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HOME GUARD MEMORIES AND INFORMATION - WARWICKSHIRE, BIRMINGHAM
47th WARKS (POST
OFFICE) BATTN.
CASUALTIES
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The Post
Office Home Guard unit was formed at an early
stage. It consisted of Post Office employees and later
evolved into the
47th Warwickshire
(Post Office) Battalion.
At least four members of this Battalion lost
their lives in the course of their service:
Squad
Leader William Edward Howkins
(aged 23) of
Sutton Coldfield.
(See immediately below)
Vol. Dennis Herbert
Phillips
(aged 22) of
Sparkhill
(See
immediately below)
Vol. George
Tibbitts
(aged 42)
of
Erdington
(See
below)
F.W.T. Charles
(aged 29) of
Yardley
(See
below)
Squad
Leader Howkins and Vol. Phillips
22nd/23rd
November 1940 |
Vol. Phillips and
Squad Leader Howkins both died in the same
incident as the result of a direct hit by a
high-explosive bomb on the unit's guard room
at the Post Office depot during the night of
22nd/23rd November 1940 when the city was
subjected to severe bombardment.
The
London Gazette of 27th May 1941 records the
bravery of two other members of the unit,
Vol. Leslie
Hartland and
Vol. Francis
James
Peacock
who rendered first aid to one of the injured
men on that night and then braved falling
bombs and machine-gunning to get help in the
form of a doctor and an ambulance. Both
received the King's Commendation.
The
circumstances of this tragedy are all too
vividly brought to light by the official
reports of various men who were involved, Vol.
Hartland, Vol. Peacock,
Vol. Hall
and
Sgt. F.S. Garrett.
Report
on two fatal casualties sustained during
the guard by "F" Platoon, No. 3 Section,
on November 22nd, 1940
.....
by
Sgt. F. S. Garrett
The "Alert"
sounded at 6:40 p.m., and this was
followed by air activity which increased
in intensity, and it was soon obvious we
were due for a fierce attack. Mr Standing
(Lt. F.
Standing) was present, and after a
walk round, we withdrew the guards
covering No. 3 and 4 Posts, and all took
shelter.
Somewhere about
10:30 p.m. everything was completely quiet
apart from fires in the vicinity, and
after taking a look round I return to the
guard room and had some supper. At 10.40,
Howkins and Phillips came in for some
supper - Howkins had earlier been on duty
at the Main Gate - and at 10.50 or
thereabouts, I suggested that if the quiet
continued, they might form a patrol. I
emphasised that no risks were to be taken,
and knowing the two men very well indeed,
I knew I could place every reliance on
them. But in view of the fact that an
A.F.S. party had broken down a door on the
back entrance, I was anxious for a patrol
to be out, and indeed at that time
conditions overhead were entirely quiet.
The majority of
the guard returned to the guard room for
supper and rest, but had not settled down
before the raid was resumed with violent
intensity, and everyone was ordered to
take blankets and take cover in "C" Block.
The intensity of the raid makes most
people go for the nearest shelter, "D"
Block, to which I returned as soon as
conditions permitted.
Bent and
White
were on duty at the Factory Gate, and I
brought them from the blockhouse to the
south end of the shelter, where we covered
the gate so far as conditions permitted.
Things presently got so bad that I ordered
these two to go down and stay down, but an
incendiary bomb dropped on the roof
immediately opposite the gate at that
moment, and White and I roused the
occupants of the house and did what we
could to control it, till stirrup pumps
were brought, when we dashed back to our
shelter.
I was met by
two members of the guard who told me what
had happened, but the First Aid people
were already on the spot and preparing to
take Howkins across to the main gate,
where we eventually got him.
It transpired
later that Peacock and Hartland had been
out for the Doctor and ambulance, and
knowing the intensity of the raid at the
time, it is desired to commend the action
of these two men in doing their bit under
these conditions.
It will be seen
that I have no direct knowledge of the
immediate circumstances leading up to the
tragedy.
Reports from
members nearer the spot are attached.
F.S. Garrett
26th November
1940
*****************
Vol.
Hall:
I had been
sheltering towards the South End of the
"D" block basement shelter along with the
guards Messrs. Bent,
Jones,
White and Pratt.
There were also three or four Engineering
workmen sheltering there.
Sgt. Garrett
came along and asked for two volunteers to
guard the Main Gate; Messrs. White and
Bent were accepted and departed with Sgt
Garrett. The Engineering workmen left
also, to attempt to reach home, so there
were Messrs. Jones and Pratt and myself
left in the shelter.
One of the
workmen returned, and as I could not sleep
I talked to him a little while and then
decided to find a lavatory. While going
along the passage I came upon several more
of our guards in a shelter, which was
about three shelters from the end of the
passage. From the last shelter I proceeded
to the steps hoping to get food from the
guardroom, but abandoned the idea on the
advice of Howkins and Phillips, who said
the conditions were too bad. I was with
them about five minutes talking about
various things, and then returned to the
shelter.
I returned to
the previously mentioned shelter where
Messrs. Jones and Pratt were asleep, and
the one workman was resting on several
stretchers. I awakened Messrs. Jones and
Pratt and asked them whether they would
like to go and sleep with the rest of the
Guard further along the passage. They
decided to do this, and we proceeded to
the other shelter, the workman
accompanying us. When I arrived back two
of the guard were arguing about possession
of pillows and this led to
John Turley
suggesting putting out the electric light
to help stop this argument, and we
proceeded to the switch further along the
passage. (Not far from the Guard Room
end). Before reaching there, the bomb
exploded and picked Turley and myself up
and blew us along the passage a little
way.
As I had been
talking to Messrs. Howkins and Phillips on
the steps I knew that they were there, and
I guessed that they would perhaps be
injured. I believe I asked Turley to fetch
a stretcher and help, but he did not hear,
so I rushed back to the injured men and
then rushed for help. Someone and myself
tried to make Howkins comfortable as he
asked us to, as he was still conscious,
and several times asked how Phillips was.
A policeman
approached along the passage and attempted
to put a tourniquet on Howkins severed
leg, but remarked that this was impossible
as he had only a truncheon and a
handkerchief or something similar.
Someone, I have an idea they were part of
a First Aid party, arrived and proceeded
to attend to Howkins.
As I and the
rest of the guards were unable to help any
more, Bent and myself hurried to fetch Sgt
Garrett, and we met him hurrying along the
passage. We informed him of what had
happened.
After this
Messrs. Jones and Turley and myself, being
tired and feeling very sick, had a drink
of water and sat down in a First Aid
Shelter, where we stayed until someone
came and asked us to get in the passage
together with the rest of the guards.
From here we
rushed to "C" Block shelters.
J.E.(?)
Hall
26th November
1940
*****************
Vol. F. J.
Peacock and Vol. L Hartland:
.......During a
lull in the raid, at about 10:45 p.m.
members of the guard returned to the
guardroom from the "C" Block shelter with
the idea of having some supper, and if
possible a little rest. They had not been
there for more than a short time, say ten
minutes, when the raid was resumed in
increased intensity and Sgt Garrett
immediately gave instructions to everyone
to grab blankets and make for "C" Block
shelter.
Owing to the
heavy barrage, and the fact that we
thought it might be possible to get some
sleep, a number of us dashed to "D" Block
which was much nearer. There were ten of
us in this shelter, including several who
were already there when we arrived, and we
started to make ourselves comfortable in
the third room in the shelter.
We had been
there something like 15 minutes when
Howkins and Phillips followed at about 2
to 3 yards by Hall, Turley and Jones
passed the doorway making for the
entrance. They had hardly passed when
there was a terrific explosion and we were
all knocked giddy and dived flat on our
faces. I rushed so that I could see what
had happened at the passage, and when the
dust cleared a bit I could see Hall waving
his hands and shouting for a hand as
someone was hurt. I rushed up and I
believe there were others behind me, and
saw Howkins lying on the floor groaning. I
caught his shoulders and moved him just
enough to make him a little more
comfortable. I saw his leg had been
amputated and rushed back shouting for
someone to fetch more skilled help. My
next recollection is of the policeman
coming and we all took blankets.
I asked
Hartland, who lives handy, the address of
the nearest doctor, and he mentioned a
Dr. Bose
at the corner of
Underhill Road.
We immediately dashed out of the shelter
and ran as hard as we could through the
barrage to this address. We had difficulty
in getting him, but on being told
something of the nature of the case, he
got out his kit and his car and we started
back. He enquired if we had asked for an
ambulance and on being told no he dropped
Hartland at the top of
Anthony Road
to go for one, while I stayed with him to
bring him here. He parked his car outside
and we came in. I handed the doctor over
to the policeman in "D" Block and had no
more direct concern with the matter. While
we were at the far end of
Fordrough Lane
we heard the plane diving and
machine-gunning, and we had to flatten out
while it passed.
F. J.
Peacock
L.
Hartland
26th November
1940 |
Vol. George
Tibbitts
26th December
1940 |
Vol. Tibbitts died in the General
Hospital on 26th December 1940. He now lies in
St.
John's Churchyard, Perry Barr. The circumstances of his
accident on that same day, Boxing Day, are recorded in two newspaper
clippings, dated 28th December 1940 and 2nd January 1941
respectively:
N.B. As at June 2015
Vol. Tibbitts's name has been incorrectly recorded
by C.W.G.C. as "G. Tibbets". This error has been
repeated on his headstone.
**********
This
cutting tells us that Mr. F.W.T. Charles,
of 191 Queen's Road, Yardley,
a testing officer with the G.P.O. and a
member of the Birmingham G.P.O. Home
Guard, fell victim to the London Blitz,
together with his wife, Gertrude Annie.
Mr. Thomas was the 29-year-old son of of
Frederick William Thomas and Hannah
Charles, of 57
Eversley Road, Small Heath.
They died at 49
Tadworth Road,
Willesden
on 19th September 1940.
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**********
In Memory of
F.W.T. Charles,
Dennis Herbert Phillips,
George Tibbitts
and
William Edward Howkins
and all their comrades in
47th Warwickshire (Post Office) Battalion
Dennis
Phillips's headstone can be seen
here.
For
further information about many Birmingham
Home Guard Battalions:
Memories - Warks or use
Search. |
Grateful acknowledgement to
Matt
Felkin and his "Wartime
Birmingham and the Blitz" Facebook page;
and to Maggie Laity,
Colin Baker and Brian Wright; to Michael
Minton's "Heroes of the Birmingham Air Raids";
and to members of the Birmingham History Forum).
x137 - August 2016;
updated December 2016
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