UK DEATHS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR
1939-1945
[including civilian war dead]
ALAN STERRY
Rank: Civilian
Date of Death: 23/01/1942
Age: 13
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: LOWESTOFT, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
Additional Information: of 55 Stanley Street. Son of James Albert Sterry, and of Dora Vida Sterry. Died at 55 Stanley Street.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK Sterry Tree
Note: Mother, Dora Vida Sterry, also killed same day. See below.
ANNIE MAY STERRY
Rank: Civilian
Date of Death: 19/12/1944
Age: 38
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: CHELMSFORD, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
Additional Information: of 29 New Street. Wife of James Sterry. Died at Hoffmann Works.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK Sterry Tree
Other Information: During World War II Chelmsford, an important centre of light engineering war production, was attacked from the air on several occasions, both by aircraft of the Luftwaffe and by missile. The worst single loss of life took place on Tuesday 19 December 1944, when the 367th Vergeltungswaffe 2 or V2 rocket to hit England fell on a residential street (Henry Road) near the Hoffmans ball bearing factory and not far from the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company factory in New Street which may also have been the target. (Hoffmans ball bearing factory was key to the war effort, supplying bearings for countless applications. This obviously made it a key target) Thirty-nine people were killed and 138 injured, 47 seriously. Several dwellings in Henry Road were completely destroyed, and many in nearby streets were badly damaged. A recently restored monument to the dead is in the city cemetery in Writtle Road. [Wikipedia]
CHARLES HERBERT STERRY
Rank: Gunner
Service No: 1143970
Date of Death: 11/09/1944
Age: 37
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery 4 Medium Regt.
Grave Reference: IV. B. 16.
Cemetery: ANCONA WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Mary Elizebeta Sterry; husband of Annetta Sterry, of Woodstock, Ontario, Canada.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK Sterry Tree
Other information:
UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 [Ancestry.com]
Name: Charles Sterry
Given Initials: C H
Rank: Gunner
Death Date: 11 Sep 1944
Number: 1143970
Birth Place: Ipswich
Residence: London W
Branch at Enlistment: Royal Artillery
Theatre of War: Italy
Regiment at Death: Royal Artillery
Branch at Death: Royal Artillery
Received Victory and British Medals. Private. Bedfordshire regiment.
DORA VIDA STERRY
Rank: Civilian
Date of Death: 23/01/1942
Age: 43
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: LOWESTOFT, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
Additional Information: of 55 Stanley Street. Wife of James Albert Sterry. Died at 55 Stanley Street.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK Sterry Tree
Note: Son Alan Sterry also killed same day.
FRANK ALBERT STERRY
Rank: Sergeant
Trade: Pilot
Service No: 574759
Date of Death: 18/10/1943
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
Grave Reference: Block 2. Grave 17.
Cemetery: SWIFT CURRENT (MOUNT PLEASANT) CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Mrs. A. F. Sterry, of Herne Hill, London, England.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK Sterry Tree
FREDERICK WILLIAM THOMAS STERRY
Rank: Private
Service No: 6151138
Date of Death: 11/06/1944
Age: 21
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Medical Corps
Grave Reference: I, A, 20.
Cemetery: BOLSENA WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of William Thomas Sterry and Mary Ann Ellen Sterry, of Borough, London.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Bermondsey, Surrey, UK Sterry Tree
GEOFFREY ALFRED ROBERT STERRY
Rank: Gunner
Service No: 5826156
Date of Death: 06/07/1942
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery 6 Medium Regt.
Grave Reference: 5. D. 2.
Cemetery: RANCHI WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Ernest Edward and Kate Mary Sterry, of Stanningfield, Suffolk.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK Sterry Tree
GEOFFREY EDWIN STERRY
Rank: Serjeant
Service No: 7611235
Date of Death: 08/05/1945
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Grave Reference: 18. D. 19.
Cemetery: PHALERON WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Frederick Percy Sterry, and of Ena Elizabeth Sterry, of Hastings, Sussex.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Longhope, Gloucestershire, UK Sterry Tree
Other Information: Geoffrey was killed (he drowned) in Greece at the end of the second world war [Julie Botha]
UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 [Ancestry.com]
Name: Geoffrey Sterry
Given Initials: G E
Rank: Serjeant
Death Date: 8 May 1945
Number: 7611235
Birth Place: Eastbourne
Residence: Sussex
Branch at Enlistment: Other Corps
Theatre of War: Balkans and Greece Campaign, 1944/45
Regiment at Death: Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Branch at Death: Other Corps
GEORGE ALBERT STERRY
Rank: Lance Serjeant
Service No: 6100152
Date of Death: 09/03/1943
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery 72 Anti-Tank Regt.
Grave Reference: 4. C. 6.
Cemetery: TABARKA RAS RAJEL WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of George Albert and Agnes Sophia Sterry, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Bermondsey, Surrey, UK Sterry Tree
HARRY STERRY
Rank: Private
Service No: 10590301
Date of Death: 18/11/1943
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Grave Reference: I. A. 10.
Cemetery: SYRACUSE WAR CEMETERY, SICILY
Additional Information: Son of Harry and Elizabeth Sterry, of Walthamstow, Essex
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK Sterry Tree
JOHN FREDERICK STEWART STERRY
Rank: Sergeant
Service No: 1267722
Date of Death: 02/01/1944
Age: 36
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Grave Reference: 9. C. 15.
Cemetery: MADRAS WAR CEMETERY, CHENNAI
Additional Information: Son of John and Eliza Sterry, of Great Wakering, Essex; husband of Ruth Kate Sterry, of Great Wakering
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Worcestershire, UK Sterry Tree
Other information:
GRO Army Return Deaths 1881-1945 [Ancestry]
1944 John F. Sterry, Station: Cuttack, Aged 36, Ref 171
MARY ANN STERRY
Rank: Civilian
Date of Death: 23/01/1942
Age: 73
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: LOWESTOFT, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
Additional Information: of 23 Trafalgar Street. Widow of James Edward Sterry. Died at 55 Stanley Street.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK Sterry Tree
Other information: Her memorial reads: "In Memory of Mary Ann Sterry who died 23 Jan 1942 age 73 of Trafalgar Street. Widow of James Edward Sterry at 55 Stanley Street." She is buried in the Municipal Borough of Lowestoft Cemetery, Section of the Civilian War Dead Register.
SIDNEY STERRY
Rank: Sergeant
Trade: Flight Engineer
Service No: 1121985
Date of Death: 29/05/1944
Age: 37
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Grave Reference: Compt. 30. Grave 74.
Cemetery: HULL NORTHERN CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of John and Clara Sterry, of Hull; husband of Edith May Sterry, of Hull.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK Sterry Tree
Family Information:
Jill Fielding and John Sterry have provided the following additional information on their granddad.
My grandad, Sidney Sterry, was killed in action on 29 May 1944. The Stirling bomber that he was the flight engineer on was shot down in Suffolk whilst coming in to land. Eye witnesses reported the rear gunner of the Stirling continued to fire at the Messerschmidt, that had followed it back to base, until the Stirling crashed into a hanger and burst into flames. All aircrew were killed. The crew consisted of British and Canadians.
My grandfather spent most of the war as ground crew and volunteered for aircrew very much against his chiefie's wishes. So he could have spent his time in the RAF in a relatively safe position. Apparently, he was known as "Pop" on the crew due to his relatively advanced years at 36 or 37 whereas the other crewmen where late teens or early 20's.
The crew were based with 1657 HCU at Stradishall in Suffolk, so it brings my grandfather back to the family's home county! The crew were returning from a training flight when they were attacked by an intruder aircraft as they made their landing approach. The aircraft was lost with its crew but eye witnesses suggest that the rear gunner was returning fire right up until the crash. The crew were unlucky this this time but had previously survived a crash in another Stirling.
VICTOR CLAUDE STERRY
Rank: Civilian
Date of Death: 16/09/1940
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: LAMBETH, METROPOLITAN BOROUGH
Additional Information: Driver, London Heavy Rescue Service; of 5 Tower Bridge Road, Southwark. Son of William and Alice Sterry, of 14 John Street, Luton, Bedfordshire; husband of Grace Isobel Sterry. Injured at St. Mark's Churchyard; died same day at Lambeth Hospital.
Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Family Tree link: Longhope, Gloucestershire, UK
Family Information: Victor was a boxer and family still have some of his cups. [Charlotte Parry]