Second Lieutenant, Royal Engineers. Died in Malta of enteric fever, contracted in the trenches at Gallipoli, 20 October 1915. Aged 27. Son of Col. A. G. Churchill, C.B., C.B.E., and Catherine Mary Churchill; husband of Dorothea Hester (nee Courtney) Churchill, of 20, Ashburn Place, South Kensington, London, married between 1911-1915 in Mexico. Buried 21 October 1915 in PIETA MILITARY CEMETERY, Malta. Plot A. Row XVI. Grave 6. *** Link with Chalfont St Peter not yet established ***

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1915:

CHURCHILL Herbert. Payn of Graylands Horsell Woking Surrey lieutenant His Majesty's Royal Engineers died 20 October 1915 at Malta on active service Probate London 17 December to Dorothea Hester Churchill widow.
Effects £512 3s. 11d.

Driver T2/016992, 7th Division Train, Royal Army Service Corps. Died on service 28 July 1918. Aged 27. Born Cambridge, resident Swavesey, Cambridgeshire, enlisted London. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Goad, of "Ryder's Farm," Swavesey, nr. Cambridge. In the 1901 census he was aged 10, born Swavesey, Cambridgeshire, son of James S and Mary Jane Goad, resident Church End, Swavesey, Cambridgeshire. Buried in MONTECCHIO PRECALCINO COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Italy. Plot 2. Row A. Grave 1. See also Swavesey Memorial Hall

*** Connection to Chalfont St Peter not extablished ***

Second Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion attached 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-Shire Buffs). Killed in action 31 August 1918. Absent Voter's List for Chalfont St Peter Parish, Buckinghamshire, lists Grierson, Stanley Virue of Glencarron. Buried in VIS-EN-ARTOIS BRITISH CEMETERY, HAUCOURT, Pas de Calais, France. Plot V. Row H. Grave 17.

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1919:

GRIERSON Stanley Virtue of Glencairn Austinwood Common Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire died 31 August 1918 in France Administration London 23 April to William James Grierson manufacturer. Effects £182 16s. 6d.

Sergeant 42656, 74th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Killed in action 15 September 1916. Aged 34. Born and resident Swavesey, Cambs, enlisted Uxbridge, Middlesex. Son of Jesse and Harriett Hepher, of Swavesey, Cambridge. Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.). In the 1901 census he was aged 18, born Swavesey, Cambridgeshire, a Carpenter journeyman, son of Jesse and Harriett Hepher, resident High Street, Swavesey, Cambridgeshire. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 8 A and 8 D. See also Swavesey Memorial Hall

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1917:

HEPHER Wilfred of Pinewood-road Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire sergeant R.E. died 15 September 1916 in France Probate London 11 May to Albert Hepher grocer.
Effects £182 4s.

No further information currently available

Major, 6th Battalion, Border Regiment. Died 7 August 1915. Aged 48. Son of Maj. A. L. Marsh (Border Regt.) and Agnes, his wife. Served in the Waziristan Campaign (1894-95). No known grave. Commemorated on HELLES MEMORIAL, Turkey (including Gallipoli). Panel 120 to 126 or 222 and 223.

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1915:

MARSH Francis Courtenay of Suncote Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire major 6th Border regiment died 10 August 1915 at the Dardanelles on active service Administration (with Will limited) London 22 October to Julia Augusta Feist (wife of Frederick Hermann Feist) attorney of Hopton Elliot Marsh. Effects £388 14s. 1d.

Lieutenant, Hood Battalon, Royal Naval Divisin, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Killed in action 20 July 1915. Aged 30. Born 7 February 1885. Enetered service 21 October 1903, re-entered 31 August 1914. Son of Arthur Walter and Fanny Geraldine Ramsey, of 1, Ranworth Mansions, Compayne Gardens, Hampstead, London; husband of Eileen Mary Ramsey, of 5, Southwood Court, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London. At time of entry his address is given as 13 Stanhope Gardens, Highgate, religion Church of England, work on Stock Exschange in civilian life, height 5 feet 8½ inches, chest 34-37 i/nches, medium complexion, brown hair, grey eyes. Promoted from Benbow Battalion, C.P.O., to Sub-Lieutenant drafted to Hood Battalion from 2nd Reserve Battalion 23 January 1915, then Temporary Lieutenant 17 February 1915. he 1891 census he was aged 6, born Ilford, Essex, son of Arthur Walt and Fanny Geradine Ramsey, resident Blaen Y Cum, Coventry Road, Ilford, Romford, Essex. In the 1901 census he was aged 16, a student, born Ilford, resident Forest School, Forest Rise, Walthamstow, West Ham, London & Essex. In the 1913 Electoral Register for the Parish of Chalfont St. Peter, he was registered as resident "The Greenway", Austen Wood, Gerrards Cross. No known grave. Commemorated on HELLES MEMORIAL, Turkey (including Gallipoli). Panel 8 to 16.

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1915:

RAMSEY Frank Blashfield of 1 Greenway Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire died 20 July 1915 at the Dardanelles on active service Probate London 26 August to Eileen Mary Ramsey widow. Effects £761 19s.

Captain, 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers. Died 27 August 1914. Awarded the Member of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) Buried in ETREUX BRITISH CEMETERY, Aisne, France. Row II. Grave 8.

Extract from Bond Of Sacrifice: Officers Died In The Great War 1914-1916, Volume 1, Page 359-360:

CAPTAIN GEORGE NORMAN SIMMS, M.V.O., 2nd BAT TN. ROYAL MUNSTER FUSILIERS, who was unofficially reported to have been killed on the 27th August, 1914, at Noyon, was the youngest son of the late George Simms, of Summer Grange, Sunningdale, and of Mrs. Simms, of Gilderdale House, Gerrards Cross.

He was born on the 21st October, 1875, and joined the Royal Munster Fusiliers from the Militia in December, 1897, becoming Lieutenant in March, 1899.

He served in the South African War, being present at operations in the Orange River Colony in the early part of 1902, receiving for his services the Queen's medal with two clasps. The senior surviving officer of the battalion gave the following account of Captain Simms' death : " On August 27th his company was on outpost duty with mine in front of the battalion, which was to cover the withdrawal of our brigade. The latter got away safely, but to achieve this the battalion had to sacrifice itself. The enemy was coming from the north, and began working round to eastward of us. Your son's company was sent to the post of danger to prevent this. It was a most difficult undertaking, involving his complete isolation from the rest of us, but he carried it through, fought a smart little action ' on his own,' and returned with the loss of but three men. We then continued the withdrawal, and it was discovered that the enemy had surrounded and cut us off. Again George Simms was sent to the post of danger, this time in front. He went off at the head of his men, and having located the enemy in an entrenched position straight across our line of retreat he proceeded to attack at once. A murderous fire was opened on him and his men, and a destructive cross-fire was brought to bear on them from a loop-holed house. While gallantly exposing himself, as an example to his men, he was shot in the body and fell dead. The whole five officers of his company were killed, a magnificent example to the remainder of the battalion. The next day the Germans sent out a party of our men, whom they had taken prisoners, to bury our dead, and your son was placed in a grave with eight of his brother officers who fell in the same action. His personal effects were buried with him, nothing being touched. His kit was on our transport wagons, which may have escaped. When I came to this battalion four months ago I was attached to your son's company, so that I might see how the new system was run, and it really wag a lesson in the art of managing men. The Brigadier, after inspecting his company, said : I should like to serve under Captain Simms myself.' No higher praise is needed. The whole battalion was devoted to him, and his company was far the best of the battalion. In the mess we shall miss him more than anywhere : his invariable good temper, tact, and 'sense of humour made him an ideal senior member of a mess."

Captain Simms, who was promoted to his rank in June, 1906, was a member of the Army and Navy Club, a keen polo player, and fond of steeplechasing. He was not married.

Driver 1871535, Royal Engineers. Died during the evacuation oat Dunkirk 27 May 194o. Aged 22. Son of Edgar Charles and Eliza Jane Chandler, of Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire. No known grave. Commemorated on DUNKIRK MEMORIAL, Nord, France. Column 28.

Second Hand LT/JX 211029, H.M.S. Pembroke, Royal Naval Patrol Service formerly Lieut. Comdr. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Died 21 April 1941. Aged 55. Awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.) and Legion D'Honneur. Son of Capt. Algernon Heneage Drummond, formerly of The Rifle Brigade, and of Margaret Elizabeth Drummond (nee Benson); husband of Maude Aylmer Tindal Drummond (nee Bosanquet), of Chalfont St. Peter. Buried in CHALFONT ST. PETER (ST. PETER) CHURCH CEMETERY, Buckinghamshire. Special Memorial.

Award Citation Details:

The following details are given in the London Gazette of 28 August 1918:

BURIED IN CHURCHYARD BUT NOT ON MEMORIAL