Name
Eric Wilfred Kefford
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
19/07/1944
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
232403
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
Seconded to 1st Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BAYEUX MEMORIAL
Panel 13, Column 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Boys’ Grammar School Memorial (WW2), Biggleswade War Memorial
Biography
He was born in Bedfordshire but attended the Hitchin Grammar School from 1926-1931. After taking School Certificate he obtained employment with the National Deposit Friendly Society Office in Biggleswade. He was a popular young man in his hometown of Biggleswade and was connected actively with local scouting, the Toc-H movement and the Methodist community. In the latter he was the local preacher until his work took him to Derby.
He was still a resident of Bedfordshire when he joined the forces and was given the Service Number 232403 and later obtained a commission in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. He was seconded to the 1st Battalion of the King's Own Scottish Borderers and served with them in France. The 1st K.O.S.B. was part of the 9th Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division of 1 Corps and were the follow-up on Sword Beach in Normandy to the 8th Infantry Brigade and 1 S.S. Brigade which had included David Hutchinson.
At the time of his death, fierce fighting was taking place to the southeast of Bayeux, with the British Second Army making desperate efforts to break out from their Normandy bridgehead.
He has no known grave but is remembered on Panel 13 Column 3 of the Bayeux Memorial to the Missing in France.
He left a wife whose first names were Barbara Betty and who lived in Biggleswade, and he was the son of Wilfred Geoffrey and Ada Catherine Kefford of 59, St. John's St. Biggleswade.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, Hitchin Grammar School Chronicle, Hitchin Grammar School Registers, ‘Orders of Battle’ by H.F. Joslen, ‘Normandy to the Baltic’ by B. Montgomery
