BRAY

John William G

[CWGC lists him a 1456] Private G/456, 6th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died of wounds sustained on the Somme 4th August 1916. Aged 32. Born Pluckley, Kent, enlisted Birchington, Kent, resident Stourmouth. Son of Mrs. A. E. Divers, of Stourmouth, nr. Canterbury. Buried in WARLOY-BAILLON COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Grave VII. E. 18.

FAGG

Walter William

Private 4471, 2nd Draggon Guards (Queen's Bays). Killed in action at Verberie (on River Oise) 1st September 1914 in France & Flanders. Born Stourmouth, Canterbury, enlisted Catenrbury, resident Walmer. Baptised 24th October 1886 Stourmouth by parents Thomas, a shopkeeper, and Annie; the family was resident at Stourmouth for several decades. He was Stourmouth's first fatality. Buried in VERBERIE FRENCH NATIONAL CEMETERY, Oise, France.

He was Stourmouth's first Tommy of the B.E.F. to be have been killed in action in the Great War a few weeks before his 28th birthday. He died during the fight at Néry - my native village - when the First Brigade of the Cavalry Division and the 'L' Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery were surprised at dawn by the German 4th Cavalry Division and three Batteries, each of four guns.

Néry - a remote, ancient village to the north-east of Senlis - lay on the path of the Retreat from Mons in the early stage of the war. On September 1st, dawn broke with dense mist as the 1st Cavalry Brigade - the 11th Hussars, the 2nd Dragoon Guards and the 5th Dragoon Guards - under Brigadier Briggs were billeted in teh village. The 5th Dragoon Guards, squadron C of the 2nd Dragoon Guards (the Queen's Bays) - Walter William Fagg's Cavalry Regiment - and L'Battery, R.H.A. were bivouacking in the open on the south end of the village.

At 5.30 a.m. a patrol from the 11th Hussars reported that it had ridden into a body of German Cavalry in the thick fog. Immediately afterwards enemy shell and machine-gun fire opened on the village from positions only 600 yards away. Outnumbered five to one, under overwhelming fire, the 'Old Contemptibles' made a gallant stand. Officers and men of 'L' Battery fought to the death. With some help at around eight o'clock from the 4th Cavalry Brigade and 'L' Battery, R.H.A., they beat off and put the entire German 4th Cavalary Division in disarray. They took prisoners. They captured eight guns - being the first to capture German guns in the Great War. At 11 a.m. the Retreat resumed.

As a result of this Action, Captain Bradbury, Battery Sergeant Major Dorrell and Sergeant nelson of 'L' Battery were awarded the Victoria Cross - posthumously for Captain Bradbury. Leiutenant Lamb of the Bays was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. In 1926 'L' Battery was awarded the Honour title of 'Néry' to commemorate the Action, being known as 'L' Néry Battery, R.H.A. They celebrate Néry Day faithfully each year. Last year, the Battery paraded during the Canadian exercises and the account of the Action was read.

The memorial to the Queen's Bays in Néry village reads:

'This plaque commemorates an Action in Néry on 1st September, 1914 during which the 2nd Dragoon Guards (the Queen's Bays) played a conspicuous part in helping to repulse the German 4th Cavalry Division. The Battle of the Marne was won at Néry.'

GRIGGS

Edward James

Private 51988, Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry). Died at home 1st June 1918. Age 29. Born Stourmouth, enlisted Tidworth, resident St Lawrence, Kent. Son of William Charles Griggs, of 3, Jubilee Cottages, Manston, Ramsgate; husband of Rose Hannah Griggs, of Stourmouth. Formerly 17055, 7th R C R. Baptised 20th July 1890 Stourmouth by parents William, a labourer, and Rose. He was the last of Stourmouth's sons to die during the Great War. Buried in west section of ALL SAINTS CHURCHYARD, STOURMOUTH, Kent. Grave 2.8.

HOLNESS

James Arthur

Private G/13424, 2nd Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Killed in action at Croisilles, southeast of Arras 2nd April 1917 in France & Flanders. Age 27. Born and resident Stourmouth, enlisted Sandwich, Kent. Son of A. W. and Charlotte Holness, of Gunner Farm, Picton, Ontario, Canada. Born at Stourmouth, Kent. Baptised 15th June 1890 Stourmouth by parents Arthur, a labourer, and Charlotte. Buried in CROISILLES BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Grave I. A. 10.

MORRIS

James T

Able Seaman J/12209, H.M.S. Marshall Soult, Royal Navy. Died 20th November 1915. Age 21. Son of Mr. T. Morris, of Gordon House, Stourmouth. Buried in east section of ALL SAINTS CHURCHYARD, STOURMOUTH, Kent. Grave 1.21.

Note: HMS Marshall Soult Marshal Soult (Type: Monitor, built 1915 at Palmers, R. Tyne. Disp. 6400 tons, armament 2 x 15" guns, crew 280, speed 6.6 knots). She entered service at the start of November 1915 , her engines proved to be very reliable. She had, however, been fitted with the wrong propellers and flat out she could only do 5 knots. She immediately went to Portsmouth and had new props fitted which increased her speed to 6.5 knots. Attached to Dover Squadron. She was disarmed 1940, becoming a gunnery training ship at Chatham in 1941.

NEWPORT

Alfred Thomas

Able Seaman, S.S. "Lewisham" (London), Mercantile Marine. Died 17th May 1917. Son of Norton Newport and Esther Newport, of Brewery Square, Stourmouth. Commemorated on the TOWER HILL MEMORIAL, London.

Note: The S.S. Lewisham (2,810 tons) was torpedoed off Fastnet, by a German U-Boat on 14th May 1917 with the loss of 24 crew.

PETTMAN

William Charles

Private B/21029, 10th (Service) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry. Killed in action 13th February 1916 in France & Flanders. Age 22. Born and resident Stourmouth, enlisted Margate. Son of Mr. A. M. Pettman, of School Lane, Lower Stourmouth, Canterbury; brother of Alfred Thomas below. Baptised as Charles 12th March 1895 Stourmouth by parents Alfred, a labourer, and Jane. Buried in GUNNERS FARM MILITARY CEMETERY, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Grave K. 5.

PETTMAN

Alfred Thomas

Acting Corporal L/10342, 8th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died of wounds 4th October 1917 in France & Flanders. Age 21. Born and resident Stourmouth, enlisted Canterbury; brother of William C above. Son of Mr. A. M. Pettman, of School Lane, Lower Stourmouth, Canterbury. Baptised 31st January 1897 Stourmouth by parents Alfred, a labourer, and Jane. Buried in DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN, Pas de Calais, France. Grave V. B. 55.

UDEN

Arthur

Private T/3380, 1st/5th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 19th July 1916 with the Mesopotamia Expedition Force. Born and resident Stourmouth, enlisted Sandwich. Buried in AMARA WAR CEMETERY, Iraq. Grave IX. E. 20.

WHITE

John Robert

2nd Lieutenant, 7th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action at Arras 23rd April 1917. Aged 19. The only child of John, a farmer, and Florence J. Wilton (formerly White), of Manwood, Watling St., Bexley, Heath, Kent. Baptised 10th October 1897 at Stourmouth. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 3 and 4.