Missing, Believed Killed.—Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Sharpe, of 97, Fitzroy Street, Cambridge, have received news that their son, Flight Lieut. Bartie Walter ("Dink") Sharpe R.A.F.V.R., has been reported missing and believed to have lost his life as a result of air operations on March 29th. Flight Lieut. Sharpe was educated at the brunswick and Cambridge and County Schools, being a keen member of the Rugby XV, whilst at school. He was also a member of the King's Own Youth Centre. Before joining up he was employed by the L.N.E.R. as a booking clerk.

Died in Thailand.—Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Silk, of 28a, Magdalene Street, Cambridge, have received news that their youngest son, Driver A. Silk, Royal Corps of -Signals, died of malaria on June 17th, 1943, whilst a prisoner of war in Thailand. Driver Silk was educated at St. Luke's School, and before joining up was employed by Messrs. Flack and Judge.

Killed in Action.—News has been received in Cambridge that Corpl. G. A. V. “Vic” Smith, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Smith, of 50, Cherry Hinton Road, was killed in action in Burma on March 24th. He was born in Canada and came to England in 1936 joining the Territorial 250th R.E. on Easter Monday, 1939. He was called up at the outbreak of war, went to France in December, 1939, and evacuated in June, 1940. After a spell of duties in England he became corporal and was sent to West Africa. He was there 16 months, and then went to India. Before being called up he was employed by Messrs. Joshua Taylor, Sidney Street. His brother Roland is serving with a bomb disposal unit in the M.E.F.

Our picture is of Sergeant Marshal Kenneth Smith, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force, husband of Mrs. Evelyn Smith, of 123, Victoria Road, who, reported missing in October, is now reported missing, believed killed in action over enemy territory.

Died in Jap Hands.—Our picture is of Private Percy Smith, Suffolk Regiment, youngest, son of Mrs. A. Smith, of 136, Argyle Street, Cambridge who has been informed that he died on July 27th, 1943 whilst a prisoner of war in Japanese hands. The cause of death was not stated. Before the war, Pte Smith was employed by the L.N.E.R.

Royal Engineer's Death. — Mrs. R. G. Smith, of 146, Mill Road. Cambridge, has received official news that her husband, Driver R. G. Smith, 287 Company, R.E., died whilst a prisoner of war in Thailand on the 24th July, 1943. He was the youngest son of the late Mrs. A. J. Smith., of Catherine Street, and before the war worked for Messrs. Goodrums Hemingford Road.

Killed in Action. News has been received by Mr, and Mrs. Jolley, of 25, Ashfield Road, Cambridge, that their only son, Private Ronald Spillman, of the Highland Light Infantry, B.L.A., has been killed in action. Aged 19, he attended the Chesterton Senior School, and before joining the Forces was employed by the Cambridge Window Cleaning Company. He had been with the B.L.A. since D-Day.

Died in Thailand. — Mrs. Sybil J. Spivey, of 68, King’s Hedges Road, Cambridge, has now received official notice that her husband, L.-Cpl. A. J. Spivey, 287th Field Company, R.E., died in Thailand on May 30th, 1943, whilst a prisoner of war. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Spivey, of 10, George Street, and before the war was a clerk at the G.P.O.

Cambridge Man Dies of Wounds.—Mrs. Stanford, of 8, Church Street, Cambridge, has received official news that her youngest son, Pte. Ronald Stanford, has died of wounds received while fighting in the Central Mediterranean. Pte. Stanford, who was 24 years of age, joined the A.A. about four years ago, and was transferred to the Infantry at the beginning of the present year. As a boy he attended first St. Andrew's School, Chesterton, and then Brunswick, and later was employed by Mr. G, E. Rooke, butcher, of 62, Chesterton Road.

MRS. W. R. STARNS, of 35, Warkworth Street Cambridge, has received news that her husband, Sergt.-Pilot Starns, is missing, his aeroplane having failed to return to its base.

Sergt. Starns, who was 26 years old joined the Volunteer Reserve a year before the outbreak of war. In civil life he was a key board operator at the University Press. He was a prominent member of the University Press Tennis Club.

The eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Starns, of 35, Fulbrook Road, Sergeant Starns had been married three years.

He is an old County School boy.

Died in Thailand.—News has just been received by Mrs. F. M. Steam, of 5, Manor Street, Cambridge, that her son, Pte. George Leslie John Stearn, of the 1st Cambridgeshire Regiment, died on September 13th, 1943, while a prisoner of war in 2 [sic] Thailand. Pte. Stearn was 24 years of age.

Mrs. E. Stearn, of 46, Ditton Walk, Cambridge, sends us this photograph of her son Robert, of the Royal Navy (an early member of the Robin Fellowship), who has died abroad. He had been away two years and was looking forward to coming home on leave in March.

News has reached Cambridge of the death in action of a young Cambridge man who was serving with the Royal Navy during the great evacuation from Dunkirk.

He was Ordinary Seaman V. G. Stearn, aged 18, of 49, Bateson Road, Cambridge, who was reported missing, believed drowned, in May last.

Educated at the Brunswick School, Stearn was a very keen Swimmer, and held medals and certificates for his success in this sport. After leaving school he was employed for over a year at Messrs. Herbert Robinson and Son, Regent Street, and joined the Navy just before the outbreak of war.

An elder brother is now serving with the R.A.F. in Egypt.

IN view of the fact that Major A. B. Grant Stephen was the senior member of the Cambridgeshire Regiment to lay down his life for his country, his death (even if it did take place three and a half years ago) can hardly be passed over with a brief announcing paragraph.

“Steve,” as he was affectionately known to everybody, was not just a war-time soldier; he had served his County Regiment well for many years, and by now would have been wearing the honoured ribbon of the Territorial Decoration.

He was not one of the more fortunate officers who did most of his peace time soldiering in his home town, as when his chance came to command a Company the vacancy was at Ely. This entailed a good deal of travelling, and even more sacrifice of time.

Those who soldiered at the time when England had been lulled into a false sense of security were sometimes called “war-mongers.” Like those with whom he served in the Cambridgeshire Regiment, “Steve” hated war, but he trained himself and others for war because, after much thought, he was convinced that it was his duty to do so.

Until the Second Battalion was formed at the outbreak of war, I served with “Steve” the whole time. For the last three years I was both his commanding officer and his very good friend. He was by nature a family man. He would much rather have been playing in the garden with his wife and his two boys than rushing off to Ely or Chatteris to supervise the training of recruits, but it was his duty and he did it. No C.O. ever had a more loyal or more conscientious Company Commander than he was in those days.

Son of Mr. George Stephen, he was at school at Aldenham, and then came to Queens' College, where he distinguished himself by gaining a. Half-Blue for swimming and his college rowing colours. Though slight of build, he was tremendously powerful. His most amazing feat was one day when he rowed a full course in his college boat at Henley in the afternoon and then travelled to London to swim in the quarter-mile against Oxford. The Cambridgeshire Regiment has lost a fine officer; Cambridge Town an honoured tradesman and a citizen who might been of invaluable service had his inclinations tempted him into municipal affairs. I know how reliable he ways was and how sound was his judgement.

F.N.D.D.

A Cambridge Casualty.—Our picture is of Private George Stepney, aged 24, husband or Mrs. ivy Stepney, of 106, Thoday Street, who was killed in action on 25th April last. He was the second son of Mrs. Stepney, of 248, Newmarket Road, and before the war was employed as a painter and decorator, and also worked for Messrs. Weatherheads, the newsagents. He had been in the Army four years, and had been abroad two. In addition to the widow there is a little baby girl, aged 16 months, whom he had been longing to see.

Presumed Killed in Action.—Mr. and Mrs. Still, of 180. Boss Street. Cambridge, have received news that their second son, Pte. H. C. Still, Cambs. Regiment, previously reported missing, is now presumed to have been killed in action in the Far East on February 15th, 1942. Pte. Still, aged 26, was the husband of the late Mrs. E. R. Still, of 180, Ross Street. He was educated at the Morley Memorial School and before the war was employed by Langford and Sons, Victoria Road.

Mrs. Summerfield, of 16, Blossom Street, Cambridge, has received notification from the War Office that her husband, Trooper Herbert Reginald Summerfield, of the Royal Tank Regiment, has been killed in action in the Middle East. Trooper Summerfield was educated at East Road School and before he enlisted in the Army was employed at Messrs. Eaden Lilley's. The deceased, an ex-member of St. Matthew's Scouts, was a popular member of Lilley's Rowing Club.

THE news has been received that Pilot Officer Ronald (Ress) Enoch Stanley Summers, R.A.F., of 25, Owlstone Road, Newnham, Cambridge, has been reported missing, believed killed.

A letter from the International Red Cross Society reporting the matter said that German official information stated that two of the occupants of Pilot Officer Summers' aircraft are prisoners of war and that they reported that he and the fourth occupant sank with their aircraft. Pilot Officer Summers was educated at the Cambs. County School, and was working with the Cambridge Electric Supply Company prior to joining the R.A.F.

He was well known on the concert platform as the pianist for his brother, Desmond Summers, the xylophonist. He also used to feature, with his brother, as a piano duetist, their act being known as the “Krazy Krotchets.”

ABLE SEAMAN REVOR SURKITT the young Cambridge man who fought in H.M.S. Exeter in the battle of the River Plate, has been reported missing, presumed killed, while on war service.

This news has been received by his mother, Mrs. H. Surkitt, of the Croft, Primrose Street, in a telegram, Seaman Suirkitt, besides being torpedoed in the Exeter. has also been torpedoed in another ship.

PRESENTATION RECALLED.

The heroic part which Seaman Surkitt played in the battle was marked in Cambridge by a presentation to him and his mother by the Mayor, then Councillor Wing. Efforts were made at the time to persuade Surkitt to tell his story of the action, but without success and he afterwards described the presentation ceremony as a greater ordeal than the battle itself.

The memento handed to him, which was subscribed to by the public of Cambridge, took the form of a statuette of a sailor holding a telescope, while Mrs. Surkitt received a silver cup.

Both gifts were engraved with the ship’s coat of arms and inscribed “Presented to Seaman Trevor Surkitt, of H.M.S. Exeter, from the Mayor and citizensof Cambridge, to commemorate his glorious conduct at the Battle of the River Plate, December 13th, 1939.”

---

IN RIVER PLATE BATTLE.—Here is Trevor Surkitt, a Cambridge boy, of Coldham's-lane, who was on H.M.S. Exeter in the battle of River Plate. Aged 17½ years. Surkitt was a scholar at St. Philip School. Cambridge. and from there he went to Watts Naval School in Norfolk, and later to H.M.S. Ganges at Shotley. He gained early promotion to Leading Boy soon after his arrival, and later to Boy Petty Officer.

Reported Killed. — Our picture is of Pte. E. E. Sutton, of Army Air Corps, only son of Mrs. E. Sutton, of 11, Alpha Road, Cambridge, reported missing D-Day, June 6, who is now reported killed. Pte. Sutton joined the Royal Norfolks and then volunteered for the Parachute Regiment. He was 17 years of age when joining the Forces, and was 19 at the time of his death.

Killed in France.-News has, been received. in Cambridge that Sapper F. J. Tabor, husband of Mrs. Tabor, of 13., Hooper Street, has been killed in action In France. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tabor, of 16, Queen's Meadows, Cherry Hinton.

Serjeant, 6912031, 2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. Died on 31st May 1940 aged 30 years.He is buried at Dunkirk Town Cemetery, Plot 2 Row 13 Grave 2. France.

Extract from Cambridge Daily News in 1942:

CAMBRIDGE
MAN. DIES FROM
WOUNDS

Mrs. H. E. Taylor, of 77, Brampton Cambridge, has received news that her husband Sergt. Horace Edwin Taylor, died of wounds whilst on active service in France. Sergt. “Ted” Taylor, who was 31 years of age, was the fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Taylor, of 31, Earl Street (late of 19, Orchard Street). Educated at the Central. School, he joined the Army in 1930, but had left it when war broke out. He was called up again as a reservist and went overseas almost immediately.

A brother of Sergt. Taylor, Rifleman A. R. Taylor was killed in the last war.

Youngest of Five Serving Sons. — Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Taylor, of 64, Darwin Drive, Cambridge, have received news from the War Office that their son, Private W. J. Taylor, aged 19, was killed in action in North-West Europe on August 7th. Pte. Taylor was the youngest of five sons serving with the Forces, and before joining up was employed by Mr. W. H. Onyett, of Chesterton Road.

Killed in Action.—Official news has been received by Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Thompson, of 171, Victoria Road, Cambridge, that their son, Private Cyril Arthur Thompson, Queen's Royal Regiment, was killed in action in the Central Mediterranean on February 27th. Aged 25, Private Thompson attended j the Brunswick School for a short time, and before joining up was employed by Messrs. Hutton, Petty Cury.

Reported Missing.—Our picture is of Sub-Lt. Ralph L. Thompson, F.A.A., youngest son of Mrs. A. A. Thompson, of 12, Sherlock load, Cambridge, and the late Mr. T. C. Thompson, of London and Cam bridge, Who was reported missing in action on May 10th.

News has been received by Mrs. P. Thompson, of 34, Hills Avenue, Cambridge, that her hushand, Lance-Corpl. Ronald Charles Thompson, was killed in action in Italy on June 3rd whilst serving with the Loyal Regiment. Twenty four years of age, Lance-Corporal Thompson was a Territorial in the 1st Cambs. Regiment, joining them as a boy of 14. He was brought out on reserve just before they went to Singapore, but was recalled again last year. He leaves a daughter ten weeks old, whom he had never seen. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Thompson. 183, Queen Edith's Way.

News has been received by Mrs. Winifred Thurlbourne, of 5, Elmfield Road, Chesterton, that her husband, Corpl. Cecil (“Diddles”) Thurlbourne, died of gunshot wounds, in the Central Mediterranean on May 23rd.

Corpl. Thurlbourne, who was 25 yearsof age, was educated at the Central School, and was last employed at Messrs. Chivers and Sons, Histon. He was in the 1st Cambridgehire Territorials before the war, and later was transferred to the Dorsetshire Regiment. He was a keen sportsman, and played football for Pye Radio, Cambridge Town and King’s Lynn.

He was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Thurlbourne, 25, Darwin Drive, Cambridge. He leaves a son four years old.

Killed in Action at Sea. — Mrs. A. Tingey, of 12, Marmora Road, Cambridge, has received word from the War Office, that her son, Pte. H. J. Tingey, Suffolk Regiment, must now be presumed to have been killed in action at sea while a prisoner of war on Sept. 22nd, 1944. He was aboard a Japanese transport when it was sunk, and was formerly in Thailand. Aged 25, Pte. Tingey was educated at the Romsey Council Schools, and was later employed by Pye's. He was one of three brothers all serving in the Forces.

Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Toller, of 45, Perowne Streets Cambridge, have received news through the International Red Cross that their only son, Sergt. Kenneth Toiler R.A.F., is presumed killed. He was previously reported missing. Educated at the County High School for Boys, be joined the Royal Air Force about two years ago to become a wireless operator air-gunner. Previously he was employed by Messrs. Slater and Dominy, of Hobson Street. He was 21 years of age and unmarried.