William Alexander Shaw from Crook

[Mark Abbott]

I am trying, without any success, to trace any information about the above named who was awarded a Military Medal in 1945.  According to the London Gazette he hailed from Crook, County Durham

1886146 Corporal William Alexander Shaw, 16th Armoured Squadron, Royal Engineers who was decorated for taking his Churchill AVRE (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers) alone and ahead of the infantry into a heavily defended German town where he used his AVRE's 290mm Petard mortar to great effect destroying an enemy roadblock under heavy fire and for his “complete disregard for his own safety” when he attacked and demolished a house from which he had twice been fired on by Panzerfausts.

Recommendation for an Immediate Military Medal states, “At CLOPPENBURG on the 13th April this N.C.O. was in command of an AVRE and was the first armoured vehicle to enter the town. The streets were strongly held and had to be cleared house by house and there was heavy shell and mortar fire coming down. Cpl. SHAW advanced ahead of our infantry and destroyed a road block with Petard fire. Whilst so doing he was twice fired on from a house with a Panzerfaust, but he carried on and completed the work, and then with complete disregard for his own safety he attacked the house from which he had been fired on and demolished it. He was about to continue the advance when he was ordered to halt until the streets had been cleared. Through his road clearing, recce were able to reach the bridges and get back early reports.”

Any help would be most welcome.

Mark

[JenB]

Possible birth
William Alexander Shaw, 2nd q. 1909, Auckland 10a, 209 (Auckland R.D. included Crook)

Mother's maiden name Solomon.

[Mark Abbott]

Jen,

Thank you!  That is a great help.

Most grateful to you.

Mark

[candleflame]

From that birth, there is a potential marriage of parents Jane Solomon to Robert Shaw Dec q 1895. That would tie in with the 1911 census at South Church near Bishop Auckland so quite a nearby area where there is a 2 year old William Elexander Shaw and mum is Jane Ann. The Alexander is spelt with an E but the rest fits and there are other siblings.
If this is the correct family for you, there is a family tree on Ancestry that has photos of the parents Jane and Robert. They also use the death entry for their William Alexander as 2002 and his marriage to Mabel. In other words there's a lot out there providing this is the correct family.

[Tickettyboo]

A free search of the 1939 register on FindMyPast shows a William A Shaw, born 1909 in the same house in Spennymoor UD  as a Mabel Shaw and there are two closed records. Repeating the search using Mabel's name and the UD gives her birth year as 1911.

not allowed to look it up for you, but if you think its the right William A Shaw it may be worth a few credits to get the image.

Free BMD Marriages Q4 1932, Auckland has a marriage for William A Shaw and Mabel Robinson.

two possible births on FreeBMD for Shaw, mmn Robinson in Auckland District in Q4 1933 and Q3 1937 who may be the closed records on the 1939 register.

Boo

[Mark Abbott]

Thank you to all who have replied.  Further research is being undertaken!
 

[Mark Abbott]

Further research has been undertaken and I believe (yet to prove) that William Alexander Shaw was involved in the bus company "Shaw brothers" who operated in the 1950's and 60's in and around Sennymoor/Bishop Aukland.

Does anyone know any of the history of the firm?

Many thanks

[candleflame]

Shaw brothers bus company were based at Byers Green and ran the service from Byers Green to Spennymoor. In modern times - as in post WW2,  it was run by several brothers, one of whom was called Norman Shaw. We think it was in business before WW2.
The company was sold to United Automobile services in January 1975.
The company colours were blue and cream.

[Mei-leng LR]

Hi,

I stumbled across this post when looking up the Shaw Brothers Byers Green bus company to make a photo coffee table book for my Father in law for Christmas. My FIL was one of the Shaws who worked in the company as a young man. I was wondering if you ever found out if this was the correct Shaw as it would be interesting to know if he was related to my husband and his family!