WHITFIELD CASUALTIES OF WAR 1914-1919 & 1939-1945 By J.M. Steeples The Author J.M. Steeples was born near Wakefield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. He initially attended the local village school, where he passed the examination to attend Rothwell Grammar School, near Leeds. On completing his full time education, he obtained a post in the Electrical Department of the local colliery. He continued his education, on a part time basis, attending technical colleges at Whitwood and Wakefield. After his marriage in 1963, he moved to the South Yorkshire area, where he continued his employment with the National Coal Board. In 1967, when working and living in the Doncaster area, he obtained his final qualifications in Electrical Engineering, at Doncaster Technical College. In 1971, the author moved to Dover, having obtained a position with the National Coal Board, working in the Kent Coalfield. The author was employed in the Kent Coalfield until 1986, when the colliery closure programme resulted in its demise. At this time the author obtained employment with H.M. Customs and Excise and continued to be based in Dover. He remained with Customs and Excise until 1997, when ill health brought an early retirement. Shortly after retirement, the author moved back to Yorkshire and settled in York. The interest in military history developed over time, when the family was living near Dover, a town surrounded by the archaeology of war. In addition, holidays on the continent always commenced with a drive through the battlefields of northern France and Belgium. Here, the author was able to visit some of the major sites, such as the Menin Gate at Ypres, Thiepval on the Somme, Vimy Ridge and the Normandy beaches. The author has a keen interest in most team sports, especially football, rugby league and cricket. He was a playing member of River Woodpeckers Cricket Club during the late 70’s and early 80’s. However, his activities are now confined to that of a spectator. He has been researching his family history for a number of years, but now often attempts to combine his interest in family history, with his interest in military history. Hence, he was able to combine these two interests, to produce the short pen-pictures of the Whitfield servicemen, found in these pages. J. M. Steeples 04/07/2012 © CONTENTS Introduction 1. Whitfield United Reform Church 3. Whitfield St Peter’s Church – First World War Memorial 4. Named casualties of the Great War 1914-1919 1. Charles Bean East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) 5. 2. Albert Edward Butterfield Royal Field Artillery 7. 3. Alfred John Butterfield Household Cavalry 9. 4. William Carswell Notts & Derby Regiment 11. 5. Wallace James Davies Machine Gun Corps 13. 6. George Files Royal Navy 15. 7. Frederick William Thomas Gee Royal Navy 17. 8. Henry William Lawrence Royal Navy 19. 9. Henry William Lawrence Jnr. Royal Navy 21. 10. Albert Marsh East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) 23. 11. Charles Marsh East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) 25. 12. Frederick James Marsh Royal Navy 27. 13. Edward Kelsey Richards Royal Sussex Regiment 29. 14. Reginald Shepherd (Sheppard) Not Known. 31. Whitfield St Peter’s Church – Second World War Memorial 33. Named casualties of the Second World War 1939-1945 15. Harold Victor Anson Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 35. 16. Ronald Richard Densham Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 37. 17. William Lacey Goldfinch Royal Artillery 39. 18. William Henry Hopkins Trinity House Service 41. 19. Frank Wilfred McToldridge Royal Corps of Signals 43. Bibliography 45. INTRODUCTION The Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, was unveiled in 1920 as a memorial to all those servicemen and woman of Great Britain and the Empire, who had lost their lives in the Great War of 1914 -1919. Throughout the country, cities, towns and villages followed suit and subscribed to erect Memorials to their own dead. At Whitfield, once a small village on the outskirts of Dover, there are four memorial tablets which commemorate the men of the surrounding district, who lost their lives in the two world wars. Inside the Whitfield Congregational Church, now the United Reform Church situated on Chapel Lane, the memorial tablet remembers the names of twelve men who gave their lives in the Great War. At the Parish Church of St Peter, at Church Whitfield, there are two memorial tablets commemorating each of the two world wars. In addition there is an individual tablet to remember Sgt. Edward Kelsey Richards, who was killed in action in 1916. The 1914 -1919 Memorial contains two additional names to those remembered on the memorial at the United Reform Church, with the inclusion of Wallace James Davies and a second Henry William Lawrence. The name shown as Reginald Sheppard at the United Reform Church, is shown as Reginald Shepherd, at St Peter’s Church. The Second World War memorial contains the names of five men from Whitfield, who died serving their country. In addition, due to the efforts of what is now known as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, all these men are commemorated by gravestones, or on Monuments to the Missing, in cemeteries and public places throughout the world, near to where they died. The following chapters give a brief resume of the nineteen men of Whitfield, who lost their lives, particularly during the time they met their death. The accounts have been mainly compiled from records kept by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission; from Battalion War Diaries, Operational Orders, Medal Rolls and some individual Service Records available through the National Archives; from Regimental and other Military Museums; from published Regimental Histories, Newspapers and websites. Unfortunately, over 60% of the Service Records of men who served in the First World War were destroyed by fire, during the London Blitz of the Second World War. In addition, the records of men who served in the Second World War are still classified and can only be accessed by their immediate next of kin. I have attempted to accurately identify each individual, often with some difficulty when there is a common surname. However, I have been unable to successfully identify the casualty named as Reginald Shepherd/Sheppard, with a connection to the Whitfield/Dover area. J.M. Steeples Author. 1 2 WHITFIELD UNITED REFORM CHURCH The War Memorial at the United Reform Church, formerly the Congregational Church, Whitfield, was unveiled on Wednesday 9th June 1920, by the Mayor of Dover, Councillor C.E. Beaufoy. The memorial plaque, erected on the left wall of the building, commemorates twelve men of the parish who lost their lives in the First World War. The masons were Messrs. E. Whitnall and Sons, of Dover Photograph: Dover War Memorial Project The service was conducted by the Rev. D.L. Nichol, Congregational Minister at Dover, who, speaking before the unveiling ceremony, reminded the congregation how these men laid down their lives in a great cause. They had made the supreme sacrifice and their names should be held in loving memory by all who follow. This was followed by the Dover Congregational Choir, under the direction of the choirmaster, Mr J. Hunt, singing the anthem “Evening and Morning” The Mayor, before drawing aside the Union Jack, which covered the tablet, said that on the tablet were the names of twelve residents of that parish. They had no particular anxiety to go and fight, certainly no desire to lay down their lives in that place, yet at the call they went, not because they were going to get anything out of it, but because they felt it was their duty. There was nothing wrong with this country or with the world, but it was the people in it, and all the time avarice and selfishness ruled the world, as it did today, all sacrifices would be in vain. They must see to it that ideals were not lost sight of. If they applied “honour, truth and right” to their actions the sacrifices would not have been in vain. The memorial tablet was then unveiled by the Mayor, whilst the audience stood in silence and the Girl Guides troop, recently formed at Whitfield saluted. Before the close of the service, the Rev. D.L. Nichol made an earnest appeal on behalf of the League of Nations. The choir of the Congregational Church gave the anthem “Nearer my God to Thee” with Miss D. Southey taking the solo. Miss Janet Capel was the organist at the ceremony. 3 WHITFIELD ST PETER’S CHURCH It is not known when the memorial was unveiled at St Peter’s Church, but it contains the names of Henry William Lawrence junior and Wallace James Davies. These men are not remembered on the memorial at the United Reform Church However, it is probable that the name Henry Lawrence shown at the United Reform Church, is in fact the younger of the two with the same name, as he was born in the village. Henry William Lawrence, the elder, his uncle, was born at Northbourne and lived at Eastry, before joining the navy. In addition the name of Reginald Shepherd is shown as Reginald Sheppard, at the United Reform Church. Memorial Plaque - World War One Photograph - JMS 15/10/2010 4 1. CHARLES BEAN Army Rank/number: Private G/2789 Regiment: 8th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) First Theatre of War: France. Date of Entry: 1st September 1915. Date of Death: 29th September 1915. Died of Wounds. Age: 20. Cemetery Reference: Carvin Communal Cemetery, France. II. A. 1. Medal Entitlement: 1915 Star, Victory Medal and British War Medal. Remarks: Son of George and Elizabeth Bean of the Royal Oak, Whitfield Private George Bean Dover & East Kent News – Friday, 17th December, 1915 Charles Bean was born during the summer of 1895, the second son of George Bean and his wife, Elizabeth.