1914-1918

BATTESCOMBE

Cyril Guy

[Listed as BATTISCOMBE on records] Lance Corporal 4298, 13th Battalion, London Regiment (Kensington Pals). Died Sunday 1st July 1916 aged 32 years. Enlisted Kensington, London. Resided Ashford. Son of the Reverend William C and Mrs Battiscombe of Warehorne Rectory, Warehorne, Kent. Cyril has no known grave. His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial, The Somme, France. Panel reference 9C, 9D, 13C and 12C.

CROFT

John [Frederick Manners]

Lance Corporal G/7, 6th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Wednesday 13th October 1915 aged 20 years. Born Wilburton, Ely, Cambs. Enlisted Canterbury. Resided Ashford. Son of Robert Manners and Augusta Croft of Cold Blow, Woodchurch, near Ashford. John has no known grave. His name appears on the Loos Memorial, Loos, France. Panel reference 15 to 19.

DORMAN

Leonard

Corporal L/9765, 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Friday 2nd July 1915 aged 21 years. Born Warehorne. Enlisted Ashford. Resided Warehorne. Son of William and George Dorman of Orchard Place, Hamstreet, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Potijze Burial Ground Cemetery, Leper, Belgium. Grave reference Z.22.

DRAY

Albert John

Private G/4862, 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Tuesday 25th May 1915 aged 28 years. Born Ruckinge. Enlisted Ashford. Resided Ashford. Son of Edward John and Elizabeth Dray of Ruckinge, Kent. Albert has no known grave. His name appears on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Leper, Belgium. Panel reference 12 and 14.

HARDEN

Herbert John

Acting Corporal L/9767, 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 19th April 1916. Born Warehorne. Resided Hamstreet. Enlisted Ashford, Kent. Herbert has no known grave. His name appears on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Leper, Belgium. Panel reference 12 and 14.

HARDEN

John

Private 260149, 6th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (DCLI). Formerly (30143) Hampshire Regiment. Died 22nd August 1917 aged 36 years. Born Ashford. Enlisted Southampton. Son of Thomas and Sarah Harden of Bromley Green, Ashford. Husband of Harriet Harden of “Birchett Cottage”, Orlestone. Buried in the Oxford Road Cemetery, France. Grave reference II.C4.

HILL

Steven Harry

Private 2925, 18th Battalion (1st Public Works Pioneers), Middlesex Regiment. Died Sunday 15th October 1916. Born Newington, Kent. Enlisted Birmingham. Steven married Sarah Spain (a relative of the Harden family). Buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery, Etaples, France. Grave reference VII.F.8A.

HARDEN

Percy

Private 28849, 51st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died aged 20 years. Son of John and Emma Grace Harden of 2, Viaduct Terrace, Hamstreet, Ashford, Kent. Buried locally in the Warehorne (St Matthew) Churchyard, Warehorne, Kent.

This man’s name also appears on the Hamstreet list as Percy HARDEN. There is a Percy HARDEN on the 1901 Warehorne Census aged only 1 year old he had a brother Peter who was aged 12 years.

1939-1945

CARMAN

Thomas

No further information currently available

GARNER

Colin Henry

No further information currently available

JONES

Reginald Sidney

No further information currently available

STALKER

Clifford Neil

Sergeant (Air Gunner), 1893122, 57 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 5 July 1944. Aged 31. Son of Neil and Annie E Stalker of Warehorne, Ashford, Kent. Buried St Denis Churchyard, Poix-de-Picardie, Somme, France. Row C. Grave 33.

Poix, where Clifford is at rest, was known as Poix-de-la-Somme prior to 1965.

Clifford was an Air Gunner on Lancaster bomber JB486 DX-F, which was flown by 25 year old Flight Lieutenant (Pilot), Anthony E. Grubb, of New Malden, Surrey. The aircraft took off at 2324 hours on 4 July 1944 from R.A.F. East Kirby, Lincolnshire, in a force of 231 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos, mostly from No 5 Group but with some Pathfinder aircraft. The bombers were tasked with a continued attack on the underground flying-bomb store at St Leu d'Esserent with 1,000lb bombs, in order to cut all communications to the site. The bombing during the raid was notably accurate, but during which, 13 Lancasters were lost when Luftwaffe night fighters engaged the force, one of which shot down Clifford’s aircraft at approximately 0200 hours on 5 July 1944. The Lancaster crashed just to the north of Cormeilles, Oise, which is approximately five miles from the town of Breteuil. Clifford’s Lancaster was delivered to his squadron on 21 October 1943, and taken part in a number of major raids, primarily to Berlin, Germany. When lost his aircraft had a total of 397 hours. JB486 was one of two of 57 Squadron’s Lancasters lost on this operation.