Stephen Prescott Wallbanks

Born in Lincolnshire, he was a plumber before he joined the 8th Battalion DLI. He fought in North Africa, Sicily and in Normandy. On 10 June 1944 at St. Pierre, he gained the Military Medal when 8 DLI was attacked by three German tanks. Sergeant Wallbanks took a PIAT anti-tank weapon, after the gunner had been killed, and despite machine gun fire and shrapnel fired three shots in quick succession. All missed, but the German tanks withdrew.

At Gheel in Belgium on 9 September 1944, Stephen Wallbanks was killed in action during the crossing under heavy fire of the Albert Canal. He was 25 years old. He is buried in in Gheel (Geel) churchyard