HARPLEY WAR MEMORIALS

World War 1 & 2 - Detailed Information
Compiled and Copyright © Christine Yaxley 2018

Harpley is a small village off the A148, between King’s Lynn and Fakenham. The war memorial is in the churchyard of St Lawrence Church, Church Lane. It is situated to the left of the side of the path leading to the south porch. The memorial is a marble obelisk, standing on a tapering plinth with three-stepped base below. The memorial stands within a square kerbed, gravelled area.

Photographs Copyright © Shaz Ann 2018

THE GALLANT MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918.

ARTER	Herbert	Private 102211, 67th Western Scots, Canadian Regiment, 4th Battalion, Canadian Pioneers. Died 25th August 1916. Aged 23. Son of George & Martha Arter of Harpley, Kings Lynn Norfolk. Buried in Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot II. Row A. Grave 2.
FAKE	William Herbert	Private 75152, 17th Royal Fusiliers. Died 8th June 1918. Aged 19. Son of Clarke William & Adelaide Fake of Rose Cottage, Harpley, King’s Lynn. Buried in Bagneux British Cemetery, Gezaincourt, Somme, France. Plot III. Row B. Grave 2.
GAGEN	Ernest	Private 3/10130, 5th Norfolk Regiment. Died 14th September 1916. Aged 36. Husband of Sarah Gagen, nr Harpley, Kings Lynn Norfolk. Served in the South African campaign. Buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row Q. Grave 10.
NORMAN	Alfred Thomas	Private 51724, 21st Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Died 11th October 1918. Born 30 12 1884. Pastry cook and confectioner of 39, Somerset Road, Bootle, Lancashire. Husband of Evelyne Elizabeth Norman. Son of William John and Priscilla Norman nee Dunn, Miller and merchant, The Mill, Back Street, Harpley. Buried in Beaurevoir British Cemetery, Aisne, France. Row F. Grave 2.
OSBORNE	John Edward	Private 15045, 9th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Died 15th Sept 1916. Aged 22. Son of James & Sylvia Osborne of Harpley, Norfolk. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier & Face 1C &1D.
PORTER	Bertie William	Private 240857, 1/5th Norfolk Regiment. Died 19th April 1917. Aged 21. Son of Robert & Harriett Porter of Well Cottages, Harpley, King’s Lynn. No known grave. Commemorated on Jerusalem Memorial, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza). Panels 11 to 15.
PORTER, M.M.	Ralph Walter	Private 139162, 60th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Quebec Regiment). Died 9th Oct 1916. Aged 23. Son of Robert & Harriett Porter of Well Cottages, Harpley, King’s Lynn. No known grave. Commemorated on Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
SEAMAN	Ezra	Private 203995, 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment. Died 18th Sept 1918. Aged 28. Son of Jesse & Emmeline Seaman, of 28 Back Street, Harpley, King’s Lynn. No known grave. Commemorated on Vis-En-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 10.
STEEL	Stanley	Possibly Stanley Steele. Private 43355, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Died 9th October 1917. Aged 21. Buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belguim. Plot LV11. Row E. Grave 28.
STRINGER	Bertram	Private 38504, 12th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry. Died 29th September 1918. Aged 24. Son of Charles & Eliza Stringer of Harpley, King’s Lynn. Buried in Zantvoorde British Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot I. Row G. Grave 4.
“THESE MEN ALSO SERVED WITH OTHERS FROM THE PARISH”. 1939-1945
ARTER	Harold Frederick	Sergeant 751402, King’s Own Norfolk Yeomanry, Anti-Tank Regiment. Royal Artillery. Died 11th Mar 1940. Aged 36. Son of William & Martha Arter, husband of Ethel Marjorie Arter of King’s Lynn. Buried in Blargies Communal Cemetery Extension, Oise, France. Plot 6. Row A. Grave 2.
DOLMAN	Arthur Charles	Lance Sergeant. 1544661, 55(The Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment. Royal Artillery. Died 18th June 1944. Aged 25. Son of John William & Mary Jane Dolman of Harpley, Norfolk. Buried in Hottot-Les-Bagues War Cemetery, Calvados, France. Plot IV. Row E. Grave 9.
HAMMOND	Arthur Albert	Gunner 1679410, 49 Bty. 48 Lt. A.A. Regiment. Royal Artillery. Died 21st April 1945. Aged 42. Son of Arthur & Sarah Hammond of Harpley Norfolk. Buried in Labuan War Cemetery, Malaysia. Plot M. Row A. Grave 14.
LAUGHLIN	Ivor Eugene	Sergeant 1334234 (Wireless Op./Air Gunner). Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 27th March 1944. Aged 21. Son of Albert Cornelius & Hattie Laughlin, husband of Glenys Blondwen Loughlin of Wanstead, Essex. Buried in Hotton War Cemetery, Luxembourg, Belgium. Plot VI. Row E. Grave 5.
RASBERRY	Charles Edward	Possibly Claude Edward Rasberry. W/O Class 111 (P.S.M) 5763717, 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment. Died 27th May 1940. Aged 40. Son of David & Sarah Ann Rasberry of Harpley, Norfolk. Husband of Gladys Maud Rasberry of Silfield, Norfolk. Buried in Dunkirk Town Cemetery, Nord, France. Plot 2, Row 4, Grave 41.
STRINGER	Reginald Charles aka Reggie	Private 5773997, 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in India 4th May 1944. Aged 26. Son of Charles Edward & Sarah Ann Stringer of East Rudham, Norfolk. Buried in Kohima War Cemetery, India. Plot 2. Row C. Grave 14.

Last updated 1 October, 2026