LITTLE DOWNHAM WAR MEMORIAL

There is a memorial to those who died in the First World War in the churchyard of St. Leonard's church and a scroll giving additional information, including World War II, within the church. There is commemorative stained glass window within the church around which are photos of some of the First World War men.

BARRETT	Albert Edward	Private, 9th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 16 September 1916. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
CARTER	Alfred William	Rifleman, 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade. Died 3 January 1917 Aged 28. Son of Arthur William and Mary Ann Carter, of School Lane, Downham.; husband of Lilian Carter, of Tower Rd., Little Downham, Ely, Cambs. Buried in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas de Calais, France.
CORNWELL	Alexander	Possibly: Private, 3rd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. Died 22 June 1918 (21 June 1918 in church). Buried in Hull Western Cemetery, Yorkshire.
CORNWELL	Percy William John	Private, 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 17 April 1917, Aged 20. Son of Richman and Isabella Jane Cornwell, of Main St., Little Downham, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, pas de Calais, France.
CORNWELL	Peter	Private, 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Died 26 September 1915 Aged 18. Son of Mrs. Elizabeth Cornwell, of 2, Barrack's Square, Little Downham, Ely, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on Loos Memorial.
CULPIN	Henry	Lance Corporal, 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 23 November 1917 Aged 22. Son of Mrs. Hannah Hobbs, of Third Drove, Little Downham, Ely, Cambs. Buried in Tincourt New British Cemetery, Somme, France.
FINCHAM	Charles Burton	Private, 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 3 August 1918 Aged 28. Son of Samuel and Sarah Ann Fincham, of Little Downham, Cambs. Buried in Sandpits British Cemetery, Fouquerevil, Pas de Calais, France.
FRYETT	Charles	Private, 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 8 May 1915 Aged 33. Son of Charles and Louisa Fryett, of Prickwillow, Ely; husband of Elizabeth Fryett, of Lawn Lane, Little Downham, Ely, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on Ypres Menin Gate.
GARNER	George	Private, 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, wounded 7 November 1916, died of wounds 12 November 1916. Lived First Drove, Downham. Buried in Contay British Cemetery, Contay, Somme, France.
GOUDGE	John[Jack] WIlliam	[GOODGE in CWGC]. Private, 6th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, attd. Military Foot Police, Military Police Corps., died 12 February 1917. Husband of Emma Jane Goudge of Third Drove, Downham. Son of Henry and Amelia Goodge, of Littleport, Cambs. Buried in Wanquetin Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France. See also Littleport.
GREEN	Horace William	Private, 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, attd. Supply & Transport Corps.. Died of nephritis, 10 February 1917 Aged 20. Son of William Woods Green and Emily Green of Bury House, Little Downham, Ely. Buried in Basra War Cemetery, Iraq.
HARRISON	Albert	Private, 34th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, Labour Corps. Died of gas poisoning 18 May 1918. Son of Mrs Ann Frances Harrison, 4th Drove, Little Downham Fen. Aged 30. Buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France.
HARRISON	Frederick	Private, 5692, 15th Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Died 21 August 1917. Son of Francis and Eleanor Harrison. Born Little Downham. Buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery, Germany.
HILL	John	Private, 2nd Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own). Died 26 December 1914 Aged 23. Adopted son of Mrs. M. Nicholas, of School Lane, Little Downham, Ely, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on Le Touret Memorial Pas de Calais, France.
JORDAN	John	Private, 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Died 27 September 1916. Buried in Connaught Cemetery, Thiepval, Somme, France.
MARTIN	Abraham	[Private, on CWGC] Lance Corporal, 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 17 October 1917, Aged 26. Son of James and Naomi Martin, of Oxlode, Ely, Cambs. Buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
MARTIN	Albert	Private, 1st/5th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. Died 30 August 1918, Aged 19. Son of James Martin, of 3 Tower Rd., Little Downham, Ely. Prisoner of War. Brother of Herbert. Buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery, Germany.
MARTIN	Herbert	Private, 7th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 17 October 1917. Aged 33. Husband of Daisy Martin, of 4th Drove, Little Downham, Ely. Son of Mr & Mrs James Martin. Brother of Albert. Buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. For more details see Herbert Martin web page
MISSIN	Harry	Private, "D" Company, 8th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 1 July 1916. Lived First Drove, Downham. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Sommwe, France.
PEACOCK	Jacob Arthur	[Arthur on CWGC] Private, 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Died 15 September 1916. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
PEARSON	Walter James	Private 23703, 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 9 August 1916 Aged 21. Son of Martin and Sarah Jane Pearson, of Oxlode, Isle of Ely, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A.
RUDDERHAM	John William	Private, 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Died 23 April 1917. No known grave. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
RUMBELOW	George	Photograph Courtesy Peter Thatcher from photograph inside Gorefield Church Private, 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 26 August 1914. No known grave. Commemorated on La Ferte-Sous-Jouvarre Memorial, Seine et Marne, France.
SABERTON	Archer	Gunner, ‘D’ Battery, 23rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died 14 May 1917 Aged 21. Son of Richard and Elizabeth Mary Saberton, of Cannon St., Little Downham, Ely, Cambs. Buried in St. Nicolas British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
SABERTON	Joseph Victor	Private, Royal Army Service Corps. Died 3 February 1920 Aged 21. Buried in Arquata Scrivia Communal Cemetery Extension, Italy. No. 2 Horse Transport and Supply Depot, Son of J. and A. Saberton of Pymore, Ely, Cambs. (Not listed inside church)
SMITH	Arthur Harold	Second Lieutenant, 18th Battalion, attd. 9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Died 27 March 1918 Aged 21. Son of J. Fred and Rovina Smith, of Little Downham, Ely, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on Pozieres Memorial
STOCKDALE	Edward Leslie Johnson	Temporary Lieutenant, "B" Company, 10th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. Killed in action near Contalmaison Friday 7th July 1916. Aged 22. Baptised 24 September 1893 in Little Downham, resident Tower Farm, Little Downham. Son of William Edward and Rose Ellen Stockdale, of The Tower, Ely, Cambs. Admitted to Bedford Middle Class Public School 1905, Cowper House, left 1908. Employed with London County Council , Public Health Department. In the 1901 census he was aged 7, born Downham, Cambridgeshire, son of William E and Rose Ellen Stockdale, resident Tower Farm, Downham, Ely, Cambridgeshire. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 3 C and 3 D. See also Elstow, Bedford County School and Ely War Memorial
SWAIN	Thomas William	Private, G/14901, 13th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. Killed in action 5 August 1917 (2 August 1917 in church). Born Wisbech, enlisted Cambridge. No known grave. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate).
TAYLOR	Alfred	Private, 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Died 9 November 1917. Aged 20. Son of George and Ellen Taylor, of Little Downham, Ely, Cambs. Buried in Motor Car Corner Cemetery, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium.
THORPE	Solomon	Private, 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 20 August 1918 (1916 in church). No known grave. Commemorated on Loos Memoria, Pas de Calais, Francel.
TINGEY	Alexander	Private, 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 23 August 1918. Buried in Railway Cutting Cemetery, Courcelles-Le-Comte, Pas de Calais, France
WRIGHT	Horace Lynford	Private, 25th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Died 7 November 1917 Aged 19. Son of Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Wright, of Little Downham, Ely, Cambs Buried in Dar Es Salaam War Cemetery, Tanzania.
1939-1945 The Second World War names have been taken from a Roll of Honour inside the church which also lists the First World War names.
BAILEY	Eddie	Private, 1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment, Suffolk Regiment. Died 25 August 1942 Aged 32, died of diptheria. Prisoner of War, Changi gaol, Singapore. Son of Walter William and Mabel Annie Bailey, of Pymoor, Cambridgeshire. Buried in Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore.
BIDWELL	Arthur Arnold	Private, 5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 21 October 1943. Aged 22. Son of William and Martha Bidwell, of Little Downham, Ely, Cambridgeshire. Buried in Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Myanmar.
CRANE	Bernard	Trooper, 142nd Regiment, (7th Suffolks), R.A.C.. Died 1 August 1943. Aged 33. Son of William James Crane and Elizabeth Crane, of Little Downham, Cambridgeshire. Buried in Dely Ibrahim War Cemetery, Algeria.
FROST	Frank	Sergeant, 142nd Regiment, (7th Suffolks), R.A.C.. Died 28 July 1944. Aged 29. Son of George H. and Hannah Frost, of Little Downham, Cambridgeshire. Buried in Florence War Cemetery, Italy.
JEFFERSON	Archie	Private 5933457, 2nd Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action 12 February 1942 Aged 23. Son of Walter and Ada Jefferson, of Little Downham, Cambridgeshire. No known grave. Commemorated on Singapore memorial, Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore. Column 59.
MISSIN	Ronald George	Private, General Service Corps.. Died 25 June 1944 Aged 19. Son of Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Missin, of Little Downham. Buried in Little Downham (St. Leonard) Church Cemetery, Cambridgeshire.
NICHOLAS	Stanley	Sergeant, 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died 6 June 1940 (1944 in church) Aged 27. Son of Philip and Emily Nicholas, of Little Downham, Cambridgeshire; husband of Ellen Lydia Nicholas, of Little Downham. Buried in Eeklo Communal Cemetery, Eeklo, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
YARDY	Ernest Victor	Private, Royal Army Service Corps. Died between 31 May 1940 and 2 June 1940 (unknown in church). Aged 21. No known grave. Commemorated on Dunkirk Memorial, Nord, France. Column 140.

Last updated 25 October, 2025