Talking Stones

 This month, Talking Stones comes from St Mary’s (below) Byfleet, Surrey

St. Marys church
Byfleet, Surrey

With my ongoing research work regarding the Swansea men/women who died during the Second World War, I came across the name Benjamin Edward Booker MM (Military Medal), who died in October 1940 and was buried at St. Mary’s church in Byfleet. Benjamin Edward Booker was a Guardsman in the 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards. At the time of the outbreak of the war in September 1939, London-born Benjamin Edward Booker was residing in Swansea.

This raised a few questions. How did a resident from Swansea end up in Byfleet, and also, in what circumstances was Booker awarded a Military Medal?

Benjamin Edward Booker
Death Certificate

Benjamin Edward Booker, according to his death certificate, died of heart disease and high blood pressure in New Haw, Addlestone, which was his usual residence. It seems that although Booker died at home, it was because he had been injured and sent home and subsequently died of heart problems. So, did Booker just come to Swansea to enlist?

To answer the question surrounding the circumstances of the Military Medal, the medal recommendation can be found at the National Archives, with the description of the event which occurred between 21 and 23 May 1940. It would appear that it was awarded for cooking, fighting, and getting wounded away safely. What is interesting is that the information refers to Booker as Benjamin Henry and not Benjamin Edward!

John Godfrey Parry–Thomas

Babs

Also buried at St. Mary’s is the Welsh engineer and motor racing driver John Godfrey Parry–Thomas. He at one time held the land speed record achieved on 3 March 1927 at Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire, whilst driving a car called Babs. Sadly, in retaining his land speed title, Parry-Thomas was killed. Babs was a 27-litre Liberty aero-engine car. In 1924, Parry-Thomas purchased Babs from Count Louis Zborowski and rebuilt her. The car was used in 1926 to break the land speed record of 171.02 mph. Babs, which was one of four cars, started out as Chitty 4. These four cars gave the inspiration for Ian Fleming to write Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1964).

John Godfrey Parry–Thomas
Headstone - St. Mary's church, Byfleet
credit - findagrave

Parry-Thomas’s body was brought for burial to St. Mary’s so he could be close to the Brooklands Circuit, where he set several records. After the crash, Babs was buried at Pendine Sands, where she lay undiscovered for 42 years.

In 1969, Babs was excavated, and over the following 16 years was restored by Owen Wyn Owen, a car restorer and mechanic. Up until 2019, it was on display at the Pendine Museum of Speed but was removed when the museum was closed.

Hopefully, Babs will return to Pendine when the new museum is completed.

Copyright - The Bay Magazine - March 2022