Roll of Honour - Sussex

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

BREDE WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Transcribed & researched Chris Comber 2005
Additional World War 1 details & World War 2 listing & research John Harrison 2007

The Parish War Memorial inside the Church records the names of 18 men. There as another group of 7 names which were added at a later date. There is also a small commemorative silver plaque on one of the pillars dedicated to 21 men, 7 of whom are not included on the main tablet. The total of 32 names are recorded in alphabetical order below.

Photographs Copyright © Chris Comber 2005

1914-1918

ALLEN	Percy [Francis]	Second Lieutenant 59th Brigade the Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action near Ypres 4th October 1917. Aged 21. Son of Thomas & Francess Allen of ‘‘Allenholme’’, Duke of Manchester Drive, Leigh on Sea, Essex. Commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium MR. 30
BARNES	Alfred	Gunner 102145, 195th Siege Battery, The Royal Garrison Artillery. Died of wounds 26th September 1918. Born in Brede and enlisted in Hastings. Buried in Duisans British Cemetery, Ertrun F.113
BARNES	Harold	No further information currently.
BARTHOLOMEW	William [Thomas]	William Thomas Bartholomew, Lance Corporal G.4353, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division. Killed in action at Loos 25th September 1915. Born in Lamberhurst, Kent and enlisted in Hastings, resident Brede. Included on the Memorials at Bexhill and Sidley Parish Church. Buried in Dud Corner Cemetery, Loos. F.219
BEECHING	William	Private 16732, 8th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers. 12th Division. Died of wounds 3rd March 1916. Aged 24. Son of Henry Jesse & Mary Anne Beeching of Box House, Broad Oak, Brede. Born in Udimore and enlisted in Hastings. Next of kin Rye. A former cavalryman with the Hussars. . Buried in Bethune Town Cemetery F. 80.
BLOGG, DSO	[Edward] Basil	Major, 4th London Field Company, The Royal Engineers. Died of wounds 16th March 1916, Aged 28. Son of the Rev Fowler Babbington Blogg MA. Rector of Great Mongeham, Deal, Kent. And Mrs Helena Adela Blogg of Shearfold, Brede. Born in Walmer, Kent. Clerk in the Lord Chamberlains Office. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Buried in Bethune Town Cemetery F. 80. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), London Gazette 4th November 1915. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and ability from 27th August to 25th September 1915 near Loos and Hill 70, when he pushed forward the construction of front line trenches with great energy. His area came under heavy shellfire, but he carried on his work displaying great bravery and coolness. After the assault he personally directed the consolidation of captured positions. In Loos he himself de-fused mines under the church tower, carrying out this dangerous work under heavy shell fire, thus saving many lives.’ Joined the Territorial Force in 1909 and promoted to Lieutenant in 1911, Captain in February 1915 and Temporary Major only two months later. Twice mentioned in despatches. His medals are currently on sale with First Light Militaria of Poole.
BRYANT	Nelson Luther	Corporal G.4327, 3rd Reserve Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. Died at home 18th February 1916. Aged 32. Son of Richard & Ellen Bryant. Late Sergeant of The Leicestershire Regiment. 7 years Service. Enlisted in Hastings. Buried in Broad Oak Weslyan Chapel.
BUTLER	John [Herbert]	Lance Corporal SD.1581, 12th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division. Killed in action near Cambrin 3rd June 1916. Aged 23. Son of John & Annie Butler of 18, Magdalene Road, Oxford. Born in Oxford and enlisted in Eastbourne. Buried in Cambrin Churchyard Extension. F.114
COUSINS	Thomas	Private G.26717, 1st Battalion, The East Kent Regiment. 6th Division. Killed in action 8th October 1918. Born in Catsfield and enlisted in Hastings. Commemorated on The Vis en Artois Memorial MR.16,
CROUCH	Charles William	Private G.4166, 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 12th Division. Killed in action at Arras 4th July 1917. Born in Catsfield and enlisted in Hastings. Possibly included on Catsfield Memorial under ‘Christian’ Crouch. Buried in Monchy British Cemetery F. 154. Listed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as ‘W C Crouch’ and on the Medal Roll as ‘William C Crouch’.
DIVE	Stephen Edward	Lance Corporal Tf.320428, 16th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 74th Yeomanry Division. Killed in action 16th September 1918. Son of Mr & Mrs Dive of ‘‘The Firs’’ Chitcombe, Brede. Born in Westfield and enlisted in Brighton. Buried in Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension F.511.
ELLIS	James	Private Tf.202217, 1/4th Battalion, The Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) 55th Division. Killed in action at Third Ypres 31st July 1917. Aged 34. Son of Mr & Mrs James Ellis of 5, Alpha Place, Brede. Born in Guestling and enlisted in Hastings Commemorated on The Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium MR.29
FORD	Frederick	Lance Sergeant G.5774, 8th Battalion, The East Kent Regiment. 24th Division. Died of wounds on the Somme 21st August 1916. Son of Mr & Mrs W. Ford of Park Villa, Union Road, Canterbury, Kent. Husband of Mrs E. L. Ford of Brede later of Shaftesbury, Dorset. Born in Bridge near Canterbury and enlisted in Rye. Buried in La Neuville British Cemetery, Corbie F.66. Probably wounded either in the attack near Waterlot Farm on 18th August or in support of a failed attack by 3rd Bn Rifle Brigade on the 21st.
FULLER	William	Gunner 39215, 162nd Brigade, The Royal Field Artillery 33rd Division. Died of wounds 17th May 1917. Son of Mr & Mrs R. Fuller of ‘‘Bleak House’’ Brede Hill, Brede. Born in Rye and enlisted in Hastings. Buried in Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun. F.113
GOODSELL	Richard	Private G.2531, 8th (Pioneer) Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 18th Division. Killed in action at Ypres 31st July 1917. Born in Westfield and enlisted in Rye. Included on Beckley War Memorial. Commemorated on The Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium MR.29
GUTSELL	George	Private G.15821, 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 12th Division. Killed in action 5th April 1918. Born in Brede and enlisted in Hastings. Buried in Bouzincourt Ridge Cemetery, Albert F.516
GUTSELL	James	Possibly Reginald Peter Gutsell, Private 41466, 1st Bn Hertfordshire Regiment. Born in Brede about 1899. Son of Peter and Edith Gutsell of Woodland Terrace, Westfield. Enlisted in Chichester. Died of wounds 24th August 1918. Buried in Grave XIX F 9 in Bienvillers Military Cemetery. The Medal Roll lists two soldiers by the name of ‘James Gutsell’. Both served in the Royal Sussex Regiment, but neither are listed as casualties by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The CWGC lists no servicemen of this name as a First World War casualty in any of the other services..
HARWOOD	Arnold	No further information currently.
JENNER	Henry [aka Harry]	Private. 29009, 8th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers. 12th Division. Killed in action near Arras 20th June 1917. Born in Beckley and enlisted in Chichester. Next of kin, Brede. Commemorated on The Arras memorial MR.20
KEMP	George [Edward]	Lance Corporal G.16436, 13th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division. Died of wounds 27th September 1917. Son of Mr & Mrs J. Kemp of Broad Oak near Brede. Born in Brede and enlisted in Hastings. . Buried in Godewaersvelde British Cemetery F.139
LEATHERBY	Robert	Private 156734, The Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Killed in action 27th September 1918. Aged 23. Son of Robert & Florence Leatherby. Husband of Mrs Kate Mary Leatherby (later Mrs Pepper) of Alpha Place, Brede. Born in Hammersmith and enlisted in Acton. Formerly with the Notts & Derby Regiment. Commemorated on The Vis en Artois Memorial MR.16. One of only three fatalities of this name for the First World War. There were none for World War Two.
MARTIN	Francis [Albert]	Lance Corporal L/9781, 1st Battalion, The East Kent Regiment. 6th Division. Killed in action in Belgium 20th October 1914. Aged 23. Regular Son of Mr W. Martin and Mrs Jane Martin of ‘Pleasant View’’, New Cut, Westfield. Born in Ewhurst and enlisted in Lydd, Kent. Commemorated on The Ploegsteert Memorial Mr.32. Following service on the Aisne front, the battalion moved to Belgium in October. On 18th it advanced on Radinghem, capturing the village in severe hand to hand fighting. A German counter attacked forced the battalion to withdraw to woods south east of the village.. Here they were subjected to further attacks throughout the day on the 20th forcing a further withdrawal to Grand Flamengrie Farm. Casualties 4 officers killed; 170 Other Ranks killed, 57 wounded and62 missing believed killed.
MASTERS	Charlie [aka Charles]	Private TF.203238, 6th Battalion, The East Kent Regiment. 12th Division. Killed in action 16th May 1918. Born in Udimore and enlisted in Hastings Next of kin Udimore. Included on Udimore Parish Church War Memorial. Commemorated on The Pozieres Memorial MR.27
MORGAN	William	Lance Corporal L/12113, 2nd Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment. 8th Division. Killed in action near Fleurbaix 4th January 1915. Born in Brede and enlisted in Bexhill Regular Soldier. Buried in Rue Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. Plot IV. Row B. Grave 10.
OSBORNE	Albert [Vincent]	Private G.18221, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division. Killed in action near Bellicourt 24th September 1918. Born in Staplecross and enlisted in Rye. Farm Baliff at Padgham Farm. Next of kin, Brede. Buried in Bellicourt British Cemetery. F.375
PEARSON	Augustus	Sapper 534699, 490th Field Company, The Royal Engineers. 8th Division. Killed in action at Third Ypres 31st July 1917. Born in Brede and enlisted in St. Leonards on Sea. Commemorated on Yprwes (Menin Gate) Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 9.
PELLING	Alfred Walter	Private G.6569, 11th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division. Died of wounds 27th January 1917. Aged 33. Son of Walter & Elizabeth Pelling of Brede Husband of Mrs A. W. Pelling of 2, Sunflower Cottages, The High Street, Brede. Born in Westfield and enlisted in Hastings. Buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Belgium B.11
SMITH	Robert Leigh	Corporal G.2199, 3rd Reserve Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. Died at home 23rd January 1917. Aged 24. Son of Richard & Marion Smith of Kingswoodland, Brede. Born in Brede and enlisted in Hastings. Buried in Broad Oak Wesleyan Chapel. Listed by the CWGC as ‘L Smith’
SMITH	William [Hiram]	Private. SD.1911, 12th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division. Died of wounds received while repairing a telphone line at home 27th September 1916. Aged 31. Born in Brede and enlisted in Hastings. Included on Hastings War Memorial. Buried in Hastings (Ore) Cemetery. Wounded during the brigade attack at Hamel on 3rd September
WATSON	Ernest	Private G.16333, 12th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division. Killed in action on the Somme 16th October 1916. Born in Catsfield and enlisted in Hastings. Included on Sedlescombe Parish Church War Memorial. Commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial MR.21. The battalion moved to the Schwaben redoubt on 15th October. ‘D’ Company was attacked by the enemy with flame throwers later in the evening of the 15th. This attack was beaten off with heavy German losses.
WENHAM	Fred[erick Peter]	Private SD.261, 9th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 24th Division. Died of Wounds 30th July 1917. Aged 21. Son of Mr & Mrs H. S. Wenham of Eastbourne. Formerly with the 11th Battalion. Included on Eastbourne War Memorial and Eastbourne Old Comrades F.C. (Princes Park) Memorial. Born and enlisted in Eastbourne. Buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinghe, Belgium B.11
WHITEMAN	A	Possibly Arthur Whiteman, Rifleman S/14833, 11th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade. 37th Division. Killed in action 4th April 1917. Aged 22. Son of Frederick Henry & Elizabeth Anne Whiteman of 24, Mortham Street, West Ham East London. Born in Bow and enlisted in Stratford. Buried in Neuville-Bourjonval British Cemetery. F. 905 (Possibility only. No apparent connection with the area.)
1939-1945
ASHBURNHAM	Anchitel	Fleetwood Major 56688, Royal Army Service Corps Born about 1911. Son of Sir Fleetwood Ashburnham, (11th Baronet) and his wife Elfrida (daughter of James Kirkley JP). Husband of Kathleen Marjorie of Scaynes Hill (near Haywards Heath) Sussex. Married 28th December 1938. She was the daughter of Lt Col Frederick Wilfred Bagnall Willett, DSO of ‘Cudwell’ Scaynes Hill Died 20th December 1940. Buried in Grave H36 in Ramleh War Cemetery Also listed on the Scaynes Hill memorial. Previously served as a Lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment, commissioned from the Royal Military College, 31st August 1933.
DREWETT	Arthur Jack	Corporal 1634354, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Born about 1905. Son of William and Georgina Drewett. Husband of Dorothy Drewett of St Leonards On Sea. Died 7th February 1945. Buried in Plot RR, Grave 23 in Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery, The Netherlands
GOODSELL	John	Seaman LT/JX 225406, HMS St Briac, Royal Naval Patrol Service Born about 1906. Son of John and Mary Goodsell. Husband of Ada Lily Goodsell of Icklesham. Died 12th March 1942. Commemorated on Panel 8, Column 3 of the Lowestoft Naval Memorial The St Briac was a Southern Railways cross Channel ferry (built 1924 by William Denny, Dumbarton) which was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in June 1941. After taking part in the Dunkirk evacuation she was serving as a Fleet Air Arm Target Vessel and lost when mined in the North Sea 20 miles off Aberdeen with the loss of 43 lives.
GOODSELL	Thomas Albert	Private 14208663, 6th Bn The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Born about 1919. Son of William Henry and Emily E Goodsell of Broad Oak near Brede. Killed in action 30th November 1942. Commemorated on Face 26 of the Medjez-El Bab Memorial, Tunisia. The battalion was formed for war service in 1939 as a duplicate of the Territorial 4th Battalion.
JENNER	Albert	Private 1801512, 49th Battery, 48 Light Aniti-Aicraft Regiment. Royal Artillery. Died 1st March 1942. His wife, Olive Lilian, re-married after the war and her surname became Whittacker; she lived in the adjacent village of Westfield. Buried in Jakarta (Ancol) Netherlands Field of Honour, Indonesia. Section I. Grave 84-85.
LEATHERBY	Frederick Ernest	Leading Seaman D/JX 136867, HMCS Fraser, Royal Navy Born about 1916. Son of Robert and Kate Mary Leatherby of Broad Oak near Brede. Died 25th June 1940. Commemorated on Panel 37, Column 1 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial Fraser was a destroyer from the Royal Canadian Navy. A version of the Royal Navy ‘C’ Class destroyers, she was launched in 1931 and armed with four single 4.7 inch guns. On 25th June, in company with the Canadian destroyer ‘Restigouche’ and the RN cruiser ‘Calcutta’, they were sailing to Bordeaux to collect refugees. While in the restricted waters of the Gironde estuary at night and without lights, due to a misunderstanding she was rammed by Calcutta. The ship was cut in two forward of the bridge, the severed bow section capsizing and throwing many men into the sea. The stern section remained afloat, but was later scuttled. 45 men were lost, but 118 saved was the strenuous efforts of the crew of the Restigouche.
STRACHAN	Alistair David	Driver T/180261, Royal Army Service Corps Born about 1912. Son of James Keith Strachan and his wife, Mary Ann. Husband of Heather Grace Strachan (Nee Butler) of Bexhill on Sea. Died of wounds 14th August 1943. Buried in Grave 7 B 20 in Medjez-El- Bab War Cemetery, Tunisia. The war in North Africa finished in May 1943. He was either wounded in the latter stages or after the invasion of Italy.
WHITEMAN	Albert Percy	Leading Aircraftman 334948, Royal Air Force Born about 1898. Son of Mr & Mrs G Whitman of Broad Oak near Brede. Husband of Edna May Whitman of Hastings. Killed in action 28th May 1940 during the German invasion of France. Commemorated on Panel 24 of the Runnymede Memorial
BURIALS IN THE CHURCHYARD
HODD	Richard	Private T/20895, 14th Labour Company, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) Born about 1886. Son of Richard and Mary Hodd of 57, Fairlight Road, Ore, Hastings. Husband of the late Lilian Hodd. Died 18th September 1916.

Last updated 24 December, 2022

War Memorials Trust