ASPLIN

Frank R V

Lance Sergeant, 10507, 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Killed in action Wednesday 5 September 1917 in France & Flanders. Born Thurleigh, enlisted Bedford. In the 1891 census he was the son of William and Leah E Asplin, aged 5, born Thurleigh, bedfordshire, a scholar, resident Bolnhurst Road, Thurleigh, Bedfordshire. In the 1911 census he was married to Annie Asplin, aged 26, born Thurleigh, Bedfordshire, a Horseman on farm, resident Tithe Farm, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Bedfordshire. Buried in Canada Farm Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot III. Row B. Grave 3.

Note: See below - The 3 medals are actually named to Asplin as a Corporal, but he would have held the rank of Lance Sergeant in the Regiment. The Regimental diary (WO95/1219) shows that the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards, were bombed by aircraft whilst camped near the railway at Dewippe Cabaret on the 4 of September 1917, they suffered 40 casualties. Asplin died the next day.

These medals are held by Kevin Asplin who has kindly photographed them here. Photographs Copyright © Kevin Asplin 2002

COLEMAN

Charles Henry [Harry]

Private, 34880, 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment. Killed in action Friday 18 May 1917 in France & Flanders. Aged 27. Born Bletsoe, enlisted Bedford, resident Thurleigh. Brother of Mr. J. W. Coleman, of 3, Railway Cottage, Coffle End, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire. Formerly 33178, Suffolk Regiment. No known grave. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 7.

DRAPER

Jabez William

Lance Corporal, 17782, 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Monday 21 May 1917 in France & Flanders. Age 22. Born Wilden, enlisted Bedford, resident Thurleigh. Son of Fred and Elizabeth Draper, of Bridge End, Carlton, Bedford. Buried in Tank Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France near Row A. Grave 44.

FLUTE

Albert Frederick

Private, 100470, 49th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment) who died on Monday 9 October 1916. Age 25. Son of Sarah Ann Flute, of Keysoe Rd., Thurleigh, Bedford, England, and the late Thomas Arthur Flute. No known grave. Commemorated on Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France

HART

C William

Private, L/2800, 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Died of wounds Monday 22 March 1915 in France & Flanders. Age 21. Born Thurleigh, enlisted Bedford. Son of William and Amy Hart, of Keysoe Rd., Thurleigh, Bedford. Buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Plot III. Row D. Grave 51.

HOLLEY

Walter J

Private, 30965, 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Sunday 15 April 1917 in France & Flanders. Age 22. Born and resident Thurleigh, enlisted Bedford. Son of Thomas and Annie Holley. No known grave. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 5.

JEFFERIES

George

Sergeant, 2814, 8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action Saturday 1 July 1916 in France & Flanders. Age 26. Born Thurleigh, enlisted Bedford. Son of Mrs. Rebecca Barnes, of Church End, Thurleigh, Bedford. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 6 B and 6 C

LOVELL

Arthur E

Private, 13263, 9th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment). Killed in action Saturday 21 August 1918 in Gallipoli. Born and resident Thurleigh, enlisted Derby. No known grave. Commemorated on Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 150 to 152

LOVELL

Ernest W

Private, 40549, 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Friday 22 March 1918 in France & Flanders. Born and resident Thurleigh, enlisted Bedford. Buried in Savy British Cemetery, Aisne, France. Plot I. Row O. Grave 11.

LOVELL +

Reginald Percy

Private 2821, East Surrey Regiment. Died at the Temperance Hall, Saltash, 30 November 1914 in Cornwall. Born last quarter of 1895 in Thurleigh, son of Thomas and Caroline Lovell. Father a shepherd, and in 1911 Reginald was an agricultural labourer. Buried in St Stephen's by Saltash(St. Stephen) Churchyard, Saltash, Cornwall. Grave 1430.

PHILPOT

Francis Edward

Private 2850, 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action Sunday 9 May 1915. Born 24 November 1891 in Jersey, Channel Islands, enlisted Bedford. Educate Bedford Modern School (1906-07). In the 1901 census he was aged 9, born St. Brelade, Jersey, Channel Islands, resident with his parents George Edward and Jane Philpot at Mebtary Arsenal, St Mary, Jersey, Channel Islands. In the 1911 census he was aged 19, born St Melades, Jersey Channel, Islands, an Insurance Agent, resident with his widowed mother (a publican), at Red Lion, Thurleigh, Bedfordshire. On 18 January 1914, aged 22, he married Eva Ida Andrews at Thurleigh. No known grave. No known grave. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 34. See also Bedford Modern School

PIGGOTT +

[Francis] Harry

Sergeant 5078, 14th Kings Hussars, attached to Royal Horse Guards. Died of wounds at Boulogne Hospital 5 November 1914. Born 1876 in St. Neots, resident Scrubbs, enlisted Nottingham. son of William and Lydia Piggot. (William, his father, died by 1891). Francis Harry Piggott seems to have moved to London and married Gertrude Baxter in 1909. In 1911 was living in Shepherd’s Bush and working as a prison warder. Buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row A. Grave 14.

GAMMONS

Harold Sidney

Lance Serjeant, 2132478, 757 Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died from Diptheria in 6 British General Hospital, BAOR, Saturday 24 November 1945. Aged 25. Born 1 May 1920, and resident, in Thurleigh, enlisted 27 November 1940 in Plymouth. Son of Edward and Elsie Eva Gammons; husband of Doris May Gammons, of Horning, Norfolk. Buried in Munster Heath War Cemetery, Telgte, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Plot 1. Row A. Grave 20.

TRAPP

Andrew