6 FLANKER William Stewart Waterhouse MC – HERO OF THE BATTLE OF KIHIMA

Known as Stewart/Stuart? Was born in Whitburn in 1912 and died in 1982. He played as flanker for the club and was in the 1931 county cup winning side. He was the brother of Richard Henry Waterhouse and the rugby playing Cox brothers were his cousins. His father died in 1920 and, like his brother, Stewart? lived with the Cox family for a while. During the war he served as an officer with the Durham Light Infantry. By 1944 he was a captain/temporary major in charge of D Company of the 2^nd DLI – a company which was heavily involved in the Battle of Kohima – a battle to stop the Japanese forces from entering India. He led his men in the ‘Battle of the Tennis Court’ which helped to relieve besieged forces. For his contribution to the battle ( in which he was wounded) he was awarded the Military Cross. He continued to be promoted and one online site claims him as the ‘ only war-time commissioned officer to command a regular battalion of the Durham Light Infantry’. He died in Lancashire.

His career and bravery are fully covered online – Google his full name and ‘Durham Light Infantry’