This plaque used to be in the showrooms of the South Wales Electricity Board in The Hayes, Cardiff. It is now on display in the National Grid depot in Church Village.
TO THE HONOURED MEMORY OF THE MEMBERS OF CARDIFF COOPERATION ELECTRICITY DEPARTMENT WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN THE WORLD WAR 1939-1945
KENNETH HOLBROOK
Ordinary Signalman, HNoMS Svenner, Royal Navy (Service Number: D/JX 604136)
Kenneth Holbrook was born on 31 Jul 1923 in Llandaff North to Harry Holbrook, an audit clerk with the Taff Vale Railway and Laura Jane Holbrook nèe Bowen, both originally from Cardiff. In 1939 the Holbrook family were living at 79 Canada Road, Gabalfa and Kenneth was working as a garage hand. In WWII he served as an Ordinary Signalman in the Royal Navy. He was killed on 6 Jun 1944 during the D-Day landings when the Norwegian destroyer Svenner sank after being hit by torpedoes fired by German navy torpedo boats, making it the only Allied ship to be sunk by the German navy on D-day during the landings. Thirty two Norwegian crewmen were killed, alongside one British sailor serving onboard: Ordinary Signalman Kenneth Holbrook, aged 20. He was therefore the only British serviceman killed on D-Day as a result of direct action by the German navy. Many others of course were killed as a result of mines that had been laid by the German navy. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. He is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial and the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department WWII memorial. Norwegian destroyer HNoMS Svenner had been built just months earlier as HMS Shark but was then given to the Norwegian navy in exile after Norway fell to the Germany. The job of the Svenner on D-Day was to shadow the larger British vessels. After being struck by a torpedo if broke in half and sank. Around 185 sailors survived and were rescued. YouTube video story of Svenner on D-Day.
KENNETH THOMAS JOHN PRICE
Stoker 1st Class, HMS Trinidad, Royal Navy (Service Number: D/KX 117606)
Kenneth Thomas John Price was born on 13 Aug 1920 in Cardiff to Harold John Price, an electrician, originally from Newport and Edith Louisa Price originally from Cardiff. He was baptized at St John’s church, Canton, on 20 Oct 1920 when the family were living at 291 Cowbridge Road as they were at the time of the 1921 census. By 1939 they had moved to 40 Grosvenor Street, Canton and Kenneth was working as an electrical apprentice. In WWII he served as a Stoker 1st Class on HMS Trinidad which suffered damage when escorting a North Atlantic Convoy on 13 March 1942 from one of its own malfunctioning torpedoes. HMS Trinidad underwent repairs in Murmansk, Russia. When she put to sea she was attacked again on 14 May 1942 by German aircraft when Kenneth Price was killed, aged 22. She was scuttled the following day. He is remembered on the Plymouth War Memorial and on the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department war memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
CYRIL EZRA LITTLEWOOD
Gunner, Royal Artillery (Service Number: 1470943)
Cyril Ezra Littlewood was born in Cardiff in 1904 to Arthur Littlewood, an engine fitter, originally from Long Eaton, Derbyshire and Maria Littlewood nèe Griffiths originally from Cardiff. At the time of the 1911 census they were living at 24 Grosvenor Street, Canton. In 1921 they were living at 7 Bloom St, Canton and and Cyril was working as an electrician’s apprentice at Cardiff Corporation Tramways Depot in Wood Street. In 1929 he married Maud Elizabeth Fowler in Cardiff and they went on to have two sons together. It seems they were no longer together in 1939 as Cyril was now living with his sister at 15 Palace Avenue, Llandaff, his parents having already passed away. In WWII Cyril served as a Gunner with the Royal Artillery, at Nell’s Point Barracks, Barry overlooking the Bristol Channel. He died on 29 Dec 1941 in the Emergency Hospital, Whitchurch of general pyemia, abscess and perforated gastric ulcer. His sister Violet was present at the time of death. He was aged 36. He is buried at Cathays Cemetery (plot EJ 543) with his parents. He is remembered on the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department war memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
GEORGE HENRY WILLIAMS
Private, Corps of Military Police (Service Number: 3970177)
George Henry Williams was born on 9 Oct 1914 to Andrew Henry Williams, a foundry labourer with the Taff Vale Railway and Gladys May Williams nèe Stacey, both originally from Cardiff. George was baptized at St Germans church on 29 Oct 1914 when the Williams family were living at 8 Eclipse Street, Adamsdown. By the time of the 1921 census the Williams family had moved to 26 Gwendoline St, Splott. At the time of the 1939 Register George was working as a cable joiners assistant. Shortly afterwards he married Muriel Joyce Taylor. After marrying the couple lived at 42 Moorland Road, Splott. In WWII he served as a Private with the Corps of Military Police. He died on 8 Oct 1941, aged 26, as a result of a road traffic accident. The military motorcycle he was riding on Worcester Road, Upton upon Severn was in collision with a 3 tonne Vulcan motor lorry. He suffered severe head and chest injuries. The verdict of the inquest was death by misadventure. He was buried at Cathays Cemetery (plot EK 2736). He is remembered on the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
WILLIAM JOHN MAZZEI
Corporal, 1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment (Service Number 3964220)
William John Mazzei was born in Cardiff on 12 Jan 1919, to William Mazzei, a labourer from Cardiff who had been badly injured in WWI and Rose Lillian Mazzei nèe Shopland, also from Cardiff. In 1939 he lived at 187 North Rd, Cardiff with his parents and was working as a Corporation Labourer for the Electricity Department. He was killed on 21 July 1944, aged 27, in Normandy, France whilst serving with the 1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment. He is buried at the Brouay War Cemetery (grave III.B.4.). His cousin Alfred Monaghan fought alongside him in the same regiment and died the same day. He is remembered on the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department war memorial plaque. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
LESLIE HANSEL WILSON
Leslie Hansel Wilson was born in Cardiff on 18 Jan 1918, the only child of Fred Hansel Williams, a war pensions clerk, originally from Cheltenham and Elizabeth Wilson nèe Crowley originally from Cardiff. In 1921 the family were living at 72 Wyndham Rd. By 1930 they had moved to 12 Pentre Gardens and Leslie was working in the Local Government Offices – Electricity. He died on 7 Dec 1944 at home in Pentre Gardens of pulmonary tuberculosis, aged 26. He does not appear to have a Commonwealth War Graves Commission record and his war service records have not yet come to light as yet. He is buried in an unmarked grave at Western Cemetery, Cardiff (plot I.902) with his parents. He is remembered on the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department war memorial plaque.
NORMAN JOHN JONES
Flight Sergeant, 408 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron, Royal Air Force, (Service Number: 818076)
Norman John Jones was born on 26 Dec 1915 in Cardiff to William John Jones, an engine fitter, and Lily Jessie Jones nèe Francis, both originally from Cardiff. He was baptized on 21 Mar 1916 at St Samson Church when the family were living at 64 Mardy Street, Riverside. They also lived there at the time of the 1921 census. The 1939 Register shows the Jones family still at 64 Mardy St but Norman is not present. His elder brother, William T F Jones, however is there, working as a Local Government Officer (Electricity), hinting may be at Norman’s profession. Norman is thought to have been engaged or romantically involved with Mary Lorna Gwladys Thomas, a BBC Secretary, as his picture was part of a lot of her processions that later came up for auction. In WWII he served as a flight sergeant in 407 Squadron. He died on 12 Feb 1942, aged 27, when he was the Wireless Operator/Air Gunner on board a Hudson V aircraft that took off from North Coates, Lincs with a crew of four operated by the Canadian RAF. The aircraft is believed to have been brought down by flak from German battleship Scharnhorst off the coast of Netherlands during Operation Fuller and all the crew were lost. They have no known graves and are all commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Norman Jones was described as an experienced crewman. He was on his second tour of operational duty and had flown a total of 350 operational hours. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. He is remembered on the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department memorial plaque.
RONALD WILLIAM MORGAN
Sergeant, 78 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Service Number: 1102280)
Ronald William Morgan was born on 23 Feb 1920 at 16 York Street, Canton to Agnes Mary Morgan, a dressmaker, originally from Cardiff. At the time of the 1921 census Ronald and his mother were visiting William and Maud Ellens in Ladock, Cornwall. At the time of the 1939 Register Ronald was working as an electricity clerk and living with his mother at 62 Hamilton Street, Canton. In WWII he served as a Sergeant in 78 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He died on 20 Jun 1942, aged 21, acting as observer when the Halifax bomber he was travelling in crashed Into the North Sea during a raid on Emden, Germany, having taken off from RAF Middleton St George, Durham. All seven crew were lost. His body was recovered and he was buried in Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery, Denmark on 5 Sep 1942. The personal inscription on his headstone reads ‘R.I.P. His life is a beautiful memory, his absence a silent grief. Loving Mother’. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
STAFFORD THOMAS PARNALL
Aircraftman 1st Class, 935 Balloon Squadron, Royal Air Force (Auxiliary Air Force) (Service Number: 865570)
Thomas Stafford Parnall was born in Cardiff on 29 Apr 1913 to Sydney Herbert Parnall, originally from Bristol and a clerk at the Electricity and tramways department and Beatrice Parnall nèe Jones, originally from Cardiff. At the time of the 1921 census the Parnall family were living at 151 Clive Road. In 1939 he married Margaret Doreen Hunt from Rumney. At the time of the 1939 Register they were living at 234 Newport Road and Stafford was working as an electrical sales assistant. In WWII he served as an Aircraftman 1st Class with the 935 Balloon Squadron. The barrage balloon units were tasked with maintaining a hazard to low flying enemy aircraft. He was killed at during a German bombing raid on Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton, Bristol on 25 Sep 1940, aged 27. His body was returned to Cardiff and he is buried in Cathays Cemetery (plot L.1987). He is remembered on the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department memorial plaque. He is also remembered on the memorial of civilians and auxiliary personnel killed in Bristol during the Blitz between 1940 and 1944 at St Peter’s Church, Castle Park. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
NORMAN ARTHUR READMAN
Sergeant, 514 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Service Number: 2221251)
Norman Arthur Readman was born in Cardiff on 9 Jun 1924 to Thomas Arthur Readman, a haulage contractor and motor car salesman originally from Whitby, Yorkshire and Ida Lillian Readman nèe Powell originally from Cardiff. At the time of the 1939 Register the Readman family were living at 39 Albany Road and Norman was still attending school. The fact he is remembered on the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department war memorial plaque appears to indicate he worked in the electricity department sometime after leaving school. In WWII he served as a Sergeant in 514 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve enlisting in Birmingham sometime after Oct 1942. He was killed in action on 11 Dec 1944, aged 20, when the Lancaster bomber on which he was serving as Flight Engineer was shot down by flak at Sterkrade, Germany during a daylight raid on railway yards and a benzol plant at Osterfeld. He is buried at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery (grave 31.B.14). Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
DELMA GRIFFITHS
Leading Aircraftwoman, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (Service Number: 491062)
Delma Griffiths and her twin sister Blanche were born at 32 Meteor Street, Adamsdown on 8 Jan 1922 to William John Griffiths, a fitter and later a civil servant in the Ministry of Pensions, originally from Cardiff, and Maria Margaret Griffiths née Davies, originally from Bridgend. At the time of the 1939 Register the Griffiths family were living at 7 Colum Road and Delma was working as clerk typist. In WWII she served as a Leading Aircraftwoman with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. She died on 10 May 1946, aged 23, at 15 Eliot Grove, Guiseley, Yorkshire after being medically discharged, of cystis and chronic inflammation of the right kidney and adrenal body. She is buried at Cathays Cemetery (plot A1845).). She is remembered on the Cardiff Corporation Electricity Department memorial plaque which used to be in The Hayes and is now at National Power in Church Village. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
H.T.STEWART
F.C.BAKER
A.R.BRYANT
W.GLOVER
W.T.GRAINGER
