The families of Thomas Henry Wimbush and William Arthur Liversage, who are on the Sandycroft War Memorial and who with Edward Joseph Stenner are remembered also on the Hawarden WW2 War Memorial, are joined through family ties. The clues were in the last newspaper cutting of the “Roll of Honour,” below, from the 7th October 1944, and I was able to join them together.
Thomas Henry Wimbush was born on the 4th February 1919, according to the 1939 National Register that was taken on the 29th September 1939, he was the son of Thomas & Annie Wimbush (nee Liversage), who had married in St. Francis’s Church, Sandycroft in the March quarter of 1918.
Thomas Henry’s father, Thomas Wimbush, was in the R.A.F. in WW1, see below for his Service Record, which describes him as 5 feet 4 and ½ inches, Chest 34 and ½ inches, Hair – Brown, Eyes – Brown and Complexion as Fair. This source tells us when he enlisted – 12th September 1918, his marriage date – the 18th March 1918 in Sandycroft. Date of birth 31st August 1894. Next of kin, Mrs. Annie Wimbush of 3, West View, Sandycroft, and his trade as a Chemical Plumber. Also he enlisted after his marriage and he was discharged on the 9th January 1919 at Prees Heath before Thomas Henry was born in the February of 1919.
I do not know anything about Thomas Henry’s childhood or teenage years, so any information would be gratefully received.
The 1939 National Register (Taken on the 29th September 1939) shows the family living at The Grange, Station Road , Sandycroft, Flintshire. Head of the household Thomas Wimbush whose date of birth is given as the 30th August 1894, one day out from the R.A.F. documents had stated. He was still a Chemical Plumber & Welder and AnnieWimbush’s* date of birth was the 4th June 1893 and like all the married women who did not have a job was described as doing “Unpaid Domestic Duties.” Thomas H. Wimbush had been born on the 4th February 1919, was single and a Electrical Crane Driver at the Steel Works. Edward J. Wimbush’s date of birth was the 19th March 1921 and was a Clerk at the Steelworks and was single. Frank Wimbush had been born on the 21st August 1923 and was single and a General Labourer, Elizabeth M. Wimbush was still at school and her date of birth was the 6th May 1928.
*CONNECTION TO EDWARD JOSEPH STENNER – through Annie Wimbush, (nee Liversage), who was the mother of Thomas Henry Wimbush, her brother was Edward Thomas Liversage, who married Violet Elizabeth STENNER in 1933.
Please see the Newspaper cuttings and click on the links to read the stories of the cousins.
I do not have any information on when Thomas Henry enlisted or of any of his service in the Royal Engineers where he was a Sapper, he could have been working with unexploded bombs and https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/units/4981/royal-engineers
gives background but no details of the work they did in WW2, and especially in Port Said.
The Casualty Form 1262 (Copy No. 93) just states that Thomas Henry “Died” on the 29th September 1943 in the Middle East Expeditionary Force. I asked the Forum on WW2talk:-
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/royal-engineers-port-said-29th-september-1943.74957/#post-804632 for help and “Tim” replied – I strongly suspect he died of illness or he would have been listed as ‘Killed in Action’, ‘Died of Wounds’ or ‘Died as a result of accident’. I cannot find him on any other Casualty Lists.
And as “TD” said – Only his service records will provide an accurate part of the RE Corps he was working in – eg could have been bomb disposal, port operating or many other sections – unless with luck you come across something. TD
Therefore it seems that he wasn’t killed in action, nor was he missing as when the word “Died” is used in the Services it is because he may have died of an illness, infection or perhaps as Tim and TD said above.
However we do know that he was well loved as his 2 cousins were too, as they were all remembered by family members and their names were put forward to be placed on the War Memorials at Hawarden and Sandycroft for perpetuity.
