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1914-1918
1914-1918
COLLAR, ERNEST ALBERT. A/Corporal 19028. 11th Bn. Essex Regiment. 18th Brigade 24th Division. Died 04/06/1917. Aged 24.Born 1893. PHILOSOPHE BRITISH CEMETERY, MAZINGARBE. Son of Harry and Elizabeth Collar, of Cornish Hall End, Braintree. Father a carpenter on estate, in 1911 Ernest worked on farm.
Entered war 4th October 1915.
Effects £10/8/1d War gratuity £10.
War diary: During the night of the 3/4th June at 2:15 am 'B' Company party working in 'A' Company's line were bombarded by aerial darts and shells. Casualties during the night were one officer killed and four other ranks killed or died of wounds. 13 other ranks wounded.
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DREW, ERNEST. Private 17036. 9th Bn. Essex Regiment 35th Brigade in 12th (Eastern) Division. Died 20/10/1915. LAPUGNOY MILITARY CEMETERY. Born 1893 to George and Emma, father a far
hand and family followed him into this work.
Entered war 15th June 1915.
Wounded 20th died of wounds 21st October 1915. Fighting near Bethune.
Brother of Harry below.
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DREW, HARRY ALBERT Private 1692 2nd Bn. Essex Regiment. 12th Brigade in 4th Division. Died 23/10/1916 THIEPVAL MEMORIAL. Parents George and Emma, father a farm hand and family followed him into this work.
From War diary: From Trones Wood near Guillemont the battalion moved into the trench to attack the Brown Line (500 yards behind enemy front line) on the night of the 22nd/23rd. Heavy mist delayed attack until 2:30 am and on going over the top the assaulting troops met heavy machine gun fire. First four waves were stopped by German front line and few crossed enemy line. The following wave met similar machine gun fire and light enemy barrage, only 30 or so reached the enemy line. Here they dug in, officers and NCO's all casualties. With no support in rear on on flank these men slowly withdrew and the battalion returned to starting trench.
Death presumed. Effects paid to father Harry £19/16/7d Gratuity £8.
Brother of Ernest above.
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FOSTER, THOMAS HARRY Private 16792 2nd Bn. Essex Regiment 12th Brigade in 4th Division. Died 01/07/1915 Aged 20. HOSPITAL FARM CEMETERY, Ypres. Son of Ebenezer and Annie Foster, of Rose Cottages, Cornish Hall End, Braintree, Essex.
Entered war 25th May 1915.
There is a family grave memorial to Thomas in Cornish End Cemetery
Fighting near Ypres around Turco Farm, Foch Farm and La Belle Alliance area. Comparatively quite yet occasional deaths and several wounding from German gun in their front line. Most likely Thomas was wounded and removed to dressing station at Hospital Farm where he died of wounds.
GOULDSTONE, HUGH ROBERT CURTIS. Corporal. 80563. 2nd/1st Essex Yeomanry. Died 14/04/1917. CORNISH HALL END CEMETERY. Father a blacksmith and Hugh followed this profession.
Attestation papers dated 31st August 1914, considered fit for army reserve 1st September 1914 then discharged as 'medically unfit' on 29th September 1914 with 30 days service. Reappears with Essex Yeomanry in 1917, possibly his connections as a blacksmith with the local yeomanry enabled his enlistment?
Died in Chatham Hospital. The date indicates that he suffered during the cavalry charge into Monchy during the Battle of Arras.
"On 11th April 1917, during the advance from Arras, the 8th Cavalry Brigade was ordered to advance mounted over open country to occupy high ground east and north east of Monchy-le-Preux, a key position between the Scarpe and the Sensee. During an advance by bounds by the Essex Yeomanry, followed by the 10th Hussars, the leading two troops of C Squadron were mown down on crossing a ridge and the two regiments occupied Monchy and dug in. The two regiments, commanded by Lt Col Whitmore, held Monchy against determined German attacks for 18 hours until relieved by infantry. The Essex Yeomanry suffered 135 casualties and almost all the horses were killed. Many awards were made, in particular Lance Corporal H Mugford, late of the Essex Yeomanry, won the Victoria Cross for keeping his machine gun in action with both legs broken and other wounds." Essex Yeomanry Assoc
Effects paid to father £5/18/4d Gratuity £7/5/-
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HARRINGTON, GEORGE Private. 7928. 1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment. 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. Died 22/06/1916 ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY. Born 1886
According to embarkation date and number appears to have been a regular.
Disembarkation date 10th September 1914.
During the night of 16/17 June, another German gas cloud was released against the 72nd and 73rd brigades, from the curtain, a re-entrant west of Messines, where no man's land was 400–600 yd (370–550 m) wide. The British gave the gas alert at 3:30 p.m. on 16 June, when the wind was favourable for a German gas release. Just after midnight, sentries of the 8th Battalion, Queen's West Surrey and the 1st Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment of the 72nd Brigade, which had experienced the April attack and the 9th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment and 7th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment of the 73rd Brigade, saw gas rise from the German trenches and gave the warning. The cloud was dense but moved slowly in a light wind, which gave the British plenty of time to put on their anti-gas hoods. The gas was emitted for 50–60 minutes and was blown to the south-east, towards the 17th Brigade on the right flank of the divisional area. Near the end of the discharge, the gas began to blow back and the British artillery bombarded the German front line. A few Germans climbed out of the front line trench only immediately to be forced back. All but ration parties and a few people moving along communication trenches, received the alert but gas casualties were similar to those in the April attack, which led to the conclusion that the PH helmets were inadequate against concentrated gas. Gas attacks at Wulverghem
It appears possible that George may have been caught up in this attack and 'died of wounds.'
1914 Star appears to have been withheld for some reason then presented to next of kin June 1921.
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RALLING, WALTER J. Private 14811 Essex Regiment. 11th Bn. 18th Brigade, 6th Division. Died: 26/04/1916 Age: 21. Born Steeple Bumpstead 1895. ESSEX FARM CEMETERY. YPRES Son of Frederick and Fanny Ralling, of Spain's Hall Lodge, Finchingfield, Braintree. Father horsekeeper on farm 1911 when Walter also farm labourer.
"Faithful unto Death"
Entered war 30th August 1915.
Effects to father £7/14/11d. War Gratuity £7.
Also on Finchingfield War Memorial
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WHITBREAD, JOHN WILLETT. Private 2689. 2nd Bn. East Surrey Regiment, 85th Brigade in 28th Division. Died Friday, May 28, 1915. Age 25. WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY. Son of John and Grace Eleanor Whitbread. Born Stowe, Northamptonshire 1890.
Entered war 23rd February 1915. While at Ypees during May 1915 the battalion suffered the common casualties of war plus a great many men lost through Gas attacks. It is not known what was the cause of John Whitbread's death
Died of Wounds in hospital on coast 28th May 1915.
1939-1945
1939-1945
Garner, Jack Leslie. Seaman LT/JX 196984. H.M. Trawler Bredon. Royal Naval Patrol Service. Died 08/02/1943. Aged 23. Born 6th June 1919. LOWESTOFT NAVAL MEMORIAL. Son of Herbert William Garner and of Elsie Clothida Garner, of Sudbury, Suffolk.
Born in Edwardstone by 1939 Jack and the family were living with his widowed mother at Jeklly's Farm Cornish Hall End.
HMT 'Bredon' was off the Canary Islands 8th February 1943 as part of convoy 'Gibr-2' when she was attacked by U-521. 'Bredon' was the only ship hit by torpedoes and sank immediately with the loss of all 43 hands. The "Bredon" was employed to chase submarines.
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MICKLEY, WILFRED LAWSON. 5879884 Warrant Officer Class III (P.S.M.) 2nd Bn.Northamptonshire Regiment Died 23/05/1940 Aged 36. AVION COMMUNAL CEMETERY. Son of Albert and Margaret Ellen Mickley; husband of Sarah Mickley, of Rostrevor, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.
Regular soldier? Returned from India as soldier 1933, married 1934.
10th May 1940 Churchill becomes PM, next day Germany invades France. Wilfred falls here.
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