PTE. H. KILDING

FIRST NAMES: Harry

NUMBER: 1439775

RANK: Private

UNIT: Green Howards

DOB:27th March 1916

MARITAL STATUS: Married

OCCUPATION: Bricklayer

DATE OF ENLISTMENT: September 1942

STATUS: Killed in Action

DATE OF DEATH: 1944

WHERE BURIED: Anzio Beachhead Cemetery, Italy

MEDALS: 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, Victory Medal, Defence Medal

Photo of Pte. H. Kilding

Harry (Sonny) Kilding was born at Brompton on the 27th March 1916 and attended Brompton School until his fourteenth birthday, when he went to work for Stockdales builders where he qualified as a stone mason and bricklayer. On the 23rd of October 1937 he married Muriel Wetherill at the All Saints Church, by the Reverend Baines. They had two children, Brian and Margaret and lived at Market Row, though later they moved to 6 Quaker Lane.

In September 1942 Harry was called up for the army and joined the Green Howards at Richmond. In 1943 he sailed for North Africa and then to Italy. On January 22nd 1944 he took part in Operation Shingle, the landings on the west coast of Italy at Anzio. VI Corps landed 60 miles north of the German main defensive line and were to push as quickly as possible south to attack the Germans in the rear. The Allies launched an attack as a diversion at Cassino, but met stiff resistance. The Anzio landings went badly from the beginning due to the American General Lucas delaying the drive inland which allowed the Germans to move divisions of armour and troops into the area, where they almost succeeded in pushing the Allies back into the sea. The British and American troops were pinned down on the beaches for four months, but stubbornly held until a breakthrough had been made at Cassino. Harry Kilding was in a Bren Gun Carrier on those beaches and it was there where he was killed. He lies buried in the Beachhead Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Anzio. The inscription on his headstone reads;

"In loving memory of a wonderful Husband and Father,
Wife Muriel and Margaret and Brian."

Harry Kilding is also remembered on the Northallerton War Memorial and the Memorial in All Saints Parish Church.

Harry was aged 27 years.