gravestone states

"He left all that was dear to him giving  his own life that others may live in freedom"

LEST WE FORGET

RIP 

 

 https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/26824/war-heroes-together-in-egypt

https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/28187/47th-tank-regiment-veteran-remembers-african-battle-

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2092823/james-joseph-cameron/