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The Manchester Regiment - 8th Battalion (Ardwicks)

Stationed in Malta May 1940 - August 1943

The Manchester Regiment were tasked to unload ships, work as armourers & bomb loaders into aircraft & drive steamrollers to fill in bomb craters on runways.


Group photo taken in England - Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons.


'B' Company taken on Malta.
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons.


Thought to be 'B' Company taken on Malta.
Photo courtesy of Jean Heon.


Jean's father (Sid May) and friends. Photo thought to have been taken at Torri Combo Ni - Ta Kali 1940.
Photo courtesy of Jean Heon.

I am indebted to Rita Lyons who sent me 75 photos of the Regiment brought back by her father Pt. John Murphy. I have placed a selection of the collection on this page along with others on other pages of the site. See also 'Anti Aircraft'.

John Murphy (seated), Freddie Sherrat (end right) & friends.

John Murphy & friend in summer uniform.

John Lomax 26.01.1944.

Group photo, no names on photo.

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Malta 1942
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Malta 1944
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Malta 1942
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Malta 1942
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Malta 1942
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Malta 1942
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

 

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

No name on photo.

John Murphy

Photo titled 'Freddie' possibly Freddie Sherrat.

Freddie far right.

Norman Taylor.
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons.

Freddie Fuller.
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons.

John Murphy, Bert Tongue & friend.
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons.

 

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Freddie Sherrat & freind.
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Malta 1943
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Malta 1944
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Sicily 1944
Photo courtesy of Rita Lyons

Photos below courtesy of Mal Howorth of the 8th Ardwicks (TA). William Fleming with his mate Andy Cathcart are shown
in some of these photos but others names are unknown.

Photo courtesy of Ray Clarke

Photo courtesy of Ray Clarke

 



This appears to be most of the officers in the battalion in 1940-41 as many of the names tie in with the list in “The Ardwick Boys went to Malta”.
Back Row (L-R) Capt Bryant, Lt Jim Whitton, Lt Brady, Capt Wilson, 2nd Lt Gamon, Lt Summers, Lt Satterthwaite;
Front Row (L-R) 2nd Lt Deans, 2nd Lt Cowles, Major Ritson, Col Kaye (CO), Lt Wavish, 2nd Lt Booth, Capt Cook
Photo courtesy of Jim Whitton


Photo courtesy of Jim Whitton

Appears to be a mix of regiments possibly taken during training in England.
Photo courtesy of Jim Whitton

Sentry: N. Smith
Front Row: I Morgan, Sgt Lovett, Sgt Leigh
Back Row: W. Vanstone, A. White, Pvt Shufflebottom
Photo courtesy of Ray Clarke

Ammunition truck supplying batteries on the north of the island, with what looks to be one and possibly two local lads on the back.
Photo courtesy of Jim Whitton


Rations up. Harry Clarke on left.
Photo courtesy of Ray Clarke

Probably taken in England. The man on the left is Jims father, 2nd on the left Capt T P Bryant,and the second right is his friend Lt Ted Satterthwaite, so I assume it is D Company.
Photo courtesy of Jim Whitton

Photo courtesy of Ray Clarke

Photo courtesy of Ray Clarke

First letters from home.
Photo courtesy of Ray Clarke

Photo courtesy of Ray Clarke

Photo courtesy of Jim Whitton

Platoon Sergeant Lovatt (left) possibly receiving pay from Lt.Jim Whitton.
Photo courtesy of Jim Whitton

National War Museum, Malta.

There is a new book on the 8th Manchester Regiment by Robert Bonner due to be released soon. Put the title & author in an Amazon search.
It's a good place to start in searching for the title.

Links: http://www.themanchesters.org/