Arthur James Haley

09 Tuesday Dec 2025

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The son of Arthur Russell and Elsie May Haley, Arthur was born in Bilston on 14 January 1922. In 1939, he was living with his parents at 55 Thompson Street in Bilston and working as a machinist in the boot trade.

Arthur became an Able Seaman with the Royal Navy (service number P/JX 212433). In 1942 he was serving on the HMS Anking, which was en route from Batavia to Australia. It was intercepted by a Japanese force which sank her, sadly resulting in the loss of 26 men, including Arthur, on 4 March 1942. He is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote virtual volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Wilfred Gripton

21 Monday Jul 2025

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Wilfred was born in Wolverhampton on 3 Sep 1896, the son of Alexander Turner and Susannah Gripton. From 1900 onwards he attended St Edward’s Infants School. He later attended St Leonard’s School. In 1901, he was living at 13 Cemetery Row, in Bilston, with his parents and siblings Albert, Elizabeth and Susannah.

He enlisted with the 12th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (service number 13594) and became a Lance Corporal. He was wounded in 1916, receiving a gun shot wound in the leg, but he did recover, serving in France throughout the war and was discharged in July 1919.

In 1921 he was living with his father at 7 Hall Park Street in Bilston, and working as a gas filler for Willenhall Gas Company. He married Lucy M. Morgan in Wolverhampton in 1923, and the couple had four children – Betty D., Edgar A. J., Molly P., and Margaret A. Wilfred died in 1954 in Bilston, and the value of his effects was £853 6s. 4d.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.

Gordon William Draper

16 Wednesday Jul 2025

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Gordon was born on 17 January 1912 in West Bromwich, the son of William and Kate Draper. They were living in Birmingham in 1921. In 1935, he married Irene Payne in Wolverhampton and they had a daughter, Valerie, born in 1937. In 1939, Gordon was in Birmingham working as an assurance agent – Irene is registered with her parents in Coleman Street, Wolverhampton, although she was presumably just visiting them at the time of the 1939 register as the electoral register her registered in Birmingham.

Gordon enlisted at RAF Cardington in Bedfordshire in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and became a Sergeant (service number 1164769). On 12 August 1942, the plane he was travelling in from Gibraltar to Australia was attacked and shot down. Four of the six crew survived, but unfortunately Gordon died as a result. He is remembered on the Runnymede Air Force Memorial, as well as on the Roll of Honour at St Chad and St Mark’s Church.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote virtual volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Thomas Leslie Victor Colley

14 Monday Jul 2025

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Thomas was born in Bilston in 1897, the son of Joseph and Sarah Ann Colley. In 1901, they were living in Dover Street, along with Thomas’s siblings Joseph H., Ernest and Florence. They were at the same address in 1911.

Thomas enlisted in the South Staffordshire Regiment and later the King’s (Liverpool Regiment), serving with the 19th Battalion (service number 15642, later 57700). Unfortunately he was wounded, and he died of those wounds on 12 April 1917. He is buried in the Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery in Saulty, France.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.

Percy Biddulph

11 Friday Jul 2025

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The son of Alfred and Elizabeth Biddulph, Percy was born in Wolverhampton in 1915. In 1921, the family were living at 41 Arthur Street, together with Percy’s brother, David Leslie, and sister Dora.

Percy served with the Royal Navy as a Petty Officer Telegraphist (service number D/JX 135822). He was serving on the HM Submarine Orpheus. The Orpheus went missing on the night of 19 June 1940 when on route to Benghazi in Libya. She never made her destination and was declared overdue on 27 June 1940, and it was presumed that she had been mined, killing all on board. Percy is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial as well as on the Roll of Honour of St Luke’s Church in Blakenhall.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote virtual volunteer Doug Lewis.

Frederick George Ash

09 Wednesday Jul 2025

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The son of Henry Christian and Eliza Eleanor Ash, Frederick was born in Peckham, Surrey, in 1888. They were living in Camberwell in 1891, 1901 and 1911 with his brother Henry R. T. and sisters Hilda May and Lily E. In 1901 he was working as an oilman’s shop boy, and by 1911 he was a compositor. Frederick’s father, Henry Christian, died in 1910. In 1912 he married Ethel Maud Turner in Wolverhampton, and they lived at 337 Prestwood Road in Wednesfield. Their son, George, was born a year later.

Frederick served with the 2/6 South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 6347 and later 242379). Unfortunately he died on 21 March 1917 in France, suffering from diarrhoea in the field. The value of his effects was £129. He is buried in Bray Military Cemetery in France.

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The research for this post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer Jacky de Escofet.

Reginald Herbert Vaughan

07 Monday Jul 2025

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The brother of Bernard, Reginald was born on 17 September 1905 in Wandsworth, London, the son of Herbert Guest and Mary Helen Vaughan. Due to the death of both parents, he, too, attended the Royal Wolverhampton School. But by 1921 he was living with his aunt in Battersea. In 1932, he married Gladys White, and the couple were living in Fulham in 1939, with Reginald working as a commercial traveller.

Reginald enlisted as a Pilot Officer with the RAF Volunteer Reserve, 144 Squadron (service number 78770). However, he was unfortunately killed on 12 May 1941 at the age of 32, when his aircraftwas shot down by a night fighter at Hoohkarspel near Enkhuisen during a raid on Bremen. He is buried in Bergen General Cemetery in the Netherlands, and remembered on the Royal Wolverhampton School memorial.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote virtual volunteer, Ann Eales.

Bernard William Vaughan

23 Friday May 2025

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Bernard was born in Kingston in Surrey on 29 August 1907, the son of Herbert Guest and Mary Vaughan. Herbert died in 1912, and his mother died in 1916. By 1921, Bernard was attending the Royal Wolverhampton School, then serving as an orphanage. Bernard married Elizabeth Grange in Dudley in 1932. Their daughter, Marjorie, was born in 1934. By 1939, they were living in Halesowen, and Bernard was working as an insurance agent and serving as an A. R. P. Warden.

Bernard enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 103 Squadron as a Sergeant (service number 1205010). He served with the Bomber Command. Unfortunately on the night of 15 October 1942, the plane he was flying in crashed near Monchengladbach during a raid on Cologne and he was killed. He is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany. He is remembered on the Royal Wolverhampton School memorial.

William Henry Thomas

19 Monday May 2025

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William was born in 1894, the son of William and Elizabeth Ann Thomas. He was baptised on 8 July 1894 at St Mary’s Church in Wolverhampton. In 1901 they were living at 41 Cannock Road, along with William’s siblings Edward and Walter John. His father, William, died in 1902, and Elizabeth remarried, to Edwin Gomm, in 1906. In 1911, they were living at 23 Peel Street, and William was working as a grocer’s errand boy.

William enlisted with the 20th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers (service number 46615). Unfortunately he was killed in action on 24 October 1917. He is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote virtual volunteer Jacky de Escofet.

Frank Sadler

16 Friday May 2025

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The son of Samuel and Clara Sadler, Frank was born in Wolverhampton on 25 July 1914. In 1921, the family were living at 105 Shepherd Street, along with Frank’s sisters Clara Priscilla, Lilly and Ethel. In 1936, he married Amy Powers in Wolverhampton. In 1939, they were living at 11A Milford Road, and Frank was working as dining car attendant on the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.

Frank enlisted with the 10th Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a Sergeant (Air Gunner), service number 1186870. Unfortunately he was killed in action over Belgium on 4 July 1943 during a raid on Cologne. The value of his effects were £495 18s. 4d. He is buried in the Hotton War Cemetery in Belgium.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote virtual volunteer, Doug Lewis.

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