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© Images are copyright, Trustees of the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum.
 You must seek permission prior to publication of any of our images.


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Memorials - Second World War

Athens Memorial

The Athens Memorial: "1939-1945 Within this cemetery stand monuments bearing the names of the soldiers of the British Commonwealth and Empire who gave their lives in the struggle for the Defence of Greece and Crete in 1941 and in later operations in Greece, The Dodecanese and Yugoslavia, but to whom the fortune of war denied a known and honoured grave"

The Memorial records the names of the men of the 1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment, who were killed in the action on the Greek island of Leros in November 1943, who have no known grave.  Those who died in the action and were buried can be found in Leros War Cemetery.


Athens Memorial to the Missing, photographed in 1973.
Accession Number: KO1112/01


Athens Memorial to the Missing, photographed in 1973.
Accession Number: KO1112/02


Athens Memorial to the Missing, photographed in 1973. 
"1939-1945 Within this cemetery stand monuments bearing the names of the soldiers of the British Commonwealth and Empire who gave their lives in the struggle for the Defence of Greece and Crete in 1941 and in later operations in Greece, The Dodecanese and Yugoslavia, but to whom the fortune of war denied a known and honoured grave"
Accession Number: KO1112/03


Athens Memorial to the Missing.
Accession Number: KO1112/04


Athens Memorial to the Missing.
Accession Number: KO1121/102


Athens Memorial to the Missing.
Accession Number: KO1918/03

The King's Own Royal Regiment names on the Athens Memorial are as follows, they were all killed in action on the Greek island of Leros, excepting one who died shortly afterwards, probably as a prisoner of war:

bulletPrivate Alfred Atkinson, number 4203541, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed on the Greek island of Leros between 14th and 16th November 1943. Age 30 years, born and lived in Manchester.
bulletPrivate John Bowman, number 3606896, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros on 14th November 1943. Age 21 years, son of Harold and Edith Bowman of Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire.
bulletCaptain Henry Patrick Joseph Mary Burke, number 73235, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros on 14th November 1943. Joined the battalion on the island by travelling on a small minesweeper.
bulletPrivate Fred Carradice, number 3388809, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros on 13th November 1943. Age 35 years, son of Richard and Florence Carradice, Husband of Ruth Carradice of Nelson, Lancashire.
bulletPrivate Leonard Cockroft, number 3393039, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros on 12th November 1943. Age 31 years, son of Job and Elizabeth Cockroft. Husband of Clarice M Cockroft of Swinton, Manchester.
bulletPrivate Albert Davies, number 4076726, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, died 2nd December 1943. Age 27 yeas, son of Albert Frederick Davies and Hilda Daisy Davies of Abergavenny Monmouthshire.
bulletPrivate John Festubert Dixon, number 3719107, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, died of wounds receiving in the fighting on the Greek island of Leros, 16th November 1943. Age 27 years, son of Robert and Mary Dixon; husband of H D Dixon, Kirkham, Lancashire.
bulletPrivate Harold George Franks, number 5629653, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment killed in action on the Greek island of Leros between 13th and 16th November 1943. Age 23, son of Harold James Franks and Evelyn Louise Franks of Plymtree, Devon.
bulletPrivate John Probus Fugler, number 3782379, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros, 14th November 1943. Age 36 years, son of Reginald George and Katherine Mary Fugler of Winsofrd Cheshire; husband of Edith Muriel Fugler.
bulletLance Corporal David Spencer Harding, number 3911085, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, died of wounds received in action on the Greek island of Leros, 13th November 1943. Age 26 years, son of Evan John and Gladys Harding; husband of Mildred Harding of Cefn Crib Bwr, Glamorgan.
bulletCaptain Derek Richard Humm, number 109523, Attached to the 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment. Killed in action whilst commanding ‘C’ Company on the Greek island of Leros, 12th November 1943.
bulletPrivate Henry Edward Humphreys, number 14538792, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros on 14th November 1943. Age 33 years son of William and Ellen Humphreys of Walton, Liverpool.
bulletPrivate Edward Henry Jackson, number 3910424, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros on 15th November 1943. Age 24 years.
bulletCaptain Francis Benjamin King, number 109441, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, died of wounds received in action on the 15th November 1943. Age 22 years, son of Gilbert R King and Dorothy King of Twickenham, Middlesex.
bulletPrivate William Laity, number 5438431, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros, 14th November 1943. Age 29 years, son of William and Mary Laity of Helston, Cornwall; husband of Edith R Laity of Penzance, Cornwall.
bulletLieutenant Fred Bollard Lawson, number 190169, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in a night action on the Greek island of Leros, between 12th and 16th November 1943. Age 24 years, son of Joseph and Mary Jane Lason of Gisburn, Lancashire.
bulletLance Sergeant James Henry Maddison, number 3654197, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros, 13th November 1943. Age 22 years, son of Mr and Mrs James Maddison of Wolverhampton; husband of Mary Maddison, Oldham, Lancashire.
bulletLieutenant James McGoan Mathieson, number 174158, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros between 12th and 16th November 1942 whilst leading a dawn attack. Age 23 years son of Dr. James Moir Mathieson and Ellen Mathieson of Lancaster. Had previously been captured in the Western Desert but had managed to escape and rejoin the battalion.
bulletCorporal Arthur Miller, number 3713151, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros, on 16th November 1943. Age 24 years son of Arthur and Sarah Bessie Miller of Ulverston, Lancashire.
bulletPrivate Joseph Murphy, number 3712928, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros, 15th November, 1943. Age 25 years.
bulletLance Sergeant Robert James Randles, number 3712895, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros on 16th November 1943. Age 25 years, Son of Robert and Ann Ellen Randles of Higher Tranmere, Birkenhead.
bulletPrivate James Riley, number 3779303, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros, between 14th and 16th November, 1943. Age 31 years, son of James and Teresa Riley of Liverpool.
bulletCaptain John Hayton Thorp, number 95578, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on the Greek island of Leros between 12th and 16th November 1943.

The following soldiers are also commemorated on the Athens Memorial and had previously served with the King’s Own Royal Regiment:

bulletPrivate John McCormick, number 3711810, 2nd Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, attached to Number 50 Commando. Killed on 25th February 1941, age 21 years, son of Peter and Annie McCormick of Bolton Lancashire.
bulletPrivate Bertram Price, number 3710168, formerly King’s Own Royal Regiment, died at sea on 26th April 1941 whilst serving with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
bulletPrivate Bernard Rice, number 3709016, formerly King’s Own Royal Regiment, died on 27th May 1941, whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. Age 32 years.
bulletSergeant Harry Swift, number 3710959, formerly King’s Own Royal Regiment, died on 16th May 1941, whilst serving with Number 1 Base Ordnance Depot, Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Age 24 years. Son of William and Margaret Swift, nephew of Elizabeth Gerrard of Westhoughton, Lancashire.

Buried in the nearby Phaleron War Cemetery:

bulletPrivate Reginald Kenneth Vines, number 3973798, 1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment, Died as Prisoner of War 20th January 1944, age 23. Son of Reginald George and Edith May Vines of Newbridge, Monmouthshire. Buried at Phaleon War Cemetery, Athens, Greece.
bulletPrivate Thomas McGreevy, number 3717408, formerly King’s Own Royal Regiment, died on 13th June 1945 whilst serving with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Buried at Phaleron War Cemetery, Athens, Greece. Son of John and Catharine McGreevy of Heywood, Lancashire; husband of Louise B McGreevy of Heywood.

 

© Images are copyright, Trustees of the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum.
 You must seek permission prior to publication of any of our images.

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