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Latest update: 2nd November 2010

The following snippets of information have been collected about members of the 32nd (Aldridge) Battalion. Further details would be welcomed. Please use FEEDBACK.

Please see INDEX for many other references to these men and places within this website.

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ARBLASTER, Sgt. S.C.,  B.E.M. (M)
Sgt. Arblaster served in "G" Coy., Rushall. The London Gazette dated 15th December 1944 announced his appointment to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in recognition of Meritorious Service in the Home Guard.
(Source: London Gazette)

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BARBER, Lt. A.
Albert Barber, a member of "E" Coy., Aldridge, lived in Westbrooke Avenue, Aldridge. He died in around 1980.
(Source: N.B.)

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CARTWRIGHT, Lt. Col. Charles,  D.S.O., M.C.
Colonel Cartwright commanded the Battalion from 1st September 1940 until the end. His Great War decorations were gazetted as follows:

Military Cross - 3rd March 1917:

Temp. Capt. Charles Cartwright, York and Lanc. R.
For conspicuous gallantry in action. He rendered most valuable service in keeping the men together by constantly visiting the posts in the front line during an intense hostile bombardment. He set a splendid example of courage and determination throughout.

Distinguished Service Order - 30th July 1919:

T.Maj.(A./Lt.-Col.) Charles Cartwright, M.C. 6th Bn. Y. and L. Regt.
At Epinoy on October 1st , 1918, he showed conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during a whole day's fighting in which his battalion took part. He remained in a certain position which was constantly shelled both with gas and H.E. throughout the day, in order that he might better control his battalion. His action had a marked effect towards the success of the operations. His cheerfulness and coolness throughout a very trying time inspired all under his command, and was largely responsible for the splendid behaviour of his men.

(On this same day, 1st October 1918, in the same engagement a posthumous Victoria Cross was won by a platoon leader presumably under Col. Cartwright's direct command, Sgt. Frederick Charles Riggs).

There are many references to Col. Cartwright throughout the site. Also see his main article.

(Sources: London Gazette and misc.)

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CHAPMAN, Capt. Thomas,  M.C. and Bar
Captain Chapman commanded "G" Coy., Rushall. He was a teacher who moved to Pelsall with his family in 1940 after having been bombed out of his Birmingham home. Details of his service, including his Great War citations, are given elsewhere in this website. See his story.
(Source: Pelsall Times)

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COTTON, Lt. I. (1912 - 1943)
Ivor Cotton, a resident of Rushall, was an early member of the Battalion. He is listed as a full lieutenant at 1st February 1941 and was at that time a member of "G" Coy., Rushall. The single mention of him in "Home Guarding" is by Colonel Cartwright on P.18 as follows: "Cotton……left us for the R.A.F., and never returned from an operational flight over the Bay of Biscay".

Further biographical information about this officer contained elsewhere in this website can be read by clicking here.

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HOOPER, Lt. J.
John Hooper, initially a member of "B" Coy. and later of "G", lived in Featherston Road, Streetly.

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HUME-HUMPHREYS, Maj. T.J.H.
Major Hume-Humphreys lived at "Seven Gables", Little Aston Park. See his two main articles, 1 and 2.
(Source: Times Archive)

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JERROMES, Lt. C.L. (b. 1891)
"Jerry" Jerromes was born in Shustoke, Warwickshire in 1891, one of eight children. He served as an officer in the Great War in the 6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. The resignation of his commission was gazetted on January 7th, 1921. In the Home Guard he was initially Quartemaster at Wednesbury and subsequently Battalion Catering Officer.
(Source: London Gazette and family records)

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MYERS, Pte. G.C. (1922 - 2002)
Graham Myers, son of Capt. H.M. Myers, served in "B" Coy. from the age of 17 in May 1940 until June 1942 when he joined the Royal Artillery. He then served with the 8th Army in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy and Austria. After demob in late 1946 he returned to the Birmingham metal industry (at Kynoch, like his father), later living in Walmley, Four Oaks and finally East Devon. See his memoir.
(Source: his family)

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MYERS, Capt. H.M. (1899 - 1974)
Harry Myers served from May 1940 to December 1944 as a member of "B" Coy., Streetly and Little Aston, and later as Battalion Training Officer. He had served in the Great War as a private in the Cameron Highlanders and was wounded in 1918. He lived in Chester Road, Streetly and worked throughout his life within the Birmingham metal industry (read the history of Kynoch - ICI Metals Division). In 1948 he was awarded the MBE for wartime services. See his article.
(Source: his family)

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NAYLOR, Lt.
Bert Naylor, a member of "B" Coy., Streetly and Little Aston, lived in Hardwick Road, Streetly, opposite the end of Featherston Road.

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NEVILLE, L/Cpl. R.
Reg Neville was a member of "D" Coy., Pelsall, from 1942 to 1944, eventually specialising on signals work. He spent his working life in the West Midlands engineering industry before retiring and moving to Cornwall. Mr. Neville passed away in 2006. See his memoir.
(Source: he and his family)

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PEARMAN-SMITH, Major W.S., D.S.O., M.C. (ca. 1891 - 1946)
Selwyn Pearman-Smith, formerly an officer in the Royal Field Artillery, was the younger son of Sir William Pearman-Smith, a solicitor and Mayor of Walsall between 1899 and 1901. The family home was Park Hall, Walsall. He himself lived in the 1940s at Pinfold Cottage, Great Barr. He died after a short illness on March 8th, 1946, at the age of 54.
(Main source: Times Archive)

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RALPH, Lt. J. L., M.C.
Lt. Ralph was awarded the Military Cross during the Great War. He served in the Royal Welch Fusiliers as a Lieutenant, at one stage in the 16th Battalion. He relinquished his commission on 26th November 1920. During WW2 he lived in Middleton Road, Streetly.

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SNAPE, Pte. Albert (1923 - 2002)
Albert Snape was a member of "D" Coy., Pelsall. In March 1942 he sustained serious injuries in the course of Home Guard duties which caused him to be invalided out of the service. He eventually returned to the family butcher's business where he worked for a further 52 years. He lived and worked in Pelsall for his entire life. See his story.
(Source: his family)

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TIMINGS, Capt. Frank H.
Frank Timings was almost certainly a regular soldier serving throughout the Great War. His appointment as 2/Lt. in the 8th Battn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment was gazetted on 30th April 1909 and this was quickly followed by his attendance and presentation at the King's Levee on 24th May at Buckingham Palace. The commission was resigned in mid-1912. He was appointed a Temp. Capt. with effect from 4th September 1914 and was at that time attached to 15th Battalion (2nd Birmingham) of the R.W.R. The London Gazette dated 26th November 1918 announces the relinquishing of his commission w.e.f. 28th November "on account of ill health contracted on active service". He was Battalion Adjutant and the editor and illustrator of "Home Guarding". His article is a humorous description of his Adjutant's duties.
(Source: London Gazette)

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TREVOR-JONES, Maj. J.
Major Trevor-Jones lived at "Edmonton", Little Aston and Ponterwyd, Cardiganshire.
(Source: Times Archive)

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WAIGHT, Pte. George William (1917 - 1987)
Pte. George Waight lived in Collingwood Drive, Great Barr and was a member of "A" Coy., serving in the Barr Beacon area. A memory of him is included within this website.

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YATES, Capt. H. R.
Capt. Yates was commissioned into the North Staffordshire Regiment as a Temp. 2/Lt. in April 1917.
(Source: London Gazette)

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To check for further references to the above men within this site, please go to
INDEX OF SURNAMES AND PLACE NAMES