Sapper Eric Robert Arthur Russell Royal Engineers
The Man Eric Robert Arthur Russell was born on 29th August 1916 in Bedlington, Northumberland, son of Ernest George and Bertha. Little detail is known about Eric’s early life except that he lived with his parents at 14 Second Avenue, Blyth and after leaving school gave his trade a motorcyclist. On 16th May 1939 aged 22 Eric attested into the 232nd Company Royal Engineers, Territorial Army with service number 2078951 as a Sapper. He was described as 5’.6 ½“ tall, weighing 140 lbs with a girth of 35 “ and range of expansion of 3”. He had a fresh complexion with blue eyes, fair hair and a 2” scar on the back if his left hand. His religion was Church of England. He attended a training camp for 15 days and passed a trade test as a Despatch Rider DIII with effect from 16th June and the next day re-mustered as a Concreter. On 25th August 1939 he was embodied and on 21st October just over a month after the outbreak of World War II was attached to the 235 Field Park Company, 50th Divisional Engineers. Eric was posted to France during the early months of the War as part of the British Expeditionary Force and was involved in the Dunkirk Evacuation in May and June 1940. He made it back to the UK and was later awarded the Dunkirk Medal by the French. He subsequently travelled by ship and saw service as part of the 8th Army in North Africa, followed by Egypt, Palestine and Italy. He was part of the Normandy landings and saw further action in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. In addition to being a despatch rider he also worked as a Batman and Armoured Car Driver. It was during the war in the last quarter of 1943 that Eric married his fiancé Millicent Riddler in Northumberland, Millicent was in the Women’s Land Army. Eric was de-mobbed, released from service on 1st April 1946 and awarded the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star with 8th Army clasp, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, Defence and War Medal 1939-45 and the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’. He also later bought himself the Normandy Campaign Medal with clasp ‘Normandy’. No detail is available about his later life except that Millicent died in October 1996 and Eric 11 years later during 2007 aged 91.
The Story The set of medals awarded to Eric Robert Arthur Russell were acquired from E-Bay in February 2008. Eric's son Barry was selling them, but had split up the medals, Christmas Cards and numerous letters into three lots. The medals and cards were won, but the letters went to another collector. Following negotiation, the three lots were reunited thus keeping the entire archive together for posterity. A brief biography has been pieced together from the detail available and from Ancestry.UK, but does not do any justice to the volume of correspondence contained within this group.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Africa Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Italy Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- France & Germany Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal: 2078951. SPR.E.R.A.RUSSELL. R.E.
- Normandy Campaign Medal: 19815
- Dunkirk Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
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This page last updated 22 Dec 14