CHRISTCHURCH, WAR MEMORIAL

Researched and written by Graham Webster

The Christchurch, Longcross, ’s War Memorial takes the form of a marble tablet inside the church.

Christchurch, Longcross Surrey War Memorial (SGW Project http://tinyurl.com/jazadx5 )

The war memorial was unveiled in 17 October by Rev’d E Garth IRELAND, vicar of Aldershot. According to the Surrey Herald of 22 October 1919, “…After the unveiling and dedication the names of the men were read out. As each name was read a relative came forward and presented flowers…”

Christchurch, a Grade II listed building, has been declared a redundant church and the parish has re-merged with the parish of Lyne, and although it is still currently installed in the church, recently Holy Trinity, Lyne has received faculty to remove it. BAIGENT, Frank

(Surrey Herald, 16 Nov 1917)

Frank BAIGENT, son of Harry BAIGENT, husband of Amy L Baigent, of 4, May Avenue, Lymington, Hants, a private with 1st Bn, , service number G/6616, died 15 September 1917. He is buried in the Berlin South Western Cemetery, Brandenberg, Germany.

Francis ‘Frank’ BAIGENT was born in Longcross, Cherstsey, Surrey, in 21 May 1879 to Henry and Hannah (nee FURZE), and was baptised on 22 June 1879 at Christchurch, Longcross, Surrey. In 1881, he is living in a “private house” in the area of Kits Mead, Longcross with father (a gardener but also “in care of” the house), mother, elder brothers, William Henry E, Frederick and Charles, and younger sister, Mary Beatrice. In 1891, the family – father is still a gardener – is living in Longcross Road, Lyne, , Surrey. Elder brother, Frederick is still at home, as is (Mary) Beatrice, but he now has other siblings – brother Weller, sister Emily, brother Valentine, and youngest sister Margaret. In January 1901, brother William dies. The family is living in Well’s Lane, Sunninghill, but Frank has moved away from home, working as a domestic footman in Knowlton Court, Knowlton, Eastry, Kent in the house of William H PETO, a retired building contractor. Henry is still a domestic gardener in 1911 and living with Hannah and children Valentine and Margaret at 2 Park Cottages, Lyne Chertsey, Surrey; four of their eight children had died. In Q3 1905, Frank marries Amy Louisa Hendey WHITREN in Lymington, Hampshire. His daughter, Ida Beatrice is born on 2 Jul 1906 in Longcross, Chertsey, Surrey. In the 1911 Census he is a gentleman’s servant at The Royal York and the Royal Albion Hotels, Old Steine, , while wife Amy is a butler at 103 Ebury Buildings, Hanover Square, (with daughter, Ida). His son, Norman Arthur is born also in the district of Chertsey, Surrey 21 August 1912.

Frank BAIGENT and family (Valmerryweather Ancestry.co.uk) He enlists in Bath, Somerset in November 1914 (according the newspaper cutting below); he joined the 1st Bn, East Surrey Regiment on 15 November 1916. He is reported missing on 8 May 1917 from ‘C’ Coy; he is official recorded as a prisoner of war on 8 May 1917 taken at Fresnoy (although the International Committee of the Red Cross has records from his prisoner of War Camp – Wittenberg - that state he was taken on 6 May 1917). Official he dies from his wounds in the Wittenberg POW Camp, Saxony, Germany although the cutting below states dysentery; his family is informed on 16 October 1917.

Surrey Advertiser, 12 November 1917, page 2, col 3

The probate of his estate (granted 9 February 1918 in London) gives Frank’s address in 1917 as Farleigh Plain, Hinton Charterhouse, Bath, with the value of his effects £170 (to Amy, his widow).

He is also commemorated on the Lyne war memorial at the Holy Trinity church:

Holy Trinity church, Lyne Surrey War Memorial tablet (© Graham WEBSTER)

BULBECK, William

William Henry BULBECK, son of George and Alice BULBECK (nee SHEPHERD/SHEPHARD), of , Surrey; husband of Winifred E SHERBOURNE (formerly BULBECK), of 3, Burritt Street, Rochester, was an Able Seaman serving on HMS submarine E16, service number J/4675 and died on 22 August 1916. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Southsea, Hampshire. William was born on 20 September 1893 in Harting, Sussex. He was baptised in Harting on 15 October 1893. In 1901 he was living at Gracious Pond Farm, , Surrey, where his father was a farm manager, with the family – mother, George an older brother and Annie a younger sister (two elder sisters, Alice and Gertude has obviously left home). The rest of the family were still living at Gracious Pond Farm in 1911. He married Winifred E SMITH in June 1916 in , Kent. When he died his wife was living at 3, Buriett Street, Delore Road, Rochester, Kent. His son, William Sidney, was born in October 1916. She then married Thomas SHERBOURNE in September 1919 in Medway, Kent.

Submarine E16, commissioned on 27 February 1915, sailed from Harwich, on 18th August 1916 (although in some sources she left Blyth, Northumberland in September 1916), was sunk by a mine in Heligoland Bight on 22 August 1916. E16 was last sighted thirty-five miles east of Yarmouth by HMS E38. E38 later observed a group of warships moving north, in the vicinity of Terschelling, Netherlands. Splashes were seen near to one of the warships which may have been depth charges exploding. Reports of enemy vessels attacking a periscope on the 22nd August may have been against E16. There were no survivors of the 31 crew (3 Officers, 28 Ratings).

CARTER, Charles

(De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, 1914-1919)

Charles Herbert Edgar CARTER, a Private with 1st Bn Coldstream Guards, service number 10113, died on 29 October 1914. He is commemorated on Ypres Menin Gate Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Charles was born 16 February 1895 in , to Charles William Peter and Eliza (PACKHAM, nee SADLER) CARTER. In 1901 they are living in Chobham, Surrey; father is a scaffolder on a building site. In the same household were his brother William (see below), and Frederick and Mabel PACKHAM step- brother and step-sister. At some time the family moved to Rose Cottage, Gracious Pond Road, Chobham. Charles was educated at Long Cross School. In 1911 Charles is working as a footman in 6 Oak Hill, Surbiton, Kingston, Surrey, the home of Richard Percy CLOWES, a solicitor, who was staying at the Grand Hotel, Leicester, on the day of the Census.

Charles enlisted on 2nd May 1913 and was killed in action near Ypres.

His younger brother, William, was killed also in action on 8 June 1918 and is also commemorated on the Longcross War Memorial. Like his brother, William, he is also on the Chobham War Memorial tablet:

St Lawrence, Chobham, War Memorial (© Graham WEBSTER)

CARTER, George

William George CARTER was a Private in the East Surrey Regiment attached to 2nd/21st Bn. London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles), service number G/39755, died on 8 June 1918. He is buried in the Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel.

William George was born in ca 1896 in , Surrey to Charles William Peter and Eliza (PACKHAM, nee SADLER). In 1901 they are living in Chobham, Surrey; father is a scaffolder on a building site. In the same household were his brother Charles (see above), and Frederick and Mabel PACKHAM step-brother and step-sister. In 1911 he is the only child living with parents at Rose Cottage, Gracious Pond, Chobham Woking, Surrey and is at school (Longcross School); father is a farm labourer. In 1915 he gives his address as Gracious Pond, Chobham, Surrey and he is working as a footman.

On 15 October 1915, he enlists in , Surrey in 3 Coy, Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), service number 72229 giving his mother as next-of-kin who is living in Gracious Pond Road, Chobham, Surrey – his step-brother and step-sister are also listed as living there. He is initially assigned to T Coy, RAMC, Eastbourne, Sussex. He serves with the 134th Field Ambulance, RAMC from March-October 1916, and is transferred to 133rd Field Ambulance on 20 October 1916. On 13 April 1917 he is admitted to 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, based at that time in Remy Siding (Lijssenthoek), Belgium with trench fever, and is shipped back to England on 24 April 1917 on the Hospital Ship Princess Elizabeth. He is discharged from Brook War Hospital, Shooters Hill, Woolwich, London on 18 May 1917 after a three week stay. He was absent from the 0630 hrs parade on 2 August 1917 at 8 Training Battalion, Blackpool and is punished accordingly. He returns to the Ballykinlar Command Depot (a military convalescent camp) on 5 September 1917 with trench fever and pleurisy in his left side; he is discharge on 8 November 1917. He was punished again for being absent without leave from Tattoo on 27 December 1917 to 1930hrs on 28 December 1917. In March 1918 he is sent out to Alexandria (via Cherbourg and Taranto) as part of 20th Egyptian Reinforcements. He compulsorily transferred to the East Surrey Regiment and posted to the 2/21st Bn, London Regiment on 23 April 1918 (he retains his RAMC pay); they were fighting in Palestine to capture Jersusalem. The 2/21st Bn London Regiment is disbanded on 3 June 1918 (five days before he dies) with soldiers dispersed to the 2/13th, 2/19th and 2/22nd battalions; it is not known which one William was posted to. He is killed in action in Syria (on a badly singed page of his service records it looks like Telfit)*.

Among his effects returned to his mother at Rose Cottage, Gracious Pond, Chobham, Surrey were: cigarette case, a damaged watch and strap, photo case and cards, a pair of scissors, a fountain pen, bathing costume; she acknowledged their receipt on 5 April 1919. In December 1920 the Graves Registration Unity informed that William’s remains were being exhumed but no detail are given to where; local cemeteries to the Jerusalem War Cemetery, perhaps (see Commonwealth War Grave Commission).

His older brother, Charles, was killed also in action on 29 October 1914 and is also commemorated on the Longcross War Memorial. William, like his brother, is also on the Chobham War Memorial tablet:

St Lawrence, Chobham, War Memorial (© Graham WEBSTER) * Records of soldiers with adjacent East Surrey Regiment service numbers, also in the RAMC and posted to the same theatre and at the time as CARTER, who were stretchers bearers, were transferred to 2/13th London Regiment and although speculative it is likely he was with them when killed and his death supersede any transfer notification on his records. On 11 June 1918 The Times reported: “On the morning of June 8 our troops in the coastal sector carried out a successful local operation capturing a portion of the enemy trench system in this area on the frontage of a mile, together with several of his observation posts. Counter attacks conducted under heavy bombardment were repulsed and our new line is being consolidated” [Also Battle of Arsuf; 12 miles NNE of Joppa (Jaffa) 5 miles SSW Tabsor]

COLWELL, Ernest

(Surrey Herald, 23 Jun 1916)

Ernest Alfred COLWELL, son of Albert and Agnes COLWELL (nee AVENELL), of The Lodge, Barrow Hills, Long Cross, Chertsey, Surrey a Signal Boy on HMS Tipperary, service number, J/33607, died 1 June 1916. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Southsea, Hampshire.

Ernest Alfred COLWELL was the only child born on 7 December 1898 in Shere, Surrey and was baptised on 26 February 1899 at St Peter and St Paul, Albury, Surrey. In 1901 he is living at Barrowhill Lodge, Longcross, Surrey; father was a kitchen gardener. The family is still living there in 1911; father is recorded as a domestic gardener.

By December 1914 he had joined the Royal Navy (it is noted that he was a errand boy) and served on a number of ships before joining the ill-fated Tipperary on 29 April 1916. Before that he was a Boy on HMS Powerful (6 Jan 1915-4 March 1915); HMS Ganges, (5 March 1915-May 1915 during which he was ‘promoted to Signal Boy); HMS Hecla (1 July 1915-22 August 1915); and HMS Carryport (23 August 1915-28 April 1915).

In May 1916, Tipperary was made the leader of the 4th Flotilla, a formation which directly supported the Grand Fleet. Tipperary led the 4th Flotilla at the Battle of Jutland under Captain C. J. Wintour. Tipperary and her squadron pressed home determined torpedo attacks on the German main battle line as it escaped across the rear of the British fleet during the night action, starting at approximately 23:20 on 31 May 1916. The 4th Flotilla sank the German light cruiser SMS Frauenlob, but Tipperary and many of the other British destroyers were sunk or badly damaged. These engagements took place at such close range that some of Tipperary's squadron were able to hit the German dreadnoughts with their small 4-inch guns, causing casualties that included command officers on the bridges. HMS Tipperary was sunk on 1 June 1916 by 5.9- inch (150 mm) fire from the secondary battery of the German dreadnought SMS Westfalen with the loss of 185 hands from her crew of 197. The wreck site is designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. Ernest’s body was never recovered.

Surrey Advertiser, 2 Jun 1917, p1, col 1

GOSDEN, William

William GOSDEN, a Private with the 8th Bn East Surrey Regiment, service number G/7067, died 16 June 1918. He is buried in the Glageon Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.

William was born on 7 November 1894 in Chobham, Surrey to William and Emma (nee WELSH); his father was recorded as a widower in the register of the marriage (his first wife was Georgina ROBERTS who he married on 3 March 1877 at St Lawrence church, Chobham, Surrey and who died Q2 1877 in the district of Chertsey). On 10 April 1899, he is enrolled at St Lawrence Church of England School, Chobham 1899. In 1901 he is living with parents in Gracious Pond, Chobham, Surrey; father is an agricultural labourer and there is a younger sister, Beatrice. He apparently attended Longcross School and was in the choir there. They are still living there is 1911; he is a domestic gardener, father is a labourer on farm. Also living there is also an older sister, Ada SMITH, who is a widow with three young children. Parents have had nine children, three of whom had died by 1911; these also include Louisa (although she was born before William and Emma married – Georgina’s child perhaps), Alice, Florence and Frederick.

Although there is a record of marriage between William GOSDEN (of West End, Chobham, Surrey, and a labourer) and Helen Frances CRANE (also from West End, a nursery gardener) on 14 December 1913 at Holy Trinity, West End, Chobham Surrey, she is not recorded as a next-of-kin in William’s service records (father, William, was). It is recorded that they had two children - (and their children – Beatrice Mary, born 1914, and Hilda Frances, born 19 Jan 1916.

William enlisted in Guildford, Surrey, on 19 January 1915 (giving address as Gracious Pond, Chobham Surrey and a gardener) and is initially assigned to 7th Bn, East Surrey Regiment (based in Aldershot, Hampshire) but is posted to 3rd Bn in July 1915, back to 7th Bn in September 1915 (this time, in Dover, Kent) and with the Regiment joins the British Expeditionary Force in October 1915; he is then with the 8th Bn in January 1918. A newspaper clipping below reports that he was a sniper. When William is reported missing on 23 March 1918 he is with ‘B’ Coy, 5 Platoon. His prisoner of war records state that he was captured at Frieres Wood, south of Saint-Quentin, Picardy, France and was a PoW in Trélon, a prisoner of war hospital (also noted as K.G. laz800, Frankr. = Kriegs-Gefangenen Lazarett 800, France); he died of dysentery.

The War Diary of the day records that “…The casualties incurred during this [ie 23 March 1918] day were very heavy, especially in Officers. A certain number were caused by the shelling in HALLET and FRIERES Wood, but by far the larger proportion by enemy machine gun fire…They…were attacked under cover of a thick mist…” In the East Surrey Regiment history it is recorded that “…Throughout the 23rd March the battalion had fought most gallantly against masses of troops whose concentrated machine gun fire had been more intense than any yet experienced, and had only given ground at tremendous cost to both itself and the enemy. During the day the Battalion withdrew first to the western edge of Frieres Wood, then to a position astride the Ugny Les Gay road and finally to Bethancourt, two miles south of Ugny…”

Surrey Advertiser, 14 Sep 1918, p3, col 3

HOCKLEY, Edward

William Edward HOCKLEY, a Private in the 9th Bn, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), service number G/41141, died 20 November 1916. He is buried in Agny Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

William Edward was born in Stone Hill, , Surrey in 1884 to parents Israel and Alice (nee CRITTENDEN) HOCKLEY. In 1891 the family is living in Stonehill Road, Ottershaw, Surrey; his father is a general labourer and he has a younger sister, Fanny. In 1901 he is still living in Stonehill (no 7) with sister and parents (father is still a general labourer, he is a garden labourer); at home are now younger brothers David, Thomas, younger sisters Lucy and Florence, and youngest brother, Frederick. A brother, Victor, was born later. All siblings are baptised in Christ Church, Ottershaw, Surrey; there is no record of William Edward’s baptism. In Q4 1905, his father dies in the district of Chertsey, Surrey. In Q2 1907, William married Ada TURNER in the district of Chertsey, Surrey. In 1911 the couple is living in Spratts Alley, Chertsey, Surrey; he is a general labourer and they have a son, William Edward. Another son, Alfred G was born in April 1912. He worked at St George’s Hill, where “…his work gave every satisfaction” (Surrey Herald, 22 Dec 1916).

William enlisted in Chertsey and was living in Stone Hill, Chertsey, Surrey. It is believed he landed in France in May 1915. From 10-22 October 1916 he was serving in 11th Bn Royal Fusiliers; from 23 October 1916 until his death he was with 9th Battalion. He was killed in action.

MULLENS, Cyril

Cyril John Ashley MULLENS, only son of Sir John Ashley MULLENS and Lady Evelyne Maud MULLENS (nee ADAMSON), of 6, Belgrave Square, SW1, London, a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves, died 5 May 1916. He is commemorate on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent.

Cyril was born 31 Oct 1896 in Cadogan Square, London (although some sources record the place of birth as Barrow Hills, Longcross, Chertsey, Surrey) – his birth was registered in the district of Chelsea. In 1901, he is living with his parents (father was a stockbroker) in Barrow Hills, Longcross, Chertsey, Surrey, with 11 servants. In 1911 he is living at 31 Lowndes Square, Chelsea, London, with sisters Elvira Enid (later to be implicated in a society murder scandal of 1932) and Avril Joy with only servants (11 and a secretary) as other occupant on the day of the Census; his parents are at Ossemsley Manor, Christchurch, Hampshire. He left Eton College in 1913 and went down to Trinity College, Cambridge in January 1915.

When signing up to the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), his father’s address, as next-of-kin, was 31 Lowndes Square, London SW. He attended ‘N Course’ aviation course at RNAS Eastchurch, Kent between 14 August and 11 September 1915. His appointment as a Flight Sub-Lieutenant was terminated on 21 October 1915 but subsequently received a temporary commission as a Sub-Lieutenant in the RNVR for Observer duties in October 1915. His subsequent postings were to RNAS Observer Training School at Clement Talbot Works (RNAS Wormwood Scrubs), Portsmouth (for another course), and Dover. He was then posted to No 1 Wing RNAS based at St Pol, France; his pilot in the Nieuport 12 (serial 8904) (a French sesquiplane reconnaissance, fighter aircraft and trainer) was ‘veteran’ Flight Sub- Lieutenant Herbert Rutter SIMMS. They were part of a group of RNAS aircraft continuing the patrols over the Belgian Coast to protect the mine barrage, when his aircraft was shot down by a German torpedo boat and seaplane off Ostend. The German report of the incident is as follows:

“At around 11.30 hours, seaplanes 547 and 638 took over the aerial defence of the destroyer that was working in the Western part of the blockade area. A 1205 hrs, two small cruisers and six destroyers were seen in square 066 Beta heading in an easterly direction at high speed. A report of this activity was immediately made to the torpedo boat destroyer V47 and confirmation was received that the message was understood. At 12.20hrs an enemy seaplane was seen, and this was followed by 638 (crewed by pilot Oblt z S Reinhert and Observer Ltn s Bönisch) to the vicinity of the enemy ships.

As 638 turned away, a Nieuport 12 fighting biplane was seen some 300 metres above and dead ahead. Both aircraft turned toward each other and the enemy opened fire at a range of 300 metres. The enemy aeroplane was hit by return fire and went down with its engines stopped and hit the water. Whereupon it turned upside-down and sank. 638 descended to a height of 50 metres over the crash position, but a landing to rescue the enemy crew was no longer possible due to the proximity of the enemy destroyers.”

His body was never found, although a lifebelt was recovered in the vicinity.

Newspaper reports of the time:

Surrey Advertiser, 13 May 1916, p5, col 6 In addition to his name on the memorial tablet, the church’s lych gate (ca 1920) was erected in Cyril MULLEN’s honour with a memorial stone:

Christchurch, Longcross – lych-gate and memorial stone for C J A MULLENS (http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2325667 ) (© Graham WEBSTER)

He is also commemorated on the Trinity College, Cambridge, war memorial (on the chapel’s south-west wall):

Trinity College Cambridge war memorial (http://trinitycollegechapel.com/war-memorials/)

His name also appears on the war memorial at St John the Baptist, Sedlescombe, East Sussex (believed to be close to his mother’s family home):

War Memorial, St John the Baptist, Sedlescombe, Sussex (https://www.flickr.com/photos/patvic67/28799254951/in/photostream/)

PARSONS, Frank

(Surrey Herald, 24 Nov 1916)

Frank PARSONS, son of Thomas Edwin and Sarah PARSONS, of Stone Hill, Chertsey, Surrey, a Rifleman (also recorded as Cyclist) in 1st/9th Bn London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles), service number 7032, died on 9 October 1916. He is on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

Frank Edwin was born Q1 1890 in Durnford, Ottershaw, Surrey to Thomas Edwin (Edwin Thomas) and Sarah Jemima (nee HEWLETT) PARSONS (PARSON); he was baptised in Ottershaw on 6 April 1890. In 1891, the family is living in in Row Town, , Surrey; he is the only child and father is a shepherd. In 1901 he is living with parents at Stanners Hill, Chobham, Surrey; his father is a shepherd on a farm. Little had changed by 1911; he was a domestic under gardener.

Frank enlisted in Fulham on 16 Dec 1915; he was killed in action.

WASPE, Herbert

Herbert WASPE, son of Harry WASPE, of Flutter's Hill Lodge, Long Cross, Chertsey, Surrey, a sergeant in 2nd Bn The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), service number L/7892, died 29 October 1914. He is commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Herbert was born in , Essex in ca January 1886 to Harry and Anna (nee FRIEND). Herbert is the eldest child in the house (Nellie/Ellen and Ernest had left home); he had two younger sisters, Alberta Lavinia and Grace Mable, then two younger brothers, George and Frederick. Mother died on 11 December 1893 in Longcross, Surrey, probably giving birth to sister May. Father then remarries Louisa Maud JACKSON on 19 December 1895 in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, and she subsequently gives birth to Herbert’s half-siblings, Percy Jackson, Harold William and May. Other than Herbert and Alberta, all the children were born in the district of Chertsey, Surrey. In 1901, Herbert is a domestic page in the household of Charlotte BLOXAM, Beech Hollow, The Vale, Oatlands, Walton on Thames, Surrey. The family are living at Fluttershill Lodge, Longcross, Chertsey, Surrey with father, a domestic coachman, step-mother, Alberta, Grace, Frederick, Percy and Harold.

Herbert enlisted in Guildford, Surrey on 9 September 1903 giving his occupation as a footman, and only attested when he turned 18 years (January 1904); his father consented to his enlistment as he was underage. He lists father (Henry) as next-of-kin, living at Flutters Hill Lodge, Longcross, Chertsey, Surrey, and his elder brother, Ernest, at Home Grange, Wokingham, Berkshire. In March 1916 he is serving at Shorncliffe, Kent. He is promoted to unpaid Lance Corporal on 21 December 1908 and confirmed in that rank on 9 August 1909. He is promoted again, to Corporal, on 27 July 1912. Between 1904 and 1907 he was an ‘officer’s servant’ and an orderly room clerk from 1907-1913, serving in Guildford, Dover, Shorncliffe, Colchester, Gibraltar, Bermuda and South Africa, arriving back to Southampton on the HMT Kenilworth Castle on 19 September 1914. On 4 October 1914 they embarked on Turcoment, first for Dover, Kent, then Zeebrugge, Belgium. Having achieved rank of Sergeant on 23 September 1914, a month later he was reported missing and declared killed in action (probably during the First Battle of Ypres, on the Gheluvelt Road), and yet it is also recorded (at 1 Field Hospital) that he received a gunshot wound to the chest in the field on 29 October 1914.

His father acknowledges receipt of Herbert’s 1914 Star medal in July 1919, and a clasp to that medal in May 1921; his British War Medal was acknowledged in January 1921 and the Victory Medal in July of the same year.

WELLS, Fred

(Surrey Herald, 19 Jul 1918)

Frederick Thomas WELLS, a Private in 7th (City of London) Bn London Regiment, service number 365108, died on 3 July 1918. He is buried in Contay British Cemetery, Somme, France.

Frederick was born in Lewes, Sussex in ca 1900 to William Edwin and Annie (nee TURNER) WELLS. In 1901 he (Freddy) is the youngest child living with the family at 6, Malling Street, St Thomas a Becket in the Cliffe, Lewes, Sussex, with elder brother Stanley, and elder sisters Daisy and Florence (Florry); father is a boot dealer. In 1911 he is living at 120 Station Road, Addlestone with parents (father is still a bootmaker in a shop) and siblings, now with a younger brother, Raymond. The family appear to have moved around as two of the children were born in Hackney, two in Lewes, Sussex and Raymond in Addlestone.

He enlisted in Guildford on 26 November 1917 in 21st Bn London Regiment, service number 656306 giving his occupation as a bootmaker. He states he served as a cadet in the local Volunteer Co. before enlisting. Apparently his parents never saw him as a soldier. He is killed in action by a shell at the second Battle of the Somme

WHITTALL, Frank

Frank WHITALL and ?brother ca 1900 (hewettanna, Ancestry.co.uk)

Frank WHITALL (WHITTALL), son of Frederick and Sarah WHITALL, of Hart Dene Cottage, Bagshot, Surrey, a Private in the 2nd Bn, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), service number L/8810, died on 17 November 1914. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Hainaut, Belgium.

Frank was born in in Q2 1888 to Frederick and Sarah Louisa (nee KEEN) WHITALL; his birth is registered in Windsor, Berkshire. He was baptised at Christchurch, Longcross, Surrey, on 8 July 1888; they are living in Longcross, Surrey and father is a labourer. In 1891 he is living at Strawberry Gardens, Egham, Windsor, Berkshire with elder siblings Alice, Bertie, and Flora, and younger brother, Alfred; brother William Parker, had died a year earlier and brothers Walter and Mark Frederick five years earlier; siblings James and Minnie had moved away.. Mother, Sarah, died on 14 June 1896 in Longcross, Surrey and was buried in Christchurch, Longcross, Surrey on 17 June 1896. In 1901, he is living with the family at Knowle Hill, Longcross; father is a carter on a farmer and Minnie is looking after the household; brother Edward Keen is living with his uncle in Chobham, Surrey. Also living there is Bertie, Alfred and youngest brother, Ernest Henry. In 1911 he is a Private in 1st Bn, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) in Warley Barracks, Brentwood Essex; father, a shepherd, is living on his own in Longcross, Surrey.

On 16 July 1912 Frank sailed on the Ascania to Quebec, Canada from Southampton heading to Douglas (?Manitoba) where he intended to farm (he gave his occupation in the UK as a gardener); the ship’s manifest records “British Bonus Allowed”*. His brother, Alfred had emigrated to Canada previously: initially sailing on Pomeranian from London to Montreal, Canada via Le Havre, France arriving on 25 May 1907; he then sailed from Liverpool to New York USA on 26 February 1910 on the Lusitania from Liverpool heading for Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; he gave his occupation as farm labourer and his address as Barrow Hills, Longcross, Chertsey, Surrey. On 16 September 1914, Frank returns to the UK from Canada (Quebec to Bristol on the Uranus) as a reservist. Apparently he had signed up whilst in Canada.

It is believed he enlisted in Guildford, Surrey, giving address as Ascot, Berkshire.

He was accidently killed whilst on service but there are no details how the accident happened.

* British Bonus a commission paid by the Canadian Governments Immigration Branch to steamship booking agents in the for each suitable immigrant who purchased a ticket to sail to Canada. The immigrants themselves did not receive a bonus

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Ancestry.co.uk

Findmypast.co.uk

Minutes of meeting of the Parochial Church Council held on Tuesday 10 February…,.Christ Church Parochial Church Council cc-vw.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/15-02-10-PCC-Minutes-final.pdf accessed 11 Sept 2016

Graham WEBSTER, January 2017