Corporal Wilfred Stuart Worth Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers and HM Prison Service
General Service Medal 'Cyprus'. Imperial Service Medal.
The Man Wilfred Stuart Worth was born on Friday 6th May 1932 in Leeds, son of Albert, a Turner in Steel Works Armament and Emmie nee Wilcock. He was one of three children Kenneth Gordon (1928-2006) and William Arthur (1930-34)
The 1939 Register shows the family living at 1 Lea Farm Mount in Leeds and Wilfred aged seven still at school. He was too young to serve during World War II, but in about 1950 aged 18 enlisted into the Royal Mechanical Electrical Engineers with service number 22954368.
Wilfred married Gladys Parton during the last quarter of 1953 in Leeds and they had four children Stuart Victor born in 1956, David Paul 1957-80 Janine Susan 1962 and Carolyn Ann 1965.
He was promoted to Lance Corporal and between 1953 and 55 saw service in the Suez Canal Zone during a period of significant political unrest and military activity in the region, often associated with the Egyptian nationalist movement against British control of the Canal Zone. He later purchased a commemorative Suez Medal, the General Service Medal not being authorised for a further 50 years in 2003.
Wilfred remained in the Army promoted to Corporal and saw further service during the Cyprus Campaign which involved the suppression of acts of terrorism during the guerrilla war with the EOKA organisation, who wanted Cyprus’s union with Greece ("Enosis"). The conflict involved approximately 40,000 British troops over 4 years 1955-59. He was awarded the General Service Medal with clasp ‘Cyprus’.
Having left the Army, he joined HM Prison Service becoming a Senior Officer at Her Majesty’s Prison Risley, a category C men's prison, located in the Risley area of Warrington, Cheshire.
Wilfred remained in the Prison Service until his retirement aged 59 in 1991 when he was awarded his Imperial Service Medal, this appearing in the London Gazette of 28th June 1991.
Following his retirement Wilfred lived with Gladys at 38 Gables Close, Cinnamon Brow, Warrington, Cheshire and passed away on 5th April 2007 aged 75, Gladys survived him by nine years and died on 29th December 2016.
The 1939 Register shows the family living at 1 Lea Farm Mount in Leeds and Wilfred aged seven still at school. He was too young to serve during World War II, but in about 1950 aged 18 enlisted into the Royal Mechanical Electrical Engineers with service number 22954368.
Wilfred married Gladys Parton during the last quarter of 1953 in Leeds and they had four children Stuart Victor born in 1956, David Paul 1957-80 Janine Susan 1962 and Carolyn Ann 1965.
He was promoted to Lance Corporal and between 1953 and 55 saw service in the Suez Canal Zone during a period of significant political unrest and military activity in the region, often associated with the Egyptian nationalist movement against British control of the Canal Zone. He later purchased a commemorative Suez Medal, the General Service Medal not being authorised for a further 50 years in 2003.
Wilfred remained in the Army promoted to Corporal and saw further service during the Cyprus Campaign which involved the suppression of acts of terrorism during the guerrilla war with the EOKA organisation, who wanted Cyprus’s union with Greece ("Enosis"). The conflict involved approximately 40,000 British troops over 4 years 1955-59. He was awarded the General Service Medal with clasp ‘Cyprus’.
Having left the Army, he joined HM Prison Service becoming a Senior Officer at Her Majesty’s Prison Risley, a category C men's prison, located in the Risley area of Warrington, Cheshire.
Wilfred remained in the Prison Service until his retirement aged 59 in 1991 when he was awarded his Imperial Service Medal, this appearing in the London Gazette of 28th June 1991.
Following his retirement Wilfred lived with Gladys at 38 Gables Close, Cinnamon Brow, Warrington, Cheshire and passed away on 5th April 2007 aged 75, Gladys survived him by nine years and died on 29th December 2016.
The Story The medals awarded to Wilfred Stuart Worth were acquired from E-Bay on 4th February 2024 on a bit of a whim.
They aroused interest because of the General Service and Imperial Service Medal combination, a cursory search of the London Gazette revealing Wilfred had been awarded it on his retirement from HM Prison Service, making it a more unusual award.
A bid was placed and the medals won. Ancestry, London Gazette, Wills and Newspaper Archives all enabled a brief biography to be pieced together.
With the medals came a purchased named commemorative Suez Medal, indicating Wilfred had also seen service in the Canal Zone and likely entitled to the Canal Zone clasp to his GSM.
They aroused interest because of the General Service and Imperial Service Medal combination, a cursory search of the London Gazette revealing Wilfred had been awarded it on his retirement from HM Prison Service, making it a more unusual award.
A bid was placed and the medals won. Ancestry, London Gazette, Wills and Newspaper Archives all enabled a brief biography to be pieced together.
With the medals came a purchased named commemorative Suez Medal, indicating Wilfred had also seen service in the Canal Zone and likely entitled to the Canal Zone clasp to his GSM.
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Wilfred Worth's commemorative Suez Canal Medal
Medal Details
- General Service Medal: 22954368 CPL W S WORTH REME
- Imperial Service Medal: WILFRED STUART WORTH
- Suez Medal: 22954368 L/CPL WORTH W.S. 1953-55
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