Address / Local links: 92 Burnell Avenue, Welling
Family / Relatives: Son of George and Edith Speer of Welling
Other Information: Son of a Coach Painter
Little documentary evidence of William Speer’s brief life exists – he was just 19 when he died in October 1944.
HE FELL
ERE REACHING MAN’S ESTATE
YET PLAYED TILL DEATH
A MANLY PART
This is the inscription on his headstone in the Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Holland.
The city of Nijmegen lies to the south of Arnhem in the east of the Netherlands
History information
The Netherlands fell to the Germans in May 1940 and was not re-entered by Allied forces until September 1944.
Nijmegen was a front line town from 17 September 1944 until February 1945. An initial temporary cemetery was created by No. 3 Casualty Clearing station, in a wooded area known as Jonkers Bosch, from which it took its name. The war cemetery was established, after the war, nearby.Jonkerbos War Cemetery contains 1,629 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 99 of them unidentified, and 13 war graves of other nationalities.
Although only 19, William had already been made a Lance Corporal in his Regiment.
5th Battalion Dorset Regiment
The 4th and 5th Battalions Dorset Regiment were both part of 130th Infantry Brigade in the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, participating in the Normandy Campaign, Operation Market Garden and the Rhine Crossings.
In late September 1944 the 43rd Wessex Division was moved forwards to support Guards Armoured Division in its battles beyond the Waal at Nijmegen in the drive up to relieve the Airborne forces at Arnhem. By the time the Dorsets crossed Nijmegen bridge the 2nd Parachute Regiment holding Arnhem bridge had been overwhelmed and German troops and armour were pouring across to block any advance towards the Neder Rijn. Nonetheless the 4th and 5th Dorsets forced their way up to the south bank of the river west of Arnhem near Driel, where plans were made to reinforce the Airborne troops across the river around Oosterbeek. When the operation was abandoned the 4th were ordered to cross the swollen river, under heavy fire, to rescue their Airborne comrades. Of the 315 Dorsets who reached the north bank only 75 returned.
The 4th Battalion’s sacrifice was recognised by the award of an Airborne Pennant and they were the only non-airborne unit to win the battle honour Arnhem. For the second time in ten weeks the 4th Dorsets had effectively been destroyed. Meanwhile, the 5th Dorsets took to the water and ferried the Airborne survivors back across the river.
After a short period around Groesbeek in the Reichswald Forest, both battalions moved to the south of Holland to the Roer triangle. Winter arrived and in the snow and mud around Geilenkirchen they fought bitter battles in the grimmest conditions. Here, despite the conditions and despite heavy casualties, the 5th Dorsets captured and held a wood west of Tripsrath, which in their honour was called Dorset Wood.
http://newforestromanygypsytraveller.co.uk/military.php?p=dorset
William George Speer
William was born on 24th March 1925. He was baptised on 31st May 1925 in St John’s Church, Welling. He was the son of George Henry SPEER (1881-1959) [2] and Edith COOPER (1886-1982). The had married on 5th August 1922 in St Michael and All Angels, Blackheath.
George Henry was the son of another George Henry Speer and Ann Leighton Topham and was born in February 1881 in Lee, Kent. He was a Road passenger transport coach painter. In 1891 he lived in 23, Church Street, Lee, Lewisham… He died in 1959 in Dartford.
William’s mother Edith died in 1982. (Her family – the Coopers – had lived in and around Bexleyheath for some time, her father is buried in Bexleyheath Cemetery).
William had an older sister – Gladys was born on 1st September 1923. She was a Typist and she married Eric E SMITH in 1945 in Dartford.
By the time of the 1939 Register we find the Speer family living at 92 Burnell Avenue, Welling, with George being recorded as a Coach Painter. They continued living here until the 1950s…
The only other documentary evidence we have of William is the official casualty list (pictured) which seems to indicate that he was wounded on 4th October before dying six days later of his wounds…
Pictured are Burnell Avenue and St John’s Church, Welling from around the time William was born, the Jonkerbos War Cemetery and the Welling War Memorial with the name SPEER, W G.
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If anyone is able to add any extra information, provide more family details, or suggest any corrections, please let us know – also, if anyone has any more photos of this individual listed on our memorials, please get in touch. Thank you.
Commemorated
- Welling War Memorial
- Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Holland
This story has been researched by volunteers. We have taken every effort to ensure its accuracy. If you are related to William George Speer, or if you have any further information, please do get in touch.