Name
William Charles Frost Bryant
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
14/02/1942
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
890210
Royal Artillery
135 (The Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regt.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KRANJI WAR CEMETERY
Sp. Mem. 12. C. 15.
Singapore
Headstone Inscription
WE, BEING MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND EVERY ONE, MEMBERS, ONE OF ANOTHER
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St. Mark’s Church Memorial, Hitchin, Hitchin Roll of Honour 1939 – 1945 (Book) St Mary’s Church, Hitchin, Hitchin Boys’ Grammar School Memorial (WW2)
Biography
He was born in North London and, at the time of enlistment, was resident in Hertfordshire. He attended the Hitchin Grammar School from 1932-1934. After leaving the school, he took up employment at the Herts & Beds Bacon Factory. In his spare time he was in the Territorial Army.
At the outbreak of war he was called up for active service into the Royal Artillery, bearing Service Number 890210. He was a member of 344 Battery in the I 35th (Herts Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery which was equipped with 8 x 4.5 howitzers. The Regiment sailed from Gourloch (probably Gouroch in Scotland) at the end of October 1941 for Halifax, Nova Scotia. They were transferred to the S.S. ‘Mount Vernon’ and went to Cape Town heading for the Middle East. On the way they were diverted to Singapore and arrived during an air attack on the 13th January 1942. After disembarking they were despatched to the west coast of Johore and were in action before withdrawing to Singapore Island by the 31st January 1942. They fought vigorously on the island until ordered to destroy their equipment and surrender on the 15th February 1942.
After the fall of Singapore, which was the day following his death, he was reported as missing, but it was later confirmed that he had died of wounds just before the British Army had surrendered to the Japanese.
He is buried in Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore and his grave is a Special Memorial in Plot 12, Row C, Grave 15 and the headstone is marked "We, Being Many, Are One Body In Christ, And Every One, Members, One Of Another".
The eldest son of William John and Elizabeth Frost Bryant of 67, Periwinkle Lane, Hitchin, his parents had to wait until the end of 1945 before they received notification of his death.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, Hitchin Grammar School Chronicle, Paul Johnson - local historian, ‘History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery - Far East Theatre - 1941-1946’ by M. Farndale, Herts Pictorial dated 24th Dec 1945
