BOUGHTON ALUPH and

EASTWELL (Kennington Lees / Boughton Lees)

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The Great War 1914 – 1919

The village of Boughton Aluph maintains a war memorial on the village green and cricket field. It

was dedicated by The Reverend Joseph A Halloran on 6th February 1921. Lady Northcote of Eastwell Park made a substantial monetery contribution towards the £140 building cost. Erected

by the village builder H.G Worger. Frederick Ladd the village Blacksmith aided by his brother Ernest made the original ornate iron fencing.

We are convinved that this war memorial should have included all the fallen men of Eastwell. The Huckstepp brothers both came from Eastwell and their names were placed on Boughton Aluph’s

tribute.

C.E.S Martin is buried in the Boughton Aluph Churchyard yet unbelievably his name does not appear on the village tribute…

Some kind soul is looking after the vilage tribute. During the summer it is a brilliant flower display. It’s a pity that the parish doesn’t feel the same about the Church Burial Ground where war graves

lie in dense undergrowth and weeds year round!

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AMOS P.W Lance Corporal G/2566 Percy William AMOS. 7th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died of wounds at St Lukes Hospital, Bradford Yorkshire 25th November 1916 aged 23 years. Born 4th August 1893 at Bonnington. Enlisted Ashford. Resided Wye. Son of Stephen and Sarah Ann Amos of White Hill, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Formerly residing at Burntdown House, Bonnington, Ashford, Kent. Buried locally in the Wye (Gregory and Martin) Churchyard, Wye, Ashford, Kent. Grave reference – South West end of Church near main gate. Sadly the cross has broken off the plinth and is laying on the ground. Before the outbreak of war Percy worked for Mr C.F File of Bilting Grange, Wye, Kent. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – White Hill, Boughton Aluph Private 2564 Stephen John AMOS. 7th Buffs (East Kent Regiment. Attended Royal Engineers. The Boughton Aluph 1901 census gives – White Hill, Boughton Aluph Stephen AMOS 43 General Labourer Lympne Sarah 39 Lambourne, Berks Emily 15 Ashford John 12 Bonnington Percy 7 Bonnington Lucy 2 Eastwell Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph George AMOS 43 Labourer Westwell Annie 20 Challock Daisy 3 Boughton Aluph Thomas SWAN 44 Labourer Wye Percy died of his wounds at St Luke’s War Hospital, Bradford, Yorkshire from Gas Gangrene arising from shell wounds.

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BAKER W Private G/24503 William Henry BAKER. 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 20th August 1916. Born Faversham. Enlisted Ashford. Resided The Forstal, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. William has no known grave. His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Panel reference 11A and 11D. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – The Forstal, Boughton Aluph Private 240830 Bertie James BAKER. 1st Buffs (East Kent Regiment). On 20th August 1916 the 1st Buffs were near High Wood on the Somme. They moved into a front line trench known as “switch Line” near Clark’s trench. The battalion war diary notes that there were 374 casualties between 15th August and 21st August. On 31st August the battalion withdrew to billets at nearby Albert.

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BISHOPP H Private G/43689 Henry BISHOPP. 17th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Died 28th April 1917. Born Boughton Lees, Ashford, Kent. Enlisted Purfleet Essex. Resided Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Son of Rose Bishopp of Boughton Lees, Ashford, Kent. Henry has no known grave. His name appears on the Arras Memorial, Arras, France. Panel reference - Bay 7. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – Clark’s Cottages, Boughton Aluph Private 19246 Jesse BISHOPP. Army Veterinary Corps. Private 24258 John BISHOPP. 4th Grenadier Guards. The 1901 census gives- Boughton Lees Ashford Rose BISHOPP 37 Wye James 15 Labourer Boughton Aluph Edward 13 Boughton Aluph Alice 11 Boughton Aluph Henry 9 Boughton Aluph Mabel 8 Boughton Aluph Ethel 6 Boughton Aluph John 3 Boughton Aluph Edith 8m Boughton Aluph 17, Rugby Road, Ashford

Henry BISHOPP 38 Labourer Sellindge …….. 33 Maidstone Frances 13 Ashford Henry 11 Ashford Bay Tree Cottage, Boughton Lees Edward BISHOPP 65 Labourer Boughton Aluph Maria 63 Molash The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) recruited widely in Purfleet Essex therefore it is probable that Henry may have originally joined that regiment. As the war progressed and casualties mounted, men were often drafted to other Regiments. BROTHERWOOD C Lance Corporal 16633 Charles Henry BROTHERWOOD. 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Died 29th September 1915. Born Chart Sutton, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury. Resided Boughton Aluph. Charles has no known grave. His name appears on the Loos Memorial, Loos, France. Panel reference 5 to 7. On the 27th September 1915 the Guards moved out of Vermelles and proceeded towards Puits. The 3rd Grenadier Guards fought alongside the Scots Guards. Enemy machine gun fire was intense from Bois Hugo. The Guards held a line in Chalk Pit Wood. Intense fighting continued for the next 2 days on this same ground.

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BRUNGER E. F Private T/240901 Edward Frank BRUNGER. 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Formerly 5th Battalion. Died Tuberculosis (Galloping Consumption) 6th August 1917. Born 16th August 1896 Wittersham 16th August 1896. Resided White Hill, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Enlisted Ashford. Edward has no known grave. His name appears on the Kirkee War Memorial, near Bombay, India. Great Uncle of Pieta James of Queensland, Australia. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – White Hill, Boughton Aluph Private 203084 Henry BRUNGER. 4th Buffs (East Kent Regiment). In August 1917 the 2nd Buffs were in Salonika, Greece fighting the Bulgarian Army. Edward had been left behind in India suffering from T.B. Edward eventually died of Consumption (T.B) in the Bombay British Military Hospital.

BURCHETT E Private G/37292 Ernest BURCHETT. 11th Battalion, Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died 7th July 1917 aged 31 years. Born Boughton Aluph. Enlisted Canterbury. Resided Ramsgate. Son of John and Sarah Burchett of Malthouse Cottage, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Husband of Margaret Paterson Burchett of The Forstal, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Ernest has no known grave. His name appears on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. Panel reference 11,13,14. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – The Lees, Boughton Aluph Private 240829 William Thomas BURCHETT. 1st Buffs (East Kent Regiment). The 1901 census gives – Malthouse Cottage, Boughton Aluph John BURCHETT 53 General Labourer Boughton Aluph Sarah 54 Wye Frederick 22 Labourer Boughton Aluph Ernest 15 Boughton Aluph Arthur 12 Boughton Aluph GREENSTREET J Private 16123 James Richard GREENSTREET. 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Died 26th October 1914 aged 19 years. Born Ashford. Enlisted Canterbury. Son of John and Emily Greenstreet of Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. James has no known grave. His name appears on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. Panel reference 9 and 11. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – Near The Lees, Boughton Aluph Stoker K/4115 Harold Frederick GREENSTREET. HMS Basilisk, Royal Navy. Gunner 30951 Henry John GREENSTREET. Royal Garrison Artillery. The 1901 census gives – Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph John GREENSTREET 43 Wheelwright Canterbury Emily 44 Boughton Aluph Henry 12 Boughton Aluph William 8 Boughton Aluph James 5 Boughton Aluph Harold 2 Boughton Aluph On the 17th October 1914 the 1st battalion moved forward to Kruiseecke in Belgium. On the 19th October the battalion attacked German positions on a line running from Kruiseecke to the Ypres-Menin Road. The battalion remained in this area until the end of the month. The day that James died the battalion was in action all day. The enemy was shelling their positions all day and many men were buried alive. The next day the 27th, the battalion withdrew to Sanctuary Wood. 9

HOOK C Private G/9128 Christopher William HOOK. 6th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 4th August 1916 aged 22 years. Born 24th February 1894 at Aldington. Resided Boughton Lees. Son of William and Fanny Hook (nee Slingsby) of “Hobday Cottage”, Boughton Lees, Ashford. Formerly Church Street, Aldington, Ashford, Kent. Christopher has no known grave. His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial, The Somme, France. Panel reference 5D. Christopher’s father was a Farm Waggoner. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – Hobday’s Cottages, The Lees, Boughton Aluph Private WR/26881 Charles HOOK. 345th R.C.C.R.E (unknown Royal Engineers unit?). On 3rd August 1916 the 6th battalion was holding the line in the Ovillers Sector. The 6th Buffs were given the task of attacking an enemy trench called “Ration Trench”. This engagement was later to be known as the Battle of Pozieres Ridge. The next day (4th) the 6th Buffs retired to huts at Martinsart Wood having lost 120 casualties. HUCKSTEPP F (Brother) Private G/2759 Frank Edward HUCKSTEPP. 7th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 23rd March 1918. Born Boughton Aluph. Resided Boughton Aluph. Son of George and Jane Huckstepp of Lake Cottage, Eastwell, Ashford, Kent. Sister of Mrs R.J Wood of The Street, Kennington, Ashford, Kent. Frank has no known grave. His name appears on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France. Panel reference 16. The 1901 census gives – Lake Cottage, Eastwell George HUCKSTEPP 39 Woodman Boughton Aluph Jane 40 Ospringe, Kent George 15 Boughton Aluph Mary 14 Boughton Aluph Annie 12 Boughton Aluph Frederick 9 Boughton Aluph Edward 6 Boughton Aluph Thomas 5 Boughton Aluph The early part of March 1918 was spent between the Zollern Redoubt and Miraumont. Nothing of note occurred according to the regimental history. On 21st March the 7th Buffs marched to Harponville where it was biletted. On the 25th March the battalion entrained at Saleux for Hazebrouck.

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HUCKSTEPP T.T (Brother) Private G/15625 Thomas T HUCKSTEPP. 7th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Formerly Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Formerly Kent Cyclist Battalion. Died 4th October 1916. Born Eastwell, Ashford. Enlisted Wye. Resided Boughton Lees. Son of George and Jane Huckstepp of Lake Cottage, Eastwell, Ashford, Kent. Sister of Mrs R.J Wood of The Street, Kennington, Ashford, Kent. Thomas has no known grave. His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Panel reference 5D. Prior to the outbreak of war Thomas was employed by Mr J Back of Wye. He joined the Kent Cyclist Battalion in May 1914. The local paper stated that Thomas was killed by a shell exploding near him. He died instantly. The 1901 census gives – Lake Cottage, Eastwell George HUCKSTEPP 39 Woodman Boughton Aluph Jane 40 Ospringe, Kent George 15 Boughton Aluph Mary 14 Boughton Aluph Annie 12 Boughton Aluph Frederick 9 Boughton Aluph Edward 6 Born Boughton Aluph Thomas 5 Boughton Aluph On 4th October 1916 the 7th Buffs were in the Thiepval Sector fighting near the Schwaben Redoubt. This was a heavily fortified German trench position in Thiepval village next to the wood. Thomas died assaulting this position alongside many other men who also fell here.

HUMPHREY E Ernest HUMPHREY - NO TRACE (8 Possibles listed on Soldiers Died Great War) – It is possible that the spelling may have been corrupted. Possibly this man – Private L/8088 Ernest HUMPHREY. 1st Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died 8th October 1914. Born Haslemere, Surrey. Enlisted Guildford, Surrey. Resided Rowgate, Petersfield, Hampshire. Buried Le Mans West Cemetery, Le Mans, France. Grave reference A.49. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – White Hill, Boughton Aluph Private 45514 George David HUMPHRIES. 5th Suffolk Regiment. LADD F (brother) Private G/941 Frank R. LADD. 9th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 16th June 1915. Born Boughton Lees. Resided Boughton Lees. Son of James and Jane Ladd of “Forge Cottage”, Boughton Lees, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Thurrock (West Thurrock) Cemetery, Essex. Grave reference B.2.35. Frank’s father James Ladd was the village Blacksmith. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – The Lees, Boughton Aluph Lance Corporal 240273 Ernest Edwin LADD. 5th Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Lance Corporal 96458 Sydney Edward LADD. Tank Corps. The 1901 census gives- Forge Cottage, Boughton Aluph James LADD 56 Blacksmith Wye Jane 35 Molash Frederick 23 Blacksmith Wye Ernest 13 Tonbridge James 12 Boughton Aluph Matilda 11 Boughton Aluph Hilda 10 Boughton Aluph John 9 Boughton Aluph Frank 8 Boughton Aluph Daisey 4 Boughton Aluph Sidney 2 years Boughton Aluph The 9th battalion was stationed in Dover at the time of Frank’s death. The 9th battalion never went overseas because it was used as a training battalion and was based at the Citadel in Dover with the 3rd (reserve) battalion. Frank was probably killed in some kind of training accident. Alternatively, he died of illness or disease. It is interesting that he was buried at Thurrock because a couple of Buffs battalions were in fact raised from there during the war years.

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LADD R Seaman 3295A Robert John LADD. HMS “Cressy”, Royal Naval Reserve (RNR). Died 22nd September 1914 aged 26 years. Born Wye. Resided Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Son of Mrs E Ladd of 3 School Green, Southwold, Suffolk. Robert has no known grave. His name appears on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent. Panel reference 8. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – The Lees, Boughton Aluph Lance Corporal 240273 Ernest Edwin LADD. 5th Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Lance Corporal 96458 Sydney Edward LADD. Tank Corps. The 1901 census gives – Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph Robert LADD 27 Bakers Assistant Wye HMS Cressy was a Cressy Class Cruiser built 4th December 1899 and commanded by Captain R.W Johnson. The Cruisers Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue were on patrol off the Dutch coast to prevent German forces from moving south to attack the Channel troop convoys. Owing to bad weather the three cruisers were without their destroyer escorts. At 0630 hours on the 20th September there was a violent explosion on Aboukir’s starboard side. She quickly assumed a 20 degree list to starboard while efforts were made to right the ship by counterflooding. However, the list kept on increasing until it was clear that she was going to capsize. Abandon ship was ordered and the Hogue prepared to rescue her crew. At 0655 hours Aboukir capsized and floated bottom up for a while before sinking. Captain Drummond thought that his ship had been mined but in fact she had been torpedoed by the U9 German Submarine (Captain Otto Weddigen). As Aboukir was sinking Captain Nicholson took Hogue in close to rescue survivors from the Cressy. As he did so U9 attacked the Aboukir and hit the ship with another torpedo in the midships. All guns were bought to bear on the submarine which by this time had been spotted. The Aboukir sank very quickly. The Captain of the Cressy (R.W Johnson) bought his ship alongside the Hogue to rescue survivors. As he did so the U9 once again went into attack mode firing off two torpedoes. Both struck the Cressy and she became U9’s third victim in less than an hour. That days death toll was a massive 1,459 men – Greater than the whole casualty rate of Nelson’s Battle of Trafalgar! Surely the darkest day in the Royal Navy’s fine history.

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MARTIN C.E.S * Thanks to Dave Dixon at www.fadedgenes.co.uk for pointing out inaccuracies and providing detailed information. Sergeant 540430 Cecil Edward S MARTIN. Royal Engineers. Died 7th April 1918 aged 30 years. Resided Pail View House, Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Born December 1887 at Eastwell, Ashford, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury. Son of Henry and Amy Martin (nee Chambers) of Pail View House, Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Buried locally in the Boughton Aluph (All Saints) Churchyard, Ashford, Kent. Grave reference – South East Corner. The 1901 census gives – …. View House, Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph Henry MARTIN 53 Wheelwright Kennington Amy 54 Woodchurch Henrietta 30 Kennington Alfred 20 Eastwell Cecil 13 Wheelwright Eastwell Cecil was employed as a Wheelwright Apprentice in the family Blacksmiths Shop.

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MERTON C.F Private G/13509 Charles Frederick MERTON. 7th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Formerly 9th Battalion. Died 30th December 1916. Enlisted Maidstone. Husband of E.J Fletcher (formerly Merton) of Borough Green, Kent. Buried in the Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France. Grave reference II.G.2. Philosophe lies between Bethune and Lens. From the Lens-Bethune road (N43), follow the D165E road for 400 metres to a right turn. The cemetery lies to the left 100 metres along this track. The first CWGC sign for the cemetery is at the junction of the N43 and the D165E. Historical Information: The cemetery was started in August 1915. In 1916 it was taken over by the 16th (Irish) Division, who held the Loos Salient at the time, and many of their dead were brought back to the cemetery from the front line. Succeeding divisions used the cemetery until October 1918, and men of the same Division, and often the same battalion, were buried side by side. After the Armistice, many isolated graves from the Loos battlefield were brought into the cemetery, including those of 41 men of the 9th Black Watch. There are now 1,996 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery, 277 of them unidentified. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

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MURTON P.O Private G/1774 Percy Oliver MERTON. 7th Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died 25th August 1915 aged 22 years. Born Capel Le Ferne, Folkestone. Enlisted Maidstone. Resided Sittingbourne. Son of Henry and Emily Merton of White Hill, Wye, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Point 10 Old Military Cemetery, Fricourt, The Somme, France. Grave reference B.10. On the 14th August 1915 the 7th Queen’s went into the 5th Division trenches at Fricourt for instruction. On 23rd August the battalion moved into the 18th Division trenches facing the Pommiers Ridge between Fricourt and Montauban. The Germans exploded a mine and a number of men were killed. On the 27th August the 7th battalion came out the line and returned to billets. Fricourt is a village in the Department of the Somme 5 kilometres east of Albert. The Cemetery is about 1 kilometre south of Fricourt on a track running between the roads from Fricourt and Mametz to Bray. Both the new and the old cemeteries are near the side of the track, the old being 230 metres north of the new. Historical Information: Fricourt village was captured by the 17th Division on 2 July 1916 but the southern part of the commune, in which this cemetery is situated, was already in Allied hands. Point 110 Old Military Cemetery was begun by French troops in February 1915 and continued by the 1st Dorsets and other Commonwealth units from August 1915 to September 1916. The cemetery was named from the contour on the map; before September 1916 it was called King George's Hill. Point 10 Old Military Cemetery contains 100 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, three of which are unidentified. The French graves were later removed to the French national cemetery at Albert.

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NEWPORT J Private G/940 John Joseph NEWPORT. 7th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 6th May 1917 aged 29 years. Born Challock. Enlisted Ashford. Resided Boughton Lees. Son of John and Olive Newport of “Chesnut Cottage, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Formerly (1901) Paddock Street, Chalock, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Wimereux Communal Cemetery. Grave reference II.J.17. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – Baytee Cottage, The Lees, Boughton Aluph Frederick NEWPORT. Royal Naval Division (RND). Private 080079 William NEWPORT. Army Service Corps (Attended Royal Engineers). The 1901 Census gives – Paddock Street, Challock John Newport 56 Waggoner Boughton Aluph Olive 49 Herefordshire Mary 13 Challock John 13 Challock Kedwick 10 Challock Charlotte 10 Challock The 7th battalion was in action at Cherisy on the 2nd and 3rd of May 1917. This was a major engagement in which many men were killed and wounded. The battalion’s objective in this attack was an enemy trench system known as Keeling Copse. John was wounded in this action and was recovered to a base hospital at Wimereux near Buologne where he later died of his wounds. He was buried in the base hospital’s dedicated cemetery.

NORRIS W * Brother in Law of William Alfred SINDEN (Below) Private L/8705 William NORRIS. 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 14th February 1915 aged 34 years. Born Boughton Lees. Resided Boughton Lees. Son of John and Charlotte Ann Norris of Boughton Lees, Ashford, Kent. William has no known grave. His name appears on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. Panel reference 12 and 14. Killed in action at Neuve Chapelle, France. William lost his life after only 2 days in the trenches. His cousins resided in Canterbury and he had three sisters living in Boughton Aluph. Both his parents died before the outbreak of war. On the 6th February 1915 the 2nd battalion took over frontline trenches North of the Ypres-Comines Canal. On the 14th February 1915 the battalion was in action all day. The objective was an enemy trench system known as O Trench. On the 15th February the battalion withdrew to Reninghelst and then to Locre on the 19th February 1915.

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POCKNELL F Lance Corporal 16023 Frank Arthur POCKNELL. 12th (Bermondsey) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Died 15th September 1916 aged 29 years. Born Upper Norwood. Enlisted Kingston, Surrey. Son of Arthur Edward and Annie Pocknell of Herne Bay, Kent. Husband of Nellie Winifred Pocknell of 4, Eastwell Terrace, Boughton Lees, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Bulls Road Cemetery, Flers, France. Grave reference II.H.12. On the 11th September 1916 the 12th battalion was in camp at Fricourt on the Somme, France. On the 14th September it moved into frontline trenches near Longueval North West of Delville Wood (Devil Wood). The day that Frank died the battalion attacked the enemy towards Flers. It appears that Frank was killed somewhere near the village of Flers. His body was buried nearby. Flers is a village in the Department of the Somme, about 8 kilometres north-east of Albert. From the D929, direction Bapaume-Albert, leave Bapaume and after 1.3 kilometres follow the signs for Ligny Thilloy. Continue through the village until you give way to the D10, then turn right and follow signs for Flers. 200 metres into the village of Flers is a sign for Bulls Road Cemetery. Follow the winding route off to the left for 500 metres and the cemetery is on the right hand side, 20 metres off the road. Historical Information: Flers was captured on 15 September 1916 in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, when it was entered by the New Zealand and 41st Divisions behind tanks, the innovative new weapons that were used here for the first time. The village was lost during the German advance of March 1918 and retaken at the end of the following August by the 10th West Yorks and the 6th Dorsets of the 17th Division. The cemetery was begun on 19 September 1916 and was used by fighting units (mainly Australian) until March 1917. The 154 burials made during these months now form Plot I. Plot II, Row A, Graves 1-17 were added in September 1918 by the 17th Division burial officers. The rest of the cemetery consists of graves (mainly of September 1916, or August 1918) brought in after the Armistice from the fields between Flers and Longueval. There are now 776 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 296 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 15 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

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REYNOLDS A Sapper 55653 Alfred E REYNOLDS. 112th (Railway Operating) Company, Railway Operating Division (R.O.D), Royal Engineers. Died 24th June 1917. Born Godmersham. Enlisted London. Resided Boughton Aluph. Buried in the White House Cemetery, France. Grave reference III.P.2. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – The Lees, Boughton Aluph Robert REYNOLDS. Government Agricultural Farm Work (Unusual description). The Cemetery is located north-east of Ieper on the Brugseweg (N313) in the direction of Roeselare/Brugge. From the Grote Markt in Ieper take the road called Korte Torhoutstraat and at the end turn left into Lange Torhoutstraat, follow this road over the roundabout into Kalfvart and continue to the traffic lights. At the traffic lights turn right into Brugseweg and the cemetery is along here on the left before the village of St Jan. Historical Information: White House Cemetery

was begun in March 1915 and used until April 1918 by units holding this part of the line. It was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields around Ypres (now Ieper) and from a number of small burial grounds in the area. The burial grounds from which British graves were brought to White House Cemetery included the following:-. BASSEVILLE FARM GERMAN CEMETERY, ZANTVOORDE, on the Zantvoorde-Zillebeke road, where five soldiers from the United Kingdom were buried in November, 1914. BAVARIA HOUSE CEMETERY, YPRES, at an Advanced Dressing Station near Verlorenhoek and close to the Potijze-Zonnebeke road. Here were buried, in September-November, 1917, 17 soldiers from the United Kingdom, four from Canada, four from Australia, three from New Zealand and one from the West Indies. BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY, ENCLOSURE No. 1, ZILLEBEKE, on the East side of the Ypres-St. Eloi road. In this, the oldest of the five Bedford House "Enclosures," ten French soldiers were buried in 1914 and 1915, and 14 soldiers from the United Kingdom in 1915 and 1917. COTTAGE GARDEN CEMETERY, ST. JEAN, close to the main street of the village. Here were buried, in 1914-1915, 44 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Canada. GREEN HUNTER CEMETERY, VLAMERTINGHE, close to the cabaret "In den Groenen Jager," a little West of the Vlamertinghe-Voormezeele road. Twenty soldiers from the United Kingdom were buried here in 1915 and 1918. HENGEBAERT FARM CEMETERY, DICKEBUSCH, a mile North of Dickebusch village, where 16 soldiers from Australia and ten (all R.F.A.) from the United Kingdom were buried in 1915-1917. NORTH BANK CEMETERY, VOORMEZEELE, (also called Lankhof Cemetery), between Lankhof Farm and the canal. In this cemetery, which was completely destroyed, eleven Canadian soldiers were buried in April and May, 1916. WILDE WOOD CEMETERY, ZONNEBEKE, a little North of the Ypres-Roulers railway line, where 17 soldiers from the United Kingdom were buried in July-September, 1917. There are now 1,163 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 323 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 16 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 28 casualties who were buried in other cemeteries but whose graves could not be found on concentration. The cemetery also contains eight Second World War burials, all dating from May 1940. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

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SINDEN W * Brother in Law of William Norris (Above) Private 446232 William Alfred SINDEN. 107th (P.O.W) Company, Labour Corps. Formerly 836th Area Employment Company. Formerly (5062) The Buffs, (East Kent Regiment). Died 2nd August 1920 aged 44 years. Resided Worgers Cottage, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Husband of Hariett Emily Sinden (nee Norris). His wife Hariett was the sister of William Norris. died at Worgers Cottage of heart disease and Rheumatism caused by or aggravated by his war service. William’s son Mr A.W.H Sinden was present at his fathers death. William’s death certificate reference is East Ashford/Wye/1920/entry 346. The death certificate states that William was a Domestic Gardener and former soldier. Buried 7th August 1920 in an unmarked paupers grave in the Boughton Aluph parish churchyard, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Grave reference – 95. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission did not record William as a war casualty until October 2005. Neil Clark (assisted by Keith Sinden) submitted William’s name for belated commemoration in September 2005. A month later the MoD finally agreed that William’s name should be added to the CWGC roll of honour. More importantly an official war headstone will soon be erected. ERECTED 2006 William was invalided from the army on 12th March 1919 aged 43 years. Upon discharge he returned to Worgers Cottage, Boughton Aluph near Ashford, Kent. After William’s death his widow was awarded a war pension by the Ministry of Pensions (Case number 7497). The certificate clearly states that William’s illness WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO WAR SERVICE.

William was married to Harriet Emily Sinden on 28th August 1898 at Boughton Lees, Ashford. They had 4 children – Alfred W.H 1900 Bertie George 30th August 1902 Percy John 10th June 1906 Nelson Benjamin 10th July 1911 Fred David 30th December 1914 William attested for war service in The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 30th May 1916 at Ashford. He was posted to the army reserve the next day and commenced his training at the Citadel in Dover with the 3rd Battalion, The Buffs. On the 27th June 1916 William was drafted to a Buffs frontline service battalion. He served in The Buffs until 19th August 1918 when he was transferred to the Labour Corps. He had been medically downgraded and was no longer fit enough to serve in the infantry. The 1901 census gives – Boughton Lees William SINDEN 25 Stable Worker Boughton Aluph Harriet 21 Petham Alfred 6m Boughton Lees Boughton Lees Alfred SINDEN 52 Carpenter Great Chart Frances 44 Westwell Bertie 20 Bricklayer Boughton Aluph Percey 17 Gardener Boughton Aluph Valentine 15 Apprentice Boughton Aluph Isabella 12 Boughton Aluph Nellie 10 Boughton Aluph Edith 3 Boughton Aluph The Ashford Absentee Voters List for 1918 gives – The Lees, Boughton Aluph Private 44467 Bertie James SINDEN. 19th Army Corps. Private 12738 Percy David SINDEN. 5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters. Private 446232 William Alfred SINDEN. 107th P.O.W Company, Labour Corps. We have discovered that William NORRIS (d1915)'s sister Harriet Emily NORRIS (born 1880 @ Petham ) was married to William Alfred SINDEN (d1920) - ie the two Williams commemorated @ Boughton Aluph were brothers-in-law. William Alfred SINDEN & Harriett Emily married at Boughton Aluph, All Saints on 28 Aug 1898. I have found a fifth child for the couple (all blood relatives of myself) who you do not seem to have - Alfred William H SINDEN born @ Boughton Lees Dec Q 1900, while I have an alternative birth date of his brother Nelson B SINDEN of 22 Jul 1911.

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I also have the following on William Alfred SINDEN & William NORRIS from earlier censuses: 1881 Census @ Molash, Kent Frances SINDEN Visitor M 24 Wife of Carpenter Kent Westwell William SINDEN Visitor 5 Kent Boughton Aluph George H SINDEN Visitor Kent Boughton Aluph John T SINDEN Visitor 4 Kent Boughton Aluph Bertie J SINDEN Visitor 2m Kent Boughton Aluph 1891 Census @ The Lees, Boughton Aluph, Kent Alfred SINDEN Head M 40 Carpenter Great Chart Kent Frances SINDEN Wife M 35 Westwell Kent William A SINDEN Son 15 Farm Lab Boughton Aluph Kent George Hy SINDEN Son 14 Boughton Aluph Kent John Thomas SINDEN Son 12 Boughton Aluph Kent Bertie J SINDEN Son 10 Boughton Aluph Kent Percy SINDEN Son 7 Boughton Aluph Kent Benjamin SINDEN Son 6 Boughton Aluph Kent Isabella SINDEN Daur 2 Boughton Aluph Kent Nellie SINDEN Daur 2m Boughton Aluph Kent 1891 Census @ Boughton Aluph Lees Charlotte NORRIS Head W 27 Petham Kent Harriet E NORRIS Dau 11 Petham Kent Minnie W NORRIS Dau 8 Petham Kent William NORRIS Son 6 Crundale Kent William NORRIS (d1915)'s parents John and Charlotte Ann (nee FOORD) died in 1891 and 1899 respectively. She had remarried, to Thomas WILSON in 1892 @ Boughton Aluph and produced at least two half sisters for William NORRIS (d1915) - Rose c1892 and Dorothy c1893 I am a distant relative of William NORRIS (d1915) - our common ancestor is his grandmother Sarah BEGENT (born c 1825 @ Brabourne) who married William NORRIS (1820-1871) @ Smeeth in 1849. Sarah is my3x Gt Grandmother. My last sighting of her was in the 1901 Census living in Canterbury with her son Julius NORRIS (a cousin of William NORRIS d1915). William’s Grandson Keith Sinden has stated that William served in the trenches and was buried alive under debris (presumably from a shell explosion). He was recovered back to the UK and after recovering was medically downgraded which meant that he could no longer fight in the frontline as an infantryman (Buffs). He was transferred into the Labour Corps and returned to active service in a POW Labour Corps unit. His family said that after being wounded and buried alive, William was “never the same again”! Not entirely surprising given the circumstances! In any case poor Wiliam was dead within 2 years of discharge…

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The 836th Area Employment Company, Labour Corps was a home based (UK) farm labouring unit. It remained in the UK for the duration of the war.

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STEBBINGS C Lance Corporal 9492 Charles STEBBING. 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Died 8th December 1914. Born Tanglin, Singapore. Enlisted Lincoln. Son of Mr Stebbing of 6, Edge End Road, Great Harwood, Blackburn, Lancashire. Charles has no known grave. His name appears on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. Panel reference 21. It has not been possible to trace Charles connection with Boughton Aluph or Ashford. On the 3rd December 1914 the 1st battalion was at Locre. It relieved the 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers from frontline trenches near Kemmel the next day. On the 8th December 1914 the battalion was in action all day at Kemmel. On the 9th December the battalion withdrew to Locre. It sustained heavy casualties the day that Charles died – 25 killed and a further 11 missing. STRINGER W.J Private 202541 William STRINGER. 2/4th Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Died 17th December 1917. Born Wye. Enlisted Ashford. Resided Ashford. Buried in the Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel. Grave reference S.18. Do not confuse this man with Private TF/206156 William John Stringer who appears on the Ashford town list. On the 8th December 1917 the 2/4th West Kent’s were on the ridge just South of Bethlehem. On the 10th December it moved into Jerusalem and several days hard work on the Jerusalem-Jaffa Road followed. On the 15th December a move was made to the Mount of Olives in preparation for an attack on the El Aziziye Ridge East of Jerusalem. The attack went ahead at dawn lead by 4th Royal Sussex. Over 100 Turkish soldiers were taken prisoner. The attack was a success and the 2/4th West Kent’s only lost 20 men (light for the Great War).

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VIDLER G Sergeant G/8285 George VIDLER. 7th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Died 3rd July 1916. Born Wimbledon, Surrey. Enlisted Kingston. Resided Boughton Aluph. Son of George Vidler of 109, Russell Road, Wimbledon, London. Husband of Lily Vidler of Malt Houses, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. George has no known grave. His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Panel reference 6B and 6C. On the 1st July 1916 (the first day of the Battle of The Somme) the 7th battalion moved into reserve trenches in front of Ovillers. On the 2nd July it moved back to railway cutting behind Crucifix Corner. On the 3rd July the battalion moved into the frontline at Ovillers and proceeded to tidy the battlefield and recover dead soldier’s bodies. George may have been killed by a Snipers bullet whilst recovering bodies. WILLIAMS G (brother)

Private G/20054 George WILLIAMS. 7th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 5th June 1917. Born High Wycombe. Enlisted Hythe, Kent. Son of Joseph and Ellen Williams of Lodge Gate, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. Grave reference V.E.7. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – Prospect Cottages, The Lees, Boughton Aluph Corporal 132335 William James WILLIAMS. Mechanical Transport, Army Service Corps. The 1901 Census gives – Lodge Gate, Boughton Aluph Joseph WILLIAMS 47 Herefordshire Ellen 39 Boughton Aluph Percy 17 Boughton Aluph Jessica 13 Boughton Aluph George 11 Boughton Aluph George died whilst being held in Germany as a prisoner of war (POW). He was probably captured by the Germans in the Battle of The Scarpe (Cherisy) of May 1917. This was the last major engagment in which the 7th Buffs fought immediately before George’s demise.

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WILLIAMS P (brother) Challock Windlesham, Surrey (St John’s) Gunner 68915 Percy WILIAMS. D Battery, 189th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (RFA). Died 28th October 1916 aged 32 years. Son of Joseph and Ellen Williams of Lodge Gate, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Formerly Eastwell. Husband of Mabel Williams of Challock Lees, Ashford, Kent. Buried St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France. Grave reference O.I.G.9. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – Prospect Cottages, The Lees, Boughton Aluph Corporal 132335 William James WILLIAMS. Mechanical Transport, Army Service Corps. The 1901 Census gives – Lodge Gate, Boughton Aluph Joseph WILLIAMS 47 Herefordshire Ellen 39 Boughton Aluph Percy 17 Boughton Aluph Jessica 13 Boughton Aluph George 11 Boughton Aluph

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WILSON E Private G/50894 Ernest Edward WILSON. 19th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Died 9th August 1917 aged 19 years. Born Ashford. Resided Wye. Son of Mr William J and Fanny Wilson of 2 Wellesley Road, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery, Belgium. Grave reference III.A.6. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – Frogbrook, Wye Driver T/3028758 Ernest WILSON. Army Service Corps. The 1901 census gives – Boughton Lees William WILSON 33 Labourer Kenninigton Fanny 32 Boughton Aluph Fred 10 Boughton Aluph Fanny 8 Westwell Ernest 4 Ashford Edith 2 Molash

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LOST MEN

BRIGGS H.K Second Lieutenant Harley Knollys BRIGGS. “B” Battery, 166th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (RFA). Formerly Private (552), “A” Battery, Honourable Artillery Company (H.A.C). Formerly Dover College Officer Training Corps (O.T.C). Died Wednesday 26th July 1916. Born St Leonards, Sussex 16th January 1892. Resided 16, Moore Street, Cadogan Square, London. Son of Charles Knollys and Fanny Briggs of Boughton Court, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Later residing at 16, Moore Street, Cadogan Square, London. In 1922 Harley’s father was living at Deene House, Putney, South London. Buried in the Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, Somme, France. Grave reference I.E.59. Harley attended the Norton Knatchbull school from 22nd February 1900 to Midsummer 1904. The school retains a letter from his mother advising them of his death. Also educated at Dover College.

Harley was well known in the Tenterden area. In January 1915 he gave his home town as being Tenterden. He joined the army 26th September 1914. Harley was commissioned into the R.F.A on 1st April 1915. Harley had a brother – Cedric Knollys Briggs who served in the 18th Hussars. Harley died on the Somme whilst in command of a Trench Mortar platoon. He apparently lost his life trying to save the life of a brother officer. The 1901 Census gives – Boughton Court, Boughton Aluph Charles BRIGGS 37 Living own means Capel Le Ferne Dover Fanny 39 Deal Harley 9 St Leonards, Sussex Idena 8 St Leonards, Sussex Cedric 2 St Leonards, Sussex Agneeta 3m Boughton Aluph This entry in the 1901 census confirms that Harley resided in Boughton Aluph with his family when he was attending the Ashford Grammar School.

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COOPER P Gunner 208420 Percy COOPER. “C” Battery, 102nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (RFA). Died Tuesday 28th August 1917 aged 35 years. Born Boughton Lees. Enlisted Ashford. Resided Ashford. Son of Thomas and Jane Cooper of “Fair Bank”, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent. Husband of Grace Munk Cooper of 2 East View, Brabourne, Ashford, Kent. Formerly of Kennington Lees, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Track “X” Cemetery, Ypes, Belgium. Grave reference B.21. Percy was a Butcher by trade and carried on business in a shop at Kennington before the outbreak of war. The Ashford Absentee Voters List for 1918 gives –

Water Farm House, Brabourne Sapper 203070 Thomas George COOPER. Royal Engineers (6th Buffs). Private 265214 William COOPER. Kent Composite Battalion. The 1901 census gives –

Fair View, Smeeth Thomas COOPER 49 Poultry Dealer London Jane 51 Letchcombe, Berkshire Frank 22 Poultry Dealer West Hougham, Kent HAMILTON A Lieutenant Alexander HAMILTON. 3 Squadron, Royal Air Force (RAF). Died 8th August 1918 aged 23 years. Son of Thomas B and Annie Brown Hamilton of Eastwell Court, Eastwell, Ashford, Kent. Alexander has no known grave. His name appears on the Arras Flying Memorial, Arras, France. Alexander’s name appears on the Ash-Cum-Ridley Civic War Memorial near Dartford, Kent. The Arras Flying Services Memorial will be found in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, which is in the Boulevard du General de Gaulle in the western part of the town of Arras. The cemetery is near the Citadel, approximately 2 kilometres due west of the railway station. Historical Information: The French handed over Arras to Commonwealth forces in the spring of 1916 and the system of tunnels upon which the town is built were used and developed in preparation for the major offensive planned for April 1917. The Commonwealth section of the FAUBOURG D'AMIENS CEMETERY was begun in March 1916, behind the French military cemetery established earlier. It continued to be used by field ambulances and fighting units until November 1918. The cemetery was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields and from two smaller cemeteries in the vicinity. The cemetery contains 2,651 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. In addition, there are 30 war graves of other nationalities, most of them German. The graves in the French military cemetery were removed after the war to other burial grounds and the land they had occupied was used for the construction of the Arras Memorial and Arras Flying Services Memorial. The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918. Canadian and Australian servicemen killed in these operations are commemorated by memorials at Vimy and Villers-Bertonneux. A separate memorial remembers those killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. The ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL commemorates nearly 1,000 airmen of the Royal Naval Air Service, the Royal Flying Corps, and the Royal Air Force, either by attachment from other arms of the forces of the Commonwealth or by original enlistment, who were killed on the whole Western Front and who have no known grave. The British Air Services originated in the use of balloons for purposes of reconnaissance. The balloon gave way to power-driven air machines and in 1911 an Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was formed. In 1912 the Air Battalion was absorbed into the Royal Flying Corps which consisted of a Naval Wing and a Military Wing and a Central Flying School. These two wings developed during the course of the war, both sections expanding greatly until they combined and the Royal Air Force came into being on the 1 April 1918. During the Second World War, Arras was occupied by United Kingdom forces headquarters until the town was evacuated on 23 May 1940. Arras then remained in German hands until retaken by Commonwealth and Free French forces on 1 September 1944. The cemetery contains seven Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, with sculpture by Sir William Reid Dick.

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LADD E (Wounded in Gallipoli and survived) This man (one of the Ladd brothers) was wounded but managed to survive - Private 1366 Ernest LADD. 5th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Born Tonbridge. Resided (1881) Flying Horse Public House, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Resided (1901) Forge Cottage, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Enlisted voluntarily 6 August 1914. Son of John Ladd (The Village Blacksmith), The Forge, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Arrived Gallipoli, Turkey 30 July 1915. Wounded in action 1st September 1915. Evacuated to the UK and sent to Chailey VAD Hospital to recouperate. See this excellent website for more information on Ernest - http://www.chailey1914-1918.net/index.html Ernest probably joined the 1/5th Buffs around August 6th 1914. According to his medal card, he disembarked at Gallipoli on 30th July 1915 and then, as he says, was wounded on 1st September. He was at Hickwells in December because his name appears in a report published in the Sussex Daily News on the 20th of that month. He is noted as a band member in a “soldiers’ concert” which took place in Chailey. The article reports, “Many and various were the instruments, from bells, drums, whistle-pipes and tambourines, while even a brass candlestick was made use of, and last but not least an accordion. No encores were allowed and two of the nurses helped at the piano.” Two photos of Ernest Ladd appear in Nurse Oliver’s album, both of them identified as the Murree Hills in what is now Pakistan but what was then Northern India. One of these photos can be seen in part 12 of The Hospital Way. There are also two photos taken in Rawalpindi and two others of tribal women, presumably also taken in northern India. This would certainly be in keeping with the battalion’s movements during the Great War as according to official records the battalion was in India from October 1914 until December 1915. Ernest Ladd however, was clearly not. He was being wounded in Gallipoli. Ernest appears to be the only person amongst the 1/5th Buffs who was unfortunate enough to land in Gallipoli. While the battalion, as noted above, was enjoying a non-hostile existence in northern India, Ernest was attached to the 2/4th West Kent Regiment. This was a composite battalion made up of one company each from the 2/4th and 2/5th Buffs along with two companies from the West Kents. The battalion wore the West Kent badge and ultimately was absorbed by the regiment. Ernest obviously recovered sufficiently from his wounds to be posted back to the 1/5th East Kent Regiment whilst it was still in India and I am guessing that the photos which appear in Nurse Oliver’s album must date from late December 1915 and were sent to her by Ernest shortly after he had arrived in the country. He can’t have been there very long however because in December 1915, the battalion transferred to Mesopotamia where it remained for the remainder of the war. In 1917 when the Territorials were renumbered, he acquired the number 240273 which formed part of the block of numbers allocated to the 1/5th East Kent Regiment. He appears on the Ashford Absentee Voters list for 1918 as Lance Corporal 240273 Ernest Edwin LADD, 5th Buffs (East Kent Regiment). The photos of India in Nurse Oliver’s album were almost certainly sent to her by Ernest once he had recuperated and been posted back to the 1/5th Buffs in India.

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Ernest was disembodied on 10th December 1919. He was entitled to the 1914/15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.

LADD J.R (brother) Private G/13688 John Roland LADD. 6th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 3rd May 1917. Resided Boughton Lees. Son of James and Jane Ladd of Forge Cottage, Boughton Lees, Ashford, Kent. John has no known grave. His name appears on the Arras Memorial, Arras, France. Panel reference Bay 2. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – The Lees, Boughton Aluph Lance Corporal 240273 Ernest Edwin LADD. 5th Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Lance Corporal 96458 Sydney Edward LADD. Tank Corps. The 1901 census gives- Forge Cottage, Boughton Aluph James LADD 56 Blacksmith Wye Jane 35 Molash Frederick 23 Blacksmith Wye Ernest 13 Tonbridge James 12 Boughton Aluph Matilda 11 Boughton Aluph Hilda 10 Boughton Aluph John 9 Boughton Aluph Frank 8 Boughton Aluph Daisey 4 Boughton Aluph Sidney 2 Boughton Aluph It seems unbelievable that John’s name should have been left off the Boughton Aluph war memorial when his brothers names was placed on it. On the 3rd May 1917 the 6th battalion was in action all day trying to take an enemy position known as Keeling Copse and Devils Trench. The 6th battalion suffered heavy casualties- 230 men killed or missing. John was killed in the Battle of Arras. 37

OTTAWAY F.H Private L/10196 Frederick Henry OTTAWAY. 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Wednesday 23rd February 1916 aged 19 years. Born Tenterden. Enlisted Canterbury. Resided Molash. Son of George and Lily Jane Ottaway of Lenacre Street, Eastwell, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne, France. Grave reference VIII.D.60. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – Hall Farm, Hothfield Arthur Herbert OTTAWAY. HMS Vindex. Royal Navy. Charles James OTTAWAY. 5th Buffs (East Kent Regiment). George OTTAWAY. Machine Gun Corps. The opening of the year 1916 found the 1st battalion Buffs at Forward Cottage a mile north of St Jean and quite close to Ypres, Belgium. Later in February the battalion moved into billets at Poperinghe. It appears that Frederick died of wounds that he received in a much earlier engagement. He was recovered through the evacuation chain to a Base Hospital in Boulogne where he died of wounds. OWEN R Private 495485 Robert OWEN. 2/2nd (Home Counties) Field Ambulance. Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC). Died 29th October 1917 aged 22 years. Born Boughton, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury. Resided Boughton. Son of Walter and Olivett Clara Owen of 48, High Street, Ashford, Kent. Robert has no known grave. His name appears on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium. Panel reference 160. It is possible that this man came from Boughton Aluph near Ashford Not Boughton near Faversham. Note his parents lived in Ashford…

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PARSONS G.F (Brother of F.N PARSONS VC) Lieutenant Commander Guy Fowell PARSONS. HMS Nigella, Royal Navy (RN). Died 6th March 1919 aged 37 years. Son of Doctor Parsons of Dover, Kent. Brother of H.B Parsons of Eastwell, Ashford, Kent. Brother of Lieutenant Commander G.C Parsons of Stone House, Kennington, Ashford, Kent. Guy has no known grave. His name appears on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Panel reference 31. Guy’s death was widely reported in the Kentish Express. He was a very well known international Rugby player. Guy had a brother who was killed in Gallipoli and another brother who was awarded the VICTORIA CROSS (VC) in the Boer War! Lieutenant Francis Newton PARSONS VC. 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment. Killed in action 11th March 1900 during the Battle of Driefontein (Boer War). Awarded the VC for going to the aid of Private Ferguson. Born Dover 23rd March 1875. Buried Dreifontein Cemetery, South Africa. Educated King’s College, Cambridge and later the Royal Naval College Greenwich, London (HMS Brittania). Later posted to HMS Excellent at Portsmouth. Guy retired from the navy in 1908 but was re-mobilised upon the outbreak of war. In 1915 Guy served aboard HMS Revenge (later renamed HMS Redoubtable). In 1916 Guy was sent to HMS Toranto in Italy. In 1917 Guy was in command of HMS Shipjack a minelayer. Guy was killed returning to his ship HMS Nigella in the dockyard at Portsmouth during pitch darkness. He accidently fell down steps (25ft) fracturing his skull. He died of his injuries that same day. His body was buried at sea by his shipmates on HMS Nigella. 39

PARSONS R.S (Brother of F.N PARSONS VC) Lieutenant Commander Raymond S PARSONS. Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division (RND). Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Died 7th June 1915. Son of Doctor Charles Parsons of 13, Park Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Brother of Mr H.B Parsons of Manor House, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent. Raymond has no known grave. His name appears on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. Panel reference 1 and 2. The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives – Stone House, Goat Lees, Kennington Lieutenant Godfrey Crail PARSONS. HMS Attentive III, Royal Navy. Raymond entered into the Royal Navy as a cadet in July 1894. In December 1903 he was promoted to Lieutenant. In 1911 he was further promoted to Lt Cdr. He resided in Boughton Aluph with his brother for over 2 years before the outbreak of war. RAY W.E Sapper 912 Wilfred Edmund RAY. No 4 Kent Fortress Company, Kent Fortress Royal Engineers (RE). Formerly 1/3rd Kent Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died 23rd September 1914 aged 17 years. Born Eastwell, Ashford. Enlisted Gillingham. Resided Rainham, Kent. Son of William and Mary A Ray of 1, Coronation Villas, Maidstone Road, Rainham, Kent. Buried Sheerness (Isle of Sheppy) Cemetery, Sheerness, Isle of Sheppy, Kent. Grave reference C. 175. Wilfred’s name appears on the Rainham civic war memorial, Kent.

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STEBBINGS A Gunner L/41016 OR 148178 Alfred STEBBINGS. “D” Battery, 83rd Brigade, Royal Field Artilery. Died 9th April 1917. Born Boughton Aluph. Enlisted Ashford. Buried Quarry Cemetery, Montauban, Somme, France. Grave reference – VD.10. Montauban is a village about 10 kilometres east of Albert. 5 kilometres from Albert on the D938 (Albert-Peronne), turn east onto the D64 and the village of Montauban will be found 4 kilometres along this road. Travel through the village for 600 metres then turn north. The quarry from which this cemetery is named is 750 metres north of the village at the bottom of a valley, 800 metres from the village on the east side of the road. The cemetery is on the north-west side of the quarry. Historical Information: Montauban village was taken by the 30th and 18th Divisions on 1 July 1916 and it remained in Commonwealth hands until the end of March 1918. It was retaken on 25 August 1918 by the 7th Buffs and the 11th Royal Fusiliers of the 18th Division. Quarry Cemetery was begun (at an advanced dressing station) in July 1916, and used until February 1917. The Germans buried a few of their dead in Plot V in April and May 1918. At the Armistice it consisted of 152 graves in the present Plots V and VI. It was then increased when graves (almost all of July-December 1916) were brought in from the battlefields and small burial grounds* surrounding Montauban. Quarry Cemetery now contains 740 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 157 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to seven casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate 19 soldiers buried in Quarry Scottish Cemetery, Green Dump Cemetery and Caterpillar Wood Cemetery No. 2, whose graves could not be found on concentration. The cemetery also contains 16 war graves of other nationalties. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker. * BRIQUETERIE CEMETERY No. 3, MONTAUBAN, was on the east side of the brick-works on the Longueval-Maricourt road. It contained the graves of 23 soldiers (mainly 1/5th K.O.R.L.) who died in July and August 1916. CATERPILLAR WOOD CEMETERY No. 2, MONTAUBAN, was at the east end of Caterpillar Wood, north-west from Montauban village. It was begun by the 2nd Suffolks and contained the graves of 50 soldiers who died between July 1916 and January 1917. GREEN DUMP CEMETERY, LONGUEVAL, 1.2 kilometres west of Longueval village. It contained the graves of 54 soldiers who died between August and October 1916. QUARRY SCOTTISH CEMETERY, MONTAUBAN, was between the Quarry and the north end of Bernafay Wood. It contained the graves of 55 soldiers (largely 11th and 12th Royal Scots) who died in July 1916. SWAN E.A Lance Corporal 203538 Edmund A SWAN. 5/6th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Died 8th May 1918. Born Boughton Aluph, Kent. Enlisted Bexhill, Sussex. Resided Faversham, Kent. Edmund has no known grave. His name appears on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium. Panel reference 68 to 70 and 162 to 162A. The 1901 Census gives - Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph George AMOS 43 Labourer Westwell Annie 20 Challock Daisy 3 Boughton Aluph Thomas SWAN 44 Labourer Wye The Swan family may have been related in some way to the Amos family. 41

VIDLER J.A (Brother) Private T/1746 John Alfred VIDLER. 5th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Friday 7th January 1916. Born Newchurch, Kent on 8th March 1897. Enlisted Ashford. Resided Kennington, Ashford. Son of George Vidler of “Forestmere”, Kennington Lees, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Grave reference XXXI.D.9. John’s father was a farmer and grazier in Kennington. John had a sister who died of TB before the outbreak of war. Educated in the Ashford Grammar School. His name appears on the school’s book of remembrance. On the 6th January 1916 a signal came from Kut saying that large numbers of Turkish troops were moving downstream of the River Tigris towards Sheikh Saad. An aircraft spotted the troops entrenching both sides of the river. The Tigris Corps of which the Buffs was part of moved to meet the enemy. The 5th battalion attacked the Turk positions head on and by nightfall it became obvious the attack could not succeed. The next day 7th January the Buffs alongside The Black Watch and The Seaforth Highlanders were again ordered to attack in strength. As the British moved forward under heavy fire the Turks attempted to encircle the Tigris Corps. By nightfall the position remained stalemate. It was later discovered that the Turks had withdrawn upstream. British Army casualties at Sheikh Saad were over 4,000 men.

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VIDLER P.A (Brother) Private 2192 Percy Arthur VIDLER. Royal East Kent Yeomanry (Duke of Connaught’s Own Mounted Rifles). Died Gallipoli Wednesday 8th December 1915. Born Blackmanstone 4th August 1895. Enlisted Herne, London. Son of George Vidler of “Forestmere”, Kennington Lees, Ashford, Kent. Resided Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. Grave reference C.385. His father was a farmer and grazier in Kennington. Educated in the Ashford Grammar School. His name appears on the school’s book of remembrance. Percy was apprencticed to Messrs Lewis and Hylands, New Rents, Ashford before the outbreak of war. A letter from Lewis and Hyland’s of Ashford stated – “We have heard with extreme regret that your son has been killed. We assure you of our deepest sympathy. He was a thoughtful lad and doubtless had a successful career in front of him, and it seems hard that such high hopes should thus be cut off. Words at such times are altogether inadequate to bring the comfort you need, but you will, we feel sure, find consolation in the fact that he has made the supreme sacrifice and given his life for his country in a just and honourable cause. He has died so that others may live”. The REKMR was in the forward area of “Fusilier Bluff” when Percy was killed.

WHITE C.A Ashford Baptist Company Sergeant Major (CSM) G/19151 Clarence Ashton WHITE MM. 1st Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Formerly Kent Cyclist Battalion. Died 27th September 1918 aged 20 years. Born Challock. Resided Badlesmere near Faversham. Buried in the Gouzeaucourt New British Cemetery, France. Grave reference II.H.9. His name appears locally on the Baptist Church war memorial, Station Road, Ashford, Kent. It is unclear why his name was not placed on the town’s war memorial in Church Road. Before the outbreak of war Clarence worked with his father and for 2 years had been taking a class of boys at the Mission Sunday School in Boughton Aluph. Clarence joined the Kent Cyclists in 1913 (when only 16 years old) and was quickly promoted through the ranks. He made Sergeant at the tender age of 18 years. In 1914 he was sent to Bisley where he became a musketry instructor. In December 1916 he transferred into the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) and went to France. On 7th June 1917 he was severely wounded in the left arm and was conveyed to Liverpoool where he remained in hospital until August 1917. In 1918 he went to Italy with his battalion. In March 1918 Clarence returned to France where he subsequently lost his life. The 1901 census gives – Paddock Street, Challock Clarence WHITE 32 Stowting, Kent ..mily 36 High Halden Lillian 11 Elmsted Agnes 8 Elmsted Amelia 6 Elmsted Mabel 5 Elmsted Ashton 3 Boughton Aluph Frederick 1 Boughton Aluph Mark 4 Challock At the time he was killed, he was a very young CSM at only 20 years of age. Quite remarkable when you consider that many men in their 40’s were Private soldiers. Clarence was awarded the Military Medal (MM) for bravery in the field. Between 14th and 20th September 1918 the 1st West Kent’s were holding frontline trenches North West of Gouzeaucourt. On 25th September the battalion prepared to attack the enemy. The battalion was given the task of capturing an enemy trench system known as African Trench. The attack was made on 27th September 1918. Some ground was captured but the attack was not deemed to be a success owing to the number of casualties sustained - 4 officers and 62 men killed and a further 153 men wounded. Clarence was probably wounded in action on the 27th September 1918 and was evacuated through the medical chain to a nearby Field Dressing Station. He died of his wounds the next day before he could be recovered to a Base Hospital. His body was buried at Gouzeaucourt near where he fell.

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WILLS J Sergeant L/8664 John WILLS. 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 21st April 1916. Born Eastwell. Enlisted Canterbury. Resided Boughton, Faversham. Buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium. Grave reference VI.C.21. On the 19th April 1916 the 1st battalion was at La Brique in trenches. At 1730 hours an extremely heavy and savage bombardment opened. The 1st battalion took cover but a number of direct hits on trenches killed a number of men. By the days end the battalion had lost 21 men killed and a further 36 wounded. The fact that John was buried in the Lijeenthoek Military Cemetery indicates that he was probably one of those that were wounded on the 19th. He was probably evacuated to a base hospital near Poperinghe and later succumbed to his wounds. WINSETT / WIMSETT E.A Private G/17987 Ernest Alfred WINSETT. 1st Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Formerly (6168) Royal Sussex Regiment. Died 3rd October 1917. Born Eastwell, Ashford. Enlisted Gravesend. Resided Gravesend. Son of David and Jane Wimsett of 61 Wincheap Street, Canterbury, Kent. Husband of Violet May Wimsett of 90 Parrock Street, Gravesend, Kent. Ernest has no known grave. His name appears on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium. Panel reference – 106 to 108. Ernest’s name appears on the Gravesend Civic War Memorial as E.A WIMSETT whereas the original war memorial (erected 1917) inside the Gravesend Town Hall lists him as E.A WINSETT. Soldiers Died Great War spells his name WINSETT whereas CWGC spell it – WIMSETT. On the 3rd October 1917 the 1st West Kent’s were in Ridge Wood outside Ypres. The battalion took over frontline trenches South East of Veldhoek where the battalion’s right wing touched the Menin Road. A heavy enemy bombardment started and then German soldiers massed and stormed the West Kent trenches. This attack was repulsed but as the day passed the battalion started to lose many men by accurate shellfire. The battle continued until 5th October 1917 at which time the battalion withdrew to Ridge Camp.

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This man now has a headstone thanks to us!