WWI Memorial Rood Screen

George John was born on 29 September 1883 and baptised at St Luke’s Battersea on 11 November while the family were living at 11 Althorp Road. He became a surgical instrument maker’s assistant.

George’s military records have not survived but we do know he became Sergeant 550016 with the 16th Battalion London Reg (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) and was 35 when he died. IWM records show him as having 3 service numbers, 176, 650016 and finally 550016.

He is the last person commemorated on the Memorial and was obviously added after the majority of the work as he is last on the list and not in his alphabetic order. He was the widower of Eliza. He is likely to have died locally as he was buried in Earlsfield Cemetery on 13 February 1918, probably of either wounds or the 1919 flu epidemic.

He was buried with Aunt Emma and the stone records that he died “having served through the whole period of war. You were our pride, we dreamed great things of you. God intervened, so the dream came true”. When his father was granted probate in March 1919 George’s estate was valued at £398 13s.

George’s father, George William Abbott, a widowed, retired mercantile clerk, lived at 24 Althorp Road. His mother had died before the 1901 census. George John’s invalid aunt, Emma lived with the family until she died on 3 March 1917 age 75. He had two younger sisters Jane and Marion who were milliners. The family kept a live-in servant. Their neighbours at No 22 were the Herne family who had already lost 2 sons (George and Arthur) by the time George died.

George was baptised on 21 July 1886 at St Anne’s. George was a tax collector’s clerk prior to the war. George joined the London Scottish as Private 2254 in 1st/4th Battalion. He was killed in action aged 28 and is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial.

The family lived at 117 St James’ Road with their parents John Henry, a barrister’s clerk, and Elizabeth. They had lived there since at least 1901. George had three siblings, Philip, a bank clerk, Elizabeth, an Elementary School assistant for LCC, and Henry (who is also commemorated on the SMM Memorial). There was also another child who died in infancy. All children were born in Battersea although their father was from Southwark and their mother from Oswestry.

Henry was a bank clerk.  He joined the London Scottish.  He became Company Sergeant Major of 1^st/14^th Battalion, regimental no. 438.  He was killed in action aged 35 and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.  

Henry is one of the 717 names on the joint City and Midland Bank Memorial now in Canary Wharf.  Henry’s younger brother George is also commemorated on the SMM Memorial. Neither brother was to have a marked grave.

For more information about Henry’s family please see his brothers entry.

Alfred enlisted in the 18^th Co London Regiment (Irish Rifles) in Chelsea, and became Lance Sergeant No 590661 and was killed in action on 28 May 1917, He is buried in Bedford House Cemetery between Ypres and Armentieres. His two brothers served throughout the war. Alfred’s brother, James Henry, claimed his war medals.

Alfred was a draper’s apprentice before the war and was the third and youngest son of the John Henry, the licensee of the Surrey Tavern (now a restaurant at 226 Trinity Road), and Sophia.  They had three sons who lived past infancy: James Henry (costume manufacturer’s assistant born ~1890); Joseph Dixon (draper’s assistant born ~1893); and Alfred William born ~1897 born in Camberwell.  A fourth child died in infancy.

The family moved to Surrey Tavern after 1911, before which they had been managing a hotel in Honor Oak Park.  John is shown running the Greyhound Hotel in Croydon in the 1901 census and came from Ireland.

When Sophia died aged 50 in August 1916 her obituary stated that anxiety about her 3 sons fighting in France had contributed to her long illness.  In May 1918, when John died aged 51, an inquest in his death stated that there were only two sons. One, Lieutenant James H Anderson was on active service with Nott’s & Derbyshire Regt. (unable to attend the funeral or inquest), and the other Lieutenant Joseph D Anderson was at home having been wounded with the 18^th Battalion London Regt.

Lieutenant James Henry married Mary Evelyn Cooper on 28 July 1917 at SMM and her funeral was held there on 26 March 1918 aged 32.

John enlisted in Finsbury as Private 23440 and was first with Durham Light Infantry, before transferring to the 6^th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment.  He was killed in action and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.

The 6^th Dorset’s staged an attack on the village of Flers in the early hours of 27 August.  John may well have fallen in this attack, which was planned for 1 am, but as changes with the plans were still being explained at 1 am, and the Battalion only moved off at 3:30 am.  They were instructed to push on regardless of what happened to others.

The attack began “with great dash”.  Some 200 prisoners, 10 machine guns and a couple of trench mortars were captured.  However both flanks were exposed and when a violent counterattack came at 7 am the Dorset’s were pushed back, nearly to their starting point.  Two officers and 40 men were killed and the surviving men were so tired they fell asleep where they were.

Vis-en-Artois Memorial is 10 kilometres south-east of Arras on the Road to Cambrai in France.  This Memorial bears the names of 9,850 men who fell in the period from 8 August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known graves.

John’s family home was 28 Baskerville Road, although his parents John Edward and Bessie, were to move to 16 Morella Road.  In 1901 the family lived at 12 St John’s Road where they kept a drapers shop.  John was born late 1897, and his sister Violet Mary ~ 1899.  They were baptised at St Mark’s Battersea Rise.  They also had a younger sister Sybil Enid, born ~1902.  In 1911 the family kept a live-in servant.

Leonard became a Lance Corporal (534315) in the Prince of Wales’ Own Civil Service Rifles, part of the London Regiment.  He was posted to the Queen’s Westminster Rifles, 15^th Batt., when he was killed in action.  He is buried in Naves Communal Cemetery Extension in Northern France.

The Extension was begun by the 49th (West Riding) Division in October, 1918, after the capture of the village on the 10^th. A number of casualties were also transferred from other cemeteries.  Records do not survive as to whether Leonard was killed in the taking of the village, or in another action in the area.  Probate records show he left an estate of £406 17s 5d to Edith Roberts, spinster.

Leonard was born in late 1892 in Wandsworth, and was the son of Archie and Annie Bastian of 7 Alma Terrace. Archie was a Cab proprietor and employed a live-in cab driver. Archie advertised in the parish magazine as working out of the County Armes yard:- “Rubber tyred cabs for all London stations”.  Archie and Annie had two other sons, Archie L born ~ 1889, and Edward born ~ 1890.  In 1911 Leonard was a boy clerk in the Civil Service and boarding with a retired Prison Service bootmaker at 341 Trinity Road. His father does not appear on the 1911 census implying he had died.

Frederick was a colonial civil servant in the Natal Government Office and gave his address to the army as the High Commission of the Union of South Africa.  He became a Lance Corporal (703344) in 1^st/23^rd Battalion London Regiment.

He enlisted in Putney and from the enlistment form we know; he was 33yrs 30 days, 5’11½” tall, weighed 151 lbs, had a 39” chest with 4” expansion and had very good physical development.  He gave his occupation as Clerk.  He arrived in France at Le Havre on 29 September 1916, and was killed in action, and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.

Frederick was the son of Thomas, a bank accountant, and Harriet Berridge. His father died before the outbreak of War, and his mother lived at 11 Althorp Road.  He was one of eight children, two of whom died in infancy.  His older brother Hubert Stanley was a manager of an estate agent’s office. Hubert married Phyllis, and on 6 March 1914 their daughter, Margery Phyllis, was baptised. His four older sisters were Florence Cooper, Mary Louise Anderson (who lived with the family together with her son Alec Thomas born ~1900), Winifred McCabe and Ada Heath. All children were baptised at St Anne’s.

Frederick’s effects were sent to his brother, Hubert Stanley, at 57 Ravenslea Road and consisted of “letters, wrist watch, and cigarette case”.  By 1924 Frederick’s mother had died, and his brother, by now living at 47 Ellerton Road, finally received Fredrick’s war medals after querying the non-receipt.

George joined the Canadian Infantry at Valcartier (a military base near Quebec). When he enlisted on 10 September 1914 he was 5’11½”, had a 36½” chest with a 5½” expansion, a dark brown complexion and hair, brown eyes and a scar below his right knee. He gave his next of kin as his father while his brother quoted their mother.

Before enlistment, he had already served for three years with the 20th Middlesex Rifles and was an active member of the 31st British Columbia Horse, a militia regiment. His attestation paper shows that he was granted a temporary commission.

By mid 1915 he was a Captain and was serving with 5^th Battalion Canadian Infantry, whose war diary for July 1915 states that work was being done to deepen and improve trenches, the need for refurbishment of the wire in no-mans-land, the dispersal of enemy working parties with rifle fire, and trouble with enemy snipers, including the killing of Capt. C.P. Bowie by a sniper’s bullet and wounding of an unnamed soldier.

He is buried in the Berks Cemetery Extension between Ypres and Messines in Belgium.  His family added the text “Loved and honoured” to his headstone.  He also commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.  Probate records show he left an estate of £52 7s 1d to his father.

George was born on 29 March 1881.  He became a draughtsman with Holloway Brothers (a prominent local building firm, one of whose family is also commemorated on the SMM Memorial) and later an architect.

He worked for Holloway’s from 1896-1901 and gained most of his knowledge of construction there. He attended courses at the City of London College and trained under the locally prominent Edwardian architect Edward P. Warren. He enrolled at the Architectural Association in 1903 and in the following year travelled to Boston, Mass. where he worked for Russell Sturgis and for C.A. Cummings before returning to London in early 1905 to become assistant to Charles Harrison Townsend, one of the leading advocates of the Arts & Crafts ‘free style’ of design.

In 1906 he emigrated to Canada and settled at Vancouver where he was appointed chief assistant in the office of Parr & Fee, a position he held until 1910 when he opened an office under his own name.  In 1907 he joined a local Freemasons lodge.

In 1912 he designed the Lumbermen’s Arch in Vancouver for the visit of the Duke of Connaught (Governor General of Canada).  This was a massive timber structure constructed entirely of fir, and was reportedly held together only by its own weight as no nails, bolts or fasteners were used.  It became known as Bowie’s Arch and stood until 1947 when as a result of decay was replaced by a simpler structure which still stands in Vancouver’s main park.

Alfred and Elizabeth Bowie had 7 children one of whom died in infancy.  The eldest, George Pigrum, was born in Upper Holloway but the remainder, Alexander S (a colonial importer born ~1883), William M (timber salesman born ~1885), Ralph Archibald (also commemorated on the SMM Memorial), Dorothy and Marjorie, were all born in Balham.  By 1901 the family were living at 80 Sarsfield Road and Alfred was a Civil Servant, superintendant with GPO. By the outbreak of war the parents had moved to 9 Bernard Gardens Wimbledon, George and Ralph had emigrated to Canada and Alexander was living in Beechcroft Road.

Ralph enlisted as a Private in Vancouver on 17 February 1915, giving his mother as his next of kin, and was described as 5’8” tall, with a 37” chest, fair complexion, with Brown hair and eyes, and two vaccination scars on his arm. Like his brother (also commemorated on the SMM Memorial) he had previous military experience, having served in the Militia. 

He arrived in France with his unit in October 1915 and took part in all the battles the Canadians were engaged until January 1917 when he was given a commission as 2^nd Lieutenant in the 5^th Leicestershire Regiment.

When leading his platoon in an attack near Gravenstaffel in front of Ypres in the Passchendale sector on 26 September 1917, he was severely wounded in the hand but pressed forward gallantly at the head of his men, but a few minutes later he was instantly killed by enemy fire.

He has no marked grave but is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, together with 34,926 others, about 20 miles south of his brother’s grave.  His estate was worth £155 12s 5d.

Ralph was born on 28 June 1890 in Balham, baptised on 17 August at St Mary’s Balham and went to Upper Tooting High School (on part of the current Finton House School site in Trinity Rd).  He emigrated to Canada in 1911 and joined the Bank of Montreal as a teller.  For further information on the family, please see his brother’s entry.  He had been a bank clerk before emigration.

Albert joined the Royal Sussex Regiment and became a Private in that regiment, his regimental no. was 5142. At some point, he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. (Infantry) 4^th  Battalion where is regimental no. was 127017.  He was killed in action and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

Albert was born early 1896 in Wandsworth and lived at 81 Beechcroft Road.  His parents were Albert, a scaffolder/builders’ labourer, and Emily Ann. He was baptised at Holy Trinity on 5 April 1896 and had a brother George, also baptised at Holy Trinity on 6 March 1898. The family lived at 7 Langroyd Road when the children were born and had moved to 31 Brenda Road by 1901.  By 1911 the family were in Beechcroft Road and both brothers were errand boys.

Prior to the war, Holly had a live-in job as a draper’s clerk at Harvey Nicholl’s in Knightsbridge.

He enlisted with the Royal Horse Artillery as number 1115 and had transferred to B Battery, 282 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, and was Gunner 935170 when he died of his wounds.  His Brigade had served in the Somme and took part in the capture of Vimy Ridge on 10 April 1917.  It is likely that this is where he was wounded. He is buried at the Loos British Cemetery.

Holly is also commemorated on the Memorial at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Handen Road, Lee.  The memorial consisted of a new altar, choir stalls and pulpit in plain oak and a roll of honour caved in oak, with inlays of ebony and mother-of-pearl.

His parents were James and Clara Amelia Brobyn.  His father was a hosier in 1901 who went on to be a Gents’ outfitting manager. They lived in Balham when Holly was born and he was baptised on 11 June 1899 at St Mary’s when he was probably 3 years old. The curate’s (Arthur Ellis) handwriting is not very legible, but it seems the family were living at 32 Byrne Road.  He had an older brother, Horace Noel born in 1884 when the family lived in New Cross Road.  By 1911 the family were living at 21 Childerbert Road in Balham.

His brother Horace also enlisted but was discharged unfit from the Leinster Regiment on 28 August 1916.  Horace married Dorothy Sarah, from Rowfant Road, on 18 September 1919 at St Mary’s Balham. His occupation was stated as a shipping merchant’s manager, and his given address was 178 Manor Road Lee.  This is probably where the connection with the Lee Memorial comes from.

Horace moved to St Nicholas Road Tooting and died in St John’s Hospital, Battersea (now a Therapy centre and housing estate) on 9 January 1937 at 43.  An early death which may well have resulted from the effects of his war service.

Herbert Edward enlisted into the 1/5th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment (T.F.), and became Corporal 8878. He attested for the Regiment in Walsall, Staffordshire, as Herbert William. He entered France on the 5 March 1915, dying of wounds at 20 Casualty Clearing Station, and is buried with a plain cross in the Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty, Pas de Calais, France.

His name was included on intersession lists, which were published up to Easter 1916, so it seems reasonable to assume that he was wounded or injured during or after the Battle of Loos, which was the first large-scale offensive of the war, or the actions of Hohenzollern Redoubt that followed after. 

He was born in 1891 in Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex, the son of Michael, Principle Warder, and Mary Maud Brown. In the 1891 census, he is shown living with his mother Mary Maud, born Marlborough, Wilts., with his father being absent – probably due to the Prison not having married quarters. In the 1901 & 1911 census, the family are living at No 60 Officer’s Quarters, H.M.P. Wandsworth, and 337 Trinity Road, Wandsworth Common. His brother, Harold George, was born in 1896 in Wandsworth. By 1911 Herbert is an Engineer’s Clerk for a Consulting Engineer, it doesn’t say which firm, but perhaps for the Davey’s? His brother was a Telegraph Messenger for the Post Office.

It appears that Herbert married Susanne Mallett in the first quarter of 1916 in the Cannock registration district (Staffordshire), perhaps when on leave or convalescing from injuries, less than six months before his death. Soldier’s Effects show that outstanding monies and War Gratuity were sent to his wife, Susanne. At the time of the formalisation of the Graves and Memorials by the CWGC, the next of kin details are given for Michael at 33 Officers’ Quarters, H.M.P. Wandsworth, with Herbert’s wife, Susanna Brown, living at 4 Furstenberg Strasse, Remagen, Rhineland, Germany.

John enlisted in Devises with the Hampshire Regiment, despite being resident in Wandsworth, and was given the service number 380884. He then transferred on to the 2^nd/8^th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, where he became Private 260310.  He was killed in action, probably aged around 19, and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

John’s father, Eli Charles Abid John Brown, was on the staff of Wandsworth Prison, and the family lived at 14 The Quarters.  John was one of eight children born in Winchester and in 1901 was 3 and together with his sister, Amy 1, living with his grandfather in Marlborough.

David enlisted in the Australian Infantry as Private 1115 on 15 October 1914. His attestation form shows him to be 5’9” tall 11st 8lb, chest measure 34-37”, medium complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair with a scar on right forehead and right upper lip.  He gave his denomination as Church of England.  At embarkation, he had risen to Corporal, and his address (with a number of colleagues) was c/o M Terry NSW.

His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on the 22nd Dec 1914.  He was hospitalised 11th September 1915 with a septic hand from a wound at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, developed dysentery and transferred to Reading War Hospital.  He rejoined the BEF on the 22 April 1916 at Etaples. He was wounded in action on the 22 July 1916, with a severe wound to the right leg, and was hospitalised in Portsmouth. He rejoined his unit on the 18 December 1916, becoming an officer cadet at Trinity College Cambridge on the 3rd January 1917, and a 2^nd Lieutenant on the 31 August 1917. He was then posted to general infantry. He was mustard-gassed on the 21st March 1918 and again on 23^rd at Messines and transferred to England via Boulogne and sent to 3^rd Lon Gen Hosp.  On 25^th he was shown with severe mustard gassing. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 28th May 1918 and left for France 1st July 1918 via Southampton.  He was killed in action at Chignolles, on the Somme sector, 23rd August 1918. He was buried at the time and reinterred after the war in Heath Cemetery Harbonnieres. He is also commemorated on the AIF Project. 

On the 17 October 1918, his mother acknowledged receipt of his effects on a pre-printed postcard to the Australian Infantry Force (AIF) baggage store in Fulham.  His mother was living at 138a Swaby Road. His will was addressed to his sister, Helen Mary Burrin, at Base hospital Oxford to whom he left his effects.

James’ parents, David and Emily Burrin lived at 3 Wiseton Road.  James was born at Headington in Buckinghamshire in December 1890 and went to the Cowley Fathers’ School in Oxford.

He served with 4^th Batt (Territorial force), Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, for 5 years before emigrating to Australia at the age of 22 in 1912, where he was described as single, a clerk and archivist. Before emigration, he had been an assistant clerk with GPO, and his sister Emil Harriet was a GPO telephonist.

At the end of the war, his mother was living in Earlsfield, and he is also commemorated in St Andrew’s Earlsfield book of remembrance.  St Andrew’s did not have a war memorial but produced an illuminated book of remembrance for the casualties of their parish.  This was stolen in 1987 and a copy was re-created by one of the congregation.

In Dec 1922 his medals, memorial plaque and booklet “Where Australians Rest” was sent to his mother.

Sydney enlisted at Camberwell on 25 May 1915 as Private 3999, aged 19 years 3 mths.  He was 5’5” tall with 33” chest and 3” expansion and described as satisfactory health at enlistment.  He was hospitalised for 8 days from the 7th  – 15th June 1915 with conjunctivitis & blephasitus, and served as temp Corporal from 5th – 24th October 1915, before reverting to Private at his own request.

He left for France on 2nd Jan 1916 and joined the 21st (County of London) Battalion (1^st Surrey Rifles) on 24th February. He was reported missing after action in France/Flanders on 23rd May 1916 and declared dead 2 days later.  He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial and has no known grave.

Sydney was one of 10 children, 2 of whom died in infancy.  In 1911 five children were living at home, William a plumber, Alfred a telephone engineer, John a brass finisher for the gas company and Sydney and Dorothy who were at school. The family had lived at No. 25 Wiseton Road, although by 1917, his parents John a cabinet maker, and Jane Bush, had moved to 168 Trinity Road.

Sydney would have been a member of Trinity Road Chapel as he is also commemorated on their memorial.

His father was asked for a list of close relatives in May 1919.  He had 3 brothers and 4 sisters as follows: John Thomas, aged 33, 1 Grecian Crescent Upper Norwood; Alfred Edward, aged 36, ditto; William John, aged 39, 15 Preston Rd Upper Norwood; Margaret Jane Beckett, aged 40, 80 Boundaries Rd; Dorothy Evelyn Bush, aged 18, ditto; Ellen Matilda Bush, aged 30, 168 Trinity Road; Florence Edith, aged 24, ditto. The document was witnessed by Rev Theodore Wood.

The CWGC gives his father’s address as Grosvenor House, Dock St., Porthcawl, Glam., implying he left the area sometime after the War.

Richard enlisted as Private 5402 in the I of C OTC in August 1915, before obtaining a commission in Jan 1916 when with the Machine Gun Corps. He went on to become a 2nd Lieutenant with the 9^th Battalion (Service), Devonshire Regt., serving through France and Flanders with Expeditionary Force and was killed in action, aged 19, leading his men forward at Escoust on the 2nd April 1917. He is buried in HAC Cemetery Ecoust-St Mein. His also commemorated in Vol III of the De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, and Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919

Richard was born on 22nd June 1897. and was Baptised on the 17th July 1897 at St. Andrew’s, Croydon. His father and mother are listed as Richard and May Carrick. It appears Richard was May’s only child.  In 1901 the family lived in Egmont Road, Sutton. May (daughter of Thomas Winter) has been widowed, as her husband is described as “late”.  She is appears as the Head of the Household despite living with her brother in law, James who was a printer & publisher.  By 1911 Mary is living in Cheam, and is described as a Milliner and an employer, implying she ran a business. Richard is listed as a School Boy. He was a pupil of Merchant Taylor’s School. By the start of the war, it appears that the family was living at 13 Frewin Road.  

Richard’s Medal Index Card shows that his British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to his mother, Mrs Carrick, at 13 Frewin Road, Wandsworth Common, SW18, in what appears to be 1922.

Harold became Private 23275 with the 6^th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, enlisting in Plymouth. The Regiment landed in Boulogne on 22 May 1915. He was killed in action aged 25 and is buried at Agny Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, where he is likely to have been one of the first Commonwealth burials.

Harold was the youngest son of Mrs Charlotte Ann Carver and her late husband W S Carver and lived at 38 St James Road. In 1901, aged 10, Harold was living with his grandparents, Henry and Jane Carswell in Littlehampton.  By 1911 the family were at 16 Blenkarne Road.  He was one of eight children two of whom died in infancy.  Harold was a tailor.  He had an elder brother who was a builder and decorator and a drapery assistant sister.  The family took in an elderly couple as boarders. When his mother obtained Richard’s probate of £32 14s 6d her address was 16 Blenkarnie Road.

It has been difficult to say with certainty which Samuel Chaplin listed by CWGC is the one commemorated on SMM Memorial.  It is most likely to be Samuel Chaplin, Private G/5802 from the 7^th Batt. The Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment).  He was killed on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme.  He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Cecil Grundy, also commemorated at SMM, was killed the same day on the Somme.

Alfred enlisted as Private 2286 with the 1^st/16^th Batt. London Regiment. He was later a Rifleman, before gaining a “commission into the regular army” on 4 February 1915. He was a Captain in the Royal Defence Corp by the time he died aged 28.

He died at Angmering on Sea in Sussex and was buried in a family plot in Earlsfield Cemetery on 10 February 1919. His standard war grave headstone sits in the middle of a badly eroded, and no longer legible, marked plot. When his widow gained probate Gerald’s estate was valued at £129 18s 9d.

Although he died well after the Armistice, two days before George Abbott and well after Leonard Elmes, who was also a late addition, he is still in his correct alphabetic place on the memorial.

Gerald’s parents were Alfred and Laura of 16 Herondale Avenue.  Alfred managed a wholesale drapery warehouse.  Gerald’s father had risen from being a commercial traveller in 1901 to city merchant. The family had moved from Leathwaite Road in 1891 and 31 Honeywell Road in 1901 and were still there in 1911 when they employed a live-in servant.  He had a brother Douglas Alfred, 3 years older, who was an inspector of insurance agents, and another sibling who died in infancy. Gerald was a carriage proprietor’s clerk in 1911 and married Sylvia Eileen at St Luke’s Battersea on 27 January 1917, by which time, he was a Second Lieutenant.

Sylvia gave her address to CWGC after the war as “Lynden”, Claygate, Surrey. Gerard is noted as having gone to France in 1914 with the Queen’s Westminster’s and later being a “Commandant” of a Prisoner of war Camp.

Leonard became a Second lieutenant with 20^th (Tyneside Scottish) Northumberland Fusiliers and died of wounds, received the previous day, aged 19 and is buried in Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck. The grave inscription reads:

“THEY SHALL RECEIVE A BEAUTIFUL CROWN AT THE LORD’S HAND”

The cemetery was started by the Australian casualty clearing station in mid-1916.  The area fell into German hand for 6 months in 1918 but appears to have been undisturbed.

Leonard is also commemorated on the Upper Clapton Rugby Club memorial where he was a member of the team.  In 2006 the club introduced an award named after him following research into the names on their memorial. The award is made annually to a member of the most senior youth team, selected by committee.  Part of a letter written to Leonard’s parents from his commanding officer said: “that Cowper had a smile and a word for everybody.”  The Rugby Club now has the Leonard Cowper Board which proudly displays the names of those players who have been recipients of this award. This board has the following extract from the aforementioned letter: 2nd Lieutenant Leonard Harris Cowper 20th Tyneside & Scottish who died of his wounds on November 7th 1916 aged 19. His fellow officers & men remember him. He had a smile and a word for everybody.

Leonard was the son of Rev. Herbert William Cowper MA and Mrs Teresa Cowper, living at 18 Baskerville Road having previously lived at 38 Geraldine Road.  Rev Herbert was the Poor Law Chaplin.  In 1914 he was Chaplin to Wandsworth Union Workhouse & Tooting Home.  In 1918 he was listed as Chaplin to Swaffield Road Institution & Tooting Home.  Leonard had siblings Thomas, 9 years older, Dora Mary 5 years older a private school governess, William 2 years older and Laurence 2 years younger.  They kept a live-in servant.  The three youngest were born locally.  Leonard was baptised at St Faith’s by the vicar on 2 October 1897. Baptisms at St Faith’s were generally conducted by Herbert who was the Curate.

John belonged to “C” Company, Queen’s Westminster Rifles where he became a Sergeant with a service no. of 1465.  He was killed in action age 23 on 19 December 1915 and is buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, which is within the town of Ypres.

John was one of four children of Arthur William Corlett of 16 Loxley Road, a tailor’s foreman from the Isle of Man and Ephemia, who was born in Scotland.  Both John (born 1892) and his brother Arthur, 2 years younger, were born in Balham.  They also had an older sister Winifred born (born 1889) and a sibling who did not survive.  John was baptised at St Mary’s Balham on 16 September 1894.  The family were living in Boundaries Road, in 1901.  Prior to the war, John was a woollen warehouse apprentice and Arthur a tailor’s apprentice.

Families were allowed to add a personal inscription to the standard war grave headstone.  They were charged 1d per letter to do so.  In John’s grave inscription reads “Life and death go hand in hand ‘tis but a step one to the other”.  This message would have been a considerable expense at the time and beyond the reach of many families.  For new war graves, families are no longer charged, which account for the increased proportion of messages on new graves such as those in the new cemetery Fromelles.

Stephen joined the Royal Engineers (No. 288717) as a Pioneer, before transferring to the 652nd Agricultural Coy., Labour Corps, where he was a promoted to Corporal. 

He died aged 42 on 23rd December 1918 at his billet and was buried locally in Earlsfield cemetery on 31 December 1918. The grave appears to be unmarked, as are a significant number of WW1 graves in London cemeteries.

Stephen was a dairy manager living at 14 Belleview Road before the war. He was originally from Chislett in Kent and was married to Lillian May, having had one child, David Henry born ~1909. Stephen’s sister lived with them and they kept a cook. Stephen and Lillian later lived at 320 Trinity Road, while his parents Stephen and Mary Ann moved to Chislett, Herne Bay.

Major (T) Archibald Henry Pingston Davey was killed in action on the 14 October 1917 aged 36. He was serving with the 1st Bn.  Royal Guernsey Lt. Infy. A shell burst and he was fatally wounded. An account of the action can be read here.  He is buried at the Cement House Cemetary, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. His grave inscription reads “… AND SUCH A DEATH IS IMMORTALITY”. 

His next of kin are parents’ William J & Emily Davey, of London, and wife, Hester P. of 5, Springfield Terrace, King’s Rd., Guernsey. Probate of £589 18s 2d was granted in Jan 1918 to Hester, widow & William J. Davey esquire. His medals were claimed by Hestor in 1922. 

Archibald (1881) had 3 brothers, Harold Wm (1880), Ernest D. (1883), and Reginald H. (1889). He also had a younger sister, Winifred E. (1887). In 1891 the family was living at 793 Hazleshursh, Marton Hall Road, Wimbledon. By 1901 the family are at “Uplands”, Merrow Road, Merrow, Guildford. Harold is working for his father, Archibald & Ernest are training as articled pupils in Civil Engineering & Chartered Accounting, and Reginald & Winifred are not living at home. Reginald is 1 of 9 pupils at 17 Oval Road, St Pancras, and living with Benjamin Ralph, a Schoolmaster & Dir of Laws. Winifred is boarding at Harrogate Ladies College, 1 of 37 pupils, living with the Headmistress Mira Jones, and a number of teachers. Archibald is living and working in Guernsey as a Civil Engineer by 1911. His parents are at “Woodlea House” on Lyford Road. Winifred is living with them aged 24. Harold has set up home at 73 Loxley Road and is Secretary to a Joint Stock Company & Secretary in a Firm Of Engineers. Archibald married Hester Perry Gotch in Kettering in last quarter of 1914 at Kettering.

In relation to his siblings, Winifred E Davey married John Charles Gibson in Wandsworth on the 4th July 1918. John seems to have been born in Kettering, and was a Weslyan Minister before the war, serving as a Chaplain to the forces between 1915 and 1919. Although not living in the Parish, Ernest & Harold can be found still living in Surrey on the 1939 Register. Ernest is a Chartered Accountant, married with a family, and Harold is married and described as a Chartered Secretary.

Reginald  joined the 6th Battalion (part of the Reserve for Home Defence) Essex Regiment as Private (2047) in 1914, and by early 1915 gained a commission as a Lieutenant with the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry. He served through France and Flanders. In 1918-19 he had a telephone installed at “Woodlea House”. It is likely this was for his parents’ use. He may have become mentally unwell and took his life, on the 28 November 1919, in France. He is buried at the Terlinchun British Cemetary, Wimillie, Pas de Calais. His inscription reads “UNTIL THE DAY BREAK AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY”

Further research shows Reginald went to The Leys School and he is commemorated on the Leys School War Memorial. He was in the same year and House as Bernard Henry Holloway. Here are some of the additional details they give: Reginald came to The Leys in 1905 at the age of 17 and went into North A House. On leaving school, he worked as a Civil Engineer and was an Associate Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers.

Although Reginald is not commemorated on the SMM Memorial, both brothers are commemorated together on the Channel Islands and Great War Memorial website.

Michael went to Emanuel School and St Paul’s and then became a clerk to an estate agent.  He gained a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 7^th Batt. King’s Shropshire Light Infantry and went to France on 27th September 1915. He was killed in action, aged 25, at the battle of Bazentine Ridge in July 1916, which formed part of the Somme offensive, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. When probate was granted his estate was worth £446 11s 6d.

Named after his father, but commemorated and known as Michael, he was the son of Louis Dell of 16 Frewin Road.  The family had lived at 17 Boutflower Road in 1891, at 23 West Side in 1901, and 3 Routh Road in 1911. He had brothers Antony Warner, journalist, about a year older, and Montague Roger who was a flour miller’s clerk, about 3 years younger. Both of which also attended Emmanuel School. Their father was a cornflour merchant and the family kept two servants. Louis Senior had stood for election to the council, unsuccessfully, in 1903.

Montague became a Lieutenant in the 2^nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment. He was hospitalised at some point between end October and 16 December 1916 as his regimental diary states that he had returned from hospital.  He was made an acting Captain from 5th September 1917 to 15th December 1918. He also served with the Royal Navel Reserve. He won the Military Cross and Companion of the Order of the White Eagle (Serbia).  162 of these Serbian awards were made during the war.  He survived the war, dying in May 1981.

Anthony also served during the war and survived.

Frederick enlisted as Private 2701 with the 12^th Batt. London Regiment.  He left for France on 4th May 1915.  He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant with A Company, 10^th Batt. Durham Light Infantry on 28 February 1917.  He was 23 when he was killed and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Originally living at 29 Hendham Road, Fredrick’s parents Fredrick Benjamin and Gertrude Dew,  moved to 31 Cheriton Square, Alfarthing Road and then to 4 Mayfield Road, Sanderstead.  Frederick senior was the Assistant Superintendant of Mains for the City of London Lighting Co.  Frederick junior and his brother Douglas (4 yrs younger) were born in Sydenham.

John joined the Honourable Artillery Company in July 1913, as a private and played rugby football for the Corps.  He went abroad as a private with the HAC in September 1914 and spent the first winter of the war fighting in Flanders and France. He was invalided home, and on his recovery was gazetted a commission as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Surrey Yeomanry, Queen Mary’s Regiment, on 4 March 1915.

He served for six months in Egypt and was at the Dardanelles as Assistant Military Landing Officer. On his return to England, he declined a post as Assistant Equipment Officer in the Royal Flying Corps, as he felt he ought to take a more active part in the war. He obtained his “wings” on the 24th August 1916 and was made an instructor at the Central Flying School, Upavon on 7 September.

He was killed in an aeroplane accident, flying in B.E.2e No. 7075, whilst acting as Observer on the 1st October 1916. The crash report stated: “Crashed after elevator control disconnected, Wallis Down, Kinson, Branksome, Dorset. 2Lt John Hampson Dodgshon (23) killed, and Capt Harold Barker injured.” His is an example of how short the life expectancy of pilots was.  Accidents were as much a risk to the enemy. His mother was granted probate of his estate, worth £6,801/13/7. 

He is buried in Upavon Cemetery with a non CWGC headstone with a Celtic cross and was commemorated on Westminster School’s original Great War Memorial in their Great Hall; however, this was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War.

John was born on 29 July 1891 in Sutton. His late father, Edmund Dodgshon, was from Manchester, Jamaica and died in 1893.  His mother, Rose remarried Herbert Hooper (an auctioneer) in 1900 and they lived at 99 St James Rd.  He had an elder brother Edmund Charles 1888-1964, also born in Sutton.

In 1901 John was a boarder at a school in Sea Road Bexhill on Sea with his brother Edmund.  At the time Herbert was the licensee of the Cock Hotel in Sutton.  John went to Westminster School from May 1905 until Easter 1908 and was a member of the school cadet corps.  By 1911 Edmund was a land surveyor and John a bank clerk.  Both boys were living with the Hoopers who by this point had two more children Enid May born ~1905 and William Herbert born ~1902.

Oscar served for 8 years in No 1 Co HAC before the outbreak of war.  He volunteered as a Sergeant in September 1914 and made a will at that point.  He went on to become a Second Lieutenant with the 1^st Batt. York and Lancashire Regiment. He died after being wounded and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.  Probate was granted to his father for £1,774/3/5.

Oscar was the son of Wilfred Syms and Mary Elizabeth Dodwell of 22 Nicosia Road who married about 1882.  William was a commercial traveller and later a varnish manufacturer.  Oscar was born in 1888 in Wandsworth, the youngest of 3 children.  He was baptised on 7 November 1888 at St Michael’s Battersea when the family were living at 1 Wakehurst Road.  His sister Ida died in 1892.  His brother Reginald Power was 3 years older.  Reginald became a varnish manufacturer and Oscar a varnish manufacturer’s clerk.  Both brothers probably worked for their father.

Two letters and a postcard Oscar sent to Reginald have survived and at one stage could be read on the internet (www.john-dillon.co.uk/yorklancs/8_may_1915.html).  Amongst other things, he talks about is his fear of being selected for a firing party and the loss of his friends, one of whom was John Paterson who is also commemorated on SMM memorial.

Leonard enlisted in the London Cycling Company with regimental number 359.  When he died aged 24, Leonard was 1^st Class Air Mechanic No. 402648, with the 5^th Squadron RAF.  He is buried at Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension on the outskirts of Dunkirk. His estate was worth £108 0s. 4d.

This Cemetery was used in 1918 by the 42^nd and 57^th Casualty Clearing Station.  The last Commonwealth interments were September 1918 making Leonard one of the last burials.  Given the location and type of Cemetery, it seems likely that he died of injury or wounds.

Leonard was the son of Arthur and Annie Louisa. Originally native to Marylebone, Leonard was their only child, and he was baptised on 21st October 1894 at All Saint’s St John’s Wood when his father was a hosier. The family lived locally at No. 95 Fernside Road, but in 1911 the family were in Harrow. Arthur was listed as a house furniture dealer and Leonard an apprentice in the same trade.

Leonard is one of two men not listed in their alphabetic place.  This may well be because his parents appear to have moved from the parish to 72 Gonville Road, Thornton Heath.

Eric was born 17 November 1895 in Battersea and it is believed be was an SMM choir boy before enlisting in Plumstead as a Flight Cadet with the 64^th Batt. RAF Training Reserve.  His parents were Henry, a building trade commercial traveller, and Mary Ann.  He had four siblings, all younger: Gladys Mary, Geoffrey Pearsall, Kathleen Sewell and Hilda Margaret.

He passed his flying certificate taken on an L&P biplane at the London and Provincial School, Edgeware on 18 May 1918.  His certificate gave his address as 3 Weybridge Rd Thornton Heath.  He is buried in North Sheen Cemetery which implies that he died in a flying accident in this country.  Losses in accidents were unfortunately frequent and pilots career short.

Horace enlisted in Westminster and became Private 2188 with the 3^rd Batt. Royal Fusiliers.  He was killed in action and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.  Probate was granted to his mother for £212/17/3.

Horace does not appear to be related to Eric.  Horace was the son of Ellen Emma Evans of 30 Broderick Road.  His father must have died before 1901 when the family were living at 137 St James Road. Horace was born in Balham and was one of nine children including Frederick Allen, an audit clerk in an estate office, born in Forest Gate and Guy Herbert, a clerk in an architects office and later an insurance ledger clerk, born in Dulwich, Bernard Saxby, who like Horace was a Lloyd’s broker’s clerk an older sister Helen Grace who was a private secretary in an insurance office, a sister Freda 3 years younger born in Clapham and one who died young.  The family had certainly moved around.  In 1911 they were living at 30 Wandle Road.

Joseph became Rifleman 1543 in “C” Company, London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles).  He was killed in action and is buried in Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension.  Probate was granted to his father, then a wine merchant for £146 2s 6d.

Joseph was born in Clapham and his parents were Augustus Philip and Agnes Fleck, living at 33 Baskerville Road.  The family had lived there since at least 1901 when Augustus was a licensed victualler.  Joseph was one of 5 children, in 1911 they were Agnes Dorothy, aged 20, a Civil Servant, Reginald  Augustus, aged 19, a clerk, Joseph, aged 17, also a clerk, Audrey, aged 14, and Muriel, aged 10.  Agnes married Francis Herbert Brand on 4 July 1914 at SMM.  The family had a live-in servant.

After Joseph’s death, his parents donated electrification for the Church organ in his memory.  There is a brass plaque to commemorate this. In December 1918 the parish magazine recorded this:- “Electric apparatus for the organ by great generosity of Mr & Mrs Fleck has now been installed and is actually in use.  This is not only a very great convenience since the action can be switched on in four or five seconds from the keyboard, but its freedom from the jerkiness and unevenness of pressure inseparable from hand blowing will add considerably to the life of the organ.  And of course, it will prove economical in other ways.”

Lt (T) Neville was killed in action alongside 2nd Lt Charles Frank Berry on 17 July, flying an Armstrong Whitworth FK8, serial number D5088. The crash report stated “Landed downwind and hit two trees at Sh20S8b63 after getting lost on special night recce. Lt NJ Forbes/Prob 2nd Lt Charles Frank Berry”. He was buried at Esquelbecq Military Cemetery, Nord, France. 

Neville John was born in Johannesburg on 24 November 1898.  He and his parents, Mr & Mrs F A Forbes, came to England on a Union Castle liner from Cape Town to Southampton in August 1903. He enlisted into the Royal Flying Corp. as Airman (79854) on the 3 May 1917 and was aged 18 Years 6 Months. His qualifications state “Misc Aviator”, and his occupation is given as Wharehouse Assistant. His father’s address is 25 Saunders Street, Yeovil, Johannesburg, S.A. He is discharged from service as an Airman after only 129 days, having received a temporary commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. 

On the 9 August 1917, he is put on General List (R.F.C.) and is Gazetted as a Pilot Officer (2nd Lt). He started his training on the 15 December, and completed Wireless School on the 18 Jan 1917, attaining the rank of A.W. Pilot Officer. He became a Flying Office (2nd Lt) in March 1918, after which his service is recorded in his Officer’s Service Papers, starting on 1 April 1918 when he was promoted Lt (T). His father’s address is given as Houghton Court, 61 Houghton Drive, Houghton State, Johannesburg, S.A. On the 8 April, he joins 10 Squadron, which was responsible for spotting and bombing missions, and passed his Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificate on the 1 July 1918. The last entry states that “Service considered for the grant of war medals” but there doesn’t seem to be an associated Medal Index Card.

Alan joined 28^th Battalion Artists Rifles. He became a 2nd Lieutenant on 17 October 1914 and transferred to the Machine Gun Corp, where he was attached to 259 Company.  He was later promoted to Captain, and it is suspected he may have been a “territorial” before the outbreak of war like his brother.

He was killed in East Africa at the battle of Nyangao/Mahiwa. This battle was the company’s only significant action, where they lost 7 men killed and 4 wounded as well as Captain Frost. He is buried in Dar es Salaam War Cemetery, where he appears to be the only one of his regiment. His father was granted probate for £337/1/9 and his address was 122 Nightingale Lane.

The Dar es Salaam War Cemetery was created in 1968 when the 660 First World War graves at Dar Es Salaam (Ocean Road) Cemetery had to be moved to facilitate the construction of a new road. As the burials in the former African Christian, Non-Christian and Mohammedan plots had not been marked individually, they were reburied in collective graves, each marked by a screen wall memorial. During the early 1970s, a further 1,000 graves were brought into this site from cemeteries all over Tanzania, where maintenance could no longer be assured. Dar es Salaam War Cemetery now contains 1,764 Commonwealth burials of the First World War.

Alan’s parents were Ralph, a Managing Director of J Miles & Co Ltd (Artistic & General Printers 68-70 Wardor St.) & Westminster City Councillor, and Sarah who had died in 1895 but was originally from Manchester. Alan had a younger sister, Alison, and a younger brother, Kenneth.

Ralph re-married, Edith 20 years his junior, in 1906 and they had a son Max three years later. In 1911 the family were living at 11 Mayford Road.  In 1911 Alan was listed as having the same trade as his father, and so may have been destined to take over the business.

There is less information on Alan, than on Kenneth, as an entry on the Roll of Honour of the Great War was not purchased for Alan as it was for Kenneth.  It is assumed the entry for Kenneth was organised by comrades rather than the family.  Alan and Kenneth are both commemorated on the SMM memorial. Their father was living at 13 Wandle Road at that time.

Sidney enlisted in Handle Street in the City and became Lance Corporal 1900 in the 1^st Batt. Royal Fusiliers and was killed in action and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.  Probate was granted to his widow for £377/15/-.

Sidney’s parents were Charles Edwin and Emma Julia Fry of 36 Brodrick Road. His father was a jeweller/watchmaker who kept a shop.  In 1901 the family were already living in Brodrick Road.  They probably moved there a couple of years earlier as the majority of the children were born in the parish of St George Hanover Square.

The family consisted of eleven children in 1911:  Stanley Harbourne, aged 23, Beatrice Emma, aged 21, Elizabeth Gertrude, aged 20, Sidney Charles, aged 18, Russell George, aged 17, Arthur William, aged 15, Jessie Mary, aged 13, Leonard Edwin, aged 11, Frances Emma, aged 9, Clarence John, aged 7, and Ernest James aged 4. The youngest 3 were born locally and one must have died in infancy.  Two children Frances Edna and Clarence John were not at home for the census.

Nine of the Fry children were baptised by Rev Wood at St Mary Magdalene in a batch on 5 November 1903. The eldest Stanley was baptised a couple of weeks later on 29 November.

Sidney’s wife, Annie Louisa moved to 163 Heythorpe Road, Southfields after his death.

William was a Second Lieutenant in the 4^th Batt. Royal Staffordshire Regiment, attached to the 72^nd Mortar Batt.  He was killed in action at Delville Wood and is buried in Delville Wood Cemetery.

He is commemorated in St Michael’s Battersea with a wall mounted brass plaque, is on their War Memorial and is also on Emmanuel School’s Roll of Honour.

William was born 7 July 1896 and his family lived at 32 Bramfield Road.  His father, also William, was a commercial traveller in wholesale drapery.  Frank’s elder sister was born in Pimlico while Frank was born locally and they were living in Bramfield Road by 1901.  He was educated at Emmanuel School from 1909-14 and played cricket there. He wrote an article for the Christmas 1915 School magazine detailing his doings.

Ronald was Cecil’s brother.  He became a second Lieutenant in the 2^nd Batt. Middlesex Reg.  By the time he was killed in action on the first day of the Somme, his family had moved out of the Parish.  He was buried but his grave was destroyed by fighting and he is remembered on the memorial in Ovillers Military Cemetery.

According to Lance Corporal Noyes, who wrote to Ronald’s father on 1 August, Ronald was killed instantly by a bullet which hit him about a quarter of an inch above the collarbone close to the neck on the left side and was dead before he hit the ground.  The bullet came out via the spine. Lance Corporal Noyes dragged him to the advanced sap trench where he was left covered with his coat and reported to the Quarter Master Sargent. 

Ronald went to Emmanuel School and is commemorated on the school’s Roll of Honour. Further information on the Grundy family, including information about his other younger brothers, John and Rupert can be found on the page of his brother.  The brothers were featured in a BBC short radio documentary about Emmanuel School during the war. Some of his correspondence survived and was featured in a Sunday Mail article for Remembrance Day.  The letters were auctioned and are now privately owned. 

Albert enlisted in Wandsworth and became Sapper 87070 in the Royal Engineers 204 Field Company.  It was likely he was not a tall man as the Division was largely made up of men who did not meet the general height requirement. He was killed in action aged 20 and is buried at St Vaast Post Military Cemetery, Richbourg-L’Avoue, just east of Betune in Northern France, another casualty of the Somme.  Albert also appears on a list of names missing but possibly should have been included on the Whitstable War Memorial.

Albert was born in Chester but appears to have grown up in Winchester.  He is also commemorated on the Trinity Road Chapel Memorial as A E Hayett and so was probably a TRC member.  His father, John Charles, had been a prison warder at Winchester prison (1901 census) and transferred to Wandsworth Prison by the 1911 census where the family home was 58 Prison Quarters.  In 1901 Albert was the youngest of five children; Jessie, aged 12, William, aged 10, Winifred, aged 7, Albert, aged 5, and one who had not survived.  By 1911 Albert was a joinery apprentice.

Arthur became Lance Corporal 5276 in the 1/16^th Batt. London (Queen’s Own Westminster) Regiment.  He was killed in action aged 25; his body was never found and is commemorated on the Theipval Memorial, one of 72,195 missing of the Battle of Somme.

The Herne family had lived at 22 Althorpe Rd since at least 1901 and their father was a Carpenter/joiner originally from Norfolk.  Arthur and George, both born in Battersea, were Robert and Sarah Ann’s their only children. By 1911 Robert had become a solicitor’s estate foreman.  The family were to lose both boys.  Both brothers were born in Chelsea, became insurance clerks and joined the London (Queen’s Own Westminster) Regiment, 1/16^th Batt, D Company.  

George joined the 1/16th (County of London) Battalion (Queens Westminster Rifles) Regiment, with regimental no. 808 where he became a Sergeant, serving from November 1914  in France and Flanders, and rose through the ranks to become Company Sergeant Major with service no 550040. He died of his wounds aged 29 and is buried at Maing Communal Cemetery Extension in France.

George and Arthur are commemorated in one of the greatest works on soldiers killed in the Great War, which was subscription based, entitled “Soldiers Died in the Great War.” It was published in many parts, with each part focusing on a particular regiment. 

George’s younger brother Arthur had been killed in action two years previously with the same regiment.  George was born in Chelsea and baptised on 10 February 1889 in St Luke’s Chelsea. The family ’s neighbours at 24 Althorpe Road, George and Eliza Abbott, would loose their son George a few months later.

Geoffrey became a second Lieutenant in the 10^th Batt. London Regiment.  He was killed aged 22 and is buried in the HAC Cemetery at Ecqust-St. Mein which is a village between Arras, Cambrai and Bapaume in France.

Geoffrey’s family lived at 20 Loxley Road having moved from Clapham.  His parents were Alfred, an insurance clerk and Fanny Sophia.  He had a brother Claude, a furniture salesman, who later applied for Geoffrey’s medals on his mother’s behalf. There was also a brother Alfred four years older than Geoffrey but he did not survive to 1911.

Percy Hodges enlisted with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers Regiment as Private 41030, and later gained a temporary commission as Second Lieutenant in the Seaforth Highlanders. It seems likely he was killed during the Battle of the Lys and is buried at the Clytte Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

His grave inscription reads “RATHER DEATHE THAN FALSE OF FAYTHE.” His regiment is wrongly given as the King’s Own Scottish Borderers Regiment, but this may be explained as he received his t/comm 10 days before his death. His next of kin are John and Elizabeth Kate Hodges, of 9, Heathfield Rd., Wandsworth. Probate of £291 was awarded in 1919 and stated Percy lived at 9, Heathfield Rd. 

Percy was born in 1895 and was baptised on the 26 June at Battersea Christ Church, Wandsworth, the son of John, a Commerical Clark, and Elizabeth Kate Hodges. They were living at 56 Thirsk Rd, Lavender Hill, and continued to do so until sometime after 1911 when they moved to the Parish. The family had two other children, Frank Stephen, born 1897, and Elizabeth, born 1900. They had 1 servant.

Percy is commemorated on SMM Memorial after Bernard Holloway rather than in his strict alphabetic place.  Hodges is the only surname on both the SMM First and Second World War memorials.  The WW2 Hodges is likely to be Dennis William Hodges from Balham, who served with the RAF Volunteer Reserve and died 19 October 1942, being buried in Earlsfield.  He is also listed on the TRC memorial.  There is, however, as yet no indication that they were related.

Harry enlisted as Private 204509 in the 1 Batt. Norfolk Regiment at Kingston on Thames.  He was wounded while attached to the 15^th Mortar Batt. and died of his wounds aged 30.  He is buried in Euston Road Cemetery at Colincamps just north of Albert on the Somme.

Harry was born in Westminster and his parents were William Gayland, a confectioner, and Mary Ann Hoffman.  He was a portmanteau maker, married to Frances Elizabeth, had a daughter, Dorothy May, born in 1911 and was living at 11 Nottingham Road.

Edward enlisted as private 4634 in the 2^nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays/Troop). He rose to Sergeant. His regiment was part of the British Expeditionary Force, “the Old Contemptibles” and Edward may well have fought in France. Unfortunately, his records do not survive, so we cannot be sure. The Queens Bays had been based in Aldershot until they left for France in Autumn 1914, and he may have been in their home base or on leave when he died.  He died in Farnham aged 33 and is buried at Farnham Upper Hale Cemetery.

Edward was born in Holborn. He had been a Sergeant in the Household Cavalry of the Line (including Yeomanry and Imperial Camel Corp) in 1901.  Ex-servicemen were prime recruits to the Prison Service and by 1911 he was an assistant Warder at Feltham. By the outbreak of War, he had become a Warder at Wandsworth Prison.

He was married to Florence Elizabeth and they baptised Gwendoline Hilda on 22 April 1914 and on 19 March 1916, Frances Joyce at SMM. As a Prison Warder Edward and his wife Florence would have lived in the Prison Quarters. Edward was probably in the reserve and would have been called up at the outbreak of war. After Edward’s death, Florence remained at Upper Hale Farnham.

Edward was one of three Warders from Wandsworth Prison killed in the Great War.  Of the other two, Charles Strickland is commemorated on SMM Memorial, but John Upton is not.  In 1928 these men both had roads named in their honour when the Prison Housing Estate was developed, but Edward did not.  This may be down to the fact that perhaps he died in England, not in action, or perhaps was not considered local, due to being relatively new to the area.

Harry enlisted 11 November 1915 as Private 5241 at Armoury House, Finsbury into 1^st Batt. Hon. Artillery Company.  His attestation form describes him as age 24 & 10 mth, 5’4½” tall, 33” chest with 2½” expansion and fair physical development. He embarked for France on 22 September 1916 and was killed in action some 6 weeks later. He was buried and later reburied in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel.

His effects returned to his family were – safety razor, mirror broken, brush and comb, badge, wrist watch broken, and a holdall.

Harry’s family had lived at 55 Charminia Road Tooting but had moved to 34 Cockerton Road.  His parents were Edward (manager in Brewing Company) and Ellen.  Harry was one of three children with brothers Elias 2 years younger and Edward Martin 11 years his junior.  He was an apprentice in the woollen trade by 1911.

It appears he did not leave a will as his family were asked to provide a witnessed statement of his next of kin.  At 15 May 1919 he had 2 surviving brothers still living at 24 Cockerton Road, Edwin Martin age 17 and Elias Walter age 27 and no sisters.  The statement was witnessed by Rev J M Crawford Murray of Holy Trinity Church.

William enlisted in Battersea on 13 June 1915 and became Gunner 52614 in the 123rd Bty., Royal Field Artillery. He was wounded prior to the 3rd October 1917. Field ambulances were stationed in the Convent of St. Antoine and William would have been treated there. He died of his wounds and is buried in Locre (now Loker) Hospice Cemetery in West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

William’s parents were William, a carter, and Sarah Jane, who had moved to 62 Wandle Road by 1901. He was born in Clapham and baptised in Holy Trinity Clapham on 18 December 1881.  Wilfrid, his brother, was baptised in St Anne’s on 26 April 1889 when the family lived in Beechcroft Road.

Both William and his brother Wilfred Roberts fought in the Great War. Wilfrid survived the war, was discharged on 14 July 1919 and, returned to work, and eventually took over the General Grocers at 186 Trinity Road.

During the war, the shop was run by the Mancktelow Family, who were to lose 2 family members in the conflict, who are commemorated on the Trinity Chapel Memorial. William still has a niece in the current SMM congregation.

Douglas became Private 3549 in the 1^st/2^nd Batt London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers).  He was killed in action aged 18 and has no known grave.  He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Douglas’ parents were Charles Henry (buried 6 July 1918, age 52) and Emma Augusta Lumley of 69 Broderick Road who had married in 1895. He was born in Tooting and baptised at Holy Trinity on 10 March 1898 when his father was a builder/contractor.  In 1901 the family were living with Charles’ sister Florence and her husband William Shipley who was also a builder.  By 1911 the family had moved to Broderick Road.  Douglas was the eldest of 3 surviving children with a brother Maurice Henry, 4 years younger and sister Sadie 5 years his junior.  One other child had not survived.

Robert was a bank clerk before the war and became a sergeant with H Company, 14^th Battalion London Regiment (London Scottish).  He was killed in action in the final offensive of the battle of Loos, which failed due to lack of hand grenades. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos memorial. He left £1375 05s. 06d. to his mother.

Robert was one of four children.  Their parents were Robert Mair and Annie.  Robert senior was a physician and surgeon and he and his 3 elder children came from Ayrshire.  In 1911 the family were living at 200 High Road south Tottenham and then moved to 10 Baskerville Road.  Robert junior had one brother, who was 2 years older and a medical student, a sister, who was 2 years younger, and another brother who was 4 years younger and born in Tottenham.

Archibald attestation form describes him as a single farmer from Glenbera, Manitoba and 5’7” tall, 35” chest with 3” expansion fair complexion with blue eyes, light brown hair and a scar on his right wrist.  He gave his denomination as Church of England and enlisted at Winnipeg on 7 February 1916.  He was Private 871104 with the 78^th Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment).

He was reported first missing, and then killed in action, in the attack on Vimy Ridge.  The Canadian army death notice shows him as being C of E.  He is one of 29 Canadian soldiers buried at the time in the 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade Cemetery, Givenchy-en-Gohelle, but whose graves are now lost and are commemorated by special memorial headstones, inscribed to this effect in the Canadian Cemetery No2, Neuville-St. Vaast.  His headstone carries the additional message, “Their Glory shall not be blotted out”. He listed his mother as his next of kin.

He was born 12 October 1885 and baptised at St Anne’s on 4 March 1886.  His parents were George Charles Jules, a French cook, and Sarah Ann Magdelin of 64 Brodrick Road.  He had an elder sister Isabella who was a Civil Service telegraph learner and an elder brother who in 1901 was a mechanical engineer. He emigrated to Canada in 1902. He appears to have returned for a visit going back to Canada on 19 March 1914. The 1916 Canadian census lists him as a Presbyterian labourer living in Souris, Manitoba.

Henry enlisted 13 January 1915 at Blackboy Hill Western Australia describing himself as single, a farm labourer, 30 yrs 11 days, 5’8” tall 140 lb, chest 32½/35, fair complexion, blue eyes, fair hair, a vaccination scar and Church of England.  He appears to have been discharged on 12 March 1915 as absent without leave and enlisted again at the same place on 24 March 1915 described this time as a clerk. He embarked from Adelaide on HMAT A2 Geelong 18 November 1915 and disembarked on 23 December 1915 at Suez.  He was lucky not to be on Geelong’s following voyage as it hit another transport ship and sank!  He spent time in Ismailia and Cairo.  He overstayed leave in Ismailia and was drunk in Cairo.

He arrived at Boulogne with 32^nd Batt. Australian Infantry on 21 July 1916 and was listed as wounded same day.  The 8^th Field Ambulance diagnosed him with a shrapnel wound, but when he arrived in hospital, they diagnosed gunshot wound to the mouth.

On 27 August 1916, he died of gunshot wound to head at 13^th Stationery Hospital, Boulogne.  In December 1916 his father received a brief official letter to explain how and where Arthur died and that he was buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.

His will left his property to his father.  The list of his effects which arrived back with his father on 25 January 1917 is short, identity disc, wallet, letters, photos, 2 pipes, prayer book, religious book, shipping receipt and a linen bag.  In November 1917 Florence Hannaford from Western Australia wrote to try and trace him; possibly the girl he left behind?  She received a reply to say he had died and where he was buried.

Henry was born at 8 Gateley Rd, Brixton on 2 January 1885 and had emigrated to Australia after some time working as an insurance clerk in this country.  He was still living in the family home for the 1911 census which showed that his parents had been married 29 years, and he had brothers William James, 27, an accounts articled clerk, and Edwin Covington, 22, a stockbroker’s clerk.  He was listed on the register of electors until 1914.

His father William Mitchener Malsch (1855-1924) lived at The Lawn, 33 Lyford Road. William was a professor of music (Oboe) and taught Leon Gossans at the Royal Academy of music between 1911-14.  According to the Parish Magazine William had to resign his secretaryship of the Mission Union as he had accepted an army commission. Edwin and his family are buried in Earlsfield Cemetery.

Charles and his mother Amelia Martin lived at 196 Beechcroft Road having previously lived at Number 61.  He was born locally, one of 4 children, Edward (4 years older), Matilda (6 years younger) and Hetty (8 years younger).  His father and elder brother were general labourers.  Charles was an errand boy.  He became Private 12352 with the second Batt. Gloucestershire Regt. He was 19 when he was killed.  As he is commemorated on the Menin Gate having no known grave. It is reasonable to assume he was killed in action.

Daniel was born in Wandsworth but enlisted in Merthyr while living in Glamorgan. Daniel became Private 14065 in the 1^st Batt. King’s Shropshire Light Infantry.  He died of wounds aged 33 and is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. 

This cemetery and the casualty clearing station which used it were close to the front but just out of reach of the German artillery near Ypres.

His parents, John and Elizabeth Masters, possibly lived at 103 Beechcroft Road.  His father John was a retired Police Constable.  He was one of 9 children and married Clara Louisa Smith on 1 October 1905 at St Nicholas Tooting.  Clara remarried (Isaac) after Daniel’s death and moved to 24 Rookstone Road in Tooting.  The census lists brothers David, William, James, Thomas, and brother Harry who is also on the SMM Memorial.

Thomas Masters was the second oldest son of John and Elizabeth. He joined the Royal Fusiliers as Private G25330, transferring into the Military Foot Police, Corps of Military Police as Acting Sergeant, dying in Mesopotamia on the 21 September 1919. He is buried at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq

He is not commemorated on the SMM Memorial, but he is commemorated on the Church’s Illuminated Roll of Honour.

He enlisted at Clapham Junction with the London Regiment 2^nd/23^rd Battalion and became Private 701009.  He is buried in the Jerusalem War Cemetery.

Henry/Harry was the son of John and Elizabeth Masters of 103 Beechcroft Road.  His mother, Elizabeth, died between 1901 and 1911.  His father had been a Police Constable but by 1901 had become a lamplighter for the gas company. Harry was a coal and coke porter (possibly a job gained through his father at the gas company).

His brothers’ Thomas and Daniel also served and died in the war. Daniel is commemorated on the SMM Memorial, but  Thomas wasn’t. His details can be found here.

Archibald May enlisted in Fulham with the East Surrey Regiment. When he died of wounds, probably having taken part in the Battle of Cambrai (part of the Somme campaign), he was a Private in 10^th Battalion Enniskillen Fusiliers.  It is possible that he transferred as part of a 2-3 dozen batch from the East Surrey’s in about March 1917. 

He is one of 1754 Somme casualties lying in the Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension.  The area was to be fought over again in 1944 and a further 348 casualties were to join them.

He was born in Plymouth in 1877, the son of Adolphus, a ship’s clerk, and his wife Louisa.  He had 4 sisters, Ida and Alice, older and Dora and Hilda, younger. He was married to Florence and lived at 59 Beechcroft Road.  

Albert Moore enlisted in the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles (Saskatchewan Regt.) as Private 108397. He was killed taking part in the Battle of Mont Sorrel. He was initially reported missing, but on the 5 June at St Lawrence Camp, having been in the trenches at Maple Copse, for “official purposes he was presumed dead”. His denomination is given as Church of England, and it is stated he became a resident of Canada in 1914. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Frank was born in Hammersmith and emigrated to Australia and became a station hand. He enlisted as Private 2373 with the 34^th Batt Australian Infantry at Narrabri, New South Wales on 14 June 1916 giving an address of Pullaming, Gunnedah (possibly a sheep station). 

His attestation form describes him as 22 years 2 months. 5’10¼” tall, weighed  153 lbs., chest 35”/39½”, fair complexion, light brown hair, blue eyes, very good physical development and vertical scars on his right shoulder and thigh. He gave his denomination as Church of England. He signed himself Frank not Francis.  He also stated that he had spent 3½ years with Emanuel School Officers’ Training Corp. and that he had been previously turned down for military service on the grounds of varicocele.

He left Sydney on 17 October 1916 on board HMAT A30 Borda and arrived in Plymouth on 9 January 1917.  He joined the 9^th training brigade and was hospitalised with laryngitis for 10 days in February.  He was appointed Corporal on 15 May and reverted back on 3 June.  On the 4 June, he left Folkestone for Le Harve.  He became a Corporal again on 6 June only to revert again on 4 July before marching to the front where he rejoined the 34^th Batt.  On 3 August he was promoted to Lance Corporal.  On 4 September he was hospitalised with flu at St Omer.  He was moved to a hospital in Boulogne and eventually rejoined his unit on 16 November (sounds like a bit more than flu!).

He had leave in England from 26 January 1918 returning on 9 February.  He was in hospital again on 16 March this time with bronchitis.  He was back with his battalion by 24 March and promoted to Corporal on 4 April.  He was killed in action on 8 May.  His will left his property to his father.  His effects and medals were sent to his father but the list of them had not survived.  He is commemorated on the Villiers-Bretonneux Memorial.

This is between Amiens and St Quentin on the Somme and was the scene of a German advance in April 1918 followed by recapture of the Village by the Australians in August.  The memorial lists 10,766 Australians with no known grave and includes those recently discovered at Fromelles.

He gave his father and mother, Percy Noel and Annie Louisa Noel (nee Wills), as his next of kin, and gave his father’s business address (Solicitors) 29 John Street Bedford Row, London. In 1911 the family lived at 18 Nicosia Road.  There were 6 children, William Percival (19 Engineering draughtsman), Francis (17 no occupation), Annie Phyllis (14), Walter Fredrick (11), James Albert Edward (9) and Claude Anthony (7). Francis Radford Noel was a pupil of Emmanuel School and is on the Roll of Honour.

Arthur enlisted at Shaftsbury Street North as Private 2823 in the 4^th Batt. London Regiment, Royal Fusiliers.  He was killed in action and is buried in Hebuterne Military Cemetery.

Christened as William Arthur he is commemorated as Arthur at SMM which implies he used this name to avoid confusion with his father who was also William Arthur.  In 1911 the family lived at 13 Heslop Road.  The census shows his parents had been married 27 years and had five children of which William Arthur was the eldest followed by Bertha Winifred (24), Agnes Muriel (21, milliner’s assistant), Constance Eva (19, Telephone operator) and Kathleen Elsie (12).  The two eldest were born in Gosforth Northumberland although the younger children were born in Balham.  His parents William Arthur senior, a draper, and Bertha later moved to 16 Loxley Road.

Alan enlisted into the 41st Battalion Australian Infantry as Private (5091) on the 5 June 1916, at the age of 16, claiming to be 18 and a farm-hand from Spring Hill, Queensland. He was killed in action with 41st Battalion, AIF, on the 29 September 1918, ages 18 years old. He has no known grave. His mother and father were William Arthur and Elizabeth Sarah Pearman of 46 St. James’ Rd., Wandsworth Common. He is commemorated on Villers-Bretonneux Memorial and Emmanuel School‘s War Memorial.

Alan Pearman was born on 14 September 1900 in Epsom. He had 3 brothers and 1 sister and his father was an Accountant. He attended Emmanuel School. On 31 October 1916, aged just 16, he set sail from London on the SS Tainui, bound for Hobart, Tasmania. The ship’s ledger stated he was a “Dreadnought Lad“. The scheme provided for 3 month’s training, with no guarantee of employment.

On 14 June 1917, still only 16 having enlisted in Australia, Alan set sail from Sydney on HMAT Hororatan. The AIF had been involved in heavy fighting at the Battle of Messines through the Spring and Summer offensive of 1917, and it is possible that this had caught his imagination. Alan survived the Passchendael offensive and was involved in the Spring and Summer offensives of 1918, including the first American involvement of the war at the Battle of Hamel and the Australian-US Battle of St Quentin Canal which was the Regiment’s final involvement in the war, and where tragically Alan was killed on the first day of the offensive. 

Frederick enlisted at Catford in the 3^rd Signal Squadron, Royal Engineers.  His medal card indicates that he drowned.  He is buried in Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-sur-Somme. Probate was granted to his widow of 320 Trinity Road for £226 16s 11d.

From the location of his grave within the cemetery, it is likely that he was buried by the 5^th or 47^th Casualty clearing station.  

Frederick was born in St Pancreas and was the son of William Perridge, a bricklayer.  He married Eleanor Amelia Miell of 14 Bellevue Road at SMM on 26 December 1912.  Rev Wood officiated.  She was 26 and he was 22 and gave his address as 13 Hampden Road Upper Holloway and his occupation as clerk.  His widow later moved to 107 Inderwick Road, Stroud Green.

Percy enlisted in Putney probably first as Private 272820 in the Army Service Corp.  At some point, he either transferred or was discharged and re-enlisted as Private 36723 with the 5^th Batt. Essex Regiment.  It is not possible to say how Percy died but he was killed in action of 6 November 1917 and a study of the Battalion Regimental history for the day he died gives a good idea of what his battalion were doing and what may have happened to him.

The Essex Regiment were stationed in the Middle East, as they were in WW2.  The 5^th Batt fought the third Battle of Gaza which penetrated and broke the enemy defence system from Gaza to Beersheba and became a prelude to victory in Palestine and Syria.  The enemy, in this case, was the Ottoman Empire who were German allies.  This is still an area in turmoil today.  At 11 pm on 5 November the men were given a hot meal and a pint of beer.  This was eaten to the roar of Turkish artillery fire.  The men moved to their assembly point and by 2:30 am on Tuesday 6^th November 1917 silence reigned and all was ready for the attack.  Tanks went in at 2:55 am and the men deployed soon after.  The moon had disappeared, the light was bad and they had to rely on compasses for direction.  Within half hour a runner indicated that notwithstanding Turkish resistance the enemy front line was in British hands.  Many Turkish soldiers had come out of their trenches and were lying in front of the trenches and “met the Essex men with bayonets”.  At the end of the day 2 Officers and 73 other ranks were killed, 9 missing and 262 wounded.  It is likely that Percy was among those lost.  He does not have a known grave and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.

Percy was born in Tooting and was probably the son of Amos and Madeleine Mary Peck of 47 Wandle Road. In 1901 they had six children, Minnie (17, blouse machinist), Edward (16), Ernest (14), Percy (12), William (9), and Ethel (6). Amos had died by the end of the war and had been a furnace stoker for a chemical works. Percy had married Winifred Ada and they lived at 23 Stanley St., South Lambeth.

George enlisted as Private T/201576 in the 3/4^th Batt Queen’s Royal Surrey’s.  He was killed in action aged 25.  He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

The Regimental war diary gives an idea of what he may have been doing and how he met his death: On 4 October the Battalion had a planned attack at Zillebeke.  Assembly was complete at 4:30 am.  At “zero hour”, 6:00 am the Battalion advanced with the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on their right and the 1^st Staffordshire’s on the left.  They had difficulty crossing the Polygon Beck and then encountered hostile defences.  The objective was captured on time and quickly consolidated.  At zero hour plus 130 mins, the barrage advanced towards the second objective.  This was captured and the Battalion withdrew to “Jetty Warren” and dug themselves in.  The enemy made a counterattack at 9:00 am, dispersed by artillery fire, and maintained a continuous barrage until 4:00 pm.  There was great difficulty in clearing the wounded.  Enemy shelling continued through the night.  Battalion casualties were 3 officers killed and 6 wounded and 49 other ranks killed, 184 wounded and 19 missing.  It is likely George was among these casualties. 

George’s parents Frederick Henry and Alice Louisa lived on 58 Calbourne Road.  In 1911 the family lived at 2 St Paul’s Road Thornton Heath.  There were six children, Francis Fredrick, 23, a joiner, Gilbert James, 21, also a joiner, George William,18, a grocer, Minnie Emily, 15, Ethel Winifred, 13, and Isabel Alice,5.

Osmond was in command of destroyer HMS Leopard in Devenport in 1906, and later was a Naval Commander (promoted 1 January 1909) of HMS Wolverine.  According to the London Gazette of August 1915, he was posthumously commended for service in action between 19 February and 24 April 1915 in the vicinity of the Dardanelles.

He was killed by shore gunfire aged 40 at the first battle of Krithia in the Gallipoli campaign and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.  A Chief Petty Officer and Sub Lieutenant also suffered the same fate on the Wolverine that day out of a total of 12 naval casualties for the day.  Probate was granted on 12 June 1915 to Geoffrey Holt Stilwell, a banker for £242.

The First Battle of Krithis was the first allied advance of the Gallipoli Campaign and the battle plan was described as “overly complex, poorly Communicated”.

Osmond James was born 17 July 1874 in Maidstone. Osmond was one of four children, Agnes 5 years older, Ellen one year younger, and Monica 4 years younger. His father was the late Captain William Taylor J., of the Royal Scots Greys, who was educated at Rugby, served in the Crimea, later being a JP & wine merchant, and having died in June 1890. He married Edith Mabel in 1904 in Portsmouth, they lived at 153 Trinity Road. He went to St Augustine’s College and the following appeared in the East Kent Times on 2nd December 1916.

Prentis, Commander O.J. Royal Navy. “Requiem Mass for Old Augustinians”. On Wednesday, the vigil of St. Andrew, a solemn Requiem was sung in St. Augustine’s College Chapel, Ramsgate, for the repose of the souls of the past students who have already given their lives for their country. The Mass was celebrated by the Right Rev. Father Abbot Egan, assisted by the Rev. Father Columba Swanson as Deacon, and the Rev. Dom Cuthbert Smith as Sub-deacon. Before vesting for the Holy Sacrifice, Father Abbot addressed the assembled students, making a touching reference to the sad events that had called them together to unite in offering to God, the all-powerful, prayers of the Mass for the speedy relief of the souls of those Old Boys who might still be explaining their faults in the purifying flames of Purgatory. He said that the long and slowly increasing list of heroes who’s deaths we had to mourn was a source of personal grief to him, for the names it contained recalled to his memory the edifying lives of so many that had been under his care for years. Those lives were the examples and models upon which the present boys might well strive to base their actions, even to the making of that supreme sacrifice which the country’s need might yet call upon them, too, to make. The Mass was followed by the Absolution for the Dead. A catafalque, covered by the Union Jack had been erected in the Sanctuary, the College Cadets forming a Guard of Honour, and the ceremony was one that filled the mourners with reverence and devotion.

Edith later moved to 9a Scarsdale Studios Stratford Road Kensington and is believed to have died in 1966 in Dorset. They do not appear to have had children.

Arthur joined the 4^th Middlesex RVC (West London Rifles) in 1881, receiving a commission in 1897 and retiring in 1905.  Following the formation of the Territorial Force in 1907 he rejoined and was gazetted Captain 10 December 1907.  He volunteered for foreign service at the outbreak of war.

As one of the officers of ‘D’ company, he sailed to Le Havre with the 13th (Kensington) battalion London Regiment on 4 October 1914. On 15 November he transferred to ‘B’ company, a few days before the battalion went into the front line trenches for the first time.

He was mentioned in Field Marshal Sir John (later Lord) French’s despatch of 31 May 1915 for gallant and distinguished service in the field.  The Commanding Officer’s orders for the battle of Neuve Chapelle left it to individual officers to decide whether to go into action with drawn swords.  Some did but it is not known whether Arthur was one of them.

Their Regimental History describes the Kensington’s experiences during Neuve Chapelle. C Company was involved on the first day and advanced at 9 a.m. to the village cemetery, where they had to take cover amidst churned-up graves. On the 12th of March, their C.O. (Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis) noted that by 12.25 p.m. the German bombardment of their positions (in the old front line) was “Perfect Hell”. The bombardment lasted for nine hours, and this ordeal can only be imagined.

On the 14th of March, as the battle fizzled to a close, Arthur was killed, aged 53 and was buried in Neuve-Chapelle Farm Cemetery, located in what was no man’s land before the battle.  There are only 35 identified graves out of 60 soldiers who are buried here. Of these, all except one date from the time of the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle, and many are the graves of men of the 13th London (Kensington) Regiment, who started the cemetery during the battle. There are also a small number of graves from other regiments involved in the battle (such as the Lincolns and the Royal Irish Rifles).

The battalion history states: ” He was very popular, not only with his own company but with the whole battalion. The senior officer in age, he had nevertheless endured the long and arduous months of trench warfare, ever ready to encourage with a cheery word the men under his command. The sympathy of all ranks went out to his son Lt. M A Prismall who had joined the battalion two days previously.”

The Times reported his death on 17 May 1915.  He is also remembered on the war memorial at the Private Banks Cricket and Athletic Club in Catford.  At the time this was a first-class cricket ground. Probate was granted to his wife for £355 16s 8d.

Arthur was born 3 January 1862 and educated privately.  He was born in Thatcham, Hants. to Samuel and Jane.  He was one of five children 4 boys and a girl.  Their father was described as a vetenary castrator.

He married Sarah Russell Thomson in the Spring of 1890.  In 1911 they lived at 58 Cromford Road, West Hill but moved to 65 Loxley Road by the outbreak of war.  They had 4 children, 3 of whom survived.  The surviving children were Dorothy, born 1891, Maurice Arthur, born 1892 who was a bank clerk and later joined his father’s regiment and Alan born 1900.

Arthur spent 30 years working for Glyn Mills & Currie & Co Bank, the first private bank to publish half-yearly balance sheets.  This is one of the constituent banks which went to form the current Royal Bank of Scotland and Arthur is included in their roll of Honour.  His Bank was instrumental in preventing the collapse of Barings Brothers Bank, thereby saving a number of London’s financial institutions from ruin.  You may remember the final collapse of Barings a few years ago following the actions of a rouge trader and the more recent woes of RBS. He is remembered on the RBS 1914-1918 Roll of Honour.

Lieutenant MA Prismall, who was educated at Emanuel, survived the War and then had to convince the authorities that he and his father were separate people and two sets of medals were issued.  By this point, he had risen to Major with the London Regiment and been wounded. The War office noted his medal card as Arthur’s brother, this was an error and it should read son. In 1920 “M A” still gave his address as 65 Loxley Road.  Maurice later moved to Kensington.

Clarence enlisted with the 2/2nd London Regiment as Lance Corporal 2671, and then gained a commission as Lieutenant with Prince Albert’s (Territorial) 1^st/5^th Somerset Light Infantry, before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps., where he was killed aged 21 in the Middle East. He is buried in the Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery in Egypt.

It seems he entered his first theatre of war on the 7th of May 1917 with the Prince Albert’s (Territorial) 1^st/5^th Somerset Light Infantry. The regiment had served from Aug – Oct 1914 in  Taunton as part of South-Western Brigade, Wessex Division. They then sailed on the 9 October 1914 from Southampton and landed in Bombay 9 November 1914, and remained in India until the 11 May 1917, when they landed in Suez, Egypt, coming under orders of 223rd Brigade, 75th Division.  His Officer’s Service Records are available from TNA (WO 374/56649).

Clarence was born in September 1896 in Bath and by 1901 was living in Weston Super Mare.  His parents were Henry John, a printer and Clara Reed Harding who by 1911 had moved to 10 Ousley Road. He was the eldest of 3 children with two sisters Doris May, two years younger and Grace Mabel 7 years younger. His father claimed his son’s war medals in 1922 and at that time the family were still living in Ousley Road. 

Edward enlisted in Wandsworth.  He became Private 27292 with the Middlesex Regiment but by the time he was killed he was Private 65731 with the Royal Fusiliers.  He was killed in action and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

He was born in Paddington and was baptised at St Paul’s Paddington on 3 July 1898.  His father William Thomas was a butler and his mother was Elizabeth.  By 1911 his father had become a Railway Special Constable with LB&SC Railway and Edward was described as a school houseboy.  All William’s other 9 children survived.

Edward married Dorothy Winifred Pasby in 1915 and they lived at 54 Wandle Road. On 19 March 1916 their daughter Dorothy Violet was baptised, followed by their son Edward George on 6 May 1917.  Dorothy senior died in 1973 in Sutton.

Frank became Private 22627 with the first Batt. Northamptonshire Regt.  He was killed in action aged 37 and is buried in Delville Wood Cemetery.

Frank was born in Leicester in December 1879.  His parents were Joseph S Sheffield, an insurance agent and Maria.  He was the second of five children.  He was married to Mary Elizabeth Sheffield in 1907.  By 1911 they had 3 children Stanley Frank Joseph, 3, Walter Thomas, 1 and Lillian Kate Mary 8 months and were living at 69 Fifth Avenue Queen’s Park.  Frank was a house furnisher’s clerk.  They moved to 154 Beechcroft Road.

Leonard enlisted 1 July 1915 and embarked on HMAT A69 Warilda 5 October 1915. His attestation paper describes him as single, a shop assistant, 5’7½” tall, weighing 133 lb, chest size 34/35”, fair complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair with clear skin and denomination Church of England.  He became Gunner 3112 with 11^th Batt. Australian Field Artillery.

He served with the AIF in Egypt and France. And fought at Boursres, Fleurbaix, Armentieres, Ypres, Flers and Delville Wood. He was evacuated sick 13 November 1916, hospitalised 30 December 1916 with diarrhoea and Pyrexia rejoined his unit 7 January 1917 and on 31 January 1917 evacuated with a wound to his right leg.  By 4 February this had been diagnosed as a fractured femur and he was described as dangerously ill with a compound fracture, gunshot wound to the right thigh.  He died at 7 pm 25 February at no 11 stationery Hospital Rouen.  He had been promoted to temp bombardier but reverted on evacuation as wounded.  He is buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.

He had arranged to pay 3/- regularly into his Queensland Govt Savings a/c. He was obviously planning for a future.  His effects were listed as 3 notebooks, postcard, linen bag and correspondence and these arrived with his parents Charles and Frances Agnes Ellen at 44 Endlesham Rd on 5 April 1917.

Leonard was born at Clapham in summer 1897.  He was registered Leonard Fredrick but baptised on 23 August as Leonard Charles Marr at All Saints, Clapham Park. At the time the family lived at 39 Thornbury Road and his father was a clerk. He had a brother Reginald; two years older.  By 1901 his father was a civil servant, 2^nd division.  Leonard attended Clapham Cottage School.  He left England under the auspice of New South Wales government on the “Ballarat” in 1914, arriving in Australia age 17, and went to a farm school at Wollombai near Lismore.  After leaving home he went to Lismore for his health and was employed there at the ‘Stores’.

George enlisted at Putney and became Private 252441 with “D” Company, the 2^nd/3^rd Batt. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers).  He was killed in action aged 20 and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

He was born in Battersea.  His parents were George Anthony and Elizabeth Spencer of 57 Sterndale Road, Battersea.  George was a Carman Contractor.  They had six children 3 of whom survived.  George had younger sisters Edith Elizabeth a year younger and Jessie Annie Louise four years younger.

When war was declared Harry enlisted into the 18th battalion of the Royal Fusiliers at Westminster, becoming Private 2101 on 3rd September 1914. The fair-haired, brown-eyed 18 year old was 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 115 pounds.

When he applied for a commission on 24th August 1914, he was described as a single man who lived with his parents at ‘Cumbria’, Grove Road in Sutton, Surrey. His commission was eventually approved on the 22nd February 1915, when he joined the 10th battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment.

After officer training, he was attached to the 8th battalion as a 2^nd Lieutenant (T) on 20th March 1916 and embarked for Foreign Service on 23rd March 1916. He arrived with the 8th battalion on the front line 28th March.  By 16 April his company was on the Ijser Canal. On the night of 19/20 April, three weeks after Harry’s arrival the Germans subjected them to 2 hours heavy bombardment, and attacked, gaining a foothold in British tranches.

After this Harry was listed as missing, 3 officers killed, and 3 wounded, 32 other ranks killed with 97 missing and 65 wounded.  Harry’s body was found a few days later and buried in the Essex Farm Cemetery, Boezinghe, Ypres.

Not long before his death, his father moved to 15 Frewin Road in Wandsworth, and initial attempts to inform him of his son’s fate failed until a telegram finally reached his new address 5th May. His father appears to have moved to 16 Wiltie Road Folkestone after the war as this is where his medals were sent.

Harry was born 16th December 1895 in New Cross, Deptford, the son of Harry Squier, a wholesale hosiery warehouseman and Frances.  Harry was baptised at St Catherine’s Hatcham on 1 March 1896 when the family were living at 92 Pepys Road and his father was described as a merchant’s clerk. Harry had a sister 6 years older, Frances Alice Mary.

William enlisted on 22 May 1916 when he was described as a single clerk 5’5¼” with a 35½” chest with a 2½” expansion.  He joined the 7^th reserve cavalry unit.  He transferred to the Highland Light infantry with No 21585 on 20 June 1916 when he was described as “of good character”.  He transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. (Cavalry) and was attached to 34th Company as Private 47658 on 17 August 1917.  He died of his wounds aged 19 and is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery near Ypres in Belgium.  His military record survives and shows him as dying on 3 October while CWGC record his death as 2 October

He was born in Lewisham in 1898 and his parents, William Joseph and Eliza Jane lived at 23 Ravenslea Road.  In 1911 William senior was an overseer in the central telegraph office, General Post Office.  William was their only child.

Hugh enlisted at Valcartier 17th (or 23^rd depending on source) September 1914 as Private 16813 with the 7^th Batt. 88^th Victoria Fusiliers and arrived in Europe with the first contingent CEF. His attestation paper describes him as 5’9” tall, 36” chest with 3” expansion, fair complexion, blue eyes, scar middle finger left hand, scar left wrist, 2 scars right forearm, mole centre-back, brown hair and Church of England. His address at enlistment was Thetis Island British Columbia.

He was commissioned into 3^rd Batt. Dorsetshire Reg. 29 December 1914 and attached to the 1^st Batt.  He was killed in action, having survived 3 years, and is buried in Coxyde Military Cemetery.  His Battalion was due to be taken off the front line on 1 October, 3 weeks after he was killed.  His probate record gives him an address in Hampstead.  Probate of £109 4s 8d was granted to his father, acting as attorney for his daughter-in-law.

Hugh was born 3 November 1886 in Cheddar and was educated at Windlesham and Dover College.  He had an elder brother who became a doctor and served as a medical officer during WW1 (mentioned in despatches and awarded OBE) and a younger sister, Meta Freeman.

He was the son of the Rev. Samuel Percy Hammond Statham BA and Meta Statham. His father had been Chaplain to HM Forces, Christ Church, Dover and lived, in 1901 at Christ Church Villa in Dover where he was incumbent at St Mary in the Castle.  By the outbreak of war, he was Chaplin to Wandsworth Prison.  He was famous as author of a number of historical reference books including “The History of the Castle, Town and Port of Dover” published 1899. He died on 6 April 1940.  Mrs Statham is listed as the daughter of The Venerable Hugh Stowell Gill, Archdeacon of the Isle of Man.   

In 1903 Hugh emigrated to Canada on his own with his passage paid by his father and worked as a rancher, and so it is likely he never lived in the Parish, although he may have visited on leave. In 1904 he moved to America crossing the border at Winnipeg with $12.  He must have returned to Canada by 1911 when he is listed on the Canadian census in British Columbia married to Margaret Renee nee Heneage, who had emigrated from England in 1906 and later gave her address as Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, British Columbia and so she may possibly have become a nurse or similar.

They had two children, Hugh Henry Llewellyn, born 15 April 1912 and Margaret Joan, born 17 November 1913.  Hugh went on to serve with the Canadian Army in WW2.  Margaret married Ken Ogden who was wounded in Italy serving with her brother.

Eric became Private 29441 and a Flight Cadet with the 64^th Batt. RAF Training Reserve.  He was killed after the armistice in Stamford Lincolnshire and he was buried in Earlsfield Cemetery on 26 November 1918.

Eric was born in December 1897 in Wandsworth and was the son of Arthur and Louisa (nee Green) Trepess who had moved to 46 Lyford Road.  Arthur was a saddler’s manager and in 1911 the family were living at 10 Wontner Rd in Tooting.  Eric was one of three children.  He had a sister Elsa Louisa who was three years older and an actress.  She married a cotton merchant, Rupert Bottomley, in SMM on 19 June 1920. Elsa died in Powys in 1984.  His brother Roy Francis was born in 1904 and died in 1981.

John became a Second Lieutenant in the 7^th Batt. Manchester Regiment T.F. He obtained his Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificate at the London and Provincial School at Hendon on 21 February 1917 in a bi-plane, and on the 15 April he was put on General List (R.F.C), being Gazetted as a Flying Officer on the 1 September. He was killed in action in an aerial collision over Polygon Wood 8 months later.  The Royal Aero Club magazine of 15 October lists John as killed. The Battle of Polygon Wood, part of the larger Battle of Passchendaele, had taken place a few days earlier. 

He is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery near Ypres in Belgium. His headstone (in Plot 5, Row A 37) lists both the Manchester Regiment and the Royal Flying Corps, as well as the emblem of the Royal Air Force (which did not come into existence until after he died). The reason for this is because when headstones were being put in place, airmen who died serving with the RFC, before it became the RAF, were given headstones with the emblem of that later service. Over time, the CWGC plans to replace these when stones are renewed, with ones bearing the emblem of the Royal Flying Corps. His family chose to add the inscription “Until the day dawns and the shadows flee away” on his headstone.  

John was a native of Liverpool born 2 February 1895. His parents, Thomas Grace and Sarah Ellen lived at “Danesfield” 33 Henderson Road.  Thomas was a manager of a local brewer.  There were at least three other children all younger than John, Ellen Gran, Dorothy Margaret and Arthur Edward, born 1900.

As well as being on the SMM Memorial, he is also commemorated on the Holy Trinity War Memorial.  He is the only person to appear on both memorials.

Gerald was commissioned as 2nd Lieu on the 15 August 1914 in the 2^nd Batt. Royal Sussex Regiment.  He was killed in action on the first day of the battle of Loos when British losses were considerable, his body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 

He is also commemorated on Emmanuel School’s Roll of Honour and the Regimental memorial in St George’s Chapel, Chichester Cathedral.

Gerald was born in Hull on the 18 April 1892.  He was educated at Hymers College Hull, Emanuel School from 1904-9 (his death was noted in the School Magazine in December 1915), and King’s College London.  He was 2^nd Lieutenant in the OTC.

His father, M Henry F Dollond West of 1 Ravenslea Road, was a Civil Servant, Customs and Excise Superintendent Inspector and acted as honorary recruiting officer at Wandsworth Town Hall. Gerald was one of seven children all of whom survived to adulthood.  In 1911 three children were living in Ravenslea Road, Gerald a Civil Service student, Reginald, 26, a Bank of England clerk and Marjorie G 20, a student of domestic economy.

Norman emigrated to Canada about 1905.  On his attestation papers, he listed his occupation as farmer.  He was 5’7½” tall, 44” chest with 4½” expansion, dark complexion, grey eyes, dark brown hair and extensive scaring of the throat and both arms.  He enlisted with the Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment), 31st Batt. on 18 Nov 1914 at Red Deer Alberta and became Corporal No. 79610.

He was killed in action and is buried in Caix British Cemetery on the Somme together with some 20 other Canadians shown as falling the same day.  Norman gave his brother H C Witherby of 20 Lyford Road as his next of kin.

Norman was born on 24 October 1885 in London.  His parents were the late Rev Herbert Christopher and Mary Witherby of St Peter’s Vicarage Rochester. In 1881 Rev Herbert had been a curate in Streatham; the family hailed originally from Islington. 

Herbert C Junior was the chief clerk to an assurance society and when his daughter, Joyce was baptised in 1906, his uncle Cornelius conducted the service at SMM. Cornelius died on Christmas Eve 1916 at 83, leaving an estate of £2623 7s 11d.  He split his estate between Herbert C Junior and Mary.  There was no mention of Norman.  He did not live to see his nephew killed.

Rev Cornelius Witherby of 58 Lyford Road, was one of the 3 curates at St Mary Magdalene.  He appears, from the electoral register, to have moved here in 1906.  He was a widower and living with his spinster daughter, Mary, 49, and adopted daughter Ada, 50.  In 1911 they kept 2 servants.  He had been vicar of various churches including 10 years at Bream in Gloucestershire where he had been responsible for enlarging the church and a memorial plaque was erected after his death.  He published a number of books on theological topics and British birds. Cornelius’ father, also Herbert, was a fruit broker.  Not the obvious occupation to produce two clergymen sons.