Staphnill, E. Cpl.

Personal Information

RE att. A & HQ Troops.

Ernest Staphnill was a Royal Engineer attached to A & HQ Troops from the Royal Engineers Corps. He was a driver on a Weasel during the Walcheren landings. Brought up in the West Midlands, Ernie Staphnill was in a reserved occupation in Smethwick then Birmingham, at one point working on Rolls Royce Merlin engines. He joined the Home Guard and manned ack-ack guns during air raids before being called up early in 1944 to the 52 Lowland Division Royal Engineers where he learnt to drive all kinds of military transport in all manner of conditions. He and other drivers joined 47 RM Commando just outside Caen, helping to replace the considerable casualties which had been taken, then moved on to Fécamp and eventually Antwerp. Subsequently, he took part in the landing on Walcheren driving a Weasel and stayed with the Commando until its disbandment.