Sergeant Benjamin Oldroyd, 1084594,
Air Gunner, 214 (Malay Federated States) Squadron, Royal Air Force Reserve.
Benjamin Oldroyd was born at home at 3.40 am on Tuesday, 22nd March 1921 at Wood Moor, Newmillerdam, Crigglestone. Benjamin was the youngest son and a twin to Patience Oldroyd, born to Dewsbury mill worker/coal miner Charles Henry Oldroyd (1885- 1957) and Staffordshire born Sarah Ann Pearcey (1890-1951) who married in late 1910.
By 1911 Sarah Ann Oldroyd was living with the couple’s three months old first born, George, at her mother’s home in Batley. Her husband, Charles Henry (Charley) meanwhile was living with his parents and siblings in Dewsbury. Numbers appear to have dictated the living arrangements.
By 1921 Charles Henry was living with his family at Wood Moor, Crigglestone and working as a hewer at Crigglestone Collieries but beforehand he had worked the Dewsbury mills and latterly he returned to that work. The couple now had six children, including five sons; they were Dewsbury born George (born 1910 – 1998), Leonard (1913 -1966), Richard (1916 – 1974) and Crigglestone born Charles Henry (1918 – 1994)) and the twins.
Benjamin and Patience were the fifth and sixth children born to the couple. At the time of the twins’ birth, Patience was the only daughter and Benjamin was the youngest son. Benjamin was named after his paternal grandfather and Patience was named after her maternal grandmother. A second daughter, Alice, was born in spring 1924 and registered in Dewsbury. This, and other sources, suggest that the family moved to Crigglestone in 1920/21 and returned to the Dewsbury area in 1923/24.
By September 1939 all the sons, except Benjamin, had flown the nest and Charles Henry and Sarah Ann were living at 109, Bridle Lane, Gawthorpe with Benjamin and their two daughters, Patience and Alice. Charles Henry was working in a local cloth mill and Benjamin was a plasterer with Mr. B. Idle of Heckmondwike. His twin, Patience (1921-1976), was an assistant in a grocer’s shop and his younger sister Alice (1924-1982) was working in a local mill. Even though the lads had left their parental home they hadn’t gone far and, as we will hear, it wouldn’t be long before they were called upon by their country. Their eldest son, George had married and was living on Dewsbury Road, Ossett. Leonard had also married and was living at School Street, Gawthorpe and Richard was living with his wife in Dewsbury. All three were working in the building trade.
By 1942, some of the Oldroyd family had moved to live in Smethwick, West Midlands, not far from Sarah Ann Oldroyd’s birth place of Sedgley. Benjamin’s twin sister Patience Oldroyd married James Edward Tolson of Walker Street, Dewsbury, in Smethwick in early 1942. Interestingly James E. Tolson’s mother’s maiden name was Oldroyd.
Great Britain declared war on Nazi Germany on 3rd September 1939 and shortly thereafter Benjamin enlisted at Padgate near Warrington and by February 1940 he was mobilised. No.3 RAF Depot Padgate, opened in April 1939 and operated as the national recruit training centre for the RAF during and after World War II.
Following further training, including at Waterbeach, Benjamin qualified as an air gunner and joined the 214 Squadron which was located in West Suffolk at Stradishall between 12th February 1940 and 1st October 1942 and Chedburgh from 1st October 1942.
Benjamin Oldroyd of Smethwick joined 214 Squadron at RAF Stradishall or Chedburgh as an air gunner and on the 20th April 1943, the squadron mission was to bomb the Heinkel factory at Marienehe, Rostock which was Germany’s largest Baltic port. Sixteen Sterlings were involved in the attack on Marienehe setting out from Chedburgh. Benjamin was the rear gunner in Stirling BK800 and they took off at 21:50 hours for Germany with an ETA of 07.00 for its return on 21st April 1943.
The 214 Squadron Operations Book (ORB) SUMMARY OF EVENTS records a summary of the sixteen Stirlings in the attack on Marienehe. There was only one fatality; Air Gunner Benjamin Oldroyd.
“20.4.43. Tonight the Squadron was ordered to attack the Heinkel Factory Marienehe.
3 Stirlings MK.I. and 13 Stirlings MK.III. were detailed.
8 “ attacked the primary
4 “ “ “ alternative at Rostock
3 “ returned earlier and jettisoned
1 “ landed away (V-214 at OULTON)
The 8 Stirlings attacked the HEINKEL works at Marienehe from 0149 to 0159 hrs., 10000 to 7500ft., dropping 2 x 2000lb, 4 x 1000, 3280 x 4lb, 288 x 30lb. Despite there being no cloud and bright moonlight , a very efficient smokescreen made the identification of the works difficult. Four A/C definitely saw factory buildings, two of the airfield and the others caught glimpses of the roofs after identifying pinpoints on the river near the factory.
At least one good fire was seen in the works area. Five Stirlings being unable to identify the works bombed ROSTOCK from 0139 to 02020 hrs. from 9000-8000 ft. dripping 1 x 2000 , 2 x 1000,2160 x 4lb. and and 139 x 30lb. Manman Estuary and built up area of town were clearly seen. Bombs fell south of the ship yards and in the N.E. of the town. One large fire with a huge column of smoke , two medium fires and several smaller fires were seen in the town. One of these A/C’s bombed Rostock as the captain was hit by flak and the bomb aimer took over the controls.”
One A/C returned early because the captain was wounded by cannon fire from the ground. It jettisoned its bombs at sea. One A/C was repeatedly driven off course, hit by flak at sea having returned owing to starboard inner engine failure.
There were two combats, in one the tail gunner had already been killed and in the other the tail gunner was wounded by flak.”
The 214 Squadron Operations Book (ORB) RECORD OF EVENTS records detail of the encounters of each of the aircraft including this from Stirling 800. All set out from Chedburgh:
“This A/C attacked the HEINKEL works at MARIENEHE, dropping 1 x 2000HC,1 x 1000GP, 1 x1000LD (37 Mk IV E) at 0140hrs., from 10,000ft, heading 180M. The night was fine with moonlight, no cloud and visibility good. A thick smoke obliterated the ground detail. The target was identified by run up river, and a fire in factory was seen through smoke screen, and town was identified on run out. Large fire in works and one large and several small fires seen in ROSTOCK. The rear turret was hit by flak from flakship West of *******, and the rear gunner was killed. Soon after fuselage raked by fighter. One photo attempted. Route as ordered.”
Sergeant Benjamin Oldroyd was the rear gunner and was killed on this mission.
According to Sgt. Rollings: “On returning, flying very low over sea east of Kiel Canal when fired at (almost horizontally) and the rear gunner was killed. There were 120+ bullet holes in aircraft when back on squadron.
Elsewhere Sgt. Rollings added; Because of damage to the aircraft from bullets, it nearly crashed when landing because the aircraft flew to right of runway and we just managed to clear trees on boundary of aerodrome. On the second attempt pilot knew what to expect and the second landing turned out OK.”
The reason for loss was given as Encountered a flak ship on the return trip, the rear turret was hit and Oldroyd was killed. The squadron Medical Officer noted him as being “shot through the head”.
The Crew of Stirling (model unknown) BK800 comprised:
Sgt. R. G. Gray, Pilot
Sgt. J. M. Henry, Air Gunner
Sgt. Benjamin Oldroyd, 1084594, Rear Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, K.I.A. 21st April 1943, aged 22
Sgt. E. L. Peck, Navigator
Sgt. W. Robertson, Wireless Op / Air Gunner
Sgt. Frederick George Rollings, Navigator/Bomber
Sgt. T. L. Salter, Flight Engineer.
The “Ossett Observer” carried this obituary on the 1st May 1943 issue “Killed On Operational Flight – Former Gawthorpe Lad”
“Sergeant Benjamin Oldroyd (22), R.A.F., of Bromfield, Smethwick, Staffs., son of Mr. and Mrs. Oldroyd, formerly of Chancery Lane, Gawthorpe, was killed on April 21st 1943 whilst on an operational flight. A full military funeral took place on Tuesday at Smethwick, among those present being his parents, his brother George (who is in the R.C.S.), his twin sister Patty and her husband (G. Tolson, R.A.F.) of Earlsheaton.
He was educated at Gawthorpe Council School, and before leaving the district was employed as a plasterer by Mr. B. Idle, Heckmondwike. George has been stationed in North Britain two years, but has lately been in a Glasgow hospital suffering from a nervous breakdown. Another brother Dick, is in the Middle East with the York and Lancaster Regiment, and a third brother Charlie, who is in the Commandos is as yet recovering from wounds received in the Dieppe raid.”
Benjamin’s brothers, George, Richard (Dick) and Charlie (Charles Henry) each lived to a good age in spite of their travails in World War II.
Sergeant Benjamin Oldroyd was killed in action aged 22 years on the 21st April 1943. The youngest son of Charles Henry Oldroyd and of Sarah Ann Oldroyd (nee Pearcey), of Smethwick, he was buried at Ruiton Congregational Chapel Yard, Upper Gornal, Dudley, West Midlands. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission remember and honour him there with a CWGC headstone. In 1891, aged eleven months, Benjamin’s mother, Ann lived on Ruition Street in the same parish of Gornal where he was buried 52 years later in 1943.
Benjamin Oldroyd is also remembered by his name at the International Bomber Command Centre Walls of Names at Lincoln.
Benjamin Oldroyd will be remembered in 2022 at the Ossett War Memorial alongside his brothers and sisters in arms; The Ossett Fallen.
In early 1942 Patience Oldroyd married Dewsbury born James Edward Tolson (1916 – 1975) at Smethwick and the couple appear to have had one child, born in Smethwick in autumn 1947. He was named Benjamin E. Tolson no doubt in memory of Patience’s twin brother, Benjamin Oldroyd (1921-1943). Benjamin E. Tolson married Janet E. Westwood in the Dudley area of Staffordshire in late 1972 and the couple appear to have had at least three children born between 1973 and 1979. Benjamin and his family will also surely remember Benjamin Oldroyd, an uncle and great uncle.
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