Serjeant 3714069 Bernard Ralph Higham

Family details:
Son of John Joseph and Florence B. Higham, of Billinge, Lancashire.

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately Bernard Ralph and brother Philip Geoffrey are redacted. Father John J Higham born 22/01/1889 a Dentist, mother Florence B Higham born 27/10/1886 an Unpaid Domestic and siblings John A Higham born 24/09/1913 a Radio Engineer, Margaret A Bews (Higham) born 12/03/1915 a School Teacher and Paul A Higham born 09/10/1928 At School are living at 160 Boundary Road, St Helens.

Notes:
[note=168]Two Higham Brothers who died in World War Two[/note] [url=lmem.php?lmem=39]Remembered On The St. Aidan's C of E Church Memorial[/url] [url=lmem.php?lmem=26]Also Remembered on the West Park Old Boys Memorial[/url] Initials reversed on CWGC.

Sergeant 3714069 1st Wing Glider Pilot Regiment Army Air Corps Bernard was born on the 11th of November 1919 the son of John Joseph and Florence Brigham Higham (nee Bowes) of 160 Boundry Road, St. Helens, and was baptised on the 16th of November 1919 at Sacred Heart R.C. Church, St. Helens. John Joseph was a dentist. Bernard went to West Park R.C. Grammar School, and the family moved to Billinge shortly before the war living at Little Houghwood in Red Barn Lane, Billinge. Bernard served in the Glider Pilot Regiment, which was an army regiment formed by volunteers in January 1942 to transport airborne forces, and consisted of R.A.F. trained pilots who when landed fought as soldiers.He was reported missing and later killed in a raid on Arnhem, Netherlands on Monday the 25th of September 1944. He was 25 years old and is buried in the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Netherlands, grave 3.A.14. His brother [ww2cas=189]Philip Geoffrey Higham[/ww2cas] who was in the R.A.F. was killed about a year before. His name is recorded on the West Park Old Boys Memorial (now situated in the De La Salle High School, St. Helens), St. Aidan's C.E. Church Memorial, St. Helens Cenotaph and on the family grave headstone in St. Mary's R.C. Churchyard, grave 1/1D. Sources:- St. Helens Local History Library, Index of soldiers killed in the Second World War; The Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Sacred Heart Church Registers; St. Mary's Church Notice Book, 15th of October 1944 and 7th of October 1945. [url=http://sthelens-connect.net/sitefiles/billinge-history.pdf]Information Courtesy of The Billinge History Society[/url] [pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/HighamFamily.jpg[/pic] [pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/HighamFamily2.jpg[/pic] [caption]A dedication to Sergeant Bernard Ralph Higham at Birchley St.Mary's Churchyard (Photos courtesy of Jeff Keenan)[/caption] [pic]imgs/WW2_headstones/3714069BernardRalphHigham.jpg[/pic][caption]The headstone of Serjeant Bernard Ralph Higham at Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery Photograph Courtesy of [url=http://www.warcemeteries.nl/MenOosterbeek_A.html]Marcel Boven[/url][/caption]