Some years ago I was in the Gillingham branch of @NatWest_Help & noticed a small plaque on the wall commemorating 3 members of staff who were killed during World War Two. This plaque has since disappeared during the refit but found a photo i took at the time. (long thread)

I've done some digging and I've got some information on these three men and thought I would share it here and maybe as a proper blogpost later on.

So first up is Alan William Ablett (6345857) a Corporal in the 7th Battalion of the Royal West Kent regiment who was killed on the 21st May 1940 during the battle of France. In this case he was killed during the hostilities at the Battle of Albert as part of the 36th Inf brigade

The 36th was made up of the 6th and 7th Royal West Kents and the 5th Battalion of the 3rd East Kent "Buffs" - All three Btns were territorials & suffered from a lack of equipment & training including Bren gun ammunition & training. They had very little heavy equipment as well.

They were thrust into the lines and suffered horrendously at the hands of the fast moving Panzer columns.

On the 18th May the 7th Btn was at Clery with orders to deny the Germans from crossing the canals with two companies forward and two back.

Sappers from the RE demolished all of the bridges except for the main road bridge which was and one to the north. They also recieved 35 Bren guns, but still only had 1 3" morter.

That afternoon the Luftwaffe bombed and straffed their positions with C & B companies bearing the brunt. The RAF arrived and forced them off.

At 6 pm a German Motorbike and side car arrived and C company fired upon it killing the crew. Moments later three Panzers arrived and fired.

C company fired on them with the mortar. CSM Glue rallied the men & CSM Rawcliffe brought up a a platoon & two anti tank rifles.

Supporting artillery set one of the panzers on fire and the others withdrew leaving the luftwaffe to attack and drop parachute flares.

At 3am on the 19th Col. Clay was ordered to withdraw to NW of Albert with Capt Gibbs' platoon to hold the roadblock until all were clear

In the successful withdrawal to Louvencourt Gibbs' platoon lost contact and was presumed captured by the Germans.

On the 20th Clay's men were ordered to establish a "tank proof" locality in Albert. By 6 am vehicles were under cover of trees and the men were getting into position by 7 despite air attack.

Panzers & Motorised infantry attacked soon after with D Coy taking the brunt, Capt Hill was killed leaving the defence to Lt Phillips who was similarly injured & knocked unconscious before being rescued by Pvt Smith.

After heavy fighting & with their houses destroyed and Phillip's men forced to hide in the basement he had to surrender to the oncoming Germans.

At 7:30 the Germans had broken into Albert's main square and were Machine gunning & shelling the RWK's transports. C company were held up in a school under Captain Archer and RSM Silvers.

l/cpl Durance started a sniper duel and killed three enemy snipers before falling mortally wounded.

The anti tank rifles were also found to be useless against the German armoured vehicles.

A Company had also become heavy involved by 8 am and reports filtered in that the Germans had secured the north hinterland and canals. Clay ordered his men to withdrawal to the woods to the north of Albert and by 11 they had fought their way out on foot.

With the area now under German control and the 7/RWK now consisting of only 250 men Clay ordered his men to split into parties of 20 under an officer or senior NCO and head for Doullens 15 miles away. With only 2 maps & with so many Germans very few got through.

At the moment I don't know which company Ablett was attached too or where he would have been caught among this confusion. The 20 year Old from Gravesend is buried at Albert Communal extension. It is likely he died of wounds

Harry Gaston served as a Leading aircraftsman in the RNAS and died, aged 19 on 18th April 1944 and is comemorated on the Lee-on-solent memorial. He was based at HMS Owl (RNAS Fearn) in the Scottish Highlands. At the time of writing i have no more information but watch this space

Flight Sgt (Wireless operator) Martin Thornhill (1333987) served as part of 405 sqdn RCAF and was killed, aged 20, on the 11/6/44. He is buried at AUNEAU COMMUNAL CEMETERY

On the night of the 10/11 June Lancaster (mk III) J 21384 was attacking a locomotive depot near Versailles flown by F/O Armstrong. They were heard to be over the target during the bombing and were on their way home to base.

The Squadron record records that "nothing has been heard regarding their fate."

They were attacled from below by a nightfighter armed with Schlager musik which struck around the bom bay setting the aircraft on fire. The crew were ordered to bail out but six were killed in the incident including Thornhill (pictured here far left).