Edward Roger Wakefield

In memoriam

CAPTAIN E. R. WAKEFIELD GENERAL LIST 3RD JUNE 1944 AGE 33 "HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT. I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH" REQUIESCAT IN PACE

Rank: Captain Service Number: 138709 Regiment: General List Secondary Regiment: and Special Service Brigade Awards: Mentioned in Despatches Age: 33 years old Edward was born on the 13th July 1910 in Yorkshire. He was the only son of Captain Edward Marcus Attwood Wakefield and his wife Edith Miriam Wakefield (née Andre). He had a sister named Priscilla. Roger was educated at Bedford School before going on in 1929 to Christ Church College in Oxford where he achieved a B.A. In the 1932 he rowed for his college in a series of boat races. In 1932, after leaving Oxford he became a member of Gray's Inn and was called to the bar. He was in the chambers of Mr Andrew Clarke KC. His parents at this time lived in Bath at St Georges Hill House in Bathampton. From 1937, Edward was the owner of this property, having been bequeathed it in the will of Mr Thomas Arthur Carless Attwood, along with a sum of money. In 1938 he joined the Honourable Artillery Company and took his commission in the Royal Artillery in 1940. After serving on the staff of Western Command, he joined the Commandos. He took part in many famous raids and was on Lord Lovatt's staff for eighteen months. Edward was a devout Catholic and when in London he devoted a lot of his spare time to the founding and running of the Christchurch Boys' Settlement at Kennington, London. In Yugoslavia in 1944, Captain Edward Wakefield was killed whilst attached to 2 Special Service Brigade. Nos. 40 and 43 Royal Marine Commandos a well as Partisan forces were detailed to cause a diversionary attack against German forces on the island of Brac whilst the allies were landing in Normandy on DDay. The battle was against a well dug in German force of over 1200. The combined force of the Commandos and partisans failed. Tactically Brac was a failure, but strategically it achieved its object as the Germans diverted three Divisions of troops from the Dalmations to reinforce their hold on the island. Edward received a posthumous Mention in Despatches in 1945. This was announced in the London Gazette Supplement 36886, Pg337 Edward was originally buried in Milna Military Cemetery but was later moved along with others and buried in a collective grave in Belgrade War Cemetery. In 1944 in his will, among other things, Edward left a picture to the National Portrait gallery and property in Wellington, New Zealand to his sister Priscilla. In 1938, the property had been bequeathed to him in the will of his Uncle, the Reverend Charles William Wakefield of Kirkoswald Vicarage in Penrith, Cumbria who had died a few months previous. One way in which Edward is commemorated is by the 'Wakefield Scholarships: In 1989, Edward's sister Priscilla, donated £300,000, setting up an endowment fund for a scholarship in Roger's name at the Institute of Criminology at Cambridge University. This was a doctoral scholarship for post-graduates to study at Cambridge. Two annual awards will be made to students from Canada, Australia & New Zealand. Wakefield Scholarships are open to students intending to pursue a career of advanced study or research in Criminology. Edward is also commemorated in two churches in Bath. Firstly on the 1939-45 War Memorial in the Church of St. Nicholas in Bathampton, and then with a stained glass memorial window in St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, South Parade, Bath. The text on the window reads: Of your charity, pray for the soul of Edward Roger Wakefield of the Commandos, Killed in action on Brac island June 3rd 1944 The personal inscription chosen by his family and inscribed on his headstone in Belgrade reads: "HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH" REQUIESCAT IN PACE (Sources: CWGC, Find My Past, Commando Veterans Archive, Christ Church College Oxford ROH, St John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Bath Chronicle &Weekly Gazette Newspaper) (Bio: Woose)

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