Stanley 'Sonny' Wilson

This story and photos are are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Jamie McCarthy-Smith

Stanley William Wilson, or Sonny to his family and friends, resided at 22 South View, Broughton, North Lincolnshire.

Sonny worked at Scunthorpe Steelworks. Exempt from National Service, he volunteered to enlist in to the Army with his best friends on 20th February 1941 just 21 years of age.

He joined the Royal Engineers and after completing his basic training, he was assigned to the 16th Field Squadron (16th Jan 1942), This engineering squadron were tasked to defend the coastal areas from Tyne Tees to the Humber Estuary.

Sonny, on the right, and his two best friends, names unknown, during basic training

 

Sonny was posted to the 79th Engineers Assault Squadron in 1943. This Squadron were fondly remembered as Hobart’s Funnies, when they adapted various armoured vehicles for D-Day. On the morning of 6th June 1944, the 79th Squadron under the command of the British 3rd Division were tasked to clear the shore of all mines and explosive devices prior to the main landing.

Extract from a Canadian Officer at Sword Beach:
6th June 1944 0706hrs
The British Army had dedicated teams of Assault Engineers to land before anyone else, with the task of clearing the beach obstacles. This they did. Unfortunately the water and tide driven by the wind made a much higher water mark than anticipated. The Assault Engineers continued to make the beach obstacles safe, by continuing to swim amongst the defences removing mines and shells, as the tide rose even higher, many of those men while still carrying on with their tasks were drowned. But their sacrifice made everything possible.

Sonny was one of the first to land on Sword Beach as part of the dedicated team of Engineers tasked to clear the beach. He died from his injuries two days later on the 8th June 1944.

Sonny is buried at Broughton Cemetery (Commonwealth War Grave 182) and remembered at British Normandy Memorial, Ver-Sur-Mer (Column 27). As he was buried at home, hundreds of people from the surrounding villages turned up. As they could not bury their own, they attended Sonny's funeral for closure.