Another Proud Family Record - The Sentinel 19th May 1943

The newspaper cutting above comes from The Sentinel which was then, as now, the daily evening paper for the Stoke-On-Trent area. This piece entitled ‘Another Proud Family Record’ appeared on the evening of 19th May 1943.

The photograph features the family members in service at that time who were related in some way to Mr and Mrs J. Griffiths of 40 Albemarle Road, Cross Heath, Newcastle-Under-Lyme. These were my Grandmother’s parents. My Grandfather, Jim Heath is pictured top right in a Staffordshire Regiment tunic is the common denominator in this story, as he was married to June Griffiths, daughter of the proud parents.

Of the other men and women featured I know a little.

Private J. Griffiths (North Staffordshire Regiment), pictured top left.

Known to me as Joe, apart from my Grandfather he was the relative in this picture that I remember most of. He was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. Griffiths. During the war he served in Burma and for his trouble he contracted malaria, bouts of which would trouble him throughout the rest of his life. He would occasionally drive down from Staffordshire to Sussex to arrive at my Grandparent’s house unannounced on a Friday night. This was never a problem for my Grandmother, as they were very close. Sadly, Joe died shortly after retiring from the Mother’s Pride Bakery. After his death, his family made efforts to obtain the Burma Star to which he was entitled.

Corporal W. Griffiths (RAF), top second from the left.

William, known to his family as Bill, served in the Merchant Navy in the pre-war years before a transfer to the RAF. Of the family, Bill was what could be considered to be something of a ‘Jack The Lad’. Like Joe, he would turn up in Sussex unannounced, but then disappear to who knows where. I would have met him at a family reunion for my Grandmother in 1986 in Clayton I believe it was. Even then, I am told he put in an appearance late in the evening, only to disappear again shortly afterwards. He died in Newcastle-Under-Lyme.

Private L. Griffiths (Cheshire Regiment), top middle

Len’ war time activities are unknown to me, but according to my mother, he spent time in Korea (this would have been in service after the war). Injured by shrapnel in the legs, this affected him throughout life. Len died young, in his forties, from thrombosis, attributable to wounds received in service.

Transfer to North Staffordshire Regiment I.T.C.

The document above was issued to Jim Heath confirming that as a recruit, who attested for the North Staffordshire Regiment on 6th January 1940, he had been issued with a train ticket allowing him passage from Brighton to the North Staffs' Infantry Training Centre (I.T.C.) in Lichfield on Southern Railways.

A description of the recruit is given as 25 years and 3 months of age, 5' 6 3/4" in height of fair complexion with brown hair, blue eyes and dressed in civilian clothes. In addition he was armed with a 4s 6d ration allowance.

The document is also signed by Lieut. Col. E.J. Nixon.

Reference is made to the date of 15th January 1940 (possibly the date on which he had to be in Lichfield?).

Finally, EJCA-95-1 appears hand written on the document. The same alpha numeric number is also written on his sign up papers. A search for the meaning of the acronym EJCA has not provided any further detail. Can anyone shed any light on it's meaning in the context of a newly recruited soldier?

Jim Heath Enters The Fray - 6th January 1940

On 6th January 1940, Jim Heath entered the Brighton Army Recruiting Office in Brighton with the intention to sign up for service with the Territorial Army embodied in the North Staffordshire Regiment. In the questionnaire on the reverse he gave the following details:

Address: 17 Newport Road, Burgess Hill
Parish or Town of Birth:  Newcastle-Under-Lyme in the county of Staffordshire
Trade or calling: Baker's Assistant
Age (in years) last birthday: Twenty Five
Day, month and year of birth: 14 Sept 1914
Are you married?: Yes
How many children dependent upon you: One

The following signed and witnessed declaration is made at the bottom of the document.

I James Kitchener Heath do solemnly declare that the above answers made by me to the above questions are true, and that I am willing to fulfil the engagements made: also that I understand that, should my health fail or should I sustain an injury during military service, I shall not be eligible for consideration for pension or gratuity on account of disability unless the disability is directly attributable to the conditions of military service.

The second passage of this declaration concerning pension eligibility in the event of sustaining an injury would become very relevant in the years to come.

There follows an oath.

OATH TO BE TAKEN BY RECRUIT ON ATTESTATION

I James Kitchener Heath swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King George the Sixth, His Heirs, and Successors, and that I will, as in duty bound, honestly and faithfully defend His Majesty, His Heirs, and Successors, in person, Crown and Dignity against all enemies, and will observe and obey all orders of His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors and of the Generals and Officers set over me.

Finally the certification.

CERTIFICATE OF MAGISTRATE OR ATTESTING OFFICER

I Lieut. Col. E. J. Nixon do hereby certify that, in my presence, all the foregoing questions were put to the Recruit above-named, that the answers written opposite to them are those which he gave to me, and that he has made and signed the Declaration, and taken the oath at Brighton on this day of 6 Jan 1940.

From this point onwards, Jim Heath became a soldier of the British Army No. 5051929.