Family of Clitheroe WW2 teenager given his medals 65 years on (From Chorley Citizen)
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Family of Clitheroe WW2 teenager given his medals 65 years on
5:55pm Monday 9th August 2010 in TV
THE family of a teenage sailor killed during the Second World War have finally been given his medals.
But 65 years it is still unclear exactly how 19-year-old Stanley Smith Pollard died.
The presentation was made possible thanks to children from Clitheroe Youth Forum.
While compiling a roll of honour for all servicemen who lost their lives, members discovered the family of the Clitheroe teenager had never recieved his service medals To mark Mr Pollard's sacrifice, the forum decided to honour him at a special service at St Mary’s Parish Church today at which his two sisters were finally given five 1939 to 1945 service medals by Navy and council officials.
Sister Kath Brooks, 82, said: “Today has been absolutely wonderful. I have waited 65 years for this.
“Stanley was a beautiful boy. A lovely lad. He was quiet, but a good son to our mother. It broke her heart when he died, and she would have loved to have received these medals.”
Sister Marjorie Preston, 74, who travelled from London to be at the service, said: “He would make wooden trains and cars for the boys.
“He was a kind and gentle boy.”
Official records show that Corder Pollard, who was serving on the Royal Navy H.M.S King Bor in Norway at the time of his death, died by drowing on June 22, 1945.
But his sisters said they believe he was murdered along with six of his comrades, by Norweigans who had collaborated with the Germans.
Their brother, Professor Arthur Pollard had uncovered the killing through painstaking research. But he has since died, and taken the full details to his grave.
Today's hour-long service was attended by about 100 people including members of the Royal British Legion, children from the Forum, and members of the public.
Mel Diack, chairman of Clitheroe Youth Forum, said: “War medals were not automatically issued - they had to be applied for - and often families were too heartbroken to think of doing that at the time.
“We decided that we should apply for them and honour and remember past heroes who died for freedom and liberty, who are never to be forgotten.”
