Lieutenant Arthur Roy Poston
277884, 2nd County of London Yeomanry, (Westminster Dragoons), Royal Armoured Corp.
Died 22nd October 1944, aged 21.
Arthur was originally from Essex, although his parents, Arthur and Lilian, lived in Woburn Sands. ‘Ted’ and Lily were jewellers who moved here during the War. They were keen golfers and supplied all the silverware to Aspley Guise and Woburn Sands Golf Club. When they moved back to London in 1950, the Club inaugurated the Poston Trophy.
Arthur attended Haileybury School in Hertford.
In the D Day landings, Operation Overlord, the 2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons) were part of the 30th Armoured Brigade using “Sherman Crab” tanks. The Germans planted over four million mines along the French coast to hinder the Allied landings in 1944. To break through these defences at the start of the Normandy Invasion the British produced a number of novel armoured fighting vehicles under the ingenious direction of Major General Percy Hobart, including the Sherman Crab. The Crab bore a rotating drum with dozens of chains attached; these detonated mines in its path to produce a beaten passage through the thickest of minefields. The Westminster Dragoons were trained in this vital task, as part of 79th Armoured Division, led by Hobart. They were the first unit ashore on D-Day on Gold Beach in the British sector, clearing paths off the beach and using their tank guns to destroy defences holding up the assault. They went on to fight across northwest Europe and into Germany. Wikipedia
The Westminster Dragoons, with their Flail Tanks, were very busy in the month of October 1944. They helped clear roads and the countryside of mines, allowing Allied troops to continue their advance on Germany, through Holland.
A death notice for Arthur appeared in The Times on 30th Oct 1944, stating his parents were late of Gidea Park.
He is listed in the Heesch Roman Catholic Cemetery, Nord Brabant, Netherlands. This cemetery is behind the church in a small village about 7 kilometres south of Oss, 16 kilometres north-east of ‘S-Hertogenbosch, and 31 kilometres west of Nijmegen. There are 26 war graves.
The Westminster Dragoons Memorial was at their base at Elverton Street, London, but has now moved to Cavalry House, at the Duke of York’s Headquarters. They lost 91 Officers and Men during World War Two.
Page last updated May 2022.