A South Ashford Archive The South Ashford Fallen Christ Church South Ashford War Memorial Transcription The Second World War 1939 - 1945 asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive The Christ Church War Memorial The war memorial is located in the north aisle of the church. The memorial contains two sections, at the top the First World War section containing 61 names, and the Second World War section at the bottom containing 34. An original inscription plate located below the memorial reads:- TO THE GLORY OF GOD ? IN COMMEMORATION OF THE JUBILEE OF THIS CHURCH ? AND ? IN HONOUR OF THE BRAVE MEN FROM SOUTH ASHFORD WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR. THIS SHRINE IS PRESENTED BY THOMAS GEORGE AND EDITH GRAY KITHER 1917. asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive The Second World War 1939 - 1945 The brass plaque reads:- "AND IN COMMEMORATION OF THOSE WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN THE GREAT WAR 1939-1945" There are 34 names on this section of the memorial, both those who died on active service and civilians who died as a result of enemy action. The blessing and dedication of this addition to the memorial was made "In thanksgiving for victory and in Commemoration of those men of South Ashford who gave their lives in the Second World War, 1939-1945" on 8th February 1947. asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive Roll of Honour 1939 - 1945 (in alphabetical order) EDWARD BEARD JACK CECIL BIGNELL JACK SEYMOUR BLAKE JACK BROWN GEORGE THOMAS BUTTON DOUGLAS VERNON CHAPMAN REGINALD JAMES CLARKE CHARLES WILLIAM CYRIL COE PETER JOHN DAY DONALD WILLIAM DIMON JAMES BERNARD DIXON HENRY GEORGE FINLAY DRURY WILLIAM FRANKLYN SIDNEY EARLL SIDNEY CHARLES EPPS DOUGLAS ROBERT WILLIAM HALL GEORGE HILLS PERCY HILLS HAROLD ROY HODGES CHARLES HOLDSTOCK ALFRED SIDNEY HOLLANDER JOSEPH ERNEST JAMES GEORGE BOWRING KIRBY LEONARD EDWARD LAWRENCE ALFRED LOWER CECIL MAIDSTONE ALEC ALBERT EDWARD MAYHEW ERNEST MORRIS ERNEST SYDNEY ROBERT NEWBLE WILLIAM CHARLES PULLENGER CHARLES TILDEN RELF THOMAS WILFRED SINDEN EDWIN SMITH EDWARD CYRIL SOPER WILLIAM JAMES WRATTEN asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive In Memory of Private Edward Beard 6288340, 5th Bn., The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) who died on 09 April 1943 Age 21 Son of James Beard and of May Eva Beard, of Beaver, Kent. Remembered with Honour Beja War Cemetery asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive EDWARD BEARD. Private 6288340, 5th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Born Oldham, Lancashire. Son of James and Mary Eva Beard of Beaver, Ashford, Kent. Died 9th April 1943, aged 21. Buried Beja War Cemetery, Tunisia. Grave Ref: 2. C. 3. Pre-war member of The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Edward was killed during his battalions attack on Point 667, which was the highest feature on Gebel Bech Chekaou near Oued Zarga, Tunisia. (kentfallen.com) HEADSTONE INSCRIPTION "DEATH FOUND HIM THERE ONLY AN HONEST LAD DOING HIS DUTY" REMEMBERED asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive In Memory of Flight Sergeant Navigator Jack Cecil Robert Bignell 1399771, 77 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 14 February 1945 Remembered with Honour Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive JACK CECIL BIGNELL. (JACK CECIL ROBERT BIGNELL). Flight Sergeant 1399771, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 77 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Born Ashford, Kent. Son of Else Bignell. Died 14th February 1945, aged 21. Buried Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: Collective grave 5. G. 10-15. Jack was the navigator of Halifax bomber MZ803 KN-G, which was flown by 22 year old Flight Sergeant (Pilot), Alfred G. Simmons, of East Barnet, Hertfordshire. The aircraft took off at 1845 hours on 13 February 1945 from R.A.F. Full Sutton, Yorkshire, in a mixed bomber force of 368 aircraft, of which 326 were Halifaxs, 34 Lancasters, and 8 Mosquitos. All were engaged on a mission to Böhlen near Leipzig, Germany to bomb the Braunkohle-Benzin synthetic-oil plant. Owing to extremely dense cloud over the target area up to 15,00 feet combined with icing, the Pathfinder Force aircraft were unable to provide accurate marking. Therefore the following main force bombs were dropped over a large and scattered area. Jack’s was the only aircraft lost on the raid, and the cause of loss and crash- site not established. All the seven crew perished and are interred in the same cemetery. (kentfallen.com) asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive In Memory of Civilian Jack Seymour Blake Civilian War Dead who died on 26 October 1942 Age 33 Husband of Mary Evelyn Blake, of 12 Hampden Road. Injured at Southern Railway Works; died same day at Ashford Hospital. Remembered with Honour Ashford, Urban District asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive JACK SEYMOUR BLAKE. Civilian War Dead. Born Lydd. Husband of Mary Evelyn Blake of 12 Hampden Road, Ashford, Kent. Died 26 October 1942, aged 33. Jack was injured at the Southern Railway Works, Ashford, and succumbed to his injuries later the same day whilst a patient at Ashford Hospital. (kentfallen.com) A report in the Kentish Express (30/10/42) reads:- WORKERS KILLED BY BOMBS SNEAK RAIDERS ATTACK INLAND TOWN Under cover of low clouds, sneak raiders have appeared over the south-east during the week, and bombs have been dropped have caused casualties and damage. One inland town experienced two attacks on Monday and both were carried out by Dorniers. The report goes on:- SHELTERED BEHIND A WALL In another area a bomb dropped near a workshop and five people were killed and several injured. Some of whom died later in hospital. The dead included Mrs. Lloyd, who together with several other persons had taken cover in the buildings. The bomb burst just outside and blast blew in the wall behind which they were sheltering. Adjacent buildings were damaged by the blast. Many people saw the bombs leave the aircraft. asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive In Memory of Civilian John Brown Civilian War Dead who died on 24 March 1943 Age 53 of 5 Marlowe Road. Died at Southern Railway Works. Remembered with Honour Ashford, Urban District asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive JACK BROWN. (John Brown) Civilian War Dead. Born Ashford, Kent. Resided 5 Marlowe Road, Ashford, Kent. Died 24th March 1943, aged 53. Died at Southern Railway Works. (kentfallen.com+) An extract from the Kentish Express (09/11/43) reads:- "The funeral took place at a parish church last week of Mr. John Brown, a works employee killed in a raid on S.E. England. The chief mourners were the Widow, the Misses J. and M. Brown (daughters), Messrs R. J. and W. Brown (sons)." Another extract from the Kentish Express (03/12/2009) reads:- "Beatrice Shrubsole (nee Brown) lost her father Jack Brown on March 24, 1943 after a bomb ricocheted into a wall near where he was working. The wall fell on him and he was found dead under the rubble. Beatrice was just nine months old at the time." Beatrice, born in 1942, was the youngest of 12 children born to Jack and his wife Beatrice after their marriage in 1919. asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive In Memory of Private George Thomas Button 6288041, 4th Bn., The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) who died on 17 June 1940 Age 20 Son of George and Dorothy Eva Button, of Ashford, Kent. Remembered with Honour Escoublac-La-Baule War Cemetery asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive GEORGE THOMAS BUTTON. Private 6288041, 4th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Born and resided Kent. Son of George and Dorothy Eve Button of Ashford, Kent. Died 17th June 1940, aged 20 (Died at sea). Buried Escoublac-la-Baule War Cemetery, Loire-Atlantique, France. Grave Ref: 1. E. 41. Pre war member of The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). George died during the loss of the H.M.T. Lancastria off St. Nazaire, France. On 17 June 1940 the 16,000 ton Cunard liner H.M.T. Lancastria (in use as a troopship), lay 5 miles off St Nazaire embarking troops and civilian refugees being evacuated from France, as the country was on the verge of collapse. George died when the Lancastria was attacked and hit by bombs from German aircraft, which caused her to roll over and sink within twenty minutes. The exact numbers onboard the ship will never be known, but almost certainly exceeded 6000 troops and civilians. (kentfallen.com) HEADSTONE INSCRIPTION THY WILL BE DONE asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive In Memory of Private Douglas Vernon Chapman 6210065, 1st Bn., Middlesex Regiment who died between 01 October 1942 and 02 October 1942 Age 24 Son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Chapman; husband of D. V. Chapman, of Ashford, Kent, England. Remembered with Honour Sai Wan Memorial asouthashfordarchive.wordpress.com A South Ashford Archive DOUGLAS VERNON CHAPMAN. Private 6210065, 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Born and resided Kent. Son of Charles and Emily Chapman. Husband of Kathleen Nutley (married 1941) of Ashford, Kent. Died 1st or 2nd October 1942, aged 24. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong, China. Column 14. Douglas died at sea aboard the “Lisbon Maru.” The sinking claimed the lives of over 800 men. On 25th September 1942 prisoners of war, who had been captured at the fall of Hong Kong nine months earlier by the Japanese, were moved from Shamshuipo prisoner of war camp and loaded aboard the 7,052 ton “Lisbon Maru.” Two days later the ship, commanded by Captain Kyoda Shigaru set sail for Shanghai, shortly after 0700 hours on 1st October the American submarine “The Grouper” fired six torpedoes at the ship, one of which hit the vessel.