South Yorkshire Times, October 28th 1944
In Antwerp Liberation
Spr. Jim Radford (25), of 150, Chapel Street, Wath, is serving with the Armoured Division which liberated Antwerp and saved the town and its harbour from destruction.
Members of this division have been issued with a copy of an article from the newspaper “Het Handlesblad van Antwerpen,” dated September 14th, which records “Never will Antwerp be able to express in full its gratitude to the heroes of the British Armoured Division. Through their unmatched courage and the speed of their heavy tanks they overcame every difficulty and broke down all resistance.”
Antwerp, by reason of its tunnel, had become the sole way of escape for the German troops in N.W. France and Flanders, and this escape route was cut by the unexpected speed and outstanding daring of the advance by night as well as by day – 700 kilometres in 9 days.
It was in this rapid advance in which he took part that Spr. Radford lost his friend, Spr. S. D. Reid, a Doncaster man, when a bridge over the Somme was blown. His friend was wounded and died later, but Spr. Radford managed to jump clear of the blast.
Before joining the Forces about four years ago Spr. Radford was employed as a bricklayer at Wombwell. He is an old boy of Brampton Ellis School and is the adopted son of the late Mr. and Mrs. G. Lomas of Elsecar Road. The account of the liberation of Antwerp he sent to his wife, who is naturally very proud of his connection with this Division.