LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWII

Flight Sergeant Malcolm Frederick Essen RAFVR
Glider Pilot Regiment

Town Memorial World War II

FLIGHT SERGEANT MALCOLM FREDERICK ESSEN Service Number: 1805320 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Died 24 March 1945 Age 21 years old Buried or commemorated at REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY 1. D. 17. Germany Son of Frederick William and Victoria Alice Essen; husband of Joan Doris Essen, of South Hackney, London. Personal Inscription FOR EVER IN OUR THOUGHTS AND IN OUR HEARTS TILL WE MEET AGAIN. MUM, DAD AND JOAN So far no newspaper report of Malcolm's death has been found. According to CWGC records he was originally buried at Hamminkeln.

headstone photo: Findagrave

Operation VARSITY took place on 24 March 1945

This was a successful airborne forces operation launched by Allied troops that took place toward the end of World War II. It involved more than16,000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft, it was the largest airborne operation in history to be conducted on a single day and in one location.

See Operation VARSITY

Each glider was given the task of landing right on top of its specific objective. 392 Horsa gliders and 14 Hamilcar gliders were used in this operation. Many of the Horsa gliders were flown by Royal Air Force pilots attached to the Army’s Glider Pilot Regiment.

The Glider Pilot Regiment had suffered 90% casualties at the Battle of Arnhem and 1,500 RAF pilots were drafted in to the Regiment for the Rhine Crossing. Many of those were very experienced pilots from the rank of sergeant pilot to squadron leader. Army pilots were selected from very tough and skilful soldiers before being trained as pilots by the Royal Air Force.

The RAF pilots drafted into the Regiment had to be turned into tough fighting solders very quickly. This must have been a very unpleasant experience for them but they learned extremely quickly. 

The Glider Pilot Regiment was awarded the Battle Honour “Rhine” for its part in this operation. 60% of the pilots killed in action were RAF pilots attached to the Glider Pilot Regiment.

See Assault Glider Trust

His life

Malcolm's birth was registered in October 1923 in Camberwell, London. However his CWGC record says he was 21 years old on his death in 1945, which implies that he was born about 1921.

His father was Frederick William Essen, born 30 April 1905 the son of Charles Essen and Gertrude Kate Langley.

His mother was Victoria Alice Greest born 8 September 1900, Finsbury, London, a daughter of Sidney Greest, a market porter and Eliza Matilda Jane Jenkins.

His parents were married in April 1923 in Wandsworth, Surrey. 

Following Frederick William Essen through the Electoral Registers during Malcolm's life:

1930-31: 77 Kingsmead Road, Streatham
1933-34: 16 Maplestead Road, Streatham
1935-39: 39 Hailsham Avenue, Streatham

Later in 1939, in the England & Wales Register, his parents were in Leatherhead, Surrey at Plot 1/ Oaks Close. This may be 14 Oaks Close, which is where they were in 1945.

Malcolm's marriage to Joan Doris Stonely in October 1944 was registered at Hackney in Q3 1944.

After the war

His parents were at 14 Oaks Close, Leatherhead in 1945.
In 1946 and 1947 they were at the White Horse Hotel, Dorking and 1952-53 at the Burford Bridge Hotel, near Dorking, Surrey.

According to his Probate record Frederick William Essen died on 16 May 1976, Exmouth, Devon.
When Malcolm's mother Victoria Alice Essen died on 23 June 1994 her address was in South Holmwood, Dorking, Surrey.

In 1947 his widow Joan was in Hackney with members of her family, Albert and Clara Stonely. That same year a marriage between Joan D Essen and Frank Newsome was registered in Hackney in July.

Malcolm Essen is remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church

the website editor would like to add further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him and any recollections of him

last updated 15 Aug 20