Edward Hearsum (1922 - 1942)
The first of the East Bergholt men to die in the Second Worl War, Edward was also the second youngest. His ship – the destroyer HMS Thanet – was sunk by the Japanese off the coast of Malaya. It is not certain whether Edward lost his life in the sinking or shortly afterwards, as it is widely believed that a number of the survivors were murdered by the Japanese.
- 81
- Died in the Second World War
- 51.978274, 1.016046
Details
| Name: | Edward John Hearsum |
| Service: | Royal Navy |
| Ship: | H.M.S. Thanet |
| Service Number: | C/JX 262251 |
| Rank: | Ordinary Seaman |
| Date of Death: | 27th January 1942 |
| Age: | 19 |
| Commemorated: | Panel 57, Column 3, Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent |
This page is under construction
In order to try and tell the story of Edward’s life as fully as possible, a request has been submitted to the Ministry of Defence for a copy of his Service Record.
Due to the exceptionally high volume of requests that the Ministry are currently receiving, it looks as if it will be the end of this year (or later) before a copy of the document is released.
It is hoped to include Edward’s story here, at some point during 2025. In the meantime, if you would like further information about Edward’s life then please feel free to get in touch.
Mark Ashmore
February 2024
- 81
- Died in the Second World War
- 51.978274, 1.016046
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