Geoffrey Charles Baldwin

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher. Photos courtesy of Anonymous, FindaGrave.com

Geoffrey Charles 'Tom' Baldwin was born on the 15th of August 1921, the son of Frederick Charles & Elsie Frances Baldwin, (née Ward) who had married on the 24th of March 1913 in the Parish Church of Burgh St. Peter, Norfolk. His father, Frederick, had served in the First World War, joining up in 1915 but and was wounded and discharged having lost his leg at the Battle of Passchendaele.

We see the young family on the 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921, before Geoffrey Baldwin was born. They were living at Rollesley Road, Fleggburgh. Frederick Baldwin was head of the household, he was 37 years and 1 month old, born in Woodton, Norfolk and was a ‘Bootmaker in Training at the Government Instructional Factory, Norwich.’ Elsie Baldwin was 31 years and 4 months old, born Burgh, St. Peter and doing ‘At Home Duties.’ Their daughters were Winifred Baldwin, 6 years and 10 months old and Joyce Baldwin, 4 years and 11 months old, both born in Fleggburgh, Norfolk.

The Baldwin family c.1930s L-R Elsie, Winifred, Frederick, Geoffrey and Joyce Baldwin

 

Frederic Baldwin died in 1932. He had re-trained as a cobbler and was a boot maker to the Bishop of Norwich. He now lies in an unmarked grave, buried to the right of the main gate of the church.

The first time we see Geoffrey Baldwin in official records is on the 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 19th of September 1939 where we see them living at 61, Wolseley Road, Great Yarmouth. Geoffrey Baldwin was single and was working as an Apprentice Carpenter & Joiner. Also in the household was James W. Gardner, a Horticultural Gardener, his wife, Joyce D. Gardner, doing Unpaid Domestic Duties and Arthur E. Cross, a Nurseryman. There was a ‘Closed’ or redacted record.

Sadly, I have no information on Geoffrey Charles Baldwin, neither his early or teen years, and I do not know when Geoffrey Charles Baldwin was to enlist or was conscripted but he was to find himself fighting on D-Day and laid down his life for our freedom. He was serving with the 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment which landed on Sword Beach  on D-Day. But their advance was slowed due to the German strongpoint near Coleville, codenamed Hillman, so they were ordered to bypass it but they received heavy casualties as they did so, some by friendly fire when Allied tanks fired on them thinking they were German troops getting out of Hillman.

Geoffrey Charles Baldwin was first buried at St. Aubin and was reburied on the 29th of May 1945 at La Delivrande British Cemetery where he now lies. Elsie Baldwin was to die in 1961 and is buried in All Saints Churchyard, Filby, Great Yarmouth. Her personal inscription on Geoffrey's grave is: -

GOD MUST HAVE
A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN
AS HE ONLY PICKS THE BEST.
HIS LOVING MOTHER

Geoffrey is also commemorated on the memorial in his local church in Flegburgh, Norfolk.