GRANT THEM O LORD ETERNAL REST; LET LIGH PERPETUAL SHINE UPON THEM.

Transcription

1 Hildenborough The Hildenborough civic war memorial was designed by Henry Philip Burke Downing, ( ) F.R.I.B.A., F.S.A., who was a well known arts and crafts designer, and it is very similar to another memorial of his at Merton, London. The carver of the Hildenborough civic war memorial and also that at Merton, was Ware, Hertfordshire native Nathaniel Hitch ( ) who described himself as an Architectural Sculptor and Modeller. During their respective careers the designer and sculptor also worked jointly on many other projects, notably in places of worship in London and the Home Counties. The war memorial weighing six and a half tons was erected on a 1

2 piece of land which had been kindly given specifically for the purpose, by Mrs. Henry Hills of Bourne Place, Nizels Lane, Hildenborough. It is located at the road junction of Noble Tree Road and Tonbridge Road, Foxbush, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. At the unveiling and dedication of the war memorial which took place on Tuesday 5 October 1920, amongst the large gathering were some of the relatives and friends of the thirty seven men whose names are inscribed on it. In addition to the relatives, were a number of invited dignitaries, including many ex-servicemen and the choir of St. John s parish church, Hildenborough. Colonel Fiennes S.W. Cornwallis, T.D. was the first person to address the assembled large crowd, and then unveiled the war memorial. The Right Reverend John Harmer, D.D. who was the Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, after dedicating the memorial then gave his address, and prayers were said by the Vicar of Hildenborough, the Reverend James Stone who was also Rural Dean of Tonbridge. Prayers and a blessing were also given by the Reverend Edwin Henry Wells of the Hildenborough United Methodists chapel. The names of the Great War fallen, thirty seven in number are inscribed on the side panels of the base stone. Following the Second World War, the names of sixteen local men who had lost their lives were then added at the base of the memorial. Over the intervening years since October 1920, due to the ravages of time, and doubtless in more recent years the pollution generated by passing traffic, had resulted in the war memorial deteriorating into a unacceptable state which did not reflect well on the parish of Hildenborough, and was patently not a worthy tribute to the honoured names of those local victims of war whose names are inscribed upon it. Thankfully since 2006 Hildenborough Parish Council and others, started to rectify the situation regarding the sad state of Hildenborough civic war memorial, which included raising funds and other work. The work involved eventually led to the war memorial being restored to the firms usual high standard by Burlite Limited, The Stone Shop, East Farleigh, Maidstone, Kent, which has an envied wealth of experience in refurbishing war memorials. The civic war memorial is now maintained under a bequest by Kent County Council, but Hildenborough Parish Council has undertaken to look after the borders surrounding the war memorial. Unfortunately as with almost every other location in Kent, not all of the victims of war are commemorated on the civic war memorial, and all of those which we have located thus far who are not commemorated on it, have been added below in the categories of Lost Men or Lost Casualties On the column of the war memorial is engraved, LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS, and on the base stone are the following simple poignant inscription, and the prayer:- REMEMBER THE COMRADES WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR GRANT THEM O LORD ETERNAL REST; LET LIGH PERPETUAL SHINE UPON THEM. 2

3 The Great War AUSTEN, ALFRED WILLIAM S. Private, G/ nd Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died Saturday 25 September Aged 20. Born Yalding, Maidstone, Kent (Please see below). Enlisted Deptford, Kent. Resided Rotherhithe, Kent. Son of William Austen and Ellen Austen (née Taylor). Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 13. At the time of the 1901 census, the Austen family resided at Mount Pleasant, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 26 year old Marden, Kent native William Austen, who was employed as a Coach Painter. Alfred has proved to be one of the more challenging Hildenborough casualties to identify and research prior to adding this brief commemoration here. His Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration details show him to be AUSTEN, ALFRED WILLIAMS, probably as the result of his third initial being tagged on to his second Christian name. On the 1901 census entry referred to above, Alfred is shown as being a native of Yalding, Kent, but his entry in/on Soldiers Died in the Great War, records him as having been a native of Marden, Kent. As thousands of census entries contain errors, as does Soldiers Died in the Great War, his actual place of birth could obviously be at either parish, or indeed somewhere else in the Maidstone, Kent area. Alfred s birth was recorded in the Maidstone, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of He was amongst the 62 other ranks serving in his battalion who died on Saturday 25 September BAMBLETT, WILLIAM HENRY. Corporal, th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, The King s (Liverpool Regiment). Died Monday 7 August Aged 32. Born Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Maidstone, Kent. Resided Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Emily Bamblett (née Collins) of 25, Powder Mills, Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent, and of the late George Bamblett. Buried Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France. Grave Ref: V. O. 6. Also commemorated on the Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent, civic war memorial. At the time of the 1901 census, William was a Private soldier residing at the Infantry Barracks, Maidstone, Kent. At time of the above census, William s parents resided at Proof House, Meopham Bank, Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 47 year old George Bamblett who was employed as a Gunpowder Maker. Amongst the seven children at home on the night of the census was Charles, Herbert and Percy, who it would seem likely also served in the army during the Great War, serving in the Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), Machine Gun Corps and Royal Field Artillery. All of the aforementioned brothers thankfully survived the carnage of the Great War. 3

4 BARDEN, BERTIE. Private, GS/ th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Bankers). Died Wednesday 23 October Aged 26. Born Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Edwin Barden and Harriet Barden (née Evans) of 149, High Street, Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried Harlebeke New British Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: VI. D. 12. At the time of the 1901 census, the Barden family resided at Cold Harbour, Hildenborough. Head of the house was 55 year old Tonbridge, Kent native Edwin Barden, who was employed as an Ordinary Estate Labourer. Bertie was a brother of the next casualty briefly commemorated. BARDEN, MORTIMER, Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Saturday 7 October Born and resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Maidstone, Kent. Son of Edwin Barden and Harriet Barden (née Evans) of 149, High Street, Sevenoaks, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 11 C. When Mortimer enlisted in the army For the Duration of the War on Monday 21 February 1916, he stated that he was 20 years and 8 months old, and that he resided with his family at 4, Stone Cottages, Rising Lane, Hildenborough, Kent. Mortimer stated that he was employed as a Gardner, and named his mother Harriet Barden as his next of kin. Having been place on the Army Reserve, Mortimer was mobilized on Monday 10 April Following his initial training, Mortimer embarked for France on Friday 14 July 1916, and arrived at the 40 Infantry Base Depot, Etaples, Pas de Calais the following day. He was posted from the 40 Infantry Base Depot to the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on Friday 21 July 1916, which he joined in the field on Sunday 23 July, in which he then remained until his death. The 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) arrived in the Gueudecourt sector on Wednesday 4 October 1916, in order to play its part in the Battle of the Transloy Ridges as part of the overall Battle of the Somme, and moved into the front line to the north of the village of Gueudecourt. As was the same situation which prevailed with many of the other British battalions on the Somme in 1916 at various times resultant of high casualty rates, at Gueudecourt the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) was barely 500 (all ranks) strong. The initial attacks of the battle had been put back for two days, and it was in worsening weather that the assaults on the enemy positions commenced. An enemy position named Ration Trench was assigned to Burton s battalion to attack and capture. Possible due to the two day delay was a contributory factor why German artillery activity had increased considerably over the same period. In addition to the increased enemy shelling, an exceptionally powerful and well positioned machine-gun defensive ring had been put in place by the Germans. To contribute to the problems faced by the British troops was that the enemy 4

5 trenches were screened from direct artillery observation. Having been heavily shelled throughout the morning of Saturday 7 October 1916, the battalion had already suffered casualties prior to going over the top at 1345 hours. More casualties were inflicted on the battalion as it attempted to carry out its allotted tasks, at which time most of the casualties were due to rifle and machine-gun fire. At great cost, the officers and other ranks of C Company on the left flank managed to advance a full 150 yards in the face of withering enemy fire, but were then stopped and later withdrew at nighttime under the cover of darkness. By the time that the remnants of the battalion were taken on by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queen s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), some of the companies of Burton s battalion had been reduced to only fifty officers and other ranks. Of about 500 soldiers of 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) who had arrived at the Somme village of Gueudecourt only three days earlier, approximately 330 became casualties on Saturday 7 October A Captain, a Lieutenant and three Second Lieutenants were killed, as were 92 other ranks. A Captain and four Second Lieutenants were wounded, in addition to which were at least 185 other ranks. Following his death, Mortimer was initialy posted as Missing, but his date of death was later accepted by the Army Council for officially purposes as having occurred on or after 7 October When Mortimer s mother filled in Army Form W.5080 on Monday 1 September 1919, in order to obtain his memorial plaque (aka Dead Mans Penny) and Commemoration Scroll, his parents were still residing at 4, Stone Cottages, Rising Lane, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. BATCHELOR, HORACE. Boy 1st Class, J/ Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Formidable." Died Friday 1 January Aged 17. Born Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent Monday 31 January Son of Alfred Batchelor and Esther Batchelor (née Martin) of 20, New Houses, Powder Mills, Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 10, as shown above, and on the Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent, civic war memorial. Horace was baptised at the parish church of St. Mary s Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent on Sunday 1 May Horace s Royal Navy Service Sheet shows that prior to his enlistment he was employed as Errand Boy, and that he had enlisted in the Royal Navy at Chatham, Kent, on 31 January 1916 for a twelve year engagement. For an obvious reason the date is wrong, it being a year after Horace had died. The Service Sheet also shows that he had initially served on H.M.S. Powerful from Sunday 4 November Having served on H.M.S. Crescent and at H.M.S. Pembroke the Chatham, Kent naval barracks, Horace joined the crew of the 15,000 ton battleship H.M.S. Formidable on Sunday 20 December H.M.S. Formidable on which Horace was still serving at the time of his death, was launched at Portsmouth on Thursday 17 November 1898, and served in the Mediterranean Fleet until April 1908, when she was transferred to 5

6 the Channel Fleet. In 1912 she formed part of the 5th Battle Squadron, which consisted of eight battleships and two cruisers, and she was serving with this squadron at the commencement of the Great War. H.M.S. Formidable departed from Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, on Wednesday 30 December 1914 to take part in a firing exercise off coast of Portland, Dorset. At 0200 hours on Friday 1 January 1915, she was hit by two torpedoes fired from the German submarine U-24, which was the very first underwater attack at night. The U-24 was commanded by 32 year old Kapitänleutnant, Rudolf Schneider who was in command of the U-Boat from Saturday 1 August 1914 to Saturday 3 June The first torpedo hit the number one boiler port side; a second explosion caused the ship to list heavily to starboard. Huge waves thirty feet high lashed the stricken ship, with strong winds, rain and hail, sinking it in less than two hours, approximately 20 miles off Start Point. Various data checked show differences in the actual numbers who survived the sinking, but it appears to be approximately 200 from her complement of 780. The U-24 has the dubious distinction of being the very first U-boat to attack an unarmed merchant ship without warning, it being the SS Admiral Ganteaume, which was torpedoed on Monday 26 October 1914, but fortunately she had stayed afloat and was later safely towed to port. The submarine U-24 survived the Great War, and having surrendered to the allied powers, it was eventually broken up at Swansea, Wales in Kapitänleutnant, Rudolf Schneider died in the North Sea on Saturday 13 October 1917, during very stormy weather he was lost overboard from the conning tower of U-87. One of his crew managed to bring him back on board but it was too late. He was subsequently buried at sea between the Shetland Isles and Norway. Kapitänleutnant Freiherr Rudolf von Speth-Schülzburg, the Second in Command took over the command of the U-87, but he too lost his life when the U-87 was sunk in the Irish Sea on Christmas Day 1917 with the loss of all 44 hands. BATCHELOR, SIDNEY. Private, "A" Company, No.2 Section, 41st Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Died Saturday 20 July Aged 21. Born Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted and resided Harlesden, Middlesex. Son of Annie Laura Batchelor (née West) of 22, Powder Mills, Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent, and of the late George Benjamin Batchelor. Buried La Clytte Military Cemetery, De Klijte, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: IV. F. 13. Also commemorated on the Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent, civic war memorial. Formerly, Private, 24825, 6th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Sidney was born at Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent on Tuesday 17 November 6

7 1896. He was baptised at the parish church of St. Mary s Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent on Sunday 7 February At the time of the 1901 census the Batchelor family resided at Powder Mills, Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent, and the census enumerator recorded Sidney s father, a 44 year old native of Leigh as being the head of the house, and employed as a Gate Keeper at the Gunpowder Factory. Sidney s parents married in 1877, and had a number of children prior to his birth. Sidney enlisted in the army For the Duration of the War on Saturday 11 December 1915, at which time he stated that he was 19 years and 23 days old, employed as a Painter, and that he was residing with his sister Mrs. Mary Martin at 50, Acton Lane, Harlesden, London. NW. He named his mother Annie Batchelor of Powder Mills, Tonbridge, Kent as being his next of kin. Having been placed on the Army Reserve, Sidney was mobilized and attested to serve in the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) on Tuesday 8 February Amongst the various personal possessions which Sidney took with him when he was mobilized, was a Holy Bible which had been awarded him by Hildenborough Sunday School in He initially served in the 6th (Reserve) Battalion of the regiment at the Duke of Yorks School, Dover, Kent, which was at Dover from August 1914 until late Whilst serving at Dover, Sidney qualified in Musketry as a 2nd Class Shot on Wednesday 19 April On the completion of his training at Dover, Sidney transferred to serve as a Private in the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) on Friday 12 May 1916, and carried out his training at the Machine Gun Corps depot and training centre, Belton Park, Grantham, Lincolnshire. On the completion of his training at Grantham and service in England, Sidney was posted to France for service with the British Expeditionary Force and sailed from Folkestone, Kent on Wednesday 26 July 1916, arriving at Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais the same day. From Boulogne-sur-Mer, he went to the Machine Gun Corps Base Depot at Camiers, Pas de Calais. From the Machine Gun Corps Base Depot at Camiers, Sidney was posted to serve in the 43rd Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) on Thursday 27 July which he eventually joined in the field on Thursday 24 August He was granted leave to the United Kingdom from Tuesday 13 November 1917 until Tuesday 27 November Sidney later served again at the Machine Gun Corps Base Depot at Camiers, from where he was posted to serve in the 25th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), which he joined in the field on Saturday 20 April He had only been serving in the 25th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), for a few days when he was wounded on Friday 26 April 1918; his wounding appears to have been only fairly minor in nature. He was serving in the aforementioned battalion when he received a more serious gunshot wound to his shin on Thursday 2 May 1918, for which he was received treatment at the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station at which time was located at the hamlet of La Kreule, to the north of Hazebrouck, Nord, France, which had come back from Outtersteene, Nord, near the Belgian border ahead of the German advance the previous month. On the completion of the treatment for his wounding, Percy s final posting was to the 41st Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), which he joined in the field on Friday 24 May 1918, in which he then remained until he was killed in action on Saturday 20 July

8 BOYS, JOHN. Private, TF/ st/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Attached to the 13th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died Sunday 24 March Aged 36. Born Godmersham, Ashford, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Son of William Kennett Boys and the late Margaret Jane Boys (née Dixon). Husband of Maud Florence Boys (née Pierson) of 2, Park Terrace, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, Somme, France. Grave Ref: V.H.5. Formerly Private 12758, and 6039 Royal Sussex Regiment. At the time of the 1891 census the Boys family resided in part of "Little Olantigh Farmhouse," Crundale, Ashford, Kent, and ten years later resided at Hermitage, Wye, Ashford, Kent. Head of the house was 53 year old Godmersham, Ashford, Kent native William Kennett Boys, who was a Timber and Wood Dealer and an Employer. John was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Grocers Assistant on the relevant 1901 census entry. His marriage to Maud Florence Pierson was recorded in the East Ashford, Kent, Registration District during the third quarter of When the 1911 census was conducted, John was recorded by the census enumerator as being the head of the house at 9, Oak Street, Deal, Kent. He was trading as an Own Account Confectioner, assisted by his wife who was a 31 year old native of Plaistow, Essex. Also recorded as residing at home on the night of the census was John s 2 month old son John Robert Boys who was born at Deal. BROWN, PHILIP WILTON. Lance Corporal, P/ th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade. Died Thursday 31 May Aged 32. Born Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Holborn, Middlesex. Resided Clerkenwell, London. Son of William Henry Brown and the late Caroline Rose Brown (née Beames). Husband of Edith Sophia Brown (née Brown) of 47, Amwell Street, Islington, London, EC1. Buried Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery, Vlamertinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: VII. D. 6. Philip married Miss Edith Sophia Brown the 22 year old daughter of Henry Brown, on Saturday 12 June 1909 at the parish church of St. Mark, Myddelton Square, Islington, London. At the time of his marriage Philip was a 24 year old Shop Assistant residing at 80, Farringdon Road Buildings, Islington. Miss Edith Sophia Brown resided at 68, Corporation Buildings, Farringdon Road, Islington. At the time of the 1911 census Philip was recorded as being a Shop Assistant and the head of the house at 63, Corporation Buildings, Farringdon Road, Islington, where he resided with his wife and year old son Philip Lesley Brown. Philip (senior) was numbered amongst the 3 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 16th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade on Thursday 31 May

9 BUSS, HAROLD. Driver, th Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery. Died Wednesday 28 March Aged 22. Born, enlisted and resided Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Thomas Buss and Isabella Buss (née Harbour) of 1, Hereford Villas, Hilden Park Road, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: II. L. 3. At the time of the 1901 census, the Buss family resided a Donald Villa, London Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 40 year old Maidstone, Kent native Thomas Buss, who was employed as a Domestic Groom. When the 1911 census was conducted, the family was still residing Donald Villa, London Road, Hildenborough, at which time Harold was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Leather Cutter. CARD, THOMAS WILLIAM. Private, T/ st/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Thursday 15 February Born and resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Grave Ref: XXI. M. 10. Formerly Private, 2093, 4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), and Private, 6071, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). At the time of the 1911 census, the then 23 year old Thomas was recorded by the census enumerator as residing as a boarder at Wiffins, Nizels Hoath, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent, and was employed as a Domestic Gardner. Head of the house was 72 year old Seal, Sevenoaks, Kent native James Hodge, who was employed as a General Labourer. CHALLEN, WILLIAM AUGUSTUS. Lance Corporal, No.1 Platoon, A Company, 12th Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Died between 19 August1916 and 22 August Aged 25. Born Hildenborough, Kent. Enlisted and resided Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Eldest son of George Challen and Blanch Margretta Challen (née Blaxall) of Fern Bank, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Somme, France, and on the Australian National War Memorial. Panel 65. 9

10 William was born at Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent on Tuesday 11 August He was christened at the parish church of St. John the Evangelist, Hildenborough, on Monday 7 May At the time of the 1901 census, the Challen family resided at Fern Bank, Hildenborough. Head of the house was 43 year old Mid Lavant, Sussex native George Challen, who was employed as a Cricket Ball maker. A former pupil of Hildenborough National School, Hildenborough, on leaving school William was employed in the village before going to work in London. He then emigrated to Hobart, Tasmania, Australia in Prior to enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force at Claremont, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia on Wednesday 25 August William had been employed as a Footman on the staff of the Rt Hon. Sir William Ellison-Macartney, K.C.M.G., the Governor General of Tasmania, from Saturday 4 April 1914, who had presented William with an engraved gold wrist watch. At the time of enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force, Williams address for correspondence was the Commercial Bank of Australia, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. On the completion of his basic army training which was carried out at Melbourne, Victoria, William embarked from Melbourne, on Wednesday 24 November 1915, onboard the 9028 ton ship R.M.S. Orontes, in a draft of the 12th Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 12th Reinforcements, at which time he was an Acting Corporal. He was taken on the strength of the battalion at Serapeum, Egypt on 17 March 1916 and reverted to Private. On Wednesday 29 March 1916, William sailed from Alexandria, Egypt on the SS Corsican, which arrived at the French port of Marseilles on Wednesday 5 April He was appointed a Lance Corporal on Wednesday 26 July Nine months after leaving Australia, William fell at Mouquet Farm Mucky Duck Farm, Pozières, during the Battle of the Somme Amongst the soldiers that had sailed on the same voyage from Melbourne with William, was Private (later Serjeant) Stanley Robert McDougall, V.C., M.M., who was a Blacksmith by trade from Hobart, Tasmania who amazingly survived the Great War, and died in Scotsdale, Tasmania on Sunday 7 July 1968, two weeks before his seventy eighth birthday. Following his death. Williams s family received several letters of condolence, one of which was from Captain Newland, his Company Commander who wrote to Mrs. Blanch Challen the following, The company in which he was a member attacked successfully, and captured a line of enemy trench, and it was during that time that he was holding the position that he was killed outright by the enemy s fire. The position that we occupied gave us very little shelter, and before we had time to put it into order we were subjected to considerable shelling. It is only with the assistance that can be rendered by those with the soldierly spirit, as displayed by Corpl. Challen can we hope for the successes we have met with being continued. One of the soldiers who had been serving with William wrote, On 22 Aug. they were ordered to charge enemy trenches, and Challen reached them in safety, but whilst holding the same he was shot in the head by a sniper. During November and December 1916, via the Australian Red Cross Society, several soldiers who had been serving with William and that had witnessed his death, wrote statements which whilst basically very similar, but varied re cause of death which ranged from being killed by a sniper to a shell. All statements were consistent when stating that he was 10

11 killed instantly when he was hit in the head, whilst he was standing with a group of men in the trenches at Pozières. The informants also added that following his death, William was buried in a shell hole just outside the trenches. The request for the information had been requested by Miss E. Bailie of Tingewick House Buckingham, Buckinghamshire. On Tuesday 29 November 1921, Williams mother was sent an Australian Department of Defence Nearest Female Relatives Badge. The badge reads "Issued by the Department of Defence. To women of Australia. For duty done." The 9028 ton ship R.M.S. Orontes on which William sailed from Melbourne was launched in 1902, and had one funnel, and she is not to be confused two-funnel P & O ship of the same name which was launched in 1929, as the transcriber of these brief commemorations has noted that some record sources unfortunately do confuse the two vessels. It should also be noted that the R.M.S. Orontes is not listed as one of the 74 ships, which were taken over by Australia's Commonwealth Government for use as troopships during the Great War, but she is on a list of a further 39 Royal Mail vessels which were chartered by the Commonwealth on an occasional basis for that purpose. In October 1916 the ship was formally taken over by the British Admiralty and converted for use as a troopship. CORKE, WILLIAM MAY. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died Tuesday 20 November Aged 40. Born and enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Husband of Caroline Sarah Kate Corke (née Collins) of 117, Shipbourne Road, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France. Panel 7. At the time of the 1901 census, the Corke family resided at Shipbourne Road, Tonbridge, Kent. William was recorded as being the head of the house, and employed as a Sawyer Labourer in a Saw Mill. When the 1911 census was conducted, the Corke family resided at 23, Dernier Road, Tonbridge, Kent, by which time 33 year old William was employed as a Timber Porter. It seems odd that William s 19 year old sailor son, who was also named William May Corke, is not commemorated on the Hildenborough civic war memorial, as he died whilst serving on board H.M.S. Defence on Wednesday 31 May Able Seaman William Cooke has been briefly commemorated as one of the Lost Men. On the 1911 census entry above, William (junior) was recorded as being employed as an Errand Boy. FULLER, HENRY (HARRY) WILLIAM. Private, L/9582. "A" Company, 2nd Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Sunday 28 May Aged 25. Born and resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Henry James Fuller and Esther Fuller (née Nye) of School Cottages, London Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Alexandra (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. Grave Ref: D

12 Henry (junior) was christened at the parish church of St. John the Evangelist, Hildenborough on Sunday 26 July At the time of the 1901 census, the Fuller family resided at School Cottages, London Road, Hildenborough. Head of the house was 39 year old Hildenborough native Henry James Fuller, who was employed as a Stone Quarryman. Possibly it was to avoid confusion between father and son, that Henry (junior) was known to all and sundry as Harry. The Fuller family was still residing at the above address when the 1911 census was carried out, at which time 19 year old Henry (junior) was employed as a Domestic Gardner. A month after the 1911 census, he enlisted in the army as a regular soldier for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve on Wednesday 3 May 1911, at which time he stated that he was 19 years and 11 months old, and employed as a Gardner. Prior to his enlistment the army had obtained favourable reports from the Vicar of Hildenborough, the Reverend James Stowe who said that he had known Harry for 10 years, and from Archibald Ireland the Gardner Bailiff of Nizells, Hildenborough who had employed him for 4 years prior to Harry leaving to advance himself. Harry had served in England, Ireland, and India before the Great War during the course of which he had been awarded a Good Conduct Badge. Harry died at the 1,040 bed No.15 General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, Alexandra, Egypt on Sunday 28 May The hospital were harry died was often referred to as the Abbassia Hospital, as before being taken over by the Royal Army Medical Corps in April 1915 and commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Ellison Rhodes James, F.R.C.S., R.A.M.C., it had been the Abbassieh Secondary School. Amongst the five Fuller children which were recorded by the enumerator as being at home on the night of the census, all of whom were Hildenborough natives was 8 year old John. When Henry James Fuller filled in the requisite Army Form W.5080 on Wednesday 18 June 1919, in order to obtain Harry s memorial plaque (aka Dead Mans Penny) and Commemoration Scroll, the then Sergeant, , John Fuller was serving in India with The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). In addition to the medals awarded for his service during the Great War, John was also a recipient of the India General Service Medal with the clasp for the North West Frontier. Lieutenant-Colonel (Retd) Herbert Ellison Rhodes James, C.B., C.M.G., O.B.E., F.R.C.S., R.A.M.C., died at Charing Cross Hospital, London on Wednesday 9 August 1939, aged 81. GAINSFORD, ALBERT VICTOR. Sapper, th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company, Railway Operating Division, Royal Engineers. Died Thursday 18 July Aged 31. Born St. Stephens, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted and resided Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Son of William Gainsford and Mary Ann Gainsford (née Read) of 59, Springfield Road, Southborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Husband of Laura Gainsford (née Mills) of 75, Auckland Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Buried Ligny-St. Flochel British Cemetery, Averdoingt, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. F

13 Also commemorated on the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Company war memorial at the Marine Railway Station, Dover, Kent. At the time of the 1891 census, the Gainsford family resided at 1, New Wharf, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was William Gainsford, who was employed as a Brewers Drayman. Formerly Private, L/7412, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), and Corporal/Acting Sergeant, 4155, Machine Gun Corps, also Sapper, WR/6809 & WR/ & WR/126683, Railway Operating Division, Royal Engineers. Albert enlisted in the army as a regular soldier for 3 years with the Colours and 9 years in the Reserve on Monday 23 November When he enlisted, Albert stated that he was 18 years old and employed as a Grocer. Having been attested to serve in the Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), as he had requested, he served at the Regimental Depot at Maidstone, Kent until being posted to serve in the 1st Battalion of his regiment on Saturday 20 February Albert remained in the 1st Battalion until his transfer to the Reserve on Thursday 22 November 1906 on the completion of his engagement with the Colours, during the course of which he had served at Malta from Wednesday 6 April 1904 until Wednesday 24 October 1906, whilst serving at Malta he qualified as a Mounted Infantryman on Sunday 30 April 1905, and had been awarded a Good Conduct Badge on Tuesday 21 November After leaving the army, it would appear to be the case that at some point in time, Albert had decided to change from his former civilian employment of a Grocer, as he was appointed to be a Postman employed by the General Post Office at Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent in He was later employed by the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Company, with which he had been employed as a Shunter immediately prior to the Great War. At the commencement of the Great War Albert was immediately recalled to the Colours and mobilized, being posted to serve in the 1st Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on Thursday 6 August He was posted to serve in France with the British Expeditionary Force on Friday 14 August 1914, but was evacuated back to England on 26 August 1914, doubtless the result of having been wounded. Albert married Miss Laura Gainsford Mills at Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent on Wednesday 31 March On Wednesday 21 April 1915 Albert was serving in the 1st Battalion when he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and returned to the Western Front, but even quicker than had been the case the previous year, Albert was again evacuated back to England on Friday 30 April 1915 having suffered a gunshot wound to an arm on Tuesday 27 April, and poised by gas. Having recovered sufficiently from his wounding, Albert was transferred to serve in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) at Chatham, Kent as a Corporal on Thursday 3 June He retained his rank on being transferred to the Machine Gun Corps on New Years Day 1916, and was posted to serve in France with the British Expeditionary Force as a Corporal in the Machine Gun Corps on Tuesday 8 February Albert was transferred to the Royal Engineers, Railway Operating Division, as a Corporal/Acting Sergeant on Sunday 10 February 1918, and reverted to the rank of Sapper the following day, he signed a form agreeing to his reduction in rank and corresponding pay differential in respect of same on Saturday 16 February. Albert died at the 7th 13

14 Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps, Ligny-St. Flochel, Averdoingt, Pas de Calais, France of a bomb wound to the chest. The cemetery where Albert is at rest was started at the beginning of April 1918, when the 7th Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps came back from the village of Tincques, Pas de Calais, ahead of the continuing German advance which resulted from their Spring Offensive, it contains 632 Commonwealth burials of the Great War, in addition to which are 46 German soldiers war graves. Albert was amongst the 18,957 Railwaymen of Great Britain and Ireland who lost their lives during the Great War, all of whom were remembered at a service in their memory which was held at St. Pauls Cathedral, London on Wednesday 14 May 1919, which commenced at 1430 hours, that H.M. The King and other members of the Royal Family attended, as did the Lord Mayor of London and other dignitaries. GROOMBRIDGE, GEORGE. Private, th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Died Saturday 10 July Aged 19. Born Southborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Enlisted Eastbourne, Sussex. Resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Son of George Groombridge and Florence Louise Groombridge (née Margery) of Meopham Park Cottage, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 5 C and 12 C. Formerly Private, G/8012, Royal Sussex Regiment. George (junior) was christened at the parish church of St. John the Evangelist, Hildenborough on Sunday 9 August At the time of the 1901 census, the Groombridge family resided at 1, Honnington Cottages, Vauxhall Lane, Southborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Head of the house was 29 year old Ashurst, Kent native George Groombridge (senior), who was employed as an Agricultural Labourer. When the 1911 census was conducted, the family resided at Lodge House, Hawden Farm, near Powder Mills, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent, by which time 14 year old George (junior) was employed as a Farm Lad. 14

15 HAINES, ARTHUR ERNEST. Driver, T4/ th Reserve Park, Army Service Corps. Died Thursday 11 July Aged 45. Born Hertfordshire. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Husband of Mary Ann Haines (née Rees) of 9 & 10, Avoca Cottages, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried St. John Churchyard, Hildenborough, Kent. Grave Ref: North-East part. Arthur married Rhosmarket, Pembrokeshire native Miss Ann Rees, at the Holy Trinity Church, Croydon, Surrey, on Christmas Eve Their daughter Laura Annie Haines was born at 56, Commercial Road, Pimlico on Saturday 28 March At the time of the 1901 census, the Haines family resided at Woodcocks, Shipbourne, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was Arthur, who was recorded by the census enumerator as being an Own Account Coal Merchant, but is recorded devoid of the Christian name Arthur; which might be indicative that he was probably known by all and sundry as Ernest, or simply an error by the enumerator. The Hildenborough address shown above where Arthur s widow resided following his death, was also the same one which Arthur gave as his home address when he enlisted in the army on Monday 7 June Prior to enlisting Arthur had been employed as a Carman. Following his basic and specialized army trade training, Arthur embarked from Southampton on Friday 17 September 1915 for service on the Western Front, and arrived at the French port of Harve the following day. Along with the rest of his unit, Arthur made a number of moves during his time spent on the Western Front. On Tuesday 21 May

16 he was admitted to the 5th Australian Field Hospital suffering with Diarrhea, where he remained as a patient for only a day before being transferred to the 61 Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps, which was also known as the South Midland Casualty Clearing Station that was located at the Somme village Vignacourt, and from where another move was made to the 46 Stationary Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, at which time Arthur was suffering from Nephritis. On Thursday 27 June 1918 Arthur was evacuated back to England, and eventually ended up as a patient at the Napsbury Military Hospital, St Albans, Hertfordshire, where he was diagnosed as suffering from Nephritis and Septicemia. Arthur died at Napsbury Hospital at 1945 hours on Thursday 11 July Following his death, at the specific request of his widow, Arthur s body was recovered back to Hildenborough for burial in the Churchyard of St. John the Evangelist. HOUGHAM, BERTRAM WILLIAM. M.C. Captain. 3rd Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Attached to the 5th (Service) Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. Died Friday 6 September Aged 22. Born Faversham, Kent. Only son of Bertram Larkin Hougham and Genia Bella Hougham (née Smith) of Hilden Cottage, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Grave Ref: IV. M. 11. At the time of the 1901 census, the Hougham family resided at Wickhambreaux House, The Mall, Faversham, Kent. Head of the house was 30 year old Dover, Kent native Bertram Larkin Hougham, who was employed as a Bank Clerk. When the 1911 census was conducted, the family was residing at South Lawn, London Road, Tonbridge, Kent, and Bertram Larkin Hougham was a Bank Manager employed by the National Provincial and Union Bank of England, Ltd. Between 1910 and Christmas 1913, Bertram (junior) was a pupil at Canterbury College, and on leaving Canterbury he went to Paris, France, where he remained for a five months studying French. On his return from Paris, the then 17 year old Bertram was employed by the National Provincial and Union Bank of England, Ltd. at its Tonbridge branch which his father managed. On Thursday 17 December 1914, Bertram enlisted in The Inns of Court Training Corps, and trained at Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire. He served as Lance Corporal, 2393 in C and K Companies. From the O.T.C. he was commissioned (on probation) on Sunday 13 June 1915, in the Special Reserve of the Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment. In May 1916 he was posted to the 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, and was serving in the battalion when he was wounded which necessitated his evacuation the England in November Following the treatment for his wounding, Bertram returned to the Western Front in January 1917 and rejoined the 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment in the field. On Sunday 1 July 1917, Bertram was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the Special Reserve, Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment. He was appointed a Company Commander and Temporary Captain whilst still 16

17 serving with Royal Berkshire Regiment on Tuesday 26 March Bertram was killed by shrapnel just as his Company entered the village of Nurlu, Somme, France, and was buried in the British Military Cemetery close to the ruined church. The ruined church at Nurlu was later rebuilt by the local Architect Louis- Michel-Clément Faille, who was responsible for much reconstruction in the eastern Somme département after the Great War. Following his death, Bertram s father received a number of letters of condolence, including one from his Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Thomas Goodland, D.S.O. who wrote:- "I think he was generally loved by every one in the Battalion, and although perhaps quiet and unassuming outwardly, I knew his personality made itself felt. His gallantry in action was always marked, and especially during this glorious battle he has always led his men with the greatest of courage and dash. For his splendid work during the operations near Meaulte and Becordel and Carnoy, August 22nd to 28th, I have recommended him for the Military Cross, and it is a great disappointment to me to know that he has not lived to receive it." A Subaltern who had served in the same Company of the 5th (Service) Battalion wrote:- "To know him was to like him. To live with and work under him was to learn how cheery and lovable a man he was and how true a gentleman." Bertram s former Company Commander in the 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment wrote:-"his intense keenness and thought for his men endeared him to them all." The Chaplain of the 5th (Service) Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment wrote:- "I miss him very much, as I could always depend on his sympathy and help in my work." Notification of the award of the Military Cross to Bertram was published in The London Gazette dated Saturday 1 February 1919, which was later presented to his father who was residing at Deal, Kent. Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, where Bertram is now at rest was begun by the 48th (South Midland) Division in March 1917, used by the Germans in 1918, and resumed by Australian units in September At the Armistice it contained 177 graves, which are now in Plots I and II. It was then enlarged when graves were brought in from the battlefields north and east of Peronne, one being that of Bertram from Nurlu. On the completion of his military service, and having survived the Great War, Bertram s former Commanding Officer, Lieutenant- Colonel Henry Thomas Goodland, D.S.O. worked tirelessly for several years on behalf of the Imperial War Graves Commission. HUMPHREY, FREDERICK. Private, th (Service) Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Died Thursday 2 August Born Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Stokeon-Trent, Staffordshire. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 53. Formerly Private, G/19315, Middlesex Regiment. The only Frederick Humphrey born in Hildenborough that has been located by the transcriber of these brief commemorations was the son of John Humphrey and Mary Humphrey. John was recorded on the 1881 census as being a Grocer and Master Draper residing at London Road, Hildenborough, and who employed staff. By the time of the

18 census, the family was recorded as still living at London Road, Hildenborough, but with widowed Mary Humphrey as the head of the house. A 57 year old native of Limpsfield, Surrey, it would appear that following her husbands death she had carried on the family business, as Mary was recorded as being a Grocer and Draper employing staff. The then 32 year old Frederick was recorded as living on his own means. When the 1911 census was conducted, Frederick was residing at 2, Joan Villas, London Road, Hildenborough. Head of the house was Fredericks 40 year old sister Edith Humphrey, who was also a native of Hildenborough, and living on her own means. If the census entries for Frederick are correct, and if he is the casualty who is commemorated on the Hildenborough civic war memorial, it would mean that at the time of his death he was approximately 48 years of age at the time of his death. Whilst not unheard of, but for a British other rank serving in an infantry regiment at the front during the Great War it would have been quite unusual. At various times the transcriber of these brief commemorations has noted instances where Great War era servicemen (primarily soldiers), who had stated a lower age at the time of enlisting, in much the same way, albeit in reverse of the much larger number of underage enlistments by young men. HUMPHREY, GILBERT STANLEY. Private, G/ st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Thursday 3 May Born Tandridge Priory, Tandridge, Surrey. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Hildenborough, Kent. Son of Mr. G. Humphrey of The Lodge, Kingsmead, Matfield, Paddock Wood, Kent. Buried Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. O. 19. Gilbert s birth was recorded in the Godstone, Surrey, Registration District during the second quarter of His year of birth matches an entry on the 1901 census of a 4 year old Gilbert Humphrey who was a native of Tandridge, Surrey. Gilbert was recorded by the census enumerator as being a visitor at The Floats, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was Limpsfield, Surrey native James Reynolds, who was employed as a General Labourer. George was amongst seven members of the Humphrey family who were visiting, the parents being 34 year old Thomas G. Humphrey and 33 year old Sarah Humphrey. It would seem likely that the census entry is probably erroneous, as good match was found when checking marriage entries for the possible parents of Gilbert. The marriage of a George Thomas Humphrey to Sarah Hannah Richards was recorded in the Godstone, Surrey, Registration District during the first quarter of 1890, and as such Gilbert s father Mr. G. Humphrey; as shown on his Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration details is probably George Thomas Humphrey. Gilbert s death was amongst those of three other ranks which were suffered by the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on Thursday 3 May 1917, when he and Harry Filmer from Sittingbourne were both killed in action. 18

19 JENNER, HORACE JOHN. Private, th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Died Wednesday 24 April Born Shipbourne, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Maidstone, Kent. Resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Charles Jenner and Harriett Jenner (née Coomber). Commemorated on the Pozières Memorial, Somme, France. Panel 28. Horace was christened at the parish church of St. Giles, Shipbourne, Tonbridge, Kent on Sunday 21 May At the time of the 1901 census, the Jenner family resided at Nut-tree Green, Shipbourne, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 31 year old Shipbourne, Kent native Charles Jenner, who was employed as an Agricultural Labourer. When the 1911 census was conducted, the family was residing at Grenadier Cottages, Hildenborough, at which time Horace s father was still the head of the house and employed as an Agricultural Labourer. On the day before Horace was killed in action at the Somme village of Villers- Bretonneux which is approximately 10 miles to the east of the town of Amiens, the 7th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was billeted at the village of Boutillerie on the south east outskirts of Amiens. Specialist training was being carried out in preparation for the following days action, and a reinforcement of 9 officers joined battalion. Having temporarily left the battalion and returned to England on Wednesday16 April, the Commanding Officer; Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Ernest Percival, D.S.O., M.C. (later Lieutenant-General C.B., D.S.O. & Bar, O.B.E., M.C., OSt.J., D.L.), returned from England and resumed command of battalion. On Wednesday 24 April, the battalion was ordered to "stand to" at 0400 hours. It moved up to line by stages throughout the day and took up position just to the south of the village of Cachy which is situated on the D168 road, some 9 miles to the southeast of Amines, and near Villers-Bretonneux where Horace fell. The battalion was ordered to carryout a counter attack at 1000 hours. From information received the enemy had penetrated the defenses to a depth of approximately 2000 yards on a wide frontage. The battalion was formed up in position for attack with the Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on right of the battalion and Australians on the left. It was an intensely dark night when the battalion moved forward to the assault, and encountered slight enemy opposition for first 1000 yards. When battalion on our right was held up by heavy machine gun fire, the reserve Company of the 7th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was ordered forward at this stage, and having been reinforced the assault was continued and the final objective was eventually reached in spite of the fierce German opposition encountered, and with two exposed flanks. The left company of Horace s battalion was ordered to withdraw in order to conform with the line of the battalion on its left flank. With the right flank of the battalion still remaining exposed, Second Lieutenant William Tysoe who was a former Private in the Northamptonshire Regiment, and the sole officer remaining skillfully reorganised the line in addition too which he sent in very clear reports as to the situation as it was known to him. As a result of the information supplied by Second Lieutenant Tysoe, a section of the 54th Machine Gun Company was ordered forward to cover the exposed right flank, which was only a 19

20 weak line that was being formed by headquarters personnel. Throughout the whole of Wednesday 24 April, Second Lieutenant Tysoe and the soldiers he commanded successfully held the line, which had included repulsing an enemy attack on his right flank, which was launched following a heavy bombardment, at which time the frontage held by the battalion extended for 1100 yards. At approximately 2200 hours the battalion was relieved by French Colonial troops, and marched to bivouacs in support in rear of the original battalion line. During this action the battalion took in excess of 200 prisoners. Many enemy dead were observed on the captured ground, and 5 enemy machine guns were captured during this action, all of which were handed over to the French on the battalion being relived. The relevant war diary entry records:- Throughout the action 2/Lt.Tysoe displayed the greatest gallantry and leadership & the success of this difficult operation was largely due to his efforts. The bearing of all ranks was most commendable, and deserving of the highest praise. The original casualty roll for the 7th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment on the day that Horace fell showed 3 officers and 13 other ranks deaths, 7 officers and 105 other ranks were wounded, and 70 missing, but sadly the revised figure which had included several of those who had initially been posted as missing, resulted in a total of 54 other ranks deaths. Second Lieutenant William Tysoe was subsequently promoted, and during the course of the Great War which he survived, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and Military Cross, Mentioned in Despatches, and was also decorated by the French with the Croix de Guerre. KEEN, A.E. As commemorated on the Hildenborough civic war memorial has proved to be one of the more difficult casualties to positively identify, and as such the following soldier is only arguably the best match. It should be noted that whilst the following casualty is the sole matching Great War casualty that is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, others were located who are not correctly commemorated by the Commission, e.g. Christian and/or surname errors etcetera:- KEEN, ARTHUR EDWIN. Gunner, th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died Friday 12 July Aged 19. Born Plumstead, Kent. Enlisted Woolwich, Kent. Son of Edwin Keen and Emily Keen of 222, Maxey Road, Plumstead, Kent. Buried Plumstead Cemetery, Cemetery Road (off Wickham Lane), Abbey Wood, London, SE2 0NS. Grave Ref: M At the time of the 1901 census, the Keen family resided at 165, Maxey Road, Plumstead, Kent. Head of the house was 31 year old Plumstead, Kent native Edwin Keen, who was employed as a ganger on the railway. When the 1911 census was conducted, the Keen family had moved to reside at 222, Maxey Road, Plumstead, where Arthur s grandfather; 70 year old London native and Army Pensioner John Keen who was a widower, was recorded by the census enumerator as being the head of the house. Arthur has a Medal Index Card entry indicative of him having served abroad on active service, but unfortunately no date of commencement of same, or addition details are shown on it. 20

21 LUCAS, ARTHUR. Stoker 1st Class, SS/ Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Strongbow." Died Wednesday 17 October Aged 21. Born Southborough, Tonbridge, Kent Sunday 12 July Son of George Lucas and the late Martha Lucas of Hilden Cottage, London Road, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 24, as shown above. At the time of the 1911 census, the Lucas family resided at Lower Cottage, Wadhurst, Sussex. Head of the house was 54 year old Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent native George Lucas, who was widowed and employed as a Farm Labourer, as was the then 16 year old Arthur. H.M.S. Strongbow on which Arthur was serving when he lost his life which was being commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Edward Brooke, D.S.O., R.N. when she left Lerwick, Shetland on Monday 15 October 1917 accompanied by her sister ship, the 994 ton Admiralty Moon class destroyer H.M.S. Mary Rose, which was commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Charles Leonard Fox, R.N. of South Kensington, London, which were accompanied by the two armed trawlers, H.M.S. Elise and H.M.S. P. Fannon, escorting an eastbound convoy. Shortly before midday the following day the two destroyers separated, with H.M.S. Mary Rose going ahead to meet an approaching westbound convoy near Marsten, Norway. H.M.S. Strongbow was ordered to continue with the eastbound convoy and superintend its dispersal, following which to then rejoin H.M.S. Mary Rose at sea. Later in the afternoon Henry s ship left Marsten as part of the Shetland bound convoy of twelve merchantmen, which was comprised 2 British, 1 Belgian, 1 Danish, 5 Norwegian and 3 Swedish vessels, in addition to which were the 2 armed trawlers. H.M.S. Strongbow joined the convoy after dark, but neither of the destroyers Commanding Officers were able to get into touch with the other. During a subsequent Admiralty Board of Enquirey into the events of Wednesday 17 October 1917, Lieutenant-Commander Brooke stated that he had attempted to communicate with the H.M.S. Mary Rose several times during the night but having got no response; he therefore took station somewhere on the port quarter of the convoy, which was spread to the north and north-west of his ship. At 0600 hours on the morning of Wednesday 17 October, the Shetland bound convoy was intercepted by the two German 4,400 ton minelaying cruisers SMS Bremse and the SMS Brummer, approximately 65 miles to the east of Lerwick. H.M.S. Strongbow was just astern of the convoy and H.M.S. Mary Rose was about 7 miles in front of it. In conditions of poor visibility at no more than 4000 yards, those on watch on H.M.S. Strongbow mistook the German ships for British cruisers, which was how they had evidently been rigged to give that impression. H.M.S. Strongbow challenged the enemy cruisers several times, but without getting a satisfactory answer. The officer of the watch, Lieutenant James, realised immediately that the unidentified ships were German vessels, and sent below to call Lieutenant-Commander Brooke. By this time the SMS Brummer had closed to within 3000 yards and opened up on H.M.S. Strongbow with 21

22 devastating accurate fire, which resulted in knocking out the main steam pipe and wireless of H.M.S. Strongbow. Just prior to being crippled, H.M.S. Strongbow had been attempting to transmit a warning, but the German cruisers had successfully jammed the signal as they did with all similar efforts by the allied ships. Lieutenant James, who had been sent by Lieutenant-Commander Brooke to the wireless office, found it wrecked by a shell and the operator killed, and on his return to the bridge he found it wrecked, the Captain badly wounded and the Quartermaster killed. Lieutenant-Commander Brooke was hit in the leg by a shell splinter, but continued in command, and not allowing anybody to attempt to leave the stricken ship until he was absolutely certain that every confidential book and paper had been destroyed, and that the enemy would not get possession of anything useful from his ship. When he was satisfied that his orders had been carried out, he then ordered that the ship should be sunk, and told those who were still alive that they should save themselves. H.M.S. Strongbow was abandoned and she sank beneath the waves at about 0930 hours with the loss of 47 Officers and men, after the two German ships had made three separate attacks against her. Following the sinking of H.M.S. Strongbow, the SMS Bremse and SMS Brummer then turned their attention to the merchantmen in the convoy and quickly sank four of them. H.M.S. Mary Rose had heard the firing astern of her, and immediately turned back, at which time Lieutenant-Commander Fox and his crew suspected that the convoy was under attack from a German U-boat. As soon as the pair of German cruisers were sighted Lieutenant-Commander Fox quickly ascertained the true gravity of the situation, despite which without a moments hesitation he approached the enemy ships at high speed, and at about 0620 hours the gunners of H.M.S. Mary Rose opened fire at a distance which was estimated at between 6000 and 7000 yards. When he was at a distance of about only approximately 2000 yards from the enemy cruisers, Lieutenant-Commander Fox order the helm hard over, and the German gunners got the range of the destroyer as she was on the turn. After that the end for H.M.S. Mary Rose came very quickly as the result of the accurate gunfire from the German ships. H.M.S. Mary Rose sank in a very short time taking with her most of her compliment of 88 officers and ratings, including Lieutenant-Commander Fox, who was last seen swimming in the water just before his ship went down. A few ratings with one of the officer, Sub-Lieutenant Freeman managed to escape on a Carley raft. The Germans then subjected all of the boats and rafts to a period of indiscriminate shelling which resulted in the loss of many lives, although this was disputed in later reports. The Captain of the armed trawler H.M.S. Elise managed to keep his small vessel out of the fire of the German cruisers, and returned to the scene of the engagement as soon as it was feasible, where H.M.S. Elise picked up a number of survivors, amongst them was Lieutenant-Commander Brooke and the party from H.M.S. Strongbow. Sub- Lieutenant Freeman and the men from H.M.S Mary Rose eventually reached the Norwegian coast near Bergen, where the lighthouse keepers took them in and fed them and attended to their injuries. In total, approximately 250 lives were lost as the result of the successful attack by the SMS Bremse and SMS Brummer on Wednesday 17 October Only 10 crew from H.M.S. Mary Rose and 45 from 22

23 H.M.S. Strongbow survived the sinking of the two ships, including Lieutenant- Commander Edward Brooke, D.S.O., R.N. who died of pneumonia on Monday 10 February 1919, and is at rest at Almondbury Cemetery, Huddersfield, Yorkshire. In addition to H.M.S. Elise, the other armed trawler H.M.S. P. Fannon, and three of the merchantmen managed to escape, but a total of nine of the convoy ships perished. Although there were strong British forces in the North Sea in the area at the time of the action, but no word of it was received until 1550 hours on the day of the engagement. As they had not been in a position to intercept the SMS Bremse and the SMS Brummer, both of the German cruisers had been able to return to their home port in safety. MacKNEY, OSWALD MOSELEY. Serjeant, th (Service) Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. Died Tuesday 28 May Aged 31. Born Redhill, Surrey. Enlisted Winchester, Hampshire. Resided Gosport, Hampshire. Son of John MacKney and Fanny Elizabeth MacKney (née Sutton) of The Limes, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Husband of Hannah MacKney (née Cumpusty) of Gosport, Hampshire. Buried Chambrecy British Cemetery, Marne, France. Grave Ref: VI. B. 9. Also commemorated on the Great War village tribute which is located in the parish church of St. Augustine's, Northbourne, Deal, Kent. At the time of the 1901 census, the then 13 year old Oswald, and his 11 year old brother Frank Denne MacKney were boarders at 42, Fengate Hill, Reigate, Surrey. Head of the house was 36 year old Redhill, Surrey native George Vosper, who was employed as a Tailor Cutter. When the 1911 census was conducted, the address recorded by the census enumerator for the MacKney family was 24, and 26, and 28, Fife Road, Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey. Head of the house was 49 year old Northbourne, Deal Kent native John MacKney, who was a Linen Draper employing several members of shop and domestic staff, several of whom also resided at the same address. Oswald was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Gents Outfitters Assistant. By the time that Oswald married 24 year old Miss Hannah Cumpusty at the parish church of Christ Church, Gosport, Hampshire on Tuesday 29 April 1914, his father John MacKney appears to have made a career change, as he was recorded by the registrar as being a Farmer. Oswald was recorded by the registrar as being a Gents Hosier, and as residing at 38, Goldstone Villas, Hove, Sussex. Hannah, the daughter of Shipwright Edward Cumpusty was recorded as being a resident of 5, Brune Terrace, Gosport, Hampshire. Witnesses to the marriage were Edward Cumpusty and Frank Denne MacKney. Oswald s Medal Card Entry shows that an official application for his medals was submitted on Wednesday 11 May 1921, but unfortunately the name and address of the applicant is not shown, but as his next of kin it would follow that the application had been submitted by his widow Hannah MacKney. 23

24 MARTIN, A. Arguably the following casualty is the best match, although the transcriber has only based same on the relevant Kent entry in/on Soldiers Died in the Great War, which is known to contain thousands of various types of errors. MARTIN, ARTHUR. Private, /2nd (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers). Died Saturday 28 September Born Millwall, London. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Grave Ref: V. F. 14. Formerly Private, 17233, 29th Training Reserve Battalion, and Private, 67249, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). MARTIN, FREDERICK. Acting Bombardier, nd/1st (North Midland) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died Sunday 22 July Aged 35. Born Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted London. Resided Reynolda, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A. Son of Joseph Martin and Mary Martin (née Upperton) of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Husband of Hester Martin of Vine Cottage, St. Catherine's Road, Long Melford, Suffolk. Buried Perth Cemetery (China Wall), Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: III. A. 19. At the time of the 1901 census, the Martin family resided at Mansers Farm, Nizels Lane, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 46 year old Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent native Joseph Martin (senior), who was employed as a Domestic Gardener. Frederick arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. on Monday 17 March 1913 on board the Carpathia which had sailed from Liverpool, at which time he was a Gardener at Bourne Place Gardens, Tonbridge, Kent, which was also the same address shown for his parents when the 1911 census was conducted. Frederick s final destination was Great Hills, Marion, Massachusetts where his friend George Holliday lived. He spent one year in Massachusetts in the beautiful Buzzard's Bay section, and another in Pennsylvania, pursuing his work of landscape, gardening and horticultural designing. He has been at Reynolda Winston-Salem, North Carolina since 1915 where he was employed as the Head Gardener for Mrs. R.J. Reynolds at Reynolda House. In 1915 Frederick made another journey from Liverpool to America, and arrived at New York on board the 24,563 ton White Star ship Adriatic on Thursday 2 September 1915, his final destination being 2, Conway Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which was probably his home address. In order to serve in the Great War, Frederick sailed from New York on board the 9,851 ton Cunard Line ship Pannonia, which arrived at the Port of London on Wednesday 16 August On Tuesday 21 August 1917, Frederick s widow was residing at Montrose, Pennsylvania, when she wrote the following letter to Mrs. R.J. Reynolds, Reynolda House, Reynolda Winston-Salem, North Carolina:- Dear Madam, It is just a week ago that I received the news of the overwhelming 24

25 sorrow that has befallen me. There is not much to tell. He was killed in action on July 22nd. He had been wounded the day before but had been of great assistance to the officers in looking after those poor fellows who were more wounded than he was. Though slightly wounded went into action next day to meet his death. It was a great shock to me for I had the day before received two letters from him. Letters full of hope, cheer and saying how he would make up to me when the war was over for the past years of separation and anxiety. If only a year could roll back how gladly I would brave the submarines to go with him, for in nearly every letter he was wishing I was with him but can only hope it is for the best. I cannot yet realize he has gone but I know when I go back to Philadelphia and England, I shall have some bad days to go through. I do not know yet what I shall do but am writing the British Consul for a passport to England, but of course they may not be able to let me go. His major writes me that his death was instantaneous and that he died a hero s death, that is as it may be but I know that I have been called upon to give up a life that was very dear and precious to me. I hope that Mr. Reynolds is better for the visit to Atlantic City and that the children and yourself are well. Please tell Lizzie I will answer her kind letter soon. With best wishes Believe me yours sincerely H. Martin. Frederick is not to be confused with the Frederick Martin who is buried at, and commemorated on the civic war memorial at the village of Long Melford, Babergh, Suffolk (or Melford, as it is known locally), which is where Hester Martin later resided. MARTIN, JOSEPH. Serjeant, th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died Thursday 1 November Born and resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Woolwich, Kent. Son of Joseph Martin and Mary Martin (née Upperton) of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery, Kemmel, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: III. G. 12. Joseph was a brother of fellow Royal Garrison Artillery Non Commissioned Officer Frederick Martin who is the casualty briefly commemorated above, and for additional details appertaining to the Martin family please also see Frederick s commemoration. The cemetery where Joseph is at rest was commenced in January 1917, and Plots I to III were made by field ambulances and fighting units which were located in the area before the middle of January MEADE, CYRIL. Second Lieutenant. 2/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. Died Thursday 5 April Aged 20. Born and resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Charles Frederick Meade and Wilhelmina Elizabeth Meade (née Schmidt) of 10, Beltring Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Buried Vermand Communal Cemetery, Aisne, France. Grave Ref: Civilian Section 1. 25

26 At the time of the 1911 census, the Meade family resided at 1, Park Terrace, Mount Pleasant, Hildenborough, Kent. Head of the house was 39 year old Godalming, Surrey native Charles Frederick Meade, who was a Brewers Agent and Shopkeeper. Cyril s mother who was a 37 year old native of Commercial Road, London, was recorded by the census enumerator as being an Assisting in shop Off License. Cyril was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 4th (City of Bristol) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Territorial Force) on Monday 4 September Cyril s parents were still residing at 10, Beltring Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, when his father submitted an application to be furnished with the war medals of his lat son on Tuesday 28 February 1922, and when Cyril s mother died on Sunday 21 September PAINTON-JONES, E. As he is commemorated on the Hildenborough civic war memorial, is in remembrance of the following local Hildenborough casualty:- PAINTON-JONES, THOMAS EDWARD. Captain. 1/6th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Rifles). Died Friday 15 September Aged 39. Born Tadley, Hampshire. Resided Hildenborough, Kent. Son of William Jones and Martha Elizabeth Jones (née Painton). Husband of Emily Annie Painton-Jones of Hill Brow, London Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 9 D, and on the Smarden, Ashford, Kent parish tribute which is in the form of a memorial plaque on the exterior of the parish church of St. Michael, as shown above, also on the Tadley, Hampshire civic war memorial at the parish church of St. Paul s, and on the Welshpool, Powys, Wales civic war memorial, which is located within the curtilage of the parish church of St. Mary s. The marriage of Thomas parents was recorded in the Brighton, Sussex, Registration District during the first quarter of Thomas was born at Tadley, Hampshire on Sunday 18 March He was educated at Oswestry High School, Church Street, Oswestry, Shropshire, at which time the Jones family resided at Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, Wales. Thomas enlisted in the 49th (Montgomeryshire) Company, 9th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry on Thursday 4 January 1900, at which time he stated that he was 22 years old and was a Tailor. When he enlisted in the 9th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, Thomas was in partnership with James Niven, trading as Niven & Jones (Tailors & Drapers) of Broad Street, Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, Wales. After being attested as Private, 8386, Edward served with the 49th (Montgomeryshire) Company, 9th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry during the Second the Boer War from April 1900, until being discharged as a Sergeant on Saturday 26 April 1902 at Johannesburg, South Africa. For his services during the Second Boer War, Edward was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with the clasps Cape Colony, Transvaal, and Wittebergen, he also received the King's South Africa Medal with both the date bars 1901 & At the time of volunteering for 26

27 military service during the Great War, Thomas was residing at with his wife at Hill Brow, London Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 1/6th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Rifles) on Tuesday 23 March 1915, details of which were published in The London Gazette dated Friday 23 April On Tuesday 12 September 1916, Thomas battalion moved to Black Wood, and two days later moved forward to Bazentin-le-Grand, and from there assembled in Worcester Trench. On the day that Thomas fell during an attack on High Wood, his battalion suffered heavy casualties during the advance, during the course of which an enemy position named Cough Drop was captured and consolidated. For several years, Thomas maternal grandfather Thomas Painton was a Brick & Tile maker at Tadley, Hampshire. It was noted whist carrying out the research on the family, that on almost all documentation the family name is recorded as being Jones as opposed to Painton-Jones. Thomas widow also later resided at 6, Madeley Road, Ealing, London, W5, and 331, Van Der Walt Street, Pretoria, South Africa. PARKER, WILLIAM GEORGE. Private, GS/ th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died Thursday 30 August Born Hartfield, Sussex. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Son of William Parker and Harriett Parker. Buried Monchy British Cemetery, Monchy-le-Preux, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. L. 4. Formerly Private, 15604, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). William (junior) was christened in the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin, Hartfield, Sussex on 30 October At the time of the 1891 census, the Parker family resided at Gillham Lane, Forest Row, Sussex. Head of the house was 35 year old Buxted, Sussex native William Parker (senior), who was employed as a Cowman. When the 1901 census was conducted, William (junior) was living as a boarder with 62 year old Egerton Ashford, Kent native Matilda Pearson, who was a widow and the head of the house at Spring Villas, Lyminster, Littlehampton, Sussex. William was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Domestic Gardner. PORTER, JAMES HERBERT. Driver, th Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery. Died at sea Friday 23 October Born Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Bromley, Kent. Resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Son of James Porter and the late Sarah Ann Porter (née Hayesman). Commemorated on the Mikra Memorial, Kalamaria, Greece, as shown above. At the time of the 1881 census, the Porter family resided at Mill Lane, Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 52 year old Tonbridge, Kent native 27

28 James Porter (senior), who was employed as an Agricultural Labourer. Specific mention has been made here of the 1881 census entry for the Porter family because James was recorded by the census enumerator as being 1 year old, and if correct it would probably be indicative of Mill Lane, Leigh, being his actual place of birth, and also that he was about 35 year of age when he died. The same address for the family was also entered on the 1891 census. No clear entry on the 1901 census was located for James (junior), and as the transcriber of these brief commemorations has noted other men missing from the 1901 census, who are subsequently found to have been serving in South Africa during the Second Boer War, although simply supposition on the part of the transcriber and should therefore be viewed as such, it might be that James had been in the army at the time of the census, and during the Great War he was serving as a recalled army reservist. When the 1911 census was conducted, James was residing as a boarder at 19, Consort Street, Miskin, Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, Wales, employed as a Haulier below ground at a Colliery, and was recorded as being married. Late in the afternoon of 19 October 1915, H.M. Transport the 7,057 SS Marquette commanded by Captain John Bell Findlay, had set off from Alexandria, Egypt on a routine mission to Salonika, Greece, and was escorted for 4 days by the French Destroyer, "Tirailleur." On board the SS Marquette were 22 officers and 588 other ranks of the 29th Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery with its vehicles and animals. Also on board were 8 officers and 86 other ranks of the New Zealand Medical Corps, plus 36 female nurses. The ship was also carrying the equipment and stores of the No.1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital, In addition to the military personnel, the SS Marquette had a ship's compliment of 95, making a total of 741 persons on board when she left Alexandria. Her departure in a convoy from the port was not run of the mill, as she had been given a rousing send off with cheers and songs by British and French sailors manning several warships which were in port. The first of the setbacks on the voyage occurred when a fault in her steering gear caused the ship to suddenly swing round. A fire in a case on the deck later caused a further diversion until it was safely jettisoned overboard. At dusk the SS Marquette was joined by its escort and the portholes were blacked out. The passengers and crew carried out lifeboat drills, as there were rumours of enemy U-boats in the area. On the evening of the fourth day the escort, the French destroyer "Tirailleur." left the convoy. At 0915 hours on Friday 23 October 1915, off Platanona Point in the Aegean Sea, the SS Marquette was hit by a torpedo on her forward starboard side, which had been fired from the German U-boat U-35 that was commanded by 35 year old Korvettenkapitän Waldemar Kophamel. Having immediately signalled that she had been struck by a torpedo, the stricken ship began to list to port, but righted herself, and then began to sink by the bow, and sank in thirteen minutes with a heavy loss of 167 lives, one of whom was James. Part of the inscription on the Mikra Memorial, Kalamaria, Greece, reads: - To the glory of God and in reverent memory of the dead are inscribed her the names of one hundred and thirty five nurses officers and men of the United Kingdom and New Zealand drowned in the 'Marquette' transport torpedoed on the 23rd October

29 ROBINSON, CHARLES. Private, D/ th Dragoon Guards (Princess Royal s). Died Monday 12 August Born Rye, Sussex. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Harriet Robinson of 12, Powder Mills, Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent, and the late George Robinson. Buried Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Somme, France. Grave Ref: XIX. BB. 4. Also commemorated on the Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent civic war memorial. At the time of the 1901 census, the Robinson family resided at Gunpowder Mills Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 54 year old Wicken, Northamptonshire native George Robinson, who was employed as a Domestic Groom. The then 14 year old Charles was employed as an Apprentice at a Cabinet Works. It was noticed by the transcriber of these brief commemorations, that unfortunately Charles is not commemorated on the 7th Dragoon Guards (Princess Royal s), Great War memorial plaque which is located in Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Norfolk. SKINNER, JAMES. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died Sunday 24 March Born Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Albert Skinner and Sabrina Skinner (née Cook). Buried Rosieres British Cemetery, Somme, France. Grave Ref: 28. At the time of the 1911 census, the Skinner family resided at Elses Cottage, Weald, Sevenoaks, Kent. Head of the house was Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent native Albert Skinner who was employed as a Horseman on a Farm. SMYTHE, FREDERICK CHARLES. Private, st (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers). Died Monday 19 August Born Privett, Alton, Hampshire. Enlisted and resided Brighton, Sussex. Son of the late William and Agness Smythe (née Button) of Hove, Sussex. Husband of Mrs. Smythe of Thrift Cottage, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul, Nord, France. Grave Ref: I. E. 35. Formerly Private, 40, Cyclist Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, and Private, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). At the time of the 1901 census, the Smythe family resided at 48, New Town Road, Hove, Sussex. Head of the house was 72 year old Ufford, Suffolk native William Smythe, who was a retired Gardner and a widower. It was noted that only Fredericks service in the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), and the 1st (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) was recorded on his Medal Index Card, which would tend to be indicative that his service in the Royal Sussex Regiment, had been in either the 1/6th or 2/6th (Cyclist), (Territorial Force) Battalions, prior to having been posted overseas on active service. 29

30 STEWART, B. As commemorated on the Hildenborough civic war memorial has proved to be one of the more difficult casualties to positively identify, and as such the following officer is only arguably the best match, as he is the sole Great War Commonwealth casualty which was located with a (tenuous) Kent connection:- STEWART, BERTRAND. Captain. West Kent Yeomanry (Queen's Own), attached to the Intelligence Corps. Died Saturday 12 September Aged 41. Born London Thursday 1 October Only son of Charles Stewart and Eva Stewart of Achara, Appin, Argyllshire, Scotland, and of 38, Eaton Place, London. Husband of Daphne Priaulx Stewart of Queen's Gate Gardens, London. Buried Braine Communal Cemetery, Aisne, France. Grave Ref: A. 3. Also commemorated at Eton College, Berkshire, and on the Great War memorial plaque Christ Church College, Oxford, also in the chancel of St. Adamnan's Episcopal Church, Duror of Appin, Argyll, Scotland which is in memory of Capt. Bertrand Stewart, West Kent Yeomanry. Brought from the graveyard in France. It being Bernard s original grave marker. A memorial stone in remembrance of Bernard located in Castle Stalker, Argyll, Scotland, was erected by his father. Bertrand was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford until In October 1897 he was admitted as a Solicitor, becoming a member of the firm of Markby, Stewart and Co. of 57 Coleman Street, London EC. On Tuesday 15 February 1898, Bertram was admitted as a Freeman of the City of London. During the Second Boer War ( ), Bertrand had served as a Private in the ranks of The Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry, seeing action at Cape Colony, Orange River and the Transvaal. On Tuesday 1 August 1905 he married Daphne, the daughter of Colonel Osmond Priaulx of The Mount, Guernsey, Channel Islands and they set up home at Queen's Gate Gardens, London. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the regiment 1906, and served in C Squadron, Royal Tunbridge Wells. During the years leading up to the Great War, Bertrand, by then a Lieutenant in the Yeomanry, discretely let it be known to the Head of the Secret Service; Commander Mansfield Smith-Cumming, (usually known as C ), that he was willing to join the people who were gathering information for the suspected preparations for war in Germany. Bernard s offer to spy was taken up by the British Secret Service, and whilst he was travelling in Germany, Bertrand was arrested in the city of Bremen on Wednesday 2 August 1911 and charged with 30

31 espionage. It was claimed that he had been attempting to learn something about the secrets of German military and naval defences in the North Sea and the dockyards; he was picked up after documents had been passed to him in a restaurant in the city, which he was still reading in the rest room of the restaurant when he was arrested. His trial before the Supreme Court of the German Empire at Leipzig began on Wednesday 31 January 1912 and was held in camera. After 4 days he was found guilty and sentenced to detention in a fortress for 3 years and 6 months but this was soon reduced by 4 months because he had already been in prison for a considerable time. He was imprisoned at the fortress of Glatz until May 1913, when his release was ordered as an act of clemency by H.M. The Kaiser on the occasion of H.M. King George V's visit to Berlin, when a daughter of H.M. The Kaiser, Victoria Louise married Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. In August 1913, Bernard was promoted to the rank of Captain in the West Kent Yeomanry (Queen's Own). Shortly after the commencement of the Great War, Bernard was appointed to the Intelligence Department on the Staff of Major General Allenby and left for France with the Cavalry Division. Sadly, his war service was of only a short duration, because he was killed in action near the small town of Braisne on Saturday 12 September 1914, when the town was captured by dismounted units of the 1st Cavalry Brigade when fighting a delaying action. In the book From Mons to Ypres with General French which was written by Frederick Coleman in 1917, it contains a chapter With the British at the Battle of the Marne, which describes the fighting near Braisne, and Frederick describes how he moved down a slope, and in front of him lay the town of Braisne and the crossing of the River Vesle. Frederick wrote, On the bank by the way lay the dead body of Bertrand Stewart of the Intelligence who had taken a rifle and gone down to lend a hand. Beyond him a wounded trooper sat propped against a milestone gasping with pain. Amongst the many letters of condolence which were sent to Bertrand's family following his death was one from Rheims, which was dated Wednesday 16 September 1914, and had been written by someone who had served with Bernard. Part of the letter said, I was with him at the time, and must tell you I am certain it was the death he would have chosen painless and sudden, and doing his duty. A patrol of ours was attacked entering the village of Braisne and the supporting party retired. Captain Stewart at once jumped up, and putting himself at their head rallied them and took them to the assistance of those cut off. I was sent back for reinforcements and on my return had got back to within a few yards of his side when the end came. Those who, like myself, worked with him had become very fond of him, and his memory as an English officer will remain with us. He was buried in the village cemetery at Braisne, near to where he fell. Amongst the replies which Charles Stewart sent to those offering their sympathy was the following; Sincere thanks for kind sympathy. My son died as he could have wished. God rest his soul. I have just heard from an eye witness source that two or three Uhlans fell under his sword before the fatal bullet reached him. Bernard has the unfortunate distinction of being the first member serving in the Territorial Force to be killed in the Great War. Following his death the officers and other ranks of the West Kent Yeomanry (Queen's Own), presented his widow with a 31

32 bronze tablet commemorating his service. Various commentators have made mention that it is possible that Bernard s exploits in Germany was the basis for the rather shadowy character in Erskine Childers' "Riddle of the Sands." To this day an annual prize for an essay is still awarded in remembrance of Bernard, which is The Bertrand Stewart Prize and consists of a sum of 70 devoted annually as a prize for the best paper on some military subject, the study or discussion of which would tend to increase' the efficiency of Her Majesty's Services. The subject of the essay for each year is published in the Army. Quarterly and in Admiralty Fleet Orders. The right to compete is limited to British subjects who have served, or who are actually serving, as Officers or in other ranks or ratings of Her Majesty's Forces. The term Her Majesty's Forces " includes the Navy and the Royal Marines, the Regular Army The Special Reserve, The Territorial Army, The Militia and the Royal Air Force, and also the Naval, Military and Air Forces of India, the Dominions and Crown Colonies. One of the recipients of The Bertrand Stewart Prize was John Enoch Powell, M.B.E., M.P.( ), the politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, linguist, soldier, and the one time youngest Brigadier in the British army at the time. STREATER, ARTHUR AUGUSTUS. Pioneer, th Foreway Company, Royal Engineers. Died Thursday 23 May Aged 42. Born Brighton, Sussex. Enlisted Sevenoaks, Kent. Resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Son of the late Obadiah Streater and the late Louisa Streater (née Gilbert). Husband of Elizabeth (Bessie) Streater (née Bassett) of Laburnam Cottage, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: IX. A. 78. At the time of the 1901 census, Arthur resided at Chipstead Lane, Riverhead, Sevenoaks, Kent. Head of the house was 30 year old Royal Tunbridge Wells, 32

33 Kent native William Rute Fagg, who was employed as a Journeyman Tailor. Arthur was recorded by the census enumerator as being a 25 year old Journeyman Bread Baker. He enlisted in the army For the Duration of the War on Friday 10 December 1915, at which time he stated that he was 39 years and 11 months old, and employed as an Assurance Agent residing at The Nest, Knockholt, Sevenoaks, Kent. He named his brother; Stanley Rollings Streater of 107, Philbeach Gardens, Kennington, London, SW5 as being his next of kin. Having been assessed as being medically B1 category, Arthur was placed on the Army Reserve until being mobilized on Monday 3 April 1916 for Garrison Service Abroad. He was remobilized and re-attested on Tuesday 10 October 1916, and posted to serve as a Private, , in the 2/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Essex Regiment on Tuesday 17 October. Arthur married Miss Elizabeth Bassett at the parish church of St. John, Hildenborough, Kent on Saturday 15 December He was posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Essex Regiment (for record purposes) on Wednesday 2 January 1918, for service with the British Expeditionary Force and sailed from Folkestone, Kent on Saturday 5 January 1918 disembarking at Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais the same day. From Boulogne-sur-Mer, Arthur travelled to the 8 Infantry Base Depot at the French town of Le Havre, from where he was transferred to serve in the 5th Army Tramway Company, Royal Engineers on Friday 18 January, and was allotted the new regimental number On Saturday 16 March, Arthur was transferred to the 5th Foreway Company, Royal Engineers. Having been feeling unwell for a month but not complaining, Arthur eventually reported sick on Saturday 11 May 1918, and was admitted to the 109 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps on Wednesday 15 May, where he was quickly diagnosed as suffering from a congested left lung, and was transferred to the 3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station later the same day. The following day Arthur was transferred to The Dublin 83 General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps at Boulogne-sur-Mer, where he died of an acute inflammation of the left kidney whilst he was receiving treatment as a patient there on Thursday 23 May 1918, and his wife was notified of his death 4 days later. YOUNG, ALBERT. Private, th Divisional Employment Company, Labour Corps. Died Wednesday 20 November Born and resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Woolwich. Son of Ellen Jane Young of 4, Leigh Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent, and the late Thomas R Young. Buried Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery, Exochi, Greece. Grave Ref: 478. At the time of the 1901 census, the Young family resided at Leigh Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 49 year old Speldhurst, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent native Ellen Jane Young, who was a widow. Albert was recorded as being 8 years old by the census enumerator, which if correct would be indicative of him having been approximately 25 years of age at the time of his death. He was formerly Private, 17th (Duke of Cambridge s Own) Lancers, and Private, G/17032, 12th (Reserve) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent 33

34 Regiment), also Private, 58667, 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. Albert enlisted in the army on Tuesday 29 February 1916, at which time he stated that he was 23 years and 7 days old, and that he was employed as a Groom. He was attested to serve in the 17th (Duke of Cambridge s Own) Lancers on Saturday 4 March 1916, and initially served in D Squadron, 8th Reserve Cavalry Regiment, which was affiliated to the 16th (The Queen s) Lancers and the 17th (Duke of Cambridge s Own) Lancers, at Curragh Camp, County Kildare, Ireland. It would seem likely that Albert was attested to serve in the cavalry based on him having said that he was employed as a Groom when he had enlisted. Only three days after going to Curragh Camp he was transferred to serve in the 12th (Reserve) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), doubtless due to the fact that it had been come to light that Albert had in fact been employed as a Tailor and not a Groom. He later served in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), at Chatham, Kent. On Saturday 20 October 1916 Albert was transferred to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. He was posted to serve in the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and sailed from Southampton on Wednesday 8 November 1916, and arrived at Salonica on Sunday 19 November He joined the 2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment in the field at Salonica on Sunday 3 December Whilst he was serving at Salonica, Albert suffered several bouts of Malaria, and during the course of a stay in hospital it was noted by one of the Doctors that he had flat feet, which resulted in him being reclassified and medically downgraded. As the result of being reclassified, Albert was transferred to serve in the 818th Divisional Employment Company, Labour Corps with effect from Thursday 4 October Albert died of Malaria at the 80th Central Hospital, Salonica, Greece on Wednesday 20 November 1918, having been admitted as a patient there since Tuesday 5 November 1918, prior to which he had been receiving treatment at the 26th Casualty Clearing Station. Following his death, Albert was laid to rest at the Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery the following day; where his funeral was conducted by the Reverend, Frank Augustine Whitehead, M.A., C.F. Albert was a brother of David Young who is the next casualty briefly commemorated below. YOUNG, DAVID. Private, nd/4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Thursday 19 April Born Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Ellen Jane Young of 4, Leigh Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent, and the late Thomas R Young. Commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial, Israel. Panel 41. At the time of the 1901 census referred to above at the brief commemoration of David s brother Albert; David was recorded by the census enumerator as being a 16 year Stockman on a Farm. When the 1911 census was conducted, David was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Cricket Ball Maker. The then 18 year old Albert was recorded as being employed as a Shop Assistant at an Outfitters. 34

35 The Great War Lost Men BAKER, ALICK LUTHER. Private, th (Service) Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). Died Friday 25 October Aged 35. Born Lydlinch, Sturminster Newton, Dorset. Enlisted St. Albans, Hertfordshire. Resided Welwyn, Hertfordshire. Son of John Baker of Lydlinch, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, and the late Fanny Baker (née Chaffey). Husband of Kate Baker of Mountains, Hildenborough, Kent. Buried Mikra War Cemetery, Kalamaria, Greece. Grave Ref: 665. Formally Private, 25604, 9th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Alick married Miss Kate Wheeler at the parish church of St. Stephens, Tonbridge, Kent on Saturday 7 August At the time of the 1911 census, Alick resided at Brocks Cottages, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, and was employed as an Estate Carpenter, his 24 year old wife Kate was recorded by the census enumerator as being a native of Matfield, Kent. Alick enlisted in the army For the Duration of the War on Saturday 29 January 1916, at which time he stated that he was 32 years and 8 months old, and employed as a Carpenter. Having been placed on the Army Reserve, Alick was mobilized on Monday 5 June Having completed his basic army training in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment and initially serving at home, Alick was posted to serve in the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from Saturday 4 November 1916, on which date he sailed from Devonport, and arrived at Salonica on Thursday 16 November 1916, for service in the 9th (Service) Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), which had been serving at Salonica since October At Salonica Alick had received a number of bout of dental treatment, and following one treatment he was transferred to the No.2 Base Depot on Wednesday 11 April 1917, and served in the 2nd Entrenching Battalion for a short period of time from Tuesday 24 April 1917, until he rejoined the 9th (Service) Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) in the field on Thursday 3 May On Friday 19 October 1917 Alick was seen at a Field Ambulance where his condition was not diagnosed, and the following day he was admitted to the 31 Casualty Clearing Station, but still not diagnosed. Another move was made on Sunday 21 October, going to the 29th General Hospital where he was suspected to be suffering from Malaria. Between October 1917 and October 1918, Alick received medical treatment at a number of different medical facilities in Greece. His last hospital admission was to the 63rd General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, Greece on Friday 4 October 1918, at which time he was diagnosed as suffering with Influenza. He died at 0400 hours of Broncho-Pneumonia at the 63rd General Hospital, on Friday 25 October His funeral was conducted by the Reverend H.J. Kenyon C.F. Having previously received a telegram saying that he was dangerously ill, then five days after he 35

36 had died Kate Baker received another telegram informing her of Alick s death, at which time she was still residing at Brocks Cottages, Welwyn, Hertfordshire. Following Alick s death and prior to residing at Hildenborough, his widow resided at South Hartfield House, Colemans Hatch, Sussex, which would tend to suggest that she was in the employ of Reginald John Thornton Hildyard D.S.O. of the Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). General Sir Reginald John Thornton Hildyard, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. was born on Monday 11 December 1876, and died on Wednesday 29 September 1965 at the age of 88, having served in the Second Boer War and the Great War. BAKER, GUY TALBOT. Lieutenant. "D" Company, 1st/5th (Weald of Kent) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), (Territorial Force). Died Friday 7 January Aged 19. Born Marylebone, London. Son of Sidney Herbert Baker and Helen Gertrude Baker (née Long) of Poul Hurst Brenchley, Paddock Wood, Kent. 36

37 Buried Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Grave Ref: XXXI. B. 1. Commemorated on the Brenchley, Kent civic war memorial, and on a grave in St. John s Churchyard, Hildenborough, Kent, as shown in the photograph above, also on the Radclive-cum-Chackmore, Berkshire civic war memorial, and on Great War memorial plaque which is located in the parish church of St. John the Evangelist, Radclive-cum-Chackmore, Berkshire. Guy s birth was recorded in the Marylebone, London, Registration District during the fourth quarter of 1896, and he was baptised on Saturday 18 December 1897 at the parish church of St. Mark, Hamilton Terrace, Marylebone, London. At the time of his baptism, the Baker family resided at 25, Hamilton Terrace, Marylebone, (near to the church), and Guy s father was a Surveyor. By the time of the 1901 census, 42 year old Londoner Sidney Herbert Baker had made career change, as he was involved with the brewing trade, and was employing staff at which time he was the head of the house at Hildenborough, Kent. Guy was educated at Rugby School, Warwickshire. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 1st/5th (Weald of Kent) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), (Territorial Force) on Saturday 15 August 1914, details of which were published in The London Gazette dated Friday 25 September Guy was also posted to serve in the Mesopotamian war theatre in September On Friday 4 January 1916, the 5th (Weald of Kent) Battalion, (Territorial Force), The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was at Ali-el-Gharbi. The battalion moved up the river Tigris towards Sheikh Sa'ad, which is about 20 miles downstream of Kut-al- Amara, with all surplus stores being carried by river barges The battalion only marched about eight miles due to the prevailing inclement weather conditions, combined with the terrain encountered by the battalion. During the day it was extremely hot, but at nightime the temperature dropped to below freezing, and rations at the time consisted mainly of bully beef and hard tack biscuits. On Thursday 6 January the march was resumed and enemy outposts were reached, and engagements with the enemy commenced shortly after midday, fortunately however casualties to the battalion were light. On Friday 7 January 1916 the Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad was fought, at a point where the Turkish Army had established a camp which held approximately 4000 troops. During the battle, the 1st/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion advanced towards the enemy, but as with the other units also attacking the entrenched Ottoman forces during the battle, it did so without the help of supporting artillery, it being in stark contrast to the opposition, as the battalion came under extremely heavy artillery bombardment. As the day wore on the battalion started to suffer increasing casualties, which included the death of the battalion Adjutant, 24 year old Lieutenant Hugh S. Marchant, from Matfield, Paddock Wood, Kent. In addition to the loss of the Adjutant, the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel J. M. Munn-Mace was wounded as was Major Eric Clarke. Thomas was one of the thirty seven other ranks in his battalion who were killed in action at Sheikh Sa'ad on Friday 7 January Despite the Turkish forces which were encamped at Sheikh Sa'ad being in clearly an advantageous position, at the end of the day the position remained stalemate. Under the cover of darkness, several intelligence gathering patrols were sent out from various British and Empire units, all of which on 37

38 returning to their lines reported that the enemy forces had by that time withdrawn further up the Tigris. The Turkish commander General Nur-Ud-Din had taken the decision to make the move, which a number of commentators have referred to as having been carried out very quietly, and probably swiftly. No one knew why the Turkish commander had made the strange decision to move his forces from Sheikh Sa'ad, but as the result of same he was sacked was only a few days later on January 10 being replaced by Khalil Pasha. The month before the Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad was fought, General Nur-Ud-Din when commanding the besieging force at Kut-al-Amara had attempted to offer General Sir Charles Townshend immediate terms of surrender. He sent one of his Staff Captains under a white flag, with a personal letter outlining his demand which was rebuffed, and the Turkish Captain was sent back with a scathing retort written by General Townshend. As all the 37 members of the 1st/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion who died on 7 January 1916 at Sheikh Sa'ad, are recorded as having been killed in action, perhaps they way that they lost their lives could in truth be described as being fortunate. British casualties at Sheikh Sa'ad were over The provision of adequate medical capacity and supplies had not been high on the list of priorities for the limited transport from Basra, and the under equipped Field Ambulances struggled to cope. The Meerut Division had capacity to cope with 250 casualties, but was faced with thousands. More than 1000 wounded men were still lying out in the open, with barely first-aid administered to them, eleven days after the cessation of the fighting and the Turkish departure. Of these, approximately 100 were also suffering from Dysentery, and many of those who had been wounded during the Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad, later succumbed to their woundings. In 1920 Miss Minnie Sylvia Baker, who was an older sister of Guy, submitted an application to the War Office for her to receive the 1914/15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal in respect of Guy s service during the Great War, at which time her contact address was at The Imperial Institute, South Kensington, London, SW7. The contact address for later correspondence was via Messer Webster & Webster, 2, New Square, Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2. The photograph above in St. John s Churchyard, Hildenborough, Kent, was kindly provided for inclusion on this website by Susan F. who is a prolific contributor of memorial photographs, and information from the west Kent area. CLARK, ARCHIE FERGUSON. Drummer, nd Battalion, Scots Guards. Died Friday 12 March Aged 25. Born Hertford, Hertfordshire. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Donald Clark and Isabella Clark of Hillcrest, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: XVI. AA. 30. Archie s birth was recorded in the Hertford, Hertfordshire, Registration District during the second quarter of At the time of the 1891 census, the Clark family resided at London Road Barracks, Hertford, Hertfordshire. Head of the house was 37 year old Colour Sergeant, Donald Clark, who was serving in the 38

39 infantry and was a native of Scotland. Specific reference to this census entry has been made here, because at the time Archie was only a year old, and it would therefore seem likely that he had been born at the Barracks, and a true Barrack Brat, who was destined from birth to follow in his fathers footsteps. The 1901 census entry for the family records Archie s mother; 38 year old Isabella Clark, who was a native of Glasgow as being the head of the house, at 20, Barracks, Hertford, Hertfordshire. At which time her husband was serving in the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in South Africa, it being the period of the Second Boer War ( ). Unfortunately, the transcriber of these brief commemorations has not been able to access Archie s army service papers, but his regimental number is that of a soldier who enlisted in the Scots Guards in In view of his year of birth and army enlistment, it would seem fairly certain that he had enlisted in the Scots Guards as a Drummer Boy. When the 1911 census was conducted, Archie was serving as a Drummer in the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards in London. He was serving as a Drummer in the same battalion when the Great War commenced, and was stationed at the Tower of London. The battalion joined the 20th Brigade, 7th Division at Lyndhurst, Hampshire when it was formed in September Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Richard George Ireland Bolton, the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards embarked on the SS Lake Michigan and SS Cestrian at the port of Southampton, Hampshire on Monday 5 October 1914 and landed Zeebrugge, Belgium on Wednesday 7 October As was the same situation with all of the other formations serving with the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front during the early stages of the Great War, of operational necessity Archie s battalion was forced to make a number of moves of location. Although by 1915 the situation was not so fraught, numerous moves were still being made by both sides in the conflict. On Sunday 7 March 1915, the battalion had arrived at Estaires in the Nord region of France, and took up positions in Cameron Lane near Pont du Hem on Wednesday 10 March. The following day the battalion advanced towards breastworks running from Pont Logy towards Fauquissart. On the day that Archie lost his life, the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards took part in a costly attack near Moulin du Piètre. On Saturday 13 March the battalion withdrew back to Cameron Lane, where it was revealed that the battalion had suffered a casualty roll numbering 192 officers and other ranks killed, wounded or missing. CORKE, WILLIAM MAY. Able Seaman, J/ Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Defence." Died Wednesday 31 May Aged 19. Born Tonbridge, Kent Sunday 21 February Son of Caroline Corke of 117, Shipbourne Road, Tonbridge, Kent, and the late Private William Corke. Commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. Panel 11. Please also see the brief commemoration of William s father, William May Corke (senior) who is commemorated on the Hildenborough civic war memorial. 39

40 The 14,800 ton Royal Navy Minotaur class armoured cruiser H.M.S. "Defence" on which William was serving at the time of his death, was commisioned on 9 February 1909 and was initially assigned to the Home Fleet, and then went to serve in the China Station in In 1913 she became the flagship of First Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean. After duty at the Dardanelles, she was sent to the South Atlantic in September 1914 to join the squadron commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher "Kit" George Francis Maurice Cradock K.C.V.O., C.B., R.N. She was later ordered to join the squadron of Rear-Admiral Archibald Peile Stoddart, C.B., R.N. on the east coast of South America (before she managed to join with Rear-Admiral Cradock), a decision of which Rear-Admiral Cradock was totally unaware. Recalled to home waters, William s ship became the flagship of the First Cruiser Squadron which was commanded by Rear- Admiral Sir Robert Keith Arbuthnot, K.C.B., M.V.O. At the Battle of Jutland on Wednesday 31 May 1916, H.M.S. "Defence" led her squadron ahead of the battle fleet, when she became engaged with the light scouting forces of the German High Seas Fleet. She damaged and brought to a stop SMS Wiesbaden but as she closed to finish off the crippled cruiser, she came within the range of the German battle fleet. Smothered in fire from the battle cruiser SMS Derfflinger and four battleships, and her forward magazine exploded, flashing along the passageways and setting off the others. There were no survivors of her loss. HEAD, GEORGE. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Thursday 3 May Aged 25. Born Sandhurst, Kent. Enlisted Ashford, Kent. Resided Brenchley, Kent. Son of George Head and Elizabeth Head (née Hardy) of 2, Council Cottages, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France. Bay 2, and on the Brenchley, Kent, civic war memorial. At the time of the 1911 census, the Head family resided at The Knowle Cottage, Brenchley, Kent. Head of the house was 49 year old Benenden, Kent native George Head (senior), who was employed as a Waggoner on a Farm. The then 18 year old George (junior) was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Waggoners Mate on a Farm. Formerly Private, 1631, 2nd/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Having enlisted in the army on Wednesday 2 September 1914, exactly two years later George was awarded a Good Conduct Badge. Resultant of a medical examination which was conducted on Wednesday 5 January 1916, George was deemed unfit for active service due to problems with his teeth. It is not clear if at the time of his posting to the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on Saturday 30 December 1916, George s health problem had been dealt with, or if due to wartime necessity the army chose to ignore it. Initially George was numbered amongst the members of his battalion who were posted as Missing on Thursday 3 May 1917, but subsequently that date was accepted by the Army Council for official purposes as being the date of his death. At the action fought at Monchyle-Preux, Pas de Calais on Thursday 3 May 1917, during the Third Battle of the 40

41 Scarpe, George s battalion suffered at least 376 casualties amongst its officers and other ranks, they being a combination of killed, wounded and missing. The battalion having spent the preceding night waiting in shell holes for zero hour which had been set for 0345 hours, with "A" Company on the right flank, "B Company on the left, with "C Company supporting, and the officers and men of "D Company behind those of "B Company the battalion formed up ready to take part in the days attack. Exactly at the agreed time the British artillery commenced firing as a prelude too, and in support of the battalion, who as with the gunners also left their start area on time as ordered and set off into total darkness, as the battalion pressed on every effort was made to keep communication with them, Second Lieutenant McAuley, the battalion signaling officer along with two of the battalion signalers and two orderlies, went forward to establish an advanced H.Q. in what was known as Devil's Trench, but he later returned at 0430 hours and reported that no communication had been possible. A fairly early indication however that all was apparently going well, was when two German prisoners were sent back down the line from the battalion, but at that time nothing definite could be ascertained, even later on when daylight came, gunfire and snipers made it hard to get any news of how matters were proceeding; but at dusk it was discovered that the battalion had already suffered a substantial number of casualties, and that despite the sacrifices being made by the battalion of all ranks the line in their front was practically as before. With the growing concern of the continuous loss of officers at the time which was so serious that Second Lieutenant s Seago and Sowter were sent for from the detail camp and, arriving about 2200 hours, and very quickly were sent forward to reorganize the remnants of the devastated battalion. Part of the objective allotted the battalion on the morning of Thursday 3 May 1917 had been a spot called Keeling Copse, and it was found after the battalion had taken stock of its significant losses, that Second Lieutenant s P. A. Cockeram and Norman O.F. Gunther with about 40 men and a Lewis gun had actually got there, only to then realize that they were completely isolated with the enemy infantry having reformed its line behind them, and both sides being their original trenches, the result being that three lines of Germans intervened between this handful of men and their comrades, nothing daunted however, they held their own all day during which time they accounted for many of the enemy soldiery surrounding them. Under the cover of darkness when night fell, and by then having expended every cartridge and bomb they possessed, they gallantly fought their way back again, breaking through one line after another, until at last the two subalterns and thirteen of the men with them were able to report themselves to battalion Head Quarters. The casualties in this terrible action were Second Lieutenant s John H. Dinsmore and Harold V. Hardey-Mason killed, and Captain John B Kitchin died of wounds; Captain McDermott and Second Lieutenant s Williams and H.G. Nesbitt wounded; Second Lieutenant s Charles Warnington, Athol Kirkpatrick, H.W. Evans and R.L.F. Forster, Lieutenant s K.L. James, Grant, King and Wills posted as missing of whom the first five were found to have been killed; 25 other ranks were also killed, plus 128 wounded and in addition to which 207 were initially reported as being missing, but ultimately many were later found to have lost their lives during 41

42 and resulting from the attack of 2 and 3 May About 0200 hours on 4 May the remnant was relieved and got back, on the following day what remained of the battalion was reorganized into two companies each of which consisted of only two platoons, No 1 Company had Second Lieutenant Stevens in command, with Second Lieutenant s Sowter, Seago and Sankey under him; No 2 Company was commanded by Captain Carter, assisted by the intrepid Second Lieutenant s Gunther and Cockeram. Following a later debriefing meeting to see if lessons could be learned from the attack of 3/4 May by the battalion a few things became obvious, the main points raised being that it was a pity that the ground was quite unknown to the battalion which had not held the same position previously, and that the orders to attack came so late that there was no time for systematic reconnaissance, also that the early part of the engagement had been undertaken in the dark. Those surviving members of the battalion who were not in the hands of the medical teams left Monchy-le-Preux and were then rested in nearby Arras for a mere 48 hours, and then underwent a further ten days in the trenches before being relieved on Thursday 17 May when the battalion moved to Duisans. Both Second Lieutenant s Cockeram and Gunther received the Military Cross for their gallant conduct on 3/4 May 1917, but it is sad to have to add that Norman Gunther, who was an attached officer of the Royal East Kent Yeomanry was killed shortly afterwards, with the cruel irony of his death occurring within half a mile of Keeling Copse when gallantly defending a trench the Germans were attacking, although not strictly speaking a Buff, we have included a commemoration to the brave 19 year old subaltern on this roll of honour alongside the 396 members of the regiment, who have no known grave that are commemorated on the Arras Memorial, some of whom died with him. Second Lieutenant Cockeram M.C. later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as an Observer, on one occasion whilst a member of 48 Squadron based at Bertangles, he and his pilot Captain H.C. Sootheran flying a Bristol BF2b shot down an enemy aircraft, and despite numerous encounters with enemy aircraft and being subjected on numerous occasions to anti-aircraft fire both of the Royal Flying Corps officers thankfully survived the Great War. HICKMAN, ARTHUR. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died Thursday 3 January Born Compton. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Honnechy British Cemetery, Nord, France. Grave Ref: I. A. 27. Formerly Private, 39339, The Queen s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Places of birth, enlistment and residence as shown above for Arthur, are as recorded in/on Soldiers Died in the Great War. Compton is possibly the parish in Surrey, which is located about 2 miles north-west of Godalming, and 4 miles west by south of the county town of Guildford. Unfortunately no good data matches of any sort have been located for Arthur by the transcriber of these brief commemorations. 42

43 JELLEY, WILLIAM (Ted) EDWIN. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (Lewisham). Died Tuesday 31 July Aged 20. Born Coldharbour Farm, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Falconhurst Farm, Bonnington, Ashford, Kent. Son of Edwin Jelley and Fanny Mary Kezia Jelley (née Booker) of Horton Green Farm, Ruckinge, Ashford, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 45, as shown above, and on Great War memorial plaque which is located in the parish church of St. Rumwolds, Bonnington, Ashford, Kent. William was born at Coldharbour Farm, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent on 4 September At 4.30am Fanny Sarah Jelley had made her entrance into the world, followed three hours later by her twin brother William Edwin; they being a new brother and sister for Rose and Annie, at which time Edwin Jelley was employed as the Farm Bailiff. William was killed by enemy shellfire, and was buried in a British Military Cemetery near the village of St. Éloi to the south of Ypres, Belgium, but his grave was probably later destroyed by shelling. RYE, WILLIAM ELLINGHAM. Private, "D" Company, 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died Monday 9 April Aged 22. Born Hildenborough, Kent. Enlisted Hove, Sussex. Resided Brighton, Sussex. Son of George Rye and Alice Mary Rye (née Ellingham) of Shirley Villa, 33, Vale Road, Southborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 3, and on the Southborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent civic war memorial. Formerly Private, G/2676, Royal Sussex Regiment. At the time of the 1901 census, the Rye family resided at 35, Vale Road, Southborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Head of the house was 34 year old Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent native George Rye, who was employed as a Cricket Ball Maker. William enlisted in the army for 1 year with the Colours on Saturday 5 September At the time of his enlistment, William stated that he was 20 years and 1 month old, and employed as a Drapers Assistant. He also said that he had completed his 3 year Apprenticeship with C.F. Irish (Drapers) of High Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent in February C.F. Irish had Drapers shops at 31 & 33, High Street, Tunbridge Wells, and at 82, High Street, Tunbridge Wells, and possibly William had been at various times employed at both establishments. On the day of his enlistment, William joined the Royal Sussex Regiment at the Regimental Depot, Chichester. On 9 September 1914 he was posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment at Dover, Kent. Having completed his basic army training, William was transferred to the 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment on Saturday 31 October 1914, and was appointed a (paid) Lance Corporal on Wednesday 11 November Promotion to the rank of 43

44 Corporal came quickly as William was promoted to the rank on Tuesday 1 December 1914, and he was posted back to serve as a Corporal in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion on Thursday 4 February Unfortunately having got into a bit of bother, it was as a Private that William was discharged from the army on Wednesday 30 June Thus far it has not been possible to ascertain when it was that William had reenlisted in the army. SCOTT, CHARLES WILLIAM. Private, TF/ st/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion, Army Cyclist Corps. Died Monday 11 November Born Sevenoaks Weald, Kent. (Please see below). Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Eldest son of William H. Scott and Emily Scott of Noah s Ark, Kemsing, Sevenoaks, Kent. Commemorated on the Kirkee, India Memorial. Face 11, and on the Kemsing, Sevenoaks, Kent civic war memorial. Charles was a victim of the world wide Influenza pandemic, which ultimately claimed more lives than the Great War. Recorded in/on Soldiers Died in the Great War as having been born Sevenoaks Weald, Sevenoaks, Kent, but on the 1901 census when the family resided at Noah s Ark, Kemsing, Kent, he is shown as being a 14 year old native of Hildenborough, Kent. The other five children of William and Emily Scott were recorded by the census enumerator as Kemsing natives. The youngest of the Scott brothers also died in the Great War, he being:- SCOTT, ARTHUR ERNEST. M.M. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own Royal West Kent Regiment. Died Saturday 7 September Aged 20. Born Kemsing, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Seal, Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Grave Ref: III. O. 38. Arthur had been wounded in action and evacuated back to the United Kingdom, and after recovering Arthur returned to France in December He was awarded the Military Medal in March Another of the Scott brothers, William; was wounded but fortunately he survived the Great War. Post Great War Casualty CUNLIFFE, GORDON. Captain. Hertfordshire Yeomanry. Died Monday 23 February Born Hildenborough, Kent Son of Lady Evelyn Cunliffe (née Duff-Gordon) of Ayot House, Ayot St. Lawrence, Hertfordshire, and of the late Sir Roger Cunliffe J.P. Buried St. John Churchyard, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Grave Ref: North of the church Section O. Grave 785. Commemorated on a private memorial plaque in the parish church of St. Lawrence, at the village of Ayot St. Lawrence, Hertfordshire. 44

45 The Second World War ABEL, RICHARD JOHN FREDERICK. Captain, th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps. Died Sunday 11 June Aged 33. Born Shortlands, Kent. Resided Kent. Son of John Harold Abel and Winifred Annie Abel (née Heath) of Crofton, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Bayeux War Cemetery, Calvados, France. Grave Ref: XIV. F. 2. Also commemorated on the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards Memorial, Rue du Maréchal Montgomery, Creully, Calvados, France, and on the Lloyds of London Second World War Memorial, also on the Creully Club Roll of Honour. At the time of the 1911 census, the Abel family resided at 50, Ravensbourne Avenue, Shortlands, Bromley, Kent. Head of the house was 27 year old Barnsbury, London, native John Harold Abel, who was a Cardboard Box Maker and an Employer. Richard was recorded by the census enumerator as being 3 months old. He was educated at Sherbourne School, Dorset from On Saturday 20 July 1940, Richard was given an emergency commission in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps. He was promoted to a Lieutenant on Tuesday 20 January 1942, and to an Acting/Captain on Thursday 6 August Richard s regiment took part in the D-Day landings with 69 Brigade, 50 Division. From Thursday 8 to Monday 12 June 1944, his regiment took part in the fighting on POINT 103 (Hill 103) with 8th Armoured Brigade, during which time heavy enemy attacks were beaten off by infantry with Brigade support. The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards alongside the 6th Battalion, Green Howards, launched an attack east of the village of Cristot which is approximately 9 miles from the town of Caen. Near Les Hauts Vents, the British met with strong resistance against elements of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. German machine guns and anti tanks fire caused heavy losses in the British soldiers ranks, which had to pull back. It was during the engagement at Cristot that three members of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, who had been taken prisoner, were shot dead by their captors; one was wounded, and another tortured. Richard s Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration details show his date of death as 19 June 1944, which unfortunately is incorrect, and the transcriber of these brief commemorations has taken the liberty of adding the correct date as shown above. The Creully Club was established for all those who served in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards with the purpose of renewing old comradeships, and also to remember former friends who were killed in action. Pilgrimages are also held and there are visits to the Regimental Memorial at Creully, Normandy each year, and there have also been visits to the Regimental Memorials at Oostham, Belgium and Elst, Holland. The Creully Club has an excellent website, which also made a reference to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission date error appertaining to Richards death, it being very welcome confirmation of the transcribers findings regarding same. 45

46 CHAPMAN, R. W. No clear trace at this time. ELMORE, JOHN DENIS. Lieutenant, The Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps. Died Thursday 19 April Aged 21. Born China. Resided Kent. Son of John Elmore and Norah Delhi Elmore of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: 3. G. 12. Accompanied by his parents; 53 year old John Elmore and 36 year old Norah Delhi Elmore, John (junior) travelled from Shanghai, China to London on board the 11,198 ton Blue Funnel Line ship Hector, which arrived at the Port of London on Wednesday 6 November 1929, at which time the destination of the Elmore family was 91, Bishopsgate, London, EC. John was initially educated at Yardley Court Boys Preparatory School, Tonbridge, Kent, prior to going on to Tonbridge School. He was a keen sportsman, but excelled at cricket, and had played cricket for Tonbridge School, which had included playing in a match that was played at Lords Cricket Ground against Clifton College on Saturday 27 July He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Armoured Corps on Sunday 13 February 1944, details of which were published in a Supplement to The London Gazette dated Friday 24 March FIELD, LEON JOHN GEORGE. Sergeant, Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Tuesday 31 August Aged 26. Son of Leon Thomas Stephen Field and Emily Field (née Higginson) of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Panel 149. Leon s birth was recorded in the Guildford, Surrey, Registration District during the first quarter of He was amongst the 8 crew members of Lancaster bomber ED551 WS-M, which was being flown by 23 year old Warrant Officer, Gilbert Eric Hall, R.A.F (V.R.) of Appleton, Cheshire, when it took off from R.A.F. Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire at 0008 hours on Tuesday 31 August The bomber was in a R.A.F. Bomber Command force of 660 aircraft which was comprised of 297 Lancasters, 185 Halifaxes, 107 Stirlings, 57 Wellingtons, and 14 Mosquitos which were tasked to carry out a double attack on Mönchengladbach and the nearby town of Rheydt. The plan was for the Pathfinders to mark Mönchengladbach with target indicators first, and two minutes later, to mark Rheydt. Visibility over the target area was good, and the Oboe-assisted marking of both targets was described in Bomber Command's records as 'a model' of good Pathfinder marking. The bombing was very concentrated with little creepback. The result was that around half of the buildings in both towns were damaged or destroyed with the main railway station in Rheydt being particularly hard hit. Lancaster ED551 WS-M was lost without trace, and all of the crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. The bomber was one of 25 aircraft which were lost during the successful Mönchengladbach and Rheydt operation on 30/31 31 August

47 MASCALL, A. No trace at this time. PARIS, IVOR RAY STANLEY. Sergeant (Wireless Op./Air Gunner), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 27 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Wednesday 26 July Aged 20. Son of William Joseph Paris and Rosa Leah Cecilia Paris (née Paris) of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Le Petit Lac Cemetery, Oran, Algeria. Grave Ref: Plot E. Row C. Grave 26. Ivor s birth was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of The cemetery where Ivor is at rest is on the south-east of Oran, over two miles from the centre, and the name is derived from a lake which was once in the area. The cemetery was originally a large war cemetery, formed early in 1945 by the Americans, for the burial of all Allied servicemen. After 1945 all but the Commonwealth burials (`Commonwealth' including foreigners who were serving in the Commonwealth forces) were removed, but in 1950 the French re-opened the cemetery as a French National Cemetery. The Commonwealth Plot is still in its original site about 200 yards from the entrance. It is a small cemetery containing casualties of different nationalities, including nearly 200 British burials, 15 Canadian, 5 Australian and small numbers of New Zealand, South African, Indian, West African, Belgian, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish and Yugoslavian casualties. REES, WILLIAM HAROLD CAREY. D.S.C. Lieutenant. Royal Navy, H.M.S. Coventry. (D43). Died Monday 14 September Aged 30. Son of the late Alfred Ernest Carey Rees, M.B. and Ellen Ann Rees (née Stock). Husband of Rosemary Kate Arnold Rees (née Piercy). Commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Panel 62, Column 1. William was born at Marylebone, London on Sunday 25 February 1912, at which time his parents resided at 63, Upper Gloucester Place, Regents Park, London, NW. William married Rosemary Kate Arnold Piercy at the parish church of St. John, Hildenborough, Kent on Saturday 22 June 1940, the ceremony being conducted by the Reverend Ernest William Emerson Fraser, A.K.C., ( ) who had been the Vicar of St. John, Hildenborough since the previous year, and remained as the incumbent until On the day that William lost his life, the 4,190 ton Royal Navy C class light cruiser H.M.S. Coventry suffered heavy damage and caught fire in the Eastern Mediterranean, north-west of Alexandria, Egypt, when she was attacked by German Ju-87 Stuka dive-bombers whilst participating in Operation Agreement which was codename for the Raid on Tobruk. The stricken ship was eventually sunk by H.M.S. Zulu. The announcement of the award of the Distinguished Service Cross to William for his gallantry whilst serving on H.M.S. Coventry was published in a Supplement of The London Gazette on Tuesday 11 November William s father died in London on Friday 3 May 1912, and his mother died in London on Thursday 9 May 1912, possibly their dates of death being indicative of some traumatic event. 47

48 RUDD, NORMAN REGINALD. Trooper, th Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps. Died Saturday 18 December Aged 22. Born and resided Kent. Son of Reginald Harry Rudd and Maisie Violet Rudd (née Lawes) of Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy. Plot XIV. Row E. Grave 27. Norman s birth was recoded in the Greenwich, Registration District during the second quarter of Thanks are due to the late P. Browning for kindly providing the above photograph for inclusion on this website. SCOTT, ERNEST IAN. Flying Officer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 78 Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force. Died Thursday 17 August Commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt. Column Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force in which Ernest was serving at the time of his death, was formed at R.A.F. Ein-Shemer, Egypt from a nucleus provided by No.3 (C) Operational Training Unit in the United Kingdom on Wednesday 1 February 1944, in order to train General Reconnaissance crews in the use of ASV and the Leigh Light, it continuing until Thursday 28 June 1945, when flying ceased. 78 Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force was finally disbanding on Monday 23 July Ernest was numbered amongst the crew of a 78 Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force, Wellington bomber (probably HF237), which was lost over the Mediterranean on Thursday 17 August

49 SCOTT, NORMAN STANLEY. Flight Sergeant (Air Bomber), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 462 Squadron, (Royal Australian Air Force). Died Saturday 6 January Aged 21. Son of William Geoffrey Scott and Vesta Albine Scott of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Hotton War Cemetery, Hotton, Luxembourg, Belgium. Grave Ref: VI. B. 6. Norman was serving as the Bomb Aimer on Halifax bomber MZ469 Z5-N, which was being flown by 26 year old Pilot Officer Mervyn Walter Rohrlach of Kimba, South Australia, which took off from R.A.F. Foulsham, Norfolk, at 1619 hours on Saturday 6 January 1945, to carry out a window operation over the Ruhr. 12 aircraft from 462 Squadron, (Royal Australian Air Force) took part in the mission; Norman s was the only one which failed to return from the mission, having crashed at approximately 1730 hours at Harigmont, Luxembourg, Belgium. The aircraft suffered a huge impact which left a hole in the floor forward of the Wireless Operator and below the Pilot. All the crew were killed with the exception of Flight Sergeant (later Warrant Officer) Douglas Lawrence (R.A.A.F.), who was captured by German soldiers about two hours after the crash. The then Warrant Officer Douglas Lawrence, later reported While flying over Belgium I was dropping window. The next thing I know is there was a large hole apposite the position of the Wireless Operator and the A/c was out of control. I put on my chute and stood up to speak to the Pilot (the Intercom had been knocked out) but I never so much as saw him. What happened next I don t know, but I regained consciousness in mid air. My chute was already open and I saw no one. The aircraft crashed near Janelle in Belgium. After attempting to pin point myself for two hours, I was picked up by German soldiers. I believe I was blown out with all the others still inside and that they were all killed. Liberated by Americans on 29/4/45. Douglas also said that there was no flack, and no fighters were seen. Those who were killed are at rest in adjacent graves at the Hotton War Cemetery, Luxembourg, Belgium. SPENDER, ERNEST HERBERT. Leading Stoker, P/KX Royal Navy, H.M. Submarine Stonehenge. Died Monday 20 March Aged 30. Son of Ernest Spender and Winifred M. Spender of Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Panel 85, Column 3. Built by Cammell Lairds Ltd. of Liverpool, Lancashire, H.M. Submarine Stonehenge was commissioned on 11 June 1943, when she was commanded of Lieutenant David S.M. Verschoyle-Campbell, D.S.C. R.N., at which time he became the youngest officer in the Royal Navy to be given command of a submarine. Following one patrol in the North Sea in September 1943, Ernest s submarine left the United Kingdom for service in the Far East, and was stationed at Trincomalee, Ceylon with the Fourth Submarine Flotilla, arriving at Colombo, Ceylon on Sunday 16 January H.M. Submarine Stonehenge sailed from Trincomalee engaged on her first war patrol in the Far East theatre of war on Tuesday 1 February On Saturday 5 February 1944, she sank a small Japanese transport by gunfire with about 80 Japanese troops on board, and after 49

50 various other operations off the northern coast of the island of Sumatra, during which time she was unsuccessfully attacked by a number of Japanese Navy antisubmarine vessels, she torpedoed and sank, the Japanese auxiliary warship Chocko Maru of approximately 7,000 tons, off the coast of Penang on Saturday 12 February The submarine then returned to Trincomalee on Friday 18 February, and after a week s rest for the crew H.M. Submarine Stonehenge sailed again on Friday 25 February, in order to undertake more patrols in the area of the Malacca Straits. The submarine failed to return from that patrol, and in so doing, she gained the unenviable distinction of becoming the first Royal Navy submarine to be lost in the war against Japan. Although not certain, it is thought that the submarine was lost after she had struck a mine between Northern Sumatra and the Nicobar Islands. The commander of H.M. S/M Stonehenge, 23 year old Lieutenant, David S.M. Verschoyle-Campbell, D.S.O., D.S.C., and Bar, R.N. was the son of Major-General William Henry McNeile Verschoyle-Campbell, C.I.E., O.B.E., and Ethel Mary Verschoyle-Campbell (née Pilkington) of Baily, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland, and the husband of Merle Davos Verschoyle-Campbell (née Bain). All of the submarines compliment were presumed to have been lost in the sinking. TERRY, PETER. Sergeant (Pilot), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died Thursday 24 August Aged 21. Son of Alfred Terry and Dorothy Terry (née Smith) of Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Bari War Cemetery, Italy. Grave Ref: Plot XV. Row A. Grave 2. Peter s birth was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent, Registration District during the third quarter of VEITCH, STANLEY. Sergeant Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 207 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Sunday 22 June Aged 22. Son of Joseph Veitch and Nora Veitch (née Brack) of Fulwell, Sunderland, County Durham. Buried Mere Knolls Cemetery, Torver Crescent, Sunderland, County Durham. Grave Ref: Ward 12.B.B. Grave Stanley s birth was recorded in the Sunderland, Durham, Registration District during the second quarter of 1919, and his death was recorded in the Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Registration District during the second quarter of On Sunday 22 June 1941, 7 Avro Manchester bombers of 207 Squadron, Royal Air Force took off from R.A.F Waddington, Lincolnshire, all of which were detailed to bomb the docks at Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, which is the largest port in France. Each Manchester carried 12x500lb general purpose bombs and they took off early in the morning between 0100 hours and 0142hours, one of which was L7314 EMY-Y which was being flown by 25 year old Flying Officer (Pilot) John Douglas George Withers, D.F.C. of Bromley, Kent. Stanley was one of the 7 crew of the bomber. Approximately three hours later, only 6 of the Manchesters returned safely to R.A.F Waddington. The squadron 50

51 operations record book records the fate of L7314 EMY-Y which was the missing aircraft:- It was learnt that an aircraft that had been shot down by a Beaufighter at approximately 0155 hours near Wollaston, Northamptonshire, was our missing Manchester L7314 ( Y ). Traces of five bodies were found and the identity tag of Sgt James. The aircraft was outward bound on track at about 6000 ft. It crashed in flames after the attack and some of the bombs exploded. The night-fighter involved was from 25 Squadron, Royal Air Force which was based at R.A.F. Wittering, Peterborough, Northamptonshire. The relevant Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form 1180), notes that the pilot of the Beaufighter had been convinced that the aircraft which he had intercepted was hostile, and that this had resulted in his failure to correctly identify it. He had been influenced by the sector controller who had informed him that a bandit was in vicinity, and subsequently a portion of the blame went to ground control for the part they played in the identification process. Within the sector concerned it had in fact been busy with nighttime intruder activity, during which time another Beaufighter from 25 Squadron, Royal Air Force had shot down a German Junkers Ju88 nightfighter near the town of Market Deeping, Lincolnshire. Stanley was the sole member of the crew which was removed to his home town for burial, and the remainder are at rest at Newport Cemetery, Newport Road, Lincolnshire, which adjoins St. Nicholas Churchyard. N.B. Stanley is the sole Second World War Veitch casualty who is shown with the first initial S, who is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It should also be pointed out that the transcriber of these brief commemorations, has thus far been unable to find a tangible connection with Stanley to Hildenborough, but at many other times whilst carrying out researches, casualties who have been noted as having no apparent connection with the location concerned, are subsequently found to have a connection, albeit often it being only tenuous, and the might be applicable here. WHETTON, CYRIL FREDERICK. Lance Corporal, T/ Royal Army Service Corps. Died Sunday 9 March Aged 32. Born Hertfordshire. Resided Kent. Son of Charles Thomas Whetton and Alice Lillian Whetton (née Hall). Husband of Patricia M. Whetton (née Hardy) of New Southgate, Middlesex. Buried Tripoli War Cemetery, Libya. Grave Ref: Plot 6. Row D. Grave 17. Cyril s birth was recorded in the Watford, Hertfordshire, Registration District during the third quarter of WILLIAMS, HORACE EDWARD WALTER. Private, th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Died Saturday 6 May Aged 31. Born and resided Kent. Son of Fred Williams and Amelia Williams (née Golding) of Tonbridge, Kent. Husband of Winifred May Williams (née King) of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Taukkyan War Cemetery, Myanmar. Grave Ref: 4. G

52 WINSER, TREVOR ERNEST. Corporal, S/ Royal Army Service Corps. Died Monday 7 December Aged 26. Born and resided Kent. Son of Ernest Winser and Louise Winser (née Barnes). Husband of Joyce Winser (née Bromage) of Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on Brookwood Memorial, Surrey. Panel 16. Column 1. Trevor s birth was recorded in the Cranbrook, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of The Second World War Lost Casualties FURNEAUX, FRANK WILLIAM. Aircraftman 2nd Class, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died Friday 14 March Aged 30. Born Clapham, London. Son of James William Furneaux and Caroline Emma Louisa Furneaux (née Sendall). Husband of Phyllis Cora Furneaux (née Lawrance) of 4, London Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried St. John Churchyard, Hildenborough. Grave Ref: Grave 251. At the time of the 1911 census the Furneaux family was residing at 50, Shandon Road, Clapham, London, SW. Head of the house was Franks grandfather, 60 year old Islington, London native James Henry Furneaux, who was a Fancy Box Manufacturer and an Employer. Hoxton, London native James William Furneaux aged 34, was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Fancy 52

53 Box Manufacturer, which might be indicative of him having been employed by his father. In view of Franks age it would seem likely that 50, Shandon Road, Clapham, London, SW, was his actual place of birth. Franks marriage to Phyllis Cora Lawrance was recorded in the Lambeth, Surrey, Registration District during the second quarter of His death was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of HOOD, HAROLD TOM. Civilian casualty. Died Tuesday 13 June Aged 33. Husband of Ethel M. Hood (née King) of Plaisance, London Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located near St. George's Chapel in Westminster Abbey, London. Harold s birth was recorded in the Lewisham, London, Registration District during the second quarter of His marriage to Ethel M. King was recorded in the Lewisham, London, Registration District during the third quarter of He died at Dorchester, Dorset as the result of enemy action where he is at rest. LAWRENCE, JOAN MARJORY DURBAN. Died Wednesday 18 December Aged 29. Daughter of Samuel Durban Shearing and Alice Margaret (Madge) Durban Shearing (née Sloan) of Sundial, Cooden Beach, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. Wife of Squadron Leader John Kempton Lawrence, R.A.F. of Mansers, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Joan s was born in Enfield, and her birth was recorded in the Edmonton, London, Registration District during the first quarter of 1909, as Joan M. D'artan Shearing. At the time of the 1911 census, the Shearing family resided at Station House, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Pembury, Kent. Head of the house was Joan s 35 year old father Samuel D'artan Shearing, who was a (British Subject) native of South Africa, and a Stock Jobber at the London Stock Exchange. The marriage of Joan, to John Kempton Lawrence was recorded in the Marylebone, London, Registration District during the second quarter of John Kempton Lawrence was a former member of the Reserve of Air Force Officers, in which he had been given a commission as a Pilot Officer on probation on Wednesday 25 June He had relinquished his commission on joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and being granted a R.A.F. (V.R.). commission (General Duties Branch) on Sunday 5 February 1939, with seniority effective from Christmas Day 1931, details of which were published in The London Gazette dated Tuesday 4 July Joan was traveling as a passenger onboard the unescorted 10,116 ton Blue Star Line Ltd ship SS Napier Star, when the ship was attacked sunk by a torpedo fired from the German uboat U-100 at 2020 hours, south of Iceland, whilst the ship was on a voyage from Liverpool to New Zealand with 8,200 tons of general cargo. Of the ships 82 crew and 17 passengers, only 15 survived the sinking, including 3 of the other female passengers, all of whom who were picked up by the 3,406 ton Swedish merchant ship Vaalaren, and were all landed safely at the port of Liverpool on Monday 23 December. When the SS Napier Star was 53

54 sunk, she was being commanded by 49 year old Master William Walsh of Waterford, Irish Republic who was lost in the sinking. The uboat U-100 was commanded by 28 year old Flensburg native, Kapitänleutnant Joachim Schepke, who perished when the U-100 was sunk at 0318 hours on Monday 17 March 1941 to the southeast of Iceland, after being rammed and depth charged by the Royal Navy destroyers H.M.S. Walker and H.M.S. Vanoc. On Monday 5 April 1943 the Vaalaren, which had rescued the survivors of the sinking of the SS Napier Star, was lost with all 38 hands when she was sunk by the German uboat U-229. N.B. Whilst the transcriber of these brief commemorations was carrying out the researches, it was noted that depending on what data sources are checked, Joan s family maiden surname is variously recorded as being Shearing, Durban-Shearing, D'artan Shearing, D'Urban Shearing, D'Artan Shearing and D'Lbeban Shearing. It would seem likely that at some point in time, the family had simply used the names Durban Shearing in an attempt to avoid confusion. The simplification of the surnames had possibly taken place after Samuel had settled in the United Kingdom. It was also noted that in 1910, whilst he was a tenant of the City of London Real Property Co, Ltd, at Throgmorton Avenue in the City of London, Joan s father was simply recorded as being Samuel Durban. MATTHEWS, CECIL WALTER. Leading Stoker, C/KX Royal Navy, H.M.S. Ulster. Died Tuesday 22 January Aged 27. Son of Lilian Matthews. Husband of Joan E. Matthews (née Bridges) of Hildenborough, Kent. Buried St. John Churchyard, Hildenborough, Kent. Grave Ref: Grave 345. Cecil s marriage to Joan E. Bridges was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent, Registration District during the fourth quarter of His death was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of

55 McLAREN, ROBERT DUNCAN. D.F.C. Squadron Leader (Pilot), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Meteorological) Flight, Royal Air Force. Died Tuesday 27 February Aged 27. Son of Duncan McLaren and Frances McLaren of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Husband of Joyce Catherine McLaren (née Hunter) of Hildenborough, Kent. Buried Rheinberg War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Grave Ref: 18. D. 24. Commemorated on page 608 of the Canadian Second World War Book of Remembrance, and at the Trinity College Boys School, Toronto, Canada. Robert was born in Toronto on Tuesday 28 August He was educated at the Trinity College School, Toronto, Canada, and entered the Junior School at the age of eleven. By his final year in he had become a member of the Fifth Form, Captain of the Middleside football team and of the Middleside cricket team, as well as being a valuable player on the Middleside hockey team. Leaving the School in June 1934, he later went to England to study aeronautical engineering with the De Havilland Aircraft Company. Whilst studying with the De Havilland Aircraft Company at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Robert obtained his Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificate on Thursday 8 August 1935, at the Herts. & Essex Aero Club, flying a D.H. Moth. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in September 1939, and received his commission as a Pilot Officer in 1940 while he was stationed at R.A.F. Prestwick, Scotland. His marriage to Joyce Catherine Hunter was recorded in the Surrey North Eastern, Registration District during the first quarter of Robert s rank was confirmed as a Flying Officer R.A.F. (V.R.) on Wednesday 11 September 1940; and as a Flight Lieutenant on Thursday 11 September He served as an instructor in Canada from 1941 to June 1943, during which time he was promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Robert returned to serve in the United Kingdom in July 1943, having delivered Dakota FD939. Having returned to the United Kingdom, he was then attached to the Meteorological Flight, R.A.F. where he flew Mosquitoes, and was promoted to a Squadron Leader in He was awarded an immediate Distinguished Flying Cross in November 1944, for his distinguished and gallant 55

56 service and the vital part he had played in the sinking of the 52,600 ton German battleship Tirpitz on Sunday 12 November On Tuesday 27 February 1945, crewed with Flying Officer, Joseph Arthur Laurent Lymburner, D.F.C. & Bar, R.C.A.F. as his Observer/Navigator, Robert took off from R.A.F. Wyton, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, flying Mosquito XVI NS731 H to carry out a weather reconnaissance sortie to Mainz, Germany. The Mosquito was attacked by three enemy fighter aircraft and was then hit by flak. Robert skillfully crash-landed the badly damaged Mosquito, but it caught fire and exploded and he was killed. Following the crash, Joseph Lymburner was captured and initially treated for his injuries in a German hospital, but he only remained in Germany for a short time, as on Thursday 22 March he was repatriated back to England, having been liberated during the Allied advance. Of necessity, Robert s work at that time was secret, but it was later learned that he was a leading member of a small group of picked experts who explored the actual weather conditions over Germany prior to the attacks which were carried out by R.A.F. Bomber Command. Details of Robert s death were later revealed by Joseph Lymburner, who stated that they had been sent on reconnaissance over Germany on Tuesday 27 February 1945 over Mainz, and they were suddenly attacked by fighters and one engine was put out of action. Joseph thought they should jump but Bob climbed above the clouds and tried to get home with his information. Losing their course, they came down beneath the clouds into a heavy concentration of anti-aircraft fire. The plane crashed and Bob was killed instantly, though Joseph was miraculously thrown clear. Unfortunately the Commonwealth War Graves Commission erroneously commemorates Robert, as serving in 149 Squadron, Royal Air Force at the time of his death and not the 1409 (Meteorological) Flight, Royal Air Force. MORRISON, KENNETH SINCLAIR. Civilian casualty. Died Monday 15 February Aged 56. Born Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Lancashire. Son of the late John Morrison and Elizabeth Morrison. Husband of P. M. Morrison of Hill Brow, Watts Cross, Hildenborough, Kent. Buried Hong Kong Cemetery, China. Commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located near St. George's Chapel in Westminster Abbey, London. Kenneth died whilst interred by the Japanese, and had been employed by Reiss Barclay & Co, prior to the surrender of Hong Kong on Christmas Day PETTIT, HELENA ELIZA. Civilian casualty. Died Thursday 17 October Aged 61. Daughter of Frederick Turner and Mary Ann Turner (née Saunders). Wife of Henry Edward Pettit of Riverhill Garage, London Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located near St. George's Chapel in Westminster Abbey, London. Helena was born in Southwark, Surrey on Monday 14 April Aged 16, she married 18 year old Horselydown, Southwark, Surrey native, Henry Edward Pettit 56

57 at the parish church of St. Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey Street, Southwark, Surrey on Sunday 8 March When the 1911 census was conducted, the Pettit family resided at 15, Drummond Road, Bermondsey, London. Head of the house was 33 year old Bermondsey native Henry Edward Pettit, who was employed as Lavatory Attendant by the Borough Council. Helena died at her home Riverhill Garage, London Road, Hildenborough, Kent. At the time of her death, Helena s husband was employed as a Wharf Labourer. The death of 88 year old Henry Edward Pettit was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent Registration District during the fourth quarter of RHODES, GEORGE HENRY. Corporal, T/ Royal Army Service Corps. Died Thursday 21 September Aged 33. Born North London. Resided Middlesex. Son of Caroline Mary Rhodes (née Spooner) and the late George Albert Rhodes. Husband of Vera Gwendoline Rhodes (née Smart) of Hildenborough, Kent. Buried St. Oedenrode Roman Catholic Churchyard, Netherlands. Grave Ref: Grave 27. The marriage of George to Vera Gwendoline Smart was recorded in the Brentford, Middlesex, Registration District during the third quarter of ROWE, DONALD JAMES. Flight Lieutenant (Pilot Instructor), Royal Air Force. Died Tuesday 13 November Aged 23. Only child of Arthur James Rowe and Margaret Ruth Rowe of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Husband of Pauline Rhoda Rowe (née Vanbergen) of Bassetts, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. 57

58 Buried St. John Churchyard, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Grave Ref: 353. Donald s marriage to Pauline Rhoda Vanbergen was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent Registration District during the third quarter of SMITH, ARTHUR EDWARD. Lance Corporal, th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died Tuesday 14 November Aged 30. Born London. Resided London SE. Son of Herbert Sidney Smith and Annie Jemima Smith. Husband of Irene Bertha Smith of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Taukkyan War Cemetery, Myanmar. Grave Ref: 7. A. 13. STAGLES, STANLEY GORDON. Signalman, Royal Corps of Signals. Died Sunday 15 October Aged 28. Born and resided Lincolnshire. Son of John James Stagles and Alice Stagles (née Harrison). Husband of Alfreda M. Stagles (née Thorne) of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Mierlo War Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. Grave Ref: VIII. E. 7. Commemorated on the Moulton Grammar School, Lincolnshire, Second World War memorial plaque. Stanley s birth was recorded in the Spalding, Lincolnshire, Registration District during the fourth quarter of The marriage of Stanley and Alfreda was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of The cemetery where Stanley is now at rest was started in the spring of 1945 when graves were brought in from the surrounding district, most of them being casualties of September-November At that time the main fighting was concerned with clearing the region south and west of the river Maas and with opening up the Scheldt Estuary further west. WILLIAMS, GEOFFREY OLIVER. Sergeant, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 51 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Saturday 1 November Aged 21. Son of Austin Lougher Williams and Fanny Selina Williams (née Gale) of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Panel 55. Geoffrey had possibly previously cheated death on Monday 29 September 1941, when Whitley bomber Z6474 MH-A was taking off from R.A.F. Dishforth, Yorkshire at 2255 hours, taking part in a bombing raid on Stettin, Germany, when the port engine cut out. Unable to properly climb away, the pilot; 25 year old Sergeant (Pilot) Charles Allen Guan, R.A.A.F. of Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia, successfully force-landed the stricken bomber near Marton-Le-Moor, Harrogate, Yorkshire approximately a mile from the airfield, but the aircraft caught fire after the crash landing, the crew scrambled clear with only one man being slightly injured, and the aircraft later burnt out. Charles Guan was the pilot of Whitley Z9220 MH-V when it took off from R.A.F. Dishforth at 1738 hours on 58

59 Friday 31 October 1941, taking part in a raid on the Blohm & Voss shipyards at Hamburg, Germany, with Geoffrey amongst the 5 man crew. The Whitley failed to return to R.A.F. Dishforth from the raid on Hamburg. A wireless transmission message from the aircraft calling for help was received and logged at 0032 hours on Saturday 1 November, and the last known fix position of the bomber was over the North Sea approximately 165 miles east of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire. Although the reason for the loss of the Whitley is still unclear, it was presumed that the aircraft was missing as a result of enemy action. On Monday 10 November 1941 a dinghy belonging to Z9220 was picked up in the North Sea by a trawler, some 17 miles east of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. The dinghy contained the body of one crew member of the aircraft who could not be identified. The remaining missing members were not located and it was later concluded that they had lost their lives at sea. As Germany's principal seaport and major industrial location, Hamburg, the second largest city of the German Reich was the target of multiple bombing raids that commenced on Tuesday 18 June Geoffrey s father; Austin Lougher Williams who was a native of St. Lythans, Glamorgan, Wales, had served in the Coldstream Guards during the Great War. WOOLLEY, ROBERT ARTHUR. Flight Sergeant (Pilot), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 629 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Friday 23 June Aged 20. Son of Jack Woolley and Emily Woolley (née Walls) of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent. Buried Belloy Churchyard, Oise, France. Grave Ref: Collective grave. Robert s birth was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of Robert was the pilot of Lancaster bomber LM102 UM- Z2 which took off at 2222 hours on Thursday 22 June 1944 from R.A.F. Wickenby, Lincolnshire, and was in a force of 221 aircraft which was comprised of 111 Lancasters, 100 Halifaxes, and 10 Mosquitos of Numbers 1, 4 and 8 Groups, R.A.F. Bomber Command, which were taking part in attacks on the railway yards at Laon, Aisne, France and Rheims, Champagne-Ardenne, France. 4 Halifaxes lost from the Laon raid and 4 Lancasters from the Rheims raid. One of the Lancasters lost during the Rheims raid was Robert s, which had been delivered to his squadron the previous month, and had a total 59 hours when it was lost. The bombing at both targets on the night of 22/23 June 1944 was successful. Lancaster bomber LM102 UM-Z2 crashed at Belloy, Oise, France, where all of the seven member of its crew were buried in the churchyard of St. George, Belloy, France on Saturday 24 June 1944, and are at rest near the entrance gate of the churchyard. The average age of the bombers crew was 22, and by June 1944 it was quite unusual to have a crew which was comprised of a Flight Sergeant and 6 Sergeants. Another member of the crew who died was also a Kent casualty, 22 year old Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Herbert John Browne, was the husband of Maureen Olive Browne of Erith, Kent. 59

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61 Hopefully the following pairs of photographs of the commemoration panels in remembrance of the fallen on the Hildenborough, Kent civic war memorial, is arguably the best and easiest way to illustrate the stark difference, pre and post the professional cleaning and refurbishment of the war memorial. Since thanks are due to Clive Maier for providing the original photographs for inclusion on this website, and yet again we also have to thank Susan F. who is a prolific provider of photographs of war memorials for this site. Susan photographed the Hildenborough civic war memorial, after it had been cleaned and refurbished. Whilst doubtless Gordon Newton the Managing Director, and his team at Burlite Limited, The Stone Shop, East Farleigh, Maidstone, Kent, have been thanked by Hildenborough Parish Council for the superb work on the civic war memorial, it seemed only right to add a simply thank you of our own to ALL who been involved in the restoration. 61

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68 Photograph by Clive Maier 68

69 Photograph by Clive Maier Hildenborough Tuesday 5 October