Dymchurch & Eastbridge

Transcription

1 Dymchurch & Eastbridge 1

2 The Dymchurch and Eastbridge civic war memorial is located in a triangular walled garden setting at the junction of New Hall Close and the A259 coast road, near to the parish church of St. Peter & St. Paul. The land on which the memorial stands was donated specifically for the purpose by the Lords of the Level of Romney Marsh, of New Hall, Dymchurch. The memorial was designed by the Architect, Arthur Heron Ryan-Tenison who was a native of Towcester, and was constructed by Brewer Brothers (Builders & Decorators) of Dymchurch. In addition to the civic war memorial, the local victims of the Great War are also commemorated on a Roll of Honour in the parish church of St. Peter & St. Paul. As is regrettably the same situation at almost every other location throughout the county of Kent and elsewhere, the parishes of Dymchurch and Eastbridge have several of its victims of the two world wars that as far as we can ascertain, have no form of their remembrance as war deaths within Dymchurch. Where casualties that are not commemorated in Dymchurch have been noted by the transcriber of the following brief commemorations, they have been added below in the category of Lost Men. Unveiled and dedicated in September 1920, the war memorial is inscribed:- To the Glory of God and in Memory of the Men of Dymchurch and Eastbridge who gave their lives in the Great Wars for Right and Freedom The Great War AUSTEN, ERNEST. Pioneer, th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died Wednesday 1 September Aged 34. Born Dymchurch, Kent. Enlisted Battersea, Surrey. Resided Fulham, London. Son of William Austen and Louise Austen (née Glayzer) of Dymchurch, Kent. Husband of Rose Emmeline Knight Austen (née Bonsor). Father of Ethel Matilda Austen of 20, Hartopp Avenue Fulham, London. Commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. Panel 23. Ernest was born at Dymchurch early in 1880 and was baptized at the parish church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Dymchurch on Sunday 25 April He married 19 year old Rose Emmeline Knight Bonsor, the daughter of the late George Bonsor in the parish church of St. James, Fulham, London on Sunday 10 July Ernest and Rose were both recorded as residing at 36, Avalon Road, Fulham, London at the time of their marriage, with 29 year old Ernest recorded as being employed as a Park Keeper. Ernest was also employed as a Park Keeper when the 1911 census was conducted being employed by the London County Council, and was still residing at 36, Avalon Road, Fulham, London. The church where Ernest and Rose were married in 1910 was constructed in 1868 and was located on the corner of Moore Park Road and Maxwell Road, Fulham, London. It burned down in the 1970 s and the parish was then amalgamated with that of St. John, Walham Green. 2

3 BALKWILL, CHARLES Charlie VINCE. Second Lieutenant. 1/5th (City of London) Battalion London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade). Died Saturday 1 July Aged 31. Born Lewisham, Kent. Resided Forest Hill, London, SE23. Son of Francis Balkwill of 6, Garlies Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23, and of the late Mary Vince Balkwill (née Jeffery). Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 9 D, and at St. Dunstan's College, Catford, London, also on Great War memorial plaque in the former Forest Hill Congregational Church, and on the Catford Bridge Football Club, Rugby Union Roll of Honour. Charles and his brother John are commemorated on their parents grave at Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery, Brockley Road, London. The reason why brothers Charles and John Balkwill are both commemorated on the Dymchurch civic war memorial is that their family also owned, and sometimes resided at a property named Salcombe in the village. Formerly Private, 125, 1/5th (City of London) Battalion London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade). Charles was born at Lewisham, Kent on Friday 17 April He was educated privately by Mr. J.O. Boyes at 45, Houston Road, Forest Hill, prior to going to St. Dunstan's College, Catford, Kent in September He won a School Prize for Latin at St. Dunstan's College in 1898 and later became a Prefect. However, it was in the field of sport that he made his mark, being one of the best school athletes of his generation. In Lacrosse, he was goalkeeper and coverpoint for the 2nd XII ( ) and won his Colours; he went on to the 1st XII ( ) and was Captain of Lacrosse for He was equally distinguished in Cricket, being in the 2nd XI ( ) and the 1st XI (1900). But perhaps he was most outstanding in Rugby, Captaining the 2nd XV in 1897, joining the 1st XV in1899, and being Captain of Rugby for His all-round ability had led to his election onto the Athletic Committee in 1899, of which he then became the Chairman in Charles left St. Dunstan's College in April 1901 but he continued a close association with the College via Old Dunstonian Sport; he was in the Old Dunstonian Cricket XI , and in the Forest Hill Cricket Club 2nd XI His Rugby progressed quickly and he began playing for the Catford Bridge 1st XV in 1903, continuing for some years and becoming Vice- Captain by He was selected for the Kent County XV in 1903, and played as a forward for the county for six seasons. He was also a member of the Blackheath Harriers and took part in their Wednesday meetings to run as part of his Rugby training. At the time of the 1911 census, the Balkwill family resided at 6, Garlies Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23. Head of the house was 64 year old Liverpool, Lancashire native Francis Balkwill, who was a Fruit Merchant. Charles was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Railway Booking Clerk. At the commencement of the Great War, Charles enlisted in the ranks of the1/5th (City of London) Battalion London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), and was with the battalion when it embarked on the SS Chyebassa at Southampton on Wednesday 4 November 1914 heading for the French port of Harve for service with the British Expeditionary Force, the ship arrived at Harve the following day. Charles quickly gained promotion, and only a month after 3

4 leaving England with his battalion he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Having served in and out of Ploegsteert Wood, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium from January 1915, Charles battalion then made a number of moves after being relieved at Ploegsteert Wood, including time spent in the Steenwerck area from where a move was made to the town of Poperinghe on Saturday 24 April, from where the battalion marched to Busseboom, and via Vlamertinghe moved to St.Jean the following day, later going forward to Wieltje. At 0145 hours on Monday 26 April the battalion arrived in positions on the Wieltje-Fortuin Road, from where it advance at dusk, and dug-in 600 yards to the south-east of Fortuin. During the advance Charles suffered a serious wound to his right shoulder, which resulted in him being evacuated back to England. Doubtless his high degree of physical fitness played a significant part in his good recovery, to such an extent that by the end of the same year he was playing Rugby for his regiment. Whilst he was back in England Charles successfully underwent a course of officer training, and on completion he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the 3/5th Battalion, London Regiment on Thursday 7 October Having recovered from his shattered shoulder injury, Charles was posted back to serve with his former battalion serving in France, which he joined in the field on Saturday 27 May On Saturday 1 July 1916 on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the 1/5th (City of London) Battalion London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) took part in a diversionary attack on the Somme village of Gommecourt which was intended to prevent the Germans switching infantry and artillery to face the main assault which was mounted further to the south. On Saturday 1 July 1916 Charles battalion had 19 officers and 553 other ranks killed, wounded or missing. Following his death, Charles was initially numbered amongst those posted as Missing, but the Army Council later made the decision that for official purposes it was to be assumed that he had died on or after 1 July On 1 July every year from 1919 to 1925 inclusive, the dedication In loving and honoured memory of my two dearest pals Johnny and Charlie killed in action 1 July 1916 LEWIS appeared in the In Memoriam column of The Times. BALKWILL, JOHN Johnny. Second Lieutenant. 1/6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Died Saturday 1 July Aged 33. Born Lewisham, Kent. Resided Knowle, Solihull, Warwickshire. Son of Francis Balkwill of 6, Garlies Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23, and of the late Mary Vince Balkwill (née Jeffery). Buried Pargny British Cemetery, Somme, France. Grave Ref: III. E. 36. Commemorated at St. Dunstan's College, Catford, London, also on Great War memorial plaque in the former Forest Hill Congregational Church, and on the Catford Bridge Football Club, Rugby Union Roll of Honour. Also commemorated on a stained glass window in the parish church of Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands. John and his brother Vince are also commemorated on their parents grave at Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery, Brockley Road, London. Formerly Private, 6/2481, 6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Like his brother briefly commemorated above, John too was educated 4

5 privately by J. O. Boyes at 45, Houston Road, Forest Hill, London and went to St. Dunstan's College, Catford, in September 1893 via a Governor's Entrance Scholarship. At St. Dunstan's College John was awarded School Prizes for French and Science. He was the Head Prefect for , and awarded a Leaving Prize in 1899, having been in the Rugby 1st XV, Lacrosse 1st XII, Cricket 1st XI; Captain of Athletics. John had played Rugby for Catford Bridge "A" XV, ; was on the committee of the Old Dunstonian Club, and Prior to enlisting in the army in September 1914, John had been employed by the Northern Assurance Co. Ltd. having started working for the company at its London office in May 1899, and had been transferred to work in Birmingham, Warwickshire as a Surveyor in July After moving to work and reside in Warickshire John played cricket for the Knowle Cricket Club. The 1/6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment in which John served, had its Headquarters at the Drill Hall, Thorpe Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire in 1914, serving with the Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division. The units which formed the South Midland Division had just departed for their annual summer camp in 1914 when the Great War commenced, and they were at once all recalled. The division was mobilised for war service on Sunday 5 August 1914 and had moved to concentrate in the Chelmsford, Essex area by the second week of August 1914 and commenced training. At the time of being posted to serve with the British Expeditionary Force in France on Monday 22 March 1915, John was serving as a Private in the 1/6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment when it sailed from Southampton to the French port of Harve, by which time Johns battalion became part of the renamed 143rd Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division. He was serving as a Corporal in the same battalion when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on Sunday 19 September 1915, details of which were published in a Supplement of The London Gazette dated Wednesday 22 September On the day that John fell, it being the first day of the costly Battle of the Somme 1916 his battalion was attached to the 11th Brigade of the 4th Division, and followed the 1/8th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment during an attack on the Quadrilateral (Heidenkopf), suffering heavy casualties. To the left of the advance enemy machine guns swept the ground being covered by the Royal Warwickshire Regiment battalions, which resulted in Johns battalion being reduced to the strength equivalent to that of a mere two platoons. Despite suffering catastrophic losses, by the end of the day the 1/6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment had managed to pass right through its designated objective, and had also consolidated the ground beyond that point. The battalion withdrew to the village of Mailly-Maillet during the night where a roll call was taken, which revealed something of the true extent of the number of casualties that the battalion had suffered in deaths and woundings. The late mother of Charles and John Balkwill; Mary Vince Balkwill died on Thursday 26 February 1914 at the age of 61, and their father Francis Balkwill was aged 77 when he died on Monday 28 January The deaths of Francis Balkwill and Mary Balkwill were both recorded in the Lewisham, London, Registration District. 5

6 BEALE, CHARLES LOUIS. Corporal, L/ st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Tuesday 20 July Aged 20. Born Warehorne, Ashford, Kent. Enlisted Ashford, Kent. Resided Eastbridge, Romney Marsh, Kent. Son of Seaman Beale and Betsy Beale (née Boulding) of Poplar House, Eastbridge, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Buried Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: III. B. 5. Charles enlisted in the army as a regular soldier on Saturday 23 November 1912 for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve. At the time of enlisting Charles stated that he was born at Warehorne, Ashford, Kent, that he was aged 18 years and 4 months, and employed as a Farm Labourer. He was attested to serve in The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) which he joined at the Regimental Depot, Canterbury, Kent on Tuesday 26 November. Charles was posted to serve in the 1st Battalion of his regiment on Saturday 29 March 1913 and remained in the same battalion until he died of wounds. Prior to the Great War, Charles was serving with the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) at Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland, and for brief details appertaining to the move by his battalion to France for service with the British Expeditionary Force, please also the brief commemoration of Charles brother Simeon Beale who also served in the same battalion. Charles gained a number of promotions, being appointed an (unpaid) 6

7 Lance Corporal on Wednesday 10 June 1914, to a (paid) Lance Corporal on Friday 16 October 1914, a (paid) Acting Corporal on Tuesday 20 October 1914, and promoted to the rank of Corporal on Saturday 20 March On Friday 16 July 1915 Charles suffered a gunshot wound to his neck, for which he was initially treated at the 16th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, which was part of the 6th Division to which Charles battalion also belonged, from the 16th Field Ambulance he was moved to the No.10 Casualty Clearing Station, R.A.M.C. at the town of Hazebrouck, Nord, France, where he succumbed to his wounds on Tuesday 20 July From October 1914 to September 1917, casualty clearing stations were posted at Hazebrouck. The Germans shelled and bombed the town of Hazebrouck between September 1917 and September 1918 making it unsafe for hospitals, but in September and October 1918, No.9 British Red Cross Hospital was stationed there. The distance between Hazebrouck where Charles died and the cemetery where he is now at rest is approximately 20 miles. Following his death the following information about Charles was published in the Kentish Express and Ashford News on Saturday 24 July 1915:- Corporal Charles Beale, of the 1st Buffs, who is reported wounded, belongs to Romney Marsh, his parents, who are now employed at Firs Farm, Cheriton, formerly residing at Eastbridge. The corporal, who has been promoted since he went out with the Battalion in October last, has seen much fighting, and was expecting to come home on leave when he was wounded. Prior to enlisting he worked at Newchurch and Burmarsh, and for a short time at Mr. Snashall s at Ashford. His brother, Private S. Beale, who served in the South African war, was killed at Lille in the early stages of the war. The week after the information regarding the death of Charles had been published, the following obituary was published in the Kentish Express and Ashford News on Saturday 31 July 1915:- The utmost sympathy has been extended to Mr and Mrs Seaman Beale, of the Firs, Cheriton, upon the death of their second son serving the colours. Both sons were in the 1st Buffs, and died from wounds received in action. The first, Private Seaman Beale, who served in the South African War, was wounded at Lille in October and died a few days later. Last week the brother, Corporal Charles Beal, who has been through severe fighting, also under gas attacks, was severely wounded and died shortly afterwards at the Base Hospital. The young corporal was only nineteen years of age, and had served with the Battalion in Ireland prior to going out to the war. He went to the Dymchurch and Newchurch schools, and was well known in the district. In conveying the sad news of his death to the parents, Lance Corporal A. Twelftree observes: Please accept my deepest sympathy, also that of the men of our Company, in your great bereavement. We all mourn the loss of a splendid comrade - one who was always willing and ready to help anyone in trouble. He did his duty to the very end... God bless Charles memory and may he R. I. P. I feel as if I have lost a brother. Lance Corporal A. Twelftree was Marylebone, Middlesex native Alfred Thomas Twelftree M.M., who was serving as a Sergeant in 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) at the time of his death on 31 March 1915 aged 25. Alfred is at rest at Bethune Town Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Betsy Beale died on 23 December 1918, being one the millions of victims of the Spanish Flu. 7

8 BEALE, SIMEON. Private, L/ st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Sunday 25 October Born St. Mary s, New Romney, Romney Marsh, Kent. Enlisted Lydd, Romney Marsh, Kent. Resided Burmarsh, Romney Marsh, Kent. Son of Seaman Beale and Betsy Beale (née Boulding) of 4, Wood Cottages, Firs Farm, Cheriton, Folkestone, Kent. Husband of Hilda Elizabeth Beale (née Russell) of 265, Newtown, Ashford, Kent. Buried Laventie Military Cemetery, La Gorgue, Nord, France. Grave Ref: I. C. 5. Also commemorated in the parish church of All Saints, Burmarsh, Romney Marsh, Kent. At the time of the 1891 census, the Beale family resided at New Barn Cottages, Eastbridge, Romney Marsh, Kent. Head of the house was 38 year old Biddenden, Kent native Seaman Beale, who was employed as an Agricultural Labourer. By the time that the 1901 census was carried out, the Beale family resided at Poplar Cottage, Eastbridge, but Simeon who was one of thirteen children was not at home, having enlisted in the army as a regular soldier at Lydd army camp on Monday 4 March When the 1911 census was conducted, the Beale family resided at Eastridge Cottage, Eastridge, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent, Seaman Beale was still the head of the house, at which time he was employed as a Farm Waggoner. Simeon enlisted in the army as a regular soldier for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve, at which time he stated that he was employed by the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Company at the Ashford Railway Works as a Labourer in the Wheelwrights Shop. At the time of enlistment Simeon requested that he served the Royal Horse Artillery, but instead he was attested to serve in The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), which he joined at the Regimental Depot at Canterbury, Kent on Wednesday 6 March On Monday 21 March 1904 Simeon s terms of service were altered to enable him to complete 8 years with the Colours, and was granted service pay in respect of same. On Monday 31 October 1910 Simeon married New Romney, Romney Marsh, Kent native Miss Hilda Elizabeth Russell, at the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. On the completion of his regular army engagement, Simeon was discharged from the army on Monday 3 March A veteran of the Second Boer War ( ), in which he served in The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) Mounted Infantry, and was a qualified marksman, prior to being recalled as a Reservist, for army service at the commencement of the Great War, Simeon had also served with his regiment in Ireland. Between leaving the army and being recalled Simeon had been employed on farm work at Swingfield, Kent, and at Godmersham, Ashford, Kent, in addition to working on the Romney Marsh. The 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was stationed at Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland, at the commencement of the Great War. The battalion left Ireland on Wednesday 12 August 1914, and after a not uneventful journey it eventually arrived at Cambridge on Wednesday 19 August, where it was billeted at Christ s College. From Cambridge a move was made to Southampton, where on Monday 7 September the battalion including Simeon, embarked on the 13,401 ton Atlantic 8

9 Transport Line ship SS Minneapolis, prior to sailing for France on her the following day, and arriving at the port of St. Nazaire on Wednesday 9 September for service with British Expeditionary Force. Following the fall of the city of Antwerp on Friday 9 October 1914, it allowed for the release of a vast amount of German troops, and depending on what publication is read, the actual numbers of soldiers that then became available for duty elsewhere vary wildly. Despite containing errors, the book by Colonel R.S.H. Moody C.B., detailing the contribution made by The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) during the Great War, put the above number of enemy soldiers as 90,000, Colonel Moody also makes mention that in addition to those enemy soldiers, four German Army Corps had also been brought from the Eastern Front to fight on the Western Front. With the mass of additional manpower available to the German High Command, the British and French troops the enemy from post the fall of Antwerp were vastly outnumbered. On Monday 12 October 1914 Albert s battalion was relieved in their trenches on the Aisne by French troops, and then it marched to the little village of Bazoches-sur-Vesles along with the 16th Brigade of the 6th Division to which the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) belonged, and entrained from Bazoches-sur-Vesles to Cassel where they arrived the following day. Simeon was seriously wounded while serving in the trenches on Tuesday 13 October Following his death, Simeon was originally buried at Haubourdin Communal Cemetery, on the South-West side of Lille, Nord, France. After the Armistice British, Indian and Chinese graves were brought in to Laventie Military Cemetery, La Gorgue, Nord, from other cemeteries and from the neighbouring battlefields, as were a number of Portuguese casualties, Simeon was one of eleven (all of 1914) that were removed from Haubourdin Communal Cemetery, and laid to rest at Laventie Military Cemetery. In 1913 at the time of his transfer to the army reserve, Simeon and his family had resided at 3, Farthingloe Cottages, Folkestone Road, Dover, Kent. At the time of being recalled, Simeon resided with his wife and 3 children at Abbotts Court Cottages, Burmarsh, Romney Marsh, Kent. On Wednesday 2 September 1914, Simeon s wife gave birth to their fourth child; John Kitchener Dorrien Beale, the Christian names chosen by Simeon and Hilda were those of Sir John French, Lord Kitchener and General Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien. Following the Great War, Simeon s widow moved from Newtown, Ashford, and resided at Ashdown Cottage, Burmarsh, and later at the Harbour Café, Folkestone, Kent, which is where she was living when she received Simeon s three medals for his service in the Great War, doubtless putting them with his pair of Second Boer War medals. On previous occasions whilst carrying out other research on the Kent victims of war, it was noticed by the transcriber of these brief commemorations that the Christian and surname SEAMAN BEALE occurs over several generations of the Beale family. Included amongst those was 40 year old Seaman Beale of 191 Newtown, Ashford, Kent, who was killed during an enemy bombing raid at the nearby Southern Railway Works, Ashford, Kent on Wednesday 24 March Tragically Seaman s 12 year old daughter Gladys also lost her life due to a bombing raid, whilst attending her Sunday School at the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin, St. Marychurch, Torquay, Devon on Sunday 30 May

10 HOPER, ALFRED EDGAR. Private, nd Battalion, Leinster Regiment (Prince of Wales) (Royal Canadians). Died Thursday 12 April Born and resided Dymchurch, Kent. Enlisted Hythe, Kent. Son of Richard Frederick Hoper and Mary Ann Hoper (née Whitehead) of Rock Cottage, High Street, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Husband of Bessie White (formerly Hoper), (née Rayner) of Dymchurch, Kent. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 9, and on page 179 of Ireland s Memorial Records Formerly Gunner, 12419, Royal Field Artillery. Alfred was born at Dymchurch, Kent on Monday 31 December He was baptised at the parish church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Dymchurch, Kent on Sunday 3 February At the time of the 1911 census, the Hoper family resided at 1 & 2 Rock Cottages, High Street, Dymchurch, Kent. Head of the house was 54 year old Ivychurch, Romney Marsh, Kent, native Richard Hoper who was an Own Account Greengrocer working from home and employing staff. The then 22 year old Alfred was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as an Assistant Greengrocer, which was probably by his father. Whilst serving in the army, Alfred married 30 year old Harleston, Norfolk native Miss Bessie Rayner, the daughter of Bob and Jane Rayner on Saturday 3 July 1915 at Paddington Register Office, London. At the time of their marriage, 26 year old Alfred resided at 164, Ashmore Road, London, and Bessie at 6, Chester Place, London. Alfred was numbered amongst the 50 other ranks in his battalion who fell at Bois-en-Hache, near the village of Barlin, Pas de Calais, France, the village where Alfred fell is located approximately six miles to the south-west of the town of Bethune. One of the soldiers in the battalion that were wounded was Corporal, 8916, John Cunningham of the 4th Company, from Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland. John died from his wounds on Monday 16 April 1917, and for the valour he displayed at Bois-en-Hache on Thursday 12 April 1917 he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. An extract taken from The London Gazette, dated Friday 8 June 1917 records the following: "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when in command of a Lewis Gun section on the most exposed flank of the attack. His section came under heavy enfilade fire and suffered severely. Although wounded he succeeded almost alone in reaching his objective with his gun, which he got into action in spite of much opposition. When counter-attacked by a party of twenty of the enemy he exhausted his ammunition against them, then, standing in full view, he commenced throwing bombs. He was wounded again, and fell, but picked himself up and continued to fight single-handed with the enemy until his bombs were exhausted. He then made his way back to our lines with a fractured arm and other wounds. There is little doubt that the superb courage of this N.C.O. cleared up a most critical situation on the left flank of the attack. Corporal Cunningham died in hospital from the effects of his wounds." John Cunningham, V.C. is at rest at Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension. Alfred s widow was married to Oswald S. White at the parish church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent on Saturday 21 September Alfred was a brother of Arthur Hoper who is the next casualty briefly commemorated below. 10

11 HOPER, ARTHUR. Private, S/ nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Monday 3 May Aged 22. Born and resided Dymchurch, Kent. Enlisted Lydd, Kent. Son of Richard Frederick Hoper and Mary Ann Hoper (née Whitehead) of Rock Cottage, High Street, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 12, as shown above, and on the Great War memorial plaque in the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin, St. Mary in the Marsh, Romney Marsh, Kent. Arthur was born at Dymchurch, Kent on Wednesday 29 March At the time of the 1901 census, the Hoper family resided at the above address. Head of the house was 44 year old Ivychurch, Kent, native Richard Hoper who was employed as a Labourer and Gardener. Mrs. Mary Ann Hoper and the nine Hoper children that were at home on the night of the census were all born at Dymchurch. As can be seen above at the brief commemoration of Arthurs brother Alfred, when the 1911 census was conducted the census enumerator recorded the family as residing at 1 & 2 Rock Cottages, High Street, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Arthur was successful when he enlisted in the Army Special Reserve at Lydd army camp for six years on Monday 7 February 1910, at which time he was aged 17 years and 10 months and was employed as a Labourer. At an earlier occasion when he had tried to enlist in the army Arthur had been rejected, due to having been deemed to be under weight at his medical examination. After the Vicar of Dymchurch, the Reverend Henry Lonsdale Boldero had provided the army with a character reference stating that he had known Arthur for three years, who was a single man whom he believed to be sober, honest and respectable, Arthur joined the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) at the Regimental Depot, Canterbury, Kent on Friday 11 February Each year from 1910 onwards Arthur attended Annual Camp and training, during which time amongst his other military skills that he honed he became a Signaller, and on Saturday 14 November 1914 he was classified as a 2nd Class Signaller. On the 1911 census entry referred to above at the commemoration of his brother Alfred; Arthur was recoded by the census enumerator as being an 18 year old Farm Labourer. On Saturday 6 March 1915 Arthur was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), and on the same day he was posted to serve on the Western Front with the battalion. Arthur actually joined his new battalion during a period when it was alternating between being in trenches in the Kemmel sector of West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, about six miles south-west of Ypres (now Ieper), or whilst the battalion was resting at Locre. On Saturday 1 May 1915 Arthur s battalion had a fresh draft of other ranks join it in Belgium direct from England, who due primarily to time constraints were not initially allotted to the different companies within the 2nd Battalion, and it was decided to locate the new men in a new support trench in front of a wood. All of the positions occupied by the battalion were subjected to an extraordinary amount of enemy shellfire the 11

12 day after the arrival of the fresh draft, with numerous casualties being inflicted on the battalion. Several commentators have made very similar comments when referring to the days events, along the lines of the British artillery guns being virtually powerless to offer support and return shellfire onto the German artillery gun emplacements. Many of the same commentators, and also probably of more important significance and relevance, is some of the correspondence which was written by some of the survivors who had served in the battalion during late April and early May 1915, with the writers of same commenting about not getting artillery support due to the lack of the gunners ammunition. Many of the gunners also became casualties, as the direct result of being fired upon by enemy field guns. During the hours of darkness on the night of 2/3 May the intensity of the German shelling subsided, but at first light on the morning of Monday 3 May 1915, the artillery bombardment of the battalion positions was once again renewed. Throughout the whole of the day on Monday 3 May the enemy guns continued to fire at will, and as on the previous day, the doubtless frustrated British gunners were unable to offer all but a token reply. During the morning 38 year old Captain Henry Lindsay Archer Houblon who was commanding at that time, reported many casualties, and that the trench parapets had been blown in and that the situation was critical. Later it became even worse, with the bombardment being as rapid as to being likened to the sound of heavy machinegun fire. One of the trenches held by the battalion called D.5 was rushed by enemy infantry, but it would seem that none of the members of "C" Company who had been ensconced in the trench, were at that time in a position to offer any form of resistance during the German assault. Captain L. Howard Smith, Lieutenant Gerald Randall Howe, and approximately eighty other ranks had formerly occupied D.5, but had all been killed or wounded, and all were later reported as missing. At the time of Arthur s death, there were no communication trenches in common use, and as such the parties of soldiers of varying sizes, were to all intents and purposes isolated and cut-off from help and/or support once in place in the allocated trenches, or other forms of defensive cover such as shell holes, the reason being that as the engagements raged, it would have been far to hazardous to cross above ground between the trenches. Probably due to the fact that D.5 fell to the enemy, who had also possessed woods located behind that particular trench complex, it appears to have had the knock on effect of another trench (D.4), also being captured by enemy infantry. Following the capture of D.5, by the enemy soldiers, D.4 was then subjected to fire by the Germans, who had taken over the occupancy of the former 2nd Battalion trench. Compounding the perilous position faced by the members of the battalion in D.4 was the enemy firing coming from the nearby wood in the enemies hands. Captain Houblon, and a Lieutenant Sharp along with other what remained of "D" Company, and a few stragglers made gallant efforts to remain in trench D.4, but resulting from the firing coming in from both sides, their position became virtually un-defendable, necessitating a withdrawal along the trench line, a maneuver that was conducted with commendable steady order and control. To assist with the final withdrawal from D.4, at great risk to themselves, covering fire was provided by Company Sergeant Major, L/6605, Ernest George Port, and by Private, 7852, 12

13 Frederick Campbell who were both members of "C" Company, miraculously both of whom managed to extricate themselves from the trench whilst under heavy fire. Although he was wounded during the fierce engagement, Lieutenant Sharp and the survivors of Captain Houblon s party eventually managed to reach trench D.3, and later reached D.1, which was held by Captain Barnard with "A" Company. A small party of members of the battalion led by Second Lieutenant, Ellis Brockman, Backhouse, and a company of soldiers of the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), led by Captain R. Ford, did however manage to tenaciously hold on to a new support trench, during which time they were subjected to horrendous enfilade fire from enemy heavy howitzers and other artillery pieces. In much the same way that the earlier withdrawals had been steadily conducted, the battalion later moved back to bivouacs located in a wood near Poperinghe, taking with it all the wounded that could be moved, spare ammunition, tools, and equipment being taken with the battalion. Company Sergeant Major, L/6605, Ernest George Port, was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and received his commission. The relevant London Gazette entry for his D.C.M., dated Wednesday 30 June 1915, reads:- For conspicuous gallantry near Ypres on 3rd May 1915, in holding on to a trench to the last, covering the retirement of his men to another position. The enemy, of whom he killed many, were only yards away. Frederick Campbell who also made the heroic rearguard stand with Ernest George Port, D.C.M., apparently was not even Mentioned in Despatches, or B for Record, he later transferred to the Royal Engineers, and served as a Serjeant in a Railway Company of the corps. Lieutenant Gerald Randall Howe, was later promoted to Captain and became an Adjutant, Captain L. Howard Smith, was later promoted to Major, and Captain Henry Lindsay Archer Houblon, who was a son of Colonel George Archer Houblon, was also promoted to the rank of Major, and was attached to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Major Henry Houblon later inherited the Hallingbury Place Estate, Essex which had been used extensively by the British army during the Great War, and offered it on lease, but possibly resultant of the prevailing economic climate which prevailed at that time no one came forward, and eventually it was put up for sale. In October 1923, the great house was demolished, and the materials and contents put up for sale and the estate broken up. Due primarily to the fact that Arthur had not been an officer, it has not been possible thus far to be able to ascertain how, when, or where he actually died, during the somewhat one-sided engagement that was fought by the 2nd Battalion on Monday 3 May 1915, which is known to have cost the lives of at least 144 other ranks. It is particularly regrettable that the names and other details etcetera, of many of the men who had joined the battalion as members of the drafts, that had been posted to the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment on Friday 30 April and those on Saturday 1 May 1915, were initially not known and properly recorded as the result of the conditions which prevailed at the time, and as such it would probably be fair to assume that in the vast majority of cases that unfortunate status is still applicable at this point in time, and will almost certainly always remain so. Alfred and Arthur were the uncles of Peter Whitehead who fell in the Second World War, and is commemorated on the war memorial. 13

14 KEMP, HERBERT JAMES. Private, G/4615. C Company, 2nd Battalion, The Queen s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died Saturday 25 September Aged 25. Born Chart Sutton, Maidstone, Kent. Enlisted Marylebone, Middlesex. Resided Paddington, Middlesex. Son of Charles Kemp and Emily Kemp of Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Husband of Rose Louisa Hamilton (formerly Kemp), (née Ebsworth) of Barrington, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 13, and in The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, Book of Remembrance which is located in the parish church of Holy Trinity, Guildford, Surrey. When the 1901 census was conducted, the Kemp family resided at Romney Road, Dymchurch, Kent. Head of the house was 39 year old Ticehurst, Sussex native Charles Kemp, who was employed as a Police Constable. At the time of the 1911 census, Herbert was employed as a House Porter and resided as a boarder at 10, Marylebone Street, Marylebone, Middlesex. He married Miss Rose Louisa Ebsworth at the parish church of St. Matthew, St. Marylebone, London on Sunday 6 August Herbert was posted to serve in France with the British Expeditionary Force as a member of The Queen s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) on Tuesday 15 June Throughout the summer of 1915 the 2nd Battalion, The Queen s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) had been involved in minor engagements, and then the period from Friday 17 to Wednesday 22 September 1915 was spent in the rear areas around the town of Béthune, Pas de Calais, preparing for the forthcoming Battle of Loos. On Saturday 18 the plan of action for the battalion s part in the battle was explained to the officers. On Thursday 23 and during the following day, the 22nd Brigade, 7th Division to which the battalion belonged moved up to the Loos area, depositing personal equipment that would not be require for the attack, such as greatcoats and packs, before the battalion moved off to its allotted position through the night, to arrive at Lancaster Lines, just to the east of Vermelles at 0300 hours. Through the night it rained heavily, and movement to the initial positions was hampered by the large amounts of mud and water in the trenches. The morning of Saturday 25 September, 1915 dawned grey, and the attack commenced at 0550 with an artillery bombardment targeted against the enemy s trench line. The bombardment lasted until 0630 hours, when on a frontage of approximately 7000 yards, 75,000 men of the six divisions of I and IV Corps of the British First Army commenced the attack. The artillery preparation had been relatively light, and was to be augmented with the first use of gas by the British, the Germans having used it earlier in the year at Ypres. The 7th Division attacked at the extreme south of IV Corps, the boundary lying on the Vermelles to Hulluch Road, with 1st Division of I Corps on their right flank. To the north on the division s left flank was the 9th Division, attacking towards the village of Auchy. The divisional frontage was divided into two, with 20th Brigade attacking on the right, 22nd Brigade attacking on the left and 21st Brigade in reserve. 22nd Brigade s first wave of the attack consisted of 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment on the right, 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment on the left, the 1st Battalion, Royal 14

15 Welsh Fusiliers in support around Junction Keep and Herbert s battalion in reserve at Lancaster Lines. The 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers were to move up to the front line as soon as the first wave had advanced and would then attack towards the direction of Haisnes, protecting the left flank of the advance, and Herbert s battalion would then move up into the front line and await the order to advance. The battalion moved up into the line with C Company in which Herbert was serving in the lead, commanded by Captain Philpot, then B Company commanded by Captain Brocklehurst, then D Company commanded by Captain Raymond Heath, and finally A Company commanded by Captain Maddock. The Battalion s machine gun section, under Lieutenant Pilham had been placed in a forward position in order to support the advance in bringing long range fire to bear on the German support trenches, also involved in the attack was the battalion s headquarters section under the Commanding Officer, 42 year old Lieutenant-Colonel Maurice Gordon Heath. The movement through the lines had been restricted by the numbers of casualties from the 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers and the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and on reaching the front line Herbert s battalion followed the preceding waves in close support towards the German lines, the line of the advance being just to the right of Fosse 8, which was one of the sizable spoil heaps that littered the battlefield as a remnant of its more industrial past as a coal mining area. The German first line was at a distance of 500 yards, and the visibility was poor due to the combined effects of a smoke screen, gas, drizzle and a cold persistent mist. The attack continued with A, B, and D Companies all encountering stiff resistance at the German first line, whilst to the left the personnel of C Company moved through towards the German second line. The three companies outflanked and bombed down the German line to their right, suffering many casualties. Half of C Company was instructed to capture the Quarries, which they achieved, capturing enemy 2 officers and approximately 40 other ranks. Pushing on to the German second line, Captain R. H. Philpot, the commander of Herbert s company and Captain Heath of D Company met up in Pekin/Cite Trench, approximately 400 yards north west of the mining village of Cite St Elie, which was 22nd Brigade s final designated objective for the day. At approximately 0515 hours the troops on their left flank began to withdraw, which resulted in the remnants of C and D Company having to withdraw at 0530 hours, although they did manage a second advance to Pekin Trench, which they retired from at 2300 hours. The battalion then retired to the Quarries, where the Battalion Headquarters had advanced to, and then retired further to the original British front line. During this retirement the Commanding Officer Chevening, Kent native Lieutenant-Colonel Maurice Gordon Heath the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Walter Brougham Heath and Emma Caroline Heath of Bessels Green, Sevenoaks, Kent was numbered amongst those who were killed. Herbert was numbered amongst the 62 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 2nd Battalion, The Queen s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) on Saturday 25 September 1915, being amongst 11 casualties from the county of Kent, but primarily due to the fact that he was not serving as an officer, it has not been possible to add here exactly at what stage of the days events it was that he fell. 15

16 STERNDALE-BENNETT, WALTER. D.S.O. & Bar. Commander. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Drake Battalion, 63rd (Royal Naval Division). Died Wednesday 7 November Aged 24. Youngest son of James Robert Sterndale-Bennett and Mabel Agnes Sterndale- Bennett (née Gaskell) of Barn House, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Buried Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: VI. I. 1. Walter was born at Derby, Derbyshire on Sunday 15 July At the time of the 1911 census, the Sterndale-Bennett family resided at 13, Mornington Avenue, West Kensington, London W. Head of the house was 63 year old St. Pancras, London native James Robert Sterndale-Bennett, who was the retired Headmaster of Derby School. Formerly Private, 2977, 1/28th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Artists Rifles), Walter was discharged from the 2/28th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Artists Rifles) in London on Friday 12 February 1915, on being appointed to a commission as a Temporary Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve the previous day. Details appertaining to Walters commission were published in The London Gazette dated Tuesday 23 February At the time of his discharge from the Territorial Force and commission in the R.N.V.R. Walters home address was at 13, Mornington Avenue, West Kensington, London W. Walter joined a draft for 16

17 service with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on Sunday 1 August 1915, and joined the Drake Battalion, 63rd (Royal Naval Division) at Gallipoli. On Thursday 16 September 1915, he was appointed the Adjutant of Drake Battalion vice Lieutenant R.C. Bickley. He was appointed a Temporary Lieutenant R.N.V.R. on Tuesday 28 March 1916, and to a Temporary Lieutenant- Commander on Tuesday 14 November 1916 and placed in command of the Drake Battalion, vice Lieutenant-Commander Philip Sydney Campbell the son of The Rt. Hon. Sir James H. Campbell M.P. who fell the previous day. Walter returned to England from the Western Front on Saturday 6 January 1917 to attend a Senior Officers course at Aldershot, Hampshire. He returned to serve with the British Expeditionary Force on Sunday 1 April 1917, and Walter assumed command of the Drake Battalion again on Tuesday 3 April vice Major Freeland and made a Temporary Commander. He was promoted to an Acting Commander on Wednesday 18 April Walter then remained in command of the Drake battalion until his death. At approximately 1630 hours on Sunday 4 November 1917 during a bombardment by enemy artillery, Walter was badly wounded by large shell fragments to his legs severing one between the knee and ankle and shattering the other foot. Although he received prompt treatment he sank very rapidly and succumbed to his injuries whilst he was receiving treatment at the 61st (South Midland) Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps at Dozinghem, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Several years after the Great War had ceased, Frank Andrews who was a veteran on the Drake Battalion wrote the following:- Commander Bennett was badly wounded at about 4:30 p.m. on November 4th I was attached to H.Q. at the time and we were caught right in the middle of very fierce bombardment which the enemy had a nasty habit of putting over every evening at the same time. He was carried away and it was with great regret that we heard he passed away. I was about fifty yards away when that particular shell dropped but was fortunately not hit myself although several of my mates were killed. On Wednesday 7 November the replacement Battalion Commander for Walter wrote to Walter's mother a letter of condolence which said:- I cannot tell you how shocked and grieved we all were when your son was wounded on the evening of the 4th. This is the first opportunity I have had of writing and offering you our heartfelt sympathy as I had taken over command at once and we are only just out of the line. I am afraid his wound is very severe but we sincerely trust that be may be spared to you and all those who have learnt to know his worth, though I am afraid he will never be fit for active service again. I cannot tell you how much he was looked up to and liked by the men and officers of the Battalion, and indeed all who came in contact with him, and I do not think I am saying more than the accurate facts when I say that he was universally recognised as the best Commanding Officer in the Division. We shall miss him more than I can say, but his example and training will I am certain live in the Battalion for a long time. He was always cheerful and optimistic and absolutely fearless. His men would have gone anywhere and done anything he asked them with the most complete confidence. In addition to having been awarded the Distinguished Service Order twice, Walter was also thrice Mentioned in Despatches. He was a brother of James Robert Sterndale-Bennett. 17

18 UNDERHILL, THOMAS WILLIAM. Second Lieutenant. 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Saturday 19 August Aged 19. Born Sedgley, Staffordshire. Son of Herbert Underhill and Edith Mary Underhill (née Waterhouse) of Woodsetton, Sea Wall, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Buried Bray Military Cemetery, Somme, France. Grave Ref: I. B. 17. Thomas is also commemorated on his original grave marker as shown below, which is located in the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Dymchurch. Thomas was born at Sedgley, Staffordshire on Saturday 17 October 1896, and was christened at Darlaston, Wednesbury, Staffordshire on Monday 20 December He attended Rugby School from 1910 to 1913, and at the time of the 1911 census he was recorded by the census enumerator as being a 14 year old boarder residing at 3, Barby Road, Rugby, Warwickshire. Following Thomas s time spent at Rugby he went up to Birmingham University to study engineering. At the commencement of the Great War, Thomas was only 17 years old when he enlisted in the army, and was attested to serve as Private, 1158, in the 1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment in which he was serving when he was appointed to Lance Corporal. After being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), Thomas was posted to serve with the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) in France with the British Expeditionary Corps on Sunday 10 October Shortly after arriving on the Western Front, Thomas was wounded and was evacuated back to England. Having recovered from his wounding, Thomas returned to France in February 1916 and joined his battalion in the field. He took part in a number of engagements with the enemy prior to his death in a former German trench near Delville Wood during the Battle of the Somme. The immediate chain of events that led up to his demise began on Sunday 6 August 1916, when plans were put in place for his battalion along with the rest of the 72nd Brigade of the 24th Division, to take over frontline trenches which were located between the village of Guillemont and Deville Wood on the Somme, but as so often happened due to 18

19 the ebb and flow of battle during the Great War, plans were altered at the very last moment, one of the resultant changes found Thomas s battalion on Wednesday 9 August located in reserve positions situated on the Carnoy to Montauban road, where the following day several casualties occurred when British artillery fired shells which dropped short. On Saturday 12 August the battalion which was still near the Somme village of Carnoy and was heavily shelled all day, but on that occasion by the enemy, as opposed to their own artillery pieces. During the night of Thursday 17 August the battalion moved forward under the cover of darkness to take up assembly points in readiness for an attack near Waterlot Farm, which had been a German strong point in their second line of defence, and which was situated between the villages of Longueval and Guillemont, although the enemy strong point was called a farm, in fact it was a sugar refinery that had been captured from the Germans during the fighting in the area in mid July The battalion was in action all day, with the enemy position location known as Machine Gun House eventually falling to the officers and men of A Company, in addition to which the northern end of an enemy trench complex named ZZ Trench was taken by C Company. Although in terms of assigned objectives being captured etcetera, Saturday 19 August 1916 was a success for the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), but it had been costly as casualties that day were an officer (Thomas) and 60 other ranks killed, plus 6 officers and 297 other ranks were wounded, some of whom later succumbed to their woundings. At the time of his death Thomas was on lookout duty; his Captain had just given some orders, and is reported to have had only gone approximately ten yards down the trench when he heard a shell burst. The Captain ran back and found Thomas and four of his men lying dead, he evidently having been killed by concussion. One of the other ranks who were killed by the shell with Thomas, was Private Percy James Hines from the nearby town of Hythe, Kent. Grave marker in the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Dymchurch. 19

20 The Great War Lost Men BROWN, JOHN EDWIN. Private, st (Reserve) Garrison Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died Thursday 7 November Aged 20. Born Dymchurch, Kent. Enlisted Maidstone, Kent. Son of John Brown and Caroline Brown (née Worsley) of Stone Bridge, Marden, Maidstone, Kent. Buried St. Margaret s Churchyard, Collier Street, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent. Grave Ref: North of Church. It would appear that the Brown family had not resided at Dymchurch where John was born for very long, as the census entry for the family on the 1901 census shows the family residing at Ulcombe Street, Ulcombe, Maidstone, Kent, and John Brown (junior) as being only a year old. John s brother Henry was recorded by the census enumerator as being a 3 year old native of Tenterden, Kent. At the time of the 1911 census, the Brown family resided at West Pikefish, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent. Head of the house was 36 year old Biddenden, Ashford, Kent native John Brown, who was employed as a Waggoner on a Farm. The 1st (Reserve) Garrison Battalion, Suffolk Regiment in which John had served, was formed at Gravesend, Kent on Tuesday 14 March 1916 and served at Tilbury, Essex, Gravesend, and the Isle of Grain, Kent as part of the Thames and Medway Garrison, in which it remained for the rest of the Great War. CHALCRAFT, WALTER CHARLES. Private, L/ st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died Sunday 1 November Aged 36. Born Petworth, Sussex. Enlisted Guildford, Surrey. Resided Dymchurch, Kent. Son of Joseph John Chalcraft and Ellen Chalcraft (née Pannell). Husband of Lillian Chalcraft (née Impett) of 1, The Grove, Dymchurch, Kent. Buried Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: III. A. 29. Commemorated on the Folkestone, Kent civic war memorial, and in The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, Book of Remembrance which is located in the parish church of Holy Trinity, Guildford, Surrey. At the time of the 1911 census, the Chalcraft family resided at 1, Mill Cottages, Ivy Cottages, Bradstone Road, Folkestone, Kent. Walter was recorded by the enumerator as being the head of the house, and as being employed as a Milkman. Walter enlisted in the army as a regular soldier for 5 years with the Colours and 7 years in the Reserve on Tuesday 27 September 1898, at which time he stated that he was 18 years and 9 months old, and employed as a Gardener, and was attested to serve as a Private in The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). On Saturday 7 January 1899 he was posted to serve in the 2nd Battalion of his regiment, and was serving in the same battalion when he 20

21 was appointed a Lance Corporal on Friday 12 May Having been appointed a Lance Corporal, Walter was granted pay for same with effect from Thursday 3 August 1899, which was later relinquished on Friday 20 October 1899, and was then reinstated on Saturday 6 January He was promoted to the rank of Corporal on Wednesday 16 January Walter was awarded his first Good Conduct Badge and pay on Thursday 28 February At his own request Walter reverted to a Private on Monday 6 May On Monday 11 August 1902 Walter forfeited his Good Conduct pay, which was reinstated exactly one year later. Walter served in the 2nd Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) in South Africa during the Second Boer War which was fought from 11 October 1899 to 31 May 1902, and his battalion arrived in South Africa in November 1899, remaining until May 1904 when it returned to Shorncliffe, Kent. Walter was awarded the Queen s South Africa Medal with the clasps Orange Free State, Transvaal, Mafeking, and Laing s Nek, plus the King s South Africa Medal with the two date bars 1901 and Whilst his battalion was still serving in South Africa, Walter was awarded his 3rd Class Army Education Certificate on Thursday 7 May Four months later on Thursday 3 September, Walter was injured by an exploding detonator he was whilst engaged in field training, which resulted in a Court of Enquiry being convened at Kroonstad, Orange Free State on Saturday 19 September The Court of Enquiry was ordered by the Commanding Officer of the battalion, Lieutenant Colonel H. Robson, and presided over by Lieutenant-Colonel (later Brigadier-General) F. J. Pink, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. who had commanded the battalion in South Africa from Friday 30 November 1900 to Saturday 31 May The officers of which the Court of Enquiry was comprised all concurred that the injury which Walter suffered was not his fault and declared him wholly blameless, adding that his Hospital Stoppages should all be remitted to Walter in full. The decision was also made that his injury was to be considered mild, and that it probably would not affect his ability to be an efficient soldier. Whilst he was in hospital for 27 days receiving treatment for his injuries, the index finger of Walters left hand was amputated. Prior to the completion of his service with the Colours, Walter was re-engaged as a regular soldier on a number of occasions, the last time was on Tuesday 5 July 1910 when he signed on for an additional 4 years but on that occasion as a Reservist, having been placed on the Reserve on Monday 3 April 1905 at Shorncliffe. Walter was mobilized again as a reservist on Wednesday 5 August 1914 and posted to the Regimental Depot of The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) at Guildford, Surrey, and was posted to the 1st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) on Friday 11 September Commanded by 49 year old Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson Warren, the 1st Battalion, The Queen s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) sailed from Southampton on the SS Braemar Castle on Wednesday 12 August 1914, and arrived at the French port of Harve the during the morning of the following day, with Walter being amongst the other ranks. As was the case with the bulk of the regular British battalions serving in the British Expeditionary Force during the early stages of the Great War, Walter s battalion was forced to make a series of moves as battles ebbed and flowed. Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson Warren was killed by an enemy sniper at the village 21

22 of Paissy, Aisne, France on Thursday 17 September 1914, and his death is recorded in several publications. Unfortunately due primarily to the fact that he was not an officer, details appertaining to the death of Walter are in stark contrast to that of his Commanding Officer, and as such it not been possible to add here how, when or where it was he suffered the wound from which he died in hospital at Boulogne-sur-Mer. When Walters widow Lillian applied for his medals in November 1923 she was residing at 1, The Grove, Dymchurch, Kent. GODDEN, ALBERT EDWARD. Rifleman, S/ th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade. Died Saturday 23 March Born Eastbridge, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Enlisted London. Resided Aldington, Ashford, Kent. Son of George Henry Godden and Mary Elizabeth Godden (née Foreman), of Poulton Manor Farm, Aldington, Ashford, Kent. Buried Grand-Seraucourt British Cemetery, Aisne, France. Grave Ref: III.E.2. Commemorated in the parish church of St. Martins, Aldington, Ashford, Kent, and in the chaple, Forge Hill, Aldington. Formerly 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade, having been posted to the battalion along with his brother Frederick who is the next casualty commemorated below. Albert and Frederick had enlisted in London together. George Henry Godden and Mary Elizabeth Godden are at rest in the churchyard of St. Martins, Aldington. 22

23 GODDEN, FREDERICK EDWARD. Rifleman, S/ st Battalion, Rifle Brigade. Died Tuesday 6 July Aged 21. Born Eastbridge, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Enlisted London. Resided Aldington, Ashford, Kent. Son of George Henry Godden and Mary Elizabeth Godden (née Foreman) of Poulton Manor Farm, Aldington, Ashford, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 46, as shown above, and in the parish church of St. Martins, Aldington, Ashford, Kent, and in the chaple, Forge Hill, Aldington. Frederick was born at Eastbridge, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent on Saturday 26 May He served with the British Expeditionary Force from Tuesday 25 May LEWIS, WALTER. Corporal, st Battalion, Queen s Own Cameron Highlanders. Died Sunday 23 July Born Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Enlisted Aldershot, Hampshire. Resided Hastings, Sussex. Son of James Joseph Lewis and Maria Phillips Lewis (née Jordon). Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 15 B. At the time of the 1911 census, the Lewis family resided at 18, Braybrooke Road Hastings, Sussex. Head of the house was 67 year old Shoreditch, London native James Joseph Lewis, who was a Boarding House Keeper. Walter was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Salesman in a Boot Shop. Walter was a regular soldier, and was serving as a Lance Corporal in the 1st Battalion, Queen s Own Cameron Highlanders when he sailed with the battalion from Southampton on the 3,809 ton steamship SS Gando which arrived at the French port of Harve on Friday 14 August He was numbered amongst the 54 other ranks in the battalion who died on Sunday 23 July

24 MARTIN, ALBERT VICTOR. Private, st Battalion, Duke of Cornwall s Light Infantry. Died Thursday 20 July Aged 32. Born Dymchurch, Kent. Enlisted and resided Falmouth, Cornwall. Son of Sarah Ann Martin (née Fletcher) and of the late William Lyndhurst Martin. Husband of Ivy Martin (née Fletcher) of Falmouth, Cornwall. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 6 B. Albert was born in Dymchurch, Kent on Thursday 13 March 1884 when his father was employed by H.M. Coastguard. At the time of the 1911 census, Albert resided at 27, Cannon Street, Brighton, Sussex and was employed as a General Labourer. Head of the house was Albert s brother, 36 year old Sandgate, Folkestone, Kent native William George Martin who was also employed as a General Labourer. On Sunday 2 August 1914 Albert, who was a Merchant Seaman married 19 year old Falmouth, Cornwall native Miss Ivy Fletcher at the Register Office, Falmouth, Cornwall. Ivy was the daughter of William Nicholas Fletcher and Elizabeth Fletcher (née Midlen). He was posted to France for service with the British Expeditionary Force on Tuesday 26 October 1915, as a member of the Duke of Cornwall s Light Infantry. The marriage of Albert s widow Ivy to Joseph W. Parry, was recorded in the Falmouth, Cornwall, Registration District during the second quarter of Ivy s death was recorded in the Falmouth, Cornwall, Registration District during the first quarter of William Lyndhurst Martin died at the Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, Sussex on Saturday 20 January 1900, and was recorded as residing at 103, Upper North Street, Brighton, Sussex, and as a pensioned Chief Officer in H.M. Coastguard. McGILL, WILLIAM ARTHUR. D.S.M. Petty Officer, Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Victory." Died Monday 17 November Aged 35. Born Dymchurch, Kent Friday 18 January Son of Elizabeth Ann McGill (née Keeler) and the late Arthur John McGill. Husband of Salina McGill of North Street, Westbourne, Emsworth, Hampshire. Buried Royal Naval Cemetery, Haslar, Gosport, Hampshire. Grave Ref: E When the McGill family members lived in Dymchurch they resided at the Coastguard Buildings where Arthur John McGill was in charge of H.M. Coast Guards, and which is probably the location where William had actually been born. At the time of the 1911 census, the McGill family resided at 28, Lynton Grove, Copnor, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Head of the house was 64 year old Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent native Arthur McGill, who was recorded by the census enumerator as being a Pensioner Retired Royal Navy Chief Officer. The then 27 year old William was recorded as being a Seaman, Royal Navy. William died of a disease whilst he was receiving treatment as a patient at the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, Gosport, Hampshire. In addition to having been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, William was also Mentioned in Despatches. William s D.S.M. was an early Great War award and was for his gallantry displayed during the First Battle of Heligoland Bight which was the first naval 24

25 battle of the war, that was fought on Friday 28 August 1914, at which time William was serving as a Leading Seaman. He was mentioned in the despatches of Acting Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty, K.C.B., M.V.O., D.S.O. dated Tuesday 1 September Details of the awarding of the Distinguished Service Medal to William were published in The London Gazette dated Friday 23 October The death of 70 year old William McGill was recorded in the Portsmouth, Hampshire, Registration District during the first quarter of POPE, BRITAIN. Stoker 1st Class, (Ch). Royal Navy, H.M. Torpedo Boat 111. Died Saturday 19 October Aged 32. Born Dymchurch, Kent. Resided Peckham, London, SE15. Son of Harry Pope and Martha Pope of Dymchurch, Kent. Husband of Elizabeth Church Pope (née Huntsman) of 27, Bellenden Road, Peckham, London, SE15. Buried Isle of Sheppey Cemetery, Sheerness, Kent. Grave Ref: Square. O.O

26 Britain was born at Dymchurch on Friday 12 March He married 37 year old Miss Elizabeth Church Huntsman in the parish church of St. Saviour, Denmark Hill, Southwark, London on Thursday 3 October At the time of the marriage, Britain and Elizabeth were both recorded as residing at 27, Bellenden Road, Peckham, London, SE15. Britain is recorded as having died of a disease as opposed to his death being directly attributable to any form of enemy action. RAYNER, ERNEST ALBERT COLIN. Private, st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Died Saturday 10 November Born Burmarsh, Romney Marsh, Kent. Enlisted Dover, Kent. Son of Alfred James Rayner and Emily Mary Rayner (née Terry). Husband of Ellen Mary Rayner (née Pilcher). Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 105, and as Colin Raynor in the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Ernest s birth was recorded in the Romney Marsh, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of 1887, which would be indicative of him being about 30 years of age when at the time of his death. At the time of the 1901 census, the Rayner family resided at Orgarswick Farm, Orgarswick, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Head of the house was 40 year old Burmarsh, Romney Marsh, Kent native Alfred Rayner, who was employed as a Farm Bailiff. Ernest s marriage to Martin, East Langdon, Dover Kent native Miss Ellen Mary Pilcher, was recorded in the Dover Kent, Registration District during the third quarter of When the 1911 census was conducted, Ernest was recorded as being the head of the house at Kennet Lane, Stanford, Hythe, Kent, but as Colin Raynor, and was employed as a Gardener. Ernest s Medal Index Card entry shows Died, as opposed to having been killed in action or having died of wounds. His entry in/on Soldiers Died in the Great War, records Ernest as having been killed in action, but as SDGW is known to contain thousands of errors of different kinds, it would seem likely that he had died of an illness. As Ernest is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, it would also seem likely that he was buried in a grave which was subsequently lost during the conflict, which was possibly as the result of shelling. STEVENS, FREDRICK JAMES. Private, SE/ th Veterinary Hospital, Army Veterinary Corps. Died Wednesday 13 October Aged 42. Born Beechingstoke, Pewsey, Wiltshire. Enlisted High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Son of George Stevens and Sarah Stevens. Husband of Mary J. E. Stevens of Grove Cottage, Dymchurch, Kent. Buried Chatby Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt. Grave Ref: D. 50. At the time of the 1911 census, Frederick was recorded as being the head of the house at Kingates Stables, Bampton Road, Forest Hill, London, S.E. and as 26

27 being employed as Domestic Coachman. Frederick was posted overseas for service with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on Thursday 6 May Following the mistakes from the Second Boer War there was huge pressure for the reform of the Army Veterinary Service from all quarters including the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, politicians and the general public. In 1903 a Warrant created an Army Veterinary Corps of N.C.O. s and men employed in veterinary duties, and in 1906 it combined with the Army Veterinary Department to become the Army Veterinary Corps which was the predecessor of the modern Royal Army Veterinary Corps. At the commencement of Great War there were 364 A.V.C. officers (Regular and Reserve) and during the war a further 1,306 were commissioned and by 1918 almost half of the Veterinary Surgeons in Great Britain were serving in the A.V.C. In addition to officers, the expansion of other ranks rose from 934 to 41,755 during the course of the war. In Egypt there were separate camel hospitals under the command of Army Veterinary Corps officers with specialised knowledge of camels. STEWARD, FREDERICK JAMES. Private, st Battalion, Welsh Guards. Died Tuesday 25 July Born Dymchurch, Kent. Enlisted Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales. Son of Benjamin Steward and Mary Ann Steward (née Mott) of Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Buried Brandhoek Military Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: II. K. 2. Commemorated on the Lydd, Romney Marsh, Kent civic war memorial, and in the parish church of All Saints, Lydd, also on Great War memorial plaque at the Memorial Institute, Lydd. Unfortunately due to a number of reasons, Frederick has proved to be one of the more difficult Great War casualties to research. His birth was recorded in the Romney Marsh, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of The sole positive matching census entry for Frederick is that of 1891, at which time he was recorded by the census enumerator as being 3 months old. The Steward family was residing at The Redoubt, Dymchurch, Kent when the census was conducted. Head of the house was 36 year old Sproughton, Ipswich, Suffolk native Benjamin Steward, who was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery. It would appear to be the case that Frederick s service papers were amongst those which were destroyed during a bombing raid during the Second World War. It was noted by the transcriber of these brief commemorations whilst attempting to ascertain information about Frederick, that on Monday 7 June 1915 an Albert G. Hopkins had enlisted in the Welsh Guards at Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales, and having been attested was given the regimental number As Albert Hopkins and Frederick had consecutive Welsh Guards regimental numbers and had both enlisted at Swansea, it would seem likely that they had in fact enlisted on the same day, and might even have known each other and enlisted together. 27

28 SWABY, CHARLES. Leading Stoker, Royal Navy. H.M.S. Formidable. Died Friday 1 January Aged 33. Born Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent 27 February Son of Charles Swaby and Ellen Swaby of 6, Sydney Terrace, Folkestone Road, Dover, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 11, as shown above, and on the Dover, Kent civic war memorial. At the time of Charles birth his father Charles Swaby (senior), who was a native of the city of Nottingham, was employed by H.M. Coastguard at Dymchurch where three of the siblings of Charles (junior) were also born. When the 1911 census was conducted, the Swaby family resided at 6 Clarendon Place, Dover, Kent. Head of the house was Charles Swaby (senior), who was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Seaman (Government). Charles (junior) was not at home with his family on the night of the 1911 census as he was serving as a Stoker 1st Class in the Royal Navy on the river Medway at Gillingham, Kent. At the time of his death, Charles was serving on the15,250 ton pre-dreadnought Royal Navy battleship H.M.S. Formidable, which was launched at Portsmouth, Hampshire on Thursday 17 November H.M.S. Formidable had served in the Mediterranean Fleet until April 1908, when she was then transferred to the Channel Fleet. In 1912 she formed part of the 5th Battle Squadron, which consisted of eight battleships and two cruisers, and she was still serving with the squadron at the commencement of the Great War. H.M.S. Formidable departed from the port of Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent on Wednesday 30 December 1914 to take part in a firing exercise off the coast of Portland, Dorset. At 0200 hours on Friday 1 January 1915, H.M.S. Formidable was hit by two torpedoes fired from the German submarine U-24, which was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Rudolf Schneider who was in command of the U-24 from Saturday 1 August 1914 to Saturday 3 June The first torpedo fired from the submarine hit H.M.S. Formidable in her number one boiler port side; a second explosion caused the ship to list heavily to starboard. Huge waves about thirty feet high lashed the stricken ship, with strong winds, rain and hail, resulting in sinking her in less than two hours, at a position approximately 20 miles off Start Point, Devon. Various data checked show a variance in the actual numbers who survived the sinking, but it appears to have been about 200 from her complement of 780. Captain Arthur. N Loxley R.N., his second-in-command, 28

29 Commander Charles F. Ballard R.N., and the Signaler stayed at their posts throughout, sending flares and rockets off at regular intervals. There was no panic with the crew waiting calmly for the lifeboats to be lowered. Someone played ragtime on the piano, and others sang. The Chaplain risked his life going below to find cigarettes. Suddenly the ship gave a tremendous lurch and the Captain shouted Lads, this is the last all hands for themselves, and may God bless you and guide you to safety. He then walked to the forebridge of his stricken ship, lit a cigarette and, with his terrier Bruce on duty at his side calmly waited for the end in true Royal Naval tradition. H.M.S. Formidable has the unenviable distinction of being the first British battleship to be sunk in the Great War, as the result of the very first underwater attack at night by a submarine. On 26 October 1914 the U-24 had the dubious distinction of being the very first U- boat to attack an unarmed merchant ship without warning, it being the 4,590 ton French steamer SS Amiral Ganteaume which was owned by Chargeurs Réunis of Havre, and was carrying Belgian refugees from Calais to Harve. She was torpedoed off the coast of Cap Gris-Nez but stayed afloat, and was later safely towed to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. On Saturday 13 October 1917 during a period of very stormy weather whilst he was in command of the German U-Boat U-87, Kapitänleutnant, which he had commanded since Monday 26 February 1917, Rudolf Rudi Schneider was lost overboard from the conning tower of the submarine in the North Sea. One of his crew managed to bring him back on board but he was already dead. Kapitänleutnant, Rudolf Rudi Schneider was subsequently buried at sea between the Shetland Isles and Norway. WHITENSTALL, ALBERT Bertie. Lance Corporal, G/ th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died Friday 7 July Born Dymchurch, Kent. Enlisted Chichester, Sussex. Son of Henry Joseph Whitenstall and Fanny Bridle Whitenstall (née Howe). Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 7 C, and on the Selsey, Sussex civic war memorial. At the time of the 1891 census, the Whitenstall family resided at 3, Coast Guard Building, Dymchurch, Kent. Head of the house was 37 year old Selsey, Sussex native Henry Joseph Whitenstall, who was employed by H.M. Coast Guard. As ALBERT Bertie was recoded by the census enumerator as being only a year old, it would seem likely that the census address was also where he was actually born. When the 1911 census was conducted, the Whitenstall family resided at 2, Vine Terrace, High Street, Selsey, Sussex. Albert s father was recorded as being the head of the house and a Naval Pensioner employed as a Caretaker at an Institute. Albert was recorded as Bert on the 1911 census entry and was employed as a Butcher. Albert was numbered amongst the 115 other ranks in his battalion who died on Friday 7 July 1916, most of whom fell during an attack by the battalion at Somme village of Ovillers, which was in unison with the 8th and 9th Service) Battalions, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment. The attack had commenced at 0830 hours. Most of the casualties suffered by the battalions were as the result of enemy machine guns, and being bombarded by shrapnel shells. 29

30 WOOD, WALTER CHARLES. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Died Thursday 23 November Born Esatbridge, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Enlisted Ashford, Kent. Resided Brabourne Lees, Ashford, Kent. Only son of Charles Henry Wood and Fanny Elizabeth Wood (née Dray) of Smeeth, Ashford, Kent. Husband of Amelia Mary Wood of Lees Cottage, Brabourne Lees, Ashford, Kent. Buried St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Seine-Maritime, Rouen, France. Grave Ref: L5. Commemorated on the Smeeth, Ashford, Kent civic war memorial. At the time of the 1911 census, the Wood family resided at Church Green, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent. Head of the house was 46 year old Great Chart, Ashford, Kent native Charles Henry Wood, who was employed as a Farm Labourer. Walter was recorded by the census enumerator as being 20 years of age and employed as a Shop Assistant. In freezing conditions early in the morning on Friday 17 November 1916, orders were received from the 55th Brigade of the 18th (Eastern) Division to which Walter s battalion belonged, that the battalion would attack an enemy position named Desire Trench the following day. The Commanding Officer of Walter s battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Percy Bulteel Irwin was later ordered to 55th Brigade at 0830 hours were he was informed that his battalion would probably attack Grandcourt Trench the next day as opposed to attacking Desire Trench. Resultant of the change in plans for Saturday 18 November, orders were issued to the personnel of C Company to go to Hessian Trench instead of Fabeck Trench. Only a few minutes after the orders to C Company had been given, the battalion received a telephone call from a Captain Mitchell with information that the previous orders had been rescinded owing to another change of plans. At a conference of Commanding Officers at 55th Brigade Headquarters which commenced at 1000 hours, it was finally decided that Desire Trench would be the objective assigned to the 8th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment on Friday 18 November The assault formation was made up by the first wave being comprised of two platoons of B Company with two platoons of D Company stationed in Regina Trench, with the remaining platoons of these companies in the Second Assembly Trench. A Company was located in Hessian Trench, and C Company in Fabeck Trench with Battalion Headquarters in Zollern Trench The attack and capture of Desire Trench by Walter s battalion commenced with the personnel of B and D Companies going forward at 0610 hours from Regina Trench. At 0640 hours the German trench complex was captured and 10 minutes later the leading waves were consolidating 150 yards beyond their designated objective. During the attack on Desire Trench every officer serving in B Company became a casualty, and Captain Charles Godfrey Morris Place took command of the survivors of the assault companies, with Second Lieutenant B.C. Carrall later being sent forward to take command B Company personnel. Charles was severely wounded on Friday 18 November 1916 and via the medical evacuation 30

31 chain was taken to one of General Hospitals at Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France, where he succumbed to his wounding on Thursday 23 November Whilst this is a brief tribute in remembrance of Eastbridge native Walter Wood, it would be somewhat remiss to not mention that Captain Charles Godfrey Morris Place referred to above, was the father of the Second World War hero Rear-Admiral Basil Charles Godfrey Place, V.C., C.B., C.V.O., D.S.C. ( ). WRAIGHT, JAMES WILLIAM JOHN. Stoker 1st Class, Royal Navy, H.M.S. Vanguard. Died Monday 9 July Aged 39. Born Eastbridge, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent 9 July Son of Mrs. Elizabeth Rogers Masey (formerly Wraight), (née Stoakes) of Eastbridge, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent, and of the late George Wraight. Husband of Beatrice Mary Wraight (née Lennard) of Crockley Green, New Romney, Romney Marsh, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 24, as J. WRAIGHT as shown above, also commemorated in the parish church of St. Nicholas, New Romney, Romney Marsh, Kent. James enlisted in the Royal Navy for a 12 year engagement at Chatham, Kent on Thursday 3 February During the course of his 12 year engagement in the Royal Navy, James served at various time at the Royal Naval shore based H.M.S. Pembroke, Chatham, Kent. In addition to his periods of service at H.M.S. Pembroke, James also served variously on the 10,470 ton Victoria class battleship H.M.S. Sans Parell, the 9,150 ton Blake class cruiser, the 3,000 ton Topaze class cruiser H.M.S. Sapphire, and the 17,700 ton Majestic class battleship H.M.S. Majestic. Having completed his Royal Navy engagement, James enlisted in the Royal Fleet Reserve at Chatham, Kent on Saturday 5 February At the time of the 1911 census, James was recorded as being the head of the house at Clinton Lodge, Albert Road, Hythe, Kent, and was employed as a General Labourer. With war looming, James was numbered amongst the Royal Fleet Reserve Chatham Men who were recalled for service that had to report to H.M.S. Pembroke for duty on Sunday 2 August From Wednesday 11 November 1914 James served as a Stoker 1st Class on the 9,150 ton Blake class cruiser, and subsequently served at the Devonport shore base H.M.S. Vivid II, followed by H.M.S. Pembroke, H.M.S. Eagle then back to H.M.S. Pembroke, prior to joining H.M.S. Vanguard on Thursday 8 March 1917.A survivor from the Battle of Jutland in which she was part of the Forth Battle Squadron, H.M.S. Vanguard on which James was serving at the time of his death, was a 19,560 ton St. Vincent class battleship. She was commanded by Lieutenant Commander Alan C.H. Duke R.N, when she blew up and sank to the north of the Golta peninsula in Flotta, Scapa Flow at approximately 2320 hours on Monday 9 July 1917 with the loss of 843 lives. She went down as the result of a magazine explosion in one of the two magazines which served the P and Q turrets amidships. Following her loss an Admiralty Court of Enquiry was 31

32 convened, with three possible causes tendered, they being: - (1) A spontaneous detonation of cordite, which had become unstable. (2) The cordite having caught fire from heating in an adjacent compartment. (3) Sabotage. To their credit Brian Budge from Kirkwall, and fellow enthusiast, Jonathan Saunders from Gillingham, Kent, have carried out extensive research over a number of years into the loss of James s ship, and it as the result of their findings that the actual death toll and following information has been ascertained. The vast majority of those lost with H.M.S. Vanguard numbering 622, are commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Although no formal cause for the cordite explosion was ever found by the Court of Inquiry, the most likely explanation is that a fire in a coal bunker or other neighbouring area simply smoldered away undetected long enough to heat the cordite stored at an adjoining bulkhead to dangerous levels, which eventually triggered an explosive reaction. Although dwarfed by the losses such as the S.S. Lancastria off the coast of France in the Second World War, the loss of H.M.S. Vanguard remains Britain s worst disaster in Home Waters. The wreck-site of the ship is now thankfully designated as a controlled site under the Protection of Military Remains Act. At the age of 41, James s late father George Wraight; who was a native of Guilford, Sussex, and employed as an Agricultural Labourer, died during the last quarter of It would seem very likely that James s actual place of birth was at Barden s Farm, Eastbridge, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent, where the family resided for a number of years, and at the time of the 1881 census, James was recorded by the enumerator as residing at that address with his family. James s widowed mother married Thomas William Masey in the Romney Marsh, Kent, Registration District during the second quarter of At the time of James s death, the address of his wife who was his next of kin was West Holme, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Beatrice Mary Wraight. Post Great War Casualty WHITEHEAD, GEORGE WILLIAM. Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died Thursday 10 February Aged 31. Born Dymchurch, Kent. Son of Eliza Alice Meikle (formerly Whitehead). Grandson of George Thomas Whitehead and Sophia Whitehead of Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Husband of the late Minnie Whitehead (formerly Fagg). Buried Hastings Cemetery, The Ridge, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 2AE. Grave Ref: L. D. F24. At the time of the 1911 census, 21 year old George resided at High Street, Dymchurch, and was employed as a Bricklayer. Head of the house was 77 year old Dymchurch native George Thomas Whitehead, who was the grandfather of George and was employed as a General Labourer. Georges death was recorded in the Hastings, Sussex, Registration District during the first quarter of

33 The Second World War AUSTEN, ALFRED. Civilian casualty. Died Saturday 24 August Aged 53. Son of the late William Austen and Louisa Austen. Husband of Ada Emma Austen (née Wood) of Sea Breeze, 1, Grove Terrace, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Alfred died with his wife Ada at their home when it was hit by a bomb. Sea Breeze was rebuilt and used by the Observer Corps (later Royal), and it was from where the first V1 flying bomb (Doodlebug) to fly over England was spotted. At the time of the 1911 census, the Austen family resided at Ivy Cottage, Dymchurch, Kent. Head of the house was 69 year old Dymchurch native William Austen, who was employed as a Gardener. Alfred was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a General Labourer. Alfred married Newchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent native Miss Ada Emma Wood the daughter of Charles William Wood and Lydia Standen Wood (née Huggett) at the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Newchurch, Kent on Sunday 22 June Alfred was 30 years and 342 days old when he enlisted in the army on Wednesday 16 February 1916 For the Duration of the War, at which time he resided at 1, Grove Terrace, Dymchurch, Kent. When he enlisted, Alfred stated that he was employed as a Gardener and expressed a preference to serve in the Royal Garrison Artillery. Following his enlistment Alfred was placed on the Army Reserve until being mobilized on Wednesday 31 May 1916 and was posted to serve in the East Surrey Regiment. On Saturday 24 February 1917, Alfred was transferred to serve in the Labour Corps, and was posted to the 437th Agricultural Company, Labour Corps on Saturday 16 June He was posted to the 386th Home Service Company, Labour Corps at Colchester, Essex on Monday 5 March On Monday 28 May 1917 Alfred was transferred to the Suffolk Regiment which he joined at the Regimental Depot, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and served in the regiment as Private, He was discharged from the army to the Z Reserve on Monday 29 September Alfred s record of army service irrespective of regiment or corps that he had served in show no entry for any form of misconduct or misdemeanor. AUSTEN, ADA EMMA. Civilian casualty. Womens Voluntary Service. Died Saturday 24 August Aged 47. Born Newchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Daughter of the late Charles William Wood and the late Lydia Standen Wood (née Huggett). Wife of Alfred Austen of Sea Breeze, 1, Grove Terrace, Dymchurch, Kent, who was killed with her, and is briefly commemorated above. 33

34 CHURCH, CHARLES JOSEPH. Sergeant (Air Gunner), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 104 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Friday 11 June Aged 23. Son of Joseph Henry Church and Elizabeth M. Church (née Reeves) of Blackheath, London. Husband of Patricia Church. Buried Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia. Grave Ref: Joint grave V. B. 5. Charles birth was recorded in the Lewisham, London, Registration District during the third quarter of When the Church family members lived at Dymchurch they resided at Melbourne House, which for a time during the Second World War served as a Company H.Q. of the 6th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment. In April 1941, 104 Squadron, Royal Air Force was re-formed at R.A.F. Driffield, Yorkshire as a Wellington medium-bomber unit of No. 4 Group, R.A.F. Bomber Command, initially taking part in the night-bombing offensive on mainland Europe. Towards the end of 1941 the squadron moved to the Middle East theatra of operations. In October 1941 a detachment was sent to Malta for attacks against targets in North Africa and Italy, moving to Egypt in January 1942, where it was reunited with its ground echelon. The detachment was then renumbered as 158 Squadron but this was rescinded, and only the R.A.F. Driffield based component was renumbered 158, with the Middle East element retaining the number 104. The squadron performed night assaults against targets in the Western Desert until the end of the North African campaign, after which the squadron occupied airfields in Tunisia attacking targets in Sicily and Italy. From Wednesday 26 May 1943 to Thursday 24 June 1943 the squadron was based at Cheria. Charles was one of the crew of a 104 Squadron, Royal Air Force Wellington bomber (Z8597 X), which was being flown by Flying Office (Pilot) George Francis Edwards R.A.F. (V.R) and that was taking part in a raid on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria as a prelude to Operation Corkscrew, during the course of the bombing phase of the operation, 14,203 bombs amounting to 4,119 tons were dropped on 16 artillery batteries. Out of 80 guns bombed 43 were damaged of which 10 were beyond repair. All control communications were destroyed together with many of the gun emplacements, ammunition stores, airraid shelters and all the elements of a modern artillery system. The Wellington in which Charles was flying was hit by flak and crippled over the target area, and the pilot, plus Flying Office Richard Holbrook Fry R.A.F. (V.R), and Pilot Officer Shirley James Knox Adams R.A.F. (V.R) baled out over Pantelleria and hid until the following morning, successfully evading being captured for a few hours when the island surrendered. Pantelleria surrendered before any of the Commandoes taking part in Operation Corkscrew had actually set foot on the Island, following a bombardment by the ships which had commenced firing about an hour before the landing craft reached the beaches. The survivors of the shot down Wellington were subsequently returned to North Africa by infantry landing craft, and all later safely arrived back at their squadron. The other member of the crew of the Wellington who lost his life was 21 year old Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, William Roy Black, R.A.F. (V.R), of Gillingham, Kent, who was laid to rest in the same grave as Charles at the Enfidaville War Cemetery. 34

35 STERNDALE-BENNETT, JAMES BURY. M.C. Second Lieutenant, th (Home Defence) Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Died Friday 14 March Aged 51. Born Derby, Derbyshire. Resided Kent. Son of James Robert Sterndale-Bennett and Mabel Agnes Sterndale-Bennett (née Gaskell). Husband of Athene Hannen (née Seyler), (formerly) Sterndale-Bennett. Father of Mrs. Jane Ann Benson (née Sterndale-Bennett). Brother of Miss Annie Sterndale-Bennett of Barn House, Dymchurch, Kent. Commemorated at Golders Green Crematorium, Hoop Lane, NW11. Panel 3. James was born at Derby, Derbyshire on Sunday 10 November 1889, and was educated at Derby School. He was a brother of Dymchurch Great War casualty, Commander Walter Sterndale-Bennett, D.S.O. & Bar. For details of the Sterndale-Bennett family on the 1911 census, please see the brief commemoration of Walter. During the Great War, James served in the South Wales Borderers in which he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on Thursday 26 April 1917, as was published in a Supplement of The London Gazette dated Thursday 17 May From Tuesday 9 April 1918 to Monday 29 April 1918 during the German Spring Offensive, the Germans conducted an offensive that would become known as the Battle of the Lys. At the commencement of the battle the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers in which James was serving as a Captain had just finished a tour of duty in the front line. His battalion was quickly ordered back into the line and moved by bus and route march to new positions at the village of Le Doulieu, Nord, France, which is located approximately 6 miles to the west of the town of Armentieres. The 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers arrived at the village during the evening of Wednesday 10 April to find that the enemy had captured a number of important crossing points over the river Lys, where the front line was being held very thinly, by troops of the British 40th Division and the 50th Division, who were exhausted from two days of continual defensive fighting. James battalion dug in over a long front, in a series of shell craters approximately 300 yards behind the troops who were already in position there, having had no time at all to prepare proper trenches. At dawn the following day the enemy attacked yet again, and as planned the front line battalions pulled back from their positions leaving the fresh troops of the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers to face the enemy onslaught. As they fell back, a gap appeared in the new front line on the left of the battalion, and James who was commanding "C" Company, tried to spread his men out to cover the widening gap, but the distance was far too great for the personnel of "C" Company to be effective. Approximately an hour later the Germans attacked again at this weak spot, and successfully managed to work their way round to the back of James and his soldiers, and rushed their trench causing many casualties. Throughout the day the battalion became disorganized, and casualties continued to grow with the men fighting in small defensive pockets, mixed up with troops from other units. At dusk, the officers and other ranks of the battalion were collected together, but the roll at that time was found to only number 140 all ranks. It was later found that most of the battalion members who had been able 35

36 to respond to the roll call had been wounded or taken prisoner, and in many cases both. The action fought by the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers on Thursday 11 April 1918 had also resulted in 101 fatalities, many of whom have no known grave and are commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Berks Cemetery Extension, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut. Belgium. James had been amongst those serving in his battalion who were captured by the Germans at Le Doulieu on Thursday 11 April 1918, and was repatriated on Christmas Day On Saturday 14 February 1914, James had married Hackney, London native, the Actress Athene Seyler ( ). Although they had a daughter, unfortunately the marriage of James and Athene was not successful and was only for a short time. Athene lived with fellow actor, Nicholas "Beau" Hannen from 1922, but they couldn't marry because Nicholas's wife refused to divorce him. In 1928 Athene legally changed her name to Athene Hannen. The couple were eventually married after death of Nicholas's death in In 1959 Athene was appointed a Commander of the British Empire, but it was generally assumed that the D.B.E. which many people had thought rightfully hers was withheld on account of her long time unmarried partnership with Beau Hannen. James death was recorded in the Pancras, London, Registration District during the first quarter of At the age of 101, James former wife Athene Hannen C.B.E died at Hammersmith, London on Wednesday 12 September JOHN COOMBES, as commemorated on the Dymchurch civic war memorial has proved to be very difficult to positively identify for commemoration here. Arguably the best match appears to be the following Kent casualty, but who had strong connections with the town of Faversham as opposed to the parish of Dymchurch. COOMBES, JOHN JAMES. Private, nd Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Died between Friday 31 May 1940 and Sunday 2 June1940. Aged 20. Born and resided Kent. Son of Thomas Bishop Coombes and of Elizabeth Coombes (née Clark) of 27 Gordon Square, Faversham, Kent. Commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial, Nord, France. Column 38, as above. Pre war member of The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). John s birth was recorded in the Faversham, Kent, Registration District during the second quarter of The marriage of Johns parents was recorded in the West Ham, Essex, Registration District during the first quarter of The death of a 56 year old Thomas B. Coombes was recorded in the Sittingbourne, Kent, Registration District during the second quarter of 1946, who possibly was Johns father. The time etcetera which has thus far been spent attempting to positively identify the casualty who is commemorated on the Dymchurch civic war memorial, perfectly illustrates how much harder it is to research the British victims of the Second World War compared to those who died in or resultant of the Great War. 36

37 FAGG, ROBERT. Stoker 1st Class, C/KX Royal Navy, H.M.S. Liverpool. Died Thursday 9 January Aged 21. Son of Robert William T. Fagg and Violet May Fagg (née Munds) of Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Buried Chatby Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt. Grave Ref: N. 94. Robert s birth was recorded in the Romney Marsh, Registration District during the fourth quarter of Although Robert was a member of the ships compliment of the 9,400 ton Town class light cruiser H.M.S. Liverpool, he died whilst he was a patient receiving treatment on the hospital ship H.M.H.S. Maine. NEWMAN, ERIC. In need of more research, but is possibly in remembrance of:- NEWMAN, ERIC. Died Wednesday 16 August Resided Shalimar, Bonnington Road, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Eric died at the Recreation Ground, St. Mary's Road, Dymchurch. NUNN, JAMES. Arguably the best match for this casualty is the following soldier. NUNN, JAMES ALFRED. Lieutenant, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died Wednesday 19 April Aged 24. Born and resided London. Son of James Thomas Nunn and Elizabeth Isabella Nunn (née Cooper). Husband of Grace Annie Nunn (née James) of 11, Ellington Road, Muswell Hill, Middlesex, London, N10. Buried Imphal War Cemetery, Manipur State, India. Grave Ref: 6. M. 10. James was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) in 1941, details of which were published in The London Gazette dated Friday 30 May During the Great War James Nunn (senior) had served in the London Regiment from 8 September Having been wounded whilst serving as a Sergeant in the 8th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Post Office Rifles), he was discharged on 29 January WHITEHEAD, PERCY HOPER. Gunner, st (West Riding) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. (T.A.). Died Monday 17 June Aged 26. Born and resided Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Son of Hannah Nellie Tree Hoper Whitehead (née Ford) of Dymchurch, Kent, and of Charles Hoper Whitehead. Buried Denneville Churchyard, Manche, France. Grave Ref: Collective grave 1-5. Commemorated on a memorial at Denneville, Manche, France, as shown above. Pre war member of the Royal Artillery. Percy was born in Dymchurch on Monday 25 May 1914, and was baptised at the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul, 37

38 Dymchurch on Sunday 12 July Only 8 Commonwealth casualties are at rest at Denneville Churchyard, and they were all members of the 71st (West Riding) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery who were killed when their lorry detonated a landmine, only Geoffrey Goodman survived the landmine explosion. The 71st (West Riding) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery in which Percy was serving when he was killed, was a pre Second World War, Sheffield, Yorkshire based formation that was formed in The 71st (West Riding) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery served in the United Kingdom from the commencement of the Second World War as part of the 49 Division. It was posted to serve with the British Expeditionary Force as part of the 49 Division in Following the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940, and post Percy s death it was transferred to the 46 Division, later serving in North Africa, Italy and Greece. We are very grateful to Jacques Dupuis for taking the time to inform us of the memorial at Denneville, and for providing the photograph of Percy s commemoration on it. Jacques also informed us that he will photograph Percy s headstone at Denneville Churchyard for inclusion on this website, and which he told us has the following inscription inscribed at its base:- IN LOVING MEMORY. WE WILL REMEMBER HIM AS YEARS GO BY MOTHER, SISTERS & BROTHERS. 38

39 The Second World War Lost Men HEYHOE, ARTHUR WILLIAM. Gunner, (Kent & Sussex) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died Wednesday 20 November Aged 28. Born and resided Norfolk. Buried St. Peter & St. Paul Churchyard, Dymchurch, Kent. Commemorated at Tilney St. Lawrence, Wisbeach, Norfolk. Arthur s birth was recorded in the Mitford, Norfolk, Registration District during the first quarter of Although purely speculation on the part of the transcriber of these brief commemorations, and should therefore be viewed as such, but it would seem likely that Arthur s death was probably due to an accident at Dover, Kent, as his body was washed up on the beach at Dymchurch. His death was recorded in the Romney Marsh, Kent, Registration District during the fourth quarter of The 519 (Kent & Sussex) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery in 39

40 which Arthur was serving at the time of his death, was a Territorial Army unit that had been formed in July 1940 as part of the Kent & Sussex Heavy Regiment. The coastal batteries at Dover were manned by three regiments which were each comprised of at least three batteries. 519 (Kent & Sussex) Coast Regiment manned a number of locations within the Dover Garrison area, whilst the personnel of the 520 (Kent & Sussex) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery (T.A.) manned the guns to the west of Dover at Capel-le-Ferne, Hougham, Lydden Spout, and the Western Heights Citadel. 540 Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery manned the guns to the east of the town at Fan Bay, South Foreland Batteries, and Wanstone Farm. WRIGHTSON, LESLIE HOWARD. Flight Sergeant, Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died 21 May Aged 25. Son of Alfred Wrightson and Emily Rosa Wrightson (née Howard). Husband of Mary Yvonne Wrightson (née Morris) of Dymchurch, Kent. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Panel 38. Leslies birth was recorded in the Thanet, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of His marriage to Mary Yvonne Morris was recorded in the Elham, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of At the commencement of the Second World War, 82 Squadron, Royal Air Force was flying Blenheim Mk.IV aircraft which it had received in August 1938, and initially commenced the war flying anti-shipping missions over the North Sea. An aircraft from the squadron sunk the German U-Boat U-31 on 11 March 1940, which was subsequently raised, and returned to service being sunk by a destroyer in November. On 10 May 1940, when Germany forces invaded France and the Low Countries, 82 Squadron was deployed in attacks against the German forces. On 17 May 1940 twelve unescorted Blenheims were sent to attack German forces near Gembloux, Belgium, but were intercepted by Messerschmitt Bf109 fighters, which resulted in the loss of eleven aircraft being lost. Despite these losses, it continued to fly missions in support of the British Expeditionary Force, and after the evacuation of the B.E.F. the squadron took part in raids on held airfields, and the invasion barges in the Channel ports. On 13 August, a raid on an airfield at Aalborg, Denmark resulted in catastrophic losses to German fighters, again losing eleven out of twelve aircraft. From early 1941, the squadron played a prominent part in the No.2 Group, R.A.F. Bomber Command offensive against shipping in the English Channel and the North Sea. Losses continued to mount in the squadron due to actions by German fighter aircraft and enemy flak guns. A detachment from the squadron was sent to the island of Malta in May 1941, with the rest of the Squadron following the next month. Leslie was the pilot of Blenheim Z6165 which took off R.A.F. Portreath, Redruth, Cornwall bound for Malta. The Blenheim crashed into the Mediterranean approximately 7 miles to the north of Gouraya, Algeria, killing Leslie and Flight Sergeant Clifford George Evans of Bebington, Cheshire. The other member of the crew of the Blenheim; Pilot Officer Kenneth Granville Anderson Marsh survived the crash, but tragically lost his life just two days later when the Overseas Aircraft Delivery Flight, 40

41 Catalina AH560 which was being delivered on which he was a passenger ditched off the cost of Portugal between the mainland and the Azores. At the time of Leslies death his home address was recorded as being at 24, Woodend, Cranfield, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire. 41

42 42

43 Great War Commemorations 43

44 Second World War Commemorations 44

45 Old Post Card of Dymchurch civic war memorial 45