South Yorkshire Times, November 11th 1944
Killed In Action
News has been received by Mrs. F. Catling that her husband Cpl. Fred Catling (29), son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Catling of 34, Newhill Road, Wath, has been killed in action in Holland.
Letters of condolence have been received from two of his officers. Major P. H. Hunt says that he is a great loss to the squadron.
Lt. J. Rimbler says “Cpl. Catling has been with us all through the Normandy fighting, and was then in the break through in Holland. The whole time he was first class, not only as my best gunner and most promising N.C.O. but as a man in a fighting troop he was never overwhelmed, and even in the most depressing moments he always had something to laugh at, which to my mind is the supreme quality.”
The letter goes on to state that he was killed near a village near Nijmegen. He had been sent back in his tank carrying wounded prisoners, when they came under heavy fire. Regardless of his own safety he stepped out of his tank to help a wounded man to shelter. At that moment a shell landed behind the tank and Cpl. Catling was killed outright.
Cpl. Catling married a London girl, who is now in the A.T.S. He has three brothers serving and one discharged. Cpl. Catling had been in the Army for seven years and before that was a surface worker at Wath Main Colliery.
From C.W.G.C.:
Lance Corporal FREDERICK CATLING
Service Number: 2659028
Regiment & Unit/Ship Coldstream Guards 1st Bn.
Date of Death Died 04 October 1944
Age 27 years old
Buried or commemorated at ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY 11. A. 17. Netherlands
Additional Info
Son of Arthur and Alice Catling; husband of Ethel Catling, of Marylebone, London.
Personal Inscription
DEVOTED HUSBAND OF SYLVIA. YOU WILL REMAIN FOR EVER IN MY THOUGHTS, DEAR