Lists the names, gives details and some photographs of, those who served during the World Wars.

 

Thomas Frank Cain was serving with His Majesty's Forces in 1944 and 1945. He and his wife, Dorothy, lived at 181, Main Street, Thurmaston.

 

 

Alec Cannon, of 331, Main Street, Thurmaston, served in the Forces during the 1939-45 war. Alec Cannon was married to Iris, with whom he had three daughters and a son. Alec was the brother of Alfred Cannon (qv).

 

 

Alfred (Son) Cannon lived at 352, Main Street, Thurmaston. In 1942, having previously trained at Chatham naval base, he was serving as Able Seaman, C/JX 179372, Alfred Cannon, aboard the R&S class destroyer HMS Thanet. In January 1942 the ship was based at Singapore. On the 26th of the month HMS Thanet and HMAS Vampire engaged a superior Japanese force of warships. During the action that followed HMS Thanet was severely damaged and she sank on the 27th January 1942.

Able Seaman Cannon was fortunate to survive the sea battle; many of the ships company died during and after the action. For some time the Cannon family had to bear the news that Son Cannon was missing. He was eventually evacuated to Australia, and spent time in Kerang, Victoria.

Son Cannon was the brother of Alec George Cannon (qv).

 

 

37, Oakland Avenue, Thurmaston.

 

 

Charles Samuel Carter was a serving soldier in 1942. He and his wife, Florence, lived at 45, Melton Avenue, Thurmaston.

 

 

Glengarry Melton Avenue, Thurmaston.

 

 

39, Oakland Avenue, Thurmaston.

 

 

22, Unicorn Street, Thurmaston.

 

 

44, Highway Road, Thurmaston.

 

 

28, Garden Street, Thurmaston.

 

 

Private John William Jack Clarke of 141, Main Street, Thurmaston, served in the Middle East. He was still serving in His Majesty's Forces at the end of the war.

 

 

6, Hill Rise, Thurmaston.

 

 

Louie Coltman of Humberstone Lane, Thurmaston, served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS).

 

 

47, Humberstone Lane, Thurmaston.

 

 

Dennis Percival Cook was serving with the Royal Air Force in 1944-1945. He and his wife, Irene, lived at 15, Brook Street, Thurmaston.

 

 

67, Humberstone Lane, Thurmaston.

 

 

Tom Cramp was a serving soldier in 1943. He and his wife, Ena, lived at 66, Main Street, Thurmaston.

 

 

26, Melton Avenue, Thurmaston.

 

 

Joseph John Ashley Cropper was a serving soldier between 1940-1945. He and his wife, Agnes Gertrude, lived at both 11, Winster Drive, Thurmaston and 55, Hillcroft Close, Thurmaston..

 

 

Eric Cross of 470, Melton Road, Thurmaston, was serving in the Forces in 1945, and remained so until at least 1947.

 

 

Petty Officer Raymond Crossland was serving in the Royal Navy in 1942. He lived at 352, Main Street, Thurmaston. He was still serving in the Forces in 1947.

 

 

37, Westdown Drive, Thurmaston.

 

 

147, Humberstone Lane, Thurmaston.

 

 

16, Brook Street, Thurmaston.

 

 

31, Humberstone Lane, Thurmaston.

 

 

11, Churchill Road Extension, Thurmaston.

 

 

115, Colby Drive, Thurmaston.

 

 

Lieutenant Ronald Dorey was serving with the Royal Artillery in 1943. He and his wife, Alice Annie, nee Partridge, lived at 6, Unicorn Street, Thurmaston.

 

 

Able Seaman Gerald Draper, R.N., served aboard a destroyer that took part in the attack on the Sharnhorst. His grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. Coltman, lived at 47, Humberstone Road, Thurmaston.

 

 

Herbert Draycott lived with his wife Phyllis May at 130, Humberstone Lane, Thurmaston. In 1942 Herbert Draycott was serving with His Majesty's Forces.

 

 

7, Victoria Street, Thurmaston.

 

 

28, Oakland Avenue, Thurmaston.

 

 

37, Hillcroft Close, Thurmaston.

 

 

52, Highway Road, Thurmaston.

 

 

Jack Evatt was serving with His Majesty's Forces during 1943-1945. He and his wife, Ada, lived at 302, Humberstone Lane, Thurmaston.

 

 

Frank Victor Walter Evers was serving as an army driver in 1942. He and his wife, Rose Louisa, lived at 50, Checkland Avenue, Thurmaston.

 

 

135, Humberstone Lane, Thurmaston.

 

 

12, Manor Road, Thurmaston.

 

 

Eric Foster, R.A.F., was the son of Henry and Ethel May Foster of Thurmaston. He began his airforce training during July 1940. The training, with 81 Squad, N Flight, 5 Squadron, took place at a camp near Morecambe, Lancashire. He later served at RAF Pembrey and RAF Fairwood Common, Glamorganshire. From mid-1942 he served with 151 Operational Training Unit (OTU), RAF Risalpur, India (Pakistan). He later served at RAF Peshawar, before returning to the U.K.

 

 

Frank William Foster, known to most people as Bill Foster, was the son of William Foster (see WW1 Index) and his wife Annie. He was also the cousin of brothers William Henry, Eric, and Victor Leonard Foster (q.v.). Bill Foster was born in Thurmaston in 1917, and was later baptised at Thurmaston church. During the war he served in the 6th Airborne Force and was dropped at Arnhem, Holland. He served as a despatch rider, having had a motor cycle dropped by parachute for his own use. During his service he was involved in the capture of several German soldiers, who took it upon themselves to surrender to him. He rose to the rank of Sergeant Major. In later life Bill Foster worked for the firm of W. T. Palmer, first as a lorry driver and later as a works manager.

 

Victor Leonard Foster, RN, the son of Henry and Ethel May Foster of Thurmaston, joined the Royal Navy on 27/12/1939. He trained at H.M.S. Royal Arthur (Skegness) and H.M.S. Pembroke, Chatham. He served at the mine-laying base HMS Trelawney, Kyle of Loch Alsh, Scotland. After a short return to Chatham, he was drafted to the destroyer H.M.S. Volunteer. He served in her in the Western Approaches and later as part of Arctic Convoy PQ16. In 1943 he joined H.M.L.S.T. 418. The ship was sunk in the Mediterranean, near Anzio, on the 16/02/1944. Able Seaman Foster was one of several crewmen that lost their lives.

 

 

William Henry Foster, the son of Henry and Ethel May Foster of Thurmaston, was a private soldier in the 1st Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment (Motor Transport). Private, 4863310, Foster fought in Malaya and Singapore and was one of only a handful of men that were successfully evacuated from Singapore Island. He was batman to Captain, later Major, L.W. St. John McNair, motor transport officer to the regiment. Bill Foster, as he was known to most people, escaped to Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) where he served for several years before returning to the UK.

 

 

The Poplars, Syston Road, Thurmaston.

 

 

The Poplars, Syston Road, Thurmaston.

 

 

Wallace Edwin Foulds of 22, Berkeley Street, Thurmaston, was serving in the His Majesty's Forces in 1945, and was still serving in 1947.

 

 

Howard Wilfred Fox was born at Thurmaston on the 6th July 1920, the son of Thurmaston basket maker Albert Fox. Howard attended school at Thurmaston and then Alderman Newton's School, Leicester. On leaving school he gained employment at the British United Shoe Machinery Company (BUSMC), Leicester.

On the 30th July 1940 Howard Fox joined the Royal Air Force (RAF). Following initial training, he eventually voyaged to Egypt, via the Cape of Good Hope. Leading Aircraftsman, 1183487, Howard Fox served with 17 Wireless Unit, RAF, at various airstrips in the Western Desert of North Africa. He eventually left the RAF on the 13th February 1946.

After the war Howard Fox, a member of the Methodist Church, went into teaching. He lived in the village with his wife Joyce. At Thurmaston many of the classes that he taught were held in the Methodist Sunday School building, due to the school being filled to capacity. He eventually became deputy head teacher, but left to become headmaster at Mountsorrel School, Leicestershire.

Today, Mr. Fox lives in the North of England, but remains a self-confessed Thurmastonite!

To see a larger picture of this man click on the link below

 

 

30, Berkeley Street, Thurmaston.

 

 

12, Westdown Drive, Thurmaston.