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Photo: billy johnson
Views: 2,477
Item #: 17214
any body know this sailor

Comment by: Joseph. on 22nd February 2011 at 18:22

Looks like he is wearing the trade badge of an Wireless Telegraphist 1st Class (wings with crown above star below).

Comment by: JohnB on 22nd February 2011 at 19:31

I don’t mean to be difficult but I would love to think that this is the person I met as a youngster (age 2) in Wigan in 1944 but since all I have is my clear memory of that brief meeting and a very, very poor photo I still have, I’m afraid there’s no way I can identify this person. However, just in case anyone out there can recognise him, the person I have in mind is Wiganer KENNETH GUY (Guy K., Telegraphist) 1924 - 1944 who was aboard The frigate Mourne, Lt. Cdr. R.S. Holland, R.D., R.N.R., took part in the landing of the British and American armies in France on "D" Day, June 6th, 1944. Mourne was torpedoed by a German submarine off the Lizard on the 15th, going down with the loss of eight officers, including Lt. Cdr. Holland, and 102 ratings. (one of which of course was Ken Guy), he was my auntie’s boyfriend at the time, he was just 19 years of age.

Comment by: Keith on 26th February 2011 at 19:15

Hi Billy, I've sent a copy of this photo to an aunt of mine (she is about to celebrate her 80th birthday) who is almost 100% sure that this sailor is in fact Ken Guy, the boyfriend of her sister in 1944. Congratulations for having posted it. As far as I'm concerned it's completed a long standing hope that one day a photo of him might appear.Thanks again.

Comment by: Keith on 2nd March 2011 at 19:55

Now that it's confirmed that this is Wiganer Ken Guy, I'd like to complete the picture, forgive the unintended pun, by publishing the following :-
GUY, KENNETH
Rank: Telegraphist
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. Mourne
Date of Death: 15/06/1944
Service No: D/JX 401508
Additional information:
Son of William Henry and Ada Guy (nee Gregory), of Wigan, Lancashire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 88, Column 3.
Memorial: PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

Comment by: Billy Johnson on 14th March 2011 at 22:23

Thanks Keith for giving me this information, it has been really interesting reading about this young man. This photograph was amongst photographs belonging to my Mum and Dad and I wondered how they came to have it. Could you tell me where in Wigan he lived.

Comment by: Keith on 18th March 2011 at 22:17

Hi Billy, I'm afraid I can't tell you just where he lived in Wigan, but I do know that his mother never accepted his death, his body was, of course, never recovered. Sadly his girlfriend at that time, my auntie, died aged 49, over 30 years ago. However, I could try asking my other two aunts, my mother's sisters, if they know, if they do then I'll get back to you. I sent them the photo, they confirmed it was Ken and were equally delighted to see it. Thanks again.

Comment by: Keith on 21st March 2011 at 18:22

Hi Billy, further to my last message. It appears from my internet searches that Ken's parents married in 1921 at the Trinity United Reformed Church, Milton Avenue, which is in the Marleybone District, off Wigan Lane and not too far from the Cherry Gardens pub. His mother was Ada Gregory and was born in Hindley (which included Ince) in 1895, his father William Henry Guy, I don't think was born in Wigan. I've also seen a posting on wiganworld that mentioned a certain "Kenny Guy" working at Clarington Forge (Darlington Street East) but haven't managed to identify if it was him, having said that there's unliikely to be more than one with that name in Wigan at that time. Don't know if this helps.

Comment by: Keith on 21st March 2011 at 18:25

I should have said William Parks not Clarington Forge - that was how we referred to it as youngsters. The message with regard to "Kenny Guy" was posted by John R Hilton (Bob) of Wigan.

Comment by: Keith on 1st October 2018 at 21:42

Hello Billy - it is 7 years since my last posting and finally I've discovered the answer to your question as to where Ken lived in Wigan. It was 17 Engineer Street, Ince. His mother passed away in 1965 and his father who had worked as a Colliery Foreman below ground, died aged 92 in 1986 having moved to Leigh. Hope by some miracle you come across this answer at some point.

Comment by: Keith on 31st May 2019 at 23:16

Hello again Billy. I'm still hoping for that miracle that you might come across this eventually since I can now add the following. Ken live with his parents at 17 Engineer Street as I've said, but it now transpires that at no.16 Engineer Street lived (in 1939) a certain William Johnson (b.1865) a retired Steel Furnaceman and
his wife Mary A Johnson (b.1871), together with their daughter Elizabeth (b.1902) a grocer's shop assistant. Does this help?

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