In Remembrance of Those Who Died in World War 2

Frank Rossiter

19 December 1858 - 5 November 1944

He is my 1st cousin 3x removed of the husband of my 2nd cousin 7x removed.

He was born in Woolverton in Somerset to William Cousens Rossiter and Mary Anna Jones. His occupation in the 1939 England and Wales Census, is listed as retired sexton.

He served as a Corporal in the Infantry, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and was killed in action in Western Europe.

His wife Eliza Bowyer had died before him 1940, but he was survived by 3 children: 1 boy and 2 girls. 


Stanley P W Seymour

23 January 1916 - 29 November 1942

He is the nephew of the husband of my 2nd great aunt.

He was born in West Ham in East London to Sidney Percival Seymour and Eliza Sarah Seilor. The 1939 England and Wales Census shows that he was single and working as a laboratory assistant in a brewery.

He had married Doreen Olive Marchington at the beginning of 1940 and was living (presumably with her) in East London. The couple had no children, after her her husband's death, Doreen married her second husband, Peter Breeze, in January 1947.

He served as a Gunner in the Royal Artillery and was sent to the Dutch East Indies, where he was captured by the Japanese and taken as a Prisoner of War to Hong Kong. He died during his imprisonment and is mentioned on The Sai Wan Bay Cremation Memorial in Hong Kong.

John Edward Mignot

September 1922 - 6 February 1942

He is my 2nd cousin 2x removed.

He was also born in East London, in Walthamstow, to John Edward Mignot and Florence Lillian Leagas. I have not found much information about him as yet and at the moment I have him listed as an only child. At the time of his death he was unmarried.

John had joined the Merchant Navy and held the rank of Assistant Steward on the Merchant Vessel Opawa. Full information about the ship, including a photograph, can be read at https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1319.html.

I am quoting about the incident, from the site.

At 12.10 hours on 6 February 1942 the unescorted Opawa (Master Wilfred George Evans) was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-106 about 400 miles north-northeast of Bermuda. The ship had been chased since 08.32 hours and stopped after the hit. The U-boat dived to get closer and observed the launching of four lifeboats. At 14.17 hours, U-106 surfaced and shelled the ship with 93 rounds until she sank at 14.59 hours. However, 54 crew members and two gunners were lost. The master, 13 crew members and one gunner were picked up by the Dutch steam merchant Hercules on 11 February and landed at New York.