From CWGC:
PRIVATE DAVID WILSON SHANKS. Service Number: 3190784. Regiment & Unit: King's Own Scottish Borderers 6th Bn. Died 18 November 1940 Age 19. Son of Alexander Wilson Shanks (Masons Labourer) and Nellie Shanks (nee Scott) of Newtown St. Boswells.
TRAGEDY AT THEYDON BOIS
On Monday 18th November 1940 sixty men of the Kings Own Scottish Borders were billeted at Yates Retreat, a huge pre-war tea room and playground in Coppice Row, Theydon Bois. A sentry on duty outside saw an object descending by parachute. He had heard an aircraft circling earlier, and assumed that it must be an airman who had been forced to bale out. The object was in fact a mine, one of two dropped. One landed in Piercing Hill, but the other brushed the roof of the Retreat before hitting the helter-skelter and exploding. The Retreat was completely blown apart, and twenty-six soldiers were killed. Over the next few days two more died of their wounds. The explosion had also blown in some of the church windows and these had been replaced with plain glass. All the deaths were recorded at Epping Registry Office.
PRIVATE DAVID WILSON SHANKS. Service Number: 3190784. Regiment & Unit: King's Own Scottish Borderers 6th Bn. Died 18 November 1940 Age 19. Son of Alexander Wilson Shanks (Masons Labourer) and Nellie Shanks (nee Scott) of Newtown St. Boswells.
TRAGEDY AT THEYDON BOIS
On Monday 18th November 1940 sixty men of the Kings Own Scottish Borders were billeted at Yates Retreat, a huge pre-war tea room and playground in Coppice Row, Theydon Bois. A sentry on duty outside saw an object descending by parachute. He had heard an aircraft circling earlier, and assumed that it must be an airman who had been forced to bale out. The object was in fact a mine, one of two dropped. One landed in Piercing Hill, but the other brushed the roof of the Retreat before hitting the helter-skelter and exploding. The Retreat was completely blown apart, and twenty-six soldiers were killed. Over the next few days two more died of their wounds. The explosion had also blown in some of the church windows and these had been replaced with plain glass. All the deaths were recorded at Epping Registry Office.
From CWGC:
PRIVATE DAVID WILSON SHANKS. Service Number: 3190784. Regiment & Unit: King's Own Scottish Borderers 6th Bn. Died 18 November 1940 Age 19. Son of Alexander Wilson Shanks (Masons Labourer) and Nellie Shanks (nee Scott) of Newtown St. Boswells.
TRAGEDY AT THEYDON BOIS
On Monday 18th November 1940 sixty men of the Kings Own Scottish Borders were billeted at Yates Retreat, a huge pre-war tea room and playground in Coppice Row, Theydon Bois. A sentry on duty outside saw an object descending by parachute. He had heard an aircraft circling earlier, and assumed that it must be an airman who had been forced to bale out. The object was in fact a mine, one of two dropped. One landed in Piercing Hill, but the other brushed the roof of the Retreat before hitting the helter-skelter and exploding. The Retreat was completely blown apart, and twenty-six soldiers were killed. Over the next few days two more died of their wounds. The explosion had also blown in some of the church windows and these had been replaced with plain glass. All the deaths were recorded at Epping Registry Office.
PRIVATE DAVID WILSON SHANKS. Service Number: 3190784. Regiment & Unit: King's Own Scottish Borderers 6th Bn. Died 18 November 1940 Age 19. Son of Alexander Wilson Shanks (Masons Labourer) and Nellie Shanks (nee Scott) of Newtown St. Boswells.
TRAGEDY AT THEYDON BOIS
On Monday 18th November 1940 sixty men of the Kings Own Scottish Borders were billeted at Yates Retreat, a huge pre-war tea room and playground in Coppice Row, Theydon Bois. A sentry on duty outside saw an object descending by parachute. He had heard an aircraft circling earlier, and assumed that it must be an airman who had been forced to bale out. The object was in fact a mine, one of two dropped. One landed in Piercing Hill, but the other brushed the roof of the Retreat before hitting the helter-skelter and exploding. The Retreat was completely blown apart, and twenty-six soldiers were killed. Over the next few days two more died of their wounds. The explosion had also blown in some of the church windows and these had been replaced with plain glass. All the deaths were recorded at Epping Registry Office.
Inscription
3190784 Private
D. W. SHANKS
The King's Own
Scottish Borderers
18th November 1940 Age 19
In loving memory
of our only son.
He gave his life
that we might live
Gravesite Details
Commonwealth war graves military headstone.
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