Stroud, Herbert Frederick (Roy)
Age: 27
Date of birth: 15th October 1915
Parents: Edward Charles and Jessie Marguerite Stroud nee Miles
Wife: Single
Address: 17 Guys Cliffe Terrace, Warwick
Occupation: Storekeeper at the County Council offices
Herbert (Roy) was born in 1915, to parents Edward Charles and Jessie 
Marguerite.
His father, Edward had been married before, to Agnes Page, who died in 1911. Roy had five half siblings from this marriage. The subsequent marriage to Herbert’s mother produced a further eight children – four brothers – Norman Ernest (1917-2002), Lionel (1921-1998), Victor (1922-1923) and Terence (1924-1998) and three sisters Phyllis (1912-), Ellen Freda (1913-1913) and Jessie (1919-1978).
By the time of the 1939 Register, Roy’s father Charles had died (1929). Most of the family were still living at home apart from Lionel. Norman is listed as a Clothing Warehouse Manager, Jessie is a Draper’s Assistant, and Terence at only 15 is “seeking employment” but is also volunteering as an ARP Telephonist. Roy himself is working as a Clerk Storekeeper. Jessie’s married name is shown as Hogarth.
The Warwick Advertiser article in 1940, from a regular feature on Warwick men serving in the forces, gives information about Roy and two of his brothers.
Roy’s mother died in 1967
Military Service
Rank & Number: Sergeant (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner), 1305057
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Brigade/Division: 408 RCAF Squadron
Date of death: 9th May 1942
Cause of death/Battle: Killed in action - the aircraft he was in was lost at sea and the bodies of all the crew were eventually washed ashore
Commemorated/Buried: Buried in Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery, Denmark. Joint grave AIII. 11. 10-11
Awards:
Commemorated locally at: St Nicholas Church
Carole Leckie contacted Unlocking Warwick recently. Her father was a Squadron room-mate of Roy’s. Carole writes:
‘I came across an address which my father [Charles Burns Watson] gave at a Remembrance Day service back in the late 60’s-70’s. In it he mentions Roy Stroud whom he was friends with in the RAF (408 RCAF Squadron)….. my father was with him in the final week before his death and I leave you to read my father’s words regarding this event ….’
“I remember one war-time Sunday early in May 1942. I was walking with Roy Stroud, a Squadron room-mate from RAF Balderton. We had intended going to a movie in Newark-on-Trent.
As we approached the village church we heard voices raised in song. Roy said ‘I think I’ll go to the church tonight instead of the cinema’ and without more ado we joined the congregation. When the service was over Roy remarked on how much better he felt and we returned to camp.
Later that week we were briefed to attack Warnemunde near Rostock on the Baltic Coast. We were told the target was only lightly defended.
In the aircrew bus taking us to our aircraft at dispersal points, Roy seemed unusually glum. He was not the least impressed when I tried to cheer him up by saying it would be an easy trip. He made a wry comment about being glad he’d been to church on the previous Sunday. He was in one of seventeen of our aircraft which failed to return that night and we had to make a forced landing at Ludham on the Norfolk coast on our return….’
Contributors
- Unlocking Warwick Research Group
- Warwick Advertiser excerpts courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office
- Photograph of Roy courtesy of Rebecca Jackson nee Stroud – Roy’s Great Niece
- Excerpt from her father, Charles Burns Watson’s Remembrance Day speech, courtesy of Carole Leckie
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