Those for the Second World War read Ashfield, Banham, Barnsley, Bentley, Blencowe, Boneham, Boustouller ….hang on, Boustouller? This sounds more like a French name than English; what is a French name doing on our war memorial?

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website (www.cwgc.org) identifies the man as Louis Francis Boustouller, a 23-year old private in the 6th Parachute Regiment, part of the 10th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers, who died on the September 10, 1943; he is commemorated on the Cassino Memorial in Italy. There is nothing to tell of his connection to Kenilworth.

These brief details were put on the Kenilworth War Memorial website and two of his relatives recently came forward with more information.

The first was John Witherford, from Gaydon, who told us that Louis came from Jersey – hence the French name. He had enlisted with the Royal Welch Fusiliers, an infantry brigade, later transferring to the Parachute Regiment. Serving in the same regiment was John’s father, Arthur Michael Witherford from Kenilworth; it was through their friendship that Louis met and married Arthur’s wife’s sister, Betty Edkins, from Roseland Road.

The second relative to make contact was a member of the Boustouller family still living in Jersey, and he told us that Louis’ father, also called Louis, was born in Brittany, France, and moved to Jersey in 1906 with his four brothers and four sisters.

Combining the information from these two relatives, Louis’ story unfolds. Louis and Betty were married on April 4, 1943 at St John the Evangelist Church, Kenilworth.

Louis was 22 and Betty 20. The marriage was short, just five months later Betty was widowed.

Louis lost his life on board ‘HMS Abdiel’ on September 10, 1943 at Taronto, Italy. ‘HMS Abdiel’ was a minelayer, but on this occasion was being used to carry troops from Sicily to Italy as part of the proposed Italian invasion. Unknown to the Allies, mines had been laid only a few hours earlier by two German motor torpedo boats as they escaped the harbour. ‘HMS Abdiel’ struck a mine and sank in three minutes with heavy casualties, including Louis.

There was a happy ending for Betty however. She became friends with Louis’ best friend from Jersey, Raymond Dimmick, also a serviceman, and they married at St John’s Church in April 1946. They had two daughters, Lesley and Carol, and spent the rest of their lives in Kenilworth. Carol (now Mrs Coulson), lives in Clinton Lane and was able to supply the photo of Louis and explained that he was often talked about at home when she was growing up. In their living room they had his and Betty’s wedding photo on one wall and her parents’ wedding photo on the opposite wall.

As we build up a picture of Kenilworth during the Second World War, we are aware that the town did not have its own newspaper then, and are grateful for any information supplied.