Second World War
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Only one member of the Yorkshire Stables was killed during the war according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He is remembered here.
Albert Stables was the son of Mr & Mrs C Stables of Horsforth and was Wireless Op./Air Gunner 1591857 in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 34 (S.A.A.F.) Sqdn. He died 6th March 1945 and is buried at the Udine War Cemetery in Italy.
Leslie Stables (1916-1991)
Leslie Stables as a Prisoner of War
Leslie was the second son of Arthur and Alice Stables of Wombwell. At the outbreak of war he joined the Royal Scots. In 1941 he was captured after a Commando raid on Rommel's headquarters and became a prisoner of war in Italy & Poland (Stalag 344 Lamsdorf). The full story of the raid can be read here.
William Irving Stables (1908-1972)
William Irving was the son of William and Gertrude Stables of Darfield. He joined the Air Force at the outbreak of hostilities and was awarded the DFC. An account of his wedding in the South Yorkshire Times in 1945 details his war service.
William Irving Stables (lying down 2nd from left) and Bomber Squad
South Yorkshire Times dated 1945
DARFIELD DFC WEDS
Bride Cuts Cake With Hitler Youth Dagger
One of the two Darfield holders of the DFC, Flying Officer William Irving Stables, RAF., son of Mr. & Mrs W Stables, 44 Barnsley Road, Darfield, was married at Wombwell Parish Church last Saturday, to Miss Nora Chappell, of 249 Hough Lane, Wombwell, the Rev. G Needham officiating. Afterwards the bride used a Hitler Youth knife, bearing a swastika & the inscription "Blut and Ehre" (blood & honour) to cut her wedding cake. The knife was taken from an SS man by a colleague of the bridegroom, who got the better of a hand-to-hand combat with a German, trying to prevent his escape.
F/O Stables joined the RAF five years ago & was commissioned in 1943. He was awarded the DFC for "courage, fortitude, & devotion to duty" on operational work over Germany last year. Altogether he has done 34 operational flights.
The bride wore a two-piece in powder blue, with a head-dress of feathers, & had a bouquet of pink carnations. She was attended by Mrs A Wildsmith & Misses R Whitwam, P Dinsley & G MacDonald. Best man was Ft/Lt W Dobson DFC & Bar, a Squadron colleague of the bridegroom, & groomsmen were F/O A Smitham & Flight/Sergt T Wainwright of Leeds, a former member of the bridegroom's crew, who baled out over Nuremburg & has just returned from a prison camp.
Victor Stables (1925-1992)
Victor was the son of Ernest Victor and Esther Stables of Darfield. He served in the Royal Navy during the war and the extraordinary story of how he met up with his cousin, Jack Chance, in Palestine can be read here.
George Leslie Stables (1920-2012)
George Leslie Stables