2659833, Guardsman, 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards.
Missing In Action on the 16th March 1943 aged 21.
Guardsman Kenneth Walter Wilderspin
Kenneth was born on the 15th June 1922, the son of Edgar & Lilian Wilderspin who lived at 120 Haycroft Road. He joined the Coldstream Guards in December 1939, when he was only 17. He increased his age at the time of his recruitment and this resulted in an incorrect age being shown for him at the time of his death. Ken had been in North Africa for 12 months before being reported Missing.
On the 16th March 1943, his Battalion were involved in a disastrous night attack on German positions in the Wadi Remli in Tunisia. The assault began at 19.30pm and was immediately met by considerable enemy mortar and small arms fire. No.1 Company soon became separated from the others and, after passing it’s objective, became cut-off when the German troops advanced. The enemy troops then pressed home their advantage and soon reached the Battalion HQ, which was forced to make a hasty retreat back across the Mareth to Medenine road from where they had started their attack.
It is not known what happened to Kenneth during the heavy and confused fighting and as a result he has no known grave.
His name is recorded on the Medjez-El-Bab Memorial, Tunisia. (Face 13)