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Marine Frederick George Wallis

PLY/X 1751 Royal Marines H.M.S. Charybdis

Son of John and Eliza Wallis

Aged 24 years

Died 23rd October 1943

Buried at St Brieuc Western Communal Cemetery
Plot H. Row E. Grave 1.
Commemorated in the Memorial Chapel,
at St Mary's Church, Rushden.
Biographical notes from Heather Parris (his great neice)
Frederick George Wallis, was the youngest son of John and Eliza Wallis who lived at Cherry Orchard. He was born at Rushden on 23rd May 1919, and moved from Alfred Street School to South End School, in September 1925, when the family to moved to 5 Bedford Road. He left on 23rd Dec 1926 “gone to Sanatorium.”

His father John, a currier, died in 1925 and was buried in Rushden Cemetery (grave E1004) on 28th November 1925, and his mother Eliza Jane (nee Knight), was buried in the same grave on 11th May 1935. After his mother's death Fred spent sometime with his eldest brother Herbert and his wife and family in Leicester (my grandparents).

Fred joined the Royal Marines and served on H.M.S. Charybdis, which was torpedoed just off the English Channel on the night of 23rd October 1943. Only three men survived, and he is buried at St Brieuc, Brittany, where his body was washed up.

Sadly he lost his brother Thomas in 1941, then Herbert in 1942 in Leicester. He had another brother William who lost his legs in WWI, and some sisters.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 10th November 1944, transcribed by Kay Collins

Marine’s Death Presumed

FredThe death has now been presumed of Marine Frederick George Wallis on October 23rd, 1943, while aboard H.M.S. Charybdis, a cruiser sunk by German torpedoes near the French coast.

Marine Wallis, who is a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Wallis, of 5 Bedford-road, Rushden, and has been officially “missing” from that period. The enemy at the time claimed to have landed some survivors, and hopes were held that he would be one of these.

The further information was conveyed to Mrs. G. Mallows, of 30 Willington-road, Raunds, a sister with whom Marine Wallis made his home after their parent’s death.

Marine Wallis was 25 years of age, and had been in the service for seven years. He was on the ill-fated Courageous, the Barham and other famous vessels. During the war he married, and his wife resides in the south of England.


Baptism certificate
A baptism certificate from Park Road Baptist Church when Herbert E Wallis was immersed in 1911. Herbert was born in 1896. The family lived at South Terrace. Pictured left with two of the Belgian refugees who came to Rushden in 1914.
Herbert later lived in Leicester.
Herbert and two Belgians
Herbert Wallis and two Belgian friends

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