Thread: Stanley Southworth RIP

Stanley Southworth - Telegraph

Stanley Southworth, who has died aged 86, earned a Military Medal during the Second World War, then came out of the Army in 1971, in the rank of major, to play a prominent role in the local government of Leicestershire.

In November 1942 Southworth was a sergeant with 42nd/15th Light Artillery regiment at Giovanni Berta, Libya, when his detachment was shelled out of position by Stukas at least three times.

As four Junker 88s dived out of the clouds to fly up and down the column bombing and strafing, his gun jammed. Ordering his men to take cover, he jumped on to the gun platform to get it going again.Three months later his troop was attacked by 30 Bf 109s, putting out of action two Bofors and leaving his main gun unsupported.

Nevertheless Southworth continued to fight on as three more enemy aircraft attacked from different directions. His citation declared: "This young detachment commander has shown ability far above the average, outstanding courage and devotion to duty during the whole period under review."

After being granted a commission in the field, he served in France and Belgium before being wounded in Schleswig-Holstein shortly before VE Day. A friend of his was wounded at the same time and subsequently died – and the telegrams home became mixed up, so that when Southworth arrived home five months later his family had sold his possessions.

The son of a railwayman who had been wounded in action during the First World War, Stanley Southworth was born on May 26 1921 at Darwen, Lancashire. He went to Spring Banks elementary school before joining the Royal Artillery.

But he was too young to serve abroad when war broke out, and transferred to the Manx regiment, with which he later went to North Africa. After the war he served in Singapore, Egypt and Cyprus.

After leaving the Army Southworth took a smallholding and developed a keen interest in local government, concerning himself particularly with regeneration of the Coalville areas afer the closure of the Snibston colliery. He served as a Conservative district and county councillor, and was chairman of Leicestershire fire authority. In addition he was a keen Rotarian, and helped to set up the Prince's Trust in the county.

Stanley Southworth is survived by his wife Rosemary Adey, with whom he had a daughter and two sons, both of whom became lieutenant-colonels in the Army.