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Steatham Visits. Sunday 28th July 2024. |
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The date of the 28th July is one of the most important in Steatham genealogy as on this date in 1944, Richard Samuel Steatham was killed in action in Normandy, France.
This year marked the 80th Anniversary so Liz and I travelled to the cemetery in Fontenay-Le-Pesnel, Tessel, France to be at his graveside. It had been over thirty years since we had last visited [with our then teenage daughter], Richard's grave. This was a very emotional visit for us as we know full well at our age we will most likely not be able to visit on the hundredth anniversary in 2044. We arrived in Normandy on Friday the 26th staying at the nearby Chateau du Bu, in nearby Anctoville, after a long drive from Etoges, Epernay. We visited the cemetery five times, before leaving for St Omer on Monday morning. I will attempt to cover the whole visit in chronological order. Friday 26th July 2024. We were tempted to visit Richard on the Friday but we had arrived later in the day after a six hour drive from Etoges with a route around the north of Paris. Very emotionally we sleep that night knowing that Richard lay rested just a few miles away and had been there nearly eighty years, while all our lives, had passed in England. Saturday 27th July 2024. It was a lovely summer's day as we drove east on the D9 through the main street of Fontenay-Le-Pesnel [travelling straight on is Caen]. Then a right turn [with the cemetery signposted] onto the D139 to Tessel and further along is Rauray. The road quickly turns into lovely rolling fields, fast ahead comes into view on the right, the 49th West Riding Division's Memorial. Directly opposite on the left is the track that leads down to Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery. |
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Field seen from the track that leads to Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery. Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
The approach to Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery from the track. Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Liz at the entrance to Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery. Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Liz at Richard's grave. Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. |
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We then had look around to see if we could see more members of the South Staffordshire Regiment. I took photos of nearly all. I have included my photographs in the Research Section below. Ironically on my return home I found that actually all the graves had been photographed for the Cemetery and were available online at FindaGrave.com.
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I looked for in particular soldiers of the South Staffordshire Regiment who had been killed on the same day as Richard. I identified two, who are immediatly to the right of Richard.
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Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. |
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So we have Richard Samuel Steatham [Sec 11.B13] > Joseph Butler [Sec 11.B14] > Herbert Lovat [Sec 11.B15], and they were all from the same battalion as Richard, the 5th. So here we have three pals, who most likely knew each other, killed on the same day [most likely in the same action], buried side by side for eternity. A few more details on Richard's pals. Joseph Butler Service Number: 14633092. Died the same age as Richard, nineteen. Son of Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Butler, of Rawtenstall, Lancashire. LOVED, HONOURED AND REMEMBERED. HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE Herbert Lovatt Service Number: 5059120. Died aged thirty. Son of Frank and Harriet Lovatt, of Biddulph, Staffordshire; husband of Blanche Lovatt, of Biddulph. IN LOVING MEMORY OF HERBERT BELOVED HUSBAND OF BLANCHE. TO THE WORLD, JUST A SOLDIER TO ME, ALL THE WORLD | |
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They had a child. Pat who was aged just one year and ten months when Herbert was killed. Blanche died in first quarter 2001 in Staffs Moors. Blanche never re-married.
I will include Richard's details for completeness. Richard Samuel Steatham Service Number: 14376672. Died aged nineteen. Husband of Olive Steatham, of Walsall, Staffordshire. IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND RICHARD WHO DIED FOR FREEDOM. OLIVE It is heartbreaking to read the Wive's tributes. Their lives like the parents and families were changed for ever. Some for photos from this visit. |
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Liz with Richard's wreath and two photographs we have of Richard with his parents and siblings. These two framed photographs are now back again proudly displayed on our living room window sill. Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Nigel. Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Liz placed a flower [rose] from Olive. |
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Arromanches-les-Bains.
We now drove to Arromanches-les-Bains of Mulberry harbour fame, to see where Richard dis-embarked in Normandy. |
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Journey from Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery to Arromanches-les-Bains. Along our walk along the sea front we could see the remains of the Mulberry Harbour. Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. After having luncheon at the Hotel de Normandie we visited the Musee du Debarquement [D-Day Museum]. Some photos from the visit... |
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Journey from Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery to Arromanches-les-Bains |
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Arromanches-les-Bains is where Richard dis-embarked using the Mulberry (B) harbour. The Mulberry harbours were two temporary portable harbours developed by the British Admiralty and War Office during the Second World War to facilitate the rapid offloading of cargo onto beaches during the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. They were designed in 1942 then built in under a year in great secrecy; within hours of the Allies creating beachheads after D-Day, sections of the two prefabricated harbours were towed across the English Channel from southern England and placed in position off Omaha Beach (Mulberry "A") and Gold Beach (Mulberry "B"), along with old ships to be sunk as breakwaters. The Mulberry B harbour at Gold Beach was used for ten months after D-Day, while over two million men, four million tons of supplies and half a million vehicles were landed before it was fully decommissioned. The partially completed Mulberry A harbour at Omaha Beach was damaged on 19 June by a violent storm that arrived from the northeast before the pontoons were securely anchored. After three days the storm finally abated and damage was found to be so severe that the harbour was abandoned and the Americans resorted to landing men and material over the open beaches Both harbours were almost fully functional when on 19th June a nor'easter of force 6 to 8 blew into Normandy and devastated the Mulberry A harbour at Omaha Beach. The harbours had been designed with summer weather conditions in mind, but this was the worst storm to hit the Normandy coast in 40 years. The entire harbour at Omaha was deemed irreparable. The Mulberry harbour at Arromanches-les-Bains was more protected, and although damaged by the storm, it remained usable. It came to be known as Port Winston. While the harbour at Omaha was destroyed sooner than expected, Port Winston saw heavy use for eight months, despite being designed to last only three months. In the ten months after D-Day, it was used to land almost three million men, four million tons of supplies and half a million vehicles to reinforce France. In response to this longer-than-planned use, the phoenix breakwater was reinforced with the addition of specially strengthened caissons. The Royal Engineers had built a complete Mulberry Harbour out of 600,000 tons of concrete between 33 jetties, and had 10 mi (16 km) of floating roadways to land men and vehicles on the beach. Port Winston is commonly upheld as one of the best examples of military engineering. Its remains are still visible today from the beaches at Arromanches-les-Bains. There is some speculation about the naming of the Mulberry Harbours - if you turn to the Gospel of Luke, chapter seventeen, verse six. "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea' and it will obey you". Some photos from our visit. |
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Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Mulberry Harbour remains at Arromanches-les-Bains. We now visited the Musee du Debarquement [D-Day Museum] and had a meal at the Hotel de Normandie. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Liz in front of the Musee du Debarquement [D-Day Museum] at Arromanches-les-Bains. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Hotel de Normandie at Arromanches-les-Bains. 1944 <> 2024 We then travelled back to hotel via the Chateau d'Audrieu [to book our meal for the following day]. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. At the Chateau d'Audrieu. That evening we took the short journey to nearby Villers Bocage for a meal at the excellent "Au Vrai Normand Villers Bocage." 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Liz at "Au Vrai Normand Villers Bocage." 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Menu at the "Au Vrai Normand Villers Bocage" - "Tripes a la mode de Caen." "Tripes a la mode de Caen" at Wikipedia. |
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Sunday 28th July 2024.
It was a lovely sunny day again and the order of the day was to firstly visit the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer which includes Richard's name amongst the 22,442 men and women whose names are inscribed on it. We found |
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Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Interesting to note that Richard's age is blank. We then came back to Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery to lay the wreath I ordered from the Royal British Legion and customized it for Richard. It was very emotional as we again visited Richard on the eighteenth year of his passing. Here are some photos from the visit. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Card reads - Richard (Dick) a very much loved uncle. Thanks for your sacrifice to make this a better world to live in. Love your nieces and nephews. Margaret still has the elephant you gave her. Special love from Liz & Nigel and families [photo of Richard and Olive]. Margaret is Richard's Godchild. The framed photos shown are now back in our home in England. Finally in early afternoon we had our anniversary meal at the Chateau d'Audrieu. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Anniversary Meal Sunday 28th July 2024 - Chateau d'Audrieu. |
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Monday 29th July 2024.
We were leaving for a long journey to northern France early that morning, when we decided to visit Richard for one last time. Here are some photos from the visit. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. 
Copyright 2024 - Nigel James Wright. Entry Inscription reads - Richard Samuel Steatham Today the 80th Anniversary of his tragic death, at the age of just 19. He gave his life, so we could have ours, His heroic sacrifices like all others, should never be forgotten. LIz & Nigel. Love & fondest memories from his nieces and nephews. Love always. www.steatham.com the only Steatham to be killed in action for his Country our hero! I then left Liz alone with her uncle Richard and then we both left, pleased we had come, but somewhat heavy hearted that we had to leave Richard. | |
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Research Section.
This covers the photographs I took of the South Staffordshire Graves. I missed three V.F. WILLS [20] Section II [A10], T. ALCOCK [25] Section III [A11], J.C. BENTON [32] Section III [B6], G.W. DAY [36] Section III [B11], of the South Staffs. Note - aged in [] and [NG] both mean Not Given. There are a total of ninety three [] listed from the South Staffordshire Regiment. Note - Section VI [German] not covered. Section I. Rows Row A [Total 14] [A3] [A4] [A5] [A6] [A7] [A10] [A11] [A12] [A13] [A14] [A15] [A16] [A17] [A17] [A18] 
Row B [Total 9] [B3] [B6] [B7] [B12] [B13] [B14] [B16] [B18] [B19] 
Row C [Total 10] [C1] [C20] [C12] [C13] [C14] [C15] [C16] [c17] [C18] [C19] 
Row D [None] Row E [Total 1] [E18] 
Section II. Rows Row A [Total 5] [A10] [A14] [A16] [A18] 
Row B [None] Row C [None] Row D [Total 3] [D1] [D2] [D8] 
Section III. Rows Row A [1] [A11]
Row B [Total 5] [B6] [B11] [B13] [B14] [B15]
Row C [Total 11] [C3] [C6] [C11] [C12] [C13] [C14] [C15] [C16] [C17] [C18] [C20] 
Row D [Total 4] [D14] [D18] [D19] [D20] 
Row E [Total 5] [E9] [E15] [E18] [E19] [E20] 
Row F [None] Section IV. Rows Row A [total 3] [A14] [A18] [A19] 
Row B [None]
Row C [None] Row D [None] Row E [None] Row F [None] Section V. Rows Row A [Total3] [A1] [A16] [A17] [A18] [A19] 
Row B [Total 7] [B12] [B13] [B14] [B15] [B17] [B18] [B19]
Row C [Total 10] [C11] [C12] [C13] [c14] [C15] [C16] [C17] [C18] [C19] [C??]
The photos were taken in the following order: section (left > right) (front > back) : III > V >> I > II >> IV. I did not include the German section (VI). On returning home and downloading the register for the Cemetery I can see I missed four, V.F. WILLS [20] Section II [A10], T. ALCOCK [25] Section III [A11], J.C. BENTON [32] Section III [B6], G.W. DAY [36] Section III [B11]. |
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Cemetery Plan & Aerial View. |
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