A Broad Abroad
Gunner Alan Broad Royal Artillery
The Man Alan Broad was born on 6th August 1921 in Chorlton, Manchester, son of Henry, a Warehouseman at a Brush Manufacturer and Emily nee Bancroft. He was one of four children Eric, born in 1912, Emily 1914 and Marjorie Mavis 1924.
Little information is known about Alan’s life, except that he lived with his parents at 37 Howarth Road, Gorton in Manchester, and enlisted into the Royal Artillery, Territorial Army with service number 910887 during the mid-1930s. The family are shown on the 1939 census as living at the address, but Alan, who had presumably been mobilised and embodied before the start of World War II does not. During the War Alan saw service in Africa and Italy and was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’. These were sent to him at 37 Haworth Road and after the war he continued living at the address with his parents. He was known by neighbours as ‘The Major’, because of his military step as he passed their houses walking his dog. During the final quarter of 1949 aged 28 Alan married Lilian Doreen Day in Manchester, they seem not to have had any children. Alan’s Father died in 1959, Emily in 1965 aged 51and his mother in 1975. In later life Alan and Lilian lived at 23 Kettleshulme Way Poynton in Stockport. Alan died on 22nd September 1986 aged 65, and Doreen lived a further 28 years and died at Pole Bank Nursing home on 22nd December 2014 aged 87.
Little information is known about Alan’s life, except that he lived with his parents at 37 Howarth Road, Gorton in Manchester, and enlisted into the Royal Artillery, Territorial Army with service number 910887 during the mid-1930s. The family are shown on the 1939 census as living at the address, but Alan, who had presumably been mobilised and embodied before the start of World War II does not. During the War Alan saw service in Africa and Italy and was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’. These were sent to him at 37 Haworth Road and after the war he continued living at the address with his parents. He was known by neighbours as ‘The Major’, because of his military step as he passed their houses walking his dog. During the final quarter of 1949 aged 28 Alan married Lilian Doreen Day in Manchester, they seem not to have had any children. Alan’s Father died in 1959, Emily in 1965 aged 51and his mother in 1975. In later life Alan and Lilian lived at 23 Kettleshulme Way Poynton in Stockport. Alan died on 22nd September 1986 aged 65, and Doreen lived a further 28 years and died at Pole Bank Nursing home on 22nd December 2014 aged 87.
The Story The group of medals awarded to Gunner A Broad were acquired during January 2014. The associated medal issue certificate shows him as being issued with only four WWII awards, but it is possible that the Italy Star was awarded later as was sometimes the case. At that time no further detail could be found as there were so many people with the same surname and initials on Ancestry.UK. In May 2020 however, Denise Halton who was undertaking some local research in Manchester made contact having recognised the address on the medal award box. Denise was able to give an anecdote, but more importantly name A Broad’s parent’s, Henry and Emily and his sister, also Emily. This allowed a greater search of Ancestry to be completed using Henry, Emily and the address as the starting point. Several family trees on Ancestry contained Henry’s details and one showed his children, revealing the thus far unknown A Broad to be Alan Broad. This in turn enabled Alan’s basic details to be located including the drawing of his will. The will proved invaluable in giving further detail of Alan’s hitherto unknown wife Lilian Day, and a further sister, Marjorie Mavis, born some years later and confirmed by her Mother’s maiden name of Bancroft on the register. Following much cross-referencing of the will, birth, marriage and deaths of Lilian and Mavis it was confirmed they were connected to Alan, which enabled his brief biography to be expanded slightly. Lilian’s obituary in 2014 was also found as a result of the additional checking, which again linked her to Alan and various family members mentioned in Alan’s will, pulling everything together nicely. Proof if it were needed of the importance of retaining paperwork, in this case the simple medal box, and of the power of the internet. Thanks of course also to Denise for taking the time to send an e-mail, without which Alan would have simply remained a very anonymous ‘A.Broad’. Interestingly the medals were acquired a year before Lilian’s death, and one wonders if they came direct from the family when she moved into the care home?
Lilian Doreen Broad's Obituary
Manchester Evening News. 7th January 2015.
Lilian Doreen Broad Lilian aged 87 sadly but peacefully passed away in Pole Bank Nursing Home on Monday 22nd December 2014. Lilian is now reunited with her husband Alan and her brothers Sydney and John. Sadly missed by her nephews Bryn, Alan and close family Sue and Tina. Funeral service will be held at St Chads Church Romiley at 11.00am on Monday 12th January then followed with committal at Stockport Crematorium. Family flowers only please, but donations as Lilian’s wishes to the Pat Seed fund at Christie Hospital c/o and all enquiries to Frank Massey & Son Ltd, 49 Mottram Road, Hyde, SK14 2NN,
tel 0161 368 2565.
Manchester Evening News. 7th January 2015.
Lilian Doreen Broad Lilian aged 87 sadly but peacefully passed away in Pole Bank Nursing Home on Monday 22nd December 2014. Lilian is now reunited with her husband Alan and her brothers Sydney and John. Sadly missed by her nephews Bryn, Alan and close family Sue and Tina. Funeral service will be held at St Chads Church Romiley at 11.00am on Monday 12th January then followed with committal at Stockport Crematorium. Family flowers only please, but donations as Lilian’s wishes to the Pat Seed fund at Christie Hospital c/o and all enquiries to Frank Massey & Son Ltd, 49 Mottram Road, Hyde, SK14 2NN,
tel 0161 368 2565.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Africa Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Italy star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal: 910887. GNR.A.BROAD. R.A.
This page last updated 2 Jun 20