Names above have links to individual pages. See below the photograph for the complete list of names .
courtesy Vic Lamb
At the original dedication in 1951, there are 52 men and one woman named on the Hawkesbury Memorial. During the renovation in 2020 nine names were added bringing the total to 62. Most of them have been identified in the list below. Links are provided to some stories told in more detail. Much assistance in developing this list has been obtained from Dave Vickers, developer of the Buckley at war website, members of the Buckley Society and not least family members of the deceased.
Private Percy Brownhill, 14387168, East Yorkshire Regiment, died of wounds 21 July, 1944, Son of James and Bertha Brownhill (nee Langford), of Buckley, Bistre Emmanuel Churchyard
Fusilier Jonathan Baldwin, 4197761, Royal Welch Fusiliers, 8th Bn., killed by lightning, 9 June 1940, Bistre Emmanuel Churchyard grave 409, son of Samuel and Adelaide Baldwin of Stanley Road.
Lance Bombardier William Bunting. Royal Artillery, 239 Bty, between 11 June and 30 June 1940, son of James Bunting and Sarah Ann Bunting (nee Stanley); husband of Elfreda Rosalie Bunting (nee Edwards), of Mold, 33. The Bunting family came to Buckley from Stoke. William’s sister Annice married Eddie Beavan and their daughter Bessie married a well-known Buckley man, Ron Millward. William was buried at St. Valery-en-Caux about 200 miles from Dunkirk. The Army was trapped at St Valery just as at Dunkirk but they did not escape. About 10,000 were captured.
Petty Officer Gerald Croose, P/MX 93276, Royal Navy, HMS Polyanthus, 20 September, 1943, 21, Son of Norman and Janet Waring Croose; husband of Eleanor Muriel Croose, of Northop, Portsmouth Naval Memorial. H.M.S Polyanthus was sunk by a submarine in the North Atlantic on 20th September 1943, with loss of least 84 men. The only known survivor drowned within days at the hands of another U-boat attack
Gunner William Davies, 4190907, Royal Artillery, 22 January 1942, 25, son of William and Elizabeth Davies, and husband of Kate A. Davies of Leeds, Alamein Memorial. From a grave at Bistre grandson of Thomas and Mary Ann Peters of Mold Rd. Their daughter Elizabeth married William Davies from Wallasey.
Cpl William Arthur Davies, 419829, Royal Welch Fusiliers, 7th Bn., 13 Oct 1944, 28, Son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Davies; husband of Menna Davies, of Betws-y-Coed, Uden War Cemetery, Netherlands
Able Seaman Harold Dyment, D/JX 335826, Royal Navy, HMS President III, 6 September, 1942, 19, Son of Harold and May Dyment, of Belmont Crescent. Plymouth Naval Memorial. Harold was missing presumed killed aboard M.V. Tuscan Star, a cargo ship sunk by torpedo 300 miles southwest of Cape Palmas Liberia, on a voyage from Buenos Aires and Sierra Leone to the Mersey. She sank in 14 minutes and 50 crew and 3 passengers were lost. An apprentice joiner with Messrs. Shone Bros. before joining up.
Leading aircraftman Richard George Earl, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, May 6, 1943, 35, Son of George Eli Earl and Leoni Earl; husband of Elizabeth Earl, of Buckley, Flintshire, Nairobi War Cemetery, Kenya
Able Seaman Harry Edwards, D/JX 347623, Royal Navy, H.M. Submarine Stonehenge, 20 March, 1944, 21, Son of Frank and Sarah Edwards, of Buckley, Plymouth Naval Memorial. It is believed that HMS Stonehenge struck a mine in the Pacific and was lost with all hands.
Sergeant James Ellis, 1052736, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 3 May, 1944, 36, Son of Thomas and Eliza Ellis, husband of Noreen Bessie Ellis, of Buckley, Cheniers Churchyard, France
Guardsman Patrick Frederick Eaton, 4193347, Grenadier Guards, 10 April, 1945, 26, Son of John Frederick and Edith Annie Eaton, of Mynydd Isa, Flintshire, Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany
Private Leslie Fletcher, 10532128, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, 13 Feb 1942, 21, Son of Samuel Fletcher of Saltney and Elizabeth Hughes, Singapore Memorial
Private Griffith Horace Griffiths, 14342634, Wiltshire Regiment, 21 Apr 1944, 33, Son of William and Mary Griffiths; husband of Edith Maud Griffiths, of Tividale, Tipton, Staffordshire, Rangoon Memorial. Resident of Bank Lane 1939.
Gunner Herbert Griffiths, 1438705, Royal Artillery, 23 June, 1944, 33, son of Frederick and Martha Ann Griffiths of Buckley, Orvietto War Cemetery, Italy
Ordinary Seaman Frederick William Harris, D/JX239116, Royal Navy, HMS Edinburgh, 2 May 1942, 22, son of William F. Harris and Sarah J.W. Powell of Liverpool, Plymouth Naval Memorial. HMS Edinburgh was sunk in the Arctic Sea near Murmansk 2 May 1942. The Harris family were resident at Market House, Brunswick Road, Buckley in 1939.
Driver Edgar Hewitt, RASC, son of Edward and Charlotte Hewitt of Lyme Grove, 28 November 1945 at Chester Royal Infirmary, 30. Edgar served nearly 3 years in the RASC. He was wounded in north Africa in 1941 and had been torpedoed when going overseas. Before joining the Armed Forces he worked as a sheet inspector at Messrs. Summers steelworks
Fusilier Leslie Hill, 14200837, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 6th Bn, 17 May, 1944, 22, Son of William Thomas Hill and Catherine Hill, of Buckley, Cassino War Cemetery, Italy
Driver Thomas Hill, T/10673247 Royal Army Service Corps, 27 October, 1944, 22, Son of Alfred and Annie Hill, of Mold Road, Buckley, Assisi War Cemetery, Italy
Private Bernard Hopwood, 14574388, South Staffordshire Regiment, 2nd (Airborne) Bn., 22 September, 1944, missing at Arnhem, 20, Son of John Leonard and Emily Mary Hopwood, of Mynydd Isa, Groesbeek Memorial, Netherlands
Able Seaman Baden Homfrey Hughes, Royal Navy, HMS Tracker, 15 April, 1944, 21, Grandson of James and Eliza Hughes, of Gardenside Buckley, Chatham Naval Memorial. Before joining the Navy he worked for Hancock & Co. works.
Private Robert Hughes, 14374211, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 5 December, 1944, 22, Son of John Richard and Nellie Hughes of Mynydd Isa, Faenza War Cemetery, Italy
Guardsman Herbert Humphreys, 2736088, Welsh Guards, 25 July, 1944, 24, Son of Joseph Wynne and Lilian Humphreys, of Buckley, Ranville War Cemetery, France
Aircraftman 1st Class Peter Humphreys, 2201520, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 11 June, 1945, 33, Buckley (St Matthew) Churchyard, Row 13, Grave 352
Fusilier Eddie Jones, 14567237, Royal Welch Fusiliers, 22 September, 1944, 19, Son of Edwin and Hannah Maria Jones, of Buckley, Bergen-Op-Zoom War Cemetery, Netherlands. Before joining up was employed at the Sandycroft Chemical Works and was a member of the Home Guard.
Fusilier George Jones, 4205075 Royal Welch Fusiliers, 12th Bn., 11 August, 1942, Son of Ernest D. Jones and Ann Jones, of Mynydd Isa, Bistre Emmanuel Churchyard grave 727, 22. Died in a military hospital in North Wales.
Private Richard Glyn Jones, 3780496, The King’s Regiment (Liverpool), August 14, 1942, 32, Husband of Mary Jones, of Buckley, Flintshire, Kirkee WarCemetery, India
Corporal Wilfred Jones, 974068 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 18 September, 1944, Son of Edward and Eleanor Jones of Buckley, Singapore Memorial, 26. Died as a Japanese POW aboard Junyo Maru sunk by the British submarine H.M.S. Tradewind with a loss of 5620 lives.
Leading Telegraphist Henry Cyril Langford, D/WRX 968, Royal Naval Volunteer (Wireless) Reserve, HMS Nith, 24 June, 1944, 26, Son of Walter and Elizabeth Langford; husband of Eileen Mary Langford, of Hoole, Cheshire, Plymouth Naval Memorial
Ordinary Seaman Andrew Norman Lewis, C/JX 235136, Royal Navy, HMS Barham, 25 November, 1941, 26, Son of Andrew James and Menir Edith Lewis (nee Hughes) of Mill Lane. Chatham Naval Memorial. H.M.S. Barham was sunk by three torpedoes from the German submarine U-331. The magazines exploded and the ship quickly sank with the loss of 862 crewmen.
Gunner William James Lewis, 996813, Royal Artillery, 10 March, 1943, 28, Son of James and Ada Lewis, of Buckley, Tabarka Ras Rajel War Cemetery, Tunisia
Robert Lloyd – believed to be Robert Lloyd, 27, buried 5 August 1942 at St Matthews, son of Robert and Dorothy of Argoed and husband of Norah (nee Kelly) of Ewloe Place. Robert worked for 8 years for Messrs. John Summers, Shotton. He was a flight mechanic in the RAF and his funeral cortege at St. Matthew’s was headed by a contingent of Mynydd Isa Home Guards.
Marine Gerald Lyons, PLY/X 2469, Royal Marines, 21 June, 1943, 24, Son of Patrick and Edith Lyons (nee Shaw), of Park Road, Buckley, Bistre Emmanuel Churchyard grave 277. Died in hospital at Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire while assigned to H.M.S. Illustrious. Remembered by his nephew here.
Radio Officer Ronald Stroud Mallett, British Overseas Airways Corporation, 26 September, 1942, Runnymede Memorial. Son of Beatrice Mary Stroud of Cartref, Mynydd Isa, 26. BOAC operated 15 Whitley Mk Vs converted into freighters running night supply flights from Gibraltar to Malta. Robert Mallett was one of four killed when a Whitley crashed into the Bay of Gibraltar while taking off for an air test.
Assistant Steward Neil McAllister, Merchant Navy, S.S. Ceramic, 7 December, 1942, Son of Neil and Maggie McAllister, of Buckley, Flintshire, Tower Hill Memorial, 36. S.S. Ceramic was sunk by a torpedo on the night of 6 December 1942 west of the Azores, bound for Australia.
Lieutenant Ralph Messham, 302803, Royal Artillery, 4 March, 1945, 26, Son of Walter and Esther Messham, of Drury, Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands.
Gunner Walter Millington, 1612313, 484 Bty. 4 Searchlight Regt. Royal Artillery, 22 March 1942, 28. Son of John & Mary Ann Millington, resident at Mount Terrace, Lane End in 1939. Married Sheila Clayton and resident of Connah’s Quay in 1939 with children Walter and Sheila. Killed by enemy air action in Malta and buried in Pembroke Military Cemetery, Malta: Grave 1.3.22. Remembered on Connah’s Quay Memorial and here.
Driver Joseph Millroy, T/65221 Royal Army Service Corps, 21 July, 1942, 30, Son of Joseph and Margaret Milroy; husband of Mary Louisa Milroy, of Buckley, El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt
Probationer Nurse Elsie Okell, Civilian War Dead, 2 June, 1941, 20, Probationer Nurse. Daughter of Elsie and Percy Okell of Liverpool Road Farm, Buckley, St. Matthews, Buckley
Private Leslie Parry, 11420712, Pioneer Corps, 20 February, 1945, 28, Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Parry, of Buckley, Schoonselhof Cemetery, Belgium
Gunner John (Jack) Parry, 1468724, Royal Artillery, 9 March, 1942, 25, Son of John and Polly Parry, of Lane End; husband of Frances Parry, of Lane End, Tripoli War Cemetery, Libya. Father of Hilary and Clifford, 54 Nant Mawr Crescent.
Marine Kenneth Price, PLY/X 104025, Royal Marines, No. 41 R. M. Commando, 11 July, 1943, 25, Son of Robert Henry and Mary Hannah Price, of Buckley, Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily
Sergeant Edward Mansell Roberts, 1624053, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 13 August, 1944, 20, Son of Wilfred and Martha Roberts, of Buckley, Buckley Nonconformist Cemetery. Died aboard Wellington X LN281(built at Hawarden) which stalled and crashed after the starboard engine failed near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. His story is told at Buckley at War.
Private Eric Roberts, 4202106, Gloucestshire Regiment, 28 October, 1942, 27, Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Roberts; husband of Lily Roberts, of Drury Bank, Rangoon War Cemetery, Myanmar. Died in Block 3 of Rangoon Jail, Burma while a prisoner of the Japanese.
Fusilier Robert John Roberts, 4199315, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 2nd Bn, 21 April, 1945, 28, Son of David and Nell Roberts; husband of Eleanor W. Roberts, of Buckley, Argenta Gap War Cemetery, Italy
Sergeant Robert Roberts, 1684904, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 6 May 1944, 21, husband of Mona Roberts (nee Winter) of Greenfield, son of Edward and Caroline Roberts of Buckley, Singapore War Memorial
Private Frederick Shone, 4202134, Welch Regiment, 13 January, 1945, 29, Son of Lancelot and Sarah Emma Shone; husband of Gladys Bronwen Shone of Buckley, Taukkyan War Cemetery, Myanmar. Frederick was a first cousin, once removed of Peter Kelsall.
Private Colin Shone, 1st Btn Cheshire Regiment, July 13, 1939, 25, Suakin, East Africa (in present-day Sudan). Son of Walter and Jessie Shone, Hawarden, formerly of Ewloe Place Buckley. Colin and brother Hedley were second cousins, once removed of Peter Kelsall.
Private Hedley Shone, 7361795 Royal Army Medical Corps, October 25, 1940, 22, Son of Walter and Jessie Shone, Hawarden, formerly of Ewloe Place Buckley. Ismailia War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. Hedley and brother Colin were second cousins, once removed of Peter Kelsall.
Warrant Officer George Ernest Shone, 564432, Royal Air Force, 75 Sqdn, 29 June, 1942, 29, Son of George and Edith Olivia Gwladys Shone; husband of Nellie Florence Shone, of Hoole, Chester, Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Shot down over Germany aboard Wellington on a raid to Hamburg.
Guardsman Raymond Shone, 2621679, Grenadier Guards, 5th Bn, 27 June, 1944, 33, Son of Charles and Harriet Shone of Spon Green; husband of Ellen Shone, of Saltney, Chester, Bolsena War Cemetery, Italy. Left four children.
Private Joseph Alfred Snape, Worcestershire Regiment, November 19, 1944, 26, Son of William and Rose Snape; husband of Edna May Snape, of Buckley, Brunssum War Cemetery, Netherlands. Major Ricketts’ runner and batman, died when a shell landed in the entrance to a bunker in the battle for Tripsrath, Germany. A native of Staffordshire and a gardener by trade, he left a 12-month-old baby.
Sergeant Joseph Gordon Taylor, 1036176, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 24 October, 1942, 22, Son of John Hopwood Taylor and Hannah Taylor, of Mold, Ravenna War Cemetery, Italy. Shot down by anti-aircraft fire aboard Lancaster W4251 near Milan. His story is told at Buckley at War.
Able Seaman John Thomas Whitley, D/JX 630315, Royal Navy, HMS Whitaker, 1 November, 1944, 19, Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Whitley, of Buckley. Buckley Nonconformist Cemetery. Torpedoed by a submarine off Matlin Head. Eight officers and 84 ratings were lost. Before joining up, he was employed at J. Summers.
Aircraftman 1st Class James Edward Wilcock, 913950, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 3 January, 1941, 22, Son of James and Sophia Wilcock, of Buckley, Emmanuel Church Bistre . Died in Chester Royal Infirmary from head injuries received when a motor cycle on which he was travelling collided with a lorry in Christleton on December 24
Driver Dennis Williams, T/14702060, Royal Army Service Corps, 6 December, 1944, Son of Albert and Sarah Ann Williams, of Buckley, Flintshire, Schoonselhof Cemetery, Belgium, 19. Before joining up, he was baker at Green & Padgett’s.
Driver Edward John Williams, Royal Army Service Corps, 16 May 1941, Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, age 26, Egypt. Identified by CWGC as stepson of Emily Williams of Ewloe. From notice in Chester Chronicle, “sadly missed by Ivy and all at 6 Victoria Road. Buckley”.
Able Seaman Kenneth Eric Williams, C/JX 253629, Royal Navy, HMS President III, 11 September, 1941, 26. Son of Walter and Jane Ann Williams (nee Parr), born Wallasey, husband of Frances Williams (nee Bennett) of Buckley, father of Elizabeth Ann. Chatham Naval Memorial. Died when British steamer Empire Crossbill was sunk by a submarine on a voyage from Philadelphia to Hull.
Driver Wilfred Williams, 14572456, Royal Corps of Signals, 24 April, 1945, 20, Son of John Henry and Lydia Williams, of Buckley, Flintshire, Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany
L/Cpl Frederick William Newton Wilson, 1902560, Royal Engineers, 18 June, 1940, 24, Son of Ernest Arthur and Alice Wilson, Liverpool Road, Buckley, Rennes Eastern Communal Cemetery
Trooper George Davis Wilson, Life Guards, 11 April 1946, 24, son of Thomas & Bessie Wilson of Lyme Grove, husband of Mary Bridgett (nee Ellis) of County Wicklow, Ireland, Brookwood Memorial. George died following an operation in the University College Hospital, London. He saw active service in Persia, Middle East, Italy France & Germany. He was only married about 4 months ago before he died.
Serjeant William Wood, 3rd Bn. Welsh Guards, 9 May 1943, 26, son of William and Florence Ellen (nee Palmer) Wood of Bryn-y-Baal, husband of Edna Mae Wood of Rochdale, Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia. Prior to joining for active service he was a member of the Rochdale Borough Police Force. Also named on the Mold Memorial.
Pilot Officer Charles Norman Wright, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, July 8, 1944, 29, Son of Joseph and Maud Eliza Wright, husband of Phyllis Collins Wright, of Dobshill, Omerville Communal Cemetery. Died aboard Lancaster shot down on a raid on the V-weapon facility at St. Leu d’Esserent, north of Paris. His story is told at Buckley at War
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