William Lovegrove

Private William Lovegrove
16 Feb 1907 - 1955
Biography

He was the son of Catherine Lovegrove. She was admitted with him to the City Road Workhouse, Holborn on 11 Apr 1908 and discharged just 3 days later. He had been admitted previously on the day he was born, described as being legitimate and Roman Catholic.

Postings
Unit or location Role Posted from until
West Norfolk Scout Section Scout Section Member 1942 03 Dec 1944
Regiment
The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
Military number
5960194
Career

His Army number indicates he enlisted in the Beds and Herts Regiment around 1940. His membership is assumed from his joint prosecution in July 1942 at Lynn Magistrates Court along with Albert Jerrom for riding together on an Army bicycle not designed for two. He was fined 4 shillings while Jerrom, who was pedaling, was fined 8 shillings.

Like Jerrom, Lovegrove went on to join the Special Air Service, though he does not appear to have deployed overseas, remain with 1st SAS in Chelmsford.

He was a regular at the Rose and Crown in Writtle while with the SAS. This was one of the closest pubs to their headquarters. He raised significant sums for the local forces comforts fund at the pub. He was also best man at the wedding of a fellow SAS trooper, David Cameron Cargill, on Saturday 30 Jun 1945.

Address
18 Rockford Avenue, Perivale, Middlesex (1950)
References

Lynn Advertiser 10 Jul 1942

Chelmsford Chronicle 30 Mar 1945, 25 May 1945, 5 Jul 1945

WW2 Medal Card

Ancestry UK

FreeBMD

Try the National Archives WO 423/872951