The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs,
And sunset, and the colours of the earth.
These had seen movement, and heard music; known
Slumber and waking; loved; gone proudly friended;
Felt the quick stir of wonder; sat alone;
Touched flowers and furs and cheeks. All this is ended.
'The Dead' by Rupert Brooke
Stillington lost nine men, and their names are carved into a wooden plaque next to the altar in St Nicholas' Church.
Edward Marwood Averill
Sergeant 536124
Royal Air Force
Born 18/7/1917 Norwich. Parents Hanson Edward, who ran a garage in Norwich, and Beatrice, who taught at Stillington Primary School.
Enlisted 1936, had previously been a motor mechanic.
Was based in Singapore after 1938. Prisoner of War in Japanese internment camps from 1942.
Died 24/6/1944 whilst being transported by sea from Java to Japan when the ship he was travelling on was torpedoed by an American submarine and was sunk with a loss of over 300 lives.
Commemorated on The Singapore Memorial.
Edward Geoffrey Bullen
Civilian
Born 1906 Tettenhall, Staffordshire. Son of Charles Henry Bullen M.D and Margaret.
He emigrated to Burma in 1928. He worked as an executive engineer in the Public Works Department in Shan State, in Northern Burma (now Myanmar).
When Japanese forces invaded Burma in December 1941 Geoff didn't join the evacuation but joined an offensive to delay the invading army. He helped destroy many of the roads and bridges he had built giving civilians, his own family among them, time to escape into India.
After some weeks dodging Japanese forces Geoff was reunited with his wife, Freda, and two young children Michael and Peter, in North West India.
Sadly, exhausted and beset with illness, he died of cerebral malaria at Tollygunge, in Bengal, on 16/6/1942 being buried there the next day.
Medals: 39-45 Star, Burma Star.
(James) Wilfred Burks
Acting Sergeant 4533198
6th Battalion
Durham Light Infantry
Born 23/2/1907 at Sutton on the Forest. Grandson of James and Hannah Burks who moved to Stillington in 1914.
A nephew of Sergeant Fred Burks who was killed in action during WW1.
Before his enlistment on 20/8/1939, into The West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own), he was a telephone engineer.
Wounded whilst fighting in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) during March 1941 whilst a Lance Corporal with the 2nd Battalion of The West Yorks.
Also served in Palestine, Tunisia, Egypt and finally Sicily where he was killed in action 17/7/1943.
Buried Catania War Cemetery, Sicily.
John Horner
Corporal 4612893
2nd Battalion
Duke of Wellington's
(West Riding Regiment).
Born 1913 Stillington. Son of Tom, an insurance agent, and Lizzie. Brother of Fred, Arthur and Mary Ann.
Enlisted 18/1/1934. Previously a farmworker.
Died of Malaria 13/6/1943 aged 30.
'Mr and Mrs T. Horner of Stillington, near Easingwold, have received news of the death in India of their youngest son, Corporal John Horner.'
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 3 July 1943
Buried Imphal War Cemetery, Manipur State, north east India.
Born 1921 Stillington. Parents John Best Hutchinson and Doris. Brother of Charles and Allan.
Les was an extremely talented musician. He played in the family band which was well known in the district.
Before enlistment on 4/6/1940 worked in the family shop on Main Street.
Served on H.M.S. Ganges, Shotley and Highham Court.
Killed in action, during Battle of Crete, 23/5/1941 aged 20 when HMS Kashmir was attacked by German Stuka Bombers just off the coast of Crete. After being hit several times she sank in two minutes with great loss of life.
Commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Medals: 39-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Defence Medal.
Les' family took a very active part in village life and were famous in the district as bell ringers, as a result a bell (the treble) from Stillington Church was recast in his honour.
See page St Nicholas' Church Guide Book for more details.
Arthur Johnson
Lance Corporal 4534200
2nd Battalion
West Yorkshire Regiment
Born 14/11/1913 at Farlington. Parents Charles, a Farmworker, and Amelia, who lived on Carr Lane, Stillington.
Enlisted 10/9/1939.
Killed in Action 11/3/1942, Cyprus.
Buried Nicosia War Cemetery.
Medals: 39-45 Star, North Africa Star, Victory Medal.
Alfred Herbert Petty
Pilot Officer (Air Gunner)
156355
10th Squadron
RAF, Volunteer Reserve.
Born 20/9/1921. Only child of Herbert John, a farm horseman, and Emily. Herbert was an joiner before his enlistment.
Served on 29 operations over Germany and Czechoslovakia. Based at Melbourne, flying Halifax II for bomber command.
Killed in action 3/11/1943 during a bombing mission to Dusseldorf when his plane crashed. Three other members of his crew survived and were captured.
'Northern Casualties.Mr and Mrs H. J. T. Petty of Stillington have received news that their only son, Petty Officer (Air Gunner) Alfred Petty, is missing.'
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 11 November 1943
Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Germany.
Medals: 39-45 Star, Victory Medal, Defence Medal
Leslie Harry Pratt
Private 7901440
1st Battalion
Royal West Kent Regiment
Born 24/10/1918. Parents Harry and Mary Alice, nee Phillips. The eldest of their seven children.
Enlisted 16/10/1939 whilst living and working with his uncle Frank Phillips, who lived on West Lane, Stillington. They were employed as public works contractors.
Served in North Africa (1941) and Greece (1944), where he was wounded on 21/12/1944.
Died in hospital at St Albans 25/4/1945 aged 26.
Buried Stillington New Cemetery 4/5/1945.
Medals: Africa Star with Clasp, Italy Star, Victory Medal, Defence Medal
Horace Sell
Sergeant 1357695
Wireless Operator
106 Squadron
RAF Volunteer Reserve
Born 11/3/1916 York. Parents Geoffrey, a retired police inspector, and Emma. Brother of Douglas. Lived at Keeper's Cottage, off West Lane.
Worked as a Potato Merchant before enlistment on 31/7/1939. Served in operations over France, Germany and Norway.
Failed to return from an operation to Norway, 8/11/1941.
