Soldiers who died 75 or 80 years ago during World War Two

To remember the fallen, volunteers at Littleborough History Centre have been researching the service personnel from the Pennine districts of Rochdale (Littleborough, Milnrow, Newhey, Smallbridge and Wardle) who died during World War Two.

This article details local soldiers who died in August and September of 1941 and 1946.

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• Littleborough & Wardle / Smallbridge

Private Edward Tansey

Edward Tansey was born on 20 May 1895, the son of Edward and Mary Ann Tansey. In 1911, he lived at 34 Gorse Street, Colne with his parents.

Edward married Ellen Finnighan in Rochdale during the late spring/early summer of 1923. By 1939, Edward and his wife, then aged 39, were living at 17 Birch Avenue together with their daughters Ellen Clegg (Tansey), 16, who worked in a hospital kitchen and Jean Molyneux (Tansey) aged 2.

51-year-old Private Tansey 13011510 Pioneer Corps died on 20 August 1946 due to a cause unknown, but classed as war related. He is buried in Littleborough (Dearnley) Cemetery Plot R.C. Row J. Grave 66.

At the time, his wife lived in Hurstead.

• Milnrow

Sergeant Hubert Bonnett

Hubert was born in Milnrow on 20 July 1921 and was the son of Wilfrid and Florence Bonnett (nee Hey). He went to Manchester Grammar School and was later employed by the Manchester firm of Bell, Wilkinson and Sutton chartered accountants.

In private life, Hubert was associated with Milnrow Parish Church and was a member of their choir, as reported by the Rochdale Observer of late August 1941.

At the time the 1939 register was compiled, his parents and widowed grandfather were recorded living at 142 Rochdale Road, Firgrove. His father worked with machine tools and his grandfather as a woollen taker-in.

Having enlisted in October 1940, 20-year-old Sergeant Bonnett 1066462, 82 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve had been in service for less than a year before he was killed on 26 August 1941 when the aircraft he was flying in, Blenheim IV R3767 UX – R, was shot down by fighters from 3. / JG52 German Airforce.

Hubert is remembered on Runnymede Memorial, Panel 39, St Annes and St James War Memorials.

Ordinary Coder Deryck Hodgson Pickup

Deryck was born in Rochdale on 5 November 1921, the son of Councillor James Thomas Pickup and Harriet Pickup (nee Hodgson), and the brother of John, James, and Joan. There were four sons, but details of the other son are not known.

Deryck went to Chadderton Grammar School, passed his bookkeeping examination, and was later employed by a Manchester firm of chartered accountants. The family lived at 27C Huddersfield Road, Newhey at the time of the 1939 register.

Prior to joining up in November 1940, Deryck was actively associated with the ARP at Albert Mills and was a member of Newhey Methodist Church and Sunday School.

Just 10 months later, 19-year-old Ordinary Coder Pickup D/JX 251731 Royal Navy HMC S. Levis was killed on 19 September 1941 when the Canadian ship was sunk by German U Boat, U- 74.

Eighteen crew were lost, with Rochdale's Deryck Pickup being the only Englishman on board.

U - 74 was sunk on 2 May 1942.

Deryck is remembered on Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 50, Column 3. and Milnrow War Memorials.