James Angell

This story and photos are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher

James Angell was born on the 17 October 1920, the eldest son of Joseph Henry & Dorothy Angell (née Brennan), who had married in the December quarter of 1917. They had two other child, daughters Olive, born on 18 June 1918 and Elizabeth (known as Betty), born on the 6th October 1922. In 1921 they were living at 6, Seymour Street, Hulme, South Manchester.

The 1939 Register shows that the family had moved and were now living at 43, Milner Street, Old Trafford. James was single and was working as a Hose Pipe Fitter.

It is not known if James enlisted or was conscripted but we know that he was in the Royal Navy, serving with 202 LCI(S) Flotilla, Support Squadron. The flotilla had been assigned to land men of 48 (Royal Marine) Commando onto Nan Red, Juno Beach from around 08:30 on D-Day. He was probably killed as they approached the beach as the flotilla suffered considerable damage due to the mined obstacles and two of the landing craft were targeted by one of the German defenders strong points when they got stuck on the obstacles in the water and could not get free. For his actions on D-Day, James Angell was mentioned in Despatches (Posthumous), his award being gazetted on 14th November 1944.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 14 November 1944, p5218

 

He was initially buried at St Aubin-sur-Mer and then reinterred at the Bayeux War Cemetery on 10th November 1944.

In the Roll of Honour – In Memoriam section of the Manchester Evening News of 6th June 1945, his mother and father and other family members posted messages in remembrance of him as they did later on in the year on his birthday in the same newspaper dated the 17th of October 1945.

L-R Manchester Evening News, 6th June 1945 and 17 October 1945

 

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Of interest in the newspaper's Roll of Honour notice of 6th June 1945 is mention of James Angell's two comrades who were also killed on 6th June. We know of one other, Telegraphist Bertie Kenning Corfield, who was also Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette, but the second name is unknown to us. The names in our database originally came from the Commonwealth War Graves Commssion and the records for those men men serving in landing craft were sometimes associated with their shore base, such as HMS Copra, as opposed to their craft or flotilla. We have added flotilla and craft details when we find them but if you know the identity of the third member of the flotilla who was killed on 6th June we'd love to find out.

And if you are related to Frank Appleyard or know where we can find a photo of him we'd love to hear from you so we can put a face to his name.

If you can help with either or both of these question do get in touch so we can add it to our records