I believe that Herbert Edward John Worthing was the first-born son of Herbert Edward & Lilian Esther Worthing (nee Evans), born in the December quarter of 1924 (Abergavenny Vol. 11a Page 65).
Herbert Edward & Lilian Esther had married in St. Mary’s Church, Abergavenny on the 26th May 1923. Herbert Edward Worthing was a bachelor age 21 and a Fireman, his address was Park Street, Abergavenny and his father was John Thomas Worthing a Gas-Stoker. His bride was Lilian Esther Evans, 23, she was a spinster and Domestic Servant, living “at Bungalow, Abergavenny, “ her father was George EVANS, a Waggoner. They married after Banns and their witnesses were Griffith Lloyd and Annie Mary Evans*.
I think that Annie Mary was Lilian Esther’s sister.
The 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921 shows the young couple a few years before they married. Lilian Evans was living at ‘The Bungalow,‘ Lansdown Road, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire as a General Domestic Servant for James Thomas & family. She was aged 21 years and 2 months, born in Ross, Herefordshire and single. Herbert Edward Worthing was living with his father, a widower and family at Park House, Park Street, Abergavenny. He was 19 years and 1 month old, born in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, single and an Engine Cleaner for the L.N.W.R. at Abergavenny.
The 1911 census shows that Herbert Edward Worthing was living at Park House, Park Street, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire with his family. Head of the household was John Thomas Worthing, 43, and a Gas Stoker who had been born in Stretford, Herefordshire. His wife Elizabeth Anne, 38, had been born in Redbrook, Gloucestershire. They tell us that they had been married for 10 years and 3 children had been born, but sadly 1 child had died. Herbert Edward, age 8, and his brother Samuel Evan, 4, had both been born in Abergavenny. A niece, Ethel Worthing, 12, had been born in Yarpole, Herefordshire.
Another 1911 census shows a possible sighting of Lilian Esther Evans, living at Great House Cottage, Penperywm, Llangattock Nigh Usk and Abergavenny Rural, Monmouthshire. She is with her family. Her father, George Evans, was head of the household, he was 46 and a Cowman on a Farm and had been born in Kempley, Gloucestershire. His wife Sarah, 42, had been born in Ross, Hereford and they tell us that they had been married 22 years and 13 children had been born, but sadly 1 had died. Their other children were Percy, 13, Lilly, 11, both at school, with Ruth,9, and Annie, 8, they had all been born in Ross, Hereford. Alfred, 7, Gertie, 6, and Reggie, 4, had been born in Llangattock, Monmouthshire. Any help to identify that this is the right family for Lilian Esther Evans would be gratefully received.
Getting back to Herbert Edward & Lilian Esther, I believe that 2 more children were added their family, firstly in the March quarter of 1928 we see Ronald G. Worthing’s birth registration in Abergavenny (Vol. 11a Page 69),and in the September quarter of 1929, Sylvia P. Evans was born and her registration was again in Abergavenny (Vol. 11a Page 75).
Herbert Edward & Lilian Esther Worthing are seen on 2 Electoral Registers in the years 1937 – 1939, both times they were living at 24, Maesteg Street, Glamorgan, Wales.
The 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 29th of September 1939, shows the family living at that address and luckily this also gives us dates of birth with Herbert Edward ‘s being the 7th of May 1902 and he was a Fireman, L.M.S.R. Lilian Esther’s date of birth was the 15th of April 1900 and as most married women who didn’t have a job, was described on this register as doing “Unpaid Domestic Duties.” Ronald G. Worthing had been born on the 21st of December 1927 (Therefore his birth would be registered in all probability in the next year 1928) and he was “At School.” There were two redacted or Closed records and as the Register explains – “For individual people, records remain closed for a century after their birth (the 100-year rule), unless it can be proven that they passed away before this milestone.” We do not know who they were, any help would be appreciated.
If Herbert Edward John Worthing was one of the 2 Closed Records, then it would be a clerical error as Ronald G. Worthing, his brother, was allowed to be shown, so I can only presume that perhaps it was a clerical error as he was the eldest child. Perhaps he was already in the Army, again, any help would be appreciated.
Casualty List (Page 11) show that Herbert was reported Killed in Action on the 16th of August 1944. I do not have any details of what happened to him but please read the information on the following websites:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welch_Regiment
Welch Regiment – From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
MISSING SOLDIERS IN THE NETHERLANDS 1940-1945
https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/93/a7378293.shtml
WW2 People’s War – An archive of World War Two memories – written by the public, gathered by the BBC. – 4th Batt, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Replaced by 1/5 Welsh on Aug 3rd 1944) (The story In Folder)
http://www.fallenheroesofnormandy.org/Servicemen/Regiment/110
The Fallen Heroes of Normandy – a Photographic Remembrance.
Herbert Edward John WORTHING is at the bottom of the first page –
click on the link to see his page — http://www.fallenheroesofnormandy.org/Servicemen/Detail/17503
Carl Shilleto took photographs of the grave, but there isn’t one for Herbert E.J. WORTHING: – https://sites.google.com/site/carlshilletomilitaryhistorian/
Commonwealth War Graves History of the Ranville War Cemetery:-
HISTORY INFORMATION – The Allied offensive in north-western Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944.
Ranville was the first village to be liberated in France when the bridge over the Caen Canal was captured intact in the early hours of 6 June by troops of the 6th Airborne Division, who were landed nearby by parachute and glider. Many of the division’s casualties are buried in Ranville War Cemetery and the adjoining churchyard.
The CEMETERY contains 2,236 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 90 of them unidentified. There are also 323 German graves and a few burials of other nationalities.
The CHURCHYARD contains 47 Commonwealth burials, one of which is unidentified, and one German grave.
The Commonwealth War Graves Concentration Report Form tells us that Herbert Edward John Worthing was first buried at Martigny France, probably near where and on the day he died, the 16th August 1944, he was then reburied on the 19th October 1945 at Ranville British Cemetery. The 10 on the Graves Concentration Report Form all died the same day as Herbert. They are all buried next to each other and on the Graves Registration Report Form there is another serviceman from the 44th Royal Tank Regiment who died on the same day and joined them. Please see the Concentration and Registration Report Forms below.
Sadly, Herbert Edward John’s mother died in 1947, her death is registered in the June quarter of 1947, Hawarden, (Flintshire (Mold) HAW/31A/26).
I also believe that his father remarried to Lily Littler in the June quarter of 1948 in a Civil Marriage in Chester (Cheshire West ROC/100/202).
I found Lily Littler on the 1939 National Register living at 85, Hoole Lane, Chester, Cheshire with, I presume, her father Thomas Littler, who was born on the 12th of November 1885 and was widowed and a Brickmaker. Lily Little had been born on the 16th of January 1915 and was single and a Housekeeper. This document also tells us that her marriage had been on the 3rd of May 1948.
Herbert Edward Worthing was to die on the 7th of November 1957 and his probate gives details:-
WORTHING, Herbert Edward of 13, Ewart Street, Saltney Ferry, Flintshire died 7th of November 1957 at Broad Green Hospital, Liverpool. Administration Chester 10th of December to Lily WORTHING, Widow.
His wife Lily died in the December quarter of 1974 age 59 years. (Chester and Ellesmere Port, Cheshire (Vol. 35 Page: 0086).
I hope that Herbert Edward John’s father and family were able to see the unveiling of the Roll of Honour on the 2nd of June 1953, attended by the Reverend Norman Sydney Baden Powell MA.
Herbert Edward John Worthing needs to be remembered for his sacrifice for us to be free.
“IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DARLING SON AND BROTHER. FOREVER IN OUR THOUGHTS US”
