LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWII
Serjeant Jack Ronald Songhurst
Royal Corps of Signals
Signal Squadron, 44 Tank Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps
Town Memorial World War II
SERJEANT
JACK RONALD SONGHURST
Service Number: 2321959
Royal Corps of Signals
Died 30 November 1943
Age 29 years old
Buried or commemorated at
SANGRO RIVER WAR CEMETERY
XV. E. 2.
Italy
Secondary Unit, Regiment
Signal Sqn., 44th Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C.
Son of Leonard and Elizabeth Songhurst; husband of Norah May Songhurst, of Wallington, Surrey.
Personal Inscription
HIS LIFE A TREASURED MEMORY HIS DEATH A SILENT GRIEF
Surrey Advertiser
Saturday 29 January 1944
RCS SERGEANT'S DEATH
Mr. and Mrs. G. F. Songhurst, of Kingston Road. Leatherhead, who were informed that their son, W.A.-?? Jack Ronald Songhurst, Royal Signals, was wounded on November 30th, have now received the news that he died the same day.
Songhurst was educated at Leatherhead Central School, and won a scholarship to Wimbledon Technical College. He joined the R.C.S. in 1932, and served in North China. He was an accomplished pianist, and often broadcast from China. He went to the Eighth Army in 1942, and served throughout the campaign. He was married and there is one daughter, aged three.
Mr. and Mrs. G. F. Songhurst, of Kingston Road. Leatherhead, who were informed that their son, W.A.-?? Jack Ronald Songhurst, Royal Signals, was wounded on November 30th, have now received the news that he died the same day.
Songhurst was educated at Leatherhead Central School, and won a scholarship to Wimbledon Technical College. He joined the R.C.S. in 1932, and served in North China. He was an accomplished pianist, and often broadcast from China. He went to the Eighth Army in 1942, and served throughout the campaign. He was married and there is one daughter, aged three.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Friday 24 November 1950
SONGHURST. In Ever Loving Memory of
my dear Son, Sergt. Jack Songhurst. Killed in Italy on November 30th.
1943.
"My thoughts are a beautiful garden
And beyond a gate you stand;
One day that gate will open
And I shall be with you again."
Sadly missed. Mum, Dad, Peter, Norah and Jacqueline.
"My thoughts are a beautiful garden
And beyond a gate you stand;
One day that gate will open
And I shall be with you again."
Sadly missed. Mum, Dad, Peter, Norah and Jacqueline.
The relevant file at the National Archives WO 169/9373 44 Royal Tank Regiment is closed until 2049.
Some idea of the action that was taking place comes from other sources. There is A History of the 44th Royal Tank Regiment in the War of 1939-45
44th Royal Tank Regiment Association, 1965, 214 pages. Snippets seen via Google Books show that Chapter 16 covers the Crossing of the Sangro and that Jack is listed in their Roll of Honour:
Sergeant Jack Ronald Songhurst (R.C.S.) 30/11/43 Italy
The Royal Irish Rifles
At dawn on the 29th the 6th Royal
Inniskillings and the City of London Yeomanry advanced on San Maria and
Li Colli. The opposition was formidable and tank progress was slow. It
was nearly dark before they had successfully completed their tasks.
Meanwhile, the London Irish and the 44th Royal Tank Regiment had left
the comforting shelter of the escarpment and moved forward a mile. Their
object was to reach the San Maria-Fossacesia road and to smash the
German defences up to and in Fossacesia. [a map of the action can also
be see at https://www.londonirishrifles.com/index.php/regimental-history/significant-events-from-our-history/sangro-river-november-1943/
]
New Zealand History
The next attack was launched by the Irish
Brigade and 4th Armoured Brigade [of which 44 RTR was part]. They
attacked north-east along the ridge on 29 November. At first the tanks
were held up by mines, but the Inniskillings managed to push along the
ridge and clear the way, and with armoured support it was secured by
3pm. Santa Maria fell two hours later. On the same day the New
Zealanders attacked north towards Castel Frentano.
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_sangro.html
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_sangro.html
His life
The birth of Jack Songhurst on 1 April 1914 was registered at Epsom, SurreyHis father was Leonard Frederick Songhurst, born 5 September 1889 in Ashtead, Surrey, a son of Albert E Longhurst, a House Painter from Leatherhead and Ada Alice Page, from Headley, Surrey. Leonard served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in WW1.
His mother was Elizabeth Crawley, born 12 November 1889. Further information about her remains to be found.
Their marriage in Whitechapel, London was registered in October 1913.
He had a brother, Alexander Peter Songhurst, born 23 July 1926. If he was known by his middle name perhaps he was the Peter included in the 'Loving Memory' announcement above.
Following his parents in the Electoral Registers during his lifetime, they lived at:
1914: The Common, Leatherhead
1920-35: 3 Kemps Cottages, Fairs Road, Leatherhead
1920-35: 3 Kemps Cottages, Fairs Road, Leatherhead
In the 1939 England & Wales Register his parents, but apparently not Jack who had got married, were living at 193 Kingston Road, Leatherhead. His father by then was described as 'House Decorator Master' and his mother as a Laundress.
The marriage of Jack Songhurst to Norah May Perrin was registered in September 1939, Surrey Mid Eastern District.
Norah was born 6 June 1918, and baptised on 15 September 1918 at the church of St Edward The Confessor, Romford, Essex. She was the daughter of William George Perrin (abt 1885-1942) and Florence Beatrice Perrin.
The birth of a daughter Jacqueline E Songhurst was registered in December 1940, Surrey Mid Eastern District. The 1943 press report of Jack's death refers to a daughter aged 3.
After the war
His parents lived on at 193 Kingston Road, Leatherhead until at least 1962. His mother's death was registered in Rochford, Essex in December 1966. His father died on 10 January 1978 in Leatherhead.Jack's brother Alexander Peter's death in 1981 was registered at Sutton, Surrey.
Jack's widow Norah was living in Wallington, Surrey at the time the War Graves details were finalised. So far it has not been possible to check whether Jack is named on a memorial in Wallington.
Norah and her mother lived at Lower Flat, 109 Blenheim Road, Wallington, Surrey from at least 1945. Norah's death was registered in Harlow, Essex in October 1993.
Jack Songhurst 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, his headstone, and any recollections of him
last updated 22 Aug 20