Sandwich. Sandwich civic war memorial on Market Street bears the following inscription.

Transcription

1 Sandwich Sandwich civic war memorial on Market Street bears the following inscription To those men of this town who went forth to fight for God King and Country and came not back again. 1

2 The Sandwich civic war memorial was built by local Bricklayer Henry (Harry) Barlow of 9, Paradise Place, Sandwich. Henry had been a pre Great War member of the local Territorial Force (Royal Engineers) for three years, and also served in the Great War in the Royal Engineers and in the Royal Field Artillery, before he was demobilized on 31 March 1920 as a Z Reservist, and returned home to Sandwich. Depending on what data sources are accessed results in different information appertaing to who actually designed the Sandwich civic war memorial. Older data consulted records the Architect Ernest May as being the person who designed the memorial, whilst much more recent data shows it to have been the work of the noted Silversmith, Omar Ramsden, ( ). Purely speculation on the part of the transcriber of the following commemorations, but possibly the overall design was a joint venture by the two talented men. Prominently the central bronze relief on the war memorial features St. George killing the Dragon, which is a piece by Blackheath, Kent, native Charles Leonard Hartwell R.A. ( ), whose work also features on a number of other different forms of post Great War remembrance, and important works of art, with St. George and the Dragon featuring on several of his pieces of work. The Sandwich, Kent civic war memorial was officially unveiled on Monday 29 November 1920 by His Worship the Mayor of Sandwich, and Speaker of the Confederation of the Cinque Ports, Alderman George Christopher Solley J.P. ( ), in the presence of a large crowd. Amongst those present at the unveiling ceremony were included members of the Clergy representing the different Sandwich parishes and non-conformists, a number of other local dignitaries, members of the local populace and both serving and former members of the armed forces, amongst the latter category were a number men who still outwardly bore scars from the recent war. Regrettably as is the case with virtually every other of the transcribed Kent war memorials, the Sandwich, civic war memorial is also devoid of a number of inscriptions in rememberance of the towns war dead of both world wars. In the intervening period between the commencement and completion of the following brief transcriptions below, it was learned that it is planned to refurbish the war memorial in the near future. Whilst it is appreciated that not insignificant additional costs would be involved with the refurbishment, however whilst the civic war memorial refurbishment is being carried out, it would obviously afford the Cinque Port town of Sandwich an ideal and unique opportunity to redress the unfortunate oversights of many years ago, by adding more panels to commemorate all of the other Sandwich townsfolk, who died in or resultant of both the world wars, or at any other time. It should be noted however; that should the decision be taken to add the missing casualties to the civic war memorial, much more in depth research should be undertaken prior to adding the missing names, as not all of the data sources which have been used to research the following casualties below are absolutely irrefutable re place of birth and/or residence etcetera. A prime example of the ambiguity 2

3 in/on some of the data, being the British army casualties from the parishes in the Sandwich area, who are recorded in/on Soldiers Died in the Great War, which records the actual town as being the place of birth or residence, which is then subsequently found to be incorrect after more research, as the casualty concerned was then revealed as being a native or resident from a nearby village. Regretably unlike many other locations within the county of Kent, and at various locations around the United Kingdom, the Sandwich civic war memorial has no non-local war casualties who are buried at Sandwich commemorated on it. Most of the data sources and records etcetera consulted as aids to construct the following brief commemorations on the Sandwich civic war memorial, and the other war related deaths of the town were of pre 1948 vintage, when Sandwich was comprised of the three separate parishes of St. Clement, St. Peter, and St. Mary. In addition to the three parishes are those applicable to the extra-parochial tract of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, all being sub-districts in the Eastry, Kent, Registration District. As can be seen when viewing the following brief commemorations, quite properly and commendable, and it has to be said, unlike the vast majority of Kent war memorials, the Sandwich, Kent, civic war memorial also commemorates the post Second World War casualties who lost their lives during the Korean War , and the Falklands Islands Conflict Recently the transcriber of the following brief commemorations had the real pleasure of meeting Joe Hubble, an ex Company Serjeant who served for twenty three years in the Major Black Watch, and is also a former Yeoman Warder of the Tower of London, in which capacity he served for twenty years. Amongst a myriad of fascinating things that were revealed by Joe during our conversation, was that on several occasions he, and other members of the Korean War Veterans Association when making return visits to South Korea, not only have taken photographs of the graves of those who are at rest there, but also place floral tributes on them. Although all of the following commemorations below of the Sandwich, Kent victims of armed conflict, and Sandwich burials, inclusive of those commemorated on the town civic war memorial, and those who should be, have obviously been carried out to honour and remember their individual lives, and sadly their deaths, for inclusion amongst the other war deaths with Kent connections on the website The work was also willingly undertaken following a request to do same in time for an exhibition held at Sandwich, Library in November Whilst as can doubtless be appreciated, many hours have been spent carrying out the research prior to the exhibition date, and for inclusion on the website, but it is almost inevitable that in the fullness of time additional Sandwich, Kent, associated casualties will come to light post the date of the exhibition, and of course they too will then be added and remembered on the website 3

4 The Great War THE BIOGRAPHIES AKHURST, NORMAN WALTER. Lieutenant. 35th Company, Machine Gun Corps. 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Thursday 8 June Aged 22. Born Sandwich, Kent. Son of Walter James and Minnie Elizabeth Akhurst (née Hinchley) of The Priory, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No. 1, Somme, France. Grave Ref: I. D. 13. Formerly 2nd Corporal, 6865, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). At the time of the 1901 census the Akhurst family resided at the Cattle Market, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 35 year old, Margate, Isle of Thanet, Kent, native Walter James Akhurst, who was recorded by the census enumerator as being an Own Account Iron Monger and an employer. Mrs. Minnie Elizabeth Akhurst was a 35 year old native of Faversham, Kent. Norman s father was it would seem have been a prominent member of the business community in Sandwich, as his entry in Kelly Directory 1918 shows him as having his Iron Monger s at 13 &15 Market Street. In addition to the Iron Monger s, James was also the owner of Blacksmiths at King Street, and St. Peter s Street. The 35th Company, Machine Gun Corps in which Norman served was formed in the 12th (Eastern) Division on Tuesday 1 February 1916 at St. Hilaire, Pas de Calais, France, and was later moved into the12th Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps on Friday 1 March At the time of Norman s death, the 12th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel R. Oakley D.S.O. Unfortunately due to the fact that Norman died of wounds, it has not been possible to add any additional details appertaining to where, when, or how he was mortally wounded. At some of the brief commemorations to the Sandwich casualties of war, it will be seen that the transcriber has added a number of additional comments, which are in the form of his suppositions based on supporting facts and accessed data sources etcetera appertaing to a specific event or similar. Regrettably it has not even been possible to add any form of supposition on this occasion, the prime reason for same being that unlike most of the Sandwich casualties, who died whilst serving in the army as a member of a specific battalion, and thereby allowing some degree of information to be found within a certain time frame or with some other supporting data, by virtue of the fact that Norman was an officer in the 12th Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps, it would mean that at the time of his mortal wounding, he and the soldiers which he led could have been fighting in support of any of the thirteen battalions of which the 12th (Eastern) Division was comprised. 4

5 ALLEN, ARTHUR JOHN. Private, th (Service) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. 63rd Brigade, 37th Division. Died Tuesday 31 July Aged 38. Born Guernsey, Channel Islands. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of John Allen of Regent Street, Whitstable, Kent. Husband of Jessie Emma Allen (née Lewis) of 1, Hendra Terrace, Woodnesborough Road, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 21, and on the Whitstable, Kent, civic war memorial. Formerly S/4/109813, Royal Army Service Corps, and Private, 30866, Norfolk Regiment. At the time of the 1901 census Arthur and his 42 year old Mariner father John Allen who was a Widower, resided at 23, Argyle Road, Whitstable, Kent. Head of the house was Arthur s brother in law, Charles A. Hancock who was recorded by the census enumerator as being aged 22 and employed as a Painter. The 8th (Service) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment was formed at Lincoln, Lincolnshire in September 1914 as part of the Third New Army, which was raised on Sunday 13 September The battalion was attached to 63rd Brigade, 21st Division. On Saturday 8 July 1916 the battalion was transferred with the 63rd Brigade to the 37th Division. ATKINS, GEORGE CHARLES. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. Died Saturday 25 May Born Great Mongeham, Kent. Enlisted Dover, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of James and Mary Ann Atkins (née Smith). Buried Annois Communal Cemetery, Aisne, France. Grave Ref. I. B. 11. At the time of the 1901 census the Atkins family resided at the Chalk Pit, Great Mongeham, Kent. Head of the house was 45 year old Sholden, Kent native James Atkins. George s battalion was formed at Canterbury, Kent in September 1914 as part of the Second New Army, and was attached to the 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. George s is one of only two other ranks deaths in the 7th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) who are recoded as having died on 25 May Both men are at rest in the same cemetery, and are recorded in/on SDGW as Died as opposed to having been killed in action or died of wounds. On the day that George and Private Albert Chandler from Ripley, Surrey died, the 18th (Eastern) Division was deployed in the line opposite the Somme town of Albert, where it held the line during May, June, and July Throughout the three months, the division spent a lot of time engaged on patrols in an effort to try and ascertain the strength of the opposition, at which time the Germans were engaged on the same type of patrols, for exactly the same reason. Generally speaking in sector where George lost his life, both sides engaged in the conflict were preparing for the major battles which were to come, including the 29th & 33rd American Divisions which trained in front line warfare with the British18th (Eastern) Division. 5

6 BENNELL, ROBERT THOMAS. Private, 10/123. Wellington Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Died Sunday 8 August Aged 31. Enlisted and resided Takapau, Waipawa County, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand Son of George and Sarah E. Bennell of St. Bartholomew's, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial, Turkey. Panel 19, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Robert sailed from New Zealand on 16 October Chunuk Bair was one of the main objectives during the Battle of Sari Bair, which was fought from Friday 6 to Tuesday 10 August 1915, as part of the eight month campaign at Gallipoli which was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war. The attack was to be carried out by two columns of the New Zealand Infantry Brigade, starting from the outposts on the shore and proceeding up the Sazli Belt Dere and the Chailak Dere. Originally Robert was numbered amongst the officers and other ranks of his regiment that were posted as missing following the Battle of Sari Bair, but was later officially accepted for official purposes as having lost his life on Sunday 8 August The Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial is located on the north-west side of Chunuk Bair Cemetery, which was made after the Armistice on the site where the Ottoman troops had buried some of those Commonwealth soldiers who died between Friday 6 and Sunday 8 August It contains 632 Commonwealth burials, only ten of which are identified. During the Great War over 124,000 New Zealanders, they being almost ten per cent of the population joined the army. Of their number 100,000 served overseas, and the high percentage who served on the front-line is unfortunately reflected in the fact that they suffered approximately 58,000 casualties, which included about 17,000 officers and other ranks who lost their lives during the conflict. Our sincere thanks are due to Ms. Amelia Hancock of Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, for kindly furnishing us with the photograph of Robert s commemoration inscription (as shown above) on the Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial in Turkey, for inclusion on this brief tribute to Robert. 6

7 BERRY, ERNEST GEORGE. Private, GS/352. 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Friday 15 October Born St. Peter s, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of the late Ernest Berry and of his wife Clara Jane Berry (née Farrier) of 4, Three Kings Yard, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. G. 45. At the time of the 1901 census the Berry family resided at the Quay, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 27 year old Margate, Isle of Thanet, Kent, Labourer Ernest Berry. Mrs. Clara Jane Berry was recorded by the census enumerator as being aged 22, and a native of Sandwich, Kent. On Friday 28 August 1914, 19 year old Labourer Ernest enlisted in the army for three years, at which time he named his widowed mother as his next of kin. On Monday 30 August 1914 he was posted to the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), being amongst the early drafts posted to the battalion at Colchester, Essex. From Colchester, Ernest moved with his battalion in November 1914 to huts at Sandling Park near Hythe, Kent, that were almost permanently flooded and which resulted in members of the battalion being billeted with local families. Later Ernest went with the battalion to Aldershot, Hampshire, from where a move was made back to Kent, when the battalion departed from Folkestone on Tuesday 1 June 1915, and sailed for Boulogne, France, to join the British Expeditionary Force. On Thursday 14 October 1915, Ernest received a gunshot wound to his head during a costly attack by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), in action at The Quarries near Hulluch, under heavy fire during a fresh British attack which was mounted over two days during the Battle of Loos. The objective designated to the brigade (37th) split between the German positions of Gun Trench and The Quarries was subjected to a heavy artillery bombardment prior to the infantry battalions pressing home their attacks, following ranging shots being fired by the British gunners, who also had been designated set targets primarily bombarding the ensconced enemy defenders and the massive wire entanglements guarding the positions, before the infantry left the safety of their trenches the guns fired from exactly noon for an hour, following which until 1350 hours gas and smoke was used to create a smoke screen of approximately 1,200 yards for an hour, which was increased in density by the use of more smoke ten minutes before zero hour for the infantry assault. At first it appeared that all was going according to plan, as the 7th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment had managed to reach Gun Trench without to much trouble, and thankfully with less casualties than had been originally been envisaged, but on their left flank the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) were subjected to an immense amount of fire power from an enemy trench which was both unseen, and unknown prior to the attack getting underway, which had resulted in the trench not being shelled by the artillery before the infantry had attacked, with the catastrophic result that the German wire at that point remaining virtually untouched. After covering about one hundred yards the battalion was brought to a halt, but not before over four 7

8 hundred officers and other ranks in the battalion became casualties within the short space of just a few tragic minutes. Of the thirteen officers which had led their men into the fray of the battalions first major engagement of the Great War, ten lost their lives, as did one hundred and seventy five other ranks, amongst the massive number of wounded some men later died, two being later that same day. After being wounded, Ernest was evacuated to the No.1 Casualty Clearing Station at Chocques where he succumbed to his wounds. From January 1915 to April 1918, No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station was located at Chocques, and most of the burials in the cemetery where Ernest is at rest, between the above dates are of casualties who died at the clearing station from wounds received at the Bethune front. BISHOP, ROBERT BENJAMIN GREAVES. Private, M2/ th Motor Transport Company, Army Service Corps. Died Monday 18 December Aged 19. Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of William Henry and Catherine Bishop (née Burden) of 78, Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Morogoro Cemetery, Tanzania. Grave Ref: VI. B. 6. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. At the time of the 1901 census the Bishop family resided at Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 32 year old William Henry Bishop a native of Hallow, Worcester, Worcestershire who was employed as a Brewery Salesman. Mrs. Catherine Bishop was a 37 year old native of Rolvenden, Kent. Robert s medal card entry records him with the Christian name Raymond, as opposed to Robert. The 634th Motor Transport Company, Army Service Corps was formed on 13 January 1916, and initially it had functioned as Division Ammunition Column in the East African war theatre during the Great War. On 21 June 1917 it was absorbed by the 648th Motor Transport Company, Army Service Corps, in East Africa, which was ultimately disbanded on 19 July 1919, by which time the corps had become the Royal Army Service Corps. The royal prefix to Robert s corps title was in recognition of the outstanding by the Army Service Corps during the Great War, during which time at least 410 officers and 8,052 other ranks lost their lives. On Saturday 19 February 1916, the South African General (later Field Marshall), Jan Christian Smuts took command of British forces in East Africa, at which time the Germans were still firmly entrenched in British East Africa behind the Lumi River, with their centre on Taveta, southwest of Mount Kilimanjaro, and their right on Lake Jipe. When the Army Service Corps was first deployed, the British Field Force consisted of the 1st and 2nd East African Divisions. Prior to the signing of the Armistice, at its peak the Army Service Corps numbered just over 4,000 all ranks in the war theatre where Robert died, he being numbered amongst 270 members of his corps to die. Although the transcriber of these brief commemorations has not sighted Robert s death certificate, or some other form of supporting documentation, it was noted whilst carrying out the researches that a not 8

9 insignificant number of deaths to the Army Service Corps, and other British personnel were directly attributable to a variety of illnesses which prevailed in East Africa, prominent among them being Malaria. The sicknesses resulted in approximately 1,000 Swahili, Ugandan, Indian and Nigerian drivers being engaged to make up the deficiencies. Morogoro was occupied by Commonwealth forces on Tuesday 26 August 1916 and the German civil cemetery was then taken over for Commonwealth war burials. Between the beginning of September 1916 and January 1919, 177 burials were carried out by the five medical units which were posted in the town, assisted by the Germans. After the Armistice, 169 graves were brought in from other burial grounds. BLACKMAN, FREDERICK JOHN EDWARD. Private, nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. 76th Brigade, 3rd Division. Died Wednesday 23 October Aged 24. Born and enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Son of Mrs. Richard Blackman of Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Florence F. A. Blackman of 1, Chaise Cottage, Langdon Abbey, West Langdon, Ringwould, Kent. Buried Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Grave Ref: I. D. 4. Frederick is probably also the casualty who is commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque, but with the initials E.J. Formerly Private, 6078, Suffolk Regiment. At the onset of the Great War the 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment was at the Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland, as part of 14th Brigade, 5th Division. Having been put on a war footing the Colours were taken to the Regimental Depot at Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk for safe keeping by Lieutenant Nigel A. Bittleston who was escorted by eight other ranks. Roughly half of Frederick s regiment sailed from Ireland to France onboard the SS Lanfranc 0n 13 August 1914, and the remainder sailed on the SS Poland the following day, both ships docked at the port of Harve. Soon after arriving in France, Frederick s battalion took part in the Battle of Le Cateau. Amongst the officers killed was the Commanding Officer of the battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Charles A.H. Brett D.S.O. who fell on 26 August On Wednesday 30 September 1914 the remnants of the battalion were transferred to GHQ as Army Troops, after suffering heavy casualties at Le Cateau. On Sunday 25 October 1914, the battalion was attached to 8th Brigade, 3rd Division, and remained so until Friday 22 October 1915, when it was then attached to the 76th Brigade, 3rd Division, and then remained so for the rest of the Great War. It was not until 21 November 1914 that a permanent commander of the 3rd Division to which Frederick s battalion ultimately belonged was in place. Tragically Major-General Hubert I.W. Hamilton CB., C.V.O., D.S.O. was killed in action on 14 October 1914, Major-General C.J. Mackenzie was invalided on 29 October 1914, and Major-General F.D.W. Wing was temporarily the Divisional Commander from 29 October 1914 to 21 November 1914, when Major-General J.A.L. Haldane was in command until 7 August

10 BLAXLAND, ERIC PERCY. Private, st/15th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles). 175th Brigade, 58th Division. Posted to the 1st/9th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles), (St. Pancras). 140th Brigade, 47th Division. Died Wednesday 16 August Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Falmouth, Cornwall. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 54, and on Great War memorial panels at the Victoria Memorial Hospital, Deal, Kent, also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Eric s birth was registered in the Eastry, Kent, Registration District, during the third quarter of His medal index card entry only records Eric as having been a member of the 1st/15th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles), but shows no additional information appertaining to the date of entering a war zone, nor does it show any family details, e.g. who to or where to send Eric s British War and Victory Medals. Where no family details of the men commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial were added by the then Imperial War Graves Commission shortly after the Great War, the transcriber of these brief commemorations has attempted to add them, and also where possible to also record the casualties mothers maiden name. BOYCE, HERBERT GEORGE. Trooper, nd Life Guards. 7th Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division. Died Wednesday 18 November Born Beeston Hill, Leeds, Yorkshire. Enlisted Windsor, Berkshire. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 3, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Herbert s medal card entry shows that he had disembarked on 16 August 1914, which would appear to indicate that he had been a member of the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment, which was commanded by 45 year old Lieutenant Colonel, Edwin Berkley Cook, M.V.O. At the commencement of the Great War, the sixteen British army regular cavalry regiments were earmarked for overseas service, whilst a seventeenth regiment was to be provided by a composite regiment formed with a troop from each of the three Household Cavalry regiments, which were the 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards, and the Royal Horse Guards, and were assigned a mobilisation role in the 4th Cavalry Brigade. Lieutenant Colonel Cook, the son of Major E. A. Cook (11th Hussars), of Roydon Hall, Tonbridge, Kent, initially commanded the regiment but he died on 4 November The entry in his private diary for 22 October 1914 reads: - Dug ourselves in all morning. Astor and I were hit by shell at 2. Got moved at 7. Motor Ambulance to Bailleul. Stayed in Bailleul hospital. F. Guest, B. Lambton, and Sir John French came in afternoon. F.G. motored me to Boulogne. Arrived on board hospital ship Carisbrooke Castle 8 P.M. Boat left at 10 P.M. Edwin Berkley Cook is buried at East Peckham (St. Michael) Churchyard, Tonbridge, Kent. 10

11 BRETT, RICHARD BENJAMIN. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 17th Brigade, 24th Division. Died Monday 17 July Aged 26. Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Dover, Kent. Son of William and Jane Elizabeth Brett (née Brunger) of 9, Mill Wall Place, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: I. D. 27. Richard was a brother of the next casualty briefly commemorated. At the time of the 1881 census on the night of Sunday 3 April, William Brett appears to have been the Mate onboard the barge Darling at Whitstable, Kent, and who was recorded by the vessels Master as being a 24 year old native of Sandwich, Kent. In his sixty fourth year at the time, Colonel Frederick Charles Romer, C.B., C.M.G., was offered the choice of raising one of the regiments three specified Service Battalions, and chose to form the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). The battalion was formed at Canterbury, Kent, on Saturday 12 September 1914 as part of the Third New Army, the nucleus of the battalion being men who were excess to the numerical requirements of the 6th and 7th (Service) Battalions of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Colonel Romer was the Honourable Secretary of Boodles Club, as were Major s A, Crawley, and Dansey, Captain s Hare, W. Howard, W.D. Johnson, and Lieutenant Sir William Cooke, all of whom were fellow members of Boodles, who joined Colonel Romer in the new battalion, as did two of the club waiters. The battalion moved to Shoreham, Sussex as part of 72nd Brigade, 24th Division, where two important members of the initial battalion joined Colonel Romer and his officers, they being Captain E.C. Norman who was to serve as the Adjutant, and Regimental Serjeant Major A. Barton. In December 1914 the battalion moved to billets at Worthing, Sussex, before returning to Shoreham in April In June 1915 the battalion went to Aisne Barracks at Blackdown, near Aldershot, Hampshire, where an intense period of divisional training was undertaken during July and August 1915, the culmination of which was a review which was carried out by Lord Kitchener, in addition to which was a week that was spent digging trenches at Chobham. During a visit to the Aldershot Garrison in August by H.M. The King, the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) had the honour of providing the Guard of Honour on that occasion. The battalion landed at the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, France on Wednesday 1 September 1915, and was transferred to the 17th Brigade, 24th Division, on Monday 18 October It has unfortunately not been possible to add any additional information appertaining to Richard s death, which is recorded in/on SDGW as killed in action, suffice to say that his was the sole other rank death recorded in the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on Monday 17 July 1916, which was just over a week before the battalion left Belgium to take part in the Battle of the Somme If the SDGW entry recorded cause of death is correct, it might be indicative that an enemy sniper had been responsible for Richard s demise. 11

12 BRETT, WILLIAM ROBERT. Chief Petty Officer, Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Gaillardia." Died Thursday 22 March Aged 38. Born Faversham, Kent 1 December Son of William and Jane Elizabeth Brett (née Brunger) of Mill Wall Place, Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Harriett Elizabeth Brett (née Page) of 12, Albany Road, Gillingham, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 28. At the time of the 1881 census, William was residing at 68, Abbey Street, Faversham, Kent. Head of the house was 51 year old Molash, Ashford, Kent, native George Austin, who was employed as cement works Labourer. Other Brett family members in residence were Mrs. Jane Elizabeth Brett, and her daughter 3 year old Catherine. William enlisted in the Royal Navy on a twelve year engagement at Chatham, Kent on 1 December 1897, it being his eighteenth birthday, prior to which William had been employed as a Farm Labourer. On 5 August 1909, William re-engaged to extend his years of service in the Royal Navy in order for him to complete enough years to qualify for a naval pension. With in excess of twenty years service in the Royal Navy, it came as no surprise to learn that during the course of his naval career, William had served on twelve ships of different types, sizes and functions, in addition to service at H.M.S. Pembroke, Chatham, Kent. It was noticed by the transcriber of these brief commemorations that unlike the vast majority of the Royal Navy ratings from Kent who lost their lives during the Great War, and that had initially trained at H.M.S. Pembroke, Chatham. William s initial training was carried out at H.M.S. Impregnable which was a Royal Navy training establishment that started at Devonport in 1862, and was active until As training ships were replaced or added to the establishment, each was renamed H.M.S. Impregnable when she took on the role. When William was training at Devonport, the ship was H.M.S. Howe which had been built as built as a 110 gun, first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, she was launched on 13 March 1860, but never completed for sea service (and never served under her original name) as she had already been made obsolete by the first ironclad battleships. On 26 June 1897, William was serving on H.M.S. Repulse when she was present at the Fleet Review at Spithead for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. On 8 March 1905 William joined H.M.S. Wildfire, it being the first of his four postings to the Royal Navy shore establishment that had been established at Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, in Throughout his naval career William s character had always assessed as Very Good year on year. On 14 January 1910, William s rating was raised to an Able Seaman at which time he was a Diver. Other changes to William s ratings resulted in him becoming a Leading Seaman, Petty Officer 12

13 Class 2, Petty Officer Class 1, and on 1 January 1918 to a Chief Petty Officer. During William s time spent as a Royal Navy Diver he was awarded various monetary grants for his part in salvage and recovery operations, in addition to his specialist pay. William was awarded a number of Good Conduct Badges, and the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. William s last ship served on was a 1250 ton ship was the Flower class Sloop, H.M.S. Gaillardia that was built by Blyth Ship Builders and launched on Saturday 19 May All vessels in this class were built on contract along merchant vessel lines to facilitate production. The seventy two vessels of the Acacia, Arabis, and Azalea types which formed the class were similar in their warship appearance and were used as Q-ships, only differing primarily in their variations of armament. The first two types were fitted as minesweepers and were shared between the Grand Fleet, Queenstown and the Mediterranean. On the day that William lost his life, H.M.S. Gaillardia was mined in the North Sea off the Orkney Isles. When she was lost William s ship was in use as a minesweeper carrying out buoying operations in the newly laid Northern Barrage between Scotland and Norway, which was aimed at interrupting the passage of German U-boats into the North Atlantic. It is fairly certain that she was blown up and sunk by one of the barrage mines, as virtually all checked sources put her loss down to a mine or mines, but one source of reference suggests that H.M.S. Gaillardia was torpedoed. BURTON, WALTER HENRY. Serjeant, th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died Thursday 15 August Born and enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Buried Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Proven, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: IX. F. 9. At the time when Walter disembarked on 16 August 1914, his rank was a Driver (Royal Field Artillery). Walter s place of birth as entered above was extracted from his SDGW entry. It should be noted however that at the time of the 1901 census, a 10 year old Walter H. Burton was recorded by the census enumerator of St. Clement s, Sandwich, as having been born at the nearby village of Eastry. Walter was recorded as being a son of 41 year old Eastry, Dover, Kent native Frederick R. Burton, and Sandwich native 39 year old Eliza Burton (née Bailey). At the time of the census the Burton family resided at Mill Wall Place, Sandwich. CLARK, J.A. No clear trace, but is also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Whilst carrying out the researches appertaining to these brief commemorations, a Sandwich, Kent, native JOHN A. CLARK was revealed who was born c1868. His parents were Northbourne, Kent, native George Clark and his wife Hannah Clark who was born at Stowmarket, Suffolk. Regrettably the transcriber has thus far been unable to accesses any positive matching commemoration details for John A. Clark. Other information which has been obtained would seem to indicate that the Clark family had been Millers in the Sandwich area for a number of Generations. 13

14 COTTON, EDWARD (MILINER). Private, 8/ st Battalion, Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F. Died Monday 18 September Aged 28. Son of Mrs. Rosa Cotton (née Miliner) of 5, Church Street, St. Mary's, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, Somme, France. Grave Ref: II. C. 23. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. At the time of the 1891 census Edward s widowed mother, 33 year old Hythe, Kent native Mrs. Rosa Cotton was residing with Edward and her two daughters Edith and Blanche, at the home of her brother 47 year old Sittingbourne, Kent native Richard Milliner at Church Street, St. Mary's, Sandwich. Prior to his army enlistment, Edward resided at 16 Brunswick Street, Dunedin South, New Zealand. On Sunday 13 June 1915 Edward had been in the 5th Reinforcements of the Otago Infantry Battalion totaling 2299 officers and other ranks, which embarked from Wellington, New Zealand onboard three New Zealand troopships, they being H.M.N.Z.T. Maunganui (24), H.M.N.Z.T. Tahiti (25), and the H.M.N.Z.T. Aparima 26. The ships docked at Suez, Egypt on Sunday 1 August Soon after being in action at Gallipoli, Edward was wounded and hastily evacuated back to Egypt, where between 12 August 1915 and 16 August 1915 he was a patient at the No.2 Australian General Hospital, Ghezireh, Cairo. The 1st Battalion Otago Regiment was formed in New Zealand in August 1914 from the Territorial Force units in the Otago Military District, and was assigned to the New Zealand Brigade, New Zealand and Australian Division. The New Zealand Division to which Edward s battalion was assigned was formed in Egypt in March 1916 from units of the New Zealand and Australian Division. The 2nd New Zealand Brigade was formed to make the Division up to full strength. This Brigade was made up from drafts for the 1st New Zealand Brigade and was a duplication of the 1st Brigade. The Division went to France in April 1916, and it served there until the Armistice. New Zealand documentation accessed records Edward as having died of wounds. Although not shown on all of the data searched, but it would seem likely that Edward had the additional Christian name MILINER, his birth being registered in the Eastry, Kent, District during the second quarter of During the Great War, soldiers of the N.Z.E.F. were issued with a prefix to their service number, until the tenth reinforcements. Subsequently, strict numerical numbering was used. The bar number denoted the unit, while the following part denoted a number within that unit. 8/ denoting the Otago Infantry. 14

15 CORNER, E. As commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial, has regrettably resulted in a no clear trace. The most obvious Great War casualty accessed as having any form of Kent connection, albeit only tenuous, is the following army officer. Caution is therefore strongly advised should anybody later carryout more in-depth research on the Sandwich civic war memorial, or on E. Corner simply based on these brief transcriptions, without carrying out further more inclusive and all encompassing researches on same. CORNER, EDWARD FRANKLIN. Second Lieutenant. ''A'' Company, 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. Died Sunday 26 September Aged 20. Born Wellington, Somerset. Son of Edward and Jane Corner (née Bailey). Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 15. At the time of the 1901 census the Corner family resided at Wellesley Park, Wellington, Somerset. Head of the house was 36 year old Edward Corner (senior), who was a Brick and Tile Manufacturer. Edward (junior) was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 22 September Edward was serving as an officer in ''A'' Company, 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) which was commanded by 64 year old Colonel Frederick Charles Romer, C.B., C.M.G., when it sailed from Folkestone, and arrived at Boulogne, France on Wednesday 1 September The battalion then spent two days at Boulogne, after which a move was made to billets at the little village of Maninghem near Etaples, Pas de Calais, to undertake divisional training. Edward s battalion remained at Maninghem until 21 September 1915, when a march was undertaken by the battalion to assemble at the concentration area in preparation for the Battle of Loos, the battalion marched to Bethune arriving early in the morning on Saturday 25 September, at 1100 hours the same day the battalion formed up for Colonel Romer to address all of the officers and other ranks, short but to the point he said, I am not going to make a speech to you, but only ask you to remember that you are THE BUFFS. Following their Colonels speech the battalion then made another move nearer to the battle heading for Vermelles to take part in an attack which was planned for later that night. Marching over difficult terrain their division reached positions in the area of Bois Hugo, Chalk Pit Wood, Chalet Wood and Hill 70 Redoubt, which were advanced positions that faced the German s second line. A proposed attack planned for that night was eventually postponed, and the battalion received fresh orders which stated that they were to take part in an attack the following morning. Just twenty four days after landing in France, and significantly with most of the officers and other ranks in the battalion never having been in action before, at 1030 hours on the following morning, orders were received by the 24th Division, (which included the 8th Battalion) for an attack to begin at 1100 hours, with the battalion detailed to attack the village of Hulluch. Set out below is the 8th Battalion War Diary entry for part of the 26 September At a.m. verbal orders arrived to prepare for an attack at 11 o clock a.m. Almost at once the enemy commenced a heavy bombardment of our 15

16 trenches. At 11 a.m. an attack across open country commenced, the objective being a German position about a mile away. Artillery formation was adopted on leaving the trenches, but long distance rifle fire caused us to extend our lines almost immediately. The Buffs were supporting the West Kents. The advance was carried forward rapidly and by a.m. the leading lines of the Buffs had arrived within 25 yards of the German barbed wire. No gaps could be observed in the wire entanglements. During the advance a heavy fire from machine guns on both flanks was encountered. At 1155 a.m. an order came down the line from the right to withdraw. The enemy s fire especially from our left flank became heavier and very considerable losses occurred. The Buffs were relieved during the night 26/27th Rested in a field close by Sailly La Bourse. Because of the way that war diary entries are written, with their original intention not being for the benefit of amateur historians and the like, the above omits to adequately emphasize that when the battalion attacked at Hulluch, they had to cross a stretch of No Mans Land approximately a mile wide, in tandem with the rest of the 72nd Brigade the battalion with mounting casualties eventually managed to reach their designated objective, despite being constantly heavily enfiladed by well placed enemy machine guns, only to then find that the enemy wire was still mainly intact in front of it. The Division to the battalion s right was subsequently forced to withdraw, which resulted in the right flank being exposed to even more enemy attention primarily in the form of machine gun fire and Germans artillery shellfire, incredibly the 8th Battalion withstood the enemies superior firepower for a full four hours before inevitably being forced to withdraw, during which time more casualties were inflicted on The Buffs, as can be seen from the war diary entry were relieved that night and initially fell back to Noeux les Mines where they bivouacked in pouring rain. The casualties to the battalion resulting from its first significant engagement of the Great War were truly staggering, as they amounted to at least 24 officers and 610 other ranks killed, wounded or missing, of that number 2 officers, and 158 other ranks died on the day of the engagement which was fought by the battalion on 26 September Inevitably a significant number later succumbed to their wounds, resultant of the action fought at Hulluch. Amongst the officers, the battalion only had one young officer Second Lieutenant J. Vaughan that was not a casualty, subsequently he was awarded the Military Cross for his leadership and gallantry when leading the other ranks remnants of the battalion from the battle. Edward s body was never recovered and his death was accepted for official purposes as having taken place on the above date. Amongst the other officers of the battalion who fell on the same day as Edward, was the Commanding Officer, Colonel Frederick Charles Romer who earlier in the day had been wounded in his shoulder, who despite his age had refused to be evacuated from his men and remained in his place and carried on. Later he was shot in the heart and killed, he too, like most of his soldiers is also commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Edward Corner (senior) was residing at 48, Blenheim Crescent, North Kensington, London, W10, when he submitted an application for the medals of his late son on Wednesday 19 January

17 The Kent Cyclist Battalions memorial plaques which are both located in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent. COX, ALEXANDER. Private, TF/ st/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion, Army Cyclist Corps. Died Wednesday 23 August Aged 25. Born Pimlico, London. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. 17

18 Son of Mrs. Emily Wraight (formerly Cox) of 40, High Street, Sandwich, Kent, and the late Charles Henry Cox. Buried Bangalore (Hosur Road) Cemetery, India. Commemorated on the Madras War Memorial, Chennai, India. Face 25, and on the Kent Cyclist memorial plaque in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent. Alexander s place of birth as shown above is as extracted from his SDGW entry. It should be noted that at the time of the 1901 census when the Cox family was residing at Three King s Yard, Sandwich, Kent, the census enumerator recorded Alexander as being a native of Sandwich, as was his 34 year old mother and the other Cox children. Head of the house was 36 year old Coal Porter, Charles Henry Cox who was a native of Aldershot, Hampshire. The Kent Cyclist Battalion was one of fifteen units administered by The Territorial Army Association headed by the Lord Lieutenant of Kent. Other units included Yeomanry, Artillery, Fortress units of the Royal Engineers (Kent Fortress Royal Engineers), the 4th and 5th Battalions of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), and the 4th and 5th Battalions of the Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). The Kent Cyclist Battalion was formed in 1908 as part of the new Territorial Force, replacing the volunteers to form an effective properly trained and organised part-time army. The battalion was designed to provide Home defend against possible invasion when the regular army was sent overseas. The Kent Cyclist Battalion was one of the ten original territorial cyclist battalions in the country whose main role in wartime was to be in patrolling the United Kingdom coastline. The cyclist battalions were of necessity changed as the casualties in the regular army continued to escalate. The 1/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion was comprised 8 companies some of which maintained small Troops in several towns and villages throughout the county. Although regrettably it has not been possible to add for certain where Alexander actually resided, it would probably been in Sandwich which was the home of one of the detachments of G Company, the other two detachments of the company were both located on the Isle of Thanet, at Margate and Ramsgate. At the commencement of the Great War, the First Line Territorial Battalion from Tonbridge was attached to the 2nd (West Lancashire) Division. As part of Eastern Command the battalion spent most of it's time training in preparing for its deployment overseas. The battalion spent most of it's time guarding key points at various geographical locations within the counties of Kent and Sussex on coastal defence and attached to the 57th Division. Records and photographs exist that show the battalion guarding coastal areas in and around the town of Lydd on Romney Marsh, and at a number of locations within the Isle of Thanet. On 2 December 1915 the battalion was re-organised as a dismounted infantry unit at Chisledon, where the battalion was joined by three other Territorial Force Battalions, they being the 2/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, 1/9th (Cyclist) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, and the 1/25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion, London Regiment. At Chilston the four Cyclist Battalions were formed into brigade which was originally intended for service in East Africa as opposed to India. On 4 February 1916 the 1st/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion, as part of their brigade sailed from Devonport to serve in India, where it took up garrison duties, and remained in India for the remainder of the Great War. 18

19 CRYER, FREDERICK THOMAS. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. Died Sunday 3 October Aged 21. Born Worth, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Thomas and Mary Jane Cryer (née Marsh) of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. E Commemorated on The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment War Memorial which is located in the north wall of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, Surrey, which houses the Book of Remembrance which lists approximately 8000 officers and other ranks who gave their lives during the Great War. Formerly Private, G/2821, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Frederick s birth was registered in the Eastry, Kent, Registration District in the first quarter of His entry on the 1901 census shows that the enumerator recorded him with the Christian name Fred, it being what he was called by all and sundry. Head of the house at Felderland Lane, Worth, Kent, was 38 year old Wickham, Kent, native Thomas Cryer who was employed as a Farm Waggoner. His medal card entry records that Frederick had entered the French war theatre on 31 August 1915, and also that he had died of wounds. Checking SDGW (which does contain errors) shows that by the end of the Great War, the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) had suffered 668 other ranks deaths. Immediately prior to going to France, an advanced party of the battalion, which was comprised of Major H.J.C. Peirs, Lieutenants J.R. Smith and W.Q. Henriques, and 106 other ranks left from Farnborough, Surrey via train to leave from Southampton for Harve, France. The following day the remainder of the battalion left from Frimley, Surrey to travel from Folkestone to Boulogne. On Thursday 2 September 1915, both elements of the battalion were reunited at Montreuil from where all of the battalion marched to Herly, a distance of twelve miles. Having spent almost three weeks at Herly, on Tuesday 21 September 1915 the battalion commenced its march to Vermelles via Glem, Berguettes, and Béthune arriving at the village of Vermelles which is approximately 7 miles to the north-west of Lens, on the afternoon of Saturday 25 September From Vermelles the 72nd Brigade, of the 24th Division to which the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) belonged moved out to occupy trenches to the west of Le Rutoire Farm on the Loos Plain which was, and still is a large farm complex situated close to the village of Vermelles, that was some distance behind the British front line. Of specific Kent interest regarding Le Rutoire is that it was on Saturday 25 September 1915, that Herne native, and Ashford resident Serjeant Harry Wells of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment won the Victoria Cross. Whilst ensconced in the trenches to the west of Le Rutoire Farm, Colonel Fairtlough commanding the battalion received somewhat ambiguous orders in preparation for a planned attack on an area to the south of the village of Hulluch. An attack carried out by the 9th (Scottish) Division, had by mid-morning succeeded in reaching and occupying the enemy trench complex around the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, and also Pekin Trench. In order to play its part in the days events, the 72nd Brigade, 19

20 of the 24th Division formed up with the 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), and the 9th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment in the front line, and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) in support of the two forward battalions. At 1100 hours Frederick s battalion was subjected to enemy shell fire, but incredibly suffered no recorded casualties resultant of the shelling. At 1300 hours the 73rd Brigade, 24th Division was ordered to reinforce Fosse 8, as it was believed that any loss of position here would seriously endanger the troops which were still at Pekin Trench. In addition, six Field Batteries of the Royal Field Artillery were ordered forward to positions south-west of the Redoubt, where they came into action and commenced firing at 1630 hours. During the afternoon, the occupants of Pekin Trench came under heavy shellfire, and German infantry began a bombing attack, starting at the Haisnes-Auchy road and working in a southerly direction, whilst others worked north from Cite Trench. Despite being reinforced by the 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, ultimately the overwhelming superiority of German grenades took their, and the position was gradually retaken. By 1700 hours, about half of it had been lost, and the remaining men were ordered to withdraw in the dark. Unfortunately many returned as far as the original German front line, leaving a very confused picture around Fosse Alley, which became the new British front line. The advanced artillery field batteries were ordered back to the positions they had left earlier in the day. Although purely speculation on the part of the transcriber of these commemorations, but it would seem likely that as Frederick s was the sole other ranks death recorded for his battalion on Sunday 3 October 1915, and that SDGW records him as Died of Wounds, he had probably been mortally wounded during the action, which was fought by his battalion during the action briefly shown above. As Frederick is recorded has having been formerly Private, G/2821, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), mention should be made here that in the case of Frederick former regiment, and other south east England regiments during the Great War era, including The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), the G prefix on other ranks regimental numbers were indicative of having served in one of the Home Counties, New Army Battalions, that is to say one of the Kitchener Service Battalions. Whilst only supposition on the part of the transcriber of these brief commemorations, based on Frederick s original regimental number it would seem likely that he had served as a member of the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), but again based purely on his regimental number in The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), it would appear that most of Frederick s army service had been serving in The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 20

21 CURTIS, ALBERT HOWELL, Private, PS/ th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). 36th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Friday 4 August Aged 23. Born Easton, Northamptonshire. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Henry Levi Curtis and Mary Matilda Curtis (née Howell) of Barrowden, Stamford, Lincolnshire. Buried Varennes Military Cemetery, Somme, France. Grave Ref: I. A. 2. Commemorated on the Easton-on-the-Hill, Northamptonshire, civic war memorial. Albert was one of three brothers who fell in the Great War, his brothers were both serving as officers at the time of their deaths, they being Major, Harry Reginald Curtis, 11th (Service) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who was killed in action on Wednesday 18 September 1918, aged 31, and is buried in Doiran Military Cemetery, Greece, Grave V.D.17, and Lieutenant, Horace Curtis, B.Sc. Leeds, 9th (Service) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, who was killed in action on Saturday 7 August 1915, aged 26, commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 47. At the time of the 1901 census the Curtis family resided at Easton-on-the-Hill, Northamptonshire. Head of the house was 40 year old Collyweston, Northamptonshire, native Henry Levi Curtis who was employed as a Slater. Although Henry was recorded as being a Slater, it perhaps should be noted that the village of Collyweston, Northamptonshire, which is adjacent to Easton-on-the-Hill, Northamptonshire to the south west of Stamford, was and indeed still is famous for its roofing slates, popular with houses all across much of England. These are thin slabs of local quarried limestone, and are not actually real slate such as those which came from Wales. Formed at Hounslow, Middlesex on 21 August 1914 as one of the Kitchener Battalions, and after time spent in training and serving in the United Kingdom, which had included training at Hythe, Kent, the 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), sailed from Folkestone, Kent to Boulogne on 31 May The following year, Albert s was one of the eighteen battalions of his regiment that took part in the Battle of the Somme As was the case with Albert s and many other regiments, not all of the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) battalions engaged in the battle actually took part on the actions which were fought on the first day, Saturday 1 July 1916, but Albert s battalion was one of the four battalions of his regiment which did fight on Saturday 1 July On the first day of the battle, the 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) moved forward from Fréchencourt and took over the line in front of the town of Albert. On 6 July the battalion moved to Ovillers Post in preparation for an attack on Ovillers the following day. Whilst forming up in the assembly area for the attack on 7 July, the battalion was heavily shelled which resulted in a not insignificant number of casualties in Albert s battalion. When the attack got under way, the 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was led quite literally from the front, by the Commanding Officer of the battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Albemarle Cator Annesley D.S.O., who during the attack did so somewhat in a style reminiscent of General Charles Gorge Gordon (

22 1885) at Khartoum in 1885 waving his stick. Although Albert s battalion, and the 9th Battalion of his regiment, along with the 7th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, carried the first three lines of enemy lines at the Somme village of Ovillers, and even managed to gain a footing at the village, but unfortunately due to the high number of casualties which all three suffered, the battalions were unable to consolidate their gains, and were eventually forced to fall back to the former German second line. Of the 800 officers and other ranks of Albert s battalion who took part in the attack on Ovillers, 640 were casualties by the end of the day, and amongst the dead was Lieutenant-Colonel Annesley who had died in hospital at the town of Albert, having carried on fighting although wounded on three separate occasions. Following the fighting at Ovillers the battalion was relieved the following day, and on 9 July the battalion was withdrawn to Albert. Albert s battalion made a number of moves to different locations on the Somme, which had varied in length of stay, but had included being at Bus-lés-Artios for eight days from 12 July, and at Mailly-Maillet for five days after leaving Bus-lés-Artios. From Mailly-Maillet the battalion went into the trenches to the north of Auchonvillers, Bois de Warnimont on 25 July, and following a number of other moves passing through Somme villages after vacating the trenches above, eventually the 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) took over the line in front of Albert, to the left of the village of Pozières, prior to another attack there on 3 August on an enemy held trench complex named 4th Avenue, which was located to the north west. Assisted by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), the 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) commenced their attack at 2300 hours, which had a successful outcome, and the following day pressed on to assault another German position called Ration Trench. To attack Ration Trench, the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), and the 7th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, made a frontal assault on Ration Trench, whilst Albert s battalion attacked the trench complex from the left, its attack being primarily with the use of hand grenades. Although the attacks of 3/4 August were successful, as was the repulse of a counter attack by the Germans on 6 August, the casualties would inevitably been much higher, had soldiers of the Royal Sussex Regiment who had lost their way not been identified as British just prior to going to be fired upon by the men of Albert s battalion. Although Albert s date of death was recorded for official purposes as having occurred on Friday 4 August 1916, it has not been possible to ascertain for inclusion here, during which distinct phase of the action fought on the Pozières Ridge, he and the other twelve other ranks in his battalion actually fell on that date. It would also seem likely that due to the flow of the actions which were fought at the German trench complexes named 4th Avenue and Ration Trench, on 3/4 August 1916, it is of course possible that Albert might have been killed in action on 3 August when 27 other ranks were recorded as having lost their lives. 22

23 DANIELS, ALBERT. Private, nd/2nd Home Counties Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. Died Friday 9 November Aged 28. Born Waltham, Canterbury, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Albert John and Mary Daniels of 28, Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Buried St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France. Grave Ref: P. III. N. 8A. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Formerly Private, 2783, 2nd/2nd Home Counties Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. At the time of the 1901 census the Daniels family resided at Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 49 year old Waltham, Canterbury, Kent, native Albert John Daniels who was employed as an Agricultural Labourer. His wife s maiden name was probably Browning. Albert passed his medical examination at the village of Woodnesborough, Sandwich on Sunday 27 September 1914, and enlisted in the army on Friday 30 October 1914, at which time he stated that he was aged 25 and 8 months, and that he was an Engineer. Until Wednesday 24 January 1917 when Albert embarked for France at Southampton, he had served within the United Kingdom during which time on Thursday 30 November 1916 he was awarded a Good Conduct Badge. On Monday 25 January 1917 Albert arrived at the port of Harve, France to serve on the Western Front. On Sunday 28 October 1917, Albert was wounded in action suffering gunshot wounds to his back and right arm, and was evacuated from the front via the usual casualty train, until he eventually arrived at the 12 General Hospital, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France, where he succumbed to his wounds at 1930 hours on Friday 9 November The hospital where Albert died was based at Rouen from September 1914 to June 1917 being originally run by the Royal Army Medical Corps, it was then taken over by American Army from June DANTON, WILLIAM FREDERICK. Serjeant, G/628. 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Tuesday 20 November Born Dover, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Only child of William Isaac and Marion Elizabeth Danton (née Sandwell) of 15, Upper Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France. Panel 3. At the time of the 1901 census the Danton family resided at 3a, Oxenden Lane, Dover, Kent. Head of the house was 36 year old Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent native William I. Danton, who was a Sea Mariner. When William (junior) enlisted in the army on 3 September 1914 he stated that he was aged 19, and employed as a Labourer. William lived with his parents at the time that he enlisted, at 17, Fisher Street, Sandwich, Kent. On completion of his basic training, William was posted to the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 1 January 1915, and sailed to Boulogne from Folkestone on 1 June Whilst at 23

24 Bus-lès-Artois on the Somme, France, William was appointed to be a paid Lance Corporal. On 7 October 1916, William s battalion attacked an enemy position named Rainbow Trench at Gueudecourt, and although the battalion reached its objective it could not be held. At midnight on 7 October 1916, William Danton from Sandwich was amongst the 40 strong remnant of his battalion who were led from the battlefield by the Adjutant, Captain John Campbell Page who was the sole officer non casualty; he was later awarded a well deserved Military Cross. Although the battalion had been virtually annihilated, it was quickly rebuilt by drafts of fresh personnel, and the few survivors. The day after the terrible casualty numbers to his battalion, William was promoted to Acting Serjeant, in which status he remained until 1 August 1917 when he was promoted to the rank of Serjeant. During his time spent serving on the Western Front, William suffered woundings and illnesses, despite which he resolutely stuck to all of the challenges he faced. It was sad to note that William is not also commemorated on the Dover, Kent, civic war memorial, Dover being the home of his birth. DAVIS, WALTER STACEY. M.M. Company Serjeant Major, L/ nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 85th Brigade, 28th Division. Died Monday 29 January Aged 28. Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Son of David Henry and Julia E. Davis of 4, Hindra Terrace, Boatmens Hill, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Struma Military Cemetery, Kalokastron, Greece. Grave Ref: IV. H. 8. At the time of the 1901 census the Davis family resided at Bowling Street, Sandwich. Head of the house was 43 year old Newcastle-under-Lyne, Staffordshire, native David Henry Davis who was an Own Account Fishmonger and an employer. At the time of army enlistment Walter was aged 18 years and 10 months, and was employed as a Labourer, his birth was registered in the Eastry, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of At the commencement of the Great War, as was the case with many other regular battalions of the British army at the time, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was stationed in India. As the L prefix on Walter s number is indicative of him having been a regular soldier, it would seem very likely that he would have been one the soldiers in India. The battalion was at Wellington, Madras, and after being relieved by soldiers of the Territorial Force, who when they had enlisted would have done so for For Home Service Only, the battalion embarked at Bombay on 16 November 1914 onboard the Cunard ship Ultonia. On 23 December the battalion arrived at Plymouth and from there went to Winchester, Hampshire, where it became part of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division. On 17 January 1915 the battalion left from Southampton, heading for France and arrived at the busy port of Harve. After serving on the Western Front for nine months, as a battalion of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was sent from the Western Front to Salonika via Egypt, in the joint Anglo-French force that was dispatched to help Greece against Bulgaria, and which then remained in the area, reinforced by Serbian forces until the cessation of the hostilities. In September 1915, with fears growing regarding 24

25 Bulgaria s true intentions, the Greek government had formal requests for assistance primarily in the form of 150,000 additional troops, to the British and French governments. As the result of the help then offered to Greece, on Thursday 21 October 1915 the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) received orders to entrain for the port of Marseilles the next day. On Friday 22 October the battalion marched from Fouquereuil near Bethune to leave by train for Marseilles, and arrived at the port at 1330 hours on Sunday 24 October. With commendable speed all of the officers and other ranks of the battalion, vehicles, animals, equipment, and stores etcetera had embarked on the troopship Transylvania only two and a half hours after arriving at Marseilles. Less than a week after leaving France, the troopship arrived at Alexandria, Egypt, at which time the battalion role numbered 27 officers and 907 other ranks. A not insignificant number of the battalion personnel at that time were soldiers who had been amongst the drafts which had been sent to the battalion shortly before leaving France. During it s nine months spent on the Western Front prior to leaving from Marseilles, the battalion had 101 officers, and 3,738 other ranks serve in it, during which time it suffered 22 officer and 298 other ranks deaths, plus 34 officers and 1,011 other ranks wounded, 5 officers and 199 other ranks captured, plus 2 officers and 297 posted as missing. As Walter had a regimental number indicative of a New Army member of his regiment, as opposed to having been one of the regular soldiers that his battalion had originally been comprised of, it would seem likely that he had been amongst one of the drafts that had been sent to France. Although a number of authors have made comments along the lines that the troops at Salonika had it easy, their train of thought is somewhat disingenuous, whilst compared to the events, and casualties suffered by all of the combatant nations throughout the Great War in Europe. Allied troops killed in action whilst serving in the Army of the East numbered less than 20,000, but in addition to which, a staggering number of men and women contacted diseases, prominent amongst which was Malaria. Approximately 450,000 victims of Malaria were invalided out of the Balkan area of operations by the end of 1918, and it is noticeable that of the just over million men committed to serve in the area post October 1915, resulted in excess of 1.3 million hospital cases. Due to the fact that during the period that covers Walter s death, his battalion was not engaged in any large scale engagements with the Bulgarian army, it came as no surprise to see that in/on his entry his death is shown as Died, as opposed to killed in action, or died of wounds. Walter s was one of the staggering number of deaths in the theatre of the Great War where he died, which were resultant of a number of diseases, prime among them being Malaria. As the transcriber of these brief commemorations has not personally sighted Walter s death certificate, or any other tangible supporting documentation, it has not been possible to add here what was the cause of Walter s death, but it would seem very likely that he was numbered amongst the Malaria victims. At the time of his death, his battalion had changed places with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), at Ormanli, from where a few days later a move was made to Lozista. Walter was a Company Serjeant Major when he won the Military Medal. 25

26 DAY, HERBERT. Second Lieutenant. 8th (Service) Battalion, The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. 74th Brigade, 25th Division. Died Monday 10 July Aged 35. Born Paddington, London. Son of the Reverend Benjamin Day M.A. Rector of St. Peter's Rectory, Sandwich, Kent, and of Mrs. Mary Sophia Day. Buried Pozières British Cemetery, Ovillers-la-Boisselle, Somme, France. Grave Ref: III. B. 31. At the time of the 1901 census the Day family resided at 22, Tavistock Road, Paddington, London. Head of the house was 51 year old Reverend Benjamin Day, who was recorded by the census enumerator as being a Clerk in Holy Orders, and a native of Romford, Essex. Herbert was recorded as being a 19 year old Undergraduate. The Reverend Benjamin Day, M.A., B.A. was the Rector of St. Peter's, parish church, Sandwich, Kent, from Herbert was one of the brothers of the next casualty briefly commemorated, and had formerly been a Lance Serjeant, 7th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Herbert was commisioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 11th (Service) Battalion, The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 112th Brigade, 37th Division during March 1915, at which time the battalion was stationed at Ludgershall. Herbert went to serve in France on Wednesday 31 May 1916, and as such had only served on the Western Front for a few weeks prior to his death. In order for it to take part in the Battle of the Somme 1916, the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment moved from Léalvillers to Forceville on the first day of the battle (Saturday 1 July 1916), and the following day went to Aveluy Wood to the north west of Aveluy, and then took up reserve positions at Crucifix Corner the following day. Working parties from the battalion went to the front line at Leipzig Salient. The battalion then moved to the front line on 7 July, and at midnight on 8 July, Herbert s battalion went to bivouacs approximately a mile from the town of Albert, near the Albert-Pozières road. At 8000 hours the next day the battalion moved into the line to the south of Ovillers, from where the following day it attacked an enemy trench which was located to the rear of the village. Unfortunately the battalion was subjected to a number of counter attacks by the Germans, several of which were partially successful, but at a cost in casualties to both sides, and as the result of the enemy counter attacks the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment only made little progress, and during which time it suffered at least 247 casualties. In addition to the loss of Herbert, 74 other ranks in the battalion also lost their lives on Monday 10 July 1916, of which almost all were either natives or residents of the county of Lancashire, but amongst the very few non Lancastrians who fell was Private Peter Dalton, who was a native of Woolwich, Kent. 26

27 DAY, MAURICE. Second Lieutenant. 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. 25th Brigade, 8th Division. Died Sunday 9 May Aged 23. Born Paddington, London. Son of the Reverend Benjamin Day, Rector of St. Peter's, Sandwich, Kent, and of Mrs. Mary Sophia Day. Commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Panel 7. Formerly Private, 1719, 28th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Artists Rifles). Please see Herbert Day s commemoration above, re additional brief family details. Having been in India at the start of the Great War, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment sailed for England onboard the SS Dongola on 20 September 1914, and arrived at Liverpool, Lancashire on 22 October. From Liverpool it went by train to Winchester, Hampshire, and then to Hursley Park Camp where it was assigned to the 25th Brigade, 8th Division. Of wartime necessity, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Feetham, the battalions stay in England was of only a short duration, as on 4 November 1914 the battalion marched to Southampton and embarked on the SS Kingstonian and sailed for France, and arrived at the port of Harve the following day. Due to the fact that Maurice had originally served as a Private in the 28th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Artists Rifles), it would seem likely that at the time that the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment arrived in France he was still serving in his former regiment. It was noticed by the transcriber of these brief commemorations whilst trying to find out if Maurice had been a Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, when it initially arrived in France, that a not insignificant number of the officers that did cross on the SS Kingstonian, several were attached to the battalion from other regiments, junior officers of the Royal Sussex Regiment being prominent. A number of the Royal Sussex Regiment attached officers later lost their lives whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment during numerous engagements with the enemy, including those who fell at Neuve Chapelle in March On the last day of April 1915, Maurice s battalion relieved the 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade in the Fauquissart sector, and on 5 May went to billets at Bac St. Maur. At 2300 hours on Saturday 8 May 1915, from Bac St. Maur, Maurice s battalion made a move south to Richebourg-St.Vaast, Pas de Calais, France, and during the night took up its position in the assembly trenches near Richebourg-St.Vaast. Starting from the assembly trenches the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment later took part in a costly attack on enemy positions. Following the engagement, Maurice was on of six officers who were posted as missing, in addition to which were five officers, and thirty six other ranks killed in action, plus nine other officers and one hundred and ninety eight other ranks wounded, sadly several of those who were originally recorded as having been wounded later died of their wounds, as was sadly the case of several of the missing officers and other ranks. 27

28 DRAYSON, THOMAS HENRY. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Friday 23 August Aged 18. Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Son of James Dixon Drayson and Agnes Drayson (née Clarke) of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Meaulte Military Cemetery, Somme, France. Grave Ref: E. 15. At the time of the 1901 census the Drayson family resided at Moat Sole, Sandwich. Head of the house was 41 year old Sandwich native, James Dixon Drayson who was employed as a Brewers Carman. It has been noticed by the transcriber over the last fifty years or so, that following 8 August 1918, which the German High Command, and others with good reason had dubbed The Black Day, when referring to the events appertaining to the German army on the Western Front, that on numerous occasions a number of British infantry brigades were temporarily attached to other brigades for periods of only a short duration, and although the same practice was carried at other times during the war, it appears to have been more prevalent post 8 August Mention is made of the practice here, because at around the date of Thomas s death, the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), served in the 35th Brigade for just a few days. At 0445 hours on the morning of Thursday 22 August 1918, the offensive by the Fourth Army recommenced, at which time the infantry battalions were supported by tanks and a creeping artillery barrage. The 1st/1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment, and the 7th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment which were the two battalions under orders to lead the assault suffered badly when they were hit by gas shells, whilst still in their assembly positions. Despite the gas shelling, both battalions not only overcame same but also overcame the enemy opposition, and by 0640 having advanced approximately 2,500 yards established themselves at the objectives which had been assigned to each. The 9th (Service) Battalion, Essex Regiment, and the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), then passed through the positions captured by the1st/1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment, and the 7th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, but shortly thereafter the Essex Regiment advance was brought to a stop, due to the lethal combination of enemy machine guns and mortars which were direct on the crest of a ridge over which it had to pass. At about 1400 hours the Germans launched a counter attack against the soldiers of the Essex Regiment, which forced the battalion back to the Bray-Méaulte road, where the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) was quickly dispatched to reinforce the officers and other ranks of 9th (Service) Battalion, Essex Regiment. For a variety of reasons, on 22 August Thomas s battalion fared far better than the Essex Regiment, and although it suffered casualties including 17 other ranks deaths, like the 1st/1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment, and the 7th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment had managed earlier in the day it too achieved an advance of a further 2,500 yards. In view of Thomas s recorded date of death, it would seem likely that it was during the successful advance made by his battalion that he fell. 28

29 DURBAN, ERNEST. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. Died Saturday 1 July Aged 22. Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Frederick Durban of The Butts, Loop Street, Sandwich, Kent, and of the late Elizabeth Durban (née Court). Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 5 D, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. At the time of the 1901 census the Durban family resided at The Butts, Sandwich. Head of the house was 37 year old Sandwich native, Frederick Durban who was employed as a General Labourer. Elizabeth Durban death was registered in the Eastry, Kent, Registration District in the second quarter of Only a short time after it was raised at Canterbury, Kent, in August 1914, the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was very soon numerically above the required number of volunteers to form an infantry battalion, and resulted of the numbers involved, the 7th (Service) Battalion of the regiment was formed at Canterbury in September The new battalion was posted to Purfleet, Essex to commence training, at which time as the temporary Commanding Officer, Captain B.E. Furley, assisted by Lieutenant E.H. Allen, and Second Lieutenant A.G. Kenchington, all of whom were officers of the 6th (Service) Battalion, were assigned to the 7th (Service) Battalion. By 12 September 1914 the potential number of other ranks either already serving or destined for the battalion had risen to approximately 1,600, and on the above date 600 recruits originally for the 7th (Service) Battalion, formed the nucleus of the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) at Canterbury. At the end of September 1914, Lieutenant-Colonel Gilbert Johnston was appointed as the Commanding Officer of the battalion. Major A.F. Campbell who was a very well know former officer of the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), was assigned to the 7th (Service) Battalion, as the second-in-command, and it was he who had played a big part in instilling in the recruits, the ancient traditions, honour, and customs of the regiment, which as it transpired during the Great War, the battalion was destined to add to in full measure with the 18th (Eastern) Division. Of the four battalions of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) that took part in the Battle of the Somme 1916, it was only the 7th (Service) Battalion of the regiment which as part of the 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division actually fought on the first day of the battle on Saturday 1 July 1916 when Ernest lost his life. For many weeks prior to the battle, the whole of the 18th (Eastern) Division personnel irrespective of rank or job, had undertaken intense training in preparation for what was to come on the Somme. The location which was assigned to the 18th (Eastern) Division to be attacked on Saturday 1 July 1916 was an area of open ground which contained a number of strong enemy positions to the east of the village of Mametz and west of Montauban. It was pointed out to the officers and other ranks of Ernest s battalion whilst waiting in La Pree Wood prior to zero hour of 0730 hours, that should their division fail in its allotted task, it would add both to the difficulties and the casualties to the thirteen 29

30 battalions of the 30th Division on their right which were going to attack the village of Montauban. The 7th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) when it attacked at 0730 hours, was on the extreme right flank of the divisional line, and adjacent to the 21st Brigade, of the 30th Division. Ernest s battalion was holding the line to the front of the village of Carnoy on the first day of the now famous but costly battle, its assigned objective was a German trench complex which was situated approximately two hundred yards to the north of the Montauban-Fricourt road. The order of battle for the battalions comprising the 55th Brigade, was the 7th (Service) Battalion, The Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) on the left, the 8th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment on the right, and the 7th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) in support, but under orders to clear the Carnoy craters, and in reserve was the 7th (Service) Battalion, Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Half an hour prior to zero hour the artillery bombardment of the enemy positions was intense, with an incredible rate of fire which was not lifted until 0722 hours, at which time the Trench Mortar Battery commenced firing until 0730 hours when the attacks along the British front commenced. Being the supporting battalion, The Buffs were charged with a number of wholly different tasks for the day, which included two platoons of B Company led by Second Lieutenant V.G. H. Tatam being under orders to clear the Carnoy craters, which after six hours of very intense and heavy fighting by both sides were eventually successfully cleared, and for which Second Lieutenant V.G. H. Tatam was awarded the Military Cross. Another two platoons of B Company were allotted the task of carrying out the mopping up the ground captured by the two Surrey battalions as the pressed on to the German trenches. C Company was detailed to consolidate and hold a trench complex named Pommiers Redoubt when captured. Two platoons of D Company had the task of being the carrying parties, and a couple of platoons of A Company personnel were assigned to garrison two locations in the rear of the Pommiers Trench. As the attack on the enemy positions continued, the soldiers of C Company were sent forward to help the 8th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment on the right flank, and later two platoons of A Company also went to their aid. Eventually the combination of the East Surrey s and Buffs succeeded in reaching the East Surrey s objective, and managed to hold it until being relieved by other troops. At about noon, half of D Company was sent forward to assist the 7th (Service) Battalion, The Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) on the left flank, and they too were successful in reaching their objective, but at a cost, which included the loss of Captain Gerald T. Neame the commander of D Company. Although the 18th (Eastern) Division was one of the most successful on the first day of Battle of the Somme 1916, and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) had done more than its fair share, particularly in the clearance of the craters which were far more heavily defended than had been anticipated. A total of 3,115 officers and other ranks of the 18th (Eastern) Division were casualties on Saturday 1 July 1916, which had included 4 officers and 48 other ranks deaths in the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), in addition to which were 2 officers and 144 other ranks wounded, plus 7 originally posted as missing. 30

31 EAST, PERCY JAMES. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died 18 March Aged 22. Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Mrs. Selina Caroline East of 1, Jessamine Villas, Boatmans Hill, Sandwich, Kent, and the late Walter East. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 15, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. At the time of the 1901 census the East family resided at Harnet Street, Sandwich. Head of the house was 48 year old Sandwich native, Walter East who was employed as a General Labourer. Percy enlisted in the army on Wednesday 5 May 1915 for the Duration of the War. Percy was wounded in France during September 1915 whilst serving in The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), and after receiving treatment for his wounds at Etaples, Pas de Calais, he was evacuated back to the United Kingdom in October On 4 January 1916 Percy was posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), at the Citadel, Western Heights, Dover, Kent, and was later posted back to serve in France as a member of the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Following his death, Percy was initially recorded as being Missing in Action, but it was later accepted for official purposes that his death had occurred on 18 March It is not surprising and with real justification, that of all of the many actions fought by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), in the area of the Hohenzollern Redoubt during March 1916, it was the heroism of William Cotter from Sandgate, Kent, on 6 March 1916 which is remembered the most. Not only was William the only member of his battalion to be awarded the Victoria Cross, he was also the sole recipient of the award to any member of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) during the Great War. William Cotter V.C., died from his wounds which he received during his heroic action in what became known as The Battle of the Craters. Percy East and at least two other men who were Sandwich born and bred on 18 March 1916 during the same battle. On the day that Percy East, Richard Fuller, and Henry Thompson lost their lives, the German artillery had commenced firing an intense bombardment on the craters at 0500 hours; the enemy then blew a number of mines and then attacked. During the German infantry attack, their minenwerfers (mine throwers) did a lot of damage to the craters and to the front line defences of the 12th (Eastern) Division, to which the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) belonged. Due to the earlier shelling all lines of communication were cut, and as the result of which local command of the individual positions that were under attack fell on the shoulders of junior officers, warrant officers and non commissioned officers. The three Sandwich casualties are numbered amongst at least thirty three other ranks of their battalion, who died that day, but it is obviously impossible to say how, exactly where or when each of the three lost their lives. It is probably significant that on the right flank of the line being held by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 18 March 1916, it was amongst the soldiers there that most of the casualties, deaths and 31

32 woundings, are recorded as having taken place. All of the men garrisoning No s 1 and 2 craters, and A crater were either killed, or buried by explosions and wounded. Making matters worse was that the debris generated by the explosions at the above craters, had filled in other positions including the West Face and the top end of a location named Saville Row, plus Saps 9 & 9a. Seizing the moment, enemy infantry launched a successful counter attack and captured the craters, from which they were ultimately ejected after a later counter attack which was carried out by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). During the Great War, at least another one of Percy s brothers (Ernest) had also served in the army as Gunner , Royal Field Artillery. Following the cessation of the hostilities, Ernest served as a member of A Battery, 76 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery in the Army of Occupation in Germany. EAST, SIDNEY DICK. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died 7 October Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Youngest son of Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth East (née Philpott) of 34, High Street, Sandwich, Kent, and of the late Henry Ellis East. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 5 D. At the time of the 1901 census the East family resided at the High Street, Sandwich. Head of the house was 48 year old Northdown, Isle of Thanet native Sarah Elizabeth East, who was an Own Account Dressmaker working from home. Henry Ellis East died in Depending on what data sources are checked, two spellings of the first Christian name of the above casualty are shown, they being either Sidney or Sydney which is a fairly common occurrence on many other casualties records with the same names. Sidney was amongst the 8 officers and 121 other ranks who lost their lives in the 6th Battalion that day during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges, the total casualty roll for the day inclusive of all types of casualties numbers 368, which included the battalion Medical Officer, Captain Wilfred Pagen R.A.M.C, who is also commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. What follows is basically the battalion War Diary entry for the day: - Quiet morning. At 1.30 p m the enemy opened heavy machine gun fire and shrapnel barrage on the front line. At 1.45 p m the attack commenced. Very heavy M.G. fire was opened, which held up C Company on the right. A and B companies reached the 1st objective (Rainbow Trench) with fairly heavy casualties but on advancing from 1st to 2nd objectives were completely held up with M.G. fire. Twenty men of C Company succeeded in getting into the German trench, with troops from the 61st Brigade, and advanced with them. The 1st objective was held until 12 midnight when the Battalion was relieved by the 6th Battalion, The Queen s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 32

33 ELLENDER, CHRISTOPHER. Private, th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, (Pioneers) 21st Division. Died Wednesday 28 August Aged 38. Born Guildford, Surrey. (Please see below). Enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Son of Mary Ann Ellender (née Stokes) of Sandwich, Kent, and of the late Sampson Ellender. Husband of Emma Diamond (formerly Ellender) (née Dowle) late of 55, Church Road, Guildford, Surrey. Buried Guildford (Stoke) Old Cemetery, Surrey. Grave Ref: G Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Formerly Sapper, , Royal Engineers. There were a number of discrepancies encountered whilst attempting to compile a brief commemoration in rememberance of Christopher for inclusion here. Arguably the most significant of the problems faced was the spelling of Christopher surname, which was either shown as Ellender or Ellander. Place of birth (Guildford), as shown above was as accessed from Christopher s entry in/on SDGW, but at the time of the 1901 census when the Ellender family resided at Church Street, Sandwich, Kent, and Christopher s place of birth was recorded by the census enumerator as Sandwich, Kent. In view of the myriad of errors which are contained in/on SDGW, the transcriber of these brief commemorations has pointed out the variance re places of birth, in an attempt to help anybody who carries out more in-depth research on Christopher, or on the Sandwich civic war memorial. For anybody carrying out family history and the like, it is somewhat superfluous to also make mention that many census entries irrespective of what year or location, also contain errors. Christopher s father, Sampson Ellender died in 1890, and his widow Mrs. Mary Ann Ellender was recorded as being the head of the house on the census referred to above. Aged 60 at the time of the census, Mary was a native of Capel, Kent, and was an Own Account Shopkeeper and Confectioner. The 14th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, was formed at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in September 1914 as one of the Kitchener Battalions. Most of the initial periods of training were carried out at Halton Park, and in the Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire area. During January 1915, the battalion became the Pioneers of the 21st Division, of which nine of the thirteen battalions in the division were of north of England regiments. Having spent time at Witley the previous month, 14th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers went to serve on the Western Front in September SDGW records Christopher as having Died of Wounds, which in view of his place of burial would appear to be correct. At the risk of causing unintentional offence to anybody, but Christopher s death is a clear indication that the well meaning people who believe that the soldiers of the Great War, who served in the various Divisional Pioneer Battalions were not combatants are wrong. A total of 325 other ranks deaths in Christopher s battalion are recorded in/on SDGW. Unfortunately some of those who are wrong re combat status etcetera, then perpetrate their mistake by passing on their indepth knowledge for the benefit of others, including sadly sometimes to the relatives of the officers and other ranks who died in the Pioneer Battalions. 33

34 ELLIOTT, HENRY JAMES. Corporal, T/ No. 1 (H.Q.) Company, 37th Divisional Train, Royal Army Service Corps. Died Wednesday 30 October Born Stepney, Middlesex. Enlisted Ipswich, Suffolk. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Buried Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligny-Thilloy, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. C. 9. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Henry s medal card entry shows that he entered the French war theatre on 29 July Each Division of the British army had a certain amount of transport under its own command, known as the Divisional Train. It was the workhorse of the Division in terms of carrying stores and supplies, providing the main supply line to the transport of the Brigades, Battalions, Artillery and other attached units. It was initially comprised 26 officers and 402 other ranks of the Army Service Corps looking after 378 horses, 17 carts, 125 wagons and 30 bicycles. These comprised a headquarters and 4 Horsed Transport Companies (one for each infantry Brigade, and one for Divisional HQ and other troops). The Train moved with the Division. In all, there were 364 Army Service Corps (later Royal Army Service Corps) Companies of this type. The 37th Divisional Train, ASC/RASC was comprised of the 288, Train No. 1 (H.Q.) Company (H.T.). 289, Train No. 2 Company (H.T.). 290, Train No. 3 Company (H.T.), and the 291, Train No. 4 Company (H.T). Formed on Thursday 6 May 1915 and disbanded between Friday 4 and Sunday 20 April 1919, the 37th Divisional Train, ASC/RASC served all of its existence on the Western Front. At the time of the Armistice on Monday 11 November 1918, the 37th Division was in the area of Le Quesnoy. After moving back to the Béthencourt-Caudry, Nord, France area, the division moved forward on Sunday 1 December 1918 to Charleroi. By Friday 20 December 1918 units were billeted between Charleroi and the Maubeuge-Nivelles road on the French Belgian border. Demobilisation of the personnel of the 37th Divisional Train, Royal Army Service Corps, began on Thursday 26 December 1918 and by Tuesday 25 March 1919; the former 37th Division had officially ceased to exist. SDGW records Henry as having Died as opposed to having been killed in action or as having died of wounds. Purely supposition on the part of the transcriber of these brief commemorations as Henry s death certificate, or any other supporting documentary evidence has not been sighted, but in view of the date of his death it is possible that Henry was numbered amongst the millions of victims of the worldwide Influenza pandemic which prevailed in late 1918 and early 1919, which ultimately claimed more lives than the Great War. Another tragic twist appertaining to Henry s death which was noted whilst carrying out the researches of the Sandwich war dead, it was that by virtue of the date of his army enlistment and the usual procedure for the discharge of non-regular soldiers following the cessation of the hostilities, which for the most part was in order of enlistment i.e. first in first out, and that had he survived, Henry would have been amongst the earliest of the other ranks to be discharged from the 37th Divisional Train, Royal Army Service Corps. 34

35 On the Sandwich civic war memorial, the following officer is commemorated with his surname spelt EVERETT, as opposed to EVERITT. As can be seen on the photograph accompanying these brief commemorations, on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque he is commemorated with his surname spelt correctly, and also on the Australian National War Memorial. EVERITT, FRANK EDWARD. Second Lieutenant. 1st Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Died Thursday 20 July Aged 22. Born Alton, Hampshire. Son of James and Kate Agnes Everitt of 4, Moreton Road, South Croydon, Surrey. Buried Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Grave Ref: I. J. 11. At the time of the 1901 census the Everitt family resided next door to the Post Office at the High Street, Alton, Hampshire. Head of the house was Frank s father 49 year old Brighton, Sussex native James Everitt, a retired Bank Clerk who was a Professor of Music. Frank was educated at the Grammar School, Farnham, Surrey; and he later studied at Moona College, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. At the time of his army enlistment on Wednesday 7 July 1915 as a Second Lieutenant, Frank was continuing his studies as a Theology Student at Moore College, Newtown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Following his army training, Frank embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, with his unit onboard the 12,129 ton ship R.M.S. Osterley on Saturday 15 January 1916, in the 1st Battalion, 14th Reinforcement. At the time of his enlistment, and when he was mortally wounded during his battalions involvement in the Pozières Sector during the Battle of the Somme 1916, Frank s family resided at Bank House, Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Frank s battalion which was part of the 1st Brigade, was the first infantry unit recruited for the Australian Imperial Force in New South Wales, during the Great War. The battalion was raised within a fortnight of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked just two months later. After a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia, the battalion proceeded to Egypt, arriving on Wednesday 2 December. The battalion took part in the ANZAC landing on Sunday 25 April 1915 as part of the second and third waves, and served there until the evacuation in December. Its most notable engagement at Gallipoli was the battle of Lone Pine in August. Two members of the battalion, Captain A. J. Shout and Lieutenant L.M. Keysor were awarded Victoria Crosses for their valour at Lone Pine, Captain Shout posthumously. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli in December 1915, the battalion returned to Egypt. In March 1916, it sailed for France and the Western Front. From then until 1918 the battalion took part in operations against the German Army, principally in the Somme Valley in France and around Ypres in Belgium. At Bullecourt in May 1917, Corporal G. J. Howell became the third member of the battalion to be awarded the Victoria Cross. The battalion participated in the battle of Amiens on Thursday 8 August During the Great War, Frank s battalion was known to have suffered at least 3528 casualties, with 1165 of its members killed and 2363 wounded. 35

36 FARRIER, SAMUEL FRANK. Sapper, th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died Wednesday 21 August Aged 47. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Deal, Kent. Son of Mrs. Mary E. J. Farrier of 29, Upper Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent, and of the late George Farrier. Commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 3. At the time of the 1881 census, 5 month old Samuel was residing at Church Street, Sandwich, with his parents George and Mary Farrier, and his 2 year old sister Alice. By the time of the 1891 census, two additional children were recorded by the census enumerator when the family was still residing at Church Street, Sandwich. The two younger children were Edith aged 8, and Charlotte Emily aged 5. In 1910, Charlotte married Frank William Glithro who is one of the other casualties commemorated on the Sandwich, civic war memorial. FIELDER, JOHN GEORGE. Gunner, rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died Monday 25 March Aged 19. Born Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted Deal, Kent. Son of John George and Adelaide Jane Fielder of the Crispin Inn, High Street, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Bac-du-Sud British Cemetery, Bailleulval, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. D. 19. At the time of the 1901 census the Fielder family was residing at a different Public House to that shown above, it being the Maidstone Arms, 19, Camden Road, Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Head of the house was 33 year old Islington, London native John George Fielder, who was the Licensee of the establishment. FOSTER, CECIL PERCY. Private, th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). 112th Brigade, 37th Division. Died Thursday 24 October Aged 21. Born Dartford, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Demetrius and Harriett Emma Foster (née Burley) of "Cholaghur," Dover Road, Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Linda Foster (née Smith) of Chase Farm Schools, Enfield, Middlesex. Buried Ghissignies British Cemetery, Nord, France. Grave Ref: A. 59. Also commemorated on the Worth, Sandwich, Kent civic war memorial. At the time of the 1901 census the Foster family resided at 105 Overy Street, Dartford, Kent. Head of the house was 31 year old Sevenoaks, Kent native Demetrius Foster who was employed as a Road Foreman. The 13th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) in which Cecil was serving at the time of his death was formed at Hounslow, Middlesex, on 13 September 1914 as one of the Kitchener Battalions. Initially the battalion went to the South 36

37 Downs, Army Troops, attached to the 24th Division. In December 1914 the battalion was billeted at Worthing, Sussex, and in March 1915, as part of the 111th Brigade, 37th Division, the battalion made a move to Ludgershall on Salisbury Plain, where battle training was engaged in as part of the preparations for a move to the Western Front. On 30 July 1915 the battalion arrived at the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, France to play its part in the fighting on the Western Front where it then remained for the rest of the Great War, during which time it took part in the Battle of the Somme During the four and half months that the battalion spent on the Somme in 1916, on a number of occasions it was temporarily attached to different brigades or divisions as opposed to being with the 111th Brigade, 37th Division, notable dates being 8 July when the 13th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was attached to the 56th Brigade, and took part in a successful attack at the northern end Ovillers. In the final week of the battle, on 14 November the battalion took part in the operations carried out by the 63rd (Royal naval) Division at Beaucourt. On the day that Cecil lost his life, he was amongst the 17 other ranks in his battalion who were killed in action during an attack on enemy positions which was launched from the north of Salesches, in an area which had been cleared by the 10th Battalion of his regiment as the result of its spirited attack. A number of casualties in Cyril s battalion occurred when it was bombarded by German artillery whilst still forming up prior to the actual attack. It would appear that as the direct result of the fact that it was dark at the time; other casualties were also suffered when some of the soldiers in Cecil s battalion became disoriented and lost direction. Having overcome its earlier setbacks, at length the battalion advanced with No. 3 Company and two platoons of No. 2 Company forming a defensive flank against the enemy soldiers, who were still successfully holding the high ground to the south west of Salesches station. Just after 0530 hours, No. 4 Company which was situated on the left flank of the battalion attack was held up by the German barbed wire entanglements, and other companies also encountered difficulties. At approximately 0700 hours the advance by the 13th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) resumed, and the River Ecaillon was crossed by the battalion, with the two platoons located on the extreme left of the battalion waded across some 500 yards or so from the western edge of Ghissignies. Having earlier taken some of the enemy prisoner, when the battalion reached the village some more German soldiers were captured. To the east of Ghissignies the battalion came under heavy enemy fire from a chapel, which resulted in the loss of all the personnel of No. 2 Company. The left company of the battalion was held up by enemy machine gun fire which quickly added to the mounting number of casualties. When the number of non-casualties in the platoon subjected to the machine gun fire was reduced to just forty, it was withdrawn and moved to another location in an orchard to the north east of the battalion. Cyril s brother Demetrius Seamark Foster served in the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) from 2 December 1915 until being discharged on 25 March 1919 as a Serjeant. Cyril was in receipt of a pension for a gunshot wound to his left ankle, and a wound to his right shoulder which were inflicted during the Great War. 37

38 GLITHRO, FRANK WILLIAM. Private, CH/ Royal Marine Light Infantry, (RMR/B/1707). H.M.S. "Aboukir." Died Sunday 22 September Aged 33. Husband of Charlotte Emily Glithro (née Farrier) of 29, Upper Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 7. Frank s birth was registered in the Islington Registration District during the second quarter of He was a brother in law of Samuel Frank Fielder who is also commemorated on the Sandwich, civic war memorial. Early in the Great War the Royal Navy maintained a patrol of old Cressy class armoured cruisers which was called Cruiser Force C in an area of the North Sea known as the Broad Fourteens. On 16 July 1914 the German submarine U-9 became the first submarine in history to reload torpedoes whilst still submerged, and on 22 September 1914 the same submarine under the command of Commander Otto Weddigen who had commanded the U-9 since 1 August 1914, sighted H.M.S.Cressy, H.M.S.Aboukir and H.M.S.Hogue all steaming NNE at 10 knots without zigzagging, although the patrols were supposed to maintain a speed of 12 to13 knots and zigzag, the old cruisers were unable to maintain that speed and the zigzagging order was widely ignored mainly due to the fact that there had been no enemy submarines sighted in that area of the North Sea at that stage of the war. Otto Weddigen and his crew later the same day put into practice under wartime conditions what they had perfected in peace, and were able to reload beneath the waves. Otto Weddigen maneuvered the U-9 to attack the three cruisers, and at approximately 0625 hours fired a single torpedo at H.M.S.Aboukir which stuck her on her port side. Aboukir rapidly suffered heavy flooding and despite counter flooding developed a 20 degree list and lost engine power. It was soon clear that she was a lost cause and Captain Drummond ordered her to be abandoned, although only one boat had survived the attack so most crew had to jump into the sea. At first Captain Drummond thought that H.M.S.Aboukir had been mined and signaled the other two cruisers to close and assist with the rescue of his crew, but he soon realised that it was a torpedo attack and ordered the other cruisers away, but too late. As H.M.S.Aboukir rolled over and sank only half an hour after being attacked, Otto Weddigen fired two torpedoes at H.M.S. Hogue that hit her amidships and rapidly flooded her engine room. Captain Nicholson of H.M.S. Hogue had stopped his ship to lower boats to rescue the crew of H.M.S.Aboukir, thinking that as he was the other side of Aboukir from the enemy submarine he would be safe. Unfortunately the U-9 had managed to maneuver around H.M.S.Aboukir and attacked H.M.S.Hogue from a range of about only 300 yards, and it only took H.M.S.Hogue ten minutes to sink as the U-9 headed for H.M.S.Cressy which was commanded by Captain Johnson. H.M.S.Cressy had also stopped to lower boats but quickly got underway on sighting a submarine s periscope. At about 0720hours Otto Weddigen fired two torpedoes, one of which just missed but the other hit 38

39 H.M.S.Cressy on her starboard side. The damage to H.M.S.Cressy was not fatal but the U-9 then turned round and fired her last torpedo as a coup de grace which hit Cressy sinking her within a quarter of an hour. Survivors of the disaster were picked up by several nearby merchant ships including the Dutch Flora and Titan and the British trawlers JGC and Corainder before the Harwich force of light cruisers and destroyers arrived. Flora returned to Holland with 286 rescued crew who were quickly returned to Britain, even though the neutral Dutch should have interned them. In all 837 men were rescued but 1459 died, many of whom were reservists or cadets. On 18 March1915 the German submarine U-29 was rammed and sunk by H.M.S. Dreadnought in the Pentland Firth, all 32 submariners onboard perished including Otto Weddigen who had been in command since 16 February GRUBB, GEORGE. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Saturday 21 September Born St. Pancras, London. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Buried Epéhy Wood Farm Cemetery, Epéhy, Somme, France. Grave Ref: V. D. 10. At the time of the 1901 census George was a 15 year old Apprentice, residing at King Street, Sandwich, it being the home of 35 year old Sandwich native Louisa Hopper who was a widow. The 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) was formed at Maidstone, Kent, on 14 August 1914 and it was the first of the five Kitchener Battalions that served in the regiment during the Great War. Two of battalion officers who initialy served in George s battalion were serving regulars serving in the 1st Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) at Dublin, Ireland, at the commencement of the Great War, and both were hastily sent back to England with fifteen non commissioned officers to serve in the new battalion. It was in Essex as opposed to Kent that the training of the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) commenced, initially at Purfleet and then on to the garrison town of Colchester where the ranks of the battalion reached full strength. In December 1914 the battalion made a move back to Kent, at which time it moved to Sandling Camp to the north of Hythe. Due to the camp having not only been unfinished with virtually every hut leaking, the mud throughout the camp necessitated the battalion personnel being billeted in Hythe which proved to be a very popular move. In February 1915 the battalion moved to Aldershot, Hampshire, as part of the preparations for a move to the Western Front. After completing battle training at Aldershot, the battalion left for France from Folkestone, Kent, on 1 June 1915 and sailed to the port of Boulogne-ser-Mer. As was the case with the vast majority of the battalions that fought on the Western Front during the Great War, as the result of operational needs as they arose, moves were made not only from one area to another but also between countries, and shortly after arriving in France the battalion moved to Belgium, but also served in France. At the cessation of the hostilities the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West 39

40 Kent Regiment) was at Lecelles to the north west of St. Amand, France. For a significant part of the Great War, the Somme village of Epéhy had been part of the heavily fortified system of German defences called the Hindenburg Line. The line was built to the rear of the northern and central sectors of the Western Front from September 1916, and was still being constructed when it was overrun by Allied troops in the autumn of Serendipity, coincidence, chance or call it what you will, had resulted in the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), quite literally taking the place of the 7th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), when the 12th (Eastern) Division and the 18th (Eastern) Division changed frontage on the night of 20/21 September That night George s battalion took over a position named St. Patrick s Avenue, from fifty yards south of Bird Trench to Yak Post. On the day that George was killed at Epéhy, his battalion had attempted to take Little Priel Farm, but despite spirited fighting by the officers and other ranks in George s battalion, the Germans holding the farm still managed to hold it, they were able to do so in part due to of their posts located to the south of Little Priel Farm. At the time the area of the Hindenburg Line in and around Epéhy was strongly defended by German troops, and the two posts providing the invaluable support to the enemy soldiers garrisoning Little Priel Farm, were named Heythorp and Grafton. When reading accounts of the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on Saturday 21 September 1918, none show why the battalions Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel W.R.A. Dawson D.S.O., took it upon himself to personally attack Grafton Post with the assistance of just one officer Lieutenant Berger, and five of his men, but in doing so he appears to have inspired all of the officers and other ranks in his exhausted battalion, as confused enemy soldiers were driven out of Grafton Post by the handful of Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) soldiers. By 2200 hours George s battalion had capitalized on their daylight hours successes, and under the cover of darkness had extended the gains at Breton Post along Bird Trench, and joined up with the 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) at St. Patrick s Avenue. Eventually at around midnight the 5th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment advanced from Bird Trench and Mule Trench to assault and capture Little Priel Farm. In bright moonlight, with their spirits high and full of determination, the Berkshires made a spectacular bayonet charge, resulting in heavy fighting in and around Heythorp Post and Heythorp Trench. No doubt by the time that the Berkshires attacked Little Priel Farm, its defenders were weary as the result of the days events, including the assaults which had been made earlier by the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). The Germans defending Little Priel Farm were overcome, and within an hour the farm was captured, as was one officer and eighteen enemy other ranks. In addition to the German prisoners, some fifty or so enemy soldiers bodies were found at the farm, and forty machine guns were found in the ruins of the farm complex. As is usually the case with non officer deaths, it has not been possible to ascertain, at what part of the days events near Epéhy, on Saturday 21 September 1918 it was that George lost his life. 40

41 HARRIS, ROBERT LEONARD. Private, st/7th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Essex Regiment. 161st Brigade, 54th (East Anglian) Division. Died Thursday 19 April Aged 23. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Walthamstow, Essex. Resided Leyton, Essex. Son of Robert and Elizabeth Mary Harris of 4, Market Square, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Gaza War Cemetery, Israel. Grave Ref: II. A. 5. Formerly Private, 4186, Essex Regiment. Robert s birth was registered in the Eastry, Kent, Registration District during the second quarter of At the commencement of the Great War the 1st/7th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Essex Regiment was at Walthamstow Lodge, Church Hill, Walthamstow, Essex, as part of the Essex Brigade, East Anglian Division. A number of the earlier wartime enlistments were conducted at Walthamstow Lodge, and judging by Robert s former regimental number it would seem likely that he had been amongst the other ranks of the battalion who had enlisted there, a supposition which has some credence due to the fact that as can be seen above, SDGW records Walthamstow as having been his place of enlistment. From late August 1914, the war record of Robert s battalion is subsequently very similar to that of the 1st/7th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Essex Regiment, and the majority of the movements which were made by the two battalions in 1914, and the first half of 1915 took place within the counties of East Anglia, which included time spent at Norwich, Norfolk and at Colchester, Essex. In May 1915 the Essex Brigade, East Anglian Division became the 161st Brigade, 54th (East Anglian) Division whilst the1st/7th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Essex Regiment was stationed at St. Albans, Hertfordshire. On 24 July 1915, A and B Companies sailed from Devonport onboard the Southland to take part in the fighting at Gallipoli, and two days later C and D Companies left St. Albans by train at 0450 hours and arrived at Devonport at 0230 hours, shortly after their arrival at Devonport both of the companies embarked on the Braemar Castle which sailed three hours later. The latter ship called at Malta on 3 August, and arrived at Alexandria, Egypt, at 0230 hours on the afternoon of 6 August, and she sailed for Imbros the following afternoon. Robert s battalion landed at A Beach, Suvla, on 11 August, and remained at Gallipoli suffering at least 144 casualties during its time spent there, until the battalion embarked at Murdos on 6 December 1915 to return to Alexandria, Egypt to then take part in the campaigns in Egypt and Palestine. During one of the actions fought by his battalion as part of the latter campaign, Robert was killed in action on Thursday 19 April HEWITT, WILLIAM WALTER. Rifleman, "C" Company, 1st/18th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Irish Rifles). 141st Brigade, 47th Division. Died Friday 5 April Aged 26. Born Faversham, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Sarah Annie Hewett of Portland House, 67, Lower Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent, and of the late James F. Hewett. Buried Bouzincourt Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. 41

42 Grave Ref: I. J. 1. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Formerly Private, 4552, 1st/4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), and Private, 6148, 1st/18th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Irish Rifles). William s battalion transferred to the Territorial Force in 1908 titled the 18th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Irish Rifles). During the Great War, the London Irish raised three battalions, and the 1st Battalion went to France in March 1915 as part of the141st Brigade, 47th (2nd London) Division, having previously been part of the 5th London Brigade, (2nd London) Division. Whilst at St. Albans, Hertfordshire, the battalion went by train to Southampton on 9 March 1915 where various elements sailed for the French port of Harve onboard four ships which were the SS Queen, Alexandria, Trafford Hall and Viper The battalion first saw action in May 1915 at Festubert where it then spent time in the front line trenches, and when not in the line was rested at Gorre. The battalion war diary entry for the last day of May, records that Brigadier-General George C. Nugent M.V.O. was killed by a stray bullet whilst inspecting work in progress at Sidbury Mound. In September 1915 at the Battle of Loos, the 1st Battalion distinguished itself by the capture of enemy trenches led by the Captain of the football team, Sergeant Frank Edwards who took his football and kicked it towards the enemy trenches. Other members of the battalion then joined Frank Edwards in his football game and, despite intense enemy gun fire, the ball was kicked across No Man's Land, until it was finally booted into the German trenches followed by surviving members of the impromptu football team. In a desperate and bloody battle, the London Irish captured and held their objective. The football itself is still preserved in the Regimental Museum, Connaught House, 4, Flodden Road, Camberwell, London, SE5 9LL, and the memory of Sergeant Edwards The Footballer of Loos is commemorated on every year on Loos Sunday. At the commencement of April 1918, William s battalion was in the Divisional Reserve at Senlis-le-Sec to the north east of the town of Albert on the Somme. On Saturday 4 April the battalion made a short move to the east, crossing where the D938 (Route de Doullens) now runs, and went to the village of Bouzincourt under orders of 140th Infantry Brigade. The 1st/18th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Irish Rifles), remained at Bouzincourt until being relived on Tuesday 7 April, by the officers and other ranks of the 21st (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles), when William s battalion returned to Senlis-le-Sec. Fortunately only three other ranks were killed in action during the four days that William s battalion was at Bouzincourt, two of the deaths occurred on the last day there. Although Rifleman Harry Nandrett from Lewisham, Kent, died of wounds as William, Harry died whilst a prisoner of war and is at rest at the city cemetery at Robermont, Liege, Belgium, which was used for the burial of Allied prisoners of war and now contains French, Belgian, Italian, Russian and Commonwealth war graves plots. The Commonwealth plot contains 48 burials of the Great War, and one dating from the Second World War. 42

43 HICKSON, WILLIAM HENRY. Driver, T4/ Army Service Corps. Attached to the 39th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. Died Wednesday 7 June Aged 36. Born Margate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of William James Hickson and Amelia Elizabeth Hickson (née Sullivan). Husband of Mary Ann Hickson of 7, Fisher Street, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Grave Ref: XII. K. 5. As William s death certificate has not been sighted by the transcriber of these brief commemorations, it has not been possible to add his actual cause of death. It came as no surprise to find when checking William s entry in/on SDGW that it records him as having Died, as opposed to killed in action or died of wounds, as many of the deaths in Mesopotamia were the result of a number of diseases, and a not insignificant number were due to sunstroke. HOWLAND, WILLIAM HENRY. Private, th (Service) Battalion, Welsh Regiment. 58th Brigade, 19th Division. Died Saturday 20 September Aged 23. Born Garlinge, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Resided Isle of Thanet, Kent. Brother of Mr. T. Howland of 6, Pouces Cottages, Minster, Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Buried Locre Hospice Cemetery, Loker, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: II. B. 19. Formerly Private, G/9163, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). At the time of the 1901 census, a family with the surname Howland was residing at Durlock, Minster, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Head of the house was 38 year old Sholden, Kent, native John Howland who was employed as a Teamster on a farm. His 40 year old wife Ellen was a native of Cliffsend, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Amongst the six Howland children who were recorded by the enumerator as being at home on census night were a 6 year old William H. Howland, and 2 year old Thomas Howland who were both Garlinge natives. It would seem likely that the 6 year old and the above war casualty are the same person, and that it is his brother Thomas above who is shown on his CWGC commemoration details. The 9th (Service) Battalion, Welsh Regiment was formed at Cardiff during September 1914 as one of the K2 Kitchener Battalions, and initially was posted for training on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire in the 58th Brigade, 19th Division. In December 1914 the battalion was billeted at Basingstoke, Hampshire, and the following month moved to Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. In May 1915 the battalion made another move when it went to Parham Down to carry out additional training to leaving for active service on the Western Front which commenced in July 1915, following the battalions arrival at the port of Harve in July. William s battalion then remained on the Western Front for the remainder of the Great War, and was at Wargnies to the north of Le Quesnoy, France at the cessation of the hostilities, by which time William was numbered amongst the 726 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 9th (Service) Battalion, Welsh Regiment. 43

44 JAMES, SAMUEL GEORGE. Sub-Lieutenant. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Hood Battalion, 189th Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. Died Tuesday 9 October Aged 28. Born Dartford, Kent. 3 December Son of Samuel George James and Rhoda James (née Palmer) of Royal St. George's Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent. Buried La Brique Military Cemetery No 2, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: I. O. 16. Also commemorated on the Worth, Sandwich, Kent civic war memorial. Formerly Acting Petty Officer, ZX/519, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. At the time of the 1901 census the James family resided at The Club House, Royal St. George's Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 49 year old Worcester, Worcestershire, native Samuel George James (senior) who was employed at the golf club as the House Steward. Prior to enlisting in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 2 October 1914, data checked shows that Samuel was employed as a Golf Club Secretary. In view of his age at the time of his enlistment, combined with his parents address, and in view of the status of the Royal St. George's Golf Club at Sandwich, Kent at that time, and indeed as is still the case today, it would seem somewhat unlikely that Samuel was the Golf Club Secretary of Royal St. George's Golf Club prior to enlisting as a rating in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. At the risk of causing unintentional offence to past and present golfers in Kent, it did occur to the high handicap transcriber of these brief commemorations, that Samuel might have been a Golf Club Secretary of shall we say a less prestigious Golf Club, but a more likely explanation was that Samuel had been employed at Royal St. George's Golf Club, but in a different capacity. Samuel served in the Howe Battalion, 189th Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division from the time of his enlistment until 27 May Samuel received a gunshot wound to his back whilst fighting at Antwerp, which necessitated his evacuation back to the United Kingdom. After the completion of the treatment for the gunshot wound, Samuel later rejoined the Howe Battalion. During his time spent serving as a member of Howe Battalion, Samuel unfortunately suffered a number of bouts of illness, including Diarrhoea, Sycosis Face, and several abrasions to both of his legs as the result of becoming entangled in enemy barbed wire, and in addition to his illnesses and injuries he also received further wounds whilst serving on the Western Front. Despite all of his troubles, Samuel was later returned to the United Kingdom in order for him to undertake officer training. On the successful completion of his officer training after he was discharged as a rating to be a Commissioned Temporary Sub- Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, effective from 29 May Samuel was drafted for the British Expeditionary Force on 7 September 1917, and had joined the Hood Battalion on 27 September

45 JOHNSON, JOHN. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Thursday 3 May Born Eastry, Dover, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 2. John s medal card entry shows that he entered the French war theatre on 2 December 1915, and that he was killed in action. Checks on a number of data sources would seem to indicated that he John s birth was registered in the Eastry, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of At the action fought at Monchy-le-Preux, Pas de Calais on 3 May 1917 during the Third Battle of the Scarpe, the 6th Battalion suffered at least 376 casualties amongst its officers and other ranks, they being a combination of killed, wounded and missing. The battalion having spent the preceding night waiting in shell holes for zero hour which had been set for 0345 hours, with "A" Company on the right flank, "B Company on the left, with "C Company supporting, and the officers and men of "D Company behind those of "B Company the battalion formed up ready to take part in the days attack. Exactly at the agreed time the British artillery commenced firing as a prelude too, and in support of the battalion, who as with the gunners also left their start area on time as ordered and set off into total darkness, as the battalion pressed on every effort was made to keep communication with them, Second Lieutenant McAuley, the battalion signaling officer along with two of the battalion signalers and two orderlies, went forward to establish an advanced H.Q. in what was known as Devil's Trench, but he later returned at 0430 hours and reported that no communication had been possible. A fairly early indication however that all was apparently going well, was when two German prisoners were sent back down the line from the battalion, but at that time nothing definite could be ascertained, even later on when daylight came, gunfire and snipers made it hard to get any news of how matters were proceeding; but at dusk it was discovered that the battalion had already suffered a substantial number of casualties, and that despite the sacrifices being made by the battalion of all ranks the line in their front was practically as before. With the growing concern of the continuous loss of officers at the time which was so serious that Second Lieutenant s Seago and Sowter were sent for from the detail camp and, arriving about 2200 hours, and very quickly were sent forward to reorganize the remnants of the devastated battalion. Part of the objective allotted the battalion on the morning of 3 May 1917 had been a spot called Keeling Copse, and it was found after the battalion had taken stock of its significant losses, that Second Lieutenant s P. A. Cockeram and Norman O.F. Gunther with about 40 men and a Lewis gun had actually got there, only to then realize that they were completely isolated with the enemy infantry having reformed its line behind them, and both sides being their original trenches, the result being that three lines of Germans intervened between this handful of men and their comrades, nothing daunted however, they held their own all day during which time they accounted for many of the enemy soldiery surrounding them. Under the cover of darkness when night fell, and by then having expended every 45

46 cartridge and bomb they possessed, they gallantly fought their way back again, breaking through one line after another, until at last the two subalterns and thirteen of the men with them were able to report themselves to battalion Head Quarters. The casualties in this terrible action were Second Lieutenant s John H. Dinsmore and Harold V. Hardey-Mason killed, and Captain John B Kitchin died of wounds; Captain McDermott and Second Lieutenant s Williams and H.G. Nesbitt wounded; Second Lieutenant s Charles Warnington, Athol Kirkpatrick, H.W. Evans and R.L.F. Forster, Lieutenant s K.L. James, Grant, King and Wills posted as missing of whom the first five were found to have been killed; 25 other ranks were also killed, plus 128 wounded and in addition to which 207 were initially reported as being missing, but ultimately many were later found to have lost their lives during and resulting from the attack of 2 and 3 May About 0200 hours on 4 May the remnant was relieved and got back, on the following day what remained of the battalion was reorganized into two companies each of which consisted of only two platoons, No 1 Company had Second Lieutenant Stevens in command, with Second Lieutenant s Sowter, Seago and Sankey under him; No 2 Company was commanded by Captain Carter, assisted by the intrepid Second Lieutenant s Gunther and Cockeram. Following a later debriefing meeting to see if lessons could be learned from the attack of 3/4 May by the battalion a few things became obvious, the main points raised being that it was a pity that the ground was quite unknown to the battalion which had not held the same position previously, and that the orders to attack came so late that there was no time for systematic reconnaissance, also that the early part of the engagement had been undertaken in the dark. Those surviving members of the battalion who were not in the hands of the medical teams left Monchy-le-Preux and were then rested in nearby Arras for a mere 48 hours and then underwent a further ten days in the trenches before being relieved on 17 May when the battalion moved to Duisans. Both Second Lieutenant s Cockeram and Gunther received the Military Cross for their gallant conduct on 3/4 May 1917, but it is sad to have to add that Norman Gunther, who was an attached officer of the Royal East Kent Yeomanry was killed shortly afterwards, with the cruel irony of his death occurring within half a mile of Keeling Copse when gallantly defending a trench the Germans were attacking, although not strictly speaking a Buff, we have included a commemoration to the brave 19 year old subaltern on this roll of honour alongside the 396 members of the regiment, who have no known grave that are commemorated on the Arras Memorial, some of whom died with him. Second Lieutenant Cockeram M.C. later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as an Observer, on one occasion whilst a member of 48 Squadron based at Bertangles, he and his pilot Captain H.C. Sootheran flying a Bristol BF2b shot down an enemy aircraft, and despite numerous encounters with enemy aircraft and being subjected on numerous occasions to anti-aircraft fire both R.F.C. officers thankfully survived the war. 46

47 JONES, A. No clear trace. Arguably the best match for this casualty is the following Kent soldier who enlisted, and also probably resided at Sandwich, Kent. With both of his initials shown, Archibald Jones is also commemorated in the parish church of St. Mary s, Sandwich, Kent. JONES, ARCHIBALD STANLEY. Private, nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division. Died Wednesday 4 November Born Dover, Kent. Enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Son of Alfred James Jones and Elizabeth Ann Jones (née Todd). Buried Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: III. B. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Archibald s place of birth as shown above was extracted from his SDGW entry, but the 1901 census enumerator recorded him as being an 11 year old native of Elham, Kent. Head of the house was recorded as being 41 year old Sandwich native Alfred James Jones, who was employed as a Cattle Stockman. At the commencement of the Great War, Archibald s battalion was commanded by 46 year old Second Boer War hero Lieutenant Colonel Noel A.L. Corry, D.S.O., and was stationed at Wellington Barracks, London, in the 4th (Guards) Brigade, 2nd Division. On 12 August 1914 the battalion left by train from Nine Elms for the port of Southampton, and from there sailed on the Cawdor Castle to Harve, France, where it arrived the following day. As was applicable to all the battalions of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front during 1914, the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards also had its fair share of mixtures and successes, which in turn resulted in the overall ebb and flow of the opposing armies positions. By the time that Archibald died of his wounds in one of the hospitals at Boulogne-ser- Mer, Pas de Calais, France, on Wednesday 4 November 1914, his battalion was fighting in Belgium. As Archibald s service papers, (if they still exist), nor his death certificate or casualty card or any other supporting documentation have not been sighted by the transcriber of these brief commemorations, regrettably it has been impossible to say on this occasion when, where, or how Archibald was mortally wounded. It should be noted that on many occasions prior to his death the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards, had several days which resulted in significant casualty roll returns showing officers and other ranks deaths, woundings, and missing, and that many of the latter two categories resulted in several other of the later casualty returns recording that a not insignificant number of members of the battalion of all ranks, had subsequently died of their wounds. The 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division, from the time of its arrival on the Western Front in August 1914, as part of the 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division, it then remained in that theatre of the Great War until the signing of the Armistice in November 1918, at which time it was located to the north east of Maubeuge, France. Sadly by the time of the Armistice the battalion had suffered at least 28 officers deaths, and no fewer than 1,360 other ranks deaths in addition to that of Archibald. 47

48 JONES, ERNEST EDWARD. Serjeant, nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. Died Wednesday 21 October Aged 23. Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Son of Richard and Ellen Jones of 5, Cottage Row, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 37, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. At the time of the 1901 census the Jones family resided at Guildcourt Lane, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 59 year old Richard Jones who was employed as a Shepherd. Richard, his wife Ellen and their eight children who were at home on the night of the census were all natives of Sandwich, Kent, including Ernest and his brother Walter who is the next casualty briefly commemorated below. At the commencement of the Great War, Ernest s battalion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel H.R. Davis, and was stationed at Albuhera Barracks, Aldershot, Hampshire, in the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. Prior to leaving for the Western Front, Second Lieutenants F. Pepys, A.H. Barrington-Kennett, and F.W.C. Chippindale took the Colours from Aldershot to the Regimental Depot of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, at Cowley Barracks on 5 August Exactly a week after the Colours had been taken to Oxford for safe keeping, Ernest s battalion had the honour of being inspected by His Majesty the King, prior to leaving Aldershot the following day and going by train to Southampton. At Southampton the battalion embarked on the SS Lake Michigan, and sailed for Boulogne-ser-Mer, Pas de Calais, France, at 2000 hours, where it arrived at about 1430 hours the next day. By the time that Ernest was killed in action his battalion was in Belgium. Having relieved the 254th French Regiment during the night of 13 October 1914, the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry had marched via Soupir and Mard Vauxcéré, and during the afternoon of the following day had reached Fismes, from where it had travelled by train to Hazebrouck, via Amiens, Boulogne, Calais, and St. Omer. Ernest s battalion arrived at Hazebrouck at 2330 hours on 15 October 1914, and then marched to billets at Morbecque. Another move was made to Godewaersvelde two days later, via Hazebrouck and Steenvoorde, from where the battalion went to Poperinghe on 19 October Via Elverdinghe, the battalion moved forward to occupy trenches near Pilckem the day after it had arrived at Poperinghe. On the day that Ernest was killed in action, his battalion had formed up on the Langemarck-Zonnebeke road, with its left flank on the Lekkerboterbeek, C and D Companies in the front line and with A and B Companies in support of them. When the battalion moved forward on the attack, they did so under heavy artillery fire, and were held up just short of the Haanebeek (Lekkerboterbeek) stream, by a low hedge which had been interwoven with German barbed wire. When the problem hedge was encountered with men being hit during the hold up, it was not really surprising that several members of the leading companies of the battalion succumbed to the temptation of trying to pass through an open gate in the hedge. In his excellent book The First Seven Divisions by Lord Ernest Hamilton, he makes mention of the fact that 48

49 every officer and other rank who attempted to pas through the gate was mown down by machine gun fire. The attack which cost Ernest his life was also held up by enflade fire from the left, with enemy trenches some 300 yards ahead near Langemarck. Lieutenant Colonel H.R. Davis recorded that he reached a farm on the St. Julien-Poelcappelle road, which subsequently became known as New House. He also put on record the battalion had had its first big fight, the men had advanced splendidly, officers and NCO s doing their duty magnificently. By the end of the day it was found that 5 officers had fallen, and another 6 had been wounded, one of which later died of his wounds. In addition to the officer casualties, 61 other ranks had also died, and 143 had been wounded, some of who later succumbed to their wounds, in addition to which three other ranks were posted as missing, believed killed, when the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, had had its first big fight of the Great War. JONES, WALTER LEWIS RICHARD. Private, G/ nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 85th Brigade, 28th Division. Died Monday 29 October Aged 29 Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Richard and Ellen Jones of 5, Cottage Row, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Struma Military Cemetery, Kalokastron, Greece. Grave Ref: V. F. 9. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Pleas see additional family details at the brief commemoration of Walter s brother Ernest above. At the commencement of the Great War, as was the case with many other regular battalions of the British army at the time, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was stationed in India. As the G prefix on Walter s number is indicative of him having been a soldier who had originally been in a Service Battalion, he would not have been one the soldiers in India. The battalion was at Wellington, Madras, and after being relieved by soldiers of the Territorial Force, who when they had enlisted would have done so for For Home Service Only, the battalion embarked at Bombay on 16 November 1914 onboard the Cunard ship Ultonia. On 23 December the battalion arrived at Plymouth and from there went to Winchester, Hampshire, where it became part of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division. On 17 January 1915 the battalion left from Southampton, heading for France and arrived at the busy port of Harve. After serving on the Western Front for nine months, as a battalion of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was sent from the Western Front to Salonika via Egypt, in the joint Anglo-French force that was dispatched to help Greece against Bulgaria, and which then remained in the area, reinforced by Serbian forces until the cessation of the hostilities. In September 1915, with fears growing regarding Bulgaria s true intentions, the Greek government had formal requests for assistance primarily in the form of 150,000 additional troops, to the British and French governments. As the result of the help then offered to Greece, on Thursday 21 October 1915 the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) received orders to entrain for the port of Marseilles the next day. On Friday 22 October the battalion marched from 49

50 Fouquereuil near Bethune to leave by train for Marseilles, and arrived at the port at 1330 hours on Sunday 24 October. With commendable speed all of the officers and other ranks of the battalion, vehicles, animals, equipment, and stores etcetera had embarked on the troopship Transylvania only two and a half hours after arriving at Marseilles. Less than a week after leaving France, the troopship arrived at Alexandria, Egypt, at which time the battalion role numbered 27 officers and 907 other ranks. A not insignificant number of the battalion personnel at that time were soldiers who had been amongst the drafts which had been sent to the battalion shortly before leaving France. During it s nine months spent on the Western Front prior to leaving from Marseilles, the battalion had 101 officers, and 3,738 other ranks serve in it, during which time it suffered 22 officer and 298 other ranks deaths, plus 34 officers and 1,011 other ranks wounded, 5 officers and 199 other ranks captured, plus 2 officers and 297 posted as missing. As Walter had a regimental number indicative of a New Army member of his regiment, as opposed to having been one of the regular soldiers that his battalion had originally been comprised of, it would seem likely that he had been amongst one of the drafts that had been sent to France. Although a number of authors have made comments along the lines that the troops at Salonika had it easy, their train of thought is somewhat disingenuous, whilst compared to the events, and casualties suffered by all of the combatant nations throughout the Great War in Europe. Allied troops killed in action whilst serving in the Army of the East numbered less than 20,000, but in addition to which, a staggering number of men and women contacted diseases, prominent amongst which was malaria. Approximately 450,000 victims of malaria were invalided out of the Balkan area of operations by the end of 1918, and it is noticeable that of the just over million men committed to serve in the area post October 1915, resulted in excess of 1.3 million hospital cases. When noting Walter s place of burial, the transcribers initial thought was that he had died of disease, but upon carrying out more research it was found that Walter had been killed in action. In mid October 1917 Walter s battalion moved to Nevolyen from Turbes, where it had been involved in maintaining defences on the right bank of the Struma river, in an area around the Orljak bridge. The 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was ordered to hold a line on the left bank of the Struma, stretching from Nevolyen to Jenikoj, during which time no opposition was encountered. It was about this time that their was established Enterprise Companies, which were relieved of all manual work, and was kept apart and engaged on patrols and minor engagements etcetera, and virtually all of the 85th Brigade personnel took part in the Enterprise Companies. It was whilst he was engaged on one the patrols that Walter was killed. About fifty Bulgar cavalrymen and thirty infantrymen were seen to enter Prosenik by Buffs scouts led by Serjeant Rand. During the skirmish which ensued, Serjeant Rand s small party was eventually forced to withdraw in the face of a vastly numerically superior force. Although the patrol managed to evacuate safely, one man was killed, one wounded, and another was missing, the dead man being Private Walter Jones from Sandwich, Kent. 50

51 KEESEY, GEORGE ERNEST HOWARD. Captain. 8th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade. (Please see additional comments below). Died Saturday 24 August Aged 30. Born Croydon, Surrey. Son of the Reverend George Walton Keesey and Annie Keesey (née Kimber). Husband of Violet Marian Keesey (née Swinglehurst) of Helme Bank, Kendal, Westmorland. Buried Serre Road Cemetery No 2, Somme, France. Grave Ref: XXV. L. 8. Due to several different data sources showing conflicting information appertaining to which unit George was actually serving in when he died, the transcriber of these brief commemorations has taken the liberty of showing it to have been the 8th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, but it should be pointed out that by doing so, it is hoped that this does not add to the confusion, because on Saturday 24 August 1918 the battalion did not actually exist as such. Some data shows George, who was Mentioned in Despatches, had been a member of the 6th (Reserve) Battalion, Rifle Brigade when he died, but from August 1914 that battalion was stationed at Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, and from March 1916 it moved only a few miles on the island to Eastchurch, where it then remained for the rest of the Great War years, as part of the Thames & Medway Garrison. Purely supposition on the part of the transcriber, but it would seem likely that George had been a former of the 6th (Reserve) Battalion of his regiment, and is possibly the reason for the erroneous entry which records him as serving in that battalion when he died on the Somme. On a significant number of sources of information, George is recorded as having been a Captain in the 8th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, and in view of his date of death the transcriber immediately jumped to what appears to have been the wrong conclusion that George had died of wounds, post the date that the battalion was disbanded in the Desvres area. It has to be said that unlike the vast majority of British infantry battalions disbandments during the Great War, that of the 8th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, and the events leading up to it are a bit more complex than is usual. The 8th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade was formed at Winchester, Hampshire on 21 August 1914, as one of the Kitchener (Service) Battalions, and went to Malplaquet Barracks, Aldershot, Hampshire in the 41st Brigade, 14th Division. Following a number of moves within the Surrey and Hampshire area, on 20 May 1915 the battalion sailed from Folkestone, Kent to Boulogne, where it arrived the following day to serve on the Western Front, it then remained on the Western Front until being disbanded. On 27 April 1918 the battalion was reduced to a training cadre, and by 2 May 1918 the training cadre was at Embry, where it then remained until 15 May when a move was made to Steenbecque, near Aire. At Steenbecque it then took over (for administration), a composite battalion of six different Irish Regiments, and was employed at work on the Lillers-Steenbecque defence line until 10 June, when from that date one company a day was left in camp for training. On 16 June 1918 the battalion left the 14th Division, and on 26 June the battalion was relived by the training staff of a battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, at which time the cadre that was the 8th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, went to Berneuilles in the Samer area and 51

52 came under the 34th Division. In the Samer area George s battalion trained the 318th Infantry Regiment of the 80th American Division, which was continued until 3 July 1918 when the Americans left for the Third Army. It has been virtually impossible to ascertain anything in much detail about the 8th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, during July 1918, but on 2 August 1918 the battalion received its final orders of the Great War, and the same night Serjeant Ball of the battalion, departed with the 8th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, records which he deposited at the base in Rouen. It is around the date the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers being mentioned on different data sources, that the picture becomes confusing. Some commentators have made mention that on or about the 26 to 28 June 1918, 18 officers and 857 other ranks the 8th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, to constitute the 7th/8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Had they have done so; it would probably be fair to say that they would have the biggest cadre in British military history. It should also be pointed out that the 7th/8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, had by the time referred to above it had been in existence for a year and a few days, as it was formed by the merger of the two battalions on 23 August 1917, but had been reduced to a training cadre on 22 April 1918, with its soldiers going to serve in the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment. George was a former pupil of Downing College, University of Cambridge. Prior to serving in the Great War, George was employed as an Assistant Master at Wellington College, Crowthorne, Berkshire from 1911 to George s father; the Reverend George Walton Keesey ( ) was a well known and respected Congregational Minister, who had been known to many as the Congregational Bishop of East London, and was the author of The Voice from Patmos, which was an inquiry into the origin, purpose, primary teaching and symbolism of the Apocalypse. George s son, Captain John Howard Keesey M.B. (Cantab.) aged 22, lost his life during the Second World War on 2 October 1944, whilst serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps attached to the 1st Airborne Division. On 4 September 1941 John was commissioned, in the Royal Army Medical Corps (emergency commission). In September 1944 whilst serving as a Section Officer, in the 16th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, which was attached to the 3rd Parachute Battalion during Operation Market Garden at Arnhem, Holland, John like many other British soldiers, was captured by the Germans. John died of wounds in hospital at Stalag XI B, near Fallingbostel in Lower Saxony, Germany, after being shot by a German sentry when he was trying to escape from an ambulance train at Apeldoorn, Holland. The husband of Susette Keesey, of Glasshouse, Waterford, Irish Republic, John is at rest at Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. 52

53 KENDALL, JAMES. Lance Corporal, G/ st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 16th Brigade, 6th Division. Died Sunday 18 March Aged 26. Born Ash, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of James and Frances Maria Kendall (née Court) of 1, Church Street, St. Mary's, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Maroc British Cemetery, Grenay, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. P. 12. Commemorated in the parish church of St. Mary s, Sandwich as J. KENDALL. It would seem likely that the S.J. KENDALL, who is commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial is probably the above local casualty James Kendall, but no data has been accessed whilst researching which records James with any additional initial. James was probably a brother of Percy William Kendall who is the next casualty briefly commemorated below. At the time of the 1901 census the Kendall family resided at The Butts, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 42 year old Ash, Kent native, James Kendall (senior) who was employed as a Market Gardner. In addition to James (junior) there was another son, 19 year old Percy Kendall employed in the Tan Yard, who appears to be the next casualty below. At the start of March 1917, the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) had its headquarters located at the village of Loos-en-Goethe where the costly battle had taken place two years earlier. The bulk of the other soldiers in the battalion occupied trenches near to Loos-en-Goethe, during which time casualties of different categories continued to mount on an almost daily basis. On Sunday 18 March 1917, the German s carried out a well organised raid on the trenches being held by James s battalion, and eventually managed to secure a footing in them. Shortly after managing to enter the trenches, the enemy soldiers were successfully ejected from them, at the cost of 7 of their number, in addition to several men having suffered woundings. Regretably during the attack, the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) also suffered casualties in the form of the death of Second Lieutenant Harold Milford Norsworthy, and 10 other ranks, one of whom was James. An officer and 24 other ranks were wounded, in addition to which 8 others were posted as missing on the day that James lost his life. The events of Sunday 18 March 1917 resulted in what amounted to a retaliatory raid being undertaken by the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on the last day of March 1917, which was led by Captain (later Major M.C.) Bernard L. Strauss, assisted by three Second Lieutenants, plus 100 other ranks of the battalion. During the raid on the German front and support works resulted in the capture of a prisoner, and several pieces of equipment. One of the officers engaged on the raid Second Lieutenant Percy W.T. Davis was originally posted as missing, but was later found to have fallen during the raid. Four other ranks were killed during the raid, and amongst a number of others who were wounded, four later succumbed to their wounds, as did some of those who had been reported as missing, and the total of other ranks deaths was recorded as being 11, which was in stark contrast to the enemy as their dead was estimated to number about

54 KENDALL, PERCY WILLIAM. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Friday 30 November Born Ash, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France. Panel 3, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Also commemorated on The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment War Memorial which is located in the north wall of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, Surrey, which houses the Book of Remembrance which lists approximately 8000 officers and other ranks who gave their lives during the Great War. Please also see the additional comments at the end of the brief commemoration of James Kendall above. Having been engaged in intensive training for some nine to ten months in the United Kingdom, the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) as part of the 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division was stationed at Aldershot, Hampshire, when orders were received by the battalion, which contained details of its move to France. On 6 June 1915 the battalion left Aldershot by train and went to Folkestone, Kent, by train. From Folkestone the battalion sailed on the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Company owned cross channel ferry the 1680 ton SS Invicta, and landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer on 7 June 1915, from where a move was made by train to Wizernes, which is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais département in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, from where the battalion marched to billets at Meteren. During the first week of July 1915 the battalion moved to Armentières where it was billeted in the Blue Blind Factory. For the greater part of July, August and 25 September 1915 the battalion was either in billets at Le Bizet, or in trenches in the Le Touquet area, and from then on the battalion was actively involved in the events appertaining to the 12th (Eastern) Division. During the Battle of the Somme 1916, the battalion had been engaged from the first day. On Tuesday 27 November 1917 a considerable amount of movement amongst the Germans was observed by various sources, opposite Villiers Guislain near Honnecourt, which was being held by the 55th Division. Throughout the following day the German movements continued, and due to the fact that the 55th (West Lancashire) Division commanded by Major-General Sir H. Jeudwine, was holding an extended front, it was weak as the consequence of same. As fears mounted with likelihood of an imminent attack by the enemy, Major-General A.B. Scott, commanding the 12th (Eastern) Division, and Major-General Sir H. Jeudwine, met on the afternoon of Thursday 29 November to consider the position and to agree to what plan of action to take using what troops and equipment that they had at their disposal. Resultant of the two Divisional Commanders meeting, reserve machine guns were placed to cover Villiers Guislain; and at the same time the Commanding Officer of Percy s battalion, Lieutenant Colonel N.T. Rolls, and that of the 11th (Service) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel T.S. Wollocombe, were both informed of the virtual certainty of an enemy attack, and were ordered to carry out reconnoiters of the ground between Vaucellette Farm and the village 54

55 of Gonnelieu as soon as possible. Warning orders were issued by the 12th (Eastern) Division, re the buildup of enemy troops, and of the probable reason for it happening. As a sensible precaution, four 18 pounder artillery batteries were directed to carry out harassing fire on Honnecourt of two hours duration, commencing at 0500 hours on Friday 30 November, and as such the attack mounted by the Germans on the day that Percy was killed on action was not a surprise. At the cessation of the British 18 pounders firing, their opposite numbers on the enemy sided then started firing, which had included the heavy shelling of the brigade situated on the left flank of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division. With losses of men mounting and structural damage being caused where the left flank of the 55th Division was situated, Percy s battalion, and the 11th (Service) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment were promptly ordered to stand to, in preparation of being sent to reinforce where and when necessary. Unfortunately as was sometimes the case during the Great War (and others), communications quickly became a problem on Friday 30 November, which resulted in Divisional Headquarters and Brigade Headquarters losing touch with their battalions, for a period of approximately three quarters of an hours duration from 0700 hours until 0745 hours. A message did manage to eventually get through from the 55th (West Lancashire) Division to the 12th (Eastern) Division, which contained the unwelcome information that the enemy had started advancing from their trenches. In response to the message from the 55th (West Lancashire) Division, at 0845 hours the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was ordered to Vaucellette Farm. Approximately half an hour after Percy s battalion was sent to Vaucellette Farm, the 11th (Service) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment was ordered to Quentin Mill, it being in response that the enemy were in Villiers Guislain. Having already been stood to, it was only about twenty minutes after the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was ordered to Vaucellette Farm that the move got under way. Upon reaching Vaucellette Farm, which had been and continued to be shelled by German artillery, Percy s battalion found that it was being held by only a small party of personnel of the Loyal, North Lancashire Regiment, 55th (West Lancashire) Division. Following its arrival at Vaucellette Farm, the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) established contact with the 11th (Service) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment on the left of Percy s battalion, and with other details of other 12th (Eastern) Division troops on its right. Percy s battalion was soon engaged in a number of separate actions, which had included the farm being garrisoned by five platoons, which were commanded by Captain A.L. Parish. Shortly after Captain Parish had distributed his men, an attack on the farm was mounted by enemy troops which was successfully repulsed. Seven platoons were ordered to occupy Chapel Hill to the north east of Vaucellette Farm, leaving a company in support, at which time the enemy was holding the Sugar Beet Factory, Chapel Crossing and Gauche Wood. As Friday 30 November 1917 wore on, the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was engaged in a number of engagements with the German infantry. 55

56 KENTON, ALBERT GEORGE. Gunner, North Riding Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died Friday 26 April Aged 28. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Dover, Kent. Resided Eastry, Kent. Son of Walter Kenton of Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Eva M. Kenton (née Hopper) of Felderland, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Proven, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: X. C. 23. At the time of the 1901 census the Kenton family resided at Paradise Row, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 39 year old widower Walter Kenton who was a native of Sandwich, Kent, and employed as a Corn Store Keeper (Miller). On the day that Albert died, his battery was near Mount Kemmel during the final stages of the German advance and capture of that strategically important position. The Fourth Battle of Ypres, or Fourth Ypres, the so-called Kaiserschlacht ran from Tuesday 9 to 29 April 1918, also known as the Battle of Lys and encompasses the Battle of Estaires from Tuesday 9 to Thursday 11 April, of Messines from Wednesday 10 to Thursday 11 April, of Hazebrouck from Friday 12 to Monday 15 April, of Bailleul from Saturday 13 to Monday 15 April, of Kemmel from Wednesday 17 to Friday 19 April, of Bethune on the Thursday 18 April, Second Kemmel from Thursday 25 to Friday 26 April, and of Scherpenberg on Monday 29 April. An offensive was launched by the German Army using troops released from fighting in the East, following the end of the war on the Eastern Front. The Germans aimed to crush the Allies before the Americans, who had now entered the war, could swing the numerical superiority back to the Allies. The action started in the Somme area and then moved to the Ypres sector. Ypres was almost lost but the Allies were able to regroup after the Germans called a temporary halt in their advance. KENTON, WALTER JAMES. Private, L/ nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 85th Brigade, 28th Division. Died Monday 8 February Aged 25. Born Woodnesborough, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of William and Grace Kenton (née Greenstreet) of 7, Moat Sole, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 12. At the time of the 1901 census the Kenton family resided at Richborough Wall, Woodnesborough, Sandwich, Kent. Head of house was 51 year old Woodnesborough native William Kenton who was employed as a Tile Maker. At the commencement of the Great War, as was the case with many other regular battalions of the British army at the time, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was stationed in India. As the L prefix on Walter s number is indicative of him having been a regular soldier, it would seem very likely that he would have been one the soldiers in India. The battalion was at Wellington, Madras, and after being relieved by soldiers of the Territorial Force, who when they had enlisted would have done so for For Home Service Only, the battalion embarked at 56

57 Bombay on 16 November 1914 onboard the Cunard ship Ultonia. On 23 December the battalion arrived at Plymouth and from there went to Winchester, Hampshire, where it became part of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division. On 17 January 1915 the battalion left from Southampton, heading for France and arrived at the busy port of Harve. Later the battalion went by train to Hazebrouck, arriving there on 21 January and then marched to Rouge-Croix. On 28 January 1915 the 85th Brigade, 28th Division was inspected by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, and the Commander in Chief. On 2 February 1915 the battalion moved to Ouderdom, and on 4 February moved forward to take up its position in the reserve line at Bedford House, the stay was brief as the battalion returned back to Ouderdom the following day. Whilst at Ouderdom, their brigade received the news that their comrades of the 83rd Brigade, 28th Division were being attacked by the Germans to the south east of Ypres, and as the result of which, two battalions of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division were quickly dispatched to help the battalions of the 83rd Brigade. Two hours after the initial two battalions had departed from Ouderdom, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) and the 3rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, both departed for Ypres, and once there both battalions were held in a state of readiness at the cavalry barracks there. Doubtless as the result of the fluidity of battles around Ypres at that time, having been told that the two battalions would not be needed, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) started to march back to Ouderdom at 0430 hours the next day, but was then informed that other units of the 28th Division would be needing help, it being the 85th Brigade which was in trouble to the south of Ypres. What then amounted to counter marches, resulted in the battalion returning to the cavalry barracks at Ypres again, but on that occasion in the company of the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. The battalion then took over trenches which were located along the Ypres-Comines Canal on 6 February where the battalion Headquarters was at Ferme Chapelle. The trenches that the battalion took over at the Ypres-Comines Canal, had previously been occupied by French troops and were in appalling condition, and not what of the same standard as those normally built and maintained by the British. Apart from the discomfort which the battalion personnel had to endure because the trenches were for the most part all knee deep in water, was the state of the trench parapets. As the direct result of waterlogged trenches, there was a marked increase in the members of the battalion suffering from swollen feet, and with frostbite. Although purely supposition, but possibly some of the members of the battalion who lost their lives whilst ensconced in the former French trenches, might not have been killed had the trench parapets, and attendant works been of a much higher standard, as the parapets were recorded as not being able to even stop a bullet. Walter was amongst 11 other ranks in his battalion that died on Monday 8 February 1915, nine of whom SDGW records as killed in action, including Walter. 57

58 KIDD, ARTHUR GEORGE. Sapper, st Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died Saturday 1 July Aged 37. Born Sydenham, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Only son of George and Harriet Kidd. Buried Wailly Orchard Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. C. 10. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. At the time of the 1901 census the Kidd family resided at Gladstone Road, Farnborough, Kent. Head of the house was 54 year old Rye, Sussex native George Kidd. Arthur was recorded by the census enumerator as being a 22 year old Coach Painter. KNOWLES, CHARLES WILLIAM. Private, G/ nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division. Died Sunday 15 October Aged 37. Son of Mrs. E. A. Gardner (formerly Knowles) of Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Born Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted Newhaven, Sussex. Buried Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-l'Abbe, Somme, France. Grave Ref: III. E. 28. At the time of the 1901 census, Charles was employed as a Fishmonger, residing at 3, Denmark Road, Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Head of the house was Charles s 47 year old uncle, who was a fellow Ramsgate native, and recorded by the census enumerator as being an Own Account Fishmonger, and he was also probably also Charles s employer. From Woking, Surrey, Charles s battalion went to Southampton on 12 August 1914, where it embarked on two ships, the SS Olympia and SS Agapenor, and arrived at the port of Harve the following day to serve on the Western Front, where it then remained for the rest of the Great War. Charles s regimental number is indicative of a soldier who had served in one of the Home Counties Service Battalions, and as such he would not have been one of the regular soldiers that went to France with his battalion on 12 August SDGW records Charles as having died of wounds, but of course no references to actual dates of any soldiers woundings are contained therein. Adding to the difficulty in trying to ascertain when, where, or how Charles had been mortally wounded, is the fact that from the second week of the Battle of the Somme 1916, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment had served within the area of the battle. Like virtually every other British battalion that fought on the Somme in 1916, the fortunes of Charles s battalion fluctuated on an almost daily basis, with the changes in the numbers of all categories of casualties being reflective of what and where the battalion was on any given date. A number of significant dates between the second week of July 1916, and prior to Charles s demise, which had resulted in a large number of casualties suffered by his battalion, are clearly revealed by the war diary entries of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 58

59 LANE, A.C. As commemorated on the Sandwich, Kent, civic war memorial is possibly the following Sandwich native, who at the time of his death on 3 June 1915 was a civilian. LANE, ARTHUR CHARLES. Died Thursday 3 June Aged 36. Born Sandwich, Kent Son of Henry and Jane Ann Lane (née Philpott). A number of census entries appertaining to Henry and Jane Ann Lane and their children, shows that they had resided for a number of years at The Chain, Sandwich, Kent. At the time of the 1881 and 1891 censuses, Windsor, Berkshire, native Henry was recorded as being an Army Instructor. On the 1901 census by which time he had retired from the army, aged 64 at the time, Henry was recorded as being employed as a Seed Merchants Clerk. Mrs. Jane Ann Lane was a native of Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent, and was fourteen years her husbands junior. Arthur was recorded by the census enumerator at the time of the 1891 census a being employed as a Port Errand Boy. Suspecting that Arthur was numbered amongst the thousands of Commonwealth casualties from or resultant of both world wars that still are not commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the owners and compilers of the website purchased a copy of Arthur s death certificate, which shows that Arthur s death occurred at 17, The Chain, Sandwich, Kent, on Thursday 3 June Mrs. Jane Ann Lane (Arthur s mother) of the above address was present at his death, and she was also the informant of his death. Immediately prior to his death Arthur was employed as a Hotel Porter at the St. George Hotel, South Kensington, London. His death certificate states that Arthur probably died of Tuberculosis, and in view of the staggering number of Royal Navy and Mercantile Marine Stokers of the Great War period, who died of Tuberculosis during or shortly after that war, a number checks were made in an attempt to ascertain if Arthur had served as a naval Stoker, but regrettably all of the additional checks made thus far have been to no avail. As vast numbers of former and serving army personnel who died during and post the Great War, as the results of being gassed, have been recorded on their death certificates as having died of Tuberculosis, or Probably/Possibly Tuberculosis, it would seem that the same could also be applicable to Sandwich native Arthur Charles Lane. In the fullness of time it is the intention of the owners and compilers of the website website, to not only positively identify the person who is commemorated on the Sandwich, Kent, civic war memorial as A.C. LANE, but also if required to then purchase and eventually amass sufficient irrefutable evidence, in the form of additional official documentation, as part of our ongoing efforts to get every casualty that our Kent commemoration researches reveal as having no form of official commemoration. If the additional research findings then reveal that A.C. LANE has no headstone marking his final resting place, we will then ensure that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is made aware of same, and see that a regulation pattern is then placed on his grave if he was interred, irrespective of where his grave is located. 59

60 LANGLEY, HUBERT JOHN. Private, G/ "A" Company 10th (Kent County) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). 118th Brigade, 39th Division. Died Saturday 1 July Aged 21. Born Worth, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Son of John and Sarah Ann Langley of 33, Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Tancrez Farm Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Grave Ref: I. H. 33. At the time of the 1901 census the Langley family resided at The Butchery, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was Journeyman Carpenter, John Ann Langley who was aged 37 and was a native of Sandwich. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Hubert s SDGW entry incorrectly records him with the Christian name Herbert. The 10th (Kent County) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). One of the questions that the transcriber has been asked on a number of occasions over the years, mainly by relatives of men who served and/or died serving in the 10th (Kent County) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), was why was the battalion called the Kent County, and some of their suppositions of same have on occasions been somewhat fanciful. The battalion was raised at Maidstone the county town of Kent on 3 May 1915 by Lord Harris who was a Vice Lieutenant of Kent, at the request of the Army Council. Lord Harris s request from the Army Council in early 1915 had not in fact been for another infantry battalion, as the Army Council asked him to appeal to various local government bodies within the county of Kent, for assistance in recruiting a brigade of artillery, which as far as was possible was to be found by different towns and villages in Kent. Ultimately the various government bodies which were contacted by Lord Harris did not feel able to undertake the request from the Army Council, but put forward an alternative suggestion that they raised an infantry battalion on a county wide basis, much along the lines of the request for a brigade of artillery. Contained in the reply to the Army Council, was also the suggestion that Colonel A. Wood Martyn, the Secretary of the Kent Territorial Association, who was a former officer of the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), should be given command of the new battalion. Another of the suggestions that as the battalion was to be raised on a county wide basis included east Kent, the traditional recruiting area of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), that the battalion should include (Kent County) as part of its official title, a suggestion which the Army Council agreed to. It was actually Colonel A. Wood Martyn who undertook by far and away most of the actual recruiting, as opposed to much input to same by the various local councils. Colonel A. Wood Martyn toured extensively around Kent, making speeches from his car, and was assisted by a band which used his own instruments; the musicians in the band came all the way from Blackpool, Lancashire, as none were available in Kent at that time. Captain C.V. Molony of the 1st Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), was back in England recovering from his wounds inflicted whilst fighting on the Ypres Salient in Belgium, and he was made second-in-command 60

61 of the new battalion and promoted to the rank of Major. After the Great War, Major Molony authored the superb book Invicta with the 1st Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) in the Great War, which was published in 1923 by Nisbit and Co. Ltd. Amongst the many locations visited by Colonel A. Wood Martyn during his personal recruiting drives (no pun intended), had been Sandwich, Kent where Hubert enlisted, possibly on the same day that the Colonel was in the town. Most of the 10th (Kent County) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) initial early training of its recruits was carried out at Penenden Heath near Maidstone, prior to being billeted at Maidstone on 1 November When first formed, the battalion was assigned to the 118th Brigade, 39th Division, before becoming part of the123rd Brigade, 41st Division during October Hubert s battalion was later taken over by the War Office, and in January 1916 went to Wellington Lines, Aldershot, Hampshire. It was as part of the 123rd Brigade, 41st Division in the Second Army that the Hubert s battalion went to France on 4 May 1916, by which time Major Molony had returned to the 1st Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), and the post of second-in-command of Hubert s battalion had passed to Major W.F. Soames. On the battalions arrival in France, Captain S.H. Beattie joined it and was placed in command of "A" Company, which Hubert served in. After three weeks of additional training in May 1916, which was carried out in the area around Moolenacker, near Stranzeele, the 41st Division relieved the 9th Division in trenches which were located between Armentières and Ploegsteert. Although the 41st Division remained in the Armentières and Ploegsteert area for almost three months, it was engaged in very few engagements with enemy forces, save for a number of fairly minor trench raids being carried out by both sides. Casualties numbering in excess of 130 of different types were inflicted on the 10th (Kent County) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) during that three month period; some were resultant of the trench raids and other when being subjected to intermittent enemy artillery bombardments, some of which were at various times heavy. Five officer casualties occurred during the three month period that was spent in the Armentières and Ploegsteert area, including Captain Robert L. Pillman who was mortally wounded on 8 June 1916, and succumbed to his wounds the following day. On Saturday 1 July 1916, when Hubert died he was one of seven other ranks in his battalion. 61

62 LAWRANCE, WILLIAM JOHN. Company Serjeant Major, th Field Company, (Guards Division), Royal Engineers. Died Thursday 27 September Aged 35. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Husband of Maud Lawrance (née Little) of 105, Cecil Road, Rochester, Kent. Buried Sanders Keep Military Cemetery, Graincourt-les-Havrincourt, Pas de Calais. France. Grave Ref: I. A. 10. At the time of the 1901 census, William was aged 18 and employed as a Carpenters Apprentice, residing at Fisher Street, Sandwich Kent. Head of the house was 43 year old John Clayson, who was a native of Nackington, Canterbury, Kent, and employed as a Bricklayers Labourer. John was married to 43 year old Bertha Clayson, who was a native of Sandwich. William and his 13 year old sister were recorded by the census enumerator as being the children of John and Bertha Clayson, but were possibly John s step-children. Frustratingly, time has precluded the transcriber of these brief commemorations ascertaining anything about William s military career, which when taking into account his rank and age at the time of his death, it might very well have been not only interesting but possibly also quite complex. LONG, ARTHUR WATTS. Private, G/763. 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Saturday 11 November Born St. Mary s, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Buried Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: III. D. 6. Prior to his army enlistment in 1914 at the age of 33, for a period of 3 years with the colours and 9 years in the army reserve, at which time he was attested to The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), Arthur had been employed a Labourer. Because he died of wounds it has not been possible to ascertain where, when or how Arthur s mortal wounding took place, but he was particularly unfortunate to have been wounded during a period of comparative inactivity by his battalion and enemy troops. Having taken part in the Battle of the Somme 1916 the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) as part of the 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division, left the Somme on French motor buses, and moved to the Beaumetz area near Arras. The battalion remained in the Arras sector for the remainder of Purely speculation on the part of the transcriber of these brief commemorations, and should therefore be viewed as such, but it might be of significance re Arthur s wounding, that on Wednesday 8 November 1916, a small German raiding party which was comprised of only about fifteen men, raided the 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division front. Although the enemy raid was unsuccessful, its participants did manage to reach the 37th Brigade wire. During the enemy raid small arms fire was exchanged by both sides, and one of the raiding party who had been wounded, remained as a prisoner after his comrades had withdrawn at the cessation of the raid, which had probably been undertaken as an intelligence gathering mission. 62

63 MacNALLY, CHARLES FREDERICK. Rifleman, th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade. 80th Brigade, 27th Division. Died Thursday 15 July Born Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Buried Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. Grave Ref: II. F. 20. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Charles s medal card entry records that he entered the French war theatre on 20 December 1914, and that he was killed in action on 15 July At the commencement of the Great War, the 4th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade was at Dagshai, India, and remained in India until October 1914 when the battalion left Bombay for England. The battalion, which doubtless would have had Charles on its strength arrived at Devonport on Thursday 19 November From Devonport a move was made to Magdalen Camp, Winchester, Hampshire. The stay back in England was of necessity of only a month s duration, and on Sunday 20 December 1914, 27 officers and 921 other ranks of the battalion embarked on the SS Austerlind, and sailed for Harve, France the following day. Whilst in no way wishing to court controversy, but the transcriber of these brief commemorations has noticed over the last fifty plus years, that arguably the Great War casualties of the Rifle Brigade have been amongst the easiest to research. The History of the Rifle Brigade in the War of , Volume 1 ( ), was written by Reginald Berkeley M.C., and published in 1927 by Butler & Tanner Ltd, on behalf of the Rifle Brigade Club. Volume 2 ( ) was written by William W. Seymour, and was published by the same firm in 1936, in addition to which is an excellent appendix which lists all gallantry award recipients. In addition to the above, are a series called The Rifle Brigade Chronicle which records events etcetera on a yearly basis over several years, which again are also arguably the best of their type for any regiment or corps. Despite checking each of the above relevant publications, it has not been possible to ascertain thus far where, when, or how Charles lost his life, which would appear to have probably been as the result of a minor action, as when checking SDGW he is recorded as being the sole death in the 4th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, and his entry shows him as having been killed in action. It is well known that when checked against other more reliable record sources, that for a whole host of reasons SDGW is found to contains thousands of different errors, and as such due to the fact that the transcriber of these brief commemorations has not personally sighted Charles s death certificate (which also might not be accurate), or any other supporting documentation, it is possible that killed in action might be erroneous, but his death might of course be as the result of sniper or enemy artillery activity. Unfortunately it has also not been possible thus far to positively identify his parents for inclusion here. 63

64 MAY, GODFREY JAMES. Able Seaman, J/ Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Calypso." Died Friday 30 November Aged 21. Born Woodnesborough, Sandwich, Kent 1 March Son of Thomas George and Julia May of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 21, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. At the time of the 1901 census the May family resided at Water Farm, Stourmouth, Canterbury, Kent. Head of the house was 28 year old Ash, Kent native Thomas George who was employed as a Carter on a farm. Prior to joining the Royal Navy Godfrey had been employed as a Labourer, he enlisted in the Royal Navy at Chatham, Kent as a Boy, on a 12 year engagement on 17 March The J prefix on Godfrey s official number as shown above is indicative of his Junior enlistment status. Godfrey carried out his basic training at H.M.S. Vivid which was the Royal Naval Barracks at Keyham, Plymouth, Devon. As a Boy Second Class, after leaving H.M.S. Vivid on completion of his training, Godfrey joined H.M.S. Prince Of Wales on 19 October 1913, she was a battleship of the Queen class, built at Chatham, Kent, and launched in March 1902, and completed in March The Queen class battleships were very similar to the Formidable and London classes, and had a ships complement of 714 officers and ratings. On 28 October 1913 only shortly after joining the battleship, Godfrey s rating was raised to a Boy First Class. H.M.S. Prince Of Wales had served with the Mediterranean Fleet until February 1909, when she transferred to the Atlantic Fleet as Flagship. In May 1912 she joined the Home Fleet, and on the outbreak of war in August 1914 was assigned to the Channel Fleet s 5th Battle Squadron as Flagship, by which time Godfrey had both rejoined the ship, and left it having spent a short time onboard the 15,000 ton H.M.S. Venerable which was a London class pre dreadnought battleship. On his return to H.M.S. Prince Of Wales, Godfrey s service as a Boy finished and he became an Ordinary Seaman. Although Godfrey had rejoined H.M.S. Prince Of Wales, at the time that she had been assigned to the Channel Fleet s 5th Battle Squadron as a Flagship, he was serving on the 3,500 ton light cruiser H.M.S. Aruthusa, having joined her from the Chatham naval barracks H.M.S. Pembroke a week after the commencement of the Great War. H.M.S. Arethusa was the name ship of the Arethusa class of light cruisers, and was laid down at Chatham Dockyard in October 1912, launched on 25 October 1913, and commissioned in August 1914 as flotilla leader for the Harwich Destroyer flotillas. It would appear when viewing the combinations of the above dates appertaining to Geoffrey s service at H.M.S. Pembroke, and H.M.S. Arethusa, it would seem to indicate that Godfrey had been amongst commissioning crew of H.M.S. Arethusa. On 28 August 1914 H.M.S. Arethusa fought at the Battle of Heligoland Bight, flying the flag of Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt. She was seriously damaged by the German cruisers S.M.S. Frauenlob and S.M.S. Stettin and had to be towed home. On 25 December 1914 she took part in the Cuxhaven Raid, and on 24 January

65 she fought at the Battle of Dogger Bank. On 1 April 1915 Godfrey s rating was raised to that of Able Seaman. Later in 1915 H.M.S. Arethusa was transferred to the 5th Light Cruiser squadron of the Harwich force, and in September 1915 she captured four German trawlers. Following more time spent at H.M.S. Pembroke, Chatham, Godfrey joined H.M.S. Duncan on 20 July 1915, it being the day after she recommissioned at Chatham, and was attached to the 9th Cruiser Squadron on the Finistère-Azores-Madeira Station; Godfrey served on her until 20 December H.M.S. Duncan was the 13,745 ton lead ship of the six-ship Duncan class of Royal Navy pre dreadnought battleships, and was laid down by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Blackwall, on 10 July 1899, launched on 21 March 1901, and completed in October Following a few weeks serving on the Merchant Fleet Auxiliary vessel Maganita, Godfrey rejoined H.M.S. Duncan on 11 April 1916, and served on her for another fourteen months, before returning to H.M.S. Pembroke on 11 April When viewing Godfrey s record of service in the Royal Navy, it was noted that he had on a number of occasions either been amongst an original commissioning crew of a ship, or joined others immediately following a complete refit of a ship, and was also applicable to his last ship H.M.S. Calypso. The 4,130 ton H.M.S. Calypso was built by Hawthorn Leslie & Co. of Hebburn-on-Tyne, and laid down on 7 February 1916, she was launched on 24 January 1917 and completed June H.M.S. Calypso joined the 6th Light cruiser squadron in June 1917, and on 17 November 1917 took part in the Heligoland Bight engagement when the entire bridge personnel including the commanding officer were all killed by a shell. In November 1918 she was sent to the Baltic and it was whilst so engaged that Godfrey was lost overboard from H.M.S. Calypso and was drowned. A board of enquiry later came to the conclusion he was Accidentally Drowned, and that nobody was to blame for his death at sea. A month after Geoffrey s death, H.M.S. Calypso along with H.M.S. Caradoc and the destroyers H.M.S. Vendetta, H.M.S. Vortigern and H.M.S. Wakefull captured the Bolshevik Destroyers Avtroil and Spartak on Boxing Day During the Second World War H.M.S. Calypso served in the Home Fleet 1939 and in the Mediterranean Fleet in She was torpedoed and sunk on 12 June 1940 by the Italian Regina Marina Submarine Bagnlini which was commanded by Lieutenant Commander Franco Tosoni- Pittoni, approximately 45 nautical miles south of Khania Island, Greece. The commander of H.M.S. Calypso 43 year old Captain Henry A. Rowley D.S.O., R.N. survived the sinking but was lost with H.M.S. Gloucester on 22 May 1941 when enemy dive-bombers destroyed H.M.S. Gloucester and the new cruiser H.M.S. Fiji on the same day. 65

66 MOUNT, GEORGE. Private, T/ A Company, 10th (Royal East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 230th Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. Died Wednesday 31 October Aged 24. Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Son of Thomas George and Annie Bertha Mount (née Foster) of 24, New Street, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel. Grave Ref: M. 13. Formerly Private, 2763, 3/1st East Kent Yeomanry. At the time of the 1901 census the Mount family resided at New Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 38 year old Sandwich native Thomas George Mount, who was a Hairdresser working from home. George was killed in action during the Battle of Beersheba, in Palestine. He served in Egypt and Palestine, and had been amongst the officers and other ranks that were posted to A Company, 10th (Royal East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), on 1 March A major logistic problem which faced the supply officers and others at the time of the Battle of Beersheba in Palestine was the shortage of water. Most of the Egyptian drinking water came via a pipeline of approximately 150 miles in length, which ran from Kantara to Wadi Ghuzze, from where it was transported to the troops in the desert mainly on camels. The use of italics re drinking water is not an error, but is by way of drawing the readers eye to same, the reason being that in years gone by the transcriber of these brief commemorations questioned veterans of the campaign about Egypt and Palestine, and from memory it would seem that without fail, all at some stage in the conversations had mentioned the water. Of course in addition to the soldiers need for the precious liquid, it was also needed for the horses and mules, and the water supply problems have been mentioned here by way of illustrating the difficulties faced by George and his comrades. Another feature which was referred to by the veterans was the climate and that on most days the temperature was very high, and was in stark contrast with how cold it sometimes was at nighttime. The full moon towards the end of October 1917 marked the start of the offensive which cost George his life on Wednesday 31 October General Sir Edmund Allenby as part of his orders for the battle had issued one to the effect that prior to the attack all of the units were to form up silently. A number books, and people who survived the battle make mention of how quiet the forming up stages were, which in addition to infantry had also included the movement of transport, cavalry and artillery. On Tuesday 30 October 1917 the 10th (Royal East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) spent a quiet day at Khasif, which was some six to seven miles distant from the Turkish positions, and the same night the 74th (Yeomanry) Division crossed the Wadi Saba and deployed in battle positions, the 231st Brigade on the right and the 230th Brigade which included George s battalion on the left. At around midnight the artillery also crossed the Wadi Saba, and 0315 hours the following morning had its guns in place along the Wadi Abushar. As part of the preparations for the overall Battle of Gaza, including Beersheba and Tel el Sheria, for a few weeks before the battle, comprehensive maps had been drawn 66

67 up, signposts erected, and very sensibly virtually every wadi had been given an English name as well as its Arabic name, which is the reason why in some books etcetera, George s battalion is recorded as having spent several uncomfortable hours on the night of 30/31 October 1917 waiting in Sussex Wadi. Following the battle plans that had been drawn up by Major-General E.S. Girdwood, the attack was carried out by the 60th and 74th (Yeomanry) Divisions which made frontal attacks, and by a mounted force which was mainly comprised of ANZAC troops that crossed the dessert to mount another attack on the Turkish flank. The enemy positions primarily consisted of a line of trenches which were cut in the limestone rock, and cleverly sited on the forward slope of a deep gully. A series of communication trenches ran back into sloping ground at the rear, and barbed wire was in place about 70 to 100 yards down the slope in front. Turkish machine gun positions numbered Z6 & Z7 were the assigned objectives for attack by the 10th (Royal East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). In addition to the main enemy defensive line were well placed advanced machine gun and sniper posts, which had been built for the sole purpose of enfilading the succession of crests and defiles over which any attacking soldiers would be committed to cross. Range cards were later found in the advanced machine gun and sniper posts, and which were a good indication that the Ottoman Empire troops, or probably more correctly their German instructors, had not only been well prepared for any attack, but had done a thorough job prior to same. Very soon after George s battalion had started its advance, the leading waves of B and C Companies were both subjected to heavy shrapnel fire from the left, which resulted in over 50 casualties in the battalion. By using wadis and dead ground as cover, the battalion reached Hill 960 which was some 1,200 yards from their objective, having reached it within the time scale estimated for same by Major-General Girdwood and his staff. It had been increasingly difficult for George s battalion to keep in touch with the Brigade on its right, and as the result of which D Company who were being held in reserve was sent to fill the gap between the battalion and the soldiers of the Norfolk Regiment, who had continued to head for their assigned enemy objectives. A welcome pause of between two to three hours was made by the 10th (Royal East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), because the line could not advance until Hill 1070, which was a Turkish position to the right of the battalion, had fallen. By 1000 hours Hill 1070 and the whole of the rear of it were taken, and as the result of same, at 1215 hours the all the line was ordered to attack the Turkish positions. Upon reaching the enemy positions, virtually all of the attacking battalions found that the barbed wire entanglements had for the most part been undamaged by the earlier artillery bombardments, and were still intact. Despite the problems which George s battalion encountered at the Turkish wire, by 1245 hours the enemy position was in the hands of his battalion. Having captured the Turkish position it was then consolidated and an outpost line was put out on high ground to its rear, where a number of casualties were suffered by the battalion, as the result of the combination of enemy snipers, and machine gun fire. 67

68 PAY, JOHN JAMES. Private, G/199. 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Wednesday 23 February Born and enlisted Ash, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panels 15 to 19, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. John s medal index card entry records that he entered the French war theatre on 1 June 1915, and that he was killed in action on 23 February From 10 December 1915, the 12th (Eastern) Division had served in the Givenchy sector with its headquarters located at Bethune, having relieved the 33rd Division there. Several commentators have made very similar comments and references about the appalling conditions which were endured by the front lines troops in the area at that time, where most of the casualties were resultant of illness as opposed to the activities of the enemy. On the night of 18/19 January the 12th (Eastern) Division was relived by the 2nd Division and back to the reserve area near Busnes. During the time spent in the reserve area, whilst some time was spent playing sports and relaxing, but wisely training was still carried out, notably in the art of open warfare. Eventually the 12th (Eastern) Division was sent back to the front, the 36th Brigade being the first to go into the line on the night of 12/13 February 1916, to occupy positions in the vicinity of the Quarries in the Loos area. By 15 February 1916 the 12th (Eastern) Division, with its headquarters at Sailly la Bourse, had relived the Dismounted Cavalry Division, and held the line from the Quarries to the north of the Hohenzollen Redoubt which had cost John s battalion dear the previous October, and it was effectively virtually the same area that the 12th (Eastern) Division had handed over in November Over the next three months the 12th (Eastern) Division endured what a number of regimental historians and the like, have described as being the most arduous and/or intense of the Great War. In addition to the officers and other ranks who died as the result of shelling and German small arms fire, plus the extensive use of the heavy minenwerfers (mine-throwers), many men lost their lives due to the weather and the resultant ground conditions, which meant that for a lot of the time that was spent actually in the trenches, they were waist deep in water, with several of them drowning in the mud. It was also a period and location where mines were blown by both sides night and day, with the British troops under orders to immediately occupy any mine-crater that had been made within sixty yards of their front lines positions, and in so doing deny their opponents the opportunity to put them to use as an extension of the German front line. John was one of six other ranks deaths in his battalion which occurred on Wednesday 23 February 1916, another being Nonington, Kent, native and resident Private Thomas James Pay who was a regular soldier. As is unfortunately the case with the vast majority of non officer deaths, it has not been possible to ascertain exactly how John lost his life. Whilst there was a lot of mining activities being undertaken at the time of his demise, it would seem unlikely that John s death was as the result of same. 68

69 PHILPOTT, F. No clear trace. Although only seven Great War matching casualties are commemorated by the CWGC, four of which have clear Kent connections, albeit none of which are Sandwich. In an attempt to trace this casualty, variants of the Philpott surname and different initials were entered on several different data sources, which resulted in more casualties being revealed, many of whom were Kent natives or residents, but regrettably all to no avail for an exact or even a possible match with Sandwich. PITTOCK, ALBERT BERT. Serjeant, th Reinforcements, B Company, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Died at sea Saturday 14 September Born Porthcawl, Glamorganshire, Wales. Son of Albert and Annie Pittock (née Sanders) of 7, Knightrider Street, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Wellington Provincial Memorial, New Zealand. At the time of the 1901 census the Pittock family resided at Potter Street, Sandwich. Head of the house was 30 year old Sandwich, Kent native Albert Pittock, who was employed as a Carpenter. Prior to enlisting in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Albert had been employed as a Marine Steward. Having embarked on 10 July 1918, Albert died of disease whilst en route from Wellington, New Zealand to Plymouth, Devon, via the Cape of Good Hope, Albert was amongst the 1,109 people onboard the 7,585 ton Union Steamship Company of New Zealand Ltd ship, Tahiti, which was in use at the time as the New Zealand troopship, H.M.N.Z.T. (107). At the time of Albert s death, the 40th Reinforcements, New Zealand Expeditionary Force was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel R.C. Allen. The Wellington Provincial Memorial, upon which Albert is commemorated is situated in Wellington (Karori) Cemetery on Karori Road, in the north-western part of Wellington. The memorial was originally built to commemorate sixty five soldiers from the Wellington Military District who died during the Great War and who were all buried at sea, one of whom was Albert. The names of twenty servicemen who lost their lives during the Second World War, and who have no known grave were subsequently added to this memorial. 69

70 PITTOCK, GEORGE. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. Died Saturday 18 November Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Buried Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, Somme, France. Grave Ref: IX. G. 6. Probably the son of George Thomas and Mary Jemima Pittock (née Revell) of 10, Court Lodge Road, Gillingham, Kent, and a brother of the next casualty briefly commemorated. At the time of the 1901 census the Pittock family resided at The Butts, Sandwich. Head of the house was 36 year old Dover native George Thomas Pittock who was employed as a Labourer. George (junior) was aged 4, and his brother John (below) was aged 1. Also recorded on the same census was a 4 month old George Pittock residing with his parents Albert and Annie Pittock at Potter Street, and who was brother of Albert Pittock, the last casualty briefly commemorated above. Mention is made of the younger George on the offchance that he is the soldier commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial, which would mean that he would have lied about his age to enlist. Although the day on which Frederick lost his life is recorded as the last day of The Battle of the Somme 1916, as that was the date chosen for same by Sir Douglas Haig. In the case of the 7th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) it was nonetheless an eventful and costly one, by days end over 60 had been killed most falling during an attack on a enemy trench complex called Desire, which ran roughly parallel to the British trench line named Regina. With rumors rife alluding to the scaling down of operations due to the onset of winter, it was something of an unwelcome directive from the battalions brigade HQ (55 Brigade) on 16 November 1916 to be ready for action the following day, going into forward trenches replacing soldiers of the Cheshire Regiment and the Welch Regiment on 17 November, the battalion subsequently were in action all day adjacent to Mouquet (Mucky) Farm which is equidistant of Pozieres and Thiepval on the D73, somewhat over shadowed by events of the 18 November the battalion nonetheless lost an officer, Lance Corporal and a private, plus six other ranks wounded on 17 November. Having assembled in the snow earlier in the morning on 18 November with the rest of their brigade, the attack began at 0610 hours moving forward to attacked each of the four battalion s of the brigade s allotted enemy positions, but the attack was held up at times notably when subjected to intense enemy shelling at about 0645 hours, by 0810 hours the soldiers of the 8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment entered Desire Trench where Canadian troops were consolidating their position gained, enemy resistance was both heavy and costly, although by the curtailment of the days fighting both Hessian and Zollern Trench had been reached, in addition to Desire, the battalion casualties however by the end of the action were 3 officers and 64 other ranks killed, in addition to which others were recorded as either wounded or missing. 70

71 PITTOCK, JOHN ARTHUR. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, (Battersea) The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 124th Brigade, 41st Division. Died Tuesday 1 October Aged 19. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Chatham, Kent. Resided Gillingham, Kent. Son of George Thomas and Mary Jemima Pittock (née Revell) of 10, Court Lodge Road, Gillingham, Kent. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 14 to 17 and 162 to 162A, and on The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment War Memorial which is located in the north wall of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, Surrey, which houses the Book of Remembrance which lists approximately 8000 officers and other ranks who gave their lives during the years of the Great War. Formerly Private, 38156, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Please see last casualty briefly commemorated above for additional family details. The 10th (Service) Battalion, (Battersea) The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), was raised on 3 June 1915 by His Worship the Mayor, and the Borough of Battersea, and joined the 124th Brigade, 41st Division, at which time the division had only recently been formed on 27 May Following its formation, the battalion carried out most of its latter training at Aldershot, Hampshire for almost a year, at which time it was at Stanhope Lines. On 5 May 1916 the battalion which was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel R. Oakley, left Aldershot on three trains bound for Southampton, and sailed from Southampton for the French port of Harve later the same night, and arrived at the busy French port the following morning. After spending the remainder of its first day in France at a nearby rest camp, at 0500 hours on 7 May the battalion once again was moved by train to Belgium, on that occasion going to Steenbecque, from where the battalion marched to the Outtersteene area where it was billeted. In the Outtersteene area the battalion was engaged in intensive training in preparation for the part it was destined to play in combat. Training completed, on the last day of May the battalion marched to Steenwerck in the Ploegsteert area, where the first of the many Great War casualties which were suffered by the 10th (Service) Battalion, (Battersea) The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) occurred, when Private s A.J. Browett and H.E. Youl were both wounded by shrapnel whilst engaged in work being carried out to improve the trenches. Over battalion casualty roll whilst in Belgium started to rise following its occupancy of some of the Ploegsteert trenches on 4 June As was the case with many of the British infantry battalions which were serving in Belgium at the time of the Battle of the Somme 1916, the battalion left Belgium to take in the battle, after a number of moves, the battalion was in trenches to the north east side of Delville Wood, from where it took part in an attack on enemy positions on 15 August 1916, which although successful resulted in more casualties. The battalion later returned to fight in Belgium, and as part of the 41st Division the battalion served in Italy from November 1917, before returning to France on 5 March 1918, and later going back to Belgium. Like many other battalions on the Western Front which took part in the push towards Germany in the final throes of the Great War, the 71

72 successes and failures tended to be more of the former for the 10th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Reading through the battalion war diary entries of the final weeks of the war reveals that on a number of days, whilst the ebb and flow of battle was not all one way, the overall trend was in favour of John s battalion, which is easily illustrated by adding here extracts from the diary for a few days leading up to and including the day that he fell. On 28 September the battalion marched from Brandhoek, to a bivouac area near a location called Swan Château, the march had commenced at 0630 hours and was of four hours duration. At the above location, a doubtless welcome break of about an hour was taken before the march was resumed. In terms of the history of the Great War, the now famous Hill 60 was the eventual destination for the battalion, which it reached having passed by way of Woodcote House, Bedford House, and Ravine Wood. When the battalion took its position in the assembly area at Hill 60 prior to zero hour of 1500 hours, it formed up with the personnel of A and B Companies in front, and C and D Companies in reserve. When the attack on the enemy commenced, the 10th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was situated on the right of their brigade during the advance, and on the left was the 26th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Bankers). Initially only light enemy opposition was encountered until John s battalion reached the line of Opaque Wood. By 1900 hours the line held ran from Kortewilde to Zandvoorde, and had been at the cost of only about fifteen casualties, but had included three other ranks deaths. The German casualties were numerically higher, and the battalion by days end had captured 63 prisoners, 16 machine guns, a battery of field guns, a howitzer, and a motor-bus. The following morning the battalions of the 123rd Brigade, 41st Division, passed through with orders to reach the line of the River Lys at Comines, at which time the personnel of A and C Companies of the 10th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) were detached to form a flank guard to the 123rd Brigade along the Ypres-Comines Canal. Unfortunately owing to a strong counter attack by the enemy, the soldiers of the 123rd Brigade failed to reach their objective. On the last day of September, the 10th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) and the 26th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Bankers), continued the advance, passing in turn through the 123rd Brigade, and by 1000 hours had reached the banks of the River Lys between Wervicq and Comines, where John s battalion was consolidated in depth on the line of its objective, and captured 29 enemy soldiers, and 25 of their machine guns. On the day that John lost his life his battalion was relieved, and until 7 October 1918 was in the brigade reserve in the Kruiseecke area. The 10th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) suffered two other ranks fatalities on Tuesday 1 October 1918, in addition to John, the other soldier who was killed in action was also a Kent casualty; he being Thomas Albert Goodearl from Biddenden, Ashford, Kent, details of whom including a photograph of his grave taken by Kyle Tallett, which has been added to the work carried out by Neil Clark can be found on the Biddenden pages of 72

73 PORTER, F.H. No clear trace. Only two Great War casualties are commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, who have initials and surname matching the casualty who is commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial. One of the two was English, and the other Australian. Despite spending a lot of time trying to ascertain even the remotest connection with Sandwich or indeed the county of Kent, with either of the CWGC commemorated casualties, unfortunately it was all to no avail. In the book "A History of Sandwich" by William Boys which was published in 1792, reference is made to the fact that many of the family names in and around the town seem to be derived from the Dutch and Walloon refugees who settled there in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Surnames of some of the original settlers were anglicized, one being that of the De Poorter family which became Porter, and as such it would seem likely that this casualty was probably of their line. PRICE, FREDERICK HORACE WALTER. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Wednesday 13 October Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Son of Horace and Louisa Price. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panels 15 to 19. At the time of the 1901 census the Price family resided at Paradise Row, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 33 year old Marden, Kent native Horace Price, who was employed as a Bus Driver. For military historians and other interest parties, and in particular anybody who has had a specific interest in The Buffs throughout its long proud existence, certain dates and events appertaing to the regiment, for a variety of reasons both good and bad immediately spring to mind. The pointless and disastrous heroic attack that was carried out by the 6th (Service) Battalion on Wednesday 13 October 1915 during the Battle of Loos 1915 is one such date. Unfortunately it is recalled not just for the gallantry displayed by all ranks on that fateful day, but also by the number of the battalion casualty return entries. Numerous commentators both professional and amateur, over quite a large span of years have made justifiable comments along the lines that the overall casualties and losses to The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) during the Battle of Loos 1915, are comparable to those of the Pals Battalions that suffered so cruelly during the Battle of the Somme the following year. Every time that the transcriber of these brief commemorations views the Loos Memorial at Dud Corner Cemetery, although visited numerous times, the events of the battle and the regiments involvement are recalled, as numbering 659 casualties, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) is sadly the regiment with the sixth highest number of its soldiers commemorated on the memorial, and apart from the Book of Life in the Warriors Chapel at Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, those honoured on the Loos Memorial constitute the largest remembrance of the regiments fallen anywhere in the world. During the battle the 8th (Service) Battalion had 558 known casualties including 24 officers, and the 6th (Service) Battalion had 409 known casualties including 18 officers. It should also be noted that only 7 members of the 6th 73

74 (Service) Battalion, who fell on 13 October 1915 are at rest in marked graves, the remainder having no known resting place and are all commemorated on the Loos Memorial. On 11 October 1915 after a bitter and costly struggle by both sides engaged in the action, the German army recovered part of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and the made a resolute attack near Loos which was repulsed at an enormous cost. Two days later, orders were issued from the headquarters of the 12th (Eastern) Division for an attack on Hulluch, which were very detailed and precise in every respect. The 37th Brigade which had included Herbert s battalion was to be strengthened by a company of the Northamptonshire Regiment, with the 69th Field Company, Royal Engineers being tasked with joining up with the 35th Brigade. Unlike many other attacks which took place in the early hours of the morning, with darkness affording some protection, but the attack on Wednesday 13 October 1915 was scheduled to commence at 1400 hours in broad daylight. To help compensate for the use of lack of natural light, a smokescreen was detailed to be formed by the use of Threlfallite grenades and smoke candles. To help achieve the desired smokescreen, 1,000 Threlfallite grenades were issued to the troops holding the trenches, with two grenades being thrown into No Man s Land every four minutes, twenty five yards apart. The smoke candles were to be grouped together at the same distance and thrown over the parapet every two minutes. The objective that was designated for assault by the 6th (Service) Battalion at Hulluch on 13 October 1915 was called Gun Trench. As part of the plans for the attack by the 12th (Eastern) Division, a comprehensive plan of fire for the supporting artillery was drawn up which was timed to commence at noon and pause at 1257 hours for three minutes. At the resumption of the artillery bombardment rapid fire was ordered of a minute, thereafter resuming a rate of fire as prior to the brief cessation of firing, until 1400 hours when the infantry attack commenced. The decision by the planning officers re the artillery sequence of fire was quite sound, the thinking behind same being that the three minute respite of firing would fool the opposition into thinking that it was the start of an infantry attack, and that they would then quickly man their trenches and get caught by the brief bombardment of rapid fire. It was also envisaged that when the artillery ceased fire at 1400 hours with the commencement of the infantry attack, the Germans would think that it was another ploy by the British to lure them back into the trenches. But as is sometimes the case in war, not all went according to the thorough plans that had been drawn up. Arguably the most costly setbacks on the actual day being the unsuccessful artillery barrages, combined with wholly ineffective smokescreen which was intended to hide the advance across No Mans Land, to the German lines on the reverse slope at Gun Trench. Quite literally within minutes on Wednesday 13 October 1915, 189 men in the 6th (Service) Battalion were killed, and at least another 222 are known to have been wounded to varying degrees of severity, some of whom sadly had been mortally wounded, the majority of the deaths and woundings were as the result of well placed enemy machine guns. Resulting from the events carried out by Frederick s battalion on 13 October 1915 which was its first battle of the war, other assaulting battalions were able to make significant gains. 74

75 RALPH, HAROLD FRED. Lance Corporal, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. Died Saturday 25 September Born Deal, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Frederick and Caroline Ralph. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panels 13 to15, and on The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment War Memorial which is located in the north wall of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, Surrey, which houses the Book of Remembrance which lists approximately 8000 officers and other ranks who gave their lives during the Great War. Formerly Private, G/2925, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). At the time of the 1901 census the Ralph family resided at The Lord Warden Inn, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 33 year old Deal, Kent native Frederick Ralph. The 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was formed at Guildford, Surrey in early September 1914, and was commanded by Lieutenant- Colonel F.H. Fairtlough, C.M.G. Initially the new battalion was sent to a camp in the Oxen Field, Shoreham, Sussex, which was located on the outskirts of the village on the Shoreham-Steyning road where it joined the 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. A number of moves were made by the battalion within the adjoining counties of Sussex and Surrey, primarily to Worthing and Blackdown before returning to Shoreham again. Harold was one of three Sandwich natives or residents who lost their lives during the Battle of Loos on the same day, whilst serving in the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). At least 84 other ranks deaths in their battalion were recorded following the days events of Tuesday 25 September 1915, which was its first experience of a large action during the Great War, but was unfortunately destined to be the prelude to many others. The overall Battle of Loos cost the battalion dear, with an all inclusive casualty roll of 12 officers and 409 other ranks. Amongst the officers who fell was the Commanding Officer of the battalion, 54 year old Colonel Frederick Howard Fairtlough C.M.G. from Godalming, Surrey, whose 28 year old son Captain Gerard Howard Fairtlough M.C. 423rd Field Company (T.F.) The Royal Engineers, died of wounds in a Base Hospital at Etaples, Pas de Calais, France, on Thursday 13 June Checking SDGW (which does contain errors) shows that by the end of the Great War, the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) had suffered 668 other ranks deaths. Immediately prior to going to France, an advanced party of the battalion, which was comprised of Major H.J.C. Peirs, Lieutenants J.R. Smith and W.Q. Henriques, and 106 other ranks left from Farnborough, Surrey via train to leave from Southampton for Harve, France. The following day the remainder of the battalion left from Frimley, Surrey to travel from Folkestone to Boulogne. On Thursday 2 September 1915, both elements of the battalion were reunited at Montreuil from where all of the battalion marched to Herly, a distance of twelve miles. Having spent almost three weeks at Herly, on Tuesday 21 September 1915 the battalion commenced its march to Vermelles via Glem, Berguettes, and Béthune arriving at the village of Vermelles which is 75

76 approximately 7 miles to the north-west of Lens, on the afternoon of Saturday 25 September From Vermelles the 72nd Brigade, of the 24th Division to which the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) belonged moved out to occupy trenches to the west of Le Rutoire Farm on the Loos Plain which was, and still is a large farm complex situated close to the village of Vermelles, that was some distance behind the British front line. Of specific Kent interest regarding Le Rutoire is that it was on Saturday 25 September 1915, that Herne native, and Ashford resident Serjeant Harry Wells of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment won the Victoria Cross. Whilst ensconced in the trenches to the west of Le Rutoire Farm, Colonel Fairtlough commanding the battalion received somewhat ambiguous orders in preparation for a planned attack on an area to the south of the village of Hulluch. An attack carried out by the 9th (Scottish) Division, had by mid-morning succeeded in reaching and occupying the enemy trench complex around the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, and also Pekin Trench. In order to play its part in the days events, the 72nd Brigade, of the 24th Division formed up with the 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), and the 9th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment in the front line, and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) in support of the two forward battalions. At 1100 hours Harold s battalion was subjected to enemy shell fire, but incredibly suffered no recorded casualties resultant of the shelling. At 1300 hours the 73rd Brigade, 24th Division was ordered to reinforce Fosse 8, as it was believed that any loss of position here would seriously endanger the troops which were still at Pekin Trench. In addition, six Field Batteries of the Royal Field Artillery were ordered forward to positions south-west of the Redoubt, where they came into action and commenced firing at 1630 hours. During the afternoon, the occupants of Pekin Trench came under heavy shellfire, and German infantry began a bombing attack, starting at the Haisnes-Auchy road and working in a southerly direction, whilst others worked north from Cite Trench. Despite being reinforced by the 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, ultimately the overwhelming superiority of German grenades took their, and the position was gradually retaken. By 1700 hours, about half of it had been lost, and the remaining men were ordered to withdraw in the dark. Unfortunately many returned as far as the original German front line, leaving a very confused picture around Fosse Alley, which became the new British front line. The advanced artillery field batteries were ordered back to the positions they had left earlier in the day. Following the Battle of Loos, the battalion later took part in a number of important notable battles including those of the Somme, Arras, Scarpe, Cambrai, and those fought during the final throes of the Great War when it was concentrated in and around Le Pissotiau, before moving into billets on 8 November En route to Bavai, by a cruel twist of fate the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) suffered its final casualty from a long range high velocity German artillery piece. It was whilst it was at Bavai that the battalion received the welcome news of the end of the war, and the signing of the Armistice with Germany. 76

77 REYNOLDS, WILLIAM CECIL. Private, G/568. 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Saturday 7 October Born St. Mary's, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Resided St. Peter's, Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Mary Elizabeth Reynolds (née Ellen) of 20, Church Street, St. Mary's, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 5 D, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Place of birth as shown above was extracted from William s SDGW entry, but it was noted whilst checking the 1901 census entries, that on the night of the census, a 15 year old Tenterden, Kent native who was recorded by the census enumerator as William C. Reynolds, was residing with his parents William and Marilla Reynolds at Church Street, St. Mary's, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 50 year old Woodnesborough, Kent, native William Reynolds (senior), who was employed as a Labourer. The 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was formed at Canterbury, Kent, in late August 1914, and the early drafts which were posted to the battalion went to Colchester, and Purfleet, Essex. Virtually all of the other ranks, who comprised the last two drafts in the early stages of the battalion, were employees of the firm William Cory and Son Ltd, and who formed the bulk of D Company, which was commanded by Captain George B.T. Friend who was later killed in action on 25 July D Company was always known as Cory s or Cory s Own during the Great War. From Essex the battalion in November 1914 to huts at Sandling Park near Hythe, Kent, that were almost permanently flooded and which resulted in members of the battalion being billeted with local families. Later the battalion went to Aldershot, Hampshire, from where a move was made back to Kent, when the battalion departed from Folkestone on Tuesday 1 June 1915, and sailed for Boulogne, France, to join the British Expeditionary Force, and fight on the Western Front where it then remained for the duration of the war. William was almost certainly numbered amongst the 8 officers and 121 other ranks who lost their lives serving in the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on Saturday 7 October 1916 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges, the total casualty roll for the day numbers 368, which had included the battalion Medical Officer, Captain Wilfred Pagen R.A.M.C, who is also commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. What follows is basically the battalion War Diary entry for the day: - Quiet morning. At 1.30 p m the enemy opened heavy machine gun fire and shrapnel barrage on the front line. At 1.45 p m the attack commenced. Very heavy M.G. fire was opened, which held up C Company on the right. A and B companies reached the 1st objective (Rainbow Trench) with fairly heavy casualties but on advancing from 1st to 2nd objectives were completely held up with M.G. fire. Twenty men of C Company succeeded in getting into the German trench, with troops from the 61st Brigade, and advanced with them. The 1st objective was held until 12 midnight when the Battalion was relieved by the 6th Battalion, The Queen s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 77

78 ROUTLEY, FRANCIS ROBERT. Lance Corporal, L/ th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died 3 May Born Aldershot, Hampshire. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Buried Arras Road Cemetery, Roclincourt, Pas de Calais. France. Grave Ref: III. C. 14. Commemorated on The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment War Memorial which is located in the north wall of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, Surrey, which houses the Book of Remembrance which lists approximately 8000 officers and other ranks who gave their lives during the Great War. At the time of the 1901 census there was a 7 year old Aldershot, Hampshire native Francis R. Routley residing at Queens Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, who was probably the casualty commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial. Head of the house was 27 year old Mrs. Alice Routley, (Francis s mother) who was recorded by the census enumerator as being a native of Ireland, who also had her 5 year old daughter Elizabeth M. Routley residing with her who was a native of Dover, Kent. As Alice Routley was not recorded as being a widow, and in view of her being Irish, Francis born at Aldershot, and his sister at Dover, Kent, although purely speculation on the part of the transcriber of these brief commemorations, the census entry might be indicative that Francis s father had been a serving soldier, and that the places of birth of his wife and children reflected on his previous postings. A regular soldier, Francis had been a member of either A or B Company, 2nd Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), who had sailed from Southampton onboard the White Star Line ship 12,552 ton SS Cymric, and landed at Zeebrugge, Belgium on Tuesday 6 October It has not been possible at the time of carrying out these brief commemorations, to add to same on what date Francis was transferred to the 6th (Service) Battalion, of his regiment. Roclincourt where Francis is at rest was just within the British lines before the Battles of Arras, 1917; the 51st (Highland) and 34th Divisions advanced from the village on Monday 9 April 1917, and the 1st Canadian Division attacked on their left, across the Lens road. Arras Road Cemetery was begun by the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade soon after the events of Monday 9 April 1917, and until the Armistice it contained only the graves (now at the back of the cemetery) of 71 officers and other ranks of the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion (British Columbia Regiment) who fell in April, May and June, Between 1926 and 1929 as part of the ongoing battlefield clearances and grave consolidations, the cemetery was enlarged by the addition of 993 graves which were brought in from a wide area, mainly North and East of the town of Arras. Having been engaged in intensive training for some nine to ten months in the United Kingdom, the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) as part of the 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division was stationed at Aldershot, Hampshire, when orders were received by the battalion which contained details of its move to France. On 6 June 1915 the battalion left Aldershot by train and went to Folkestone, Kent, by train. From Folkestone the battalion sailed on the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Company owned cross 78

79 channel ferry the 1680 ton SS Invicta, and landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer on 7 June 1915, from where a move was made by train to Wizernes, which is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais département in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, from where the battalion marched to billets at Meteren. During the first week of July 1915 the battalion moved to Armentières where it was billeted in the Blue Blind Factory. Whilst it was stationed at Armentières, Francis s battalion received instruction in front line trenches. For the greater part of July, August and 25 September 1915 the battalion was either in billets at Le Bizet, or in trenches in the Le Touquet area, and from then on the battalion was actively involved in the events appertaining to the 12th (Eastern) Division. In view of Francis s date of death it would mean that his grave was moved to Arras Road Cemetery, Roclincourt several years after his demise. On the day that Francis died, the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) as part of the12th (Eastern) Division was in action in the area around Monchy-la-Preux, Pelves, and Roeux, as part of the overall Battle of Arras. The SS Cymric which had taken Francis from Southampton to Zeebrugge in October 1914 was torpedoed by the German submarine U-20, when she was approximately 140 miles north west of Fastnet on Monday 8 May 1916, and sank the following day with the loss of five lives. SHELVEY, JAMES. Private, G/2673. "A" Company, 7th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. Died Wednesday 17 October Aged 39. Born St. Clement's, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of the late James and Mary Ann Shelvey (née Redman) of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: VI. D. 23. At the time of the 1891 census the Shelvey family resided at The Ship Inn, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 66 Year old Northbourne, Kent native James Shelvey (senior), who was employed as an Agricultural Labourer. Due to the fact that he died of wounds, it has not been possible to ascertain for inclusion here, when, where, or how James was mortally wounded. The small town of Wimereux approximately three miles to the north of Boulogne-sur-Mer was the headquarters of the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps during the Great War, and in 1919 it became the General Headquarters of the British Army. From October 1914 onwards, Boulogne and Wimereux formed an important hospital centre, and until June 1918 the medical units at Wimereux used the communal cemetery for burials, the south-eastern half having been set aside for Commonwealth graves, although a few burials were also made among the civilian graves. By June 1918, this half of the cemetery was filled, and subsequent burials from the hospitals at Wimereux were made in the new military cemetery at Terlincthun. Due to the sandy soil at Wimereux Cemetery, which is also the final resting place (near the Cross of sacrifice) of 45 year old Canadian officer Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, the author of the most famous poem of the Great War, "In Flanders Fields," that the CWGC graves are all recumbent. 79

80 SIMMONS, EDGAR COOPER. Private, Company, Canadian Forestry Corps. Died Thursday 31 October Aged 32. Born Sandwich, Kent 26 June Enlisted Niagara, Ontario, Canada. Son of Alfred William and Ada Mary Ann Simmons (née Cooper) of Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Conches-en-Ouche Communal Cemetery, Eure, France Grave Ref: A. 6. Commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque, and on page 500 of the Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance. At the time of the 1901 census the Simmons family resided at Bowling Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 45 year old Sandwich native Alfred William Simmons, who was employed as a Builders Clerk, his 43 year old wife Ada was a native of Milton Regis, Sittingbourne, Kent. When Edgar enlisted in the Canadian army at Niagara on 30 June 1915, he stated that he was employed as a Teamster, and named his mother Mrs. Ada Mary Ann Simmons of Sandwich, Kent as his next of kin. Edgar was originally attested to the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force. Although it has not been possible at the time of compiling these brief commemorations to ascertain same, it is possible that Edgar was a recipient of the French Croix de Guerre, as irrespective of rank, France awarded it to the members of the Canadian Forestry Corps who had been subjected to enemy artillery fire whilst serving in the corps in France. Unfortunately in much the same way that it has not been possible to establish if Edgar was a recipient of the French Croix de Guerre, it has also not been possible to find put when he was transferred from the infantry to serve in the Canadian Forestry Corps, but it would have been after Monday 14 February 1914 when the corps was formed. The Canadian Forestry Corps was formed as the result of an appeal from Great Britain for suitable troops to undertake lumber operations overseas. Not surprisingly over the years that the transcriber has been engaged in military research, it has been noticed that by far and away the vast majority of the personnel who served in the Canadian Forestry Corps, were employed as Lumberjacks, or in a forestry related occupation prior to enlisting in the army. By using the link which can be found on the website to the excellent search engine that has been painstakingly compiled by Geoff Sullivan, it revealed that 414 deaths of members of the Canadian Forestry Corps are commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. By carrying out a number of quick non-selective random searches on the internet of the Attestation Papers of the personnel of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, they would seem to indicate that those appertaining to the members of the Canadian Forestry Corps, although almost certainly coincidental, they are amongst the most prolific of those which have already been added to the superb Canadian Government website. 80

81 SMITH, JOHN. Private, Depot, Suffolk Regiment. Died Monday 19 November Aged 33. Born Minster, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of John and Emma Elizabeth Smith of 4, Hawthorn Cottages, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Boatmans Hill Cemetery, Woodnesborough Road, Sandwich, Kent. Grave Ref: F. 14. "U". Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. A brother of the next casualty briefly commemorated below. At the time of the 1901 census the Smith family resided at Sevenscore, Minster, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Head of the house was 49 year old Minster native John Smith (senior) who was a Cattle Yardman. John (junior) was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as an Agricultural Labourer. Apart from J.A. Clark commemorated on both the Sandwich civic war memorial, and the St. Mary s parish church memorial, whom it has not been possible to identify to within an acceptable level of probability, arguably the next most difficult has been J.SMITH. It is probably fair to say, that the combination of that initial and surname name is probably those which fill English family historians and the like with trepidation, but generally speaking, depending on what supporting data is available, the J.SMITH Great War casualties do not present the same problems as general family members. Although the transcriber of these brief commemorations is virtually certain (for a number of reasons) that the soldier at rest at Boatmans Hill Cemetery, Woodnesborough Road, Sandwich, Kent, is as entered above. Briefly mention was made at the commemoration of Charles 81

82 MacNally, that it is well known that when checked against other more reliable record sources, for a number of reasons Soldiers Died in the Great War is found to contains thousands of different errors. Another thing which is regrettable with SDGW is the staggering number of soldiers deaths which occurred within the United Kingdom during the Great War, who have no SDGW entry. It has also been noticed by the transcriber over the years, and doubtless by many other people, that a not insignificant number of those who were recorded as having died within the United Kingdom, are amongst those which contain many of the unfortunate errors. Private, 40605, JOHN SMITH, (above) has no SDGW entry but is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, his CWGC commemoration contains the names of his parents, and fortunately his age and place of birth which tally with the 1901 census entry. Totally the reverse as in John s case, Private, 40605, JOSEPH SMITH, also of the Suffolk Regiment, does have an entry in/on SDGW, which shows that he too also died in the United Kingdom on exactly the same day as the soldier buried at Sandwich. The SDGW entry for Joseph shows him to have been a native of Hendon, Middlesex, and as having enlisted at Mill Hill. A former member of the South Staffordshire Regiment, Joseph has no CWGC commemoration. Due to the fact that the transcriber of these brief commemorations has not personally sighted the death certificates of either of the J. Smith s, or any other supporting documentation, it might be that the SDGW entry for Joseph is incorrect, but will carry out more in-depth researches, in an attempt to ascertain if Joseph is numbered amongst the thousands of Commonwealth casualties resultant of both world wars who are still not officially commemorated by the CWGC, and that sadly as the result of which, many of the war dead still lie in unmarked graves. 82

83 SMITH, WILLIAM ERNEST. Lance Corporal, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. Died Wednesday 16 August Aged 28. Born Minster, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of John and Emma Elizabeth Smith of 4, Hawthorn Cottages, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 5 D, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Please see census entry at William s brother John s brief commemoration above. In his sixty fourth year at the time, Colonel Frederick Charles Romer, C.B., C.M.G., was offered the choice of raising one of the regiments three specified Service Battalions, and chose to form the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). The battalion was formed at Canterbury, Kent, on Saturday 12 September 1914 as part of the Third New Army, the nucleus of the battalion being men who were excess to the numerical requirements of the 6th and 7th (Service) Battalions of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Colonel Romer was the Honourable Secretary of Boodles Club, as were Major s A, Crawley, and Dansey, Captain s Hare, W. Howard, W.D. Johnson, and Lieutenant Sir William Cooke, all of whom were fellow members of Boodles, who joined Colonel Romer in the new battalion, as did two of the club waiters. The battalion moved to Shoreham, Sussex as part of 72nd Brigade, 24th Division, where two important members of the initial battalion joined Colonel Romer and his officers, they being Captain E.C. Norman who was to serve as the Adjutant, and Regimental Serjeant Major A. Barton. In December 1914 the battalion moved to billets at Worthing, Sussex, before returning to Shoreham in April In June 1915 the battalion went to Aisne Barracks at Blackdown, near Aldershot, Hampshire. The battalion landed at the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, France on Wednesday 1 September 1915, and was transferred to the 17th Brigade, 24th Division, on Monday 18 October To play its part in the Battle of the Somme 1916 William s battalion left by train from Bailleul, and arrived at Longueau near Amiens on 25 July, and from Longueau the battalion marched back along the line to Le Mesge, a march of about fifteen miles. On the last day of the month a move was made to the Bios des Tailles, which is a wood located to the south of Méaulte that runs along the side of a valley, and which stretches across the D1 Morlancourt to Bray road. On 1 August the battalion again moved, on that occasion going to Sandpit Camp. Sandpit Cemetery which was on the Albert to Bray road to the east of Méaulte was made by the12th (Eastern) Division, in which several Sandwich natives and residence served and died. On 6 August, the 17th Brigade, 24th Division received orders to take over the line between the village of Guillemont and Delville Wood, and in response to the orders William s battalion prepared for the move, but at virtually the last moment the movement order was rescinded and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) remained at Sandpit Camp, until going to Bernafay Wood via Carnoy on 8 August. The attack of Friday 18 August 1916 by William s battalion, was as the direct result of combined plans drawn up by British and French senior officers 83

84 for the capture of enemy positions, and in particular the Somme village of Guillemont, following a number of heroic isolated attacks and failures by various battalions, prior to the arrival of the 17th Brigade, 24th Division. In tried and trusted fashion, each battalion assigned to take part in the overall attacks on Friday 18 August 1916, were allocated locations to be assaulted, captured, and held, but in progressive stages commencing at 0245 hours. Two platoons of A Company, 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), led by Second Lieutenant D. Grant, were ordered to seize a location known as Machine Gun House. After capturing Machine Gun House, The Buffs were under orders to convert it into a strong point, and to then render assistance to personnel of the 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade, which were located on the right flank of the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Another of the platoons of A Company was put at the disposal of Second Lieutenant s assaulting platoons, should their assistance be needed. On Friday 18 August 1916, C Company commanded by Captain C.D. Gullick, and assisted by half of B Company junior officers and other ranks in close support, was assigned to attack an enemy position which was known as Z.Z. trench, at Delville Wood, the trench complex was located approximately two hundred yards from the front line in the direction of Ginchy. The remaining platoon of A Company personnel who were not otherwise engaged, were located in Trones Trench with soldiers of the Royal Fusiliers, who combined with D Company, of the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), comprised the reserve force for the attacks on Z.Z. trench. Captain Gullick s force rushed out from the comparative safety of their trenches, and under the cover of supporting artillery barrage successfully reached their assigned objective with only light casualties, although one of the officers, Second Lieutenant William J.L. Peacock fell when the battalion was equidistant of the British and German trenches. Upon reaching the Z.Z. trench complex, the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), found that for the most part its defenders had been wholly unprepared to repel an assault, which had included one of Germans who was in his birthday suit, and clearly in no position to take on the assaulting Buffs. Fortunately most of the German trench garrison surrendered, but one officer and his machine gun crew proved to be the exception, and put up a spirited resistance, but eventually the gun was captured and turned on the enemy. Captain Hodgson then brought up the remainder of his company to reinforce the captured trenches, but in crossing nomans-land his men suffered more casualties that Captain Gullick s officers and other ranks during their assault on the trenches. One of the people who were hit several times during the attack had actually been Captain Gullick, and due to same, Captain Hodgson had assumed command of Z.Z. trench. Although the days events by William s battalion on Friday 18 August 1916, were deemed to have been successful, as the two platoons of A Company, led by Second Lieutenant D. Grant, captured and held Machine Gun House, it was at the cost of the lives of Second Lieutenant William J.L. Peacock and 65 other ranks. In addition to the deaths, 6 officers and approximately 300 other ranks were wounded to varying degrees, and 16 other ranks were posted as missing. 84

85 SNELLING, HAROLD MEASDAY. Rifleman, st/9th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles). 169th Brigade, 56th Division. Died Saturday 1 July Born Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted London. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Frederick and Ellen Snelling (née Rogers) of 9, Cattle Market, Sandwich. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 9 C. At the time of the 1901 census the Snelling family resided at 15, King Street, Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Head of the house was 33 Year old St. Laurence, Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent, native, Frederick Snelling who was an Own Account Baker and employer. Mrs. Ellen Snelling was a native of Canterbury, Kent. Harold was numbered amongst the 545 casualties in his battalion by the end of the first day of the Battle of the Somme 1916, which had included no fewer than 212 other ranks deaths. For a whole raft of tangible reasons, the fortunes of the different battalions which took part in the battle on the day that John fell varied enormously. Amongst the reasons why some battalions, and indeed the different divisions engaged fared better than others, was simply due to which objective had been assigned to it for the day, and whilst the enemy positions which were attacked were spread out evenly over a long front, the British casualties most certainly were not spread out as evenly. In the case of John s battalion, it was engaged in a diversionary attack at Gommecourt by battalions of the Third Army which was commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Edmund Allenby. During the planning stages prior to the battle, Sir Edmund, who had a well deserved reputation for not mincing his words, let his feelings be known in no uncertain terms to fellow senior officers, including General Sir Douglas Haig, the officer in overall command. Unfortunately as is sometimes the way of things, Sir Douglas and Sir Edmund had clashed on numerous occasions in the past, and it is probably fair to say that each had a mutual dislike of the other. A major (well documented) concern of Sir Edmund Allenby, was that many of his soldiers would be lost during the so-called Gommecourt Diversion which was primarily aimed at drawing German fire away from the battalions of the 31st Division, which was mainly comprised of battalions of Yorkshire and Lancashire regiments, during the attack on the village of Serre. With his Third Army assigned by the battle planners to be located at the extreme north of the British front line (left flank), and down to take part in the Gommecourt diversionary attack, as events were sadly to prove on Saturday 1 July 1916, Sir Edmund Allenby had been right to forcefully register his pre-battle protestations. 85

86 SOLLY, JOHN ALGERNON. Rifleman, "C" Company, 1st/9th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles). 169th Brigade, 56th Division. Died Sunday 29 April Aged 30. Enlisted London. Resided Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Son of George and Francis Jane Solly (née Pratt) of Millwall Place, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Grave Ref: I. C. 30. At the time of the 1901 census the Solley family was residing at the above address. Head of the house was 59 year old Sandwich native George Solly, who was employed as a Bank Clerk. Primarily resultant of their locations within the county of Kent, many of the war memorials or other forms of rememberance of the counties Great War dead, commemorate many of the fallen soldiers of the two former Kent infantry regiments, they of course being The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), and the Queen s Own, (Royal West Kent Regiment). Whilst many other regiments are represented by virtue of the Kent fallen, it was none the less odd to find that two of the Riflemen of the 1st/9th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles) Harold Snelling and John Solly, are commemorated adjacent to each other on the Sandwich civic war memorial, by virtue of the fact that it is set out in alphabetical order. Obviously the very brief details appertaining to their battalion are applicable to both Riflemen. At the commencement of the Great War the 1st/9th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles) Headquarters was based at 56 Davis Street, Berkley Square, London W, in the 3rd London Brigade, 1st London Division. With the war clouds looming, as part of their commitment as members of a Territorial Force battalion, the officers and other ranks of the battalion were on a train journey to Lulworth, Dorset for annual camp on 2 August 1914, but on reaching Wimborne, Dorset, the train was turned back to London, it being the day after Germany had declared war on Russia, and the day before declaring war on France. On 24 August 1914 the battalion went to Bullswater Common Camp near Pirbright, Surrey, where each soldier in the battalion was asked individually by their company commanders, if they would be willing to volunteer for foreign service, all having committed themselves for service within the United Kingdom when they had initially joined the Territorial Force. More training was carried out at Crowborough, Sussex where much of which was in the form of battle training in preparation for going to the Western Front. Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel R.B. Shipley T.D., the 1st/9th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles) sailed to France onboard the SS Oxonian on 4 November For anybody with a specific interest in the battalion, the book From Ypres to Cambrai written by Frank Hawkins who had served as a Rifleman in the battalion during the Great War, is a superb no frills account written by somebody who was there. Amongst the officers who served in the battalion was Second Lieutenant (later Reverend, Captain V.C., O.B.E., M.C.) George H. Woolley ( ), who also served as a Chaplain of the Forces in North Africa during the Second World War. 86

87 STARKEY, JOHN EDGAR. Private, G/ nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. 85th Brigade, 28th Division. Died Thursday 8 April Born Stonar, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Devizes, Wiltshire. Son of Emily Starkey. Buried Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: III. D. 81. At the time of the 1901 census the Solley family was residing at Wood Cottages, Cheriton, Kent. Head of the house was 52 year old Chislet, Kent, native John Elgar Collins, who was employed as a Sheppard. Emily Starkey the mother of John (junior), was recorded by the census enumerator as being aged 36 and a native of Rotherhithe, a boarder, who was employed as a Housekeeper. Emily s two children were recoded as being Ashford, Kent, native Emily Starkey (junior) aged 8, and John aged 3. For March 1915 the casualty roll for John s battalion was 73 deaths and 112 woundings, and possibly John had been numbered amongst the latter. On 12 March 1915 John s battalion was subjected to heavy shelling by friend and foe, and was also swept by accurate enemy machine gun fire, resultant of which 5 officers and 36 other ranks were killed, and 2 officers and 39 other ranks were wounded. Because it was very misty on the morning of 12 March 1915 in the area where the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment was in trenches near Wulvergem, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, a preliminary bombardment of the German trenches which was timed to commence at 0700 hours was postponed until 1430 hours. As the direct consequence of the postponed artillery bombardment, the infantry attack on the enemy positions that had been planned to start at 0840 hours was put on hold until 1610 hours. It was particularly tragic that the 82 deaths and woundings amongst the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, happened as the result of an attack in which the battalion had not been intended to take part. Resultant of the changed times for both the artillery bombardments and the infantry attacks, when reading extracts of relevant war diary extracts, books and other data, it would appear that an element of chaos had contributed to the casualty rolls of several units on 12 March 1915, in and around the area designated for the attacks on the enemy positions. One very relevant factor re the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment casualties on the above date, was that personnel of the assaulting brigade had not only moved up to the battalion trench, but had actually entered into it prior to German and British shells hitting the trench. On his own initiative Second Lieutenant John Kirtland, sensibly gave the order for all of the unwounded men to retire from the trench, and his order doubtless saved many lives, but sadly he was one of officer deaths having been killed by a rifle bullet. Unfortunately it has not been possible to ascertain when, where, or how John Starkey was mortally wounded, his being the sole death in the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment on Thursday 8 April 1915, but it would seem likely that he was one of the other ranks that were wounded on 12 March

88 STOKES, CHARLES FREDERICK JOHN. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Thursday 12 September Aged 21. Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of William and Fanny Stokes of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. Grave Ref: XIII. C. 2. At the time of the 1901 census the Stokes family resided at Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 36 year old Sandwich, Kent native William Stokes. Charles s SDGW entry records him as having Died of Wounds, but unfortunately as is the case with John Starkey who is the last casualty briefly commemorated above. Due to the fact that no supporting documentary evidence for either John or Charles has been sighted by the transcriber of these brief commemorations, it has also not been possible to ascertain when, where, or how Charles was mortally wounded, which might have been only shortly before death, or even year previously. By virtue of the fact that Charles is at rest in the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, it is obvious that his death occurred in the United Kingdom. STONE, ALBERT. Serjeant, 868. "B" Battery, 1072nd Battery, 222nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died Wednesday 30 August Aged 21. Born Swanscombe, Kent. Enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Son of Amos and Ellen Stone (possibly née Walkling) of North Paulders, Richborough Road, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Basra War Cemetery, Iraq. Grave Ref: IV. S. 3. Commemorated in the 1072nd Battery, 222nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, Battery Roll & Book of Rememberance. The 1st/3rd C 1072 Battery, Royal Field Artillery (T.F.) Book of Rememberance, was dedicated by the Reverend A. Stanley Cooper, B.Sc, who was the Chaplain to the Mayor of Dover, Kent, during a service that was conducted in the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin, Dover, Kent, on Sunday 15 April It was then received by His Worship the Mayor of Dover, Kent, Councillor William Henry Fish, J.P., on behalf of the Corporation of Dover, Kent, to be kept in perpetuity at the Town Hall, Dover, Kent. This precious artifact has since then been removed from the Town Hall, and entrusted into the safe keeping of the Dover, Kent, Museum. Albert was originally buried in the Nasiriyeh Burial Ground, Mesopotamia as he had died on the above date in Nasiriyeh probably of disease. During the Great War, Basra was occupied by the 6th (Poona) Division in November 1914, from which date the town became the base of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force. A number of cemeteries were used by the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force in and around the town of Basra; during which time the Makina Masul Old Cemetery was used from December 1914 to October 1916, and the Makina Masul New Extension was begun alongside the old cemetery in August These two sites were enlarged later when more than 1,000 graves were brought in from other burial grounds, and they now form the Basra War Cemetery, Iraq. 88

89 STROUD, LEONARD. Corporal, L/ st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 16th Brigade, 6th Division. Died Sunday 14 May Born St. Mary s, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of James and Emily F. Stroud. Probably the husband of Violet D. Stroud (née Fagg). Buried Essex Farm Cemetery, Boezinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: II. S. 5. At the time of the 1901 census the Stroud family resided at Vicarage Lane, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 46 year old Canterbury, Kent, native James Stroud who was employed as a Waiter at an Inn. The L prefix on Leonard s regimental number is indicative of him having been a regular soldier, and it is probably fair to assume that he had been serving in either the 1st or 2nd Battalions of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) at the commencement of the Great War, and that it had been the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) which was stationed at Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland, at the commencement of hostilities between Britain and Germany. The battalion left Ireland on 12 August 1914, and following a not uneventful journey arrived at Cambridge, Cambridgeshire on 19 August, where the battalion was billeted at Christ s College. A move was made to Southampton, where on 7 September 1914 the battalion embarked on the SS Minneapolis, prior to sailing for France the following day, and arrived at the port of Harve on 9 September. On Sunday 14 May 1916 when Leonard s and seven other ranks deaths in his battalion occurred, the battalion had been enjoying a period of fairly low casualties, the exception being a few days during the last week of April, when 21 personnel were killed and 36 wounded. SUTTON, CHARLES JAMES. Bombadier, th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. Died Monday 15 May Aged 25. Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Henry George and Fanny Sutton (née Higgins) of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Grave Ref: XXI. F. 13. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. A brother of the next casualty briefly commemorated below. At the time of the 1901 census the Sutton family resided at Church Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 47 year old Sandwich native Henry George Sutton, who was employed as a Grocers Carman. By 1918 Henry George Sutton was the Parish Clerk of St, Mary s, Sandwich, and the Sexton of the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin, Sandwich. 89

90 SUTTON, FRANK. Corporal, st Battalion, Rifle Brigade. 11th Brigade, 4th Division. Died Saturday 13 May Aged 26. Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Henry George and Fanny Sutton of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, Sandwich, Kent. Buried New Irish Farm Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: IX. F. 2. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. For additional brief family details, please see commemoration of Frank s brother who is the last casualty briefly commemorated above. Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel H.M. Biddulph, the 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade was stationed at Colchester, Essex at the commencement of the Great War, and was part of the 11th Brigade, 4th Division. Frank s battalion had disembarked at the port of Harve, France, during the early hours of 23 August 1914, having crossed from Southampton onboard the SS Cestrian. Reference was made at the brief commemoration of fellow St. Mary s, Sandwich parishioner Charles MacNally, of the comprehensive doings of the Rifle Brigade during the Great War which are recorded in books. In stark contrast to Charles, whose was the sole death in the 4th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade on the day that he lost his life, of which the transcriber has been able to expand upon. There are fortunately far more details available via numerous sources, re the 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade for the day that Frank fell, when he was numbered amongst the 48 other ranks in his battalion who died on Saturday 13 May On 3 May 1915 Frank s battalion had been withdrawn from the front line and moved to bivouacs at Elverdinghe near Ypres (now Ieper), West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, for a few days period of rest. From Elverdinghe the battalion went to Vlamertinghe on 8 May, and from there went into trenches at Mouse Trap Farm the following day. Whilst ensconced in the trenches the battalion was subjected to heavy artillery fire, but had stoically held its ground. On the day that Frank fell, which was the last stage of the Battle of Frenzenberg Ridge, German infantry had launched attacks all along the line, having commenced them on the same day that the 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade had moved to Vlamertinghe. Saturday 13 May 1915 was also destined to be the last day that Frank s battalion participated in the Second Battle of Ypres which was fought from 22 April 1915 until 25 May There is something of an additional tragic twist appertaing to the losses in the 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade on Saturday 13 May 1915, because as the direct result of enemy gains elsewhere along the Frenzenberg Ridge, all of the ground which had been successfully defended and held by the battalions of the 11th Brigade, 4th Division was abandoned. Another defensive line was established approximately one thousand yards to the rear following the withdrawal. The new line of defence ran from Turco Farm-Admiral s Road-Wieltje-and Warwick Farm. Unfortunately it has not been possible to add even brief additional details about the his battalion on Saturday 13 May 1915, re at what time or stage of the days events it was that Frank actually lost his life. 90

91 TOWN, JOHN. Private, G/ nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 85th Brigade, 28th Division. Died Friday 26 May Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Buried White House Cemetery, St. Jean-Les-Ypres, St.Jan, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: III. J. 16. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. John is probably the child whose birth was registered in the Eastry, Kent, Registration District during the second quarter of 1888, who appears to have been the son Richard and Emily Town. At the time of the 1901 census the Town family was residing at Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 37 year old Sandwich native Richard Town who was a self-employed Publican. At the commencement of the Great War, as was the case with many other regular battalions of the British army at the time, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was stationed in India. As the L prefix on Walter s number is indicative of him having been a regular soldier, it would seem very likely that he would have been one the soldiers in India. The battalion was at Wellington, Madras, and after being relieved by soldiers of the Territorial Force, who when they had enlisted would have done so for For Home Service Only, the battalion embarked at Bombay on 16 November 1914 onboard the Cunard ship Ultonia. On 23 December 1914 the battalion arrived at Plymouth, and from there went to Winchester, Hampshire, where it became part of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division. On 17 January 1915 the battalion left from Southampton, heading for France and arrived at the busy port of Harve. John s medal card entry records that he had entered the French war theatre on 12 May 1915, and that he was killed in action on 26 May John had been in a large draft which was comprised of 5 officers and 350 other ranks, which were posted to the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), primarily as replacements for the casualties that the battalion had suffered. When drafts were posted to the various infantry battalions during the Great War years, it was to a certain extent that they had mixed fortunes regarding the date of joining their new battalions. Some officers and other ranks joined when the battalions were out of the front line, whilst others of necessity and with almost obscene haste, gained hands on experience in trench warfare immediately upon arrival. Those who arguably were the most fortunate were those who joined not only when their new battalion was out of the line, but at times when there was a lengthy time of non-conflict between the opposing combatant armies. Unfortunately in the case of John and his fellow draftees, they were posted to the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) during the Second Battle of Ypres. Barely a week after joining the battalion, the 85th Brigade, 28th Division and other soldiers were addressed by the Commander-in- Chief, Sir John French on 20 May 1915, of which the following is a very condensed extract of Sir John s address, Your Colours have many famous names emblazoned on them, but none will be more famous or more well deserved than that of the Second Battle of Ypres. I want you one and all to understand how thoroughly I realize and appreciate what you have done. I wish 91

92 to thank you, each officer, non-commissioned officer and man, for the services you have rendered by doing your duty so magnificently, and I am sure that your country will thank you too. The engagement which cost John Town his life, was effectively of three days duration, and commenced at 0245 hours on Wednesday 24 May As part of a final effort, the Germans mounted an attack along the whole front from Wieltje to the Menin road. When the attack commenced it was primarily in the form of a gas attack of four and a half hours duration, which was combined with a heavy artillery bombardment with gas shells. In addition to the extensive use of noxious gases, the assaulting German infantry also used Flammenwerfen (Flamethrowers). Following the primary bombardment, German infantry then advanced en-masse in heavy strength, but one every occasion were successfully repulsed. To the north of the railway line that traverses the area under attack, two companies of the 1st/8th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, and a company of the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment were forced to withdraw due to the gas. At 0430 hours a message from Captain Court of the 9th Lancers, was received at 85th Brigade headquarters, which stated that his men were on their knees, but holding on. Probably because the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was holding the right of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division line, which had the 9th Lancers on its right flank, was the reason why it was Captain Barnard with A Company, followed by Lieutenant Swayne leading half of C Company, that were send to effect a rescue of the beleaguered cavalrymen of the 9th Lancers at Hooge. Resulting from the assistance rendered to the 9th Lancers, John s battalion then fought for the remainder of Wednesday 25 May in two distinct separate parties. At 0630 hours on 24 May 1915, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) received orders to reinforce the remnants of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), who were determined to retake a trench that they had previously lost to the enemy. With the personnel led by Captain Barnard and Lieutenant Swayne otherwise engaged, it fell to the officers and other ranks of B Company, and the remainder of C Company going up to assist the Royal Fusiliers in their difficult undertaking. D Company was ordered to remain in the General Headquarters line at the start of the engagements. Although the combined force of Buffs and Royal Fusiliers were not only successful in retaking the lost trench, but against all the overwhelming odds stacked against them, they also managed to hold (at great cost) the reclaimed trench near Bellewaarde. Of the officers and other ranks of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) who fought in the action on Wednesday 25 May 1915, 552 ended the day as casualties. For the remainder of the engagements fought by 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) until the night of 26/27 May 1915, various data sources checked would seem to indicate that most of the casualties, either fatalities or woundings were the result of being shelled by German artillery, and whilst purely a supposition on the part of the transcriber of these brief commemorations, it would seem highly likely that John s demise was as the result of the shelling, he being amongst the six other ranks deaths in his battalion on 26 May

93 UDEN, ALFRED THOMAS. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. Died Saturday 25 September Aged 19. Born, enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Alfred John and Louisa Uden of 6, Britannia Terrace, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 15, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. Also commemorated on The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment War Memorial which is located in the north wall of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, Surrey, which houses the Book of Remembrance which lists approximately 8000 officers and other ranks who gave their lives during the Great War. Formerly Private, G/2962, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). At the time of the 1901 census the Uden family resided at Cottage Row, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 31 year old Sandwich native Alfred John Uden, who was employed as a Drayman. The 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was formed at Guildford, Surrey in early September 1914, and was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel F.H. Fairtlough, C.M.G. Initially the new battalion was sent to a camp in the Oxen Field, Shoreham, Sussex, which was located on the outskirts of the village on the Shoreham-Steyning road where it joined the 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. A number of moves were made by the battalion within the adjoining counties of Sussex and Surrey, primarily to Worthing and Blackdown before returning to Shoreham again. Alfred was one of three Sandwich natives or residents who lost their lives during the Battle of Loos on the same day, whilst serving in the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). At least 84 other ranks deaths in their battalion were recorded following the days events of Tuesday 25 September 1915, which was its first experience of a large action during the Great War, but was unfortunately destined to be the prelude to many others. The overall Battle of Loos cost the battalion dear, with an all inclusive casualty roll of 12 officers and 409 other ranks. Amongst the officers who fell was the Commanding Officer of the battalion, 54 year old Colonel Frederick Howard Fairtlough C.M.G. from Godalming, Surrey, whose 28 year old son Captain Gerard Howard Fairtlough M.C. 423rd Field Company (T.F.) The Royal Engineers, died of wounds in a Base Hospital at Etaples, Pas de Calais, France, on Thursday 13 June Checking SDGW (which does contain errors) shows that by the end of the Great War, the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) had suffered 668 other ranks deaths. Immediately prior to going to France, an advanced party of the battalion, which was comprised of Major H.J.C. Peirs, Lieutenants J.R. Smith and W.Q. Henriques, and 106 other ranks left from Farnborough, Surrey via train to leave from Southampton for Harve, France. The following day the remainder of the battalion left from Frimley, Surrey to travel from Folkestone to Boulogne. On Thursday 2 September 1915, both elements of the battalion were reunited at Montreuil from where all of the battalion marched to Herly, a distance of twelve miles. Having spent almost three weeks at Herly, on Tuesday 21 September 1915 the battalion commenced its march to Vermelles 93

94 via Glem, Berguettes, and Béthune arriving at the village of Vermelles which is approximately 7 miles to the north-west of Lens, on the afternoon of Saturday 25 September From Vermelles the 72nd Brigade, of the 24th Division to which the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) belonged moved out to occupy trenches to the west of Le Rutoire Farm on the Loos Plain which was, and still is a large farm complex situated close to the village of Vermelles, that was some distance behind the British front line. Of specific Kent interest regarding Le Rutoire is that it was on Saturday 25 September 1915, that Herne native, and Ashford resident Serjeant Harry Wells of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment won the Victoria Cross. Whilst ensconced in the trenches to the west of Le Rutoire Farm, Colonel Fairtlough commanding the battalion received somewhat ambiguous orders in preparation for a planned attack on an area to the south of the village of Hulluch. An attack carried out by the 9th (Scottish) Division, had by mid-morning succeeded in reaching and occupying the enemy trench complex around the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, and also Pekin Trench. In order to play its part in the days events, the 72nd Brigade, of the 24th Division formed up with the 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), and the 9th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment in the front line, and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) in support of the two forward battalions. At 1100 hours Alfred s battalion was subjected to enemy shell fire, but incredibly suffered no recorded casualties resultant of the shelling. At 1300 hours the 73rd Brigade, 24th Division was ordered to reinforce Fosse 8, as it was believed that any loss of position here would seriously endanger the troops which were still at Pekin Trench. In addition, six Field Batteries of the Royal Field Artillery were ordered forward to positions south-west of the Redoubt, where they came into action and commenced firing at 1630 hours. During the afternoon, the occupants of Pekin Trench came under heavy shellfire, and German infantry began a bombing attack, starting at the Haisnes-Auchy road and working in a southerly direction, whilst others worked north from Cite Trench. Despite being reinforced by the 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, ultimately the overwhelming superiority of German grenades took their, and the position was gradually retaken. By 1700 hours, about half of it had been lost, and the remaining men were ordered to withdraw in the dark. Unfortunately many returned as far as the original German front line, leaving a very confused picture around Fosse Alley, which became the new British front line. The advanced artillery field batteries were ordered back to the positions they had left earlier in the day. Following the Battle of Loos, the battalion later took part in a number of important notable battles including those of the Somme, Arras, Scarpe, Cambrai, and those fought during the final throes of the Great War when it was concentrated in and around Le Pissotiau, before moving into billets on 8 November En route to Bavai, by a cruel twist of fate the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) suffered its final casualty from a long range high velocity German artillery piece. It was whilst it was at Bavai that the battalion received the welcome news of the end of the war, and the signing of the Armistice with Germany. 94

95 WHIDDETT, WILLIAM. Stoker 1st Class, K/2155. Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Formidable." Died Friday 1 January Aged 24. Born Birchington, Isle of Thanet, Kent 4 May Husband of Ethel A. M. Simmons (formerly Whiddett), (née Moat) of 7, Broadway, Swanspool, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 12, and on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. William and Ethel s marriage was registered in the Eastry, Kent, District, during the second quarter of William enlisted in the Royal Navy at Chatham, Kent for a 12 year engagement on 11 March 1909, at which time he stated that he was employed in the Fish Trade. William s official number has the prefix K which shows that he was a Stoker, and as such it came as no surprise to find that his initial training had been carried out on the 10,784 ton Stokers' training ship at the Nore, which was the former H.M.S. Northumberland that was a long-hulled broadside ironclad warship of the Victorian era commissioned in 1868, and was the third and final ship of the Minotaur class battleships to be commissioned. In the years that she was in use as a Stokers' training ship, the battleship was renamed H.M.S. Acheron. From 28 August 1909 until 28 December 1909, William served as a Stoker 2nd Class onboard the ill-fated H.M.S. Pathfinder a 2,900 ton Pathfinder Scout Class cruiser which was built by Cammell Laird & Co Ltd at Birkenhead, she was launched on 16 July 1904, and commissioned on 18 July At the time of the start of the Great War H.M.S. Pathfinder was the leader of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla based at Rosyth, Scotland. On Saturday 5 September 1914 and running short of coal, H.M.S. Pathfinder was only making 5 knots at the time of her loss, which was at approximately 1630 hours when she was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off St. Abbs Head, Berwickshire, Scotland, some 10 miles to the southwest of the Island of May, by the type U19 Mittel-U class, German u-boat U-21, which at the time was commanded by Leutnant zur See, Otto Hersing. H.M.S. Pathfinder has the unenviable distinction of being the first Royal Navy warship to be sunk by a u-boat of the Imperial German Navy during the Great War, and the first ship ever to be sunk by the use of a torpedo alone fired from a submarine. H.M.S. Pathfinder was struck by the torpedo in one of her magazines, which exploded causing the ship to sink within a few minutes with the loss of 259 men; there were only 11 survivors of the sinking. Apart from his time on H.M.S. Pathfinder and periods of service spent at H.M.S. Pembroke, Chatham, Kent, most of William s service in the Royal Navy was spent as a Stoker on the battleship H.M.S. Formidable which he first joined on 8 March 1910, and two days after joining her his rating was raised to that of Stoker 1st Class. H.M.S. Formidable had been launched on 17 November 1898 at Portsmouth, and served in the Mediterranean Fleet up to April 1908 when she was transferred to the Channel Fleet. In 1912 she formed part of the 5th Battle 95

96 Squadron, which consisted of eight battleships and two cruisers, and was serving with this squadron at the start of the Great War. The ship left Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent on Wednesday 30 December 1914 to take part in a firing exercise off Portland. On Friday 1 January 1915 she was sunk by a torpedo fired from the German u-boat U-24 which was commanded by 32 year old Kapitänleutnant Rudolph Rudi Schneider. The torpedo struck the starboard side abreast of her foremost funnel; and the ship sank with the loss of 547 lives from her complement of 780. WILLIAMS, FREDERICK CHARLES. Lance Corporal, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Wednesday 25 July Born Eastry, Kent. Enlisted Dover, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Probably the son of George and Annie Williams. Buried Monchy British Cemetery, Monchy-le-Preux, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. J. 6. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church, Great War memorial plaque. At the time of the 1901 census the Williams family resided at Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 60 year old Eastry, Kent native George Williams, who was employed as an Engine Driver. Youngest of the three Williams boys who were at home on the night of the census, was 19 year old Eastry, Kent native Frederick Williams who was employed as a Bricklayers Labourer. The 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was formed at Canterbury, Kent, in late August 1914, and the early drafts which were posted to the battalion went to Colchester, and Purfleet, Essex. From Essex the battalion in November 1914 to huts at Sandling Park near Hythe, Kent, that were almost permanently flooded and which resulted in members of the battalion being billeted with local families. Later the battalion went to Aldershot, Hampshire, from where a move was made back to Kent, when the battalion departed from Folkestone on Tuesday 1 June 1915, and sailed for Boulogne, France, to join the British Expeditionary Force, and fight on the Western Front where it then remained for the duration of the war. On 17 July 1917 Frederick s battalion had two other ranks killed in action, and one who died of wounds, and on the day prior to Frederick s demise another man died of wounds. The deaths of the soldiers above is a good illustration of the fact that the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) was enjoying a brief interlude from the attention of the enemy, which following an attack by the Germans on 11 July 1917, that had resulted in the death of 1 officer and 24 other ranks. On the day that Frederick lost his life, his was the sole loss in his battalion, and as such it would seem likely that Frederick s death, which SDGW records as killed in action, was possibly due to the action of an enemy sniper as opposed to shelling by enemy artillery which usually, but not always resulted in multiple deaths amongst the units that had been shelled. 96

97 WRAIGHT, G. As commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial is probably the following Sandwich native and resident, who might have been commemorated on the war memorial devoid of his first initial. WRAIGHT, WYLES GEORGE. Private, L/ st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 16th Brigade, 6th Division. Died Tuesday 20 October Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut. Belgium. Panel 2. Depending on what data sources are checked, results in either the Christian names Wyles or Wiles, being recorded as that of the above soldier. It would seem likely that Wyles was the 7 year old Sandwich native who was recorded by the enumerator with his Christian name spelt Wiles, at the time of the 1891 census, when the Wright family resided at Mill Wall Place, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 36 year old Wiles G. Wraight (senior), who was employed as a Brewers labourer and was a native of Herne Hill, Kent, and whose 26 year old wife Emma Wyles (née Fairbrass) was native of Bekesbourne, Canterbury, Kent. Other data checked also shows father and son with their Christian names both spelt Wiles as opposed to Wyles. Wiles (junior) married a Miss Nellie Wall in The L prefix on Wyles/Wiles regimental number is indicative of him having been a regular soldier, and when combined with his date of death, it is probably fair to assume that he had been serving in the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) at Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland, at the commencement of the Great War. The battalion left Ireland on 12 August 1914 and after a not uneventful journey arrived at Cambridge on 19 August, and was billeted at Christ s College. A move was made to Southampton, where on 7 September the battalion embarked on the SS Minneapolis prior to sailing for France the following day, arriving at the port of Harve on 9 September. Following the fall of the city of Antwerp on 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 12 October 1914 the 1st Battalion was relieved in their trenches on the Aisne by French troops, and marched to the little village of Bazoches-sur-Vesles along with the 16th Brigade of the 6th Division to which the battalion belonged, and entrained from Bazoches-sur-Vesles to Cassel where they arrived the following day. The following is an extract from the book A Short History of the 6th Division August 1914-March 1919, by Major-General Thomas Owen Marden, C.B., C.M.G., who had commanded the 6th Division from 21 August The 16th Infantry Brigade now rejoined the Division from the 97

98 Aisne, and on the 18th October a reconnaissance in force was ordered, which was brilliantly carried out. The Buffs and Y. and L. on the right captured Radinghem without much opposition, and advanced across a small plateau, 300 yards in width, towards the woods in which stands the Château de Flandres. They here came under a heavy cross-fire of machine-guns and shrapnel, and were counter-attacked and driven back. The situation, however, was saved by Major Bayley's company of the Y. and L., which had worked round on the left and threatened the flank of the counter-attack, which thereon withdrew. The Y. and L. suffered considerable casualties in this little action--major Robertson being killed. Meanwhile the 18th Infantry Brigade had captured Ennetières and the south end of Capinghem, while the 17th Infantry Brigade reached Prémesques, but was unable to take Pérenchies. The 4th Division had not been able to cross the Lys north of Armentières, which necessitated the 17th Infantry Brigade throwing back its flank to l'epinette. On the 19th October the Division entrenched on the line it had won. To the right were French cavalry and cyclists, covering the gap between the right of the III Corps and the left of the I Corps near Aubers. The advance from Hazebrouck to the ridge had occupied six days, and cost the Division some 750 casualties. On the morning of the 20th October the Germans attacked very heavily on the whole front. Fighting on a much extended front (five miles) and with very little in hand, the Division was soon in difficulties, particularly on the exposed left flank, where the Leinsters had their three left companies quickly driven in, and the situation at midday was critical. One company with the machine-guns was able to hold on until the afternoon at Mont de Prémesques, and to withdraw under cover of darkness, having inflicted heavy loss on the enemy. Meanwhile units of other brigades were putting up a gallant fight against great odds, each unit generally with one or both flanks unsupported. At Ennetières, which formed rather a salient, the Sherwood Foresters held out all day, but were attacked at dusk by three battalions and practically annihilated or captured, only the CO., Adjutant, Q.M. and 250 other ranks remaining the next day. The Buffs, after a splendid fight, were driven out of Radinghem, and by night the Division was practically back on the line which it was to hold for the next few months, and on which the German offensive of 1918 still found the British. Continuous unsuccessful attempts to break through occurred till 31st October, when trench warfare set in. Notable among these was the attack on the K.S.L.I. and Y. and L. on the 23rd October, when 300 enemy dead were left in front of our trenches; on the 18th Infantry Brigade on the night of the 27/28th October, when the enemy captured the line, but was driven out by a counter-attack, in which the East Yorks specially distinguished themselves; and on the night of the 29/30th October, when the 19th Infantry Brigade lost some trenches, but counterattacked successfully, and counted 200 German dead. The incident of Corporal Forward, 1st The Buffs, is typical of the fierce fighting. On 30th October, when the O.C. machine-guns of The Buffs and all the team had been killed or wounded, this gallant N.C.O. continued to fire his gun until eventually wounded in five places, when he crawled back to report the situation. He was rewarded with the D.C.M. 98

99 WRAIGHT, RICHARD W. Private, M2/ Royal Army Service Corps. Died Friday 20 February Born Sandwich, Kent. Son of Osbourne James Wright and Elizabeth Wraight (née Thomas). Buried Halle Communal Cemetery, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium. Grave Ref: A. 55. Also commemorated on the Sandwich, St. Mary s parish church Great War memorial plaque. At the time of the 1881 census the Williams family resided at the Butts, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 46 year old Herne Hill, Kent, native Osbourne James Wraight who was employed as a Brewers Labourer. In later years Osbourne had been employed as a Labourer at St. George s Golf Club, Sandwich, prior to its royal status being bestowed on St. George s, by H.M. King Edward VII in May Richard was probably the child whose birth was registered in the Eastry, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of 1879, with the Christian names Richard William. As Richard s death certificate has not been sighted by the transcriber of these brief commemorations, it is not known if his death was resultant of a war wound/s etcetera, an accidental death, or possibly of course he might have been one of the victims of the world wide Influenza pandemic, which in late 1918 and early 1919 ultimately claimed more lives than all of the casualties of the Great War. Although in the fullness of time it is hoped to carry out additional research on a number of the casualties who are commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial, which time precluded more from being carried out prior to the Archives Awareness month in November Richard is obviously one of the men who will be subjected to the additional research, as at the time of adding the Sandwich civic war memorial transcriptions to the website it has not been possible to ascertain much at all about him, other than the brief details as shown above. Unfortunately apart from the fact that because he died after 11 November 1918, resulted in Richard not having a SDGW entry, which would probably have also been applicable had he died during the Great War years as a not insignificant number of casualties who died within the United Kingdom during the war are not recoded in/on SDGW. Of more importance and or relevance re Richard s death, is the fact that no actual specific unit of the Royal Army Service Corps in which he was actually serving in or with at the time of his death is shown on his Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration. Due to both of the reasons mentioned, Richard is proving to be one of the more difficult Sandwich casualties to research. As is the case with all of the other servicemen who have only the barest basic details shown at their commemorations above, Richard clearly is deserving of better, and as with all of the fallen of Sandwich and everywhere else in Kent, or with associations with county by virtue of regiment etcetera, more information will be added on the website as more information about Richard and other Kent casualties is revealed. 99

100 The Great War Lost Men As is the unfortunate situation with some of the casualties who are commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial, the same is also applicable to the Sandwich casualties who are not commemorated on the memorial, regarding the amount of information which it has been possible to gather on each of them prior to posting on the website Due simply to the constraints of time prior to the Archives Awareness month in November 2008, the bulk of the following casualties have for the most part have had merely the barest of details added. It should be pointed out that by (temporarily) not having additional information on them, it most certainly does not mean that their sacrifice is not appreciated, honoured or remembered less than those who have been commemorated at Sandwich. In much the same way no insult to their memory is either intended or implied, in fact quite the opposite. Any of the relatives of the following victims of the Great War can be rest assured that when time permits, additional details about the lives and deaths of their family members will be added on the site. ALLEN, ARTHUR FRANK. Private, D Company, 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. Died Tuesday 8 September Aged 25. Born Eastbourne, Sussex. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Stoke Newington, Middlesex. Son of Arthur John Allen of The Ship Inn, Sandwich, Kent, and the late Kate Elisabeth Allen (née Down). Commemorated on the La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial, Seine-et-Marne, France. The La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial Register is kept at the local Mairie (Town Hall). At the time of the 1901 census the Allen family resided at 4, St. Georges Villas, Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Head of the house was 43 year old, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire native Arthur John Allen, who was employed as a Carpenter. Mrs. Kate Elisabeth Allen was aged 41, and recorded by the census enumerator as being a native of St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex. At the commencement of the Great War, Arthur s battalion was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel H.R. Davis, and was stationed at Albuhera Barracks, Aldershot, Hampshire, in the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. Prior to leaving for the Western Front, Second Lieutenants F. Pepys, A.H. Barrington-Kennett, and F.W.C. Chippindale took the Colours from Aldershot to the Regimental Depot of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, at Cowley Barracks on 5 August Exactly a week after the Colours had been taken to Oxford for safe keeping, Arthur s battalion had the honour of being inspected by His Majesty the King prior to leaving Aldershot the following day, and going by train to 100

101 Southampton. At Southampton the battalion embarked on the SS Lake Michigan, and sailed for Boulogne-ser-Mer, Pas de Calais, France, at 2000 hours, where it arrived at about 1430 hours the next day. On Saturday 5 September 1914 it being almost exactly a month after arriving in France, the battalion marched to Champlet via Tresmes, Faremoutiers, Hautefeuille and Lumigny, at which time Lieutenant-Colonel H.R. Davis recorded that since 24 August the battalion had marched a total of 178 miles, with very little sleep and in broiling hot weather. Another advance was made by the battalion on 6 September, on that occasion moving to bivouacs just to the north of Pézarches. The following day the battalion marched via Mauperthuis, Saints, Beautheil, Chailly to St. Siméon, then on to La Trétoire via Rebais on the day that Arthur fell. Having been joined by a second reinforcement under Captain C.G. Higgins, the battalion crossed Petit Morin and halted. D Company was sent to the east of Orly and engaged the enemy in woods, and it whilst so engaged that Arthur lost his life. It is very unusual for a Great War casualty irrespective of rank, who is commemorated on one of the many memorials to the missing that have no known grave, to have their place of burial recorded unlike Arthur, who was buried on the side of the La Trétoire-Orly road close to where he fell. Whilst not actually unique, Arthur is one of only a few British other ranks who died during the Great War, to be recorded by name in any regimental records or war diaries etcetera, the general exception usually only being applicable to men who make a noteworthy contribution to a specific days events. Although his battalion had several clashes with the enemy prior to his death, but when Arthur was killed in action, his was not only the first death of any rank in his battalion during the Great War, but he also has the sad distinction of being the first of the 5679 recorded deaths of all ranks in his regiment, who are known to have died during the course of the war. ATKINS, HENRY ARTHUR. Private, L/ st (Empress of India's) Lancers. Died Monday 28 October Born Sutton, Dover, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Delhi War Memorial, India. Henry s regiment did not see service on the Western Front during the Great War as it was one of the few regiments of the British Army to spend the duration of the war in India, including fighting on the North West Frontier in 1915 and 1916 for which it was awarded its sole Battle Honour of the Great War. A single squadron did serve in France from June 1916 to 1917, and was attached to XIV Corps Cavalry. The relevant medal index card entry, records that Henry had served in the war theatre 5G from 5 September 1915, it being an area of the Frontier regions of India. SDGW records Henry as having Died, as opposed to killed in action or died of wounds. Although the transcriber of these brief commemorations has not sighted Henry s death certificate or any other supporting documentation, but in view of the war theatre in which he was serving, it would seem likely that Henry had died of some form of disease, as was sadly the case with many other Great War soldiers deaths in India. 101

102 BAKER, JOHN. Private, G/ nd/4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died Thursday 1 August Aged 20. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted and resided Atherstone, Warwickshire. Son of James and Elizabeth Baker of Nuneaton Road, Hartshill, Atherstone, Warwickshire. Commemorated on the Soissons Memorial, Aisne, France. Formerly Private, 20959, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. BARR, WILLIAM DOUGLAS. Company Quartermaster Serjeant, st/4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Monday 19 February Aged 28. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Dover, Kent. Resided Deal, Kent. Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Barr of 36, Beaconsfield Road, Deal, Kent. Buried Deolali Government Cemetery, India. Commemorated on the Kirkee Memorial, Poona, India. Face 3, and on the recently restored St. Leonards parish church war memorial, Deal, Kent, also on the Victoria Hospital, Deal, Kent, Great War memorial plaques, but as D. BARR. No matching entry for William and his family were located on either the 1891 or 1901 censuses whilst carrying out these brief transcriptions. Another oddity appertaining to William is that SDGW records William as having Died, as opposed to killed in action or died of wounds, but at Home which is clearly erronius, and appears to be one of the myriad of errors which are contained in/on SDGW. Although the transcriber of these brief commemorations has not sighted William s death certificate or any other supporting documentation, but in view of the war theatre in which he was serving, it would seem likely that he had died of some form of disease, as was sadly the case with many other Great War soldiers deaths in India, where William is buried and also commemorated. BATCHELOR, J.W. Private, G/ The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Wednesday 4 February Aged 26. Born Sandwich, Kent. Son of George and Ann Batchelor. Buried Sandwich Cemetery, Kent. Grave Ref. P. 34. Although the date shown on his CWGC commemoration does not match up with the following data, Private Batchelor was probably John Batchelor who was recorded by the census enumerator at the time of the 1901 census, as being the 10 year old son of George and Ann Batchelor residing at Vicarage Lane, Sandwich, Kent. Clearly because the age at the time of his death does not match the census entry above, caution should therefore be exercised by anybody carrying out more detailed research on the above soldier having viewed this information on this website. Information which was obtained locally which again may or may not be correct, although furnished in good faith, would seem to indicate that John probably died by drowning in the river Stour. 102

103 BELSEY, FREDERICK HENRY. Sapper, th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died Tuesday 5 January Aged 34. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Chatham, Kent. Son of Henry James and Jane Belsey. Husband of Mary Harriett Belsey of 8, Lake Road, Woolston, Southampton. Buried Wytschaete Military Cemetery, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: IV. B. 12. BOWDITCH, WILLIAM. Ships Corporal 1st Class, Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Invincible." Died Wednesday 31 May Aged 32. Born Kensington, Middlesex 9 January Son of William and Louisa Bowditch of "Lynton," Ash Road, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Panel 21. When William enlisted in the Royal Navy on 9 January 1902 for a 12 year engagement, at which time he stated that he was employed as an Errand Boy. From the time of his enlistment William served on no fewer that fifteen different ships, which had included serving on some of them more than once, and in view of such, time precludes the adding of all but the briefest details of same in the form of ships names, and the dates in changes of rank/rating. William s training was carried out on H.M.S. Boscawen as a Boy 2nd Class, until 1 February 1904 when his rating was raised to that of a Boy 1st Class. Other ships served on were H.M.S. Minotaur, H.M.S. Agincourt, H.M.S. Excellence, H.M.S. Highflyer, Whilst serving onboard H.M.S. Highflyer William s rating was raised to Ordinary Seaman, and was serving on the same ship later when he became an Able Seaman, he then served on H.M.S. Firequeen, H.M.S. Racer, H.M.S. Excellent, whilst serving on H.M.S. Excellent his rating was raised to that of a Leading Seaman, he then served on H.M.S. Victory I, H.M.S. Duncan, H.M.S. Britannia, H.M.S. Hindustan, H.M.S. Hampshire, H.M.S. Europa, and H.M.S. Invincible. On 8 March 1911 William was also serving on the same ship when he successfully passed the educational requirements to become a Petty Officer, and received his education certificate for same on 3 April On 9 January 1914, William was serving on H.M.S. Hampshire, as Ships Corporal 1st Class, when he signed the necessary papers to extend his years of service in the Royal Navy to enable him to qualify for a pension. It was noticed whilst viewing William s Royal Navy service sheet, that for the whole of his naval career spanning almost fourteen years, that at all of the entries appertaining to his Character, all were shown as being Very Good. The most poignant of the entries was that showing D D i.e. Discharge, Died. Killed in Action 31 May

104 BRYANT, THOMAS. Private, TF/ th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Tuesday 25 August Born and resided Rolvenden, Ashford, Kent. Enlisted Cranbrook, Kent. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Bryant of Rolvenden, Ashford, Kent. Buried (St. Clement) Churchyard, Sandwich, Kent. Grave Ref: North Part. Commemorated on the Rolvenden, Ashford, Kent, civic war memorial, and on Great War memorial plaque located in the parish church of St Mary the Virgin. Thomas drowned at Stonar Camp, Sandwich. At the time of the 1901 census the Bryant family resided at Thornden Lane, Rolvenden, Ashford, Kent. Head of the house was 49 year old Rolvenden native Thomas Bryant (senior), who was a Farm Labourer. Thomas (junior) aged 18 was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Farm Horseman. BURDEN, WILLIAM. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died 3 July Born Otham, Kent. Enlisted Hastings, Sussex. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 11 C. On the day that William lost his life, his battalion took part in a costly attack on the Somme village of Ovillers. Before withdrawing to Bouzincourt later the same evening the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) had suffered 394 casualties of different categories, including 124 other ranks deaths. Regretably it was noted that several of those who were wounded on at Ovillers on 3 July 1916, later succumbed to their wounds at later dates. 104

105 BURTON, ALFRED RICHARD. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Thursday 5 April Born Brent Pelham, Buntingford, Hertfordshire. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Robert and Emma Burton. Buried Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: II. O. 4. Commemorated on The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment War Memorial which is located in the north wall of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, Surrey, which houses the Book of Remembrance which lists approximately 8000 officers and other ranks who gave their lives during the Great War. Formerly Private, 23887, 7th Reserve Cavalry Regiment. At this point in time (November 2008) no data has been accessed in an attempt to try and find out when Alfred had joined the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), or to glean any information regarding him leaving the 7th Reserve Cavalry Regiment, which was formed on mobilization in August 1914 at Tidworth, and affiliated to the 9th and 21st Lancers. Alfred s regimental number whilst a member of The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), would seem to indicate that at the time of his death, his service in the 6th (Service) Battalion of the regiment had not been of a long duration. The attack of the British forces during the Battle of Arras 1917 which was fought from 4 April to 16 May 1917, aimed at capturing the strategically important high ground of the village of Monchy-le-Preux, and the even higher ground of the Vimy Ridge, and in doing so break through the German line. The main initial concerted push by the British troops during the battle, actually took place on Monday 9 April Alfred lost his life a few days prior to the launch of the above offensive. As part of the operations carried out by the British prior to the attack of the Monday 9 April, an artillery bombardment of the enemy positions commenced at 0700 hours on Wednesday 4 April. Prime targets for artillery was the German barbed wire entanglements, combined with a number of other specific known strong points in the enemy defences. Intelligence gathered by allied airman revealed that on some portions of the enemy front line the barbed wire entanglements extended to 75 yards, in addition to which it was reported to also be thick in front of the German second line. A number of minor engagements by the infantry also took place at various times on the days leading up to the main attack on Monday 9 April, and it was possibly as the result of same that Alfred lost his life, he being one of four other ranks in his battalion on Thursday 5 April SDGW records the four deaths as being one died of wounds, and three killed in action. Alfred is recorded as being one the latter category of casualty. It is also possible of course that Alfred s death was the result of German artillery retaliatory fire, which although it would appear that the shelling by the German s was spasmodic as opposed to constant prior to the events of Monday 9 April, doubtless British casualties were suffered resultant of the shelling of their trenches and at other locations on the line. 105

106 CARR, JOHN BUCHANAN. Corporal, Inland Water Transport, Royal Engineers. Died Saturday 21 July Aged 33. Enlisted London. Resided South Shields, County Durham. Husband of Mrs. Margaret Carr (née Holmes) of 116 West Park Terrace, South Shields, County Durham. Father of Leonard Buchanan Carr. Buried Boatmans Hill Cemetery, Woodnesborough Road, Sandwich, Kent. Grave Ref: 10.F. "U." When John enlisted for the Duration of the War on 29 January 1916, he stated that he was a Master Mariner which probably was the reason why he was quickly promoted to a Acting Corporal on completion of his basic army training at Longmoor, Hampshire. At the time of his tragic demise, John was in charge of the Government Tug H88 which was in use by the Inland Water Transport, Royal Engineers. In the early hours of Saturday 21 July 1916 John took his own life by hanging in his berth. An inquest was conducted by Dover Solicitor, and Coroner for East Kent, Mr. Rutley Mowll, on 25 July 1916 at the Red Lion, Saltpans, Stoner, Sandwich, Kent. When briefly summing up after hearing the testimonies of a number of witnesses, the Coroner stated It was not a case which called for much comment from him. He thought that the evidence indicated clearly that the state of the deceased mind, and felt the jury would be justified in returning a verdict of Suicide whilst of unsound mind. The jury agreed, and returned a verdict to that effect, via Mr. George Spanton the Jury Foreman. At 1400 hours on Wednesday 26 July 1916, John s funeral cortege departed from Stonar Camp 106

107 on its way to Sandwich Cemetery. John s coffin was draped with a Union Jack which had kindly been lent for the occasion by the Mayor and Corporation of Sandwich, and was carried on a gun-carriage drawn by four black horses. The Reverend H.J. Watney, Chaplain to the Forces conducted the well attended funeral service, and burial. In addition to John s widow and his mother-in-law, 100 members of his company also attended his funeral, as did several members of the local populace. At John s grave a firing party fired shots in salute, and after laying John to rest, the Royal Engineers who had attended his funeral were joined by the band, and marched back to Stonar Camp. There is a very detailed report appertaining to John s demise, inquest, and funeral etcetera in the Deal, Walmer, and Sandwich Mercury, dated 29 July CHAPMAN, FREDERICK THOMAS. Sapper, rd Divisional Signal Company, Royal Engineers. Died 23 March Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Walmer, Kent. Resided Deal, Kent. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 1, and on the Great War memorial plaques located in the Victoria Hospital, Deal, Kent. Also on the Worth, Sandwich, Kent civic war memorial. Formerly Sapper, Deal/703/S, Royal Marine Divisional Engineers. Frederick enlisted in the Royal Marines in December1914, and had served in the R.M. Signal Company of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from 1 March Transferred to the Royal Engineers on 31 January Transferred to the Royal Engineers on 31 January Next-of-Kin: Mrs. Chapman, Fairfield Cottage, Mongeham, Deal, Kent. CHAPMAN, WILLIAM STEPHEN. Private, nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers. 1st Guards Brigade, 1st Division. Died Thursday 27 August Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Dover, Kent. Buried Etreux British Cemetery, Aisne, France. Grave Ref: I. 28. By virtue of the combination of his date of death and his regimental number, it would appear that William was a regular soldier. At the commencement of the Great War, William s battalion was at Malplaquet Barracks, Aldershot, Hampshire. Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel J.K. O Meagher, the battalion arrived at the port of Harve, France on 13 August On the day that William and 86 other ranks died, their battalion fought a heroic rearguard action through Oisy. Approaching Etreux the enemy crossed the road ahead and cut-off the battalion. After engaging a total of nine enemy battalions for 12 hours, eventually with all ammunition expended the battalion was overpowered. A regimental memorial commemorating all of the regiments Great War fallen was later erected in an orchard which became a cemetery at Etreux. A small plaque in the cemetery wall explains and commemorates the heroic stand made by the 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers on Thursday 27 August

108 CHARMAN, JOSEPH PHILLIP. Able Seaman, Royal Navy, (RFR/CH/B/8880). H.M.S. "Hawke." Died Thursday 15 October Aged 34. Born Sandwich, Kent 21 January Son of Mr. and Mrs. Charman of Sandwich, Kent. Husband of G. A. Levenson (formerly Charman), of 96, Malmesbury Road, Canning Town, London. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 2. Without a doubt the loss of H.M.S. Hawke has been the easiest of all the ships lost to ascertain facts by the transcriber, for inclusion on this or any other website. One of the sixty survivors of sinking of H.M.S. Hawke was peacetime Postman, Joseph Edward Cooke of Parracombe, Barnstaple, Devon, his grandson, Kenneth Cooke who like his grandfather is a former member of the Royal Navy, has been a long time friend of the transcriber, and helped in the past to explain nautical phrases, and provide Royal Navy information. About thirty years ago Ken furnished the transcriber with data appertaining to the loss of H.M.S. Hawke, including a copy of a newspaper interview that his grandfather gave after his return to Parracombe. The newspaper cutting is incredibly consistent with that of data accessed from books and the internet. Commanded by 40 year old Captain Hugh P.E.T. Williams, who was a recipient of a Royal Humane Society Medal. H.M.S. Hawke was an old armoured cruiser operating as part of the 10th Cruiser Squadron assigned to the Northern Patrol. She had originally been launched at Chatham, Kent, in 1891 and was one of the oldest ships still in service with the Royal Navy. At the time of her loss H.M.S. Hawke was being used as a training ship and had many young naval cadets on board. She had been re-commissioned in February 1913 with a nucleus crew, and had come up to her full complement at the commencement of the Great War. On 15 October 1914, sailing in company with H.M.S. Theseus, when the ships were approximately 60 miles off the coast of Aberdeen, H.M.S. Hawke turned to intercept a neutral Norwegian collier, shortly after which both ships were attacked by the faster German submarine U-9, which was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen who had been tracking them for some time. When he commenced his attack, Otto Weddigen fired his first torpedo at H.M.S. Theseus, but fortunately it missed her. Quickly turning his attention to H.M.S. Hawke, Otto Weddigen then fired a torpedo which struck her amidships near the magazine. The initial detonation which shook the ship violently was followed by a second terrific explosion, which resulted in a large number of the crew of H.M.S. Hawke being killed. From when she was hit the ship sank within about five minutes, and as such it was only possible to launch one of the ships cutters, which was the mail dory that had been lowered before the torpedo explosion. Captain Williams, 26 officers and approximately 500 ratings were lost with the sinking of H.M.S. Hawke, but 4 officers and 60 men survived. Although only designed to carry 29 people, the sole ships cutter which had got away eventually contained 49 sailors, 108

109 who were picked up about five hours later by a Norwegian steamer, all of whom were later transferred to a trawler and safely landed at Aberdeen. In addition to those who survived in the ships cutter, another 15 of the crew clinging to a raft were picked up by a passing ship, and landed at Grimsby. Joseph Cooke commented that after he had plunged into the icy waters of a heavy sea, he had swam for about three quarters of a mile before being picked up by the cutter, and whilst swimming he had passed the life raft at which time it had about 150 clinging to it, and that he was later informed that only 15 of their number had survived. Joseph also made mention that shortly after firing the torpedo which sunk H.M.S. Hawke, the German submarine briefly surfaced to see the effects of its discharge, disappearing again beneath the waters immediately. H.M.S. Theseus was under strict Admiralty orders not to attempt to pick up survivors, as on 22 September 1914 there had been the disaster involving H.M.S.Cressy, H.M.S.Aboukir and H.M.S.Hogue all sunk by Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen with the U-9. The following is a brief account of the events of 14 October 1914, by a crewman of the U-9, relevant to the sinking of H.M.S. Hawke. I gazed at the little picture of the upper ocean. The distant three cruisers were some wide space apart, but were converging, and were steering for a point and that point was apparently in the vicinity where we lay. No wonder the Commander thought they must want a torpedo. We imagined they were bent on joining forces and steaming together, but it presently became apparent that they intended to exchange signals, drop a cutter in the water, and deliver mail or orders, and then go their respective ways. We steered at full speed for the point toward which they were heading, our periscope showing only for a few moments at a time. The Cruisers, big armoured fellows, came zigzagging. We picked one, which afterward turned out to be H.M.S. Hawke, and maneuvered for a shot. It was tricky work. She nearly ran us down. We had to dive deeper and let her pass over us; else we would have been rammed. Now we were in a position for a stern shot at an angle, but she turned. It was a fatal turning, for it gave us an opportunity to swing around for a clear bow shot at 400 metres. We dived beyond periscope depth, ran underwater for a short distance, and then came up for a look through our tall, mast-like eye. The Hawke had already disappeared. She sank in eight minutes. Only one boat was in the water. It was the mail dory that had been lowered before the torpedo explosion. At the rudder the boat officer hoisted a distress signal on the boat's staff. That little dory with half a dozen men aboard was all that was left of the proud warship. 109

110 COOMES or COOMBES, CHARLES. Private, L/ st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Tuesday 20 October Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Wye, Ashford, Kent. Commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut. Belgium. Panel 2, and on the Sheldwich, Faversham, Kent, civic war memorial. Both spellings of Charles s surname were found whilst accessing different data sources appertaining to Charles who was a regular soldier. For official purposes Charles was assumed to have died on the above date. Following the fall of the city of Antwerp on 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 generally accepted as containing numerous errors, the book by Colonel R.S.H. Moody C.B., detailing the regiments contribution during the Great War, put the above number as 90,000, Colonel Moody also make 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 12 October 1914 the 1st Battalion was relieved in their trenches on the Aisne by French troops, and marched to the little village of Bazoches-sur-Vesles along with the 16th Brigade of the 6th Division to which the battalion belonged, and entrained from Bazoches-sur-Vesles to Cassel where they arrived the following day. The following is an extract from the book A Short History of the 6th Division August 1914-March 1919, by Major-General Thomas Owen Marden, C.B., C.M.G., who had commanded the 6th Division from 21 August The 16th Infantry Brigade now rejoined the Division from the Aisne, and on the 18th October a reconnaissance in force was ordered, which was brilliantly carried out. The Buffs and Y. and L. on the right captured Radinghem without much opposition, and advanced across a small plateau, 300 yards in width, towards the woods in which stands the Château de Flandres. They here came under a heavy cross-fire of machine-guns and shrapnel, and were counter-attacked and driven back. The situation, however, was saved by Major Bayley's company of the Y. and L., which had worked round on the left and threatened the flank of the counter-attack, which thereon withdrew. The Y. and L. suffered considerable casualties in this little action--major Robertson being killed. Meanwhile the 18th Infantry Brigade had captured Ennetières and the south end of Capinghem, while the 17th Infantry Brigade reached Prémesques, but was unable to take Pérenchies. The 4th Division had not been able to cross the Lys north of Armentières, which necessitated the 17th Infantry Brigade throwing back its flank to l'epinette. On the 19th October the Division entrenched on the line it had won. To the right were French cavalry and cyclists, covering the gap between the right of the III Corps and the left of the I Corps near Aubers. The advance from Hazebrouck to the ridge had occupied six days, and cost the Division some 750 casualties. On the morning of the 20th October the Germans attacked very heavily on the whole front. Fighting on a much extended front (five miles) and 110

111 with very little in hand, the Division was soon in difficulties, particularly on the exposed left flank, where the Leinsters had their three left companies quickly driven in, and the situation at midday was critical. One company with the machine-guns was able to hold on until the afternoon at Mont de Prémesques, and to withdraw under cover of darkness, having inflicted heavy loss on the enemy. Meanwhile units of other brigades were putting up a gallant fight against great odds, each unit generally with one or both flanks unsupported. At Ennetières, which formed rather a salient, the Sherwood Foresters held out all day, but were attacked at dusk by three battalions and practically annihilated or captured, only the CO., Adjutant, Q.M. and 250 other ranks remaining the next day. The Buffs, after a splendid fight, were driven out of Radinghem, and by night the Division was practically back on the line which it was to hold for the next few months, and on which the German offensive of 1918 still found the British. Continuous unsuccessful attempts to break through occurred till 31st October, when trench warfare set in. Notable among these was the attack on the K.S.L.I. and Y. and L. on the 23rd October, when 300 enemy dead were left in front of our trenches; on the 18th Infantry Brigade on the night of the 27/28th October, when the enemy captured the line, but was driven out by a counter-attack, in which the East Yorks specially distinguished themselves; and on the night of the 29/30th October, when the 19th Infantry Brigade lost some trenches, but counterattacked successfully, and counted 200 German dead. The incident of Cpl. Forward, 1st The Buffs, is typical of the fierce fighting. On 30th October, when the O.C. machine-guns of The Buffs and all the team had been killed or wounded, this gallant N.C.O. continued to fire his gun until eventually wounded in five places, when he crawled back to report the situation. He was rewarded with the D.C.M. During the whole period, 20th to 30th October, the guns were woefully short of ammunition, and consequently a greater strain was thrown on the infantry. DABSON, WILLIAM JAMES. Gunner, th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died 20 July Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Dover, Kent. Resided Ash, Kent. Son of George Dabson of Ash, Canterbury, Kent. Buried Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: IV. O. 8. It was noted that as is sadly the case with the Sandwich civic war memorial, William is also not commemorated on the Ash, Kent, civic war memorial, which would probably mean that he has no form of civic rememberance. A regular soldier, William arrived on the Western Front on 4 October In stark contrast to the infantry war diaries, very few details remain of the day to day activities of Royal Garrison Artillery batteries during the Great War. Their guns were usually situated at a suitable location some considerable behind the front line. The 111th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery was part of the III Heavy Brigade in the 7th Division, and which consisted of William s battery and the 112th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, each being equipped with four

112 inch guns, which were primarily used to bombard the enemy trenches and strong points, plus shell opposing artillery gun emplacements. A huge number of artillerymen s deaths on both sides of the conflict were the result of the opposing artillery, and possibly William fell into that category of casualty. The 111th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, was amongst the few Heavy Batteries (including Ammunition Columns), whose officers and other ranks who actually served under the fire of the enemy in France and Belgium between the 5 August, 1914, and midnight 22/23 November 1914, and qualified for the 1914 Star (aka Mons Star) with the date bar which has become known as the Mons Bar. One of the Gunners who qualified was William. Although it was a Regular Division, the 7th Division was not formed until after the commencement of the Great War. It was assembled at Lyndhurst, Hampshire, between August and October The 7th Division arrived in France in October 1914, and thereafter served in France and Flanders until November 1917, when it was transferred to Italy. After the move to Italy, it remained in that country until the Armistice EVERNDEN, SAMUEL IDEN. Corporal, st/19th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment, (St. Pancras). Died Sunday 24 March Aged 25. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted St. Johns Hill, London SW. Resided South Croydon, Surrey. Son of Samuel and Annie Laura Evernden of "Norbury," Thakeham, Pulborough, Sussex. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 9. Formerly Private, 2735, 1/23rd (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment in which battalion Samuel was serving when he sailed for France from Southampton, onboard the SS Copenhagen on 14 March 1915, which arrived at the port of Harve the following day. At the time of the 1901 census, the Evernden family was residing at the Post Office, High Street, Thakeham, Pulborough, Sussex. Head of the house was 36 year old Cranbrook, Kent native Samuel Evernden (senior) who was recorded by the census enumerator as being a Grocer/Draper & Sub Postmaster. As is the case with Sandwich civic war memorial in the town where he was born, Samuel Iden is not commemorated on the Thakeham, Pulborough, Sussex civic war memorial where his parents resided, and is probably not commemorated on any other civic war memorial, or place of worship anywhere. FOORD, WILLIAM. Private, th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. Died Tuesday 22 May Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Buried Tournai Communal Cemetery Allied Extension, Hainaut. Belgium. Grave Ref: V. C. 16. SDGW records William as having Died of Wounds. 112

113 FORD, ALBERT EDWARD. Private, th (Service) Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment). 9th Brigade, 3rd Division. Died Sunday 14 July Aged 20. Born Folkestone, Kent. Enlisted Maidstone, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Herbert Edward and Annie Ford of 10, Potter Street, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Pernes British Cemetery, Pernes-en-Artois, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: V. E. 33. Formerly Private, 9512, Suffolk Regiment. FULLER, RICHARD JAMES. Lance Corporal, G/343. "D" Company, 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Monday 18 March Aged 31. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Deal, Kent. Son of the late John and Sarah Fuller of Hayne's Farm, Shepherdswell, Dover, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 15, and on the recently restored St. Leonards parish church war memorial, Deal, Kent, also on the Victoria Hospital, Deal, Kent, Great War memorial plaques. At the time of the 1901 census, Richard was a 15 year old Drapers Assistant residing at the home of his employer, 49 year old Draper, George Frederick Baker at 7, King Street, Maidstone, Kent, where a total of twenty one people resided. It is not surprising and with real justification, that of all of the many actions fought by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), in the area of the Hohenzollern Redoubt during March 1916, it was the heroism of William Cotter from Sandgate, Kent, on 6 March 1916 which is remembered the most. Not only was William the only member of his battalion to be awarded the Victoria Cross, he was also the sole recipient of the award to any member of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) during the Great War. William Cotter V.C., died from his wounds which he received during his heroic action in what became known as The Battle of the Craters. Percy East and at least two other men who were Sandwich born and bred on 18 March 1916 during the same battle. On the day that Percy East, Richard Fuller, and Henry Thompson lost their lives, the German artillery had commenced firing an intense bombardment on the craters at 0500 hours; the enemy then blew a number of mines and then attacked. During the German infantry attack, their minenwerfers (mine throwers) did a lot of damage to the craters and to the front line defences of the 12th (Eastern) Division, to which the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) belonged. Due to the earlier shelling all lines of communication were cut, and as the result of which local command of the individual positions that were under attack fell on the shoulders of junior officers, warrant officers and non commissioned officers. The three Sandwich casualties are numbered amongst at least thirty three other ranks of their battalion who died that day, but it is obviously impossible to say how, exactly where or when each of the three lost their lives. It is probably significant that on the right flank of the line being held by the 6th (Service) 113

114 Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 18 March 1916, it was amongst the soldiers there that most of the casualties, deaths and woundings, are recorded as having taken place. All of the men garrisoning No s 1 and 2 craters, and A crater were either killed, or buried by explosions and wounded. Making matters worse was that the debris generated by the explosions at the above craters, had filled in other positions including the West Face and the top end of a location named Saville Row, plus Saps 9 & 9a. Seizing the moment, enemy infantry launched a successful counter attack and captured the craters, from which they were ultimately ejected after a later counter attack which was carried out by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). GAMBRILL, ALFRED ERNEST. Lance Corporal, /19th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment. (St. Pancras). 5th London Brigade, 2nd London Division. Died Sunday 2 December Born Eastry, Dover, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of William and Sarah Gambrill. Buried Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt, Somme, France. Grave Ref: IV.C.27. Commemorated in the parish church of St. Mary's, Eastry, Dover, Kent. Formerly Private, 3486, 4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Buffs, (East Kent Regiment), and Private, 7138, 1/19th (County of London) London Regiment. (St. Pancras). At the time of the 1901 census the Gambrill family resided at Stumps Court, Eastry, Kent. Head of the house was 36 year old Farm Waggoner William Gambrill who was a native of Tilmanstone, Kent. SDGW records William as having Died of Wounds. HARD, CHARLES JAMES. Private, L/ nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 85th Brigade, 28th Division. Died Tuesday 28 September Aged 36. Born, enlisted and resided Canterbury, Kent. Son of the late George and Sarah Hard of 13, Artillery Street, Canterbury, Kent. Husband of Harriet Ann Hard (née Jordon) of "Waverley Dene," Dover Road, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 15, and in the parish church of St. Mary's, Eastry, Dover, Kent. Employed as a Labourer, Charles was attested in The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) at Canterbury, Kent, aged 19 on 22 August 1901, and was posted on 8 January He married Miss Harriet Ann Jordon at the parish church of St. Mary's, Eastry, Kent on 17 August Entered the French war theatre whilst serving in the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 7 September At the time of his death, regular soldier Charles had completed a total of 14 years and 39 days service with his regiment. 114

115 HARLOW, ALFRED WILLIAM. Private, L/ nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 85th Brigade, 28th Division. Died 3 May Born Hoo, Rochester, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 12. At the commencement of the Great War, as was the case with many other regular battalions of the British army at the time, Alfred s battalion was stationed in India, and was stationed at Wellington, Madras. As the L prefix on Alfred s number is indicative of him having been a regular soldier, he would probably have been one the soldiers in India. After the battalion was relieved by members of the Territorial Force, the battalion embarked at Bombay on 16 November 1914 onboard the Cunard ship Ultonia. On 23 December the battalion arrived at Plymouth, and from there went to Winchester, Hampshire, where it became part of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division. On 17 January 1915 the battalion left from Southampton, heading for France, and then arrived at the busy port of Harve. On 28 April 1914, the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) took over trenches at Verlorenhoek, where it then remained in them until being relieved on the night of 3 May 1915, and moved back to a wood which was located to the north of the Vlamertinge-Poperinghe road, where an assessment was made of the latest battalion casualty roll returns. A staggering total of 17 officers and 702 other ranks in the battalion were shown to of had become casualties of different categories from 22 April 1915 to 3 May 1915, which had included the 144 other ranks deaths which were recorded for the day that Alfred lost his life. HARRIS, CHARLES ALBERT. Private, "F" Battalion, Tank Corps. Died Tuesday 27 November Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Newport, Isle of Wight. Commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France. Panel 13. When tanks were first used in action in 1916, they were operated by the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps. This constituted six companies, A through F. With the rapid growth of the tank forces, these companies were used as the cadre of new battalions, which were quickly transferred to the newly formed Tank Corps, and then changed from letters to numbers. F Company thus became F Battalion of the Heavy Branch in November 1916, then F Battalion, Tank Corps, and then post Charles s death it was eventually redesignated as 6th Battalion, Tank Corps in January

116 Although not strictly speaking a Sandwich, Kent, casualty. The original grave marker, and plaque appertaing to the following regular army officer briefly commemorated below, are both located in the parish church of St. Peter s, Sandwich, Kent. HARRISSON, ROLAND DAMER. D.S.O. Major. Royal Field Artillery. Died 10 September Aged 36. Born Liverpool, Lancashire 22 July Son of Damer Harrisson, F.R.C.S., of Liverpool, Lancashire. Husband of Hilda Beatrice Corbett Harrison (née Grierson), of Boar's Hill, Oxfordshire. Buried Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery, Epehy, Somme, France. Grave Ref: VI. B. 17. Roland was educated privately and at Liverpool College, Lancashire. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery in December Following his commission Roland steadily gained promotion to the rank of Lieutenant in December 1903, Captain August 1912, and Major May Having been Mentioned in Despatches, Roland was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his gallantry at Guillemont between 20 July and 2 August Roland s Godfather, who is named on the memorial plaque above as John Harrison M.D., was John William Harrison M.B., C.M. (Aberd) of White Friars, New Street, Sandwich. For many years he was the Medical Officer for Health and the Vaccination Officer, for the Sandwich District & Eastry Union, Kent. 116

117 HILDERBRANDO, ERNEST. Private, /21st (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles). 181st Brigade, 60th (2nd/2nd London) Division. Died Monday 10 July Aged 29. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted and resided Woolwich, Kent. Son of Mrs. Hilderbrando. Husband of Kate Hilderbrando (née Butler) of 5, Hartford Street, Meadows, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire. Buried Bois-de-Noulette New Cemetery, Aix-Noulette, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: I. F. 5. At the time of the 1901 census the Hilderbrando family resided at 3, Chick Alley, Chatham, Kent. Head of the House was 51 year old Italian native Ernest Hilderbrando (senior), who was recorded by the census enumerator as being an Own Account Confectionary Hawker. Ernest Hilderbrando (senior) died in The 2/21st (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles) was formed at Camberwell in August Following several moves within the United Kingdom, the battalion landed at the port of Harve, France in June On 24 November 1916 the battalion entrained at Longpré for the port of Marseilles, from where it sailed for Salonika. In June 1917 another move was made to Egypt, and the battalion was disbanded in Palestine on 3 June SDGW records Ernest as having Died of Wounds. HOILE, ARTHUR GEORGE. Lance Corporal, th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Died Wednesday 6 November Aged 24. Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Son of Jobe Hoile and Jane Eliza Hoile (née Ladd) of Ham, Eastry, Kent. Buried Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. Grave Ref: VIII. A. 4. Commemorated on the Ham, Kent, and Worth, Kent, civic war memorials. Prior to his death Arthur one of at least ten surviving children of Jobe Hoile and Jane Eliza Hoile, and was their fourth son. On 21 October 1912, Arthur enlisted in the army on an engagement of 7 years with the colours and 5 years in the army reserve, and was attested to the 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps. At the time of his engagement, Arthur stated that he was aged 18 and 9 months, and that he was employed as a Farm Labourer. Arthur also stated that he had already completed six months service as a member of the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), in which he was still serving. After serving in the 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, Arthur was transferred to the 4th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, and was serving at Gharial, India at the commencement of the Great War. Following his battalions return to England on 15 November 1914, Arthur went with the battalion to serve in France from 21 December Arthur later served at Salonika with his battalion, and was still in the same battalion when it returned to France. Arthur died of his wounds after being hit in the chest by enemy machine gun fire. 117

118 IVERSON, FREDERICK JAMES. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Monday 13 March Born Folkestone, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Charles Richard Iverson and Elizabeth Iverson. Buried Bethune Town Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: V. B. 22. At the time of the 1901 census the Iverson family resided at 19, St. Johns Church Road, Folkestone, Kent. Head of the house was 43 year old Folkestone native Charles Iverson, who was recorded by the census enumerator as being an Own Account Master Butcher. Mrs. Elizabeth Iverson was recorded as being aged 41 and a native of Saltwood, Kent. Frederick was aged 18 and employed as a Butler. SDGW records Frederick as having Died of Wounds. KEMP, WILLIAM JOHN. Serjeant, rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade. 17th Brigade, 24th Division. Died Wednesday 20 December Aged 24. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Portsmouth, Hampshire. Resided Dover, Kent. Son of Mrs. Annie Kemp of Vale Cottage, South Alkham, Dover, Kent, and of the late Thomas Kemp. Buried Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: II. A. 1. Commemorated on the Dover, Kent, civic war memorial. At the time of the 1901 census the Kemp family resided at Delf Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 63 year old Eastry, Kent native Thomas Kemp. Mrs. Annie Kemp and the eight Kemp children, who were recorded by the census enumerator as being at home on census night, were all natives of Sandwich. For most of November and December 1916, the 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade alternated between the trenches and support or reserve billets in the Loos sector of the Western Front. On Wednesday 20 December 1916, William was one of the two other ranks in the battalion who were killed in action, both of whom were Serjeant s, the other being Thomas Roden from Coventry, Warwickshire. 118

119 KNOTT, ALBION FREDERICK. Private, G/ nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 85th Brigade, 28th Division. Died Monday 24 May Aged 20. Born and resided Eastry, Kent. Enlisted Dover, Kent. Son of Albion Frederick and Amy Knott of 22, Moat Sole, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 12 or 14. Albion s brother also fell during the Great War, he being the following casualty:- KNOTT, WILLIAM HENRY. Private, "A" Company, 8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry. Died Wednesday 15 November Aged 20. Son of Albion Frederick and Amy Knott of Mill Lane, Eastry, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 2 A. Both of the Knott brothers are commemorated on the Eastry, Dover, Kent, Great War parish tribute which is located in the parish church of St. Mary. LAMERTON, WILLIAM GEORGE. Private, th (Service) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Died Sunday 2 July Aged 22. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Fulham, Middlesex. Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Lamerton of 45, Lateward Road, Brentford, Middlesex. Buried Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: VIII. B LANGRISH, THOMAS HARVEY. Rifleman, S/ th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade. 111th Brigade, 37th Division. Died Wednesday 11 April Aged 21. Born Shere, Guilford, Surrey. Enlisted London. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Thomas and Susan Langrish (née Miles) of Shere, Guildford, Surrey. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 9. At the time of the 1901 census the Langrish family resided at Shere Street, Shere, Guilford, Surrey. Head of the house was 34 year old Thomas Langrish (senior) who was a Master Butcher, and a native of Chiddingfold, Godalming, Surrey. Mrs. Susan Langrish was aged 31 and a native of Farncombe, Godalming, Surrey. From 10 March to 5 April 1917, the13th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade trained at Maisnil-St. Pol, three miles to the south east of St. Pol, training for the Battle of Arras Originally the battle was planned to commence on 8 April, prior to which an artillery bombardment of four days duration was carried out. On 5 April, orders were received by the units which were going to take part in the battle, to the effect that a change of plan had resulted in a delay of twenty four hours, which resulted in an extra day of shelling of the enemy positions, prior to zero hour at 0530 hours on 9 April. On the first day of the battle, Thomas s battalion was in position in the corps reserve, and played no part in the costly assault on the German front line. As part of the same battle, Thomas was amongst the 45 other ranks deaths on the day that he fell. 119

120 LONG, VICTOR MANNERS. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died Saturday 25 September Aged 34. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Great Mongeham, Deal, Kent. Resided Sutton, Dover, Kent. Son of Charles and Harriet Long late of Eastry, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panels 15 to 19, and on the Ripple, Kent, civic war memorial. Also commemorated on The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment War Memorial which is located in the north wall of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, Surrey, which houses the Book of Remembrance which lists approximately 8000 officers and other ranks who gave their lives during the Great War. Formerly Private, G/2831, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). At the time of the 1901 census the Long family resided at Fielderland Lane, Eastry, Kent. Head of the house was 58 year old Preston, Kent native Charles Long, who was employed as a Farm Foreman. Victor was one of three Sandwich natives or residents who lost their lives during the Battle of Loos on the same day, whilst serving in the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). At least 84 other ranks deaths in their battalion were recorded following the days events of Tuesday 25 September 1915, which was its first experience of a large action during the Great War, but was unfortunately destined to be the prelude to many others. The overall Battle of Loos cost the battalion dear, with an all inclusive casualty roll of 12 officers and 409 other ranks. Amongst the officers who fell was the Commanding Officer of the battalion, 54 year old Colonel Frederick Howard Fairtlough C.M.G. from Godalming, Surrey, whose 28 year old son Captain Gerard Howard Fairtlough M.C. 423rd Field Company (T.F.) The Royal Engineers, died of wounds in a Base Hospital at Etaples, Pas de Calais, France, on Thursday 13 June Checking SDGW (which does contain errors) shows that by the end of the Great War, the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) had suffered 668 other ranks deaths. Immediately prior to going to France, an advanced party of the battalion, which was comprised of Major H.J.C. Peirs, Lieutenants J.R. Smith and W.Q. Henriques, and 106 other ranks left from Farnborough, Surrey via train to leave from Southampton for Harve, France. The following day the remainder of the battalion left from Frimley, Surrey to travel from Folkestone to Boulogne. On Thursday 2 September 1915, both elements of the battalion were reunited at Montreuil from where all of the battalion marched to Herly, a distance of twelve miles. Having spent almost three weeks at Herly, on Tuesday 21 September 1915 the battalion commenced its march to Vermelles via Glem, Berguettes, and Béthune arriving at the village of Vermelles which is approximately 7 miles to the north-west of Lens, on the afternoon of Saturday 25 September From Vermelles the 72nd Brigade, of the 24th Division to which the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) belonged moved out to occupy trenches to the west of Le Rutoire Farm on the Loos Plain which was, and still is a large farm complex situated close to the village of Vermelles, that was some distance behind the British front line. Of specific Kent 120

121 interest regarding Le Rutoire is that it was on Saturday 25 September 1915, that Herne native, and Ashford resident Serjeant Harry Wells of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment won the Victoria Cross. Whilst ensconced in the trenches to the west of Le Rutoire Farm, Colonel Fairtlough commanding the battalion received somewhat ambiguous orders in preparation for a planned attack on an area to the south of the village of Hulluch. An attack carried out by the 9th (Scottish) Division, had by mid-morning succeeded in reaching and occupying the enemy trench complex around the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, and also Pekin Trench. In order to play its part in the days events, the 72nd Brigade, of the 24th Division formed up with the 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), and the 9th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment in the front line, and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), and the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) in support of the two forward battalions. At 1100 hours Victor s battalion was subjected to enemy shell fire, but incredibly suffered no recorded casualties resultant of the shelling. At 1300 hours the 73rd Brigade, 24th Division was ordered to reinforce Fosse 8, as it was believed that any loss of position here would seriously endanger the troops which were still at Pekin Trench. In addition, six Field Batteries of the Royal Field Artillery were ordered forward to positions south-west of the Redoubt, where they came into action and commenced firing at 1630 hours. During the afternoon, the occupants of Pekin Trench came under heavy shellfire, and German infantry began a bombing attack, starting at the Haisnes-Auchy road and working in a southerly direction, whilst others worked north from Cite Trench. Despite being reinforced by the 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, ultimately the overwhelming superiority of German grenades took their, and the position was gradually retaken. By 1700 hours, about half of it had been lost, and the remaining men were ordered to withdraw in the dark. Unfortunately many returned as far as the original German front line, leaving a very confused picture around Fosse Alley, which became the new British front line. The advanced artillery field batteries were ordered back to the positions they had left earlier in the day. Following the Battle of Loos, the battalion later took part in a number of important notable battles including those of the Somme, Arras, Scarpe, Cambrai, and those fought during the final throes of the Great War when it was concentrated in and around Le Pissotiau, before moving into billets on 8 November En route to Bavai, by a cruel twist of fate the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) suffered its final casualty from a long range high velocity German artillery piece. It was whilst it was at Bavai that the battalion received the welcome news of the end of the war, and the signing of the Armistice with Germany. 121

122 MANSER, JOSEPH. Lance Serjeant, G/173. 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Wednesday 13 October Aged 25. Born Northdown, Margate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted and resided Margate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Manser of 17, Delf Street, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panels 15 to 19, and on the Margate, Isle of Thanet, Kent civic war memorial. For military historians and other interest parties, and in particular anybody who has had a specific interest in The Buffs throughout its long proud existence, certain dates and events appertaing to the regiment, for a variety of reasons both good and bad immediately spring to mind. The pointless and disastrous heroic attack that was carried out by the 6th (Service) Battalion on Wednesday 13 October 1915 during the Battle of Loos 1915 is one such date. Unfortunately it is recalled not just for the gallantry displayed by all ranks on that fateful day, but also by the number of the battalion casualty return entries. Numerous commentators both professional and amateur, over quite a large span of years have made justifiable comments along the lines that the overall casualties and losses to The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) during the Battle of Loos 1915, are comparable to those of the Pals Battalions that suffered so cruelly during the Battle of the Somme the following year. Every time that the transcriber of these brief commemorations views the Loos Memorial at Dud Corner Cemetery, although visited numerous times, the events of the battle and the regiments involvement are recalled, as numbering 659 casualties, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) is sadly the regiment with the sixth highest number of its soldiers commemorated on the memorial, and apart from the Book of Life in the Warriors Chapel at Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, those honoured on the Loos Memorial constitute the largest remembrance of the regiments fallen anywhere in the world. During the battle the 8th (Service) Battalion had 558 known casualties including 24 officers, and the 6th (Service) Battalion had 409 known casualties including 18 officers. It should also be noted that only 7 members of the 6th (Service) Battalion, who fell on 13 October 1915 are at rest in marked graves, the remainder having no known resting place and are all commemorated on the Loos Memorial. On 11 October 1915 after a bitter and costly struggle by both sides engaged in the action, the German army recovered part of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and the made a resolute attack near Loos which was repulsed at an enormous cost. Two days later, orders were issued from the headquarters of the 12th (Eastern) Division for an attack on Hulluch, which were very detailed and precise in every respect. The 37th Brigade which had included Herbert s battalion was to be strengthened by a company of the Northamptonshire Regiment, with the 69th Field Company, Royal Engineers being tasked with joining up with the 35th Brigade. Unlike many other attacks which took place in the early hours of the morning, with darkness affording some protection, but the attack on Wednesday 13 October 1915 was scheduled to commence at 1400 hours in broad daylight. To help compensate for the use of lack of natural light, a 122

123 smokescreen was detailed to be formed by the use of Threlfallite grenades and smoke candles. To help achieve the desired smokescreen, 1,000 Threlfallite grenades were issued to the troops holding the trenches, with two grenades being thrown into No Man s Land every four minutes, twenty five yards apart. The smoke candles were to be grouped together at the same distance and thrown over the parapet every two minutes. The objective that was designated for assault by the 6th (Service) Battalion at Hulluch on 13 October 1915 was called Gun Trench. As part of the plans for the attack by the 12th (Eastern) Division, a comprehensive plan of fire for the supporting artillery was drawn up which was timed to commence at noon and pause at 1257 hours for three minutes. At the resumption of the artillery bombardment rapid fire was ordered of a minute, thereafter resuming a rate of fire as prior to the brief cessation of firing, until 1400 hours when the infantry attack commenced. The decision by the planning officers re the artillery sequence of fire was quite sound, the thinking behind same being that the three minute respite of firing would fool the opposition into thinking that it was the start of an infantry attack, and that they would then quickly man their trenches and get caught by the brief bombardment of rapid fire. It was also envisaged that when the artillery ceased fire at 1400 hours with the commencement of the infantry attack, the Germans would think that it was another ploy by the British to lure them back into the trenches. But as is sometimes the case in war, not all went according to the thorough plans that had been drawn up. Arguably the most costly setbacks on the actual day being the unsuccessful artillery barrages, combined with wholly ineffective smokescreen which was intended to hide the advance across No Mans Land, to the German lines on the reverse slope at Gun Trench. Quite literally within minutes on Wednesday 13 October 1915, 189 men in the 6th (Service) Battalion were killed, and at least another 222 are known to have been wounded to varying degrees of severity, some of whom sadly had been mortally wounded, the majority of the deaths and woundings were as the result of well placed enemy machine guns. Resulting from the events carried out by Joseph s battalion on 13 October 1915 which was its first battle of the war, other assaulting battalions were able to make significant gains. MINTER, WILLIAM. Private, nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. 21st Brigade, 7th Division. Died Wednesday 21 October Aged 23. Born and resided Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Son of Henry Thomas and Jane Minter of Bellors Bush, Dover Road, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 19. As can be deduced when reading the following condensed events and movements etcetera appertaining to William s battalion, from 4 August 1914 until his death, William s time in action was for only a few days. At the commencement of the Great War, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers was part of the garrison stationed at Gibraltar. In September 1914 the battalion returned to 123

124 England and as part of the 21st Brigade, 7th Division was stationed at Lyndhurst, Hampshire, but its stay was of only a short duration as on 4 October 1914 the battalion embarked at the port of Southampton for service on the Western Front. Headquarters, C and D Companies boarded the SS Cymbrie, and A and B Companies boarded the SS Lake Michigan. Both ships sailed from Southampton on 5 October and arrived in Belgium at the port of Zeebrugge the following day. From Zeebrugge, the battalion moved by train to Bruges and then into billets ad St. Croix. On 8 October another move was undertaken by the battalion, on that occasion it went to Clemskerke, and via Ostend to positions around Meetkerke the next day. Several more moves were made by the battalion, all of which were taking it ever closer to the front. From St. Croix the battalion moved to Wieltje via Beernem, Coolscamp, De Ruiter, and Ypres. At Wieltje on 15 October, the battalion took up entrenched positions between the Ypres-Poelcappelle road and the Ypres-Zonnebeke road. Following the day spent in the Wieltje trenches, the battalion moved into bivouacs at Château Poezelhoek near Becelaere. On 18 October a move forward was made to Tirhand, where the battalion engaged the enemy. Major Ian Forbes who was one of the battalion officers of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, wrote that the battalion was constantly under fire, and that it was difficult to tell the difference between night and day, and that the Germans were persistent in their attacks. Another fact about the engagements of 18 and 19 October 1914 that the battalion fought at Tirhand was the way that the enemy fought, which he describes as being akin to rows and rows of cannon fodder. A ditch which was located to the front of the battalion line was approximately six feet deep, ten feet wide, and one hundred yards in length. Resultant of the combinations of the Germans heroic but suicidal tactics, and the devastating skill and speed with which the highly trained and very proficient soldiers in William s battalion of regulars put their Lee Enfield rifles to use, the ditch eventually became filled with the bodies of the enemy, as they suffered staggering casualties. During the evening of 19 October the battalion withdrew, and dug in on line between Reutel and Poezelhoek. Stoically William s battalion held the line whilst under almost constant enemy artillery bombardment, which were interspersed by enemy attacks. On the day that William lost his life, D Company were enfiladed by enemy machine gun fire, and the Germans then broke through between the company and the 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, forcing a withdrawal. Unfortunately it has not been possible at this time to ascertain which company of his battalion he was serving in at the time of his death, although on some of the data checked indicates that of the thirteen other ranks deaths on Wednesday 21 October 1914, the majority of them were members of D Company, as were the most of the battalion personnel that suffered woundings. It was noted by Major Ian Forbes that for several days neither side engaged in the fighting at Tirhand were able to bury their dead comrades. 124

125 NOWER, WILLIAM. Private, G/ nd/1st (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers). Died Thursday 1 November Aged 19. Born Sandwich, Kent. Son of Edwin and Ellen Nower (née Kemp) of High Street, Eastry, Dover, Kent. Buried Dozinghem Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: XII. D. 2. Commemorated on the Eastry, Dover, Kent, Great War parish tribute which is located in the parish church of St. Mary. At the time of the 1901 census the Nower family resided at Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent. Head of the house was 36 year old Engine Driver, Edwin Nower who like his wife and their eight children which were recorded by the census enumerator as being at home on census night was a native of Sandwich. Data checked would seem to indicate that the 2nd/1st (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) was formed in September By December the same year in Kent as part of the 2nd/1st London Brigade, 2nd/1st London Division. Unlike the vast majority of the British battalions of the Great War which served abroad the battalion did not initially go to serve on the Western Front, as its first overseas posting was to the island of Malta where it landed on 11 February The battalion departed from Malta on 27 August 1915 for Alexandria, Egypt, where it arrived three days later. From Alexandria the battalion sailed for Gallipoli and landed at Suvla Bay at about midnight on 24 September On the night of 7/8 January 1916 the battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli and eventually arrived in France at the port of Marseilles on 24 April In view of William s age and regimental number, it would appear that he had been amongst the drafts which were posted to the regiment straight to France from England, and possibly not long prior to his death. PAGE, CHARLES WILLIAM. Private, G/571. 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Wednesday 13 October Aged 27. Born Godalming, Surrey. Enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Resided Woodnesborough, Sandwich, Kent. Son of Charles and Charlotte Page (née Boxall) of Felderland Lane, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panels 15 to 19, and on the Woodnesborough, Sandwich, Kent civic war memorial, also in the Parish of Woodnesborough Memorial Book which is located in the parish church of St. Mary's Virgin, Woodnesborough. At the time of the 1901 Census the Page family resided at Pittocks Down, Worth, Kent. Head of the house was 39 year old Eastry, Kent native Charles Page (senior) who was employed as an Agricultural Labourer. Charles (junior) was a brother of the next casualty briefly commemorated below. For military historians and other interest parties, and in particular anybody who has had a specific interest in The Buffs throughout its long proud existence, certain dates and 125

126 events appertaing to the regiment, for a variety of reasons both good and bad immediately spring to mind. The pointless and disastrous heroic attack that was carried out by the 6th (Service) Battalion on Wednesday 13 October 1915 during the Battle of Loos 1915 is one such date. Unfortunately it is recalled not just for the gallantry displayed by all ranks on that fateful day, but also by the number of the battalion casualty return entries. Numerous commentators both professional and amateur, over quite a large span of years have made justifiable comments along the lines that the overall casualties and losses to The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) during the Battle of Loos 1915, are comparable to those of the Pals Battalions that suffered so cruelly during the Battle of the Somme the following year. Every time that the transcriber of these brief commemorations views the Loos Memorial at Dud Corner Cemetery, although visited numerous times, the events of the battle and the regiments involvement are recalled, as numbering 659 casualties, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) is sadly the regiment with the sixth highest number of its soldiers commemorated on the memorial, and apart from the Book of Life in the Warriors Chapel at Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, those honoured on the Loos Memorial constitute the largest remembrance of the regiments fallen anywhere in the world. During the battle the 8th (Service) Battalion had 558 known casualties including 24 officers, and the 6th (Service) Battalion had 409 known casualties including 18 officers. It should also be noted that only 7 members of the 6th (Service) Battalion, who fell on 13 October 1915 are at rest in marked graves, the remainder having no known resting place and are all commemorated on the Loos Memorial. On 11 October 1915 after a bitter and costly struggle by both sides engaged in the action, the German army recovered part of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and the made a resolute attack near Loos which was repulsed at an enormous cost. Two days later, orders were issued from the headquarters of the 12th (Eastern) Division for an attack on Hulluch, which were very detailed and precise in every respect. The 37th Brigade which had included Herbert s battalion was to be strengthened by a company of the Northamptonshire Regiment, with the 69th Field Company, Royal Engineers being tasked with joining up with the 35th Brigade. Unlike many other attacks which took place in the early hours of the morning, with darkness affording some protection, but the attack on Wednesday 13 October 1915 was scheduled to commence at 1400 hours in broad daylight. To help compensate for the use of lack of natural light, a smokescreen was detailed to be formed by the use of Threlfallite grenades and smoke candles. To help achieve the desired smokescreen, 1,000 Threlfallite grenades were issued to the troops holding the trenches, with two grenades being thrown into No Man s Land every four minutes, twenty five yards apart. The smoke candles were to be grouped together at the same distance and thrown over the parapet every two minutes. The objective that was designated for assault by the 6th (Service) Battalion at Hulluch on 13 October 1915 was called Gun Trench. As part of the plans for the attack by the 12th (Eastern) Division, a comprehensive plan of fire for the supporting artillery was drawn up which was timed to commence at noon and pause at 1257 hours for three minutes. At the resumption of the artillery bombardment rapid fire was ordered of a minute, thereafter resuming a rate of 126

127 fire as prior to the brief cessation of firing, until 1400 hours when the infantry attack commenced. The decision by the planning officers re the artillery sequence of fire was quite sound, the thinking behind same being that the three minute respite of firing would fool the opposition into thinking that it was the start of an infantry attack, and that they would then quickly man their trenches and get caught by the brief bombardment of rapid fire. It was also envisaged that when the artillery ceased fire at 1400 hours with the commencement of the infantry attack, the Germans would think that it was another ploy by the British to lure them back into the trenches. But as is sometimes the case in war, not all went according to the thorough plans that had been drawn up. Arguably the most costly setbacks on the actual day being the unsuccessful artillery barrages, combined with wholly ineffective smokescreen which was intended to hide the advance across No Mans Land, to the German lines on the reverse slope at Gun Trench. Quite literally within minutes on Wednesday 13 October 1915, 189 men in the 6th (Service) Battalion were killed, and at least another 222 are known to have been wounded to varying degrees of severity, some of whom sadly had been mortally wounded, the majority of the deaths and woundings were as the result of well placed enemy machine guns. Resulting from the events carried out by Charles s battalion on 13 October 1915 which was its first battle of the war, other assaulting battalions were able to make significant gains. PAGE, FREDERICK THOMAS. M.M. Corporal, L/ st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 16th Brigade, 6th Division. Died Monday 3 December Aged 24. Born Croydon, Surrey. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Son of Charles and Charlotte Page (née Boxall) of Woodnesborough, Sandwich, Kent, formerly of Felderland Lane, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Gouzeaucourt New British Cemetery, Nord, France. Grave Ref: VI. H. 9. Commemorated on the on the Woodnesborough, Sandwich, Kent civic war memorial, and in the Parish of Woodnesborough Memorial Book which is located in the parish church of St. Mary's Virgin, Woodnesborough. The SDGW entry for Frederick records him as having died of wounds, and assuming that the information shown is correct, it has meant unfortunately meant that the transcriber of these brief commemorations has not been able to add any details appertaining to same e.g. where, when, or how he was mortally wounded. It should perhaps be pointed out for anybody viewing this entry who is not familiar with the Sandwich area of Kent, that the Page family former address of Felderland Lane, Sandwich, Kent, is a small lane which runs between the village of Woodnesborough and the town of Sandwich. 127

128 PALMER, ALFRED. Ordinary Seaman, J/ Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Vanguard." Died Monday 9 July Aged 18. Born Sandwich, Kent 26 April Son of Arthur Stanford Palmer of Barnsole, Staple, Canterbury, Kent, and of the late Alice Palmer. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 22. Much more information will be added at a later date re Alfred s service in the Royal Navy, including ships served on etcetera. PARKER, ARTHUR. Private, G/560. 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Monday 3 July Born St. Mary s, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Resided Margate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 5 D, and on the Worth, Sandwich, Kent civic war memorial. It was noted that as is the case at Sandwich where he was born and enlisted, Arthur is also not commemorated on the Margate, Isle of Thanet, Kent civic war memorial. Medal card entry records Arthur entered the French war theatre on 1 June 1915, and that he was killed in action on 3 July Although it has not thus far been possible to ascertain the following, and is purely speculation on the part of the transcriber of these brief commemorations, but in view the matching Sandwich parish where both Arthur and Frank Ray Parker, who is the next casualty commemorated where born, combined with their regimental numbers (G/560 & G/567) being so close, it might be indicative of them having been related or may even have brothers who had enlisted in the army together. As the 6th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) rested in a reserve position in a field near the village of Millencourt on 1 July 1916, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, there was a mixture of excitement, apprehension and initial relief when news came through from the front that all was going well, and that all objectives had been gained. Later came the news that the assault on the village of Ovillers had failed. Resulting from the first day s failure to capture Ovillers, the battalion moved at night to occupy trenches facing the village which was once again heavily bombarded by the artillery. Early on the morning of 3 July the battalion were ready to attack the enemy troops holding Ovillers, at about 0330 hours A Company moved forward in platoons, initially with few losses until reaching the German barbed wire entanglements, but later waves of A Company and those of C Company had a high casualty rate, those soldiers who did manage to actually get into the enemy trenches bombed the dugouts, the men who were being led with Second Lieutenant, Thomas C. Farmer carried 128

129 out the bombing with noted accuracy and skill, which observers likened to a fieldday work (training). Due to the high casualty rate being inflicted on the men carrying more hand grenades to the bombing parties, resulted in the supply of them running out, which in turn led to Second Lieutenant, Thomas Farmer carrying out a fighting withdrawal from the German trenches at Ovillers. 3 July 1916 cost the battalion 274 casualties in dead, wounded and missing, at least 70 of the recorded casualties were other ranks deaths in the battalion. Of course it has not been possible to ascertain at what stage, or the part that he played in the engagement it was that Arthur fell. PARKER, FRANK RAY. Private, G/567. 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Wednesday 13 October Born St. Mary s, Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Resided Worth, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panels 15 to 19, and on the Worth, Sandwich, Kent civic war memorial. For military historians and other interest parties, and in particular anybody who has had a specific interest in The Buffs throughout its long proud existence, certain dates and events appertaing to the regiment, for a variety of reasons both good and bad immediately spring to mind. The pointless and disastrous heroic attack that was carried out by the 6th (Service) Battalion on Wednesday 13 October 1915 during the Battle of Loos 1915 is one such date. Unfortunately it is recalled not just for the gallantry displayed by all ranks on that fateful day, but also by the number of the battalion casualty return entries. Numerous commentators both professional and amateur, over quite a large span of years have made justifiable comments along the lines that the overall casualties and losses to The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) during the Battle of Loos 1915, are comparable to those of the Pals Battalions that suffered so cruelly during the Battle of the Somme the following year. Every time that the transcriber of these brief commemorations views the Loos Memorial at Dud Corner Cemetery, although visited numerous times, the events of the battle and the regiments involvement are recalled, as numbering 659 casualties, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) is sadly the regiment with the sixth highest number of its soldiers commemorated on the memorial, and apart from the Book of Life in the Warriors Chapel at Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, those honoured on the Loos Memorial constitute the largest remembrance of the regiments fallen anywhere in the world. During the battle the 8th (Service) Battalion had 558 known casualties including 24 officers, and the 6th (Service) Battalion had 409 known casualties including 18 officers. It should also be noted that only 7 members of the 6th (Service) Battalion, who fell on 13 October 1915 are at rest in marked graves, the remainder having no known resting place and are all commemorated on the Loos Memorial. On 11 October 1915 after a bitter and costly struggle by both sides engaged in the action, the German army recovered part of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and the made a resolute attack near Loos which was repulsed at an enormous cost. Two days later, orders were issued from the headquarters of the 129

130 12th (Eastern) Division for an attack on Hulluch, which were very detailed and precise in every respect. The 37th Brigade which had included Herbert s battalion was to be strengthened by a company of the Northamptonshire Regiment, with the 69th Field Company, Royal Engineers being tasked with joining up with the 35th Brigade. Unlike many other attacks which took place in the early hours of the morning, with darkness affording some protection, but the attack on Wednesday 13 October 1915 was scheduled to commence at 1400 hours in broad daylight. To help compensate for the use of lack of natural light, a smokescreen was detailed to be formed by the use of Threlfallite grenades and smoke candles. To help achieve the desired smokescreen, 1,000 Threlfallite grenades were issued to the troops holding the trenches, with two grenades being thrown into No Man s Land every four minutes, twenty five yards apart. The smoke candles were to be grouped together at the same distance and thrown over the parapet every two minutes. The objective that was designated for assault by the 6th (Service) Battalion at Hulluch on 13 October 1915 was called Gun Trench. As part of the plans for the attack by the 12th (Eastern) Division, a comprehensive plan of fire for the supporting artillery was drawn up which was timed to commence at noon and pause at 1257 hours for three minutes. At the resumption of the artillery bombardment rapid fire was ordered of a minute, thereafter resuming a rate of fire as prior to the brief cessation of firing, until 1400 hours when the infantry attack commenced. The decision by the planning officers re the artillery sequence of fire was quite sound, the thinking behind same being that the three minute respite of firing would fool the opposition into thinking that it was the start of an infantry attack, and that they would then quickly man their trenches and get caught by the brief bombardment of rapid fire. It was also envisaged that when the artillery ceased fire at 1400 hours with the commencement of the infantry attack, the Germans would think that it was another ploy by the British to lure them back into the trenches. But as is sometimes the case in war, not all went according to the thorough plans that had been drawn up. Arguably the most costly setbacks on the actual day being the unsuccessful artillery barrages, combined with wholly ineffective smokescreen which was intended to hide the advance across No Mans Land, to the German lines on the reverse slope at Gun Trench. Quite literally within minutes on Wednesday 13 October 1915, 189 men in the 6th (Service) Battalion were killed, and at least another 222 are known to have been wounded to varying degrees of severity, some of whom sadly had been mortally wounded, the majority of the deaths and woundings were as the result of well placed enemy machine guns. Resulting from the events carried out by Frank s battalion on 13 October 1915 which was its first battle of the war, other assaulting battalions were able to make significant gains. 130

131 PRICE, WILLIAM BOYSON. Private, th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. Died Wednesday 16 August Born Shotton, County Durham. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Buried Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Grave Ref: Plot 2. Row 2. Grave 110. William s death is the only one recorded as having occurred on the above date. As SDGW records William as having died of wounds, it has not been possible thus far to ascertain where, when, or how he was mortally wounded. REVELL, JAMES. Pioneer, th Artisan Works Company, Royal Engineers. Died Sunday 7 July Aged 43. Born Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Katharine L. Revell of 13, Rutters Cottages, Great Wakering, Essex. Buried Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Sangatte, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: XVIII. A. 22. Commemorated on the Great Wakering, Essex, civic war memorial, and on Great War memorial plaque which is located in the parish church of St Nicholas, Great Wakering. As James died post the Great War years there is no SDGW entry for him, and as the transcriber of these brief commemorations has not personally sighted his death certificate or any other relevant information, it has not been possible to add here any additional information appertaing to James s death, or to find out if it was war related or the result of an accident etcetera. RYE, FREDERICK CHARLES. Lance Corporal, th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. 88th Brigade, 29th Division. Died Friday 7 May Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted London. Resided Walworth, London. Commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 104 to 113. At the time of the 1901 census Frederick was probably a 13 year old Inmate in the Eastry Union Workhouse, Mill Lane, Eastry, Kent, but who was recorded by the census enumerator as Charles Frederick Rye. At the commencement of the Great War the 4th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment was stationed at Meiktila, Burma. The battalion returned to England on 1 February 1915 when it arrived at Avonmouth. It was from the same port that the battalion departed on 21 and 22 March 1915 heading for Gallipoli. On the day that Frederick was killed, Z Company of his battalion took part in an advance on a Turkish position supporting the 1/5th Battalion, Royal Scots. Although the number of deaths in his battalion only amounted to 6 other ranks deaths on Friday 7 May 1915, the advance by Z Company of which Frederick was a probably was member, lasted a quarter of an hour due to the high numbers of overall casualties being inflicted on the company and the personnel of the 1/5th Battalion, Royal Scots who lost 15 other ranks during the curtailed attack. 131

132 SMART, ERNEST. Driver, "4 A" Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died Monday 17 February Aged 25. Born Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, Kent. Son of Edward and Ellen Smart of 15, Fisher Street, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Greenwich Cemetery, Well Hall Road, London, SE9. Grave Ref: Screen Wall. 1 "C." B commemoration. Greenwich Cemetery where Ernest is at rest contains 556 Great War burials. More than half of these graves are scattered throughout the cemetery, but 263 form a large war graves plot known as 'Heroes' Corner' where two curved screen walls bear the names of casualties buried both in the plot, and in unmarked graves in the cemetery. Possibly Ernest was a victim of the worldwide influenza pandemic, which lasted from approximately July 1918 to April 1919, which ultimately claimed more lives that the war related deaths of the Great War, and which reached its major peak in the United Kingdom between September 1918 and January SOLLEY, WALTER. Lance Corporal, L/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Monday 9 April Born and resided Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Buried Tilloy British Cemetery, Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: II. E. 6. The following record the events of the day on which Walter died is as extracted from The History of the 12th (Eastern) Division in the Great War , edited by Major-General Sir Arthur B. Scott, K.C.B, D.S.O., who for two and a half years had commanded the division. The book was compiled by the Reverend P. Middleton Brumwell, M.C., C.F., who was a popular Canadian Chaplin who served in the 12th (Eastern) Division, and was later awarded the C.B.E. Zero was fixed for Monday, April 9th, and sharp at 5.30am, the leading waves of the infantry advanced to the assault under cover of a creeping barrage, stated by all units to have been most effective. Owing to the suddenness of the attack many of the Germans were unable to emerge from their dug-outs, which had very narrow entrances, in time to oppose our advance. Resistance was rapidly overcome and the front system (black line), consisting of four lines of trenches, was occupied to time. The battalions which carried out this operation were the 6th Queen s (Rolls) and 7th East Surrey (Baldwin) of 37th, the 11th Middlesex (Wollocombe) and 7th Royal Sussex (Sanson) of 36th Brigade. The counter battery work had practically silenced the German guns, and the leading troops halted on the black line to clear up the captured ground, and allow the supporting battalions to pass through and form up for the second phrase. At 7.30 am the advance was continued by the 6th Buffs (Cope), 6th Royal West Kent (Dawson) of 37th, the 9th Royal Fusiliers (Overton), and the 8th Royal Fusiliers (Elliot-Cooper) of 36th Brigade, the creeping barrage again moving forward at 100 yards every four minutes. This further advance entailed the crossing of 132

133 Scott s valley and the capture of Observation ridge, on the western face of which the German second system consisted of a series of entrenched works, heavily wired and strongly defended by machine guns and brave fighters. The capture of this position did not prove such an easy proposition as anticipated, which of two tanks detailed for rendezvous, and the other failed to cross our trenches. As a consequence the infantry had to do without their assistance. Some portions of this system were carried by the assault, but some offered considerable resistance, only to be overcome by outflanking movements, initiated by individuals, or small parties working in co-operation. Houlette and Holt works, however, held out. Much opposition was encountered on the extreme left from the position known as Feuchy Switch. Here the 8th Royal Fusiliers, moving in conjunction with a battalion of the 15th Division on their left, worked to the north and overcame it. This movement resulted in cutting off the retreat of the enemy holding Hart Work, and 200 prisoners were taken there, Second Lieutenant Beames being awarded the Military Cross for his bravery and leadership. During this operation Corporal G. Moakes crawled forward and, reaching a German trench, secured a prisoner and took him back to his commanding officer, who thereby gained valuable information as to the enemy s disposition, materially assisting in the success. On the capture of Heron, Hamel and Hart Works, the 9th and 8th Royal Fusiliers pushed on, gaining Habarcq and Hem trenches. Here their advance was delayed by machine gun fire from Observation Ridge. The 7th East Surrey, which had gained its objective in the first phrase, as consolidating its position, when Sergeant H. Cator of that battalion found his platoon was suffering severely by machine gun fire coming from Hangest Trench. On his own initiative, and taking another man with him, he advanced across the open, The other man was killed after going about 50 yards, but Sergeant Cator, continuing by himself, picked up a Lewis gun and some drums of ammunition on his way, and succeeded in entering the northern nd of the trench. Having discovered the position of the machine gun which was causing the casualties, he opened fire, eventually killing the whole team and the officer in charge, whose papers he afterwards brought in. He continued to hold that end of the attack until Sergeant Jarrott and a bombing squad arrived, and attacking the enemy in flank, drove them out. This action greatly assisted the advance of the Royal West Kent Regiment, which has been temporarily held up, and Sergeant Cator, for his deed of daring, received the Victoria Cross. Owing to the strong resistance met with, the blue line had not been completely captured in the scheduled time. Nevertheless, General Scott ordered the 35th Brigade to advance according to the plans laid down, considering its appearance on the battlefield would force the Germans, still holding out, to surrender. This brigade, which had been located in the cellars in Arras, proceeded through the tunnel to the caves, and thence, as the enemy's artillery fire on our trenches was negligible, it debouched and, moving over the top, closed up to the leading troops of the 12th Division. At 12.15pm, the 7th Norfolks on the right with the 5th Royal Berkshire echeloned on the left, followed by the 7th Suffolk and 9th Essex battalions, passed through the 37th and 36th Brigades. The 7th Norfolks (Walter) rapidly overcame the remaining opposition in Haucourt Trench and Houlette Work, and a platoon of "B" 133

134 Company, 5th Royal Berkshire, outflanking Holt, that stronghold, with a garrison of thirty-five men with a machine gun, surrendered. Thus at 1.5 pm, the blue line was definitely in our possession. The real task of the 35th Brigade, the capture of the brown line, now commenced. There was no intervening system of trenches, but opposition was expected at Maison Rouge, and the enemy's batteries were known to be in the valley that had to be traversed. The plan was to capture Feuchy-Chapel Redoubt and its surroundings, and to pierce the line just west of Orange Hill. On the capture of the blue line the Germans, becoming disorganized, were caught on the run, and the 35th Infantry Brigade had the joy of seeing them retreating in disorder. Those overtaken were only too willing to obey instructions and move down the main road to Arras to report as prisoners. The 7th Norfolks pushed forward to level with the Bois des Boeufs, and Captain Gethin, giving the enemy no time to think, dashed on and, seizing the Maison Rouge, which was the completion of his task, continued until brought to a halt before Feuchy Chapel Redoubt. The 7th Suffolk (Cooper) and 9th Essex (Trevor) now proceeded to the final objective. The Essex gained Feuchy Chapel Redoubt, but the greater portion of this attack was stopped by Church Work, uncut wire, and machine guns. The tanks which had been detailed to assist in the capture of this position were out of action, two having been set on fire by the enemy's guns, and two having stuck in the mud. All attempts to cut the wire by hand and proceed were frustrated, and a line was taken up along the Feuchy Road, the 3rd Division on the right being held up in a similar manner. Meanwhile the 5th Royal Berkshire (Willan) advancing on the left, found itself in front of four German batteries of artillery, firing point blank at a range of about 400 yards. Undeterred, and if anything, enthused by the sight, the troops charged forward, and by means of short rushes and concentrated fire, reached the batteries, and eighteen field guns, four howitzers, and forty prisoners, were captured. On this occasion Lieutenants J. M. Reday and G. P. Debeno, C.S.M. Arthur Blake and Private McAllister distinguished themselves by their leadership and fearless courage. So keen were the men that, with the assistance of a Royal Artillery officer, who accompanied the battalion, they manned the captured guns and opened fire on the retreating enemy. The attack continued towards Orange Hill, but was held up by the uncut wire, and finally the 5th Royal Berkshire took up a line on the Feuchy Road in continuation of the Essex. SPINNER, HENRY CHARLES. Rifleman, S/ Rifle Brigade. Posted to the 2nd/10th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Hackney). Died Saturday 7 September Born Ubbeston, Halesworth, Suffolk. Enlisted West London. Resided Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel

135 SPRAGUE, REGINALD HOLLINSHEAD. Lance Serjeant, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Died Friday 14 July Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Westminster. Resided Hampstead. Son of William Hollinshead Sprague and Margaret Sprague (née Riley) of "Hollinshead," Elms Lane, Sudbury, Middlesex. Buried Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France. Grave Ref: XI. E. 2. Formerly Corporal, 12252, Devonshire Regiment, and 14726, Duke of Cornwall s Light Infantry. At the time of the 1901 census the Sprague family resided at 58, Mornington Road, St. Pancras, London. Head of the house was 50 year old Civil Engineer, William Hollinshead Sprague who was recorded by the census enumerator as being a native of Newcastle, Nova Scotia. Unfortunately Reginald s Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration does not show which actual unit of the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) he was serving in at the time of his death, and as such it has unfortunately not been possible to add any additional details appertaining to same here. STEVENS, CHARLES HENRY. Private, nd Battalion, King s Royal Rifle Corps. Died Wednesday 25 September Aged 27. Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury, Kent. Resided Sevenoaks, Kent. Husband of Elizabeth Stevens of 20, Bethel Road, Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried Brie British Cemetery, Somme, France. Grave Ref: III. D. 12. Commemorated on the Patrixbourne, Canterbury, Kent, civic war memorial. Formerly Private, 2543, Royal Army Medical Corps, and T4/238984, Royal Army Service Corps. Purely supposition on the part of the transcriber, but in view of Charles s previous service he was possibly serving as a Medical Orderly in his battalion when he died of wounds. Unfortunately it has not been possible at this time to add where, when, or how Charles was mortally wounded. SWALLOW, JAMES JOHN. Gunner, th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died Tuesday 21 November Aged 19. Born Bognor Regis, Sussex. Enlisted Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. Resided Feuit, County Kerry, Ireland. Son of J. J. and S. M. Swallow of Coastguard Station, Shingle End, Sandwich, Kent. Buried Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery, Vlamertinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: IV. K. 13. SDGW records James as having Died as opposed to having been killed in action, or died of wounds. Unfortunately James s death certificate or any other supporting documentation has not been personally sighted by the transcriber of these brief commemorations, and as such it has not been possible to add the cause of James s death here. 135

136 THOMPSON, HENRY GORDON. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Died Monday 18 March Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted Oxford, Oxfordshire. Resided Banbury, Oxfordshire. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panels 15 to 19. It is not surprising and with real justification, that of all of the many actions fought by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), in the area of the Hohenzollern Redoubt during March 1916, it was the heroism of William Cotter from Sandgate, Kent, on 6 March 1916 which is remembered the most. Not only was William the only member of his battalion to be awarded the Victoria Cross, he was also the sole recipient of the award to any member of The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) during the Great War. William Cotter V.C., died from his wounds which he received during his heroic action in what became known as The Battle of the Craters. Percy East and at least two other men who were Sandwich born and bred on 18 March 1916 during the same battle. On the day that Percy East, Richard Fuller, and Henry Thompson lost their lives, the German artillery had commenced firing an intense bombardment on the craters at 0500 hours; the enemy then blew a number of mines and then attacked. During the German infantry attack, their minenwerfers (mine throwers) did a lot of damage to the craters and to the front line defences of the 12th (Eastern) Division, to which the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) belonged. Due to the earlier shelling all lines of communication were cut, and as the result of which local command of the individual positions that were under attack fell on the shoulders of junior officers, warrant officers and non commissioned officers. The three Sandwich casualties are numbered amongst at least thirty three other ranks of their battalion who died that day, but it is obviously impossible to say how, exactly where or when each of the three lost their lives. It is probably significant that on the right flank of the line being held by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 18 March 1916, it was amongst the soldiers there that most of the casualties, deaths and woundings, are recorded as having taken place. All of the men garrisoning No s 1 and 2 craters, and A crater were either killed, or buried by explosions and wounded. Making matters worse was that the debris generated by the explosions at the above craters, had filled in other positions including the West Face and the top end of a location named Saville Row, plus Saps 9 & 9a. Seizing the moment, enemy infantry launched a successful counter attack and captured the craters, from which they were ultimately ejected after a later counter attack which was carried out by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). The SDGW entry for Henry records that he was killed in action, he being one of the 33 other ranks deaths suffered by the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on Monday 18 March

137 WEAVERS, THOMAS JOHN. Private, G/ th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Saturday 1 September Born Sandwich, Kent. Enlisted and resided Canterbury, Kent. Commemorated Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery, Zillebeke, West- Vlaanderen, Belgium. Ref: Special Memorial A. 27. Commemorated on the Canterbury, Kent, civic war memorial. Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery at Zillebeke contains 856 burials and commemorations of the Great War. 321 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to 82 casualties who are known or believed to be buried in the cemetery, including that in rememberance of Thomas. Other special memorials record the names of five Commonwealth casualties who are buried in German cemeteries, but whose graves could not be found on concentration. Thomas is one of only four deaths recorded in/on SDGW as having occurred in the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), 1 September 1917, and is one of the three who are shown as having been Killed in action. WINTER, ALBERT EDWARD. Private, G/ nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). 85th Brigade, 28th Division. Died Saturday 22 January Born Minster, Kent. Enlisted and resided Sandwich, Kent. Buried Salonika (Lembet Road) Military, Thessalonika, Greece. Grave Ref: 62. Albert s place of birth as shown above was accessed from his SDGW entry. As SDGW is known to contain many errors of different kinds, and it is possible that Albert s place of birth might be one of them. In much the same way that SDGW has erroneous entries, and for the benefit of anybody who has carried out family or military researches etcetera, it does not need the transcriber to draw attention to the fact that the various census entries from the United Kingdom and around the world are also riddled with mistakes. The reason for making mention of both of the above points, is that although no exact match was found for Albert on the 1901 census, which matches his SDGW recorded place of birth. There was however a fairly good match for a 22 year old Albert Winter residing at 2, Gordon Villas, Minster, Isle of Thanet, Kent, who was a native of Yalding, Kent, and employed as a Railway Platelayer. Head of the house was 56 year old Yalding, Kent, native Richard Winter, who was Albert s father and employed as a Domestic Gardener, and the husband of 53 year old Mrs. Selina Winter who was born at Hunton, Kent. Unfortunately due to the fact that Albert died of wounds, it has not been possible to add here with any real degree of certainty when, where or how he was wounded. 137

138 WRIGHT, FRANCIS WILLIAM. Private, Canadian Army Medical Corps. Died Thursday 12 October Aged 29. Born London. Enlisted and resided and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Son of Marion Wright of 19, Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent, and the late Frederick Bryan Wright. Husband of Ada Frances Wright of 163, London Road, Buckland, Dover, Kent. Buried (St. John s Norway) Cemetery & Crematorium, 256 Kingston Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Grave Ref: Lot 21. Range 6. Section 6. Commemorated on page 185 of the Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance. Francis was born in London on 5 March When he enlisted at Toronto on Monday 13 March 1916, Francis stated that he was employed as a Carpenter, and named his wife as his next of kin, with her address entered on his service records as Coleman PO, East Toronto. During the research process of transcribing the Sandwich civic war memorial, and the casualties connected to the town, it was learned that Francis was accidentally killed, and where he was laid to rest, but was left wondering how the cemetery got its name. The cemetery where Francis is at rest is also known as St. John The Baptist Norway Cemetery and/or St. John's Cemetery, Berkeley. 256 Kingston Road at the corner with Woodbine Avenue, and was established Norway, Benlamond, Leslieville and a dozen other such hamlets were amalgamated into the Village of East Toronto when these communities voted to remove from York Township. Thus East Toronto was incorporated as a Village on 1 January The first mayor was D.G. Stephenson and Benjamin Moore, R. Luttrell, Charles Pickering and Frank Boston where the first Councilors. These men were all large landowners of the area, and they had led the tax revolt to separate from the township. The Village of East Toronto was, however, short-lived. In 1901 they annexed Little York and Coleman s Corners, but the Village itself was annexed by Toronto in Unfortunately there are no buildings remaining from the original village of Norway. The present St. John s Church which was built in 1893 is the oldest building in the immediate area. Fortunately the name Norway does live on in the form of the Church, the Cemetery, a School, a Library and several other buildings within the area. When the completed forms requesting additional family details of the war dead were returned to the then Imperial War Graves Commission by some of the casualties families, post the years of the Great War, as can be seen above Francis s parents resided in at Sandwich, and his wife resided only a few miles away in Dover. Mention is made of same because is the case with some, (but not all) of the casualties who have been added on this roll of Sandwich, Kent, civic war memorial non-commemorations, it has been impossible to ascertain if Francis himself had ever actually resided at Sandwich. 138

139 The Second World War For anybody contemplating researching for the first time (or at any other time), any of the British war deaths during or resultant of the Second World War, mention should be made of the fact that the time, effort, and work involved with same is far more involved, and difficult than that which is needed for those of Great War related deaths. A number of important factors make for difficulties usually encountered, primarily that of the official restrictions which are still in place appertaining to individual service records. All is not lost however, as most service records can be purchased, albeit only by relatives of the serviceman who died. In much the same way, some, but thankfully now only a few of the relevant war diaries or similar documentation also have restrictions applicable to them. In addition to the various military documentation restrictions, are the more familiar 100 year restrictions for access on all the British census entries, and although the latest accessible entry sometimes is of use whilst researching Second World War casualties, obviously it pales when compared to those of the Great War. ALDOUS, ROBERT FREDERICK. Sergeant (Wireless Operator /Air Gunner), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 57 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Sunday 28 December Aged 26. Son of Annie A. Aldous of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. Grave Ref: Plot JJ. Collective grave 42. Robert was amongst the crew of Wellington bomber Z1097 DX- which was flown by 28 year old Warrant Officer (Pilot) Thomas Purdy D.F.M., which took off from R.A.F. Feltwell, Norfolk at 1700 hours on Saturday 28 December 1941, to take part in a bombing raid on Düsseldorf, Germany. Robert s aircraft was intercepted and shot down by the Luftwaffe night-fighter ace Hauptmann, Werner Streib, of 1./NJG1, and crashed at 2030 hours near Someren, Noord Brabant, Netherlands. Most of the crew were killed and are at rest together at Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. Sergeant S. Barraclough was the only survivor and was taken prisoner by the enemy. A 139

140 native of Pforheim, Germany, Werner Streib ( ) was officially credited with shooting down 66 enemy aircraft during the Second World War, 65 of which were claimed as nightime victories, and he was the first Luftwaffe night fighter pilot to be decorated with the Knights Cross. After the war he worked for several years in the family grocery business. On 12 November 1955 the German Bundeswehr was officially established, and shortly afterwards in 1956 Werner Streib enlisted in it. BOYD, GEORGE PATRICK. Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 61 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Sunday 15 October Aged 24. Son of George and Edith Elizabeth Boyd of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Hanover War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: 2. G. 15. Probably prior to his death, George had taken part in a number of important bombing raids, as the Lancaster bomber ME595 QR-Y on which he was serving as a (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner), was delivered to his squadron on 14 January 1944, and took part in the following Key Operations:- Berlin 27/28 January 1944; Leipzig 19/20 February 1944; Berlin 24/25 March 1944; Nuremberg 30/31 March 1944; Dortmund-Ems Canal 23/24 September 1944; Calais 24 September 1944, and of course its final mission to Braunschweig (Brunswick) on 14/15 October Flown by Flying Officer (Pilot) N.E. Hoad the bomber took of from R.A.F. Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire, at 2251 on Saturday 14 October 1944 to take par in a raid on Braunschweig, Germany by 233 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos of No. 5 Group R.A.F. Bomber Command, as part of Operation Hurricane. As a centre of the Nazi German armament industry, the city of Braunschweig was ringed by a strong and well-manned belt of flak guns, which made it both a difficult and dangerous target for the R.A.F. and American bombers who suffered heavy losses, during the forty two air raids which were carried out there during the Second World War. The raids were aimed at a variety of important munitions and war related targets, including the warplane, tank, and optical and precision instrument production which were at that time in and around Braunschweig. In addition to which, also targeted was the important Harbour, several research institutions, canneries, the railway station and nearby rail maintenance works, as well as at the important Research centre for Aviation. On 13 October, the RAF received orders to carry out Operation Hurricane. The purpose of this action was on the one hand to demonstrate the Allied bomber forces destructive might, and on the other hand also to make clear Allied air superiority. The orders for which had included the following passage:- In order to demonstrate to the enemy in Germany generally, the overwhelming superiority of the Allied Air Forces in this theatre, the intention is to apply within the shortest practical period the maximum effort of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command and the 8 th United States Bomber Command against objectives in the densely populated Ruhr. The cause of the loss of George s aircraft has never been established, nor has the exact location of the crash site. At the time of its loss the Lancaster had completed a total of 528 hours. Of the eight men on the aircraft 140

141 when it crashed six survived, only George whose exact cause of death, the transcriber of these brief commemorations has been thus far unable to ascertain, and Sergeant (Flight Engineer) Cyril Stanley Webb who was murdered by his captors lost their lives, and are at rest in adjacent graves at the Hanover War Cemetery, Germany. George and Cyril were extremely unfortunate to have lost their lives, as theirs was the sole aircraft out of the 240 that took part on the raid that was lost. BURGESS, EDWARD JAMES. Corporal, th (10th Battalion, The Green Howards [Yorkshire Regiment]) Battalion, Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps. 5th Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division. Died Tuesday 6 June 1944 (D-Day). Aged 27. Born and resided Kent. Son of William and Clara Burgess. Husband of Nellie Burgess of Cherry Tree, Blackburn, Lancashire. Buried Herouvillette New Communal Cemetery, Calvados, France. Grave Ref: Grave 5. The initial plan for the landing of the 6th Airborne Division in Normandy involved just the 3rd Parachute and 6th Airlanding Brigades; the latter being charged with the securing of the Bridges and the area around Ranville. The realization that the Germans had dotted every conceivable landing zone with anti-glider poles, some of which were mined, ruled out the possibility of a major glider landing on the first night, and so the 5th Parachute Brigade was assigned their tasks instead. By this time the importance of capturing the bridges with a glider-borne coup-de-main raid had been recognised, and so Major John Howard s party, of "D" and two 141

142 platoons of "B" Company of the 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, was attached to the Brigade. Despite their strength being dispersed on the drop, all units of the Brigade quickly achieved their objectives. The 13th Battalion secured Ranville whilst the 591st Parachute Squadron cleared two landing strips on LZ-N for first glider lift. Throughout the following day, the 7th Battalion, around the Bénouville area, and the Edward s battalion, along the ridge at Le Bas de Ranville, came under severe pressure but both held their ground and defended their objectives until relieved. Thereafter the majority of the 5th Parachute Brigade was withdrawn into reserve, its units occasionally being called upon to fill gaps in the front line, and respond to crises. Most notable amongst these was the fierce defence of Ranville, by the 7th and 13th Battalions, when German units broke through the 3rd Parachute and 1st Special Service Brigade positions on 10 June 1944, and the Battle of Bréville on 12 June 1944, which was undertaken by the 12th (10th Battalion, The Green Howards [Yorkshire Regiment]) Battalion, Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps. Edward was amongst the nineteen members of his battalion who fell on D-Day. BURLEY, FREDERICK CHARLES. Petty Officer, C/JX Royal Navy, H.M.S. Bedouin. (F67). Died Monday 15 June Aged 27. Son of Albert Charles and Minnie Roberta Burley of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 51, Column 3. On the day that he died, Frederick s 1,883 ton Tribal class Destroyer was commanded by 45 year old Commander Bryan Gouthwaite Scurfield, D.S.O., O.B.E., A.M., R.N., at which time she was one of the Home Fleet destroyers detached to the Mediterranean for the purpose of Operation Harpoon/Vigorous, which was a double supply convoy to Malta in June South of Pantellaria, which is an Italian island located in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and Tunisia, an Italian cruiser and destroyer force led by the Regina Marina cruisers Eugenio di Savoia and Montecuccoli, intercepted and engaged the convoy, but were successfully driven off by H.M.S. Bedouin, H.M.S. Marne H.M.S. Matchless, H.M.S. Ithuriel, and H.M.S. Partridge. Although both H.M.S. Bedouin and H.M.S. Partridge were damaged, Frederick s ship was by far and away came off the worst of the Royal Navy vessels involved in the action fought with the ships of the Italian Regina Marina, and was ultimately completely disabled. Although having also suffered damage during the engagement, H.M.S. Partridge eventually managed to get under way once more, and took the crippled H.M.S. Bedouin in tow. When the Italian Regina Marina squadron later reappeared, the tow was cast off as H.M.S. Partridge endeavored to defend herself. Eventually it was an Italian aircraft which eventually finished off Frederick s crippled destroyer with a torpedo, while H.M.S. Partridge with the combination of fate and good seamanship fortunately managed to ultimately make good her escape. 142

143 CHAPPLE, WALTER JAMES. Sergeant (Wireless Operator /Air Gunner), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 9 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Tuesday 15 June Aged 32. Son of Alfred John Chapple, and of Florence Chapple of Forest Gate, Essex. Buried Uden War Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. Grave Ref: 5. F Squadron, Royal Air Force aircraft LM329 WS-Q was a Mk.111 Lancaster bomber that was delivered to the squadron on 10 June With a total of just seven recorded hours the bomber flown by 20 year old Pilot Officer (Pilot) John Evans took off from R.A.F. Bardney, Lincolnshire at 2256 hours on Monday 14 June 1943 on a mission to Oberhausen, Germany which was comprised of 197 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitos. Engaged on its first mission, Walter s Lancaster was shot down by an enemy night-fighter and crashed at 0155 hours on Tuesday 15 June 1943, at Oijen (Noord Brabant) on the south bank of the river Maas, approximately 3 miles north-north west of Oss, Holland. An eye witness to the crash, Jos van Koolwijk, declares that the crash site was actually in his home village of Dreumel. Walter s Lancaster was amongst the 17 Lancasters lost on the Oberhausen raid. Although the target area had been cloud-covered the Oboe skymarking by the Pathfinders was accurate. All eight crew of the Lancaster are at rest at Uden War Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. At Bardney, Lincolnshire is a memorial to commemorate the personnel of Walter s squadron who lost their lives during the years of the Second World War. The stone is from Kåfjord, Norway and marks the contribution of the Norwegian resistance in the squadrons attack against the German battleship Tirpitz. This act is also recalled in a painting at the R.A.F. College Cranwell, Lincolnshire, and which is located on the stairs leading to the College Hall Library. CLARINGBOLD, LEON JACK. Abel Seaman, P/JX Royal Navy, H.M.S. Hood. Died Saturday 24 May Aged 19. Son of Harry and Ida Claringbold (née Saxby) of Luton, Bedfordshire. Commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Panel 47, Column 2, and in the Hood Chapel, Church of St. John the Baptist, Boldre, Hampshire. Leon s birth was registered in the Eastry, Kent, District during the second quarter of For information appertaining to Leon s ship, please also see it being the website of the H.M.S. Hood Association. In view of the magnitude of the information on H.M.S. Hood on the above website, it would be somewhat superfluous to add more details about Leon s ship etcetera here, as the H.M.S. Hood website is one of the best of its kind on the World Wide Web, and well worth visiting by anybody who has any interest on the famous ship or her crew. 143

144 IRELAND, ERIC WILLIAM. Sergeant, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 218 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Saturday 11 October Aged 27. Son of William G. Ireland and Mary A. (née Adamson) of Hunstanton, Norfolk. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Panel 46, and on the Hunstanton, Norfolk, civic war memorial. Eric birth was registered in the Alverstoke, Hampshire Registration District during the second quarter of Eric was amongst the crew of Wellington Bomber X9677 HA-V which was one of two 218 Squadron, R.A.F. Wellingtons that were lost on Saturday 11 October 1941 during an operation to Bordeaux, France, both crews of the two aircraft were Sergeants. Flown by Sergeant (Pilot) McLean, Eric s aircraft took off from R.A.F. Marham, King s Lynn, Norfolk at 2151hours on Friday 10 October The Wellington came down in the English Channel off St. Albans Head on the Dorset coast, after which an extensive search of the area was conducted by the St. Ives lifeboat, during the course of which some aircraft wreckage was found. This was reported as part of a wing, camouflaged black and blue, and a wheel. Half of the aircrafts crew members are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial; but the remaining three are assumed to have been saved and survived the crash. MARSH, ALFRED WILLIAM JAMES. Able Seaman, P/JX Royal Navy, H.M.S. Janus. (F 53). Died Sunday 23 January Aged 31. Son of Alfred and Eva Booth Marsh of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Panel 82, Column 3. On the day that he died, Alfred s 1690 ton J Class destroyer H.M.S. Janus, was commanded by 33 year old Lieutenant-Commander William Brabazon Robert Morrison, R.N. and was taking part in Operation Shingle which was the amphibious landings at Anzio, Italy. H.M.S. Janus was hit by a radio controlled glide bomb torpedo which had been fired from a German Heinkel He-111 aircraft. Despite the sterling and constant efforts which were carried out by the jamming teams on three Royal Navy and three American destroyers, who struggled to bend the radio-beams, and in so doing successfully managed to deflect many of the Germans glide bombs away from their intended targets and send them crashing safely into the sea. Alfred s ship sunk in about twenty minutes with the heavy loss of life of 153 officers and ratings, following a series of explosions which erupted throughout the ship. Fortunately not all the ships compliment of Alfred s destroyer perished with the loss of the ship. Although the exact number has not been ascertained by the transcriber, but it was revealed whilst carrying out the Sandwich, Kent, researches that in excess of eighty survivors from H.M.S. Janus were rescued by H.M.S. Laforey and H.M.S. Jervis, at which time both vessels were aided by a number of smaller vessels during the rescues. 144

145 MARTIN, ERNEST GEORGE. Lance Corporal, D/ th (H.D.) Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Died Saturday 15 November Aged 48. Born and resided Kent. Husband of Emily E. Martin of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Sandwich (St. Clement) Churchyard, Kent. Grave Ref: Row 3. Grave 16. Ernest also served in the Great War as a member of the then, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) with the same number as shown above. He also served during the earlier conflict as Sapper, , Royal Engineers, and as 5104, Royal Naval Division Engineers. Ernest s interesting medal index card entry records that he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory medal for his service during the Great War. It also shows the date of his death whilst serving as a member of The Buffs. Mrs. Emily E. Martin s full address is shown on the MIC as being 12, Church Street, of Sandwich, Kent, and that an increment claim of 96 was awarded post his death, on 7 October MARTIN, SIDNEY FRANK. Lance Bombadier, (Kent) Battery, 89 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died Friday 23 May Aged 33. Born and resided Kent. Son of John and Annie Martin of Sandwich, Kent. Husband of G. M. Martin of Canterbury. Commemorated on the Athens Memorial, Greece. Face 2. Pre war member of the Royal Artillery. The 89 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was a pre war Territorial Army formation which was at that time comprised of the 205 (Kent), 234 (Kent), and 235 (Kent) Batteries. Initially the regiment served within the United Kingdom, before going to North Africa as part of British Troops Egypt in August Whilst still serving in North Africa as part of Middle East Forces, in October 1941 Australian personnel were transferred to 145

146 the regiment, and the 282, 5 Australian battery was added to its strength. In September 1943 the regiment was sent to Italy as part of the 8th Army, and was eventually put on Suspended Animation a year after making the move to Italy. Sidney was a member of the same local battery as some of the other Sandwich Second World War casualties, including the next but one man briefly commemorated. One of the other casualties; Serjeant Reginald Linkstead who is also commemorated on the same face of the Athens Memorial as the two Lance Bombadier s from Sandwich, is unfortunately not commemorated on the Sandwich, Kent, civic war memorial. PENGELLY, JOHN CHARLES. Sergeant (Air Gunner), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 149 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Saturday 8 November Aged 32. Son of John Pengelly, and of Beatrice Mary Pengelly of Ellacombe, Torquay, Devon. Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Grave Ref: Joint grave 11. B John was one of the crew of six on Wellington bomber X9878 OJ-A, which was flown by 23 year old Sergeant (Pilot) Stanley William Dane, of Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, which took off from R.A.F. Mildenhall, Suffolk at 1726 hours on Friday 7 November 1941, to take part in a bombing raid to Berlin, Germany. The aircraft failed to return from the raid and both the actual cause of loss of the Wellington and the exact location of the crash-site have not been established. Only Sergeant F. Jenkinson survived the crash and was captured, he was initialy confined in hospital due to his injuries before being sent to a prisoner of war camp. The other crew members of the aircraft are all at rest in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. SKINNER, LESLIE THOMAS. Lance Bombadier, (Kent) Battery, 89 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died Tuesday 20 May Aged 32. Born and resided Kent. Son of George and Ellen Skinner. Husband of Kathleen Skinner of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Athens Memorial, Greece. Face 2. Pre war member of the Royal Artillery. Please see the brief commemoration of Sidney Martin re additional regimental details, and the non Sandwich civic war memorial commemoration of the late Serjeant Reginald Linkstead. SMITH, ERNEST HENRY. Private, th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Died at sea Thursday 23/Friday 24 October Aged 36. Born and resided Kent. Son of Ernest and Amy Rose Hanna Smith. Husband of A. R. Smith of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Athens Memorial, Greece. Face

147 On 23 October 1943, Ernest s battalion was rushed to the docks at Alexandria, Egypt and boarded two destroyers, one of which was the 1405 ton Royal Navy destroyer H.M.S. Eclipse, commanded by Commander E. Mack, D.S.O, D.S.C, R.N. After taking the soldiers and their equipment aboard, both of the destroyers departed at speed heading for the beleaguered island of Leros, Greece, and were in fact the last infantry battalion to be sent to bolster the island s defences, at which the neighbouring island of Kos having already fallen to the Germans. At around midnight when she was off the island of Kalymnos, Greece, H.M.S. Eclipse carrying the battalion mortar platoon, A Company and part of the H.Q. Company, detonated a mine under her forward boiler room, instantaneously setting the ships fuel tanks ablaze. Following the explosion the crippled destroyer immediately took on a heavy list and broke in two, spilling burning fuel into the sea, and within three minutes she sank. There was sadly a heavy loss of life resultant from her sinking, of the 200 Buffs on board 135 perished along with an equal number of naval personnel. Despite being engaged in numerous actions, the sinking of H.M.S. Eclipse resulted in the largest loss of life amongst the 4th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) on any given date throughout the duration of the Second World War, most of whom unlike Ernest are commemorated on the Athens Memorial, Greece. Faces 4 or 5. STYLES, THOMAS. Bombadier, Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died Saturday 6 May Aged 31. Born and resided Kent. Son of Walter F. C. Styles and Ellen M. Styles of Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Minnie Dorothy Styles of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Taukkyan War Cemetery, Myanmar. Grave Ref: 12. E. 24. Thomas is numbered amongst the five staff members of the National Physical Laboratory who died in the Second World War, that are commemorated on the N.P.L. War Memorial, Bushy House, Teddington, Middlesex. A regular regiment of the Royal Artillery, the 8 Field Regiment, R.A. was stationed at Lucknow, India, in the 6 Independent Infantry Brigade at the time of the declaration of war by Great Britain on 3 September Initial war service by the regiment was undertaken in India before it was sent to serve in North Africa. After serving in North Africa with a number of formations, the regiment returned to India in March 1942, as part of 70 Infantry Division. The regiment was later reorganised in India as the 8 (Jungle) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery after its members had been subjected to a period of very arduous jungle training. As part of the 25 Indian Division, in March 1944 in its new role as a jungle fighting specialist unit, the regiment was sent to fight in the Arakan, Burma area. 147

148 WHORLOW, REGINALD GEORGE. Gunner, (Kent) Battery, 89 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died Monday 2 June Aged 23. Born and resided Kent. Son of Albert Victor and Alice Whorlow of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Suda Bay Consular Cemetery, Greece. Grave Ref: 7. E. 9. Pre war member of the Royal Artillery. Please see the brief commemoration of Sidney Martin re additional regimental details, and the non Sandwich civic war memorial commemoration of the late Serjeant Reginald Linkstead. The Second World War Lost Casualties Please kindly note the comments added at the commencement of the Second World War casualties who are commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial, regarding some of difficulties faced when researching any of the British Second World War casualties. ARTIS, HARRY ALBERT. Warrant Officer, Royal Air Force. Died at sea Monday 23 November Aged 42. Born Yarmouth, Norfolk June Son of Arthur John and Hannah Elizabeth Artis(née Nickerson). Husband of Ivy Daisy Artis of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Singapore Memorial. Column 413. The R.A.F. had started building up its forces in the Far East during the late 1930 s and early 1940 s, and Harry had been stationed at R.A.F. Seletar, Singapore prior to its evacuation in the face of the rapid Japanese advance. Seletar airfield was carpet bombed by bombers of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the first air raid on Singapore after their ground forces had invaded Kota Bahru. R.A.F. Seletar had to be steadily evacuated during January and February 1942 when Japanese forces captured Johore Bahru, which then brought their artillery pieces well within range of the airfield. When the Japanese launched their invasion of Singapore and Malaya, R.A.F. Seletar was the home of 205 Squadron, Royal Air Force which was equipped with PBY Catalina Flying Boats. Also based at R.A.F. Seletar was 36 and 100 Squadrons, Royal Air Force both of them equipped with ageing obsolete Vickers Vilderbeest torpedo bombers, along with the 151 Maintenance Unit, Royal Air Force. 100 Squadron, R.A.F. was later almost wiped out in aerial combat with modern Japanese fighters, flying its Vickers Vilderbeest biplanes from Malaya and Java. Harry was captured on Java and had the Java POW No He died of Diarrhea and Exhaustion at 0500 hours onboard the Japanese cargo ship Singapore Maru whilst a prisoner of war, when the vessel was at Latitude 32.08N; Longitude E, and was buried at sea five hours later when the ship was at Latitude 32.43N; Longitude E. The Singapore Maru left Batavia, Java on 17 October 1942 bound for 148

149 Singapore with 3000 prisoners onboard, and arrived on 25 October The ship remained at Singapore for less than a week, and departed for Takao/Moji, Japan on 30 October 1942 with 1081 prisoners, and arrived on 25 November 1942 by which time108 of the prisoners had died on the journey, mostly as the direct result of the deplorable conditions the prisoners had endured. Of the 1,081 prisoners who went aboard only 677 disembarked in Japan. A total of 63 were buried at sea during the 23 days the voyage had lasted. Another 290 were left aboard, many of them dying, and at least 120 died in prison camps within the next three weeks of the Dysentery which they had contracted aboard the Singapore Maru. Flight-Lieutenant Liddell, a young Royal Air Force Medical Officer who was in the party of prisoners of war on the ship, had worked tirelessly throughout the horrific voyage to tend the sick and dying as best he could. The Singapore Maru was built on the Clyde prior to the Great War, and had been purchased by the Japanese in the 1930 s, ostensibly for scraping, but was soon put to use as a cargo ship, and it was subsequently used as a POW transport ship. Singapore Maru is now with good cause remembered as one of the Japanese Hell Ships of the Second World War. BATT, RAYMOND HAROLD. Private, th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Died at sea Monday 17 June Aged 21. Born and resided Kent. Son of Harold and Edith Kate Batt of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial. Column 37. Pre war member of The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Contrary to the popular belief which now seems to prevail in some quarters, the evacuation of the British and French troops from France in 1940 did not end with the Dunkirk evacuations. British and French forces were still being rescued at least two weeks later when Britain s worst maritime disaster of the Second World War took place. On Monday 17 June 1940, the 16,000 ton Cunard liner which was in use as a troopship, the H.M.T. Lancastria lay approximately five miles off St Nazaire, France in the estuary of the River Loire, and was embarking soldiers, Royal Air Force personnel, and also civilian refugees including women and children, all of whom were being evacuated from France, when the country was on the verge of collapse. The exact numbers onboard the ship will almost certainly never be known, but probably exceeded 6000; although some commentators have estimated the casualty number as high as 9000, but that figure is almost certainly wild speculation, but amongst those assumed to have been lost in the tragedy was Raymond Batt. The H.M.T. Lancastria was attacked and hit by bombs from German Junkers Ju 88 aircraft which were probably of KG 30, which caused her to roll over and sink within twenty minutes. Although it is not known for certain which Luftwaffe formation the bombers belong to, or even for certain exactly what type of aircraft they were, but the general consensus has been that they were Ju 88s. Aircraft of II./ KG 30 who exclusively flew Junkers Ju 88 aircraft, are known to have been attacking shipping in the estuary of the River Loire, at the time of the loss of H.M.T. Lancastria. 149

150 BELSEY, CECIL FRANKLIN. Private, nd Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Died at sea Monday 27 May Aged 21. Born and resided Canterbury, Kent. Son of Frank Franklyn Belsey and of Annie Louise Belsey of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Wingham (St. Mary) New Churchyard, Kent. Grave Ref: Row 7. Grave 6. Commemorated on Second World War memorial plaque which is located in the parish church of St. Mary, Wingham, Kent. BURDEKIN, MARY AWLYN. Died 23 July Aged 35. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Ovenden, of 4 Poplar Avenue, Sandwich, Kent. Wife of Harold Benjamin Burdekin of Elmwood, Lonesome Lane, Reigate, Surrey. Mary died with her husband at their home Elmwood, Lonesome Lane, Reigate, Surrey. CLARK, GEORGE WILLIAM. Gunner, Royal Artillery. Died Saturday 23 April Aged 34. Son of William George and Ann Rosa Clark of Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Annie Isabel Clark of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Boatmans Hill Cemetery, Woodnesborough Road, Sandwich, Kent. Grave Ref: Extension B. Grave

151 CLOUGH, JOHN ALFRED. Sergeant (Air Gunner), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 149 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Tuesday 8 December Aged 19. Son of Fred and Minnie Emma Clough of Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Margaret Elizabeth Clough. Buried Kiel War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: 1. C. 15. At 1631 hours on Tuesday 8 December 1942, Stirling bomber BF391 OJ-T flown by 19 year old Flying Officer (Pilot) Michael Harvey Good of Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, took of on a mine laying mission to the Fehmarn Channel in the Baltic Sea, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. John was amongst the crew of seven who were all killed when their Stirling crashed at Dobersdorf, Plön, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The reason for the loss of the bomber has not been established. All the bombers crew are at rest at Kiel War Cemetery, Germany, where most of those buried there were airmen lost in bombing raids over northern Europe, whose graves were brought in from cemeteries and churchyards throughout Schleswig-Holstein, the Frisian Islands and other parts of north-western Germany. DAVIES, HAROLD WIGLEY. Trooper, "C" Squadron, 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps. Died Saturday 12 August Aged 28. Born and resided Canterbury, Kent. Son of James and Janet Davies of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery, Calvados. Grave Ref: II. B. 5. Commemorated on the Canterbury, Kent, civic war memorial. On its return from service in North Africa Harold s regiment was re-equipped and retrained. In November 1943 in preparation for the planned invasion of Europe the regiment became the Armoured Reconnaissance regiment of the 7th Armoured Division. On 9 June 1944, they were in a convoy bound for the Normandy beaches, having been delayed several days by bad weather. From June the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars were involved in the advance through the Bocage with the 22nd Armoured Brigade. They were involved in action against the 2nd Panzer Division, with the 8th leading their division out of the bridgehead. They also fought heavily around Briquessard and played a full part in Operation Goodwood at the battle of Villiers Bocage and a number of other smaller engagements. On 30 June they handed over their positions to tanks from the U.S. 2nd Armored Division and withdrew for a rest, and a refit of the tanks. After a short refit, the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars helped to push the German forces further and further back, but in doing so taking casualties of men and tanks. Reinforced by a squadron from the Northamptonshire Yeomanry, the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps pushed back through France and the Low Countries, and finally to the river Rhine, fighting hard on the way at St. Pol, the Nederrijn and the Maas. 151

152 FARMER, PERCY DURRANT. Leading Fireman. National Fire Service. Died Saturday 1 May Aged 36. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Farmer of The Stores, Walmer, Deal, Kent. Husband of Emily Ivy Farmer of 313, Dover Road, Walmer, Deal, Kent. Percy died at the Market Place, Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Fire Service National Memorial, which is located to the south of St. Paul s Cathedral, London. Percy is also commemorated in the Fire Services Chapel, Morton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. Percy s birth was registered in the Eastry, Kent Registration District during the third quarter of HENRY, GEORGE MELVIN. Able Seaman, C/JX Royal Navy, H.M.S. Martin. (G 44). Died Wednesday 11 November Aged 20. Son of James William and Doris Hilda Henry of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 54, Column 2. George s ship was a 1930 ton M Class destroyer which normally had a ships compliment of 220 officers and ratings, she was constructed by Vickers Armstrong (Newcastle-on-Tyne, Parsons, and was commissioned on 4 April Commanded by Commander Charles Richard Powys Thomson, D.S.O., R.N. H.M.S. Martin was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-431 northeast of Algiers, Algeria. 63 survived the sinking, but 161 officers and ratings were lost including Commander Thomson. The U-431 was commanded by 35 year old Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Dommes who survived the war and died in Hannover, Germany on 23 January George was a brother of the next casualty who is briefly commemorated below. HENRY, JOSEPH WILLIAM. Stoker 1st Class, C/KX Royal Navy, H.M.S. Glorious. Died Saturday 8 June Aged 19. Son of James William and Doris Hilda Henry of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 38, Column 2. For comprehensive information appertaining to Joseph s ship, including her loss, please see the website by Captain Vernon W. Howland R.C.N (Retd), it being a superb well researched dedicated website about H.M.S. Glorious, and is clearly a labour of love. 152

153 HIBBIRD, GEORGE OLIVER. Private, S/ Royal Army Service Corps. Attached to the 15 Field Bakery Section, West African Army Service Corps, R.W.A.F.F. Died Sunday 7 October Aged 37. Born and resided North West London. Son of William Charles and Henrietta Hibbird. Husband of Ivy E. Hibbird of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Takoradi European Public Cemetery, Ghana. Grave Ref: Grave 81. KNIGHT, EDWARD HORWOOD. Sapper, Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died Friday 24 May Aged 19. Born Shropshire. Resided Wiltshire. Son of John and Harriet Knight of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Baincthun (La Capelle) New Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Edward is the sole Commonwealth casualty at rest in the above cemetery. Pre war member of the Royal Engineers. LAMING, LESLIE ROBERT. Trooper, st Derbyshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps. Died Tuesday 1 December Aged 22. Born and resided Kent. Son of Edward James Laming and Emily Jane Laming of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Medjez-el-Bab War Cemetery, Tunisia. Grave Ref: 6. H. 18. LINKSTEAD, REGINALD THOMAS. Serjeant, (Kent) Battery, 89 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died Tuesday 27 May Aged 23. Born and resided Kent. Son of Thomas and Dora E. Linkstead. Husband of Millicent A. Linkstead of Sandwich, Kent. Commemorated on the Athens Memorial, Greece. Face 2. Pre war member of the Royal Artillery. Please note comments appertaining to the 234 (Kent) Battery, 89 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, at the brief commemoration of Sidney Martin, who is one of the Second World War casualties that are quite properly commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial. Although it has thus far not been possible to find out whereabouts exactly in Kent Reginald was born, and had resided, both of which might well have been Sandwich, it does seem odd that in view of the fact that other local casualties of his battery were commemorated on the Sandwich civic war memorial, he is not also commemorated. One reason might have been due to the fact he was omitted at the request of his family, but that form of noncommemoration has always to have been applicable to those who fell in the Great War as opposed to the later conflict. 153

154 MACFARLANE, DUNCAN. Lance Corporal, st Battalion, (Royal Highland Regiment), Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). Died Wednesday 13 October Aged 30. Born Perthshire, Scotland. Resided Dundee, Scotland. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Duncan MacFarlane. Husband of Kathleen Nellie MacFarlane of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Malbork Commonwealth War Cemetery, Poland. Grave Ref: 4. A. 2. Pre war member of the (Royal Highland Regiment), Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). By virtue of his date of death and place of burial, it would obviously mean that Duncan had died whilst a prisoner of war. It would seem likely that Duncan had never actually resided at Sandwich, Kent, but is commemorated here by virtue of the fact that his wife had resided in the town. It should be noted however, because the relevant additional family details were not added to the Second World War casualties records of the then Imperial War Graves Commission, until the years shortly after the war, it is also possible that Duncan s wife had also not resided in Sandwich during the war. O CONNOR, ROBERT WILLIAM ALBERT. Corporal, T/ Royal Army Service Corps. Died Saturday 28 September Aged 25. Born and resided Kent. Son of Robert William and Eliza Emily O Connor. Husband of Sarah E. O Connor of Sandwich, Kent. Buried Charlton Cemetery, Dover, Kent. Grave Ref: Section V.S. Grave 32. Commemorated in the Dover Book of Remembrance, which lists the casualties of Dover, Kent, both armed service personnel and civilians who lost their lives during the Second World War. The book is currently in the safe keeping of the Dover Museum, Market Square, Dover, Kent, CT16 1PB. Pre war member of the Royal Army Service Corps. Robert died when he was a patient at a hospital near Basingstoke, Hampshire, whilst undergoing an operation. Unfortunately as it is not shown on his Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration, and no other data or information has been found to indicate same, it has not been possible to ascertain which unit of the Royal Army Service Corps Robert was serving in at the time of his death. It was noted whilst checking his entry in/on Army Roll of Honour-World War II, Soldiers Died in The Second World War , that Robert is recorded with the initials R.W.A.G. Robert is amongst the total of 9174, Royal Army Service Corps, Second World War deaths which are recorded by the aforementioned data source, of which 2064 are recorded as having died within the United Kingdom. Doubtless a significant number of the latter deaths were of members of the corps who died resultant of wounds received whilst serving in war theatres overseas. 154

155 THOMAS, NORMAN. Private, th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Died at sea Thursday 23/Friday 24 October Aged 25. Born Sheffield, Yorkshire. Resided Canterbury, Kent. Son of Edley John Thomas and of Mary Ellen Thomas of Hersden, Canterbury, Kent. Commemorated on the Athens Memorial, Greece. Face 5, and via his memorial scroll as shown above, in the parish church of St. Peter s, Sandwich, Kent. Pre war member of The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). On 23 October 1943, Norman s battalion was rushed to the docks at Alexandria, Egypt and boarded two destroyers, one of which was the 1405 ton Royal Navy destroyer H.M.S. Eclipse, commanded by Commander E. Mack, D.S.O, D.S.C, R.N. After taking the soldiers and their equipment aboard, both of the destroyers departed at speed heading for the beleaguered island of Leros, Greece, and were in fact the last infantry battalion to be sent to bolster the island s defences, at which the neighbouring island of Kos having already fallen to the Germans. At around midnight when she was off the island of Kalymnos, Greece, H.M.S. Eclipse carrying the battalion mortar platoon, A Company and part of the H.Q. Company, detonated a mine under her forward boiler room, instantaneously setting the ships fuel tanks ablaze. Following the explosion the crippled destroyer immediately took on a heavy list and broke in two, spilling burning fuel into the sea, and within three minutes she sank. There was sadly a heavy loss of life resultant from her sinking, of the 200 Buffs on board 135 perished along with an equal number of naval personnel. Despite being engaged in numerous actions, the sinking of H.M.S. Eclipse resulted in the largest loss of life amongst the 4th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) on any given date throughout the duration of the Second World War, most of whom unlike Norman are commemorated on the Athens Memorial, Greece. Faces 4 or

156 WOOD, FREDERICK JOHN. Died Saturday 11 January Aged 51. Son of the late Henry and Emma Wood of Stonar House, Sandwich, Kent. Husband of Isobel Wood of 11 Victoria Avenue, Finchley, Middlesex. Frederick and another person were killed at the Mansion House Underground Station, London, during an enemy bombing raid, which claimed the lives of about 60 people, the majority of whom were killed at the Bank Underground Station. WRIGHT, ELIZABETH ESTHER JANE. Died Thursday 12 June Aged 63. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Moat, of St. Bart's, Sandwich, Kent. Wife of Thomas Edward Andrew Wright of 3 Gorse Lane, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Korean War Korean War commemoration panel on the Sandwich, Kent, civic war memorial. A Memorial to all of the 37,895 members of the United Nations Forces, who gave their lives during the Korean War, is situated in the lower section of the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Daeyon-ong, Pusan, South Korea, where two of the following three casualties are at rest, and where the other is individually commemorated. Enshrined within the Memorial are Rolls of Honour, containing all the names of the fallen, except for those of the Republic of Korea forces. The Memorial was erected by the Republic of Korea and it was dedicated in Mention should be made of the difficulty which is often encountered when trying to research a Korean War casualty of the British Commonwealth. Apart from the official data restrictions, which as with the Second World War casualties are still in place, an additional problem faced when trying to ascertain information, are the not insignificant number of officers and other ranks that for the duration of the Korean War were On attachment. Unlike the attached casualties of the two world wars, who for the most part are usually straightforward to research, those of the 156

157 Korean War are not always so easy, the main problem being that where personnel from a particular regiment were attached to another regiment, logically if any then lost their lives, they would then all be commemorated the same way i.e. either their parent regiment, or by the regiment serving with at the time of death. Unlike virtually every other conflict involving British casualties, trying to glean information by the use of medal rolls is not one hundred percent, because that of the Korean War simply is reflective of the problems briefly touched on. Although the Korean War was fought from 1950 to 1953, it will be seen when viewing the brief commemorations below of the three Sandwich Korean War casualties, that all lost their lives during 1951, which is doubtless the reason why unlike other similar forms of remembrances of the Korean War casualties around the United Kingdom which show the years 1950 to 1953, the relevant the panel on the Sandwich, Kent, civic war memorial has just the year 1951 inscribed on it. Kindly also note at the information about the Sandwich civic war memorial, prior to the Great War commemorations, re the brief comments about the Korean War Veterans Association when members make their return visits to South Korea. BYRNE, ALBERT EDWARD. Lance Corporal, King's Shropshire Light Infantry. Died Sunday 18 November Born Waldershare, Dover, Kent 2 July Buried United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Pusan, South Korea. Grave Ref: Plot 23. Row 7. Grave Commemorated on the National Armed Forces Memorial, Alrewas, Staffordshire, and on the Rolls of Honour that will be kept on public display in the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London. Albert was reported to have been killed in action by the The Times newspaper on 8 December Albert fell during the Battle of Hill 227, which was fought over a three day period from 17 to 19 November Resulting from the active involvement by the 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry during the Battle of Hill 227, when serving as part of the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade, it was subsequently awarded the battle honour Battle of Hill 227. An unfortunate incident involving the battalion on the night of 18 November 1951 was being subjected to prolonged friendly fire mortaring. Most of the casualties resulting from the mortars were B Company personnel. The 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry served in Korea from May 1951 to September

158 PRESCOTT-WESTCAR, GEORGE VILLIERS BEESTON. Second Lieutenant, P/ Platoon, C Company, Royal Ulster Rifles Died Thursday 4 January Aged 21. Born Sandwich, Kent 14 March Buried United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Pusan, South Korea. Grave Ref: Plot 17. Row 5. Grave 740. Commemorated on the National Armed Forces Memorial, Alrewas, Staffordshire, and on the Rolls of Honour that will be kept on public display in the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London. George was reported as missing in The Times dated 20 January 1951, and was confirmed as having been killed in action by the same newspaper on 30 June George was numbered amongst those who were killed in action during the Battle of Seoul 2 to 4 January On 4 January 1951, two divisions of the Chinese army carried out a lightning assault in the dead of night. Aware that something afoot, the Royal Ulster Rifles sent a patrol out to investigate, but were never seen again. The Chinese meanwhile infiltrated the allied positions and began killing and capturing any soldiers they found. The U.S. 35th Infantry Division had been protecting the left flank of the Royal Ulster Rifles, but they had retreated into the night. An entire troop of Irish Hussar tanks placed to protect them from close attack was also wiped out, and George s battalion was surrounded. A call sent by the American General Ridgeway for an attempt to rescue them were rejected by the British commander who maintained, probably rightly, that any rescue parties would almost certainly meet the same fate. Approximately 300 men of the Royal Ulster Rifles were captured or killed during the attack by the Chinese. 158

159 Main commemoration plaque on the memorial to the missing at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Daeyon-ong, Pusan, South Korea. The above image is part of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry panel on the United Nations Memorial at Daeyon-ong, Pusan, South Korea, showing the commemoration of John Price. Brian Bennett who very kindly provided the photograph for inclusion here, wishes us to make mention of his regret re the quality of his photograph. We in turn would like to thank Brian sincerely for the photograph, as it is most welcome, as are all relevant photographs for inclusion on the Kent War Memorial Transcriptions Project website, PRICE, JOHN DAVID. Private, st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry. Died Saturday 17 November Born Dover, Kent 12 December 1931 John is one of four casualties of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry who are commemorated on the United Nations Wall of Remembrance, Pusan, South Korea, also on the National Armed Forces Memorial, Alrewas, Staffordshire, and on the Rolls of Honour that will be kept on public display in the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London. John was reported as missing in The Times on 8 December John fell during the Battle of Hill 227, which was fought over a three day period from 17 to 19 November Resulting from the 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry active involvement in the Battle of Hill 227, when serving as part of the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade, during was subsequently awarded the battle honour Battle of Hill 227. The 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry served in Korea from May 1951 to September

160 Falkland Islands 1982 The Falkland Islands 1982 memorial plaque on the Sandwich civic war memorial. Although the official restrictions which are unfortunately still in place appertaining to the British victims of the Second World War, and all of the later conflicts are obviously also applicable to The Falklands War of Fortunately for anybody with an interest in the conflict, either in respect of an individual casualty or a specific event, unlike many other post Second World War conflicts, that of the Falklands Islands 1982 is already very well covered in books or websites, by people who actually were there at the time. A significant contributory factor which applies to the events of 1982, like no other conflict before that time involving the armed forces of Great Britain, is the largely uncensored reporting of the events at the time by the press etcetera. With all due respect in every way, to the veterans of must of the earlier British conflicts, is the fact that by virtue of their ages, Falkland s veterans are of the computer age, all of which are contributory factors to the massive amount of good, clear, no-frills information which is available to the general public. Another huge source of help for anybody carrying out Falklands War research, is the fact that unlike the Great War, and for now to a lesser extent the Second World War, there are still many Falklands War veterans about. As is the case with returning combatants of every conflict, those who served in the Falklands Islands in 1982, some are quite prepared to impart information, whilst quite understandably are more reticent so to do. The following casualty information was kindly provided by a Falklands War veteran known to the transcriber, but who wishes to remain anonymous. FRANCIS, KENNETH D. Lieutenant (Pilot). 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron, Royal Marines. Died Friday 21 May Aged 29. Born 24 September 1952 at R.A.F. Ely, Hospital, Cambridgeshire. Eldest son of Donald and Olive Francis of Faldingworth, Lincolnshire. Husband of Jan Francis. Buried at sea. 160

161 In addition to the Sandwich, Kent, civic war memorial, Kenneth is commemorated on several other forms of remembrance, including the Lyndhurst, Hampshire, civic war memorial, and by virtue of the fact it is set out in alphabetical order of surnames, Kenneth and his crewman Brett Giffen, Royal Marines, are commemorated next to each other on a memorial located near the Sally Port, High Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Both are commemorated at the Palace Barracks Memorial Gardens, Northern Ireland. After leaving Tottenham Grammar School in 1969, Kenneth then read Law at Keynes College, University of Kent, and graduated with an Honours Degree in Initially Kenneth s full time employed was as a Bus Driver in London, and after obtaining his Class 1 H.G.V. licence, he then drove articulated lorries on runs to the Middle East, until 1976 when he was accepted by the Royal Marines for officer training, on completion of which Kenneth received his Green Beret on 1 April 1977, and later passed out top of his group from the R.M. Commando Training Centre, Lympstone, Devon in August the same year, and was awarded the Sword of Honour. His first appointment was to 41 Commando Royal Marines where he served for the next four years. On Friday 21 May 1982, with the three beachheads being secured, the twelve amphibious ships entered San Carlos Water in broad daylight - "Canberra" and some of the larger ones anchoring in the deeper water to the north, and the smaller LSL's nearer to San Carlos. The escorts patrolled nearby in Falkland Sound, and they took the brunt of the enemy air attacks that followed. Using especially the No.846 Sea Kings, the first priority was to get the T Battery Rapiers ashore, although it took a number of hours to set up the twelve firing posts around the perimeter ready to join in the air defence. Early in this operation, shortly before 0900 hours one of the Sea Kings flew east of Port San Carlos and within gunfire range of the small Argentine garrison as it withdrew east. It escaped, but the escorting Gazelle helicopter of C Flight, 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron, Royal Marines was hit and crashed near the shore, and the pilot mortally wounded. Only a few minutes later a second C Flight Gazelle shared the same fate, and crashed on a nearby hillside, but regrettably both the helicopters crewmen were killed, the pilot of the second helicopter was Kenneth, who was a veteran of two tours of duty in Northern Ireland, and of United Nations peace keeping duties in Cyprus. Kenneth and his crewman Lance Corporal (Observer) Brett Giffen were both killed instantly before their aircraft crashed into a hillside. Their bodies were recovered to the liner SS Canberra. The ship was then ordered to leave the Falkland Islands and head for South Georgia. During the journey to South Georgia, Kenneth and Brett s bodies were committed to the sea in a special service which was attended by many of the people on board the ship. 161

162 Post Second World War Sandwich Armed Service Deaths STANFORD, JACK. Major (Retired). Royal Artillery. Died 17 October Aged 62. Born India 27 July Husband of Dorothy Mary Stanford (née Hazlett). Son of late Henry B. Stanford and Florence C. Stanford. Buried St. Clements Churchyard, Sandwich, Kent. Like his father before him, Jack was a regular officer in the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Jack landed in France on 20 August 1914, at which time he was a Lieutenant, less than a week after arriving on the Western Front, he was badly wounded on 26 August 1914, during the Battle of Le Cateau, Nord, France. Despite his wounds, following treatment Jack continued to serve during the Great war, doubtless during which he must have been suffering a lot of discomfort. After thirty six years of suffering, Jack ultimately died of his wounds inflicted him on 26 August Jack s ashes are in the grave of his wife Dorothy who died on 28 November 1959, aged 70. Jack Stanford and Miss Dorothy Mary Hazlett married in Kensington, London in

163 BUTTERWORTH, DAVID. Leading Aircraftman, Royal Air Force. Died 4 October Aged 18. Born Sydenham, London 19 October Buried St. Clements Churchyard, Sandwich. David s name will be included on the Rolls of Honour that are kept on public display in the Church of St. Clement Danes, London. He is not yet commemorated on the National Armed Forces Memorial, Alrewas, Staffordshire. David enlisted in the Royal Air Force in Following his basic and trade training he served for a year as a Fighter/Plotter at R.A.F. Sandwich, before he died of his injuries. R.A.F. Sandwich was a Second World War Ground Control Intercept radar station located in Sandwich, Kent. After the war a new underground R3 bunker was built as part of the ROTOR programme. Although the latter was constructed on a new site at nearby Ash, the station retained the name R.A.F. Sandwich until its eventual closure in 1990 s. During the 1990 s R.A.F. Ash was being used by the Royal Air Force for Civil Defence purposes and comprised a Royal Observer Corps Nuclear Reporting Cell (N.R.C). During this time it was also used by the Civil Aviation Authority (C.A.A) for the purposes of radar and Glide Path Direction. 163

164 Alderman George Christopher Solley, J.P., His Worship the Mayor of Sandwich, Kent, and speaker of the Confederation of the Cinque Ports, at the official unveiling of the Sandwich civic war memorial on Monday 29 November A huge thank you to Mrs. Erika Barnes (née Götze), for kindly furnishing the transcriber with the above photographic image for inclusion here, and for providing the additional information re the date of the unveiling of the Sandwich civic war memorial. As can be seen when viewing the photograph above at the time of the official unveiling, and comparing it with the modern photograph at the start of the Sandwich commemorations, one noticeable difference is that on the earlier photograph, the low church wall adjacent to the war memorial has a fence on top of it. At the time of the transcriber taking the modern photograph, a Sandwich resident overheard part of the comments made re the missing fence, and very kindly took the trouble to tell us that the fence had been made of cast iron and had been taken away during the Second World War following the nationwide appeal for metal, and were never replaced Although the transcriber has not checked any documentation to verify the information which was kindly tendered at Sandwich, it is most certainly a very feasible explanation, as many other similar cast iron fences and gates etcetera around Great Britain were put to similar use during the Second World War, many of which have still not been replaced. As can be seen above, looking at part of the church garden in the background, it would appear that it had been snowing shortly before the time of the war memorial unveiling ceremony by His Worship the Mayor of Sandwich. 164

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