Page 1163 - Reading Mercury

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Thur 1 May
WAR HERO TO BE HONOURED 51 YEARS AFTER HE WAS KILLED
A Wokingham wartime hero is finally having his name included on the town’s war
memorial 51 years after his death. At a special ceremony attended by the Mayor, Cllr.
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Tina Marinos, and the Royal British Legion, on Sunday May 11 , Flight Lieutenant
George Knapp’s name will be included on the Roll of Honour on the War Memorial at
the Town Hall.
George Knapp, of Oxford Road was 24 years-old when he was killed in action while
stationed in Singapore in October 1945. He was killed two months after VJ day in
1945 and was buried in Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore.
His cousin, David Searle of Farnham Surrey, together with Don Morris, of
Wokingham’s Royal British Legion, campaigned to have his name put on the War
Memorial after several months of research. Mr. Searle found out that his cousin, who
attended Ranelagh School in Bracknell had not been included on the town’s Second
World War honours list after digging around his family tree. Both men had served
with the RAF and had corresponded during the war. There was some confusion as to
whether Mr. Knapp had been killed in action as he died after VJ day. Many rebels
were still fighting.

th
Thur 15 May
HONOUR AT LAST FOR FALLEN WAR HERO
A long overdue remembrance service was held on Sunday, in honour of a
Wokingham wartime hero, fifty-one years after he was killed. Friends and family
gathered at the town hall in the Market Place in memory of George Knapp who was
killed in action in Asia. The ceremony marked the conclusion to a lengthy project
undertaken by Mr. Knapp’s Former cousin, David Searle.
Mr. Knapp had lived with his family in Oxford Road when he enlisted in the Royal
Air Force in 1941. He was killed in October 1945, and it is believed his body was
buried in Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore. Mr. Searle, who was also in the RAF,
called for help from Royal British Legion when he discovered his cousin’s name
missing from the town memorial. After much research, town councillors agreed that
the forgotten serviceman should be included.
The event was one of Mayor, Cllr. Marinos’s last functions as Town Mayor.

Tina Marinos performed her last civic function on Monday when she officially
opened the Edinburgh Wool Mill. The store manager, Amanda Fuller donated £100 to
the mayor’s charity.

A NEW MARKET MINUS CATTLE AND PIGS.
The heart of Wokingham’s community and business has been the market which has
been trading since a medieval royal decree in 1219 granted by King Henry III. It has
taken many forms over these 778 years from the only place to barter for goods in
medieval times to a cattle and pig market up until the middle of this century.
Today after the recent hard times the market is again coming into its own. Mayor
Tina Marinos celebrated the market’s birthday last Friday with the market
superintendent, Colin Hook and Town Crier, Ron Rimmer. They are looking forward
to promoting the market and making it a viable competitive business in the town with
Great British Market Week in August.
The market has expanded since 1219 and operated four days a week with flower,

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