Bernard was of Jewish descent, born during the
June quarter 1926 in the Manchester North R.D. -
ref: 8d/613, the son of Hyman & Gertrude Mendle
(nee Goldstein).   Hyman was born in
Vilna/Vilnius, in the  Russian Empire (now
Lithuania) and was a baker and confectioner by
trade, working for a Jewish Bakery at Cheetham
Hill.   Gertrude aka Gerty Mendle was born in
London and her parents came from Vilna/Vilnius as
per Hyman Mendle.

1939 National Registration - 64 Heywood Street,
Manchester.    Hyman Mendle - Born on the 15th May
1880 - Married - occ: Baker.   Gerty Mendle - Born
on the 28th February 1895 - Married - occ: Unpaid
Domestic Duties.   Leah Kapatofky - Born on the
5th December 1876 - Widowed.   Frank Mendle - Born
on the 20th October 1913 - Single - occ: Soldier. 
There is one redacted record at this address which
is probably Bernard Mendle.

Bernard's two brothers were serving in the British
Army and Bernard wanted to 'do his bit', so he
joined the Auxiliary Fire Service as a voluntary
Messenger, devoting all his spare time to his
training and AFS duties.

During the first night of the Manchester Blitz, he
felt that he was under employed as a Messenger, so
he 'annexed' a fireman's uniform and, unknown to
his colleagues, presented himself in his newly
acquired uniform at a factory that was on fire. 
He was working on the fires when a high explosive
bomb landed on the building and he was killed.

He was buried on Christmas morning at the
Rainsough Jewish Cemetery, Rainsough Brow,
Butterstyle Lane, Prestwich, Manchester. M25 8SU.

My thanks to Steve Boler (SWARM) for the above
information and newspaper cutting.

CWGC - A.R.P. Messenger. Son of H. and G. Mendle,
of 69 Heywood Street, Cheetham. Died at Cheetwood
Road.

Newspaper cutting.