HAMLETT: 'PRINCE' HONOURED
A BRIDGE TOO FAR
VETERAN'S MEMORIAL
by Jean James (daughter of Ernest Hamlett)
On June 23, at 2.00 p.m., at the Billy Bishop Legion in Vancouver, Canada, Manchester born Ernest Hamlett was remembered by family, friends and veterans. He passed away at George Derby Centre, a long term care facility for veterans, located in Burnaby, British Columbia, on May 27, 2002 (Memorial Day U.S.A.).
In 1939, Ernest was called up and posted to the Durham Light Infantry. He was based at Palace Barracks in Belfast for six months training before being transferred to the 1st Airborne Division, 1st Battalion, Border Regiment at Carlisle, on the border of England and Scotland. Here, he became a member of HQ Company's Signal Platoon and served as a signaler in 19 Platoon, D Company, serving in Italy, Sicily, North Africa and Arnhem in Holland from 1940 to 1945. He was one of the few remaining veterans of the historical "Arnhem Drop", as chronicled in Cornelius Ryan's, A Bridge Too Far.
At Arnhem, in September 1944, the 1st Airborne Division arrived by gliders. On Tuesday 19th, Lieutenant John Bainbridge was ordered to move his men to a crossroads north of Heveadorp to observe and report on any enemy movement heading eastwards towards lower Oosterbeek. Due to heavily wooded terrain, the radios did not operate properly, and Hamlett was unable to contact Company HQ, based a mile away, to confirm that they had arrived at the destination.
The next afternoon, a German armoured car, and infantry was observed moving towards No. 19 Platoon's position from a westerly direction along the Osterbekscheweg, unaware that British opposition was dug in ahead of them. Once within range a PIAT destroyed the armoured car with a single shot, while a Bren gun caused the infantry to disperse into the woods. As this action had exposed the Platoon, they could no longer observe enemy movements on the road, so Lieutenant Bainbridge divided his men into two groups and ordered a phased withdrawal back to D Company. Hamlett and Ron Graydon ran down the road together, eventually meeting with C Company, before being able to return to D Company later that night.
Communications continued to be a problem for the signalers because of the terrain. When in a slit trench, Hamlett tried in vain to raise a signal and, wondering if there was something wrong with the batteries, he asked a corporal to change places with him while he went in search of batteries. As soon as this happened, the corporal took a direct hit inside the trench and was killed. This troubled Hamlett for the rest of his life, as he had met the man's children only a few weeks before, and remembered giving his little girl chocolate.
During the battle, a mortar bomb struck Hamlett's foot and broke his ankle but, fortunately, it did not explode. "It didn't explode, Ron!", he had exclaimed to his signaller partner, Ron Graydon. He was captured soon after and sent to Stalag XIB, at Fallingbostel, Germany, traveling in a crowded, dark cattle rail car in appalling conditions, the men becoming so thirsty that they resorted to drinking their own urine. His ankle received no treatment but, despite the injury, he was made to work down the Bad Grund lead mine for the next seven and a half months. The mortar bomb had blown the gaiter of Hamlett's ankle when he was hit, and he had to find an old boot to support his swollen broken ankle so that he could work. If the prisoners did not work, they were not fed. All they were given to eat was thin cabbage soup, but a few of the overseers in the mine took pity on the men and slipped them crusts of black bread. For their compassion, the prisoners gave them the coffee from their Red Cross parcels.
A gentleman and a soldier to the end, Hamlett will best be remembered for having survived these hardships with his honour and sense of humour still in tact as, even in these harsh circumstances, he would not allow his cheerful side to desert him and he did his best to raise smiles from those around him. There was a record player in the hut at the prison camp. After finishing his shift at the mine he would always put on the only record they had, called "Hail Smiling Morn!", to awaken the next shift who, in return, pelted him with their boots. Hamlett was described by fellow signaler, Private Ron Graydon, as being as brave and as fine a fighting partner as a man could wish for, always doing his best to find a cheerful perspective, no matter what the situation.
With the war almost at an end and American forces nearing the area, the Germans evacuated the prisoners from the mine and forced them to join a column of other workers who were marched eastwards for the next three days. The men were very weak and struggled to walk, and those who collapsed were shot by the guards, as were those who tried to help them. The Americans, furious at news of this atrocity, caught up with the column shortly after and the atrocities were avenged. Since being posted missing at Arnhem, Hamlett's family had received no word of his fate until he arrived on the front doorstep one day, carrying a Red Cross parcel, and totally emaciated. He had been "missing in action" for seven and a half months.
Hamlett was born at 37 Buxton Street, Manchester, on the 17th June1914. He was schooled
at St. Andrew's in Great Ancoats and, at the age of eleven joined the 27th Manchester
Division of Boys Brigade, which was based at Jackson Street in Chorlton -
After the war, Hamlett joined the Territorial Army in Manchester and went on a parachuting course in Oxfordshire, where he earned his wings as a paratrooper. He served nearly three years with the Territorial's. After being demobbed, he took work as a warehouseman at Sutcliffe's, Manchester, before leaving to become a salesman at Langden's in Liverpool who, amongst other things supplied tents and uniforms to the British military. A member of the Commercial Travellers Association, he specialized in blue jeans and was the first commercial traveller to introduce them into Britain after the war. He worked for Coopers (later Lee Coopers, and now Lee), before moving on to H. Varley, with whom he won the top salesman award several years running. Hamlett was always immaculately turned out, and achieved success as a salesman by being polite and honest, as opposed to being intimidating and pushy.
In 1958, Hamlett moved to Heald Green, Cheshire, where he lived until the mid 70s
when, at the age of 62, he moved to Canada to be near his family. He immediately
found employment at Edward Chapman's, an exclusive menswear retailer in Vancouver.
A British Columbia resident for over twenty-
He is survived by Anne, his wife of 62 years; son, Christopher; daughter, Jean; and grandson, Dane. The family wishes to take this opportunity to extend its sincere appreciation to the wonderful staff at The George Derby Centre, Burnaby, British Columbia, where he spent his remaining days. Anyone who remembers Ernest is invited to contact Jean James. (see bottom for details)
Thanks to Mark Hickman at www.extraplan.demon.co.uk for help with this biography,
and the information obtained from When Dragons Flew, by Stuart Eastwood, Charles
Gray and Alan Green -
Note:-
The 20 Reichmark Note.
There are 17 names on the 20 Reichmark note that was paid to my father for 7.1/2 months labour in the Bad Grund lead mine in Germany, from September 1944 to April 1945. Each of these men will have received a similar note, signed by the others. The names are those of the prisoners who shared a hut at Stalag XIB. Some names are illegible.
Private Albert Edward Smallman. No. 14583529. POW No. 118245. Border Regiment, reported
wounded and missing in Action 20th September, 1944,Tyldesley, Lancashire.
....
W. Taylor,
1st Para TECD, 1ST airborne RECCE squadron, Oldham.
....
Lance Corporal E. W. Ball,
No. 4751030. POW No. 117586 , 7th K.O.S.B., A Company, South Wales (Cardiff).
....
Private
V. Lilley, No.3194627 POW No. 117262 , 7th K.O.S.B., Anti-
....
J
McLintock,7th K.O.S.B., C Company, Glasgow. (conflicting information suggests that
there was a Cpl James McLintock, 14211211, No. 9 Platoon, C Company who was killed
at Arnhem on the Oranjeweg/Bothaweg crossroads on 23/9/44 aged 24 of Johnstone, Renfrewshire.)
Could the signature have been read wrongly? It is hard to read. Or maybe the report
was wrong.
....
V. Heywood, 253 R.A.S.C. Air Despatcher, Manchester.
....
Private Joseph
Kenworthy, No. 4467370, POW 118066, Border, reported wounded and missing in action
20th September 1944, Ashton-
....
Private Ernest Hamlett, Signaller,
No. 4462122, POW 118075 , 1st Airborne, 1ST Battalion, Border, Manchester (June 17,1914
– May 27, 2002).
....
A…..unreadable………could be Thomas…..town begins with G…Glasgow?
....
Private
A. F. Thomson, No. 3190512, POW 117415, Motor Transport Battalion HQ OF 7TH KOSB
…(looks like BLACKMO..)
....
R. Mills 1st RA field, 1st Airlanding light regiment –
now passed away.
....
B. K. Jones, 1st Airlanding, Light Regiment, Bolton – now passed
away.
....
Private Frank Clegg, No. 3451679, POW 118264, 1st Border, reported wounded
and missing 23rd September, 1944, Oldham, Lancashire.
....
Private John Kelly, London
(this is what he put on the Reichmark). What others have suggested:-
....
G. Lovatt (??) 1st ALRECCE, chesterfield.
....
Private
G. H. Smith-
....
G. Jackson 2
(OBMM)HLA/TBRRA (2ND Oban Anti-
If you can help Jean in anyway on her project, please use the contacts below:-
604-
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