(Henry) Mortimer Satchell

(Henry) Mortimer Satchell was born on December 18, 1921, the youngest of four children, three boys and one girl. His mother Jane Satchell (née Faulkner) died a few days after his birth. His father William James Satchell was ill at the time and unable to look after the children, so they were all taken in by various aunts, Mortimer going into the care of Mr and Mrs Josey of Reading. He was welcomed into that family as one of their own, and always treated as such. Leaving school at age 14, he was apppinted as a lithographer at Greenslade and Co., Reading, for 7 years. On reaching the age of 16 he volunteered to serve in the Territorial Army, 4th Battalion Royal Berkshire regiment, at Wokingham. By this time the Josey family had moved from Reading to Winnersh.

War was declared on September3, 1939. Mortimer's unit went to join the British Expeditionary Force in France. As the German army raced through the Low Countries he was wounded in the legs and right hand, on May 28, 1940. He was then brought back to England via Dunkirk. He returned to what was left of his unit at Bristol when he came out of hospital. After 2 months he transferred to the Reconnaissance Corps. Being promoted to Troop Sargent, he travelled all over England, Scotland, ireland and Wales before going back to France (on or shortly after D-day?). After fighting through France, Belgium and Holland he took part in the occupation of Germany, being promoted to Warrant Officer II. This period of Mortimer's life is mentioned in military historian Patrick delaforce's book, The Polar Bears, which includes a photograph (or photographs) of him.

After demobilization Mortimer returned to his civil trade as a lithographic printer at Greenslade and Co., Reading. Mr Josey and Mortimer's sister Mary had both died during the war. At his place of work he met Kathleen Kennedy, whom he married in 1947, shortly after the death of Mr Josey. Kathleen and Mortimer had 3 children: Jennifer, Paul and Anthony. By 1954 Mortimer had left Greenslade's and had taken employment at Cropper & Co. Printers at Thatcham, near Newbury, where he stayed until 1961, when the family moved to Fleet, Hampshire. Here he was employed as Lithographic manager by the NAAFI, based in Aldershot. Life was good to Kathy and Mortimer until 1977, when their youngest son Anthony was killed in a car accident. Kathy never recovered from this terrible tragedy: she developed breast cancer in 1988 and died the following year. Mortimer never married again: for him no-one could ever take Kathy's place.

Mortimer was the last of his generation of Satchells. He died of leukemia on October 17, 1999 at the age of 77.