STRAHAN, JOHN PATRICK
Rank:
Service No:
Date of Death:
Age:
Regiment/Service:
Grave Reference:
Rank:
Service No:
Date of Death:
Age:
Regiment/Service:
Grave Reference:
Signalman
2040919
17/09/1944
24
Royal Corps of Signals
II. A. 3.
Additional Information:
Son of John and Carrie Strahan, of Lincoln.
Died in the opening battle of Market Garden, on the road toward Valkenswaard.
His younger brother Victor served with the Argyll and Sutherland Higlanders and is burried at Banneville-La-Campagne War cemetery in France. On that same cemetery lies also the brother of private Eaton who is buried in Valkenswaard
Original gravesite along the road from Belgium towards Valkenswaard.
From the service records of John Patrick Strahan, the following account can be reconstructed.
John Patrick Strahan was born on 11 March 1920 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. He first served in the Territorial Army, joining the Royal Engineers as a sapper with the 46th Anti-Aircraft Battalion from 22 March 1937 until 19 April 1938. On 20 April 1938, he enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment.
On 12 August 1940, John transferred to the Royal Corps of Signals. His overseas service included postings to Sudan from 6 January 1941 and to Egypt from 26 April 1941. After several years abroad, he returned home on 7 November 1943.
On 26 May 1940, John married Annie Cronk in Kensington, Middlesex.
John was sent to North-West Europe on 2 June 1944 as part of the Allied campaign following the Normandy landings. He was killed in action on 17 September 1944.
His service records reflect a career that spanned multiple branches of the Army and several theatres of war.
Liverpool Echo 27 September 1944
Liverpool Echo 17 September 1949
Liverpool Echo 17 September 1951 (Same text was placed in 1952, 1953 and 1954)