FOSSEY

Horace George

Pte. G/14534.  2^nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment.  Killed in action Thursday 17 October 1918.  Born Husborne Crawley.  Enlisted Bedford.  Commemorated on   Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France.  Ref. III.B.20.

National Roll of the Great War - Bedford

He joined in November 1914 and after the completion of his training served on important duties with his unit until 1916, when he was drafted to the Western Front. He took part in many severe engagements, including those at Loos and Le Cateau, where he was killed in action while serving with a machine-gun unit in October 1918. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals"

Bedfordshire Times - 25th October 1918

"News has reached Mrs fossey on Tuesday that Horace, her only son, had been killed in France. Writing on the 18th inst. his Officer stated that while working a machine gun the previous day, he had been shot by a German sniper. He expressed the sincere regret of officers and men, who held the gallant young fellow in high esteem. He was being buried that day.

Horace Fossey was a bright, intelligent fellow, and before enlistment he worked for Mr C. P. Hall at the Park Farm. He volunteered in November 1914, joining the Bedfordshire. Regiment and has spent two years in France. He had taken part in numerous engagements, and had once been gassed. He was expecting to leave France for his leave this next week or two.

His mother is a widow and much sympathy is felt for her and the family. He was 22 years of age.

PEPPITT

Frederick William

Pte. 27951.  “A” Company, 1^st Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).  Killed in action Friday 2 February 1917.  Born and lived Husborne Crawley.  Enlisted Luton.  Son of Frederick & Elizabeth Peppitt of Husborne Crawley, Beds; husband of Mary Peppitt of Station Road, Woburn Sands, Bedfordshire.  Commemorated on   Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas-de-Calais, France.  Ref. I.L.44.

Bedfordshire Times - 23rd February 1917

"A further letter has been received by Mrs Peppitt from a Red Cross section stating that her husband's remains had been decently interred. On Sunday the Vicar made sympathetic reference to the event and the church bells rang half muffled at the services. The Deceased, who was trained with the Bedfordshire. Regiment, was attached to the engineers on arrival in France. He was killed by a shell while laying wire on the 3rd inst"

ROWBERRY

Alfred Charles

Petty Officer Stoker 293134 (RFR/CH/B/8046).  R.N.  HMS Cressy Royal Navy.  Died Tuesday 22 September 1914.  Age 34.  Son of George and Sarah Rowberry; husband of Ada Rowberry of 29, Millbrook, Ampthill, Bedfordshire.  Served in the South African War.  Commemorated on   Chatham Naval Cemetery, Kent.  Ref. 4.

Special Note:  HMS Cressy.  In the early hours of 22 September 1914 HMS Cressy along with HMS Aboukir & HMS Hogue, three aged destroyers, were sunk in the North Sea by a torpedo from U9 under the command of Otto Weddigen.  60 officers and 1300 men were lost from the three ships.

Bedfordshire Times - 25th September 1914

"In connection with the Naval disaster we learn that Mr Rowberry, the attendant at the Swimming Baths, was a Naval reservist called out at the commencement of the war and was on H.M.S. "Cressy".

A strange coincidence is that Stanley Stapleton, is on the "Lowestoft", the ship that played such an important part in the rescue work"

Bedfordshire Times - 9th October 1914

"Monday's list of missing from H.M.S. "Cressy" included the name of A.L. Rowberry. Mr Rowberry, who left the village the first week of the war, was previously in charge of the water works and baths. He was a fine manly fellow, and highly respected in the neighbourhood. He left a wife and one child."

SMITH

Archie (Archibald)

L/Cpl 26098.  9^th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.  Killed in action Sunday 3 September 1916.  Age 26. Born Husborne Crawley.  Lived Woburn.  Enlisted Bedford.  Son of Elizabeth and Edward Smith 65 Crow Lane, Husborne Crawley. Formerly 25986 Bedfordshire Regiment. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 11A.

National Roll of the Great War - Bedford

He joined in 1916 and in the same year was drafted overseas. Serving with his unit on the Western Front he fought in several important engagements, and was killed in action on the Somme on 3rd September 1916. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory medals.

65 Crow Lane, Husborne Crawely

Bedfordshire Times - 22nd September 1916

"A muffled peal was rung on the Chruch bells on Sunday in honour of Archie Smith, who was the first villager to sacrifice his life in the war. A corporal of the Company, writing to Mrs. Smith, states that the gallant solider was one of the first to mount the parapet, and he was immediately killed."

SIBLEY

Walter

Pte. 330925.  1^st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment. Died at home, 61 Crow Lane, Husborne Crawley, Sunday 27 October 1918.  Age 33.   Born Husborne Crawley.  Enlisted Luton.  Son of William and Mary Sibley of 16 San Remo Road, Aspley Guise. Formerly 2^nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Buried in Husborne Crawley  Churchyard.

330925 PRIVATE,
W. SIBLEY,
SUFFOLK REGIMENT,
AND CAMBRIGESHIRE REGIMENT,
27^TH OCTOBER 1918. AGE 33

National Roll of the Great War - Bedford

Joining in January 1917, he embarked for the Western Front six months later and saw much fighting in the Battles of Ypres, Passchendaele, Cambrai and Albert, and was wounded on May 13th 1918, during the German offensive. He died whilst on leave on October 29th, 1918 from sickness contracted on service and was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.

Bedfordshire Times 1st November 1918

On Sunday the Church bells were partially muffled in honour of the village lads who have recently died in their country's service.

Pte. Walter Sibley, Suffolks, died on Sunday while home on leave. The deceased, who was 33 years of age, was the youngest son of Mr William Sibley, who has had five sons serving. He joined up about two years ago. In the spring of this year he was wounded in the arm in France, and was in hospital at Woodbridge, Suffolk. He came home on a month's leave, and was to have been married next week, but contracted pheumonia. Much sympathy is felt in the village for the bereaved ones, especially the aged father, who is nearly 80, and Miss Dimmock, his fiancee.

The internment took place with military honours on Wednesday, at the Parish Church.

Private 17427, 7th Bn., Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds Thursday 25th April 1918. Age 27. Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Peacock of Husborne Crawley. Enlisted in October 1914 at Woburn, from His Grace the Duke of Bedford's Estate. Buried in Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-Sur-Somme, Somme, France. Plot I. Row A. Grave 12.

Bedfordshire Times 17th May 1918

"The Church bells were muffled on Sunday in honour of the memory of George Peacock, an old ringer. News of the death of this young villager, killed in France, came to his parents on Thursday. He was one of four brothers serving, and joined up in the autumn of 1914 in the Beds Regiment. He had been through numerous engagements during his 3 years active service"

WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE EUROPEAN WAR
1914 – 1918.

ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS OF HUSBORNE CRAWLEY

ALSO OF
1939 – 1945

ROBINSON

Sydney Arthur

Pte. 5952269.  2^nd Battalion The Hertfordshire Regiment.  Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment.  Died Monday 2 February 1942.  Age 23.  Son of Arthur & Florence Robinson of Husborne Crawley.  Buried in Husborne Crawley Churchyard.

PEACOCK

William George

Trooper 5950311.  2^nd/6^th Battalion The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire Regiment), Reconnaissance Corps., R.A.C.  Died Sunday 28 May 1944.  Age 21.  Son of Frederick & Gertrude Peacock of Husborne Crawley.  Commemorated on   Kohima War Cemetery, India.  Ref. 8.H.2.