Buckland Filleigh
“Lest We Forget”
The population of Buckland Filleigh was 173 in 1911 and 147 in 1921, so there were about 160 people living in the Parish during the 1st World War. Arthur Scott Browne and 25 young men from Buckland Filleigh are listed as volunteers in His Majesty’s Forces. There are two names on the War Memorial of younger men who only reached fighting age during the War and so were presumably conscripted. Alfred Badcock and Frederick Barriball were only 19 when they were killed in 1917. There were probably other youngsters who also served towards the end of the conflict and returned home. Thus, possibly more than 30 men were involved, with almost every young man in the Parish serving in the Forces. Six parishioners, including two sets of brothers, never returned from the fighting - a terrible tragedy for such a small place. The names of those who died are inscribed on the War Memorial.
(Five young men from Shebbear lost their lives in the War. The population of Shebbear was more than four times greater than that of Buckland Filleigh.)
In 1901 there were four Badcock brothers- William a gardener aged 20, Thomas aged 12, Frank aged 5, and Alfred aged 2- and two sisters, living with their parents William and Jane at Barton House. William was a carter. William was born in Shebbear and Jane was born in Peters Marland William was the Sexton at the Parish Church. In 1911 William and Jane had been married for 31 years. and had 8 children. All the boys fought in the War and two died.
Frank Badcock was baptised 18 Ocotber1895 son of William a labourer, and Jane his wife of the Bartons. He was a private in the 6th Battalion(Territorials) Devonshire Regiment (number 2353)
John Alfred Badcock was baptised 7 August 1889 son of William Henry & Jane of Barton Cottages. He was a Private in the 7th Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. (Number 202766.)
A great grand-daughter of William and Jane noted the following “My grandmother was one of the 2 sisters living at home during the 1st World War. I remember Uncle Bill (William) and Uncle Tom and I remember my grandmother would talk about her brothers that were killed in WW1. Frank was killed in action in Mesopotamia on the 8 March 1916, aged 20. Alfred was killed in Belgium at a place called Langemarchon the 27 September 1917 in the battle for Passchendaele. He was 19 years old”
In the second dwelling at Barton House in 1901 were Benjamin Barriball, a kennel man and groom, with his wife Annie and their children- John aged 14, Kate aged 11, Hubert aged 9, Ivy aged 7, Mary aged 5 and Frederick aged 3. Benjamin was born in Tetcott, and Annie was born in Ashwater. The family moved to Buckland Filleigh from Tetcott in 1896 with the Hunt. All three boys went to fight, and only John returned.
Hubert Barriball was born in Tetcott circa 1892. He served with the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh (Wiltshire Regiment) and was a Lance Corporal when he died of wounds received in Flanders. He died 12 April 1917 (Army number 29841)
Frederick Victor Barriball was baptised 7 August 1898 in Buckland Filleigh, son of Benjamin kennel man and Annie of Barton Cottages.
Alfred Badcock and Frederick Barriball were baptised on the same day. They lived next door to each other and attended Buckland Filleigh school together. They died a month apart in 1917. Frederick Victor Barriball was a private with the 4th Battalion the Worcestershire Regiment (number 203187) He died of wounds received in Flanders on the 18 August 1917.
In 1901 Samuel Glover aged 4 was living with his parents William and Bessie, and three sisters in Specott cottage in Merton. William was an agricultural labourer. By 1911 the family had moved to Grasscot farmhouse in Buckland Filleigh. Samuel was then 14 years old. Grasscot farmhouse was divided into 2 dwellings at this time. Samuel had been born in Frithelstock. In 1911 William was a cattleman on the Estate. The couple had been married for 26 years and had 11 children, 4 of whom died prior to 1911. William was born in Black Torrington and Elizabeth was born in Sheepwash. They had moved to Buckland Filleigh circa 1908. Samuel was the same age as Alfred Badcock and Frank Barriball, and Grasscott farmhouse was only a short distance away from the Bartons down a farm track. These three boys died within 3 months in 1917 and the other two youngsters only a short time before and after. (The Bartons is now called Addiport)
The reality of the devastation the War caused in small communities such as Buckland Filleigh is shown by the stark facts of what happened to these three neighbouring families. 5 boys from 3 adjacent families who were well known to each other died far from home.
The 6th soldier who died, Thomas Brock aged 38, was much older than the others. He was married man with a family. Thomas was born at Holroyd cottage Shebbear in 1881, son of William Brock an agricultural labourer and Elizabeth. In 1891 and 1901 Thomas was living with his parents and siblings in Shebbear. By 1901, aged 20 he was a boot and shoemaker. In 1905 he married Francis Tryphena Mair and the couple moved to Bradford. In 1911 they were living at Highstead Inn Brandis House Bradford where Thomas was a farm labourer. Two children were born in Bradford. Thomas is named on the List inside the Church of those who volunteered, so he presumably enlisted with the 5th Devon Regiment prior to 1916 when conscription was introduced. He died in India on the 9th January in 1919. His widow Francis died in 1933.
Jane Taylor