CHAMBERLIN

Eric Valentine George

Second Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery, 179th Army Brigade, formerly Private GS/7127, 7th Dragoon Guards. Born Stratton Strawless, Norfolk, 1887. Second son of Sir George Moore Chamberlin and Lady Emily Mary Chamberlin (née Bolingbroke). His father was a prominent Norfolk businessman. The firm of Chamberlin & Sons owned a large department store in Guildhall Hill in Norwich, as well as a textile factory in Botolph Street, Norwich, which specialised in the manufacture of waterproof clothing. Sir George Chamberlin was also a Norwich J.P. and held at various times the positions of Chief Magistrate, Sheriff, Mayor, Deputy Lord Mayor and Lord Mayor of Norwich, and Deputy Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Norfolk. Educated at Payne’s School, Lowestoft, Suffolk; Eric worked as a representative of the family firm in London before the war. A keen amateur track athlete and yachtsman. Husband of Phyliss Vera Mary Chamberlin. His widow remarried, becoming Mrs Marsh, of Hill House, Bedhampton, Hampshire. The Chamberlin family’s Norwich residence was at 53 All Saints’ Green. Eric’s older brother Frederick and younger brothers Nigel and George also held army commissions during the war, which they survived. Eric enlisted as a private soldier in August 1914 and served as a trooper in the 7th Dragoon Guards for three years. He first went over to France on 17/12/1914. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery, on 26/8/1917 and left for France two days later. He was killed in action three days later, on 31/12/1917, aged 30, having held his commission for just five days. Buried Neuville-Bourjonval British Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France.

ELLWOOD

Cecil Robert

Lance Sergeant 320129, 12th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, formerly Private 1701, Norfolk Yeomanry. Born Norwich, c. 1887. Elder son of Robert Crickmore Ellwood and Nellie Ellwood. Brother of Reginald (see below). A resident of 160 Queen’s Road, Norwich. Husband of Maude B. Ellwood, later of 26 Northfield Road, King’s Norton, Birmingham. Enlisted Norwich, 18/9/1914. Served in Gallipoli, Egypt, Palestine and France. Killed in action, 19/8/1918, during ambush at hamlet of Labris near Vieux-Berquin. This was the worst day in the 12th Norfolks’ history, when it lost eight officers and 38 other ranks killed in action and over 100 wounded. Buried Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul, Nord, France. There is a photograph of him in the Norfolk Heritage Centre, Millennium Library, Norwich. Commemorated also on the Norfolk Yeomanry memorial, Norwich Cathedral.

ELLWOOD

Reginald Walpole

Corporal 1614, Norfolk Yeomanry, Corps of Dragoons. Born Norwich, c. 1889. Younger son of Robert Crickmore Ellwood and Nellie Ellwood. Brother of Cecil (see above). A resident of 160 Queen’s Road, Norwich. Enlisted Norwich, 5/8/1914. Died at sea, 14/12/1915, of wounds received at Gallipoli. Commemorated Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. There is a photograph of him in the Norfolk Heritage Centre, Millennium Library, Norwich. Commemorated also on the Norfolk Yeomanry memorial, Norwich Cathedral.

FULLER

Robert William

Private 24023, 2nd Suffolk Regiment. Born Norwich, possibly 1894. Enlisted Belton (Suffolk?) Killed in action, 20/7/1916, probably at Longueval during the Battle of the Somme, when two companies of the 2nd Suffolks were almost completely wiped out by machine-gun fire within minutes of launching an attack across no-man’s land. Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. There is a photograph of him in the Norfolk Heritage Centre, Millennium Library, Norwich.

HARVEY

Harry

Private 51368, 11th Squadron, Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry), formerly Private 2087, 6th Dragoon Guards. Born Norwich, possibly 1889. A Norwich resident at time of enlisting. Enlisted Stratford (London?). Died of wounds, Western Front, 29/10/1917. Buried Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. There is a photograph of him in the Norfolk Heritage Centre, Millennium Library, Norwich.

LINCOLN

Henry James

Private G/19560, Depot Battalion, Queen’s Royal (West Surrey) Regiment. Born Norwich, possibly 1877. A Norwich resident at time of enlisting. Died on Home Front, England, 29/10/1916. Buried Ifield (St Margaret’s) Churchyard, Crawley, Sussex.

MURRAY

John Matthew

Engineer Lieutenant-Commander, Royal Navy. Born Aberdeen, 23/6/1873. Youngest son of Mr and Mrs James Murray, later of 67 Surrey Street, Norwich. Educated at Aberdeen Grammar School, Galashiels’ Academy and Heriot Watt Engineering School. Died at sea, Battle of Jutland, 31/5/1916, aged 42. Served on HMS Magnificent and then on HMS Queen Mary, which blew up and sank in the North Sea during the Battle of Jutland with the loss of almost all of its 1,000-strong crew. Commemorated Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire. There is a photograph of him in the Norfolk Heritage Centre collection.

SWINGER

Frederick William

Private 250599, 20th Durham Light Infantry. Born Norwich, c. 1897. Husband of Mrs S. D. Swinger. His widow remarried, becoming Mrs Barter of 7 Clements Place, Akernon Street, Tring, Hertfordshire. Enlisted Norwich. Died of wounds, 3rd Ypres, 25/9/1917. Buried Godewaersvelde British Cemetery, Nord, France.

WELLS

John Thomas

Able Seaman 140773, Royal Navy. Born parish of St Margaret’s, Norwich, 3/4/1872. Died at sea, 22/9/1914, aged 42. Served on armoured cruiser HMS Cressy, which along with HMS Hogue was torpedoed and sunk in the “Broad Fourteens” in the North Sea by German U-boat, U9, while rescuing survivors from HMS Aboukir, which had earlier been torpedoed by same U-boat. Over 1,400 men out of the 2,000 on board these three ships were lost at sea on this day. Commemorated Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.

Rest eternal grant to them O Lord,
And let light perpetual shine upon them.