George William Savory

 Born Bermuda West Indies1905 to 1988.

If ever you needed to know anything relating to Whitwood or Methley Junction Collieries, if you needed to know where the Undermanager was, or what were the pit holiday weeks, or when they planned to capple the cage, indeed any information.  Then call Geo Savory, major domo in the Whitwood pit bottom office.  This was the same man to be seen ramrod straight, pacing and at the same time gliding round the village with his stick and shoes polished like mahogany.

Perhaps who better to describe the man than his CO, Major Godfrey Harland who wrote the following obituary in the ‘Infantry Magazine:

‘George Savory was one of that staunch band of pre-war territorials who gave up their holidays and week-ends between the wars, joining the TA in 1923. He was a miner. His Yorkshire humour in adversity, his loyalty to comrades and stoical courage and determination were qualities typical of those men who came out of ther Yorkshire pits to defend their country in peril.  By 1939 George’s TA experiance as NCO and Colour Sergeant proved invaluable to 1/4 KOYLI in the early days of the war.  He served with the Battalion in Norway and Iceland and excelled as CQMS ofHQ Coy when the Battalion landed in Normandy.

It was characteristic that he contrived to conceal a painful condition which afflicted him before D-Day because he knew that otherwise he would miss being with the Battalion for the invasion.

During fighting in the Bocage, I by chance detected the problems he was experiencing and ordered him to report sick, he was evacuated to UK for an operation and after a recovery period he returned to the Battalion and the advanced theatre of operations at Njimegen.  It was as CQMS of ‘B’ Coy on ‘The Island’ that George was severely wounded. After many months in recuperation he was finally invalided out of the army and he returned to work at the colliery’.

Following the death of his wife he chose not to be a burden on his family, he retained his self-disciplined soldierly ability to look after himself under the affectionate eye of his family and neighbours.

Robin was pleased to relate the story of when his Father was based in Iceland 1940-1942 a convoy bound for Murmansk docked for replenishments. The Captain and crew of HMS Edinburgh had made a plaque for presentation to the base and the man to hand over to CQMS Savory was none other than Haydn Duggan of Methley.

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Former RN radar operator at the grand age of 75 received a commemorative war medal from the Russian Government for Arctic duty on the supply runs to Murmansk.  Born in the Rhondda in Wales, Haydn came to Methley at the age of 10. He worked at Savile pit on leaving school and joined up with the Royal Navy at the outbreak of war.   He was Selected for training on  radio direction operations following his experience with Mr Fox on radio repairs.   On completion he joined HMS Kent one of two ships equipped with top secret radar equipment.   Haydn was on the very first Russian convoy and as a radio operator worked in darkened rooms in the confines of the warship relaying observations to the bridge.

Convoys ran the gauntlet of the U-boats and enemy aircraft and Haydn often saw the aftermath of these raids with wreckage in the Arctic Ocean.  HMS Kent did receive one hit and had to stop off for repairs in Iceland, luckily there were no casualties.  Other runs were the ‘White Patrol’ to Greenland and the ‘Black Patrol’ to the Faroes.   Haydn reported that the Russian people were friendly and grateful for the supplies but it was difficult to strike up real friendships over the language barrier.

On demobilistaion, Haydn returned to Methley and Savile pit and later worked on the railways before retirement.  He never glamourised the war but added on his return he missed the  rum ration on board ship.

Haydn was also awarded the North Atlantic Star which along with the Russian Medal and his service medals formed a treasured collection along with service photos.

Better known in the village as team manager for Methley United AFC after originally playing for Kippax, Haydn was always able to attract talented players to the village side enabling the side to be successful.  Evidenced by winning the League during his tenure along with the Embleton and Challenge cups of the Castleford and District throughout the 1950’s.