Eric Webster

War Service

Eric was a driver, regimental number 2135465 in the Royal Engineers 89 Field Company who died during the Western Europe Campaign aged 33 on 8th June 1945 – a month after the end of the war in Europe.
In the Wakefield Express dated 23rd June 1945 there were tributes from his family stating he had been killed in Germany, as well as the following obituary:
“KILLED BY A SHELL – Information has been received by Mrs Eric Webster (nee Bratley), of Canal Lane, Stanley, that her husband, Driver Eric Webster aged 33 years was killed on June 8th by a German shell. He had served four years and eight months, being with the B.L.A. (British Liberation Army) since June 19th 1944. A son of Mrs Sarah Webster of 32, Silcoates Lane, Kirkhamgate, he was employed at H H Holdsworth’s Ltd, Balne Lane Mills, Wakefield.”
Eric is buried in the Munster Heath War Cemetery in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.

Family Life

Eric Webster was the son of Herbert and Sarah Webster and husband of Edna of Stanley.
Herbert had married Sarah Matthews on 30th March 1911 at Alverthorpe St Paul’s Church, but they were both still living with their parents in the 1911 census – Sarah in Flanshaw Lane and Herbert in Cheapside, Wakefield. Herbert was a miner. I think they may have had a daughter Phyllis in 1911 and the following year Eric was born and then they had Cyril in 1913.
In 1934 Sarah was living at 14, Bunker’s Hill, Wrenthorpe with Eric and Phyllis – Cyril presumably was with them but too young to be on the electoral roll, but there was no sign of her husband Herbert. Cyril appears with them in 1936 and 1937, still at Bunker’s Hill.
Eric married Edna Bratley in the third quarter of 1938.
In the 1939 Register Eric and Edna were living at 172, Canal Lane. Eric’s birthdate was given as 11th April 1912. He was a warehouseman in the woollen mill and Edna was a worsted drawer.
Following Eric’s death Edna married Ronald Brown in 1946.

Munster Heath War Cemetery