Roll of Honour - Essex - Wethersfield

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

WETHERSFIELD WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Kim Andrews 2010

The Wethersfield War Memorial can be found inside St Mary Magdalene Church, Wethersfield. It takes the form of a tablet with a centre panel recessed with Scotia moulding and outline and with a double gilded fillet with cut away corners with IHS in gilded letters above the inscription, the World War 2 names have been added on an extra panel to the base. The memorial is flanked by flags, the Union flag and the St Georges Cross. There are twenty-one names for World War 1 listed by rank, initial, surname, regiment and four for World War 2 listed by forename, middle initial, surname. The memorial was unveiled in February 1921. There are also a wide variety of individual memorials also to be found within the church.

REMEMBER AND THANK GOD FOR
OUR BRAVE MEN FAITHFUL AND TRUE
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR US
IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918
THEY RETURN NOT TO US BUT TO GOD.
WE RECORD THEIR NAMES AND PRAISE
THEIR NOBLE SACRIFICE

"Greater love hath no man than this" John XV.13

BOWTLE	William Henry	Private 40567, 5th Battalion [SDGW] or 4th Battalion [CWGC], Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 25 March 1918. Born and resident Wethersfield, enlisted Warley. Formerly 26282, Norfolk Regiment. No known grave. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 5,
DAINES	Benjamin	Lance Corporal 26827, 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Killed in action 26 May 1918. Aged 20. Born Wethersfield, enlisted Colchester. Son of Alfred and Sarah Daines, of Brook St., Wethersfield, Braintree. A Builder. His brother Sidney Daines also fell (see below). Buried in AYETTE BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot/Row/Section D. Grave 3.
DAINES	Sidney	Corporal 26251, 31st Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Killed in action 15 August 1918. Aged 22. Born and resident Wethersfield, enlisted Braintree. Son of Alfred and Sarah Daines, of Brook St., Wethersfield, Braintree, Essex. His brother Benjamin Daines also fell (see above). Formerly 23758, Essex Regiment. Buried in AVAL WOOD MILITARY CEMETERY, VIEUX-BERQUIN, Nord, France. Plot I. Row AA. Grave 7.
FEWELL	Herbert	Private 17009, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment. Died of wounds 5 July 1915. Born Wethersfield, enlisted Chelmsford, resident Blackmore End, Braintree. Buried in HOSPITAL FARM CEMETERY, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot/Row/Section B. Grave 7.
FITCH	William	Private 26374, 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Killed in action 23 August 1917. Born and resident Wethersfield, enlisted Halstead. No known grave. Commemorated on TYNE COT MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 28 to 30 and 162 to 162A and 163A.
GORDON	Charles William Eric	Brigadier General, General Staff commanding 123rd Infantry Brigade late Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). Killed in action 23 July 1917. Aged 39. Order of Danilo 3rd Class (Montenegro). Son of Col. W. Gordon and Edith, his wife, of Wethersfield Place, Braintree, Essex. Mentioned in Despatches. Served in the Anglo-Boer War in the The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). Educatd Harrow School. In the 1911 census he was aged 33, serving in Sialkot, India, born Carlston, Scotland. Buried in RENINGHELST NEW MILITARY CEMETERY, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot III. Row D. Grave 16. There is a brass shield shaped plaque mounted on wood within the church. The top reads: “I am the resurrection and the life saith the Lord”. The main inscription reads: “To the Glory of God in the proud and loving memory of Brigadier General Charles William Eric Gordon of the Black Watch. Killed in action in Flanders July 23rd 1917. buried in Reninghelst Cemetery, near Ypres, aged 39.” Around the border of the main shield in Latin “He died before his time but as a solder of his country.”
GUNN	Sidney	Private 241933, 1st/6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment. Died of wounds 31 May 1918. Born and resident Blackmore End, Essex, enlisted Halstead, Essex. Buried in PERNES BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot II. Row E. Grave 13.
HUME	A	Lance Corporal, Machine Gun Corps probably Alfred Victor HUME, Lance Corporal 275805, 6th Battalion, Essex Regiment. Died at sea 30 December 1917. Enlisted West Ham, resident Bow, Middlesex. No known grave. Commemorated on CHATBY MEMORIAL, Egypt.
LAWRENCE	Percy	Corporal 67675, 178th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Killed in action 1 July 1917. Aged 22. Born and resident Weatherfield [sic], Essex, enloisted Hamsteels. Formerly 2584, Durham Light Infantry. Son of John and Catherine Lawrence, of Blackmore End, Braintree, Essex. Buried in FOSSE NO.10 COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, SAINS-EN-GOHELLE, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row D. Grave 19.
LAWRENCE	Stanley	Private T/202564, 10th (Royal East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Killed in action 13 August 1918. Aged 29. Born Wethersfield, enlisted Braintree, resident Coggeshall, Essex. Son of William and Mary Ann Lawrence, of Blackmore End, Wethersfield, Essex; husband of Louisa Lawrence, of West St., Coggeshall, Essex. No known grave. Commemorated on LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, Franc. Panel 15 to 19.
MARSH, MC	Philip Everard Ggraham	Captain, Royal Air Force. Killed 20 December 1918. He was born on 2 January 1895, in Bangalore, India, the son of Henry Graham Marsh and Violet Hughes-Hallett. He served in France in the Army Service Corps and was awarded the M.C. Captain Marsh transferred to the Royal Air Force and was an instructor at Feltwell aerodrome in Norfolk where he died in a mid-air collision on 20 December 1918. Extract from Flight Global 16 January 1919: Capt. PHILIP EVERARD GRAHAM MARSH, M.C., R.A.F., who, with his mechanic, was killed by a collision in the air while flying at the Feltwell aerodrome on December 20, was the only son of Major H. G. Marsh, 19th Hussars (retired), and Mrs. Marsh, of Danes Vale, Wethersfield, Essex. Capt. Marsh was educated at Lancing, and got his commission from Sandhurst in August, 1914. He served in France with the A.S.C., won the M.C., and was mentioned in despatches. He was then for a short time with the Border Regt., and afterwards transferred to the R.A.F. He was instructor at the Feltwell aerodrome at the time of his death. Capt. Marsh was only lately married. The funeral took place on Christmas Eve at Wethersfield Parish Church.
MEAD	Alfred	Private 903, "B" Company, 2nd Battaion, Lancashire Fusiliers. Died of wounds 31 May 1915. Aged 26. Born Wethersfield, enlisted Braintree. Son of John and Mary Mead, of Oak Hill, Wethersfield, Braintree, Essex. Buried in HAZEBROUCK COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Nord, France. Plot II. Row A. Grave 17.
NEWMAN	Thomas Beddall H	[Memorial lists him as Royal Welsh Fusiliers] Serjeant SPTS/446, 23rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died of wounds in United Kingdom 16 May 1917. Aged 42. Born Great Bardfield, Essex [SDGW], enlisted London, resident Wethersfield. Son of Thomas Beddall Newman and Lilian Newman, of Wethersfield. Born at Wethersfield [CWGC]. Buried in WETHERSFIELD (ST. MARY MAGDALENE) CHURCHYARD, Essex.
PASSFIELD	Alfred	Private 12562, 9th Battalion, Essex Regiment. Killed in action 4 October 1915. Aged 24. Born and resident Wethersfield, enlisted Chelmsford. Son of Alfred and Mary Passfield, of Brook Cottage, Wethersfield, Braintree, Essex. No known grave. Commemorated on LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, Franc. Panel 85 to 87.
REYNOLDS	Dick	Private 27894, 26th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died of wounds 25 March 1918. Aged 21. Enlisted and resident Bishop's Stortford. Son of Richard and Clara Reynolds, of Wethersfield, Braintree, Essex. Buried in ST. HILAIRE CEMETERY, FREVENT, Pas de Calais, France. Plot V. Row G. Grave 1.
RIDGEWELL	Robert C	[Spelt RIDGWELL on SDGW & CWGC] Trooper 1275, Essex Yeomanry. Killed in action 14 May 1915. Aged 20. Enlisted Chelmsford resident Wethersfield. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 5.
RUST	Jack Sydney	Trooper/Private 1277, "B" Squadron, Essex Yeomanry. Died of wounds 15 May 1915. Aged 22. Enlisted Chelmsford, resident Wethersfield. Son of Samuel and Emily Rust, of Brook Farm Cottage, Wethersfield, Braintree, Essex. Buried in BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, NORD, Nord, France. Plot I. Row A. Grave 93.
RUST	Joe	Private 59425, 6th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Killed in action 29 September 1918. Born Wethersfield, enlisted Chelmsford. Buried in UNICORN CEMETERY, VENDHUILE, Aisne, France. Plot III. Row D. Grave 20.
STOCKBRIDGE	Cecil Fay	Private 2639, 1st/20th (County of London) Battalion (Blackheath and Woolwich), London Regiment. Killed in action 24 May 1916. Aged 19. Enlisted Blackheath, resident Lewisham. Son of Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Stockbridge, of Blackmore End, Braintree, Essex. No known grave. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 9 or 10.
TARBUN	Alfred	Private 115477, 54th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Died of wounds 28 March 1918. Aged 20. Born Sudbury, Suffolk, enlisted Colchester, resident Wethersfield. Buried in ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN, Seine-Maritime, France. Section P. Plot VII. Row C. Grave 10A.
THOROGOOD	Herbert Rreginald	[Listed as Private on memorial] Lance Corporal 12494, "C" Company, 9th Battalion, Essex Regiment. Killed in action 3 July 1916. Born and resident Wethersfield, enlisted Chelmsford. Son of Herbert Thorogood, of Wethersfield, Braintree. Buried in CHOCQUES MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row G. Grave 4.
Their name liveth for evermore. Eccles XLIV 14 1939-1945
DENDLE	Arthur James	Signalman 2341350, 5th Division Signals, Royal Corps of Signals. Died 3 August 1944. Aged 24. B Son of William H. Dendle and Minnie E. Dendle, of Weathersfield [sic], Essex. uried in KHAYAT BEACH WAR CEMETERY, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza). Plot B. Row E. Grave 2.
FLANNERY	[John] Derek Fortescue	Flying Officer 131609, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 5 June 1944. Aged 22. Only son of Sir Harold Flannery, Bt., M.B.E., and Lady Flannery of Wethersfield, Essex. Buried in CASSINO WAR CEMETERY, Italy. Plot XVII. Row D. Grave 7. "In proud and loving memory of Flying Officer Derek Fortescue Flannery only son of Sir Harold Flannery – Baronet – and Lady Flannery. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. As a further memorial electric lighting was installed in this church September 1947”
SHERWIN	Albert Edward George	Private 6351428, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment and No. 2. Commando. Died 12 March 1945. Aged 23. Buried in DURNBACH WAR CEMETERY, Bayern, Germany. Plot 3. Row J. Grave 2.
WEAVERS	Clifford Sidney	Private 6016483, 5th Battalion, Essex Regiment. Died 24 November 1943. Aged 24. Son of Sidney Harold and Lily Gladys Weavers, of Wethersfield, Essex. Buried in SANGRO RIVER WAR CEMETERY, Italy. Plot XVII. Row B. Grave 34.
Other plaques
MARSH	Everard Swaine	2nd Lieutenant, 7th Royal Fusiliers. Killed at Deh Khoja, 16th August 1880. Second son of Rev. William Marsh. He was born 8th June 1858 in Essex. He joined the West Essex militia in 1877 and Sandhurst in 1878. He was gazetted in 1879 and joined his regiment in Bombay. He was killed trying to help 2nd Lieut. Wood, who had been wounded.
WOOD	Frederick Philip Forester	2nd Lieutenant, 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Killed at Deh Khoja, 16th August 1880. Elder son of Rev. Frederic Wood and Emily Pratt. He was born 13th March 1857. After Sandhurst he was gazetted to the 76th Foot in 1878. He then exchanged to the 2/7th Royal Fusiliers in Bombay. He had led a bayonet charge and was shot 5 times, 2nd Lieut. Marsh attempted to rescue him but was also killed. Memorial at St. Marys Church, Ewarton, Suffolk - "In memory of Fredk. Philip Foster Wood Lieutenant 7th Royal Fusiliers. Elder son of the Reverend Frederick Wood Rector of Edwarton with Woolverstone and Emily his wife. killed in action at Kandahar in Afghanistan August 16th 1880 aged 23 years. This tablet has been erected by friends and neighbours as a token of their esteem and regret for his early death and of sympathy with his sorrowing family."

Last updated 28 July, 2016

War Memorials Trust