LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWII
Gunner George Edwin Clare Snelling
228 Bty., 57 (1/5th Bn. The East Surrey Regt.) Anti-Tank Regt., Royal
Artillery
Town Memorial World War II
| Dorking & Leatherhead Advertiser
June 7 1940
KILLED IN ACTION: News was received on Monday that Gunner George Edwin Clare Snelling, youngest son of the late JFC Snelling and Mrs Snelling, of 145, Kingston-road, Leatherhead, has been killed in action. A pupil of the Leatherhead Central School, Gunner Snelling was employed after he left school by Mr TC Wakefield, the draper. He joined the 5th Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment TA and was with that unit when it became the 57th Anti-Tank Regiment RA. He went overseas about ten weeks ago after having Easter leave at home. The telegram announced that he was killed on Empire Day. Gunner Snelling, who would have been 19 in September next, was the son of an old soldier. |
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Ray Goodacre writes: I came across a clipping on the death of Gunner G.E. Snelling from the June 7th 1940 issue of the Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser.
His name also appears on the embarkation roll of the 57th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery as a member of 228 Anti-Tank Battery when it sailed for France in April 1940 to join the BEF.
228 Battery (formerly D Company of the 5th East Surreys - the local TA battalion) recruited in Leatherhead, Ashtead and Epsom.
On the date of his death, 24th May 1940, 228 Battery was responsible for checking a German tank attack at Morbecque, near Hazebrouck, in northern France.
Gunner
SNELLING, George Edwin: 6142550: Age 18
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 228 Bty., 57 (1/5th Bn. The East Surrey Regt.) Anti-Tank
Regt.
Date of Death: 24/05/1940
Son of Mrs M. Snelling, of Leatherhead, Surrey.
Grave/Memorial Reference: 6. B. 4.
Cemetery: LE
GRAND HASARD MILITARY CEMETERY, MORBECQUE
His parents ² were married on 23 Aug 1902 at the Church of St John the
Evangelist, Blindley Heath, Godstone Surrey:
John Frederick Churchill Snelling aged 25, a Soldier [born Caterham 12
Nov 1878 - he is buried in the churchyard of Leatherhead Parish Church -
John Frederick Churchill Snelling b1877 d1938 aged 61 on 24/11/1938,
local grave 476 section E]
Mary King, a Spinster aged 25 [born 1876-1967, died Aldershot]
He had an older brother, Sydney Albert Snelling, born 8th September 1907 in Godstone, Surrey, died 16th June 1976 in Ashford, Kent.
Another Leatherhead member of 228 Bty was Charles Herbert Long who died five days later on 29th May 1940.
Sources
1. Ray Goodacre
2. Ancestry & L&DLHS/Parish Church websites
Links
Royal Artillery Associationthe website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, his headstone, and of any recollections of him
last updated 30 May 2007: 17 Feb 14: CWGC links update 7
Nov 17: 20 May 20