Midsomer Norton Town Council has voted to add a new plaque to the Town’s War Memorial in remembrance of two local men who lost their lives serving their country.
Resident, Mr David Carter, spoke at the meeting, informing Councillors of his research after the Town Council’s appeal in the local media, uncovering two new names – Lance Franklyn Edwards and Thomas William Walter.
Lance Edwards was a Lieutenant with the Royal Naval Reserve, H.M.S Heron, and was born in Midsomer Norton in 1919. His father, Frank, was also born in the town, and married Gladys, in Frome, in 1913. They had four children.
Lance joined the services in August 1937 as a mid-shipman at H.M.S. Heron, Yeovilton, and was promoted twice before becoming a Lieutenant in November 1941. From 2nd February 1940 for twelve months, he was on HMS Worcestershire, an armed merchant cruiser.
.png?width=209&height=140&crop=209:145,smart&quality=75)
At some point, he must have joined 759 Squadron, dying of his injuries when his Hurricane crashed near the Yeovilton airbase on 4th January 1942. His body was brought back to Midsomer Norton, but there was no inscription on the headstone. It is thought that his name may have been missed from the War Memorial, as his mother was living in Bristol at the time and unaware that the names were being collated.
Also to be commemorated on the town’s War Memorial will be Private Thomas (Tom) Walter, who served with the Third Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment.
Born in Bristol on 4th February, 1927, he was the son of Thomas William and Sarah Isabella Walter who moved to Greenhill Place, Midsomer Norton.
Prior to emigrating to Australia in 1949, Tom served in HM Forces for three years from 1945, and although he didn’t see any action then, he served in Palestine and Cyprus.
He joined the Australian army on 28th September 1950, only serving for 126 days before he was killed in action in Korea on 7th March, 1951, aged 24.
Town Councillors voted unanimously to add the names via a new plaque to the War Memorial, with further money having also been put aside for additional refurbishment of the town’s cenotaph.