Section E – West Wall – 1 – Briggs

Transcription

In Memory of Major JOHN MINDRUM BRIGGS, died July 29th 1977 aged 80 years.

Military record

Major in the Durham Light Infantry and the Machine Gun Corps. He rejoined the army in the Royal Army Servcice Corps in the Second World War.

This was Jack Briggs son.

Lieutenant John Leonard Collingwood Briggs, 2nd Dragoons ( Royal Scots Greys ), Royal Armoured Corps. He was killed in action in Germany on 15th April 1945 aged 20. He was the son of John and Nora Briggs of Cornhill and is buried in Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.  His Regiment was equipped with the Sherman tank as pictured below. There is a small Memorial Plaque attached to one of the Hymnals in Cornhill ( St. Helens) Parish Church. His headstone is inscribed ” You died for your King and your Country. We will never forget you”.

Commentary

Jack Briggs  played cricket for Tillside. Coldstream and the Borderers. He played one game for Northumberland  V  Durham   on the 6th 7th August 1928 in a two day match where he made 4 runs in each inninnings.

He was a keen salmon angler he owned the Lees Estate in Coldstream.

His father Leonard Briggs who died at Thornington House Mindrum in December 1944 in his will he left £165948–4s-11d. He was also a ship builder in Sunderland as was his father before him.

Robert Scott Briggs John or Jack Briggs Grandfather was a ship builder and broker in Sunderland as was his father before him William who was born in 1805.  They come from a famliy of ship builders.