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SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY |
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"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
Serjeant WILLIAM CALVERT DANBY.
53786 5th Bn, Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment).
who died, aged 36, on the 31st May 1940.
Husband of Ethel Danby of 153 High St, Skelton, N Yorkshire.
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Adinkerke Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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He was a Battalion Motor Transport Sergeant.
Before the war he had been a motor mechanic in the "get out and get under days" of early motoring.
With his father, William Danby, they had run Ayresome Garage in Middlesbrough and then Preston Garage between Yarm and Stockton.
His father was one of Sir Malcolm Campbell's mechanics when the 300mph land speed record was broken in the USA.
Sgt Danby had also been a Speedway Rider for Middlesbrough.
He was killed on the French/Belgium border covering the retreat to Dunkirk.
I have been told that a German Stuka aircraft attacked his convoy and a machine bullet through the helmet killed him instantly.
He was the Dad that I never knew, as I was born 1st October 1940.
My mother, who had lost her own father, Cpl Herbert Cook. MM. in the First War when she was only aged 8, was left with me and my 10 year old sister to bring up.
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