1

Four Elms

2

The Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent, civic war memorial is located within the

curtilage of the parish church of St. Paul, Bough Beech Road, Four Elms.

Although the work shown below researching and transcribing the civic war

memorial, to commemorate the Four Elms victims of war is the primary aim

here, it would however be somewhat remiss to not at least make brief

mention about the parish church of St. Paul. Designed by the Architect

Edwin Thomas Hall (1851-1923), work started on the construction of the

church in 1881, and it was finally completed in the late 1880’s. At the time of

being built, St. Paul’s, which is in the Diocese of Rochester, was quite a

revolutionary concept in church design and construction, as it is thought to be

the oldest church that is constructed of concrete in the United Kingdom. The

interior of St. Paul’s contains interesting work by the Architect, Architectural

Historian, and Master Builder William Lethaby (1857-1931), and that of

other like minded members of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Unfortunately

despite ‘trawling the web,’ and checking publications, plus contacting a

number of people, who the transcriber of the following brief transcriptions

though would probably know the answer, it has not been possible thus far to

ascertain any details at all, re when the war memorial was erected and

unveiled, and who by, or how the costs were met etcetera. Regrettably it has

also not been possible to establish what the criteria had been post the Great

War, regarding which of the Four Elms natives and residents were to be

commemorated on the village civic war memorial. Whilst a number of the

parish casualties have been added below in the category of ‘Lost Men,’ when

compared to other similar sized locations within the county of Kent (and

elsewhere), it would appear that whoever had served on a ‘War Memorial

Committee’ or similar body had been notably thorough, as the number of

those not commemorated on the war memorial is thankfully quite small in

total. Assuming that the correct casualties of both world wars as shown below

are correct, when viewing the transcriptions, it can be seen that the Four

Elms, Kent, civic war memorial Great War commemorations were all soldiers

and only one Second World War casualty was serving in the Royal Air Force

at the time of his death. For anybody planning a visit to the Four Elms, Kent,

civic war memorial or St. Paul's church, they are located on Bough Beech

Road approximately a quarter of a mile south of the main cross roads in the

centre of the village. Thanks are due to Patrick D. Scullion for his work on

the updated and additional transcriptions, and to Susan F. for providing the

Four Elms photographs for inclusion here, in addition to which Susan also

providing some much welcome, and useful additional information, which has

been of a great help during Patrick’s work. It was noted in January 2012 that

the Hever Parish Council was aware that “The war memorial in Four Elms

needs some restoration work and cleaning. There is some question regarding

ownership but the Council feel responsible as it is a village asset.” Well done

Hever Parish Council, which clearly is comprised of people who care, and also

appreciate the debt which we all owe to the fallen which can never be repaid.

3

The Great War 1914 -1919

BAKER, GEORGE. Lance Corporal, 35264. 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment. Died Friday 13 April 1917. Aged 37. Born enlisted and resided Croydon, Surrey. Son of George Baker and Annie Elizabeth Baker of 4, River Side, Edenbridge, Sevenoaks, Kent. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 7. At the time of the 1901 census, the Baker family resided at 10, Leighton Street, Croydon, Surrey. Head of the house was 52 year old Hadlow, Tonbridge, Kent native George Baker (senior), who was employed as a Contractors Labourer. The then 21 year old George (junior), was recorded by the census enumerator as being a native of Croydon, Surrey, and employed as a Gas Works Fitter. When the 1911 census was conducted, the family was still living at the above address and George Baker (senior) was still the head of the house. George (junior) was at that time employed as a House Painter and Decorator. On the Four Elms civic war memorial, George has been commemorated as a Private. George’s entry in/on ‘Soldiers Died in the Great War’ records him as having been a native of Edenbridge, Sevenoaks, Kent. BAKER, THOMAS. Private, L/9608. 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Saturday 30 September 1916. Aged 24. Born Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Son of George Baker and Sarah Ann Baker of 2, Homewood Cottages, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq. Panel 29. At the time of the 1911 census, the Baker family resided at Homewood Cottages, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 58 year old Edenbridge native George Baker, who was employed as a Cowman. The then 17 year old Thomas was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Farm Labourer. On Friday 9 June 1911 whilst a serving member of the 4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), Thomas enlisted as a regular soldier in the same regiment for a term of 7 years with the colours and 5 in the reserve. Initially Thomas served as a member of the 1st Battalion of his regiment. From Friday 10 November 1911 Thomas served with his battalion on garrison duties in Dublin, Ireland, whilst he was stationed at Dublin Thomas suffered a number of ailments, some of which required hospital treatment at the Military Hospital, Portobello barracks. On Saturday 28 September 1912 Thomas passed the army 3rd Class Certificate of Education, and on Saturday 21 December 1912 passed a course on ‘Transport Duties.’ For reasons which are not apparent, Thomas was recorded as having been Absent Without Leave from Friday 11 July 1913 to Tuesday 15 July 1913. At a medical inspection which was

4

conducted on Thursday 21 August 1913 Thomas was passed fit for duties abroad; on Wednesday 22 October 1913 he was posted to serve in the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), and from Wednesday 14 October 1914 he served at Amritsar, India, before serving at Hyderabad. Thomas was still serving in the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), when he was numbered amongst the members of the battalion who were captured by Turkish troops at Kut, Mesopotamia on Saturday 29 April 1916. Notification of Thomas’s death received from Turkey, initially stated that he had died sometime between Friday 1 September 1916 and Saturday 30 September 1916, but later his death from Dysentery was confirmed as having taken place on the latter date whilst a Prisoner of War, at which time he had been a hospital patient at Adana, Turkey. BENNETT, JOHN HENRY. Private, G/11164. 7th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Thursday 26 October 1916. Aged 19. Born and resided Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Son of George Henry Bennett and Fanny Bennett (née Davey) of Little Holmwood, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 11 C. At the time of the 1911 census, the Bennett family resided at Little Holmwood, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 43 year old George Henry Bennett, who was employed as a Farm Labourer. The then 15 year old John was recorded by the census enumerator as working on a Farm, and as being a native of Hever, Kent, as opposed to Four Elms as shown above which was copied from his entry in/on Soldiers Died in the Great War. Unfortunately, no 1901 census entry was located for the Bennett family. John’s enlisted in the army ‘For the Duration of the War’ on Tuesday 16 November 1915, at which time he stated that he was aged 19 years and 1 month, employed as a Farm Labourer, and residing with his parents at Little Holmwood, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Following his enlistment, John was attested to serve in the 10th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), (Kent County). On Wednesday 3 May 1916, John was posted to serve in the British Expeditionary Force with his battalion. Whilst serving on the Western Front, John suffered a gunshot wound to his Thorax for which he initially received treatment locally, prior to being evacuated back to England for additional medical care. From Tuesday 4 July 1916 to Friday 28 July 1916, he was a patient at the Military Hospital, Cosham, Hampshire, which is now called the Queen Alexandra Hospital. Following the treatment for his wound at Cosham, John had a period of convalescence, and served at Chatham, Kent, in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). On Tuesday 19 September 1916, John was posted to France for service in the 7th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), in which he then remained until he was one of the two other ranks who were killed in action whilst the battalion was holding captured enemy positions on the Somme on Thursday 26 October 1916, the other being Suffolk native and resident, Private Walter George Cutting.

5

BOWMAN, HERBERT. Private, 28249. 6th (Service) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Died Saturday 17 February 1917. Aged 33. Born Rusthall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Enlisted London. Son of Edwin William Bowman and Elizabeth Bowman (née Smith). Husband of Marie Justina Bowman (née Wussler) of Mills Water Cottages, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Buried Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, Somme, France. Grave Ref: I. G. 25. No entry for Herbert was found on the 1901 census, at which time his parents and his siblings lived at Hillside Stables, Bishop’s Down Park Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, but he was recorded as being a 4 year old native of Rusthall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent at the time of the 1891 census, when the Bowman family resided at 5, Rock Terrace, Speldhurst, Kent. Head of the house was 33 year old Sandwich, Kent native Edwin William Bowman, who was employed as a Domestic Gardener. Herbert married Miss Marie Justina Wussler at the parish church of New Groombridge, Sussex on Tuesday 17 September 1912. At the time of his enlistment in the army ‘For the Duration of the War’ on Sunday 12 December 1915, Herbert stated that he was employed as a Butler, and that he resided with his wife Elizabeth Bowman, and his son Herbert Edward Bowman at White Post Cottage, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Following his enlistment, Herbert was initialy attested to serve as Private, 28285, 1st (Reserve) Garrison Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. All of Herbert’s active service was spent whilst serving as a member of the 6th (Service) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, which suffered 103 other ranks deaths on Saturday 17 February 1917 of which at least 4 were either natives or residents of the county of Kent. BURCHETT, SIDNEY. Private, G/5411. 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died Wednesday 8 August 1917. Born East Grinstead, Sussex. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 20, and on the Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent civic war memorial. Sidney’s Medal Card Entry shows the date of his entitlement to the 1914-15 Star was Wednesday 29 September 1915. Sidney was probably the son of Ezekiel and Annie Burchett (née Bish). At the time of the 1891 census the Burchett family resided at 21, North Road, East Grinstead, Sussex. Head of the house was 53 year old East Grinstead, Sussex native Ezekiel Burchett, who was employed as a General Labourer. Sidney was recorded as being 8 years old by the census enumerator, which means that he would have been about 24 years old at the time of his death. He was one of the two other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment on Wednesday 8 August 1917, the other being Wolverhampton, Warwickshire native, Private David Williams who is at rest at the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

6

BURTT, EDWARD. Lieutenant. 18th Labour Company, Army Service Corps, attached to the Labour Corps. Drowned Friday 13 August 1915. Born Camberwell, Surrey. Resided Edenbridge, Kent. Son of Edward Robert Burtt and of the late Ellen Mary Burtt (née Killick) of Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 199. Edward’s late mother Ellen died in 1892. At the time of the 1901 census the Burtt family resided at Eagle Lodge, Edenbridge, Kent. The census enumerator recorded Edward (Junior) as being 32 years old and employed as a Lime Burner. Retired Lime Burner, 70 year old Camberwell, Surrey native Edward Burtt (Senior) was recorded as being the head of the house. On Wednesday 28 July 1915, Edward was amongst the 1,367 officers and other ranks that embarked at Avonmouth on the 11,117 ton troopship H.M.T. Royal Edward, which prior to being requisitioned for use as a troopship was owned by the Canadian Northern Steamship Company. Commanded by 36 year old Master Peter Millman Wotton R.N.R. of Southsea, Hampshire, the ship was at the commencement of a passage to Gallipoli, Turkey, carrying troops of the 29th Division and personnel of the Royal Army Medical Corps. The ship called at Malta prior to arriving at Alexandria, Egypt on Tuesday 10 August 1915. On Thursday 12 August 1915 she left for Mudros Harbour, Lemnos. On Friday 13 August 1915, the German submarine UB-14, which was commanded by 25 year old Oberleutnant zur See, (later Vizeadmiral) Heino von Heimburg, sighted H.M.T. Royal Edward when she was 6 miles west of Kandeliusa Island off the Gulf of Kos, and fired a torpedo which hit the stern of the ship. H.M.T. Royal Edward sank in about minuets with heavy loss of life, including Edward. According to German accounts, which were fully borne out by the facts, no attempt was made to interfere with the hospital ship H.M.H.S Soudan which arrived on the scene soon after, accompanied by two French destroyers and some trawlers. These ships picked up fewer than 500 survivors out of 1,336 troops and 220 members of the ships crew. The majority of the personnel who were lost whilst serving in the 18th Labour Company, Army Service Corps at the time of the sinking of the troopship H.M.T. Royal Edward, came from Cornwall, but there are some men from London and the surrounding counties, and were generally mature men, that were between 30 and 60 years of age. Tragically many of them were married men with large families to support. Some of those who perished were former soldiers, who were no longer fit for active duty that had been assigned to serve in the 18th Labour Company, Army Service Corps. Most of the men who died when the ship sank and their bodies were never found are commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey. Others survived the sinking only to die from the effects of exposure or from wounds during the days which followed. In a very few cases the bodies of those who died were recovered by Allied ships and taken to Alexandria, Egypt for burial. Some men came through this ordeal of the sinking only to die at Gallipoli within a few months later. At the time of Edward’s death his home address was at Hazeldene Cottage, Edenbridge, Kent. In 1922 Edward’s medals were claimed by his sister; Mrs. Wentworth Vardon Brown of “Beaumont,” Edenbridge, Kent.

7

CROWHURST, HERBERT. Corporal, 2907. 15th (The King's) Hussars. Died Monday 24 May 1915. Born Clapham, London. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Edenbridge, Kent. Son of John Crowhurst and Sarah Crowhurst (née Wickham). Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 5. At the time of the 1901 census the Crowhurst family resided at Willowbrook Cottages, Streatham, London. Head of the house was 45 year old Withyham, Sussex native John Crowhurst was employed as a Metropolitan Police Officer. When the 1911 census was conducted, Herbert was serving as a 22 year old Private in the 15th (The King's) Hussars at Potchefstroom, Transvaal, South Africa. At the commencement of the Great War the 15th (The King's) Hussars was stationed at Longmoor, Hampshire, by which time it had been back in England for almost 2 years after an overseas tour which had lasted for 14 years. Herbert’s Medal Index Card entry shows the date of his entitlement to the 1914 Star as being Sunday 16 August 1914, at which time he was serving as a Private in the 15th (The King's) Hussars. The regiment moved to France on Tuesday 18 August 1914, landing at Rouen, Seine-Maritime. Whilst in France the three squadrons were initially attached to different infantry divisions to form the divisional reconnaissance element of same. On Wednesday 14 April 1915, the Squadrons returned to regimental control, and the regiment was then placed under the command of the 9th Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. Herbert’s regiment remained on the Western Front throughout the Great War. It participated in most of the major actions where cavalry were used as a mounted mobile force. The regiments’ personnel were also used as dismounted troops and served effectively as infantry. EDWARDS, WILLIAM. Private, G/39555. 7th (Service) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died Thursday 4 April 1918. Aged 19. Born Brasted, Kent. Enlisted Marylebone, Middlesex. Resided Edenbridge, Kent. Son of the late Fred Edwards and Mary Ann Edwards (née Leigh). Commemorated on the Pozières Memorial, Somme, France. Panel 14, and on the Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent civic war memorial. At the time of the 1901 census, the Edwards family resided at Chart Lane, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Head of the house was 32 year old Chiddingstone, Kent native Fred Edwards who was employed as a Carman by a Coal Merchant. As William was only aged 2 years at the time of the census, it would seem likely that Chart Lane Brasted was were he was actually born. The family was still residing at Chart Lane when the 1911 census was conducted. Following his death William was initially posted as ‘Missing,’ but the Army Council later made the decision that for official purposes it was too be assumed that he had died on or after 4 April 1918, and his mother who was his next of kin was notified of the decision. William’s late father had died in 1917, and his mother never remarried, her death at the age of 88 was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent, Registration District during the first quarter of 1951.

8

ELLIS, CHARLES. Private, G/12518. 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Thursday 17 August 1916. Born Hever, Tonbridge, Kent. Enlisted and resided Edenbridge, Kent. Son of Charles Ellis and Eliza Ellis. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 11 C. At the time of the 1911 census, the Ellis family resided at Broxham Pound, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 53 year old Four Elms native Charles Ellis (senior), who was employed as a Farm Labourer, the then 25 year old Charles Ellis (junior), was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Carter on a Farm. He was numbered amongst the 11 other ranks serving in the 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) who died Thursday 17 August 1916. Following his death Charles was initially posted as ‘Missing,’ but the Army Council later made the decision that for official purposes it was too be assumed that he had died on or after 17 August 1916. EVEREST, HAROLD GREY. Bombadier, 59106. 4th Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died Thursday 20 February 1919. Aged 29. Born and resided Toys Hill, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Son of James Everest of Toys Hill, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent, and of the late Sarah Ann Everest (née Waterhouse). Buried St. Martin’s Churchyard, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Commemorated on the Brasted, Kent civic war memorial. Harold was born at Toys Hill, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent on Friday 3 May 1889. At the time of the 1911 census, the Everest family resided at Toys Hill, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Head of the house was 56 year old Toys Hill native James Everest, who was employed as a Labourer Gardener and was a widower. The then 21 year old Harold was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Labourer Horseman. When Harold enlisted in the army on Monday 4 January 1915 ‘For the Duration of the War, he stated that he was aged 25 years and 246 days, employed as a Bricklayer, and that he resided at 1, Southwood Cottages, Toys Hill, Puddledock Lane, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Harold was posted to the No.3 Depot, Royal Field Artillery at Hilsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire. After only three days, Harold was posted as a Driver to the 15 Reserve Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 3A Reserve Brigade at Larkhill, Wiltshire. Harold was posted to France for service with the British Expeditionary Corps on Sunday 5 September 1915. Although his death certificate has not been sighted, but in view of his date of death, Harold might have been a victim of the worldwide Influenza Pandemic which lasted from approximately July 1918 to April 1919, with a major peak occurring in the United Kingdom between September 1918 and January 1919. Harold’s late mother Sarah Ann Everest; was a native of Burwash, Sussex, and she died at Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent in 1909, which was probably at 1, Southwood Cottages, Toys Hill, Puddledock Lane, Brasted.

9

FAULKNER, ALBERT JOHN. Private, G/538. 1st Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Saturday 22 July 1916. Aged 20. Born Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Son of Charles Faulkner and Edda May Faulkner (née Warner) of Albert Cottage, Pootings, Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 11 C. At the time of the 1911 census, the Faulkner family was recorded as residing at Albert Cottage, Pottings, Crockham Hill, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 38 year olf Hever, Kent native Charles Faulkner, who was employed as Handyman, and the then 15 year old Alber was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Gardener. Albert enlisted in the army for 3 years with the Colours on Monday 31 August 1914, at which time he stated that he was 19 years and 1 month old and employed as a Labourer. After being attested to serve in the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), Albert was at the Regimental Depot at Maidstone, Kent, where he was posted to serve in the 6th (Service) Battalion of the regiment at Purfleet, Essex on Thursday 3 September 1914. He returned to the serve at the Regimental Depot on Sunday 17 October 1915 where he remained until being posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion at Chatham, Kent on Thursday 30 December 1915. Albert was posted to the 1st Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) for service with the British Expeditionary Force, and arrived at the No.5 Infantry Base Depot, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France on Saturday 20 May 1916, from where he joined the 1st Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) in the field on Saturday 3 June 1916. Albert’s battalion had played no part for the first two weeks in the ‘Battle of the Somme 1916,’ but was involved in a subsidiary attack around Wailly, some five miles to the South of Arras in the Pas de Calais. Each of the battalions of the 13th Brigade to which Albert’s battalion belonged took periods of trench occupation at Wailly of two full day’s duration, and on the night of Sunday 2 July 1916 his battalion handed over the trenches for the last time. On the next day the battalion was conveyed by bus to Haouvrigneul, approximately eighteen miles west of Arras, where a period of ten days was spent in a state of constant readiness in anticipation of a move to the Somme sector. While the battalion was at Haouvrigneul various experimental exercises were carried out, in particular schemes to test the co-operation between aircraft and infantry. Unfortunately not all the various activities were undertaken at the same location, which resulted in a whole company being seven miles away when the orders for the move to the Somme finally were received by the battalion, whilst others were located back at Wailly constructing new trenches. After much hurried arrangements and extra miles being covered by some of the companies, but eventually the whole battalion arrived at Outrebois, seven miles to thee west of Doullens at 0130 hours of the morning of Thursday 13 July. In order to assemble as a battalion at Outrebois had meant a march of 16 miles by the bulk of the battalion, 22 miles by ‘C’ Company, and for the unfortunate members of ‘A’ Company a march of no less than 31 miles duration, in full marching order during mid July. As if to compound the doubtless tired state some of the battalions

10

soldiers were feeling the next day, it was one of uncertainty and contradictory orders, suffice to say that the march from Outrebois to Hérissart situated on the Amiens to Arras road took thirteen hours, despite being only some 16 miles apart. At mid-day on Saturday 15 July the march resumed to Franvillers, although not many miles were covered, it was over three and a half hours duration due to the heat, dust and the already exhausted condition of the battalion personnel. Doubtless the rest of the next day was both welcome and of necessity. At 0730 hours on Monday 17 July the 13th Brigade left Franvillers, and Albert’s battalion reached the village of Méaulte which is located about a couple of miles to the south of Albert, at 1330 hours where the remainder of the day and the following day was spent. Eventually trenches which were situated between the Soimme villages of Bazentin-le-Grand and Longueval were occupied by ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies, in support of the 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers, while ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies took possession of a former enemy trench which was to the north of Montauban. Despite a considerable amount of artillery activity throughout the night, the battalion fortunately suffered only two casualties. This was followed by a very significant move that was undertaken by the battalion on the night of Thursday 20 July, at that time going into forward trenches in High Wood (Bois des Foureaux), which came about as the result of the enemy falling back during the night when being attacked by front line troops. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies occupied the track running from High Wood in a southeasterly direction, with ‘D’ Company in support and ‘C’ Company in reserve. One of the companies was badly caught by enemy artillery fire when moving up in the dark, with the 14th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment on the battalions’ right flank. A tense day was spent by Albert and his comrades throughout the 21 July, which was spent in the trenches, but with patrols being sent out at staggered times in the hope of ascertaining the situation regarding the enemy strength and positions etcetera, as officers and other ranks of the battalion were all aware that an attack was imminent, and throughout the day the casualty roll continued to grow. Albert’s battalion had a frontage of 400 yards with its left flank touching High Wood, at which time their assigned objective Wood Lane, was approximately 400 yards to its front. Due to the contours to the ground to be covered the enemy position was out of sight, doubtlessly adding to the pre attack tension felt, the ground sloped gently upward for some 350 yards, and from the summit of which it then fell in the direction of the enemy positions for the last 50 yards. Major H.D. Buchanan-Dunlop commanding the battalion, had voiced his concerns that information and assurances supplied by another division that the entire wood was in British hands was incorrect, sadly proved to be well founded. During the day, along a ridge about 50 yards in front of Wood Lane ran a sunken road which the Germans vacated, but during the hours of darkness reoccupied primarily with machine guns. It was in failing light that ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies left their trenches at 2152 hours and advanced without many casualties whilst following an artillery barrage which was lifted at 2200 hours, at which point the battalion charged the enemy positions that had been assigned to it for attack. Various commentators have made remarks regarding the intensity of the fire power which the battalion then encountered, primarily as the result of the

11

fact that the artillery barrage inflicted on the enemy had apparently had very little effect. Virtually all of the battalions officers were hit as were many of the other ranks. Two German machine gun positions apparently were responsible for a lot of the casualties, they being one located in the wood and another just behind the wood. As the members of the two lead companies fell, ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies were sent forward to reinforce them, and eventually some of the 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers, and the 15th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment joined them. It has not been possible to add where, when or exactly how Albert lost his life, but it was probably as the result of the enemy machine guns at High Wood on the Somme. Following his death, Albert was initially posted as ‘Missing,’ but on Saturday 28 April 1917 the Army Council made the decision that for official purposes, it was to be assumed that he had died on or after 22 July 1916. The photograph below is of High Wood where Albert fell.

GOODING, DONALD. Serjeant, 530892. 1st/15th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles). Died Sunday 7 October 1917. Born Hever, Tonbridge, Kent. Resided Catford, Kent. Son of William Gooding and Clara Gooding (née Ball). Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 13 C. Formerly Private, 3008, 1st/15th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles). Donald’s Medal Index Card entry shows that his qualifying date for the 1914/15 Star was Wednesday 17 March 1915. At the time of the 1911 census, the Gooding family resided at Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 56 year old Four Elms native William Gooding, who was employed as a Rate Collector. The then 19 year old Donald was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Bank Clerk.

12

HARVEY, FREDERICK. Corporal, 4751. "D" Company, 2nd/14th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Scottish). Died Wednesday 6 September 1916. Aged 20. Born and resided Putney, London. Enlisted London. Son of Charles Frederick Harvey and Adelene Lucy Harvey (née Falshaw) of Toys Hill, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried Maroeuil British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Ref: III. E. 13. At the time of the 1911 census, Frederick was recorded by the census enumerator as being a 15 year old Schoolboy (Boarder) at 66, Disraeli Road, Putney, Surrey. Frederick’s parents and his 13 year old sister Lucy Falshaw Harvey were recorded in 1911 as residing at Hyssington, Churchstoke, Montgomeryshire, Wales. Head of the house was 55 year old Enfield, Middlesex native Charles Frederick Harvey, who was employed as a Law Clerk, and Frederick’s mother who was a native of Dalston, London was employed as an Elementary School Teacher. HATT, EDWARD NEWTON. Private, G/3150. 1st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died Thursday 2 November 1916. Aged 36. Born Camberwell, Surrey. Enlisted Redhill, Surrey. Resided Brasted, Kent. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 5 D and 6 D. Edward was born at Camberwell, Surrey on 4 February 1880. Edward’s Medal Index Card entry shows that his qualifying date for the 1914/15 Star was 15 June 1915, and that all correspondence was to be addressed to his sister Susanna Keturah Burchett who was probably residing at 2, Beech Bank Cottages, Toys Hill, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. On Edward’s Medal Index Card entry his sisters address is shown as 2, Beesley Bank Cottages, Toys Hill, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent which appear to have been a wrong spelling. Edward had formerly served as a rating in the Royal Navy with the service number 340211. At the time of the 1901 census, the then 21 year old Edward was serving onboard H.M.S. Terrible. When the 1911 census was conducted, Edward was recorded as being employed as a 30 year old Bricklayers Labouer residing at Beach Bank Cottage, Toys Hill, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent, which again appears to have been an erroneous spelling of Beech Bank Cottage. Head of the house was Edward’s brother-in-law; 40 year old East Grinstead, Sussex native Horace Burchett, who was employed as a Foreman Bricklayer. Having been in a reserve position at the Somme village of Guillemont, Edward’s battalion moved forward via Ginchy on the day that he and 5 other ranks serving in the battalion fell. The move was in preparation for an attack on a German position called ‘Boritska Trench’ which took place on Friday 3 November. Another Kent casualty, 22 year old Lance Corporal William Bourne from the village of Appledore was amongst the 6 who fell, and he too is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, and on a Great War memorial plaque which is located in the parish church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Appledore, Ashford, Kent.

13

HEWETT, W.G. Driver, Royal Army Service Corps. No trace, as commemorated on the Four Elms civic war memorial. Arguably the best match appears to be:- HEWITT, W.G. Private, M2/021703. Royal Army Service Corps. Died Monday 2 October 1916. Buried St. Peter’s Churchyard, Hever, Tonbridge, Kent. Grave Ref: 218. Unfortunately like thousands of other Great War army deaths which occurred within the United Kingdom, the casualty briefly commemorated above has no Soldiers Died in the Great War entry. Primarily due to the lack of any SDGW data, it has not been possible to add for certain places of birth, enlistment or residence, or Christian names. As no relevant Medal Index Card was located, it would seem likely that all of Private or Driver Hewitt/Hewett’s army service during the Great War was spent in the United Kingdom.

LANKESTER, JOHN. Private, G/11713. 11th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (Lewisham). Died Tuesday 31 July 1917. Aged 27. Born Elsenham, Bishops Stortford, Essex. Enlisted Edenbridge, Kent. Resided Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Son of Harry Lankester and Agnes Lankester (née Ruder) of Holmwood Lodge, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Husband of Martha Eliza Lankester (née Tillman) of 15, High Street, Rusthall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 45, as shown above. At the time of the 1901 census, the Lankester family resided at the village of Elsenham, Bishops Stortford, Essex. Head of the house was 35 year old Newbourne, Woodbridge, Suffolk native Harry Lankester, who was employed as a Groom. As has been the case with other data sources accessed, the census enumerator in 1901, eroniously spelt the family surname as Lancaster. When the 1911 census was conducted, the family resided at the High Street, Elsenham, Bishops Stortford, Essex. Harry Lankester was still the head of the house, and employed as a Stud Groom, as was the then 21 year old John. John enlisted in the army ‘For the Duration of the War’ on Monday 17 January 1916, at which time he stated that he was 26 years and 2 months old, and employed as a Groom residing at White Posts, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Having carried out his basic army training with “A” Company, 3rd (Reserve) Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), John was transferred to the 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on Friday 19 May 1916 and posted to serve on the Western Front with the British Expeditionary Force. On Saturday 3 February 1917, John was admitted as a patient at the No.2 Australian Hospital at Wimereux, Pas de Calais, France, and on Thursday 15 February 1917 he was returned to England on the hospital Ship H.S. Cambria suffering with Trench Fever. For administrative purposes John was placed on the Depot Roll of his

14

regiment the following day, and arrived at the Suffolk Hospital, Ampton Hall, Ampton, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk on Friday 16 February. He remained at Ampton Hall until being transferred to the Brettenham Park V.A.D. Hospital, Brettenham, Ipswich, Suffolk on Friday 9 March, where he remained until the start of a period of convalescence at the Convalescence Hospital, Eastbourne, Sussex, which lasted from Friday 13 April to Saturday 12 May 1917. On his recovery John married Miss Martha Eliza Tillman at the parish church of St. Paul, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent on Saturday 19 May 1917. John remained in England until Wednesday 13 June 1917, and returned to the Western Front the following day. He joined the 11th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (Lewisham) in the field on Tuesday 3 July 1917. Following John’s death, his widow Martha resided at 14, Embleton Road, Lewisham, London, SE13, and at 43, Park Street, Tonbridge, Kent. John was numbered amongst the 56 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 11th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (Lewisham) on Tuesday 31 July 1917. John was initially posted as ‘Missing,’ but the Army Council later made the decision that for official purposes it was to be assumed that he had died on or after 31 July 1917. He was the younger brother of William Lankester, who has been briefly commemorated as one of the Four Elms Great War ‘Lost Men’ which follow these brief commemorations. LEACH, FREDERICK GEORGE. Private, T/200438. 1st/4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died Tuesday 5 November 1918. Aged 28. Born Sherbourne, Gloucestershire. Enlisted and resided Caterham Valley, Surrey. Son of Frederick George Leach and Ada Grace Leach (née Beesley) of Bugg Hill Farm, Woldingham, Surrey. Husband of Bertha Lydia Leach of Wandsworth Cottage, Four Elms, Kent. Commemorated on the Kirkee 1914-1918 Memorial, India. Face 3. Formerly Private, T/1867, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Frederick was a recipient of the Territorial Force War Medal. At the time of the 1901 census the Leach family resided at Stoke Corn Lodge, Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire. Head of the house was 33 year old Sherbourne, Gloucestershire native Frederick George Leach (senior), who was employed as a Carter on a Farm. In addition to Frederick and his parents, amongst the other family members recorded by the census enumerator as being at home, was a younger brother of Frederick’s, he being Charles Henry Leach who is the next casualty commemorated below. When the 1911 census was conducted, the Leach family was residing at Laleham, Staines, Middlesex, where 20 year old Frederick (junior) was recorded as being employed as a Farm Horseman, and 19 year old Charles as being employed as an Assurance Agent. Also shown as residing with the Leach family on the night of the 1911 census was 17 year old Mount Pleasant, Bedfordshire native Miss Elizabeth Corkett, whose marriage to Charles Henry Leach was recorded in the Staines, Middlesex, Registration District during the second quarter of 1911.

15

LEACH, CHARLES HENRY. Saddler, 43693. 77th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. Died Tuesday 29 October 1918. Aged 26. Born Batts Green, Buckinghamshire. Enlisted London. (Please see below). Son of Frederick Leach and Ada Grace Leach (née Beesley) of Bugg Hill Farm, Woldingham, Surrey. Husband of Elizabeth Leach (née Corkett) of Temple Guiting, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Buried Rawalpindi War Cemetery, Pakistan. Grave Ref: 2. A. 11. Charles’s Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration details show that he had also served in France, which is confirmed by his Medal Card Entry showing his qualifying date and theatre of war for his 1914-15 Star, as being on Saturday 24 July 1915 with the British Expeditionary Corps. MARCHANT, CHARLES. Private, 56213. 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died Friday 13 September 1918. Aged 27. Born Westerham, Kent. Enlisted Edenbridge, Kent. Resided Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Son of George Marchant and Kesia Marchant (née Smithers) of Brook Farm, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Husband of Mabel Marchant of Bough Beech, Edenbridge, Kent. Buried Gouzeaucourt New British Cemetery, Nord, France. Grave Ref: II. B. 7. Formerly Private, 35007, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). At the time of the 1901 census the Marchant family resided at Hop Cottage, Westerham, Kent. Head of the house was 54 year old Chiddingstone, Kent, native George Marchant, who was employed as a General Labourer. When the 1911 census was conducted, the Marchant family resided at Brook Cottage, Four Elms Edenbridge, Kent, and George Marchant was still the head of the house and employed as a General Labourer. 19 year old Charles was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Gardener. Charles died of wounds and he was numbered amongst the 10 other ranks that died on Friday 13 September 1918 whilst serving in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He was a brother of Percy Marchant who is also commemorated below.

16

MARCHANT, HENRY GORDON. Private, 769. Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment). Died Wednesday 31 October 1917. Aged 28. Born Toys Hill, Brasted, Kent on Sunday 23 June 1889. Son of Henry Marchant and Emily Marchant (née Sales). Husband of Emily Marchant (née Curl) of Orchard End, Northchurch, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Buried Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: VIII. B. 14. Also commemorated on the Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent civic war memorial, and on page 290 of the Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance. At the time of the 1901 census, the Marchant family resided at the “Tally Ho” Public House, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Head of the house was 45 year old Brasted, Kent native Henry Marchant (senior), who was recorded as being an Inn Keeper by the enumerator. When the 1911 census was conducted, the family was still residing at the above establishment, but Henry (junior) was not amongst the Marchant family members at home on the night of the census, it being a month after he had arrived in Canada. He had sailed from Liverpool, Lancashire on board the 9,674 ton Canadian Pacific Line ship Lake Manitoba which arrived at the port of St. John, New Brunswick on Monday 27 March 1911. Henry enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on Thursday 20 August 1914, at which time he stated that he was employed as a Labourer, and named his father Henry Marchant of Toys Hill, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent as being his next of kin. The marriage of Henry to 22 year old Miss Emily Curl was recorded in the St. Martin, London Registration District during the first quarter of 1917, they having married on Friday 9 February 1917. Henry died of gunshot wounds to his head and chest, whilst he was receiving treatment for his wounds as a patient at the No.44 Casualty Clearing Station. Following Henry’s death, his widow was quickly informed of same, at which time the relevant correspondence was addressed to her c/o Mrs. G. Curl of Orchard End, Northchurch, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Following Henry’s death Emily Marchant (junior) never remarried, and she died at the age of 66, at 8, Bute Crescent, Bearsden, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland on Sunday 5 March 1961. MARCHANT, PERCY. Private, G/543. 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Thursday 14 October 1915. Born Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Son of George Marchant and Kesia Marchant (née Smithers) of Brook Farm, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 96. Percy was numbered amongst the 20 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on Thursday 14 October 1915. For additional census data re Percy’s family, please also see the brief commemoration of his brother Charles Marchant who died of wounds on Friday 13 September 1918.

17

PALMER, ARCHIBALD CHARLES. Rifleman, A/3440. 10th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps. Died Friday 30 November 1917. Aged 23. Born Hever, Kent. Enlisted Wimbledon, Surrey. Resided Edenbridge, Kent. Son of Archibald Palmer and Emily Palmer (née Wood) of Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France. Panel 9. At the time of the 1911 census, the Palmer family resided at Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 44 year old Westerham, Kent native Archibald Palmer (senior), who was employed as a Bricklayer, and the then 16 year old Archibald (junior) was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Gardener. Archibald enlisted in the army for one years service with the Colours on Sunday 30 August 1914, at which time he stated that he was 20 years and 3 months old and employed as a Gardener. Archibald was attested to serve as a Rifleman in the King's Royal Rifle Corps, and joined the regiment at the Regimental Depot at Winchester, Hampshire on Monday 31 August. On Wednesday 2 September 1914, he was posted as a Rifleman to the 7th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps. Three days after being posted to the battalion, Archibald was appointed a (paid) Lance Corporal. For reasons which are unclear, he was deprived of his appointment and became a Rifleman again on Thursday 14 January 1915. On Tuesday 11 May 1915, Archibald received the first of his three postings to France for service with the British Expeditionary Force, and sailed from Southampton, arriving at French port of Harve the following day. On Friday 30 July 1915 Archibald suffered a severe gunshot wound to his scalp, for which he was initially treated at the No.21 Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps. He remained serving on the Western Front until being evacuated back to England, on board the 146 berth 2,456 ton hospital ship H.S. St. George on Wednesday 1 March 1916, and being added on the Regimental Depot roll the following day. Having recovered sufficiently, Archibald was posted to serve in the 5th (Reserve) Battalion of his regiment at Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent on Friday 2 June 1916. Following his time spent at Sheerness, Archibald was posted to serve with the British Expeditionary Force again, on that occasion as a member of the 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, and he again sailed from the port of Southampton, Hampshire, arrived at Harve and going to the No.1 Infantry Base Depot on Thursday 9 November 1916, and from there he joined the 1st Battalion in the field the following day. Only a month after returning to the Western Front Archibald was hospitalized again, going to the 100th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps on Sunday 17 December 1916, where he remained until being admitted as a patient at the No.16 General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps at Le Treport, Seine-maritime, France on Friday 22 December. Archibald was evacuated back to England again on Sunday 7 January 1917, on board the 8,114 ton hospital ship H.S. Dunlace Castle which had the capacity to deal with 755 patients. On Monday 8 January 1917, for administrative purposes Archibald was taken on the strength of the Regimental Depot whilst he was receiving medical treatment, which had included time spent at the Bagthorpe Military

18

Hospital, Nottinghamshire, which was once Nottingham's Workhouse Infirmary, and is now part of the City Hospital where he was treated from Tuesday 20 February 1917. On the completion of his medical treatment, Archibald was posted back to serve in France with the British Expeditionary Force for the third and final time. He arrived back at the No.1 Infantry Base Depot on Wednesday 9 May 1917, from where he was posted to serve in the 16th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (Church Lads Brigade) on Friday 11 May. Archibald’s time spent serving with the 16th (Service) Battalion was for only a short duration, as he was posted to the 10th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps on Sunday 27 May 1917, which he joined in the field on Friday 1 June 1917, and then remained in the same battalion until died of wounds during the ‘Battle of Cambrai.’ Following his death Archibald was initially posted as ‘Missing,’ but on Saturday 27 April 1918 the Army Council made the decision that for official purposes, it was to be assumed that he had died on or after 30 November 1917.

Photograph of the 2,456 ton hospital ship H.S. St George on which Archibald

was evacuated from the Western Front on Wednesday 1 March 1916. SMITH, ERNEST HAROLD. Private, G/4128. 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Monday 8 October 1915. Aged 28. Born Christchurch, Hampshire. Enlisted Maidstone, Kent. Son of the late George Smith and Emily Smith of Keeper's Cottage, Bough Beech, Edenbridge, Kent. Husband of Agnes Ellen Nicholls (formerly Smith), (née Nicholls) of Chartwell Cottage, Westerham, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 97. At the time of the 1911 census, the Smith family resided at Keeper's Cottage, Bough Beech, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 55 year old Bere Regis, Dorset native George Smith, who was employed as a Game Keeper, and the

19

then 24 year old Ernest was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Gardener. When the 1901 census had been conducted, the family had resided at the same address and 14 year old Ernest had been employed by the General Post Office as a Telegraph Boy. The marriage of Ernest to 18 year old Edenbridge, Kent native Agnes Ellen Nicholls of Little Holmwood, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent, was recorded in the Tonbridge, Kent, Registration District during the second quarter of 1912. Ernest was one of four brothers who served in the Great War, and he was numbered amongst the 49 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on Monday 8 October 1915.

STYLES, FREDERICK ERNEST. Lieutenant. 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers. Died Thursday 27 August 1914. Aged 30. Born Brighton, Sussex 27 January 1884. Eldest son of the late Frederick Styles of Preston, Lancashire, and 49, Westbourne Terrace, Hyde Park, London W. and of Helena Alice Wellington Styles (formerly Poynter), (née Brophey) of 124, Knightsbridge, Middlesex, S.W. and of Blackmoor, Edenbridge, Kent. Buried Etreux British Cemetery, Aisne, France. Grave Ref: II. 4. Also commemorated in the parish church of St. Paul’s, Four Elms, Kent, as shown below and on page 94 of Ireland’s Memorial Records 1914-1918. Frederick (junior) was educated at Harrow School and at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, from where he was Gazetted a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Munster Fusiliers on 13 May 1903. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 9 January 1906. Frederick retired from the army in April 1914, and resided at 124, Knightsbridge, Middlesex, S.W. but his time spent as a civilian was short lived as he re-joined his former regiment only a few months later, prior to the commencement of the Great War. On the day that Frederick fell, the village of Etreux was the scene of a heroic well documented rearguard action, in which the 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers led by 45 year old Major Paul Charrier, a veteran of the Ashanti Expedition and South African Campaign, were eventually overwhelmed after a long resistance by nine German battalions. The following is abridged extracts from The history of "The 2nd Munsters in France,”

20

which was first published by Gale & Polden, Aldershot, in 1922. "The 2nd Battalion arrived in France as a part of the 1st Infantry Brigade on August 13th. It proceeded from Havre by train to Le Nouvion, going into billets in the village of Boué, three miles east of Etreux, which was to be the scene of its first great action. After five days the Battalion marched up north to the Belgian frontier, doing a double march of over forty miles on the 22nd without undue fatigue, and remained in reserve on the 24th during the Battle of Mons. The retreat during the next three days was carried out in hot weather, the reservists especially being much galled by carrying the pack, to which many of them were quite unaccustomed. However, they "stuck it out" manfully, and the Battalion’s percentage of stragglers compared favourably with that of other units. Up to the 26th, though continually within hearing of heavy firing, the Battalion had done no actual fighting, and it awaited somewhat impatiently the order to engage the enemy. It is occasionally given to a brigade to hold up a whole division. A division may occasionally stop the advance of an army corps, but for one battalion of infantry—or, to be more exact, three companies—with the aid of a couple of field guns, to stein the advance of an entire army corps is probably an incident without parallel in modern warfare. Yet this was done on August 27th, 1914, by the 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers. The 1st Infantry Brigade, under the command of Brigadier-General Ivor Maxse, was covering the withdrawal of the 1st Army Corps. On the British right—i.e., to the east wards—was the 5th French Army. To the west stretched the whole British Expeditionary Force, at that date some five infantry divisions and a cavalry division. The Battle of Le Cateau bad been fought the day before, and the badly shattered 2nd Army Corps, under Smith-Dorrien, was withdrawing to the south. The German Army, in the full flood of its successful invasion of Northern France, was sweeping all before it. Nothing seemed to stop it or even check it. Fresh troops appeared like magic on the heels of our tired infantry, harassing the rearguards, cutting off small parties, getting in between different divisions, and generally impeding our retirement and involving the British Force in actions which threatened time after time to leave it "in the air," cut off from its Miles. General Maxse determined that these mosquito tactics should not be allowed to interfere with the withdrawal of the 1st Army Corps, and he accordingly disposed of his rearguard in such depth as to keep a distance of over eight miles between the main body and the enemy. To effect this, he judiciously selected as rear party commander the Commanding Officer of the Munsters, giving him a free hand as to how to conduct his retirement. This officer was possessed of such a remarkable personality as to deserve special mention. By name Paul Charrier, by rank a Major, he was mentally and physically one of the biggest men in the Army. Convinced twenty years ago that Britain would find herself sooner or later involved in European warfare on a large scale, he had concentrated his attention on preparing himself for the inevitable struggle. Having the advantage of French blood in his veins, he was equally at home on both sides of the English Channel. He knew Northern France like the palm of his hand, spoke fluent French, and knew as much about the organization of the French Army as any British officer in France. His tactical ability and wide range of knowledge had already brought him into prominent notice at Aldershot. After a

21

somewhat tiring march on August 26th, the 1st Infantry Brigade found themselves billeted in and around the village of Fesmy, some seven miles south-east of Le Cateau. The next day the withdrawal was to be continued, and Major Charrier was allotted the task of covering the withdrawal of the remainder of the rearguard. He was given his own battalion, a troop of the 15th Hussars, and two guns of the 118th Battery, R.F.A., for this purpose. With the guns came Major A. R. Bayly, as gallant a gunner as ever stepped. Early in the morning of the 27th Major Charrier issued orders for the disposal of his small force, throwing out feelers to the east to get in touch with our Allies. Unlike most of France, the country here was much enclosed and movement, except by the roads, was a slow and laborious proceeding. Charrier therefore concentrated on the defence of the roads by which any large force of the enemy must advance. Two companies were sent to an important road junction a mile to the north of Fesmy, and the greater part of a third company to cross-roads a mile to the south-east. The rearguard was thus facing, roughly, north-east, from which direction, as was afterwards ascertained, masses of the enemy were sweeping forward. About 9 a.m. it was discovered that our Allies were beginning to withdraw from their positions farther east, and to move southwards in conformity with the general plan. In the meantime an entire German Army Corps (the 10th Reserve Army Corps) was approaching the positions held by the Munsters by two parallel routes. Both these routes were blocked, either directly or indirectly, by the Battalion. Shortly after 9 a.m. the action began with the appearance of the German cavalry, who advanced with great caution in front of their main columns. By this time our men had dug themselves in comfortably, and were prepared to make things hot for any intruder. However, the 17th Brunswick Hussars were no thrusters, and patiently awaited the arrival of reinforcements before investigating the position. These arrived an hour and a half later, and at about 11 a.m. a brisk action opened. The 2nd Guards’ Reserve Division, consisting of twelve battalions, advanced to the attack on both flanks of our position. To the south-east they penetrated into the village of Bergues, and after a sharp fight the company holding that flank, having inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, withdrew to the south. On our other flank the enemy encountered a tougher proposition, for there he found "B" and "D" Companies of the Munsters strongly entrenched waiting for him. For half an hour he tried in vain to find a "soft spot" in the defence, and then retired to await reinforcements. Mean while, "D" Company’s cooker had come up, and dinners were served out. Half the company was then separated from the remainder by a road, up which the enemy was firing heavily. The sky now rapidly clouded over, and about noon a heavy thunderstorm broke over head, the rain coming down in sheets for a full half-hour. The enemy, who had been massing north-east of Fesmy for some time, now made a desperate effort to take the village. Pushing his attack home with great energy, and, making use of largely superior numbers, he penetrated into the village and established himself there. He even got as far as a couple of gun limbers drawn up on the roadside, and killed and dispersed the gunners and the horses. Things were looking so grave that a counter-attack was ordered by Captain Rawlinson, commanding "C" Company. This was delivered by a couple of platoons with a

22

swing and dash that carried all before it. The village was cleared every German in it was killed or captured, and the enemy was driven back in disorder to the north-east. Elsewhere in the attack, delivered with the same energy, failed completely before the devastating fire of the Munsters, aided by their two machine guns and the two field guns which had been firing heavily for nearly an hour. The enemy, always cunning, tried the ruse of driving cattle in front of him to cover his advance, but this trick was soon discovered, and such a stream of lead turned on to him that he was sorry he tried the experiment, and hastily abandoned it. The machine-gun officer was Lieutenant C. F. Chute, one of the cheeriest and best of sportsmen. Heavy German reinforcements had by now come up against "B" and "D" Companies on the left (northern) flank, and a furious fire was opened on these companies. The Munsters held their fire until the enemy arrived at short range, and then pumped lead into them. The rain was still pouring down, and, taking advantage of it and of the confusion caused by the sudden outburst of fire, both companies withdrew towards Battalion Headquarters north of Fesmy. Suspecting a trap, the enemy advanced cautiously to the evacuated positions, and by the time he realized the bird had flown a mile separated the combatants. The action farther south was still raging when the two companies marched up very pleased with themselves, in spite of being soaked to the skin. By now it was after 1 p.m., and the withdrawal was proceeded with. The Battalion Headquarters were in a small estaminet at a cross-roads north of Fesmy; the din prodigious, rifle, machine-gun and artillery fire mingled with each other; the enemy added appreciably to the clatter. German wounded were brought in under cover by the Irish stretcher-bearers, groaning as they lay close by. The neighing of the excited gunner horses mingled with the shouted words of command as the guns were moved from one position to another. Major Charrier now altered the order of battle, "B" Company under Captain G. N. Simms, M.V.O., becoming right flank guard (to the east), "D" Company left flank guard and rearguard. Our right, as we withdrew facing the enemy, was our most dangerous flank, and a better man than Captain Simms to meet such a situation could not be found. By 2 p.m. the Germans attacking Fesmy village made up their minds that they were not going to put their heads into a wasps’ nest again without adequate precautions, and withdrew to await the arrival of their artillery. In the meantime the Munsters were silently evacuating their positions and marching through the village southwards. The two field guns preceded the move, and, taking up a position in the fields to the south of the village, again opened fire on the enemy. One company after another filed through the streets, leaving the unfortunate inhabitants behind them, until all were reported clear. At the last moment one section of "D" Company was reported missing. Back dashed an officer of the company under heavy fire through a farmyard into the fields beyond, found the section closely pressed by the enemy and reluctant to leave them without "one more crack at them, sir"; he hustled them off, and rejoined the rearguard within ten minutes. The country here was rather more open, and the withdrawal continued slowly, "B" Company to the east keeping the enemy at bay. The enemy now decided to play "long bowls" with us, and showed great distaste for close quarters. By 5.30 p.m. the main body of the Munsters assembled at a

23

cross-roads due east of a village named Oisy, through which lay our road southwards. Only " B "Company was missing. Messages were sent off eastwards by runners and bicycle; the signaller got busy, but it was nearly an hour before the right flank guard rejoined the Battalion. This delay, as it was afterwards proved, was fatal to the Munsters, for all the time the French to the east were getting farther and farther distant, the German forces were getting closer and closer to our line of retreat, and our chances of escape were reaching vanishing point. The Brigadier’s orders for Charrier to retire never reached him, the orderly not being able to get through. The battalion re-formed as a rear-guard, "B" and two platoons of "A" Company leading, followed by "D," and "C" bringing up the rear. While the battalion marched through Olsy, "C" Company, under Captain Rawlinson, held the outskirts of the village to keep off the enemy. Cavalry now appeared to the south — a somewhat ominous sign—but they were easily brushed aside by the accurate long-range fire of the Fusiliers’ machine-guns. The 6th Reserve Dragoons were no greater fire-eaters than their brethren from Brunswick. The 2nd Guards Division had suffered two sharp checks already, but, seeing the main body of the rearguard passing through Oisy, they made a bold plunge for the two entrances to the village. Out crashed the rifle fire again, spurts of flame burst from two harmless-looking houses at the east end of the village, a bridge over which the Germans were forced to come was quickly blocked with dead and dying. Efforts made to surround the village were checked by the deadly fire of the two platoons holding it. Brilliantly supporting each other, Lieutenant Deane Drake and Sergeant T. Foley held on until escape seemed impossible. From the high ground to the south the action was clearly visible. Major Charrier sent back to offer assistance. No, "C" Company could finish its job without outside help, and finish it they did. Gradually man after man was withdrawn, and after a final burst of fire the gallant Irishmen leaped to their feet and ran for it. Once more the rebuff administered took out all the sting of the German pursuit, and "C" Company rejoined the Battalion without further interference. All this time the main German advance was steadily continuing. The 19th Reserve Infantry Division (i.e., the other half of the 10th Reserve Army Corps), under the command of General Von Barfeldt, was advancing on the left (east) of the attacking Germans, and making for Guise, twelve miles to our rear. Coming within two miles of the action of Fesmy, this division hesitated, and then halted. What was this heavy firing to the north? Should not the enemy be to the south? Rumours of a big British counter-attack were rife. Was this it? Obviously the situation demanded cautious handling. A careful reconnaissance was ordered, and the march southwards discontinued. Signs of fighting were observed close by; a couple of badly wounded Munsters were brought in. Heavy rifle and artillery fire continued at intervals during the afternoon. Patrols were pushed forward cautiously toward the village of Etreux to the west, and the 6th Reserve Dragoons reported a heavy column moving southwards through Oisy Then at last the German General, a "dug-out" long past his prime, was galvanized into activity, and pushed on with all speed to Etreux to crush this presumptuous British force under the famous German hammer. Major Charrier must by now have realized that the situation was very grave, and he gave orders for the

24

withdrawal to be carried out in a formation which was probably completely original. He appears to have anticipated a sudden flank attack, and ordered the battalion to move along the shallow ditches on both sides of the Oisy-Etreux high road, whilst the two Munster machine guns took up a position on the road, firing up the human corridor thus formed at the enemy to the north. While the stream of lead flowed north, the column steadily marched south, and such was the accuracy of the fire that once more the enemy’s pursuit was checked, and yet no misdirected round fell near our own men, who were within a few feet of the direct line. In this way the Munsters approached Etreux. Suddenly, a few hundred yards in front of the advance guard (" B" Company), a party of men were seen to double across the road. Major Charrier, on perceiving this, ordered Captain Simms to brush aside this party of the enemy, which seemed to have taken refuge in a house on the west side of the road. He also ordered up the two field guns. The Munsters, ready as ever for a scrap, shook out and began working up on both sides of the road through orchards and fields. The gunners whipped up their horses and galloped down the road. Crash! A German shell burst amongst the leading gun team, killing and wounding most of the horses and men. A second shell bit a small farmhouse the guns were passing at the time, and a murderous short-range rifle fire was opened from the south. The last avenue of escape was dosed. The Munsters were cut off. While the few remaining gunners, under the gallant Major Bayly, made desperate efforts to get their guns into action, Major Charrier went forward to the post of danger to organize an attack on the enemy holding the outskirts of the village, including a loop-holed house on the side of the road. Passing the gunners, he called out, "Come on, Bayly, and put a round into that house. We’ll soon boost them out of that." As he went, his gigantic figure was rendered especially conspicuous by the khaki-coloured helmet with the green and white hackle of Munster, which he always wore. On still with a handful of officers and men, along the road to within a hundred yards of the loop-holed house. Man after man dropped; the last unwounded gunner met his fate struggling to carry an 18-pounder shell to the gun, standing on the road, surrounded by a small heap of huddled-up bodies. The devoted group pushed on and gradually melted away. Back came Paul Charrier, still unwounded, to make yet one more effort. "C" Company was coming up from Oisy. Both Captain Rawlinson and Lieutenant Deane Drake were wounded; both gamely carried on. The company was brought up in support, leaving "D" Company in reserve, lining the ditches under fire from all points of the compass, but unable to reply to it. Supported by Captain Douglas Wise, the best of Adjutants, Lieutenant O’Malley and Lieutenant Moseley, the Commanding Officer led another dashing attack up the road. Once more the hail of lead was met, and one after another fell. Heedless of this, the remainder pushed on, until Captain Wise actually got up to the loop-holed house, under cover of which the enemy was firing unceasingly, and, taking a rifle from one of the dead lying near, he fired through the loophole until knocked senseless by a blow on the head. Again the attack failed; but Major Charrier was not the man to give in while hope still existed. Once more he collected a handful of men, and though now suffering from a severe wound, he again returned to the charge with a determination beyond all praise. Alas! this

25

time was the last. Providence was tempted once too often, and the great soldier fell, riddled with bullets, Lieutenant Moseley being stunned by a bullet a few moments later. Dusk was now approaching, and it became difficult to distinguish friend from foe. A farmhouse near by caught fire, and its lurid flames added to the wildness of the picture. While the attacks just described were proceeding, Company Sergeant-Major McEvoy, a fine old soldier, finding his company losing heavily in officers and men, ran back to get reinforcements, and returned down the bullet-swept road shouting, "Come on, boys; the Irish never lost a Friday’s battle yet." His officers, exposed to a terrible fire fell one by one, until the whole five made "the great sacrifice," headed by their dashing commander, Captain Simms. The last phase was developing faster than it takes to tell. Perceiving the gravity of the situation, and without waiting for orders, Captain Jervis took the main portion of "D" Company over into the fields to the east of the road, in a desperate endeavour to break through the enemy drawn up due south, by prolonging the Irish attack eastwards. At first all went well; a dip in the ground favoured the movement; the company, moving in alternate waves, steadily advanced, firing at each halt. The farthest point reached by the other companies was reached and passed. Was this the weak spot at last? The company passed through an orchard, across a couple of fields, and discovered a thick hedge bordering the last field between it and the village. This was in reality lining the top of a steep cutting, at the foot of which lay the railway line. From the hedge, which provided admirable shelter to the enemy, a heavy fire was opened. The advance still continued methodically until the company approached to within 70 yards of the position. Then a sharp rifle duel ensued between the opposing sides, followed by a shrill whistle and the order to charge. Up got the Irish and dashed forward with a cheer, bayonets fixed. The enemy’s fire redoubled in vigour and took heavy toll of the company. Lieutenant Phayre fell cheering at the head of his men. Huge gaps appeared in the on-rushing wave; the survivors, reduced to a few groups, struggled forward a few yards, only to fall in their turn. One officer reached the hedge alive. Drawing his revolver, he accounted for six of his opponents in rapid succession; but, alas ! the last desperate effort to cut through the enemy had failed. Many of the survivors of the various attacks fell back to the orchard near the main road. Captain C. R. Hall, of" A" Company, took command. Seeing the enemy pressing forward on the east, he ordered a charge. A small party of heroes sallied forth, and though the enemy were fifty to our one, they fell back, afraid to meet our cold steel. The little party then returned to the orchard. The enemy now formed a complete ring round the remnants of the battalion. Nine officers had been killed, and Captain Hall was shortly afterwards severely wounded. The command devolved on Lieutenant Gower. For the first time since early morning the machine guns were silent. Lieutenant Chute, having fought his guns to the last, was killed. Sergeant Johnson immediately assumed command, and continued firing until the last cartridge was used; then he took his beloved guns in turn, and smashed them to pieces. Ammunition was nearly exhausted, but the survivors, husbanding every round, lined the four sides of the orchard and kept the enemy at a distance. Lieutenant Moseley had recovered consciousness, and fought up to the last. It was now growing dark, and the situation was at

26

length regretfully recognized as hopeless. Sounds of the expected reinforcements were listened for in vain, and our cup of bitterness was full. At 9.15 p.m. a bare 240 men, including many wounded, staggered to their feet, with four unwounded officers. This was the remnant of the splendid battalion which had set out so full of hope that same morning. How long ago it seemed! To do the German justice, he recognized and admitted the desperate bravery of his enemy. But when he ascertained the paltry numbers opposed to him, he was furious. The General blamed his subordinates. The battalion commanders said nothing, but thought volumes. The main body of the British Army had vanished to the south, and were by now twelve miles away. The famous German hammer had crashed on to the anvil and had crushed what? A butterfly, a battalion, a mere detachment; and a whole German army corps had been delayed! It surely was a fitting opportunity for the series of guttural expletives roared out into the night by the enraged Teuton. And this paltry detachment had, by their ill-advised obstinacy, caused great and unnecessary loss to the Fatherland. No less than 1,500 German wounded were assembled in the village of Etreux next day. It is not known how many casualties occurred earlier in the day in the other villages, but the number must have been considerable. So ended the action of August 27th, 1914.” Following Frederick’s death his mother received several letters of condolence, one of which was from the Adjutant of the battalion; Captain Douglas Wise said, “You will already have heard that poor Fred was shot on Thursday, 27th inst. At the time he was gallantly leading his men under heavy fire, and had he survived would certainly been Mentioned in Despatches. I was not actually present when he was hit, but I have been told by those who were on the spot that his death was painless and instantaneous. When I saw him a few minutes later he was laying peacefully as though asleep. As this letter will be censored by the German authorities. I am unable to give any details as to the action, or the situation of the battlefield. All of the officers who fell were buried in one grave, and a service was conducted by a German clergyman.” The British Cemetery where Frederick is now at rest is located in an orchard on the Landrecies road (D946), beyond the railway line, very close to the scene of the 2nd Munsters' last stand. It was made by the survivors who were captured on 28 August, by permission of the enemy, and a German Padre conducted a burial service at the two mass graves. The cemetery contains an impressive Celtic Cross which was erected by the mother of one of the Munsters' officers who fell on Thursday 27 August 1914, and on the cemetery wall is a plaque commemorating the heroic action fought by Frederick’s battalion. In 1921 the orchard where the 2nd Munsters' last stand had taken place, was purchased from the owner M. Dauzet, by a brother of Frederick’s; Captain Herbert Walter Styles, who was later the Conservative M.P. for Sevenoaks (1921-1924). When the cemetery was consecrated later the same year on Wednesday 5 October 1921, the Reverend Vere Awdry who took part in the service, was the father of 20 year old Second Lieutenant Carol Edward Vere Awdry, one of the eight officers in the battalion that died on Thursday 27 August 1914, and who was a half-brother of the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry, B.A. (1911 – 1997) the much loved creator of Thomas the Tank Engine.

27

Memorial plaques in remembrance of Frederick and his mother, in the parish

church of St. Paul’s, Four Elms, Kent. Thanks are due to Susan F. for kindly

providing the above photographs. Susan is a very generous and prolific

provider of West Kent area photographs for inclusion on www.kentfallen.com STYLES, JAMES. Private, G/4422. 11th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (Lewisham). Died Thursday 20 September 1917. Aged 22. Born Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Enlisted Maidstone, Kent. Son of Mrs. Mary Ann Styles (née Figg) of 4, Frantfield, Edenbridge, Kent, and of the late Henry Styles. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel108. At the time of the 1901 census, the Styles family resided at Stamford End, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 50 year old Wadhurst, Sussex native Henry Styles, who was employed as a Farm Carter. When the 1911 census was conducted, the family resided at How Green, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent. James enlisted in the army ‘For the Duration of the War’ on Monday 25 January 1915, he stated that he was 19 years and 4 months old, employed as a Farm Labourer, and that he resided at Howe Green, Hever, Kent, which was the address of his mother who was his next of kin. James carried out his basic training whilst serving as a member of the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). On Wednesday 8 September 1915, he was posted to France as a member of the 6th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), and was serving in the battalion when he was wounded on Monday 31 January 1916. After being treated for his wounds, James was transferred to the 11th (Service) Battalion, (Lewisham), Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on Saturday 15 September 1917. James’ late father; Wadhurst, Sussex native Henry Styles died in 1913. Mary Ann Styles died in 1936 aged 80.

28

TILLMAN, FREDERICK THOMAS. Corporal, L/2801. 16th (The Queen's) Lancers. Died Sunday 23 March 1918. Born and resided Edenbridge, Kent. Enlisted London. Son of Lewis Charles Tillman and Harriet Tillman (née Nichols) of Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Pozières Memorial, Somme, France. Panel 5. At the time of the 1901 census, the Tillman family resided at Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 35 year old Hildenborough, Kent native Lewis Charles Tillman, who was employed as a Domestic Gardener. When the 1911 census was conducted, Frederick was serving as a 19 year old Private in the 16th (The Queen's) Lancers at the Cavalry Barracks, Barrack Street, Norwich, Norfolk. He was serving as a regular soldier when he was posted to France on Monday 17 August 1914, at which time he was a Lance Corporal in the 16th (The Queen's) Lancers. Frederick was a recipient of the 1914 Star and date clasp, which is commonly referred to as the ‘Mons Star.’ During the Great War, Frederick’s regiment served continuously in France and Flanders in the 3rd Cavalry Brigade with the 5th Lancers. Brigadier (later General) Gough, who was a former16th Lancer commanded the Brigade. WHITEBREAD, CUTHBERT SIDNEY REUBEN. Rifleman, R/34536. 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps. Died Thursday 8 February 1917. Aged 29. Born Croydon, Surrey. Enlisted Holborn, Middlesex. Resided Thornton Heath, Surrey. Son of Reuben Whitebread and Emma Ann Whitebread (née Wells) of Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Husband of Ethel Elizabeth Margaret Whitebread (née Foale) of 85, Guildford Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Buried Contay British Cemetery, Somme, France. Grave Ref: VII. D. 20. Formerly Rifleman, S/19963, Rifle Brigade, and Private, TR/13/18213, 29th Training Regiment, Battalion. At the time of the 1901 census, the Whitebread family resided at “The Limes,” Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 55 year old Hever, Tonbridge, Kent native Reuben Whitebread, who was a Corn Dealer and an employer. When the 1911 census was conducted, the Whitebread family resided at South View, Four Elms, Edenbridge, at which time Reuben Whitebread was still recorded as being the head of the house, and as being a an Own Account Farmer, and the then 23 year old Cuthbert was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as an Insurance Clerk. Cuthbert’s marriage to Ethel Elizabeth Margaret Foale was registered in the Kensington, London registration district during the last quarter of 1913. Cuthbert and his wife resided at 6, Mersham Terrace, Thornton Heath, Surrey. Cuthbert died of wounds, but it not been possible to add here when, where or he was wounded. He has the unenviable distinction of being the sole other ranks death which was suffered by the 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps on Thursday 8 February 1917.

29

WORSELL, ARTHUR. Private, 260280. 1st/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Died Wednesday 17 April 1918. Aged 23. Born and resided Edenbridge, Kent. Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent. Son of James Worsell and Harriet Worsell (née Chapman) of Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 68. Formerly Private, G/2068, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). At the time of the 1901 census, the Worsell family resided at Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 54 year old Hever, Tonbridge, Kent native James Worsell, who was employed as a Gardeners Labourer. When the 1911 census was conducted, the Worsell family was recorded as living at Four Elms, but on that occasion 64 year old James Worsell was shown as being a native of Lingfield, Surrey, as opposed to Hever, Tonbridge, Kent. Addition checks by the transcriber of these brief commemorations, revealed that when the 1881 census was taken James Worsell and Harriet Worsell resided with their 3 year old daughter Cissey at Four Elms Post Office, and James was recorded as having been a native of Blindley Heath which is near Godstone, Surrey and as such he was probably a native of the county of Surrey as opposed to Kent. Arthur was numbered amongst the 59 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 1st/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on Wednesday 17 April 1918, which had included a fellow Kent casualty, Dover native Private John Frederick John Taylor, who is at rest at Bedford House Cemetery Enclosure No.4, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: XIV. E. 40. Arthur was a younger brother of Horace Worsell who is the next casualty briefly commemorated below. WORSELL, HORACE. Private, 36269. 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. Died Monday 24 September 1917. Aged 32. Born Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Enlisted Grantham, Lincolnshire. Son of James Worsell and Harriet Worsell (née Chapman) of Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Husband of Catherine Worsell of 86, Victoria Street, Grantham, Lincolnshire. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panels 19 to 23 and 162. Formerly Private, 15757, Lincolnshire Regiment. On the 1901 census entry referred to above, Horace was recorded by the census enumerator as being employed as a Grocers Assistant, and on that of 1911 as being employed as Gardener. Horace’s marriage to Catherine was recorded in the Sevenoaks, Kent, Registration District during the fourth quarter of 1911. The date of Horace’s death as shown above is that on his Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration details. Soldiers Died in the Great War records it as the previous day, and the combination of the two dates might be indicative of his death having occurred on the night of 23/24 September 1917, as the transcriber has often found to be the case where adjacent dates clash on the CWGC and SDGW data.

30

The Great War 1914 -1919 Lost Men

ASHMAN, GORDON. Private, G/11783. "C" Company, 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Sunday 13 August 1916. Aged 22. Born Stanford, Hythe, Kent. Enlisted Sevenoaks, Kent. Resided Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Son of Thomas Ashman and Mary Ann Ashman (née Law) of 6, Home Farm Cottages, St. Paul's Cray, Sidcup, Kent. Buried Serre Road Cemetery No. 2, Somme, France. Grave Ref: XXV. A. 11. At the time of the 1911 census, the Ashman family resided at Mills Water, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 42 year old Stanford, Hythe, Kent native Thomas Ashman, who was employed as a Farm Labourer. The then 17 year old Gordon was employed as a Gardner. Gordon enlisted in the army ‘For the Duration of the War’ on Monday 22 November 1915, at which time he stated that he was 22 years and 11 months old and employed as a Gardner, and named his father Thomas Ashman of Mills Water, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent (with whom he resided), as being his next of kin. After being placed on the Army Reserve, Gordon was attested at Maidstone, Kent on Friday 21 January 1916 to serve in the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). He initially served in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of the regiment at Chatham, Kent, and fired a Musketry Course on Wednesday 5 April 1916. He was posted to serve in the 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on Friday 19 May 1916, in which he then remained until his death 87 days later. Having arrived at an Infantry Base Depot on Saturday 20 May 1916, which was probably located at Etaples, Pas de Calais, France, Gordon left the Infantry Base Depot on Tuesday 20 June 1916 to join the 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) in the field. Gordon’s battalion left the Béthune area of the Pas de Calais on Monday 24 July having been deployed to the Somme. By the end of the month, the battalion was in the neighbourhood of Sandpit Camp near the village of Meaulte just outside Albert, where it then remained for ten days. On the afternoon of Thursday 10 August the battalion was shelled whilst moving into front-line positions between Trones Wood and Guillemont, but was in position before dusk. In front “D” Company were on the right, “A” Company on the left, in Edward Trench, “B” Company were in support just outside Trones Wood, and “C” Company and Battalion Headquarters in positions round the Sunken Road at the south-east corner of Trones Wood. On 13/14 August the battalion spent approximately 48 hours in front of the Briqueterie, during which time the whole battalion was up at night digging a new trench which was 400 yards in advance of its front line. Although there would be no direct contact with the enemy, Gordon was numbered amongst the 3 other ranks that were killed by enemy shellfire on Sunday 13 August 1916.

31

GOODING, WILLIAM STANLEY. Sapper, 134905. 255th Tunneling Company, Royal Engineers. Died Friday 31 May 1918. Aged 37. Born Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent, (Please see below). Enlisted Bromley, Kent. Resided Westerham, Sevenoaks, Kent. Son of William Gooding. Husband of Agnes Louisa Gooding (née Howick) of 11, South Bank, Westerham, Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Ref: XXVIII. F. 8. At the time of the 1911 census, William was recorded as being the head of the house at 2, Chestnut Villas, Maden Road, Westerham, Kent, and as being employed as a Brewers Sign Writer. Depending on which data sources are accessed shows William to have been a native of either Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent, Hever, Tonbridge, Kent, or Westerham, Sevenoaks, Kent. It was also noted by the transcriber of these brief commemorations that on the Westerham Roll of Honour, William is commemorated as STANLEY WILLIAM GOODING. LANKESTER, WILLIAM. Rifleman, R/7006. 8th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps. Died Friday 30 July 1915. Born Elsenham, Bishops Stortford, Essex. Enlisted London. Resided Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Son of Harry Lankester and Agnes Lankester (née Ruder) of Holmwood Lodge, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 52. William’s brother; John Lankester is one of the Great War casualties that are commemorated on the Four Elms civic war memorial. William enlisted in the army ‘For the Duration of the War’ on Sunday 15 November 1914, at which time he stated that he was 26 years and 1 month old, employed as a Valet, and residing at 46, Princes Gardens, London, SW. When he enlisted and was attested to serve as a Rifleman in the King's Royal Rifle Corps, William named his father Harry Lankester as being his next of kin, at which time Harry resided at Elsingham, Stansted, Essex. William joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps at the Regimental Depot, Winchester, Hampshire on Thursday 19 November 1914, and was posted to serve in the 8th (Service) Battalion of the regiment on Thursday 26 November 1914, remaining in the same battalion until his death. When William was posted to the battalion it was in billets at Hindhead, Surrey, and a move was made to Bordon, Hampshire in February 1915, prior to a move to Aldershot, Hampshire in March. On Tuesday 18 May 1915 William was posted to France with his battalion for service with the British Expeditionary Corps, and sailed from Folkestone, Kent to Boulogne-sur-Mer the following day. From Boulogne-sur-Mer the battalion was moved by train to the village of Watten, Nord, France on Thursday 20 May. A subsequent move by the battalion was made to the small Belgian village of Locre (now Loker) on Friday 28 May, and from there it commenced instruction under the 46th (North Midland) Division in Kemmel sector

32

trenches. A move was made to the hamlet of La Clytte, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium during the first week of June 1915, and it arrived at the town of Ypres (now Ieper) on Wednesday 16 June. The battalion later began tours in trenches in the St. Eloi sector. William’s battalion rested near the town Poperinghe (now Poperinge), West-Vlaanderen, and the village of Vlamertinghe (now Vlamertinge) which is located approximately 3 miles to the west of the centre of the town of Ieper. By the end of June the battalion occupied trenches which were located to the easyt of Vierstraat. At the time of William’s death, his parents were probably residing at White Post Cottage, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. William’s death was numbered amongst 61 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 8th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps on Friday 30 July 1915, which had included at least 4 Kent casualties. Following his death, William was posted as ‘Missing,’ but later the Army Council made the decision that for official purposes it was to be assumed that he had died on or after 30 July 1915. HANSON, ALFRED Private, 202923. 2nd/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment). Died Monday 22 July 1918. Aged 20. Born and enlisted Halifax, Yorkshire. Resided Mixenden, Halifax, Yorkshire. Son of John Hanson and Elizabeth Ann Hanson (née Bancroft) of Furnace House Farm, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Commemorated on the Soissons Memorial, Aisne, France. At the time of the 1911 census the Hanson family resided at 3, Stod Fold Farm, Mixenden, Halifax, Yorkshire. Head of the house was 42 year old Halifax, Yorkshire native John Hanson, who was an Own Account Farmer. Alfred was numbered amongst the 21 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 2nd/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) on Monday 22 July 1918. RICE, CHARLES JOSEPH. Private, G/21004. "B" Company, 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Thursday 9 August 1917. Aged 19. Born Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Enlisted East Grinstead, Sussex. Resided Turners Hill, Sussex. Son of George and Alice Rice (née Chandler) of Fen Place, Turners Hill, Sussex. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 2, and on the Turners Hill, Sussex, civic war memorial. At the time of the 1911 census, the Rice family resided at Fen Place, Turners Hill, Sussex. Head of the house was 44 year old Oakwood Hill, Surrey native George Rice, who was employed as a Game Keeper, Charles being amongst the 10 children of George Rice and Alice Rice at home on the night of the census. Fen Place, Turners Hill, Sussex was from 1902 until his death in 1919, the home of William Middleton Campbell, who was the Governor of the Bank of England. Charles was numbered amongst the 14 other ranks serving in the 6th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) who fell on Thursday 9 August 1917.

33

SEAL, JOHN NORMAN. Corporal, G/1025. 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died Wednesday 26 April 1916. Born Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Enlisted Woolwich, Kent. Son of John Seal and Eliza Seal (née Annett). Husband of Annie Emily Seal (née Culver). Buried Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Grave Ref: XX. F. 9. John’s birth was registered in the Sevenoaks, Kent registration district during the last quarter of 1875. At the time of the 1911 census, 36 year old John was recorded as being the head of the house at 73, Hambro Road, Streatham, London, SW, and as being employed as a Tramway Labourer. John was one of three other ranks serving in the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) as part of the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force, who died on Wednesday 26 April 1916, all of whom died of an illness or a disease (possibly Cholera), as opposed to having been killed in action or dying of wounds. In addition to John, 36 year old Beckenham, Kent native, Private (Stretcher Bearer) Charles Baker, from Anerley, London, and Burnham Overy, Fakenham, Norfolk native John Andrews died. Charles is at rest at Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Grave Ref: XX. G. 2., and John Andrews is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq. Panel 29. SHURROCK, CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM. Private, 4851. "B" Company, 2nd Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company. Died Wednesday 23 May 1917. Aged 29. Born and resided Hornsey, Middlesex. Enlisted Armory House. Son of James Herbert Shurrock and Margaret Ann Shurrock of "The Morcotts," Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Buried St. Martin’s Churchyard, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Commemorated on the Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent civic war memorial. Christopher was born on Thursday 15 September 1887, and he was baptized at the parish church of St. Peter, Hornsey, Middlesex on Wednesday 26 February 1902, at which time the family resided at 103, Hampden Road, Hornsey, and Christophers father was employed as an Insurance Clerk. When the 1911 census was conducted, the Shurruck family lived at “Cartref,” Hillfield Avenue, Hornsey, Middlesex. In 1912 Christopher was briefly mentioned in "The Poetry Review" by The Poetry Society. Christopher enlisted in the Territorial Force for 4 years on Monday 8 November 1915, and was attested to serve in the 2nd Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company. When he enlisted, Christopher stated that he resided with his parents at 91, Hillfield Avenue, House, Hornsey, Middlesex. From Tuesday 18 April 1916 to Monday 1 May 1916, Christopher was a patient at the Lewisham Military Hospital suffering from Influenza. On Sunday 1 October 1916, he embarked at the port of Southampton, Hampshire for service with the British Expeditionary Force, and disembarked on Tuesday 3 October, prior to proceeding to the front the following day. On Thursday 3 May 1917 whilst serving on the Western Front, Christopher suffered a bomb wound to his pelvis, plus a gunshot wound to his abdomen. Following the immediate locally rendered

34

medical attention for his wounds at the 44th Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps, Christopher later received additional treatment at the 23rd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, prior to being evacuated back to England via Boulogne-sur-Mer. Following a number of moves within the medical evacuation chain from the time of being wounded, Christopher was eventually admitted as a patient at 1st Northern General Hospital, Newcastle-on-Tyne on Monday 14 May 1917, which is where he succumbed to his wounding on Wednesday 23 May 1917 due to a Secondary Hemorrhage. Armoury House, City Road, Finsbury, London, where Christopher had enlisted in the Territorial Force, has been the home of the Honourable Artillery Company since the central block of the building was completed in 1735, on land which the Honourable Artillery Company had acquired in 1641. Prior to moving to reside at Four Elms; Christopher’s parents had lived at Rose Cottage, The Chart, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. WALLIS, ROBERT. M.M. Private, 60639. 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died Friday 30 November 1917. Aged 35. Born and enlisted Woolwich, Kent? (Please see below). Resided Edenbridge, Kent. Son of James Wallis of 5, Council Cottages, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent, and the late Emily Wallis. Husband of Amy Elizabeth Wallis of Ragleth View, Little Stretton, Church Stretton, Shropshire. Commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France. Panel 4. Formerly Private, 12560, Royal Sussex Regiment. Robert’s places of birth, enlistment, and residence are as is shown in/on his ‘Soldiers Died in the Great War entry. Although the Soldiers Died in the Great War entry details might be correct. It was noted whilst researching the Four Elms war deaths, that at the time of the 1901 census there was a Wallis family residing at Bough Beech, Edenbridge, Kent. Head of the house was 57 year old widower James Wallis, who was a native of Edenbridge, Kent, and was employed as a Wheelwright. Also included in the household was 19 year old Robert Wallis, who was recorded by the census enumerator as being a native of Edenbridge, Kent, and employed as a House Painter. As the dates, names and ages on the 1901 census entry for Robert are exact matches, it would seem likely that his Soldiers Died in the Great War entry recorded place of birth is an error. The possibility of the Soldiers Died in the Great War entry being erroneous is reinforced by the fact that when the 1911 census was conducted, 29 year old Robert was recorded by the census enumerator as being a native of Edenbridge, and as being employed as a Ball Maker Closer. His mother was Emily Wallis who was a native of Lingfield, Surrey. Robert was numbered amongst the 51 other ranks deaths which were suffered by the 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) on Friday 30 November 1917. The Commanding Officer of the battalion; 28 years old, Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel Neville Bowes Elliott-Cooper, D.S.O., M.C. was awarded the Victoria Cross for his for his actions on the day that Robert fell

35

to the east of La Vacquerie near Cambrai, Nord, France during the ‘Battle of Cambrai.’ The citation for his Victoria Cross as was published in The London Gazette dated Tuesday 12 February 1918 states:- “For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Hearing that the enemy had broken through our outpost line, he rushed out of his dug-out, and on seeing them advancing across the open he mounted the parapet and dashed forward calling upon the Reserve Company and details of the Battalion Headquarters to follow. Absolutely unarmed, he made straight for the advancing enemy, and under his direction our men forced them back 600 yards. While still some forty yards in front he was severely wounded. Realising that his men were greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy casualties, he signalled to them to withdraw, regardless of the fact that he himself must be taken prisoner. By his prompt and gallant leading he gained time for the reserves to move up and occupy the line of defence.” Born in London on 22 January 1889, Neville Bowes Elliott-Cooper was the youngest son of Sir Robert Elliott-Cooper, K.C.B. and was educated at Eton and the Sandhurst Military Academy. Lieutenant-Colonel Neville Bowes Elliott-Cooper, V.C., D.S.O., M.C. died of his wounds whilst a prison of war on Monday 11 February 1918 in Hannover, Germany, and is at rest at Hamburg Cemetery Ohlsdorf 1914-1918 Commonwealth War Graves plot. Grave Ref: V. A. 16. Hamburg Ohlsdorf Cemetery (Friedhof Ohlsdorf) is the biggest non-military cemetery in the world. There are 3 Commonwealth War Graves plots located within Hamburg Ohlsdorf Cemetery, which are the Hamburg Cemetery Ohlsdorf 1914-1918, the Hamburg Cemetery Ohlsdorf 1939-1945, and the Hamburg Cemetery Ohlsdorf Post War.

The Second World War 1939 – 1945

FLEMING, RICHARD HUBERT CHRISTOPHER. Driver, 1892523. Royal Engineers, attached to the H.Q. of the 50th Division. Died Monday 22 March 1943. Aged 24. Born and resided Sevenoaks, Kent. Only son of Owen Fleming and Mary Edith Fleming (née Pinker) of Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried Sfax War Cemetery, Tunisia. Grave Ref: VII. B. 26. Richard’s birth was recorded in the Sevenoaks, Kent, Registration District during the fourth quarter of 1918. At the time of Richard’s death his home address was at Toys Hill House, Brasted, Sevenoaks, Kent. Brasted Village Hall which was also used as a chapel was erected in 1897, by Mrs. Tipping of Mathern Palace, near Chepstow, South Wales in memory of her late husband. On Oak panelling halfway up the inside walls of the Village Hall are two inscriptions which say:- This panelling is in loving memory of Lucy Pease Fleming who lived at Toys Hill 1896-1909 and who loved it. The opposite side has a panel with the inscription:- In cherished memory of Richard the beloved only son of Owen and Edith Fleming who fell at his post of duty at the battle of the Mareth Line, Libya on 22 March 1943, aged 24.

36

GOUT, GEOFFREY KENNETH. Pilot Officer (Pilot), 41918. 234 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died Thursday 25 July 1940. Aged 24. Son of Geoffrey Davee Vernon Gout, and of Dorothy Marguerite Gout (née Sawyer) of Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried St. Eval Churchyard, Wadebridge, Cornwall. Grave Ref: Row 1. Grave 13, as shown above. Geoffrey was educated at New Beacon School, Sevenoaks, Kent. He was a keen motorist and had raced at Brooklands, Surrey prior to the commencement of the Second World War. Geoffrey enlisted in the Royal Air Force in February 1939, and had been granted a short service commission as an Acting Pilot Officer, effective from Saturday 15 April 1939. On the completion of his pilot training he was posted to 234 Squadron, Royal Air Force at R.A.F. Leconfield, Beverley, Yorkshire when it was reformed there on Monday 30 October 1939. At the time of his death, Geoffrey was flying a Supermarine Spitfire No. P9493 AZ-? during a night operation from R.A.F. St. Eval, Cornwall. On his return to the airfield which was blacked out, it is thought that Geoffrey became disorientated at which time he was low on fuel, and crashed near Porthowan, Truro, Cornwall at 2345 hours.

37

Geoffrey Gout (senior) who was a native of Nefield, Yorkshire, enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Toronto, Canada, on Monday 30 November 1914. After initially serving as Gunner, 83609, in the Canadian Field Artillery, he was later commisioned as a Second Lieutenant on the General List. After the Great war he resided at 22, Bond Street, London, W1. At the time of their sons’ death, Geoffrey and Dorothy Gout resided at 7, Portland Mansions, Addison Bridge, London, W14. STOCKBRIDGE, WILLIAM ROBERT. Private, 14446303. 5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment. Died Thursday 15 February 1945. Aged 18. Born Berkshire. Resided Kent. Son of Robert Stockbridge and Esther Alice Stockbridge (née Russell) of Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent. Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Grave Ref: 57. C. 12. William’s birth was recorded in the Maidenhead Registration District during the second quarter of 1926. The following is the (verbatim) 5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment War Diary entry for Thursday 15 February 1945, at which time the battalion was in the Bedburg Area of Germany to the east of the city of Köln (Cologne):- “0115hrs. "C" Coy on objective. En Inf offered slight resistance, "D" Coy patrol reports houses SOUTH of "C" Coy objective (939500) occupied by enemy. 0330hrs. "D" Coy 5 WILTS and "D" Coy 4 WILTS unable to reach objectives owing to concentrated en MG fire. "D" Coy 4 WILTS 40 cas. 0608hrs. Bn to dig in in posns already held. En arty and SP fire continued during night on slightly increased scale. 1200hrs. 130 Bde attack through Bn. Posns going well. 4 WILTS to relieve Bn, when Bn 130 Bde have passed completely through posns, Bn to return to area BEDBURG. 180hrs. Bn relief by 4 WILTS complete. CO returns and resumes comd. 1900hrs. All Coys now back in reserve in BEDBURG (9252). Bn HQ 939527. Total Casualties (Killed, wounded, missing and PW) suffered by Bn to date during present op - 188.” THORN, EDWARD THOMAS. Fusilier, 14819941. 6th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers. Died Tuesday 10 April 1945. Aged 19. Born West London. Son of William John Thorn and of Louisa Florence Thorn (née Lake) of Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried Becklingen War Cemetery, Soltau, Niedersachsen, Germany. Grave Ref: 5. E. 6. The site of Becklingen War Cemetery where Edward is at rest was chosen for its position on a hillside overlooking Luneburg Heath. Burials were brought into the cemetery from isolated sites in the countryside, small German cemeteries and prisoner of war camps cemeteries, including the Fallingbostel cemetery, within a radius of about 50 miles. Most of those buried in the cemetery died during the last two months of the Second World War.

38

GREAT WAR COMMEMORATIONS

Prior to cleaning and refurbishment of the civic War Memorial

39

“THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”

GREAT WAR COMMEMORATIONS

Post the cleaning and refurbishment of the civic War Memorial

40

SECOND WORLD WAR COMMEMORATIONS.

Prior to cleaning and refurbishment of the civic War Memorial

Unfortunately, as can be seen when viewing the photograph above, of the

panel of Second World War casualties on the Four Elms civic war memorial,

Edward Thorn has been commemorated with his surname spelt THORNE.

“AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN

AND IN THE MORNING

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM”

41

SECOND WORLD WAR COMMEMORATIONS.

Post the cleaning and refurbishment of the civic War Memorial

42

Post the cleaning and refurbishment of the civic War Memorial

43