Roll of Honour - Sussex

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

BALCOMBE WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Transcribed Chris Comber 2004

Balcombe Parish Church War Memorial is located in St. Mary's Church. The memorial takes the form of a sculpted figure of St. George in the centre of an alabaster block bearing names and inscription. St George is in armour with a sheathed sword and a standard flying on the end of his lance with which he has killed the dragon. St George has a gilded halo, details of the figure are highlighted in gilt and all lettering in gilt. There are 39 names listed for World War 1 and 12 for World War 2.

1914 - 1918
REMEMBER YE WITH THANKSGIVING & ALL HONOUR BEFORE
GOD AND MAN THESE MEN OF BALCOMBE WHO GAVE THEIR
LIVES FOR KING AND COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919

AUBERTIN	Gilbert [William]	Corporal G238, 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment 12th Division. Killed in action near Loos 24th December 1915. Aged 26. Born in Bulwick, Northamptonshire and enlisted in Haywards Heath Employed near Balcombe as a gardener or estate worker. Also listed on the Parish Memorial, Bulwick. Commemorated on The Loos Memorial MR. 19.
BACKSHALL	Joseph	Private TF291848, 1st Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment 5th Division. Killed in action at Passchendaele, Belgium 6th November 1917. Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Bletchley, Bucks. Next of kin residents of Balcombe. Commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. MR. 30.
BOTTING	Jasper	Private G4760, 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 12th Division. Killed in action near Houplines 31st July 1915. Aged 24. Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Brighton. Buried Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension F. 1140
BOTTING	Jesse	Private SD2858, 13th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment (3rd South Downs). 39th New Army Division. Killed in action on the Rue De Bois 30th June 1916. Aged 29. Born Haywards Heath and enlisted in Horsham. Commemorated on The Loos Memorial MR. 19.
BOTTING	Robert	Private SD2857, 13th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment (3rd South Downs) 39th New Army Division. Severely wounded in action on the Rue De Bois and died the same day on 30th June 1916. Aged 25. Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Horsham. Buried Bethune Town Cemetery F. 80.
BOURN	Harry	Private 45305, 122nd Company, The Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Western Front units. Killed in action at Messines 7th July 1917 Son of Mr & Mrs Robert Bourn of Balcombe. Husband of Alice Bourn of Ardingly. Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Haywards Heath Formerly with The Royal Sussex Regiment. Buried Voormezeele Enclosure No. 3. Belgium. B. 111. Also included on Ardingly Parish Church Memorial.
BOURN	Henry	Private G4351, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Regular Division. Killed in action at Loos on the 25th September 1915. Aged 32. Son of Mr & Mrs Henry Bourn. Husband of Louisa Bourn, who re married and was a resident of 4, London Road, Balcombe. Born in Slaugham and enlisted in Brighton. Commemorated on The Loos Memorial. Mr. 19.
BROOKS	Reginald T [H]	Private G52849, 9th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers. 12th Division. Wounded at the Battle of Arras and died in military hospital in Etaples on the 18th May 1917. Aged 41. Son of Charles & Emily Brooks of Terrick House, Ellesborough, Tring, Hertfordshire. Born, Ellesborough enlisted in Balcombe Buried Etaples Military Cemetery F. 40.
BURCHELL	Charles Henry	Private SD3529, 13th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment (3rd South Downs) 39th Division. Killed in action on the Rue de Bois 30th June 1916. Aged 22. Son of Thomas & Harriett Burchell of ‘Mates Nest’ Balcombe. Born Burgess Hill and enlisted in Brighton. Commemorated on The Loos Memorial MR. 19
BURCHELL	Thomas W	Private L10653, 1st Battalion, The Royal West Surrey Regiment. 33rd Division Killed in action near Mametz Wood 21st July 1916. Born in Warnham and enlisted in Guildford Balcombe resident Buried Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval. F. 432.
CALEY	Frederick W	Private G1160, 6th Battalion, The Royal West Surrey Regiment. 12th Division. Died of wounds 13th March 1916. Aged 31. Son of Richard & Anne Caley of Balcombe. (Farm Baliff). Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Guildford. Builders Labourer. Buried Bethune Town Cemetery F. 80.
DAVIS	Roland Herbert	[Spelt Rowland on CWGC] Private 2129, 15th Battalion, The Australian Infantry. Anzac, Gallipoli. Killed in action in the assault on Hill 971, Anzac, 8th August 1915. Aged 25. Born in Upton Park, Essex, the son of Herbert John Davis, of Balcombe, Sussex. He was educated at the council school in Shute, Devonshire, England, and was unmarried. At the age of 21 he emigraged to Australia and in civil life he farmed near Juandah, Queensland. On 11th March 1915, he enlisted in the A.I.F. in Taroom, Queensland. Commemorated on The Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey.
DAVIS	Walter H	No further information currently
ELSEY	Frederick James	Private G182, 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 12th Division. Wounded near Vermelles and died on the 23rd March 1916. Aged 20. Son of Mr & Mrs Alfred Elsey of ‘The Alley’ Balcombe. Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Chichester. Buried Vermelles British Cemetery F. 423
ELSEY	Harry	Private G16019, 8th Pioneer Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 18th Division Died of wounds on the 2nd June 1918. Aged 27. Born in Horsted Keynes and enlisted in Brighton. Buried Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension F. 196
GANNAWAY	Charles Edward	Private M2/114348, Army Service Corps. Western Front Units. Killed in action in the Ypres Salient 6th August 1917. Aged 29. Husband of Mrs C. E. Gannaway, who remarried and lived in Whites Cottage, Lodgelands, Balcombe (Mrs W. M. Botting). Born in Birmingham and enlisted in London. Buried Canada Farm Cemetery, Ypres. Belgium. B. 12.
GORRINGE	Ethelbert	Private SD3134, 9th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 24th Division. Killed in action in the Ypres Salient 26th March 1916. Aged 23. Son of George & Annie Gorringe of 2, Council Cottages, Merstham, Surrey. (Merstham W. M. ) Buried Ration Farm Annexe, Ploegsteert, Belgium. B. 49.
HALL	Ernest William	Private TF 320151, 16th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 74th Division. Killed in action near Peronne 16th September 1918. Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Canterbury. Buried Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension F. 511
HARBER	Henry John	[Spelt HARBOUR on CWGC] Private 30551, 13th Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment. 40th Division. Killed in action at Cambrai. 26th November 1917. Born in Arundel and enlisted in Chichester. Balcombe resident. Formerly with the Royal Fusiliers. Commemorated on The Cambrai Memorial. MR. 17.
HARBER	James H	Driver 95370, ‘B’ Battery. 59th Brigade Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action at Ypres 26th September 1917 Commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium MR. 30
HOLMAN	George	Private G3139, 10th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. (Reserve Battatlion) Died at home 10th December 1915. Aged 21. Son of Joseph & Annie Holman of South Lodge, Balcombe Place, Balcombe. Buried St. Mary’s Churchyard Balcombe.
LEWIS	John Edward	Private SD816, 11th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment (1st South Downs) 39th Division. Died at home 9th May 1919. Aged 27. Son of Edward & Esther Lewis of ‘Ravenswood’ Sunte Avenue, Lindfield. Wounded three times in France. Enlisted 1914. Buried St. Mary’s Churchyard, Balcombe.
MARCHANT	Sydney Harry	Private 10823, 7th Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment. 12th Division. Killed in action near Arras 9th August 1917. Commemorated on The Arras Memorial MR. 20.
MEAD, (M.C.)	Clement Gawler	Captain, 49th Battalion, The Canadian Infantry (The Alberta Regiment) Formed in Edmonton. 7th Brigade. 3rd Canadian Division. Killed in action 18th January 1918. Aged 38. Son of The Rev. Richard Gawler Mead & Mrs M. E. Mead. Husband of Mrs Kate Mead of Lake Saskatoon, Alberta. Awarded the Military Cross (M.C.). Buried Fosse 10 Communal Cemetery Extension. F. 570.
MEREDITH (M.C.)	Gerald	Captain, 11th Battalion, The Kings Royal Rifle Corps 20th Light Division. Died of wounds in base hospital Rouen, on the 27th March 1918. Aged 21. Son of George Alfred & Gertrude Meredith of ‘Abingdon House’ Balcombe. Awarded the Military Cross (M.C.). Buried St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen. F. 145.
MILLS	Leonard	Rifleman 46174, ? Battalion, The Rifle Brigade. ? Division. Killed in action near Ypres 28th September 1918. Aged 19. Son of Leonard & Alice Louisa Mills of 2, Bush Cottages, Balcombe. Born in East Ham and enlisted in Brighton. Commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium MR. 30.
MITCHELL	George Henry	Captain, 11th Battalion, The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. 15th Division. Killed in action at Ypres 22nd August 1917 Aged 22. Son of Samuel & Alice Mitchell of Farnham House Gardens, Pulborough. Commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial Belgium MR. 30
PICKNELL	Charles	Private G24538, 11th Battalion, The Royal West Surrey Regiment. 41st Division Taken prisoner and died in captivity 13th July 1918. Aged 41. Son of Thomas & Ellen Picknell of Symonds Cottages, Balcombe. Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Haywards Heath Buried Mons Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
SHERLOCK	Thomas E	Sergeant 540246, 102nd Battalion, The Canadian Infantry. (Central Ontario Regiment) 11th Brigade. 4th Canadian Division Killed in action near Ypres 17th November 1918. Aged 27. Son of Edward & Charlotte Sherlock of Watford, Ontario. Husband of Rubena F. Sherlock of 101, Cowan Avenue, Toronto. Buried Sanctuary Wood Cemetery, Belgium B. 453
SPEER	Alfred Henry Templeman Loraine	Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery. Attached to the Royal Flying Corps. Killed in action 9th July 1916. Aged 22. Son of Dr. William H. & Marion Lilford Loraine Speer of ‘South Sheen’ Brittany Road, St. Leonards on Sea. Buried London Cemetery, Neuville-Vitasse F. 1185
SQUIRES	Wilfred Augustus	Private SD3012, 13th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment (3rd South Downs) 39th New Army Division. Killed in action on the Rue de Bois 30th June 1916. Aged 20. Born in Burgess Hill and enlisted in Hastings. Son of Mr & Mrs W. A. Squires of Victoria House, London Road, Balcombe. Commemorated on The Loos Memorial MR. 19.
SILVESTER	William	Private 24534, 2nd Battalion, The Manchester Regiment, 32nd Division Died of wounds 15th June 1918. Aged 19. Son of Thomas & Louisa Silvester of Balcombe. Born in Stoughton and enlisted in Brighton. Buried Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez. F. 924
TESTER	Charles	Private 9599, 7th Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment. 12th Division. Killed in action 12th March 1916. Aged 39. Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Kingston, Surrey. Husband of Mrs Margaret Tester of 76, Beulah Road, Sutton, Surrey. He married Margaret Apps [b. Erpingham reg. June 1876], on 1 July 1903, at Worth, Sussex, they had a son Charles William, born there, 18 April 1905 followed by James Robert, born in Crawley 17 October 1907, then followed by Cecil George and Gladys May in Epsom, Surrey, on 5 May 1912 and 13 MAy 1914 respectively. He enlisted at Kingston while resident at 28 Beulah Road, Sutton. His widow, Margaret Tester, married Alfred Looker, reg. Epsom, March 1919, and appears to have died around 1943. (Sutton W. M. end panel) Buried Quarry Cemetery, Vermelles. F. 722
TOMLINS	Arthur John	Lance Sergeant G1143, 8th Battalion, The East Kent Regiment 24th Division. Died of wounds in base hospital Etaples 27th January 1916. Aged 24. Son of John & Katharine L. Tomlins of Ivy Cottage, Bradfield Combust, Suffolk. Born in Kensington and enlisted St. Pancras. Resident of Fulham. (Fulham Roll of Honour). Connection with Balcombe unknown. Buried Etaples Military Cemetery. F. 40
TYRELL	Edward Charles Frederick	Boy 1stClass J/55059, Royal Navy. H.M.S. ‘Vanguard’. Grand Fleet. Lost when the dreadnought blew up in Scapa Flow on the 9th July 1917. Aged 16. Son of Charles Edward & Maria Tyrell of 3, Oldland Avenue, Balcombe. Commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Southsea Mr. 3
TYRRELL	George Warden	Sergeant G4, 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 12th Division. Killed in action 1st August 1916. Aged 24. Son of Mr & Mrs T. Tyrrell of ‘Old Knowles’ Church Road, Ardingly. (Ardingly Parish Church Memorial). Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Chichester. Commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial MR. 21.
VINE	Robert	Corporal 3179, The Royal Garrison Artillery, 3rd Trench Mortar Battery. Killed in action on the Somme 22nd October 1916. Aged 18. Son of Joseph & Mary Vine, Signalman on LB&SCR. Born in Balcombe and enlisted in Battersea. Commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial MR. 21
WOODHAMS	Ernest	Gunner 154083, 41st Siege Battery, The Royal Garrison Artillery Killed in action in the Ypres Salient 11th November 1917. Aged 32. Husband of Mrs Alice D. M. Woodhams of Chatfield Road, Cuckfield. Born in Lewes and enlisted in Brighton. Buried Bard Cottage Cemetery, Ypres. Belgium. B. 23.
YARNOLD	William	Sergeant 15319, The Royal Engineers, ‘H’ Company attached Searchlight Company. Died of disease in base hospital at Basra on the 1st August 1917. Aged 32. Son of William & Fanny Yarnold of ‘Woodville’ London Road, Balcombe. Born and enlisted in Balcombe. Buried The Basra War Cemetery, Mesopotamia. (Iraq)
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Last updated 8 June, 2024

War Memorials Trust