Roll of Honour - Northamptonshire

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

YARDLEY GOBION WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © 2003 - Transcribed Carolynn Langley; researched Martin Edwards

The memorial is to be found on the left of entrance to St. Leonards Church, High Street, Yardley Gobion. It takes the form of a single-stepped, octagonal, base surmounted by a square with a sectioned plinth, pad, tapering octagonal shaft and Latin cross; the main inscription is to be found on metal plaques attached to sides of plinth, whilst the World War 2 air crash plaque is attached to the pad. There are ten names listed for World War 1 and twelve names for World War 2.

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY
OF THE MEN FROM THIS VILLAGE
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914- 1918

GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS.

ADKINS	Dennis Samuel	[Spelt ATKINS on SDGW & cwgc] Lance Corploral G/10202, 10th Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Died of wounds 29th July 1916 in France & Flanders. Born and resident Yardley Gobion, enlisted Towcester. Formerly 22359, Northamptonshire Regiment. Buried in ST. ANDRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Nord, France. Grave I. B. 55.
ADKINS	Frederick [James]	[Spelt ATKINS on SDGW] Private 13260, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 0th May 1917 in Salonika. Age 24. Born Yardley Gobion, enlsited Wolverton, Buckinghamshire, resident Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire. Son of Mrs. Eleanor Atkins, of Yardley Gobion. Commemorated on DOIRAN MEMORIAL, Greece.
BLISS	Frederick Henry I	[Listed as F H T on SDGW] Private G/11667, 23rd Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment). Killed in action 15th September 1916 in France & Flanders. Born Yardley Gobion, enlisted Mill Hill, Middlesex, resident Tottenham, Middlesex. Buried in GUARDS' CEMETERY, LESBOEUFS, Somme, France. Grave IV. M. 9.
CROSS	Harold	Private 3748, 1st/4th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Died of wounds at sea 14th November 1915. Age 25. Enlisted Northampton. Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Cross, of Yardley Gobion. Commemorated on HELLES MEMORIAL, Turkey. Panel 154 and 155.
GUNN	Sidney	Private, 6th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment - No further information currently
JOHNSON	Alwyn	Private G/26007, 8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Died of wounds 11th August 1917 in France & Flanders. Born Yardley Gobion (spelt Jaraley Gorion on SDGW), enlisted Towcester. Son of Everitt and Matilda Johnson, of Yardley Gobion, Stony Stratford, Bucks; husband of S. E. Johnson, of 5, Pomfret Row, Towcester, Northants. Buried in LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave XVII. F. 5A.
LAMBERT	Ernest John	Corporal 9204, 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Died 12th October 1916 in Mesopotamia. Age 25. Born Yardley Gobion, enlisted Wolverton, Buckinghamshire, resident Stony Stratford. Son of Isaac and Myrainda Lambert, of Yardley Gobion. Buried in BAGHDAD (NORTH GATE) WAR CEMETERY. Iraq. Grave XXI. M. 11.
LAMBERT	John Charles	Rifleman 473061, 12th (County of London) Battalion (The Rangers), London Regiment. Killed in action 26th November 1917 in France & Flanders. Born and resident Battersea, enlisted London. Commemorated on CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, LOUVERVAL, Nord, France. Panel 11.
SANDERS	Herbert Harold	[Spelt SAUNDERS on SDGW & CWGC] Private 30587, 13th [memorial states 12th] East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action 26th November 1917 in France & Flanders. Born Yardley Gobion, enlisted Harlesden, Middlesex. Formerly 24543, Middlesex Regiment. Commemorated on CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, LOUVERVAL, Nord, France. Panel 6.
SMITH	Arthur Jonathon	[Jonathon spelt Johnathan on CWGC & SDGW] Second Lieutenant, 36th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Killed in action 28th March 1918 in France & Flanders. Age 33. Son of Arthur Smith, of Yardley Gobion, Northants, and the late Amy Smith; husband of Marion Alice Smith. Buried in BOUCHOIR NEW BRITISH CEMETERY, Somme, France. Grave II. D. 138. See also Elstow Bedford County School Behind the church is a family grave: AMY, WIFE OF ARTHUR SMITH DIED MARCH 12 1926 Aged 66. PEACE PERFECT PEACE AND OF THE ABOVE ARTHUR SMITH DIED APRIL 3 1939 AGED 81 IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBERANCE VICTOR WESTON SMITH DIED NOV 7 1923 AGED 36. AND OF ARTHUR JONATHON SMITH Lieut. M.G.C. KILLED AT ERCHES. BOUCHOIR. FRANCE MARCH 27 1918 AGE 33 From Andy Pay's research into the Marquis de Ruvigny's Roll of Honour the following: Volume 2, Part 4, Page 188 - SMITH, Arthur Johnathan - 2nd Lieut, Machine Gun Corps. Eldest son of Arthur Smith of Stonebank, Yardley Gobion, co. Northampton, by his wife, Amy, Dau. of H. Weston, of Hartwell, co. Northampton; born Yardley Gobion, aforesaid, 24th Jan, 1885; educated County School, Bedford; was clerk and cashier at the county fire office; joined the Berkshire Yeomanry twice previously to joining the Machine Gun Corps; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. Machine Gun Corps in Sept. 1917; served with The Expeditionary Force in France from that month and was killed in action while in harge of two gun teams at Erches, ten and a half miles north east of Montdidier, 27th March, 1918. Buried where he fell. He married at Ealing, W, in July 1914, Marion, dau.of the late J. Dungey, of London.

ALSO WORLD WAR 1939 -1945.

HENSON	Donald Henry	Sergeant 1877101, Air Gunner, 189 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 8th March 1945. Buried in BECKLINGEN WAR CEMETERY, Soltau, Niedersachsen, Germany. Grave 27. D. 14.
KEY	John Charles	Private 1540746, 7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. Died 31st July 1944. Age 26. Son of John Charles and Mary Jane Key, of Yardley, Gobion. Buried in TILLY-SUR-SEULLES WAR CEMETERY, Calvados, France. Grave IV. C. 11.
LEACH	Arthur R Henry	Trooper 7904439, 12 th Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps. Died 14th September 1944. Age 22. Son of Thomas Henry and Hilda Mary Leach, of Yardley Gobion, Northamptonshire. Buried in GRADARA WAR CEMETERY, Italy. Grave I, C, 38.
TAYLOR	Alan Linnell	Lieutenant 119327, Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Killed in action 20th May 1941. Age 41. Son of Francis William and Annie Taylor of Newport Pagnell, Bucks; husband of Nancy Franklin Taylor, of Yardley Gobian, Northamptonshire, father of Gillian and Jennifer. A.M.I.A.E. Buried in SUDA BAY WAR CEMETERY, Creete. Grave 4. C. 6

On a separate metal plaque

THE CREW OF WELLINGTON LN 181
OF THE
ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE
CRASHED ON YARDLEY GOBION ON THE NIGHT OF 20TH MARCH 1944.

FLOYD	Charles Richard (Dick)	Flying Officer J/25830, Royal Canadian Air Force. Died 20th March 1944. Age 22. Son of Dr. Stanley T. Floyd and Nellie Floyd, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried in BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY, Surrey. Grave 48. A. 9.
CALMAN	Ronald Frank	[Listed as CALNAN on CWGC] Flying Officer J/35111, Navigator, Royal Canadian Air Force. Died 20th March 1944. Age 25. Son of Frank Henry and May Gertrude Calnan, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Buried in BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY, Surrey. Grave 48. A. 5.
MacGILLVARY	Ralph Northcliffe	Pilot Officer J/19367, Navigator, Royal Canadian Air Force. Died 20th March 1944. Age 23. Son of Andrew and Anna Rhoda MacGillivray, of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. Buried in BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETER , Surrey. Grave 48. A. 7.
MILLEN	Harry Charles	Pilot Officer C/6073, Air Gunner, Royal Canadian Air Force. Died 20th March 1944. Age 36. Buried in Son of Charles Henry and Mary Millen; husband of Hilda Isobel Millen, of Mattawa, Ontario, Canada. BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY, Surrey. Grave 48. B. 1.
MOHRING	William James	[Memorial states J H MOHRING] Flying Officer J/27960, Air Gunner, Royal Canadian Air Force. Died 20th March 1944. Age 21. Son of William and Nellie Mohring; husband of Merle Doreen Mohring, of Calgary, Alberta. Canada. Buried in BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY, Surrey. Grave 48. A. 6.
FULLERTON	Melville Lloyd	Flying Officer J/28902, Air Bomber, Royal Canadian Air Force. Died 20th March 1944. Age 20. Son of Alexander William and Helen Wray Fullerton, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried in BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY , Surrey. Grave 48. A. 8.
JACOBS	Daniel Louis	Flying Officer J/29518, Navigator, Royal Canadian Air Force. Died 20th March 1944. Age 30. Son of Jack L. Jacobs and Pauline Jacobs. Buried in BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY, Surrey. Grave 48. B. 2.
JOHNSON	Lorne Herbert	[Spelt JOHNSTON on CWGC] Sergeant R/154789, Woreless Operator/Air Gunner, Royal Canadian Air Force. Died 20th March 1944. Age 20. Son of Robert Herbert and Marjorie Iona Johnston, of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Buried in BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY, Surrey. Grave 48. A. 20.

Last updated 4 April, 2024

War Memorials Trust