Heal, Harry – Born: Highbridge, Somerset on 2.8.1899.[1] Parents: William Frederick Heal (Gas Works Manager) and Annie Maria [née Butt]. Family Connections: Brother to Thomas George Heal [b1897], Leonard William Heal of Long Melford [b1902] and Sydney Edward Heal [b1914]. Home: Bridge Road, Hinton, Gloucestershire (1901), Cock and Bell Lane, Long Melford [1902], Gas House, Gas Works, Queens Road, Attleborough, Norfolk (1911), 38 Abingdon Street, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset (1939) to [1966]. Occupation: Messenger [1917], Maintenance Fitter (1939). Service Record: Harry enlisted on 12.5.1915 as Boy Sailor N^o. J40719 in the Royal Navy and was posted to the armed merchant cruiser HMS Almanzora from 28.9.1915 to 14.1.1919 as part of Northern Patrol [10^th Cruiser Squadron] North Atlantic Convoys.  His record shows that he beyond 1929.[2] Died: Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset on 12.4.1966.[3]

Heal, Leonard William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 11.1.1902.[4] Parents: William Frederick Heal (Gas Works Manager) and Annie Maria [née Butt]. Family Connections: Brother to Thomas George Heal [b1897], Harry Heal [b1899] and Sydney Edward Heal [b1914]. Home: Cock and Bell Lane, Long Melford [1902], Gas House, Gas Works, Queens Road, Attleborough, Norfolk (1911).  Occupation: Sailor [1917 to 1940]. Married: Lottie May Pole in 1933. Service Record: Leonard was attested on 14.4.1917 as Boy Sailor N^o. J69622 in the Royal Navy.  He served on the following training ships and shore bases during the First World War: HMS Warspite, HMS Powerful, HMS Victory I and HMS Virginian.  In 1935 he was awarded the Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal when a Petty Officer serving on HMS Defiance.  His service continued into the Second World War as a Chief Petty Officer.[5] Died: Leonard died on 10.4.1940 onboard the destroyer HMS Hardy during the First Battle of Narvik and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial [panel 36, column 2], Devon.[6]

Heal, Sydney Edward – Born: Wayland, Norfolk on 2.7.1914.[7] Parents: William Frederick Heal (Gas Works Manager) and Annie Maria [née Butt].  Family Connections: Brother to Thomas George Heal [b1897], Harry Heal [b1899] and Leonard William Heal of Long Melford [b1902]. Home: 38 Abingdon Street, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset [1941]. Service Record: Sydney enlisted as N^o. D/KX82450 with the Royal Navy. Leading Stoker Heal was serving on the K-class destroyer HMS Kandahar on 21.2.1941 when together with HMS Kimberley and the cruiser HMS Manchester, she captured the German freighter SS Wahehe off Iceland. Moving to the Mediterranean in December, his ship was part of Force K patrolling the seas off Tripoli when she struck a mine on 19.12.1941, with the loss of 73 men.[8] Died: Sydney died of his wounds the following day aboard HMS Kandahar and is commemorated on The Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth, Devon [panel 52, column 2].[9]

Heal, Thomas George – Born: Highbridge, Somerset on 23.4.1897.[10] Parents: William Frederick Heal (Gas Works Manager) and Annie Maria [née Butt]. Family Connections: Brother to Harry Heal [b1899], Leonard William Heal of Long Melford [b1902] and Sydney Edward Heal [b1914]. Home: Bridge Road, Hinton, Gloucestershire (1901), Cock and Bell Lane, Long Melford [1902], Gas House, Gas Works, Queens Road, Attleborough, Norfolk (1911), 175 Neate Street, Camberwell, London [1915], 38 Abingdon Street, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset [1919], 10 Rock Road, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire (1939). Occupation: Fishmonger (1911), Gas Fitter/Stoker [1915], Gas Works Stoker (1939). Married: Margaret Irene Gannicott in 1923. Service Record: Thomas was conscripted on 20.11.1915 as Pte.2387 with 23^rd Battalion, moving to 2^nd Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own [Middlesex] Regiment. He was transferred as Pte.32381 to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own [Wiltshire] Regiment and posted to France where he received a gunshot wound to the right thigh on 1.7.1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Following his recovery, he was posted to Salonika on 16.11.1916 with 7^th [Service] Battalion, Wiltshires, as part of 79^th Brigade, 26^th Division.  Between 24.4.1917 and 9.5.1917 the Battalion saw action against Bulgarian forces at the ill-fated Battle of Doiran, Thomas receiving a gunshot wound to the left hand and suffering damage to the right eye on 27.4.1917. In 1917 and up to March 1918 he was laid low with multiple bouts of malaria, resulting in him being invalided to England for treatment.  In September 1918 he was transferred as Pte.562177 to ‘D’ Company, 363^rd Reserve Employment Company, then to 590^th [Home Service] Employment Company, Labour Corps, receiving his discharge in March 1919.[11] Died: Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset in 1965.

Notes – [1] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 18.10.1899, St Johns Church, Highbridge, Somerset.  [2] Royal Navy Registers of Seaman’s Services [ADM 188/728] and Medal and Award Rolls [ADM 171/105].  [3] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar.  [4] Date of birth from Admission Register 11.1.1909, Attleborough Board School, Attleborough, Norfolk.  [5] Royal Navy Registers of Seaman’s Services [ADM 188/786 and ADM 188/364], and Medal and Award Rolls [ADM 171/105/12 and ADM 171/150/457].  [6] Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.  [7] Date of birth from RN Record. [8] For details of the ships career see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Kandahar_(F28).  [9] Registers of Reports of Deaths: Naval Ratings [ADM 104/131] and Commonwealth War Grave Commission.  [10] Date of birth from Admission Register 1.4.1902, St Catherines Infants School, Long Melford.  [11] For details of 7^th Wiltshire’s part in the Salonika Campaign see War Diary [WO 95/4876].  See also his Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].