
COMBERTON WAR MEMORIAL
World War 1 & 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © 2000 Phil Curme & 2002 Martin
Edwards
additional information John Clark
Baptist Church photograph David Charge
There
are two memorials within Comberton. One resides in St Mary's Church
and the other the baptists chapel. Some appears on both. Both are listed
here, those on St Mary's memorial are denoted with
and those on the Baptist Memorial with *
St
Mary's Church

St
Mary Memorial |
 |
Photographs
Copyright © PhilCurme 2001 |
Comberton
War Memorial takes the form of the organ in the Church of St Mary, the
Parish Church of Comberton. Inside the church there is a brass plaque
listing those who died in the Great War.
"For
the suffering of death"
"Greater love hath no man than this"
"That a man lay down his life for his friends"
"Crowned with glory and honour"
There
is also a Roll of Honour listing 84 names of men from the parish who served
in the Great War.
Baptist
Chapel
 |
Photographs
Copyright © David Charge 2002 |
1914-1918 |
* |
BAKER |
Clifford
|
No further information currently |
* |
BAKER |
Thomas William |
Lance Corporal 204159, 1st/4th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders.
Killed in action Monday 8th October 1917 in France & Flanders.
Age 25. Born Bomley, Kent, enlisted Bedford. Brother of Mrs. H.
P. Matthews, of 172, South St., Bishop's Stortford, Herts. Buried
in GUEMAPPE BRITISH CEMETERY, WANCOURT, Pas de Calais, France. Grave
I. A. 22. |
|
BAKER |
Fred |
No further information currently - possibly mistranscription for
below. |
* |
BUTLER |
Frederick [James] |
Private
24245, 8th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Died of wounds Monday
16th October 1916 . Age 27. Born Comberton, Cambridgeshire, enlisted
Kings Lynn, Norfolk. Son of Susan Baker (formerly Butler), of
Church Farm, Comberton, Cambridge, and the late Charles Butler.
Buried in BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot
VIII. Row D. Grave 143.
Extract
from the Cambridge News, 1916 [please note his name is referred
to as BUTTER but has been corrected in the transcription]:
COMBERTON
Official news has reached Comberton that Pte. Frederick J. Butler,
of the 8th Norfolk Regt., has been killed at the front. A letter
has been received by his mother (at Manor Farm) from an officer
of the regiment to which deceased, was attached, in which the
writer says; " It is with the deepest regret that I have
to inform you of the death in action of your son, Pte. F. J. Butler,
of my snipers' section. It is a painful task for me, for I know
what terrible news it will be for you, his mother. and I cannot
hope to console you, but I trust it will be of some comfort to
you to know the gallant way in which he died. On the morning of
the 6th he, with another sniper, Lce.-Corpl. Hammond were acting
as flank guard to one at our bombing parties which was bombing
up a trench. He was coolly sniping at some Germans who got out
of their treneh, and he had already accounted for several, when
he was hit in the head by a rifle shot. I cannot find anyone who
was was close beside him at tha time, but a sergeant saw him a
short time before, and he was then firing coolly at the enemy.
Your son had not been with me very long, but during that time
I had appreciated his fearless soldierlike qualities, and during
an attack on the 19th of July and subsequent days, which was his
first time in action, he had shown great coolness and bravery.
We shall miss him very much, for in the midst of all the death
and suffering in the fierce fighting individual loss is still
as poignant as ever. Perhaps after a certain lapse of time I might
be permitted to let you know the place where he died, and meanwhile
I shall be glad to tell you anything you may like to know concerning
him. Please convey my deepest sympathy to the members of your
family in your great loss." - On Sunday evening a memorial
service to Pte. Butler was held at the Parish Church, Comberrton,
the Vicar preaching a most impressive sermon. - Mrs. John Baker
and daughter desire, through the medium of this paper, to thank
the many friends for the kind expressions of sympathy they have
received in their sudden bereavement.
|
* |
DARRAN |
Herbert aka Bert |
[Herbert
DARREN on SDGW CD and CWGC and in Newspaper] Private 517 8th Bn.,
Royal Fusiliers who died of wounds on Saturday, 8th April 1916.
Born Kensal Rise, Middlesex, enlisted Chelsea, resident Cambridge.
Buried in VERMELLES BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot
II. Row M. Grave 19.
Extract
from Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 5 May 1916,
page 4:
Comberton
Soldier's Death from Wounds.
Official
news has been received that Pte. H. Darren, Royal Fusiliers, of
Comberton, died of wounds received in action on April 8th. His
Company Officer, writing to Mrs. Darren (mother), says: “He
was one of our best men and thoroughly popular both amongst his
comrades and with his officers. He was in charge of our Company
mess and worked splendidly. We all regret his loss and sympathise
very deeply. I was slightly wounded myself with the same shell,
and therefore was unable to write before.”
|
* |
DAY |
Alfred [Arnold] |
Lance
Corporal 15760. 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action
1st July 1916. Born Comberton. Enlisted Cambridge. Brother of Walter
(See Below). Enlisted with Victor Harper and Sydney Williamson -
Note adjacent numbers). Thiepval Memorial. Pier and Face 1C and
2C. |
* |
DAY |
[Henry] John |
Private 41202 3rd Bn., North Staffordshire Regiment who died on
Thursday, 22nd May 1919. Age 20. Son of David and Agnes Day, of
Church End, Comberton. Buried in Comberton St. Mary churchyard,
south-East of church. sEE also Liverpool
Street Station, London |
* |
DAY |
Walter |
Corporal 13791. Killed in action 1st July 1916. 11th Battalion,
Suffolk Regiment. Born Comberton. Enlisted Cambridge. (Enlisted
with William Humphries - See numbers). Thiepval Memorial. Pier and
Face 2C. |
* |
HARPER |
Arthur [Albert] |
Cpl 41520. Royal Garrison Artillery. 18th Siege Battery. Killed
in action 8th September 1917. Aged 23. Born Comberton. Enlisted
Bedford. Resident Comberton. Son of William and Annie J. Harper
of Comberton. Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Ypres. X.H.1.
|
* |
HARPER |
[Percy] Victor |
Private 15759 (Enlisted with Alfred Day and Sydney Williamson –
See adjacent numbers). KIA 1/7/1916. Aged 17. 11th Battalion, Suffolk
Regiment. Thiepval Memorial. Pier and Face 1C and 2A. |
* |
HUMPHREYS |
William [Horace] |
Lance Corporal 13785, 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. (Enlisted
with Walter Day - See numbers). Killed in action 1st July 1916.
Aged 24. Born Comberton. Enlisted Cambridge. Son of William and
Eliza Humphreys of "Bronlea", 81 Barton Road, Cambridge. Thiepval
Memorial. Pier and Face 1C and 2A. |
* |
KEEP |
Sidney |
Private 153231. Base Depot, Machine Gun Corps (Inf). Died Monday,
8th December 1919. Aged 21. Son of Frederick and Minnie Keep of
West Street, Comberton. Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery,
Egypt. Grave G.34. |
* |
MALLOWS |
William [Edward] |
Guardsman 27770. 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Died of Wounds
14/9/1917. Aged 33. Born Comberton. Enlisted Comberton. Etaples
Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais. Grave XXV1.A.4. |
* |
WILLIAMSON |
Sydney (George) |
Private 15753. 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action
1st July 1916. Aged 18. Born Lee, Kent. Son of Arthur and Annie
Williamson of Comberton. Thiepval Memorial. Pier and Face 1C and
2A. |
In
addition there is a memorial headstone in the churchyard on which
is written the following words :-
 |
"Private
Henry John Day of the North Staffordshire Regiment who was
a Prisoner of War died in the Curragh Hospital, May 22nd 1919,
aged 20 years.
Also
Corporal Walter Day, aged 23 years and of Lance Corporal Alfred
Arnold Day, aged 19 years of the Suffolk Regiment who were
killed on the Somme 1/7/1916.
The
dearly beloved sons of David and Agnes Day. They do not die
who live in hearts that loved them". |
Inside
the church is a plaque commemorating those who died in WW2.
|
* |
BROWN |
Samuel
|
Pte S Brown. 6th (H.D.) Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment. D/11564.
Aged 53. 1/4/1940. Buried at Church of St Mary, Comberton. |
* |
CLARK |
Joseph
|
[Spelt
CLARKE on memorial] Private 6027295, 1st/4th Battalion, Essex
Regiment. Killed in action in Italy 17 July 1944. In the 1939
Register he was born 26 April 1911, a Builder's Labourer, single,
son of Joseph and Ellen L Clark, resident 130 Cambridge Road,
Comberton, Chesterton R.D., Cambridgeshire. Buried in AREZZO WAR
CEMETERY, Italy. Plot IV. Eow D. Grave 2.
Extract
from Cambridge Daily News 1944:
Killed
in Action.—Mrs. J. Clark, of 28, Vicarage Terrace,
Cambridge, has received news from the War Office that her husband,
Pte. J. Clark; was killed in action on July 17th, in C.M.F. Son
of Mr. and Mrs. Clark, of Council Houses, Comberton, he worked
for Alessi's, Coulson and Son, builders, before joining the Forces.
|
* |
CORNWALL |
Robert
|
No further information currently |
|
ELLIS |
Hugh
[John Mortimer] |
[John
Hugh Mortimer on CWGC] Sgt Pilot, 742068, 85 Sqdn., R.A.F.V.R,
d 1/9/1940, age 21, buried: Brookwood Military Cemetery. Only
Son of Frederick John Ellis and Ethel May Ellis, of Newnham, Cambridge.
Note:
Sgt. Ellis' remains were found in 1992 and he was buried on 1st
October 1993, see article by Dennis James in the Cambridgeshire
Family History Society Journal Vol 14 No 3, August 2003. See also
Cambridge St Mark's.
|
* |
ELLIS |
Kenneth
[Custance] |
1259306. Observer RAF. Died 18/7/1942. Aged 32. "Death is swallowed
up in victory until we meet again". Kenneth Custance Ellis. Sergeant.
18 Squadron, RAF Volunteer Reserve. Son of Bernard William and Florence
Hilda Ellis of Comberton. Buried at Church of St Mary, Comberton.
|
* |
HILLS |
Thomas
[William] |
Gunner 798473, 11 (Honourable Artillery Coy) Regt., Royal Horse
Artillery. Died Saturday 27th JUne 1942. Aged 30. Husband of Winifred
May Good of Comberton. No known grave. Commemorated on El Alamein
Memorial, Egypt. Column 14. |
* |
HUCKLE |
Frank
|
Gunner 1085702. 88 Field Regiment., Royal Artillery. Died 14th November
1944. Aged 32. Kananburi War Cemetery, Thailand. 8.A.35. |
* |
MALLOWS |
Dricilla
or Drusilla [Bridget] |
WREN. WRNS 4288. HMS Glendower (formerly Butlin's Holiday Camp,
North Wales). Died 12/9/1943. Aged 21. Buried at Church of St Mary,
Comberton. "In loving memory, safe in the arms of Jesus". |
* |
RIDGEWELL |
William
|
Private 5933458. 2nd Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment. Died Thursday,
21st September 1944. Aged 28. Singapore Memorial, Singapore. Column
60. |
Also
listed for this parish in the Ely Cathedral Second World War Book
of Remembrance |
|
CHAPMAN |
Stanley
Edward |
Gnr.
241 Bty. 77 HAA Regt., Royal Artillery, d 18/9/1944, age 34, commemorated:
SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, Singapore. Son of Harold and Clara Chapman;
husband of Doris Annie Edith Chapman, of Coton, Cambridgeshire.

|
Found
on the CWGC |
|
CUSTANCE |
Stanley
|
Private
35075, 24th Battalion (Tyneside Irish), Northumberland Fusiliers.
Died of wounds Wednesday 25th April 1917. Age 19. Born Leeds, enlisted
York. Son of Walter W and Mary A Custance of Comberton, Cambridge.
Formerly 37678, West Yorkshire Regiment. Buried in ST. NICOLAS BRITISH
CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Grave I. G. 31. |
Finally,
in the churchyard is buried a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo.
The stone is weathered and some of the words are not legible. However
the following words can still be made out - just :- |
|
CHAPMAN |
Thomas
|
Who served at Waterloo 2** Rifle Brigade. Born
Feb 14 1790. Died June 18 1875.
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Last updated
28 September, 2025
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