The poor chap drew the short straw and spent that Christmas guarding the post office in Widdington, with full kit and rifle!

Dear Sirs

A pity you were not able to read my facebook page on Christmas day.

I copied one of the letters my late husband's mother, May Packwood, saved. It was written by her sweetheart in 1914, when stationed in Saffron Walden for training before going to France, where he was killed in April 1915.

His name was Hubert Benton.  The reason for writing the letter was to tell May about his Christmas in 1914.  The poor chap drew the short straw and spent that Christmas guarding the post office in Widdington, with full kit and rifle!

The letters are as new as when written.  They spent most of their days practising trench digging.

Elizabeth Thompson

Dear Gary

Thank you for your reply. My computer is not very good at the moment.  I can try to copy and paste it into an email to you, which I may not be able to do, or you can 'request friend' on facebook.

A few years ago I typed some of them on the Great War Forum, and someone replied with the details of the memorial to him in France.  Somewhere - I shall have to search again. I have a photo of 4 soldiers with the names on the back, but am not sure which one is Hubert.

I shall have a look for the photo.  I understand that there are very few surviving letters of those written from training camps.

Elizabeth

Pte H Benton

9088 E Company

5th Sth Staffs Reg.

Saffron Waldden

Essex

Postmark 18th October 1914

Dear May

Am very sorry I have not written you before, but we are really so busy - not much time for pleasure.  We are doing splendidly here - living in private houses with good food.  We are having our photographs taken today (Sunday) I will send one to you when they are ready.  Let me have a line from you, shall be so pleased.

yours sincerely

Hubert.

I suppose 'sincerely' was more personal then than it became later.

The saddest things about Hubert is his writing.  He had a wonderly hand in writing, really lovely and a pleasure to read, but once in France it deteriorated and was so different. Of course only being able to use pencil might have been the reason.

At the time of the census in 1911 (I might check up on that) George Hubert Benton was living at the Duck and Partridge public house in Brierley Hill, but at the time of his death in 1915 his parents were living somewhere else.  The Packwoods were living very close. Not sure now, but their address at one time was High Ercol Villas.  When she was a little girl though, it was Moor Street.  She saved all the postcards she was sent by her aunties, in 1906/7/8.  There are a great many here.  Most of them were posted in Nottingham. One of her aunties was cook at a convalescent home.

It was my intention to sell them on ebay, but I keep holding them back.  I know May loved him, because there is a letter about it from her auntie, and it was addressed to an address in Brighton.  Somewhere among the papers also are little poems she wrote after he was killed.  They seem to me to be sadly wishing the men had not been persuaded to go, but of course he would have been forced to eventually.

After his death, and in 1918/19 there are letters May kept addressed to her and her mother by Sgt Percy Cauper. He was a member of the British Expeditionary Forces and was connected with the Entertainments.  He mentions the settlement in one letter, referring to the 'dithering old women' (or some such)to make up their minds about the treaty!!!

I wish I was better at scanning them, but I don't at all mind typing them.  My fingers, thank goodness, can still type, even if I do make mistakes, but there are a lot of them, and scanning would enable people to see the difference in Hubert's writing after he had embarked for France.

Dear Gary,

My grandma mentioned that you would be interested in using my bronze DofE research for your Widdington page. I have absolutely no issue with that as long as you put in a disclaimer that some of the information may be incorrect due to multiple men of similar names living in and around the village at the time. However, it is correct to the best of my knowledge!

Thanks, Lizzie Robson

Please click below.

Soldiers From Widdington 

In Widdington Church, there are two boards to commemorate and celebrate the soldiers who fought in WWI. The board on the left hand side (as you enter the church) displays the names of the eight men who died fighting in WWI. Of these eight, one was buried in the church yard – however the gravestone has been at war with the elements for over 100 years; we don’t know exactly where he is buried. The board on the right hand side (as you enter the church) has the names of every man, from the village, who came home. Some of these men didn’t serve overseas, this is clearly marked with a cross.

There is also a plaque to commemorate the only man from the village who was killed during WWII. This can be found underneath the boars-head tapestry, on the right hand side, near the back of the church. There is no record or commemoration for any other men or women from the village who served and survived WWII and is therefore not displayed at the church. 

All accounts from members of the village (stretching back to 1814) come from the Parish Records and old Parish Magazines.

Waterloo

June 10th 1815: 

‘On Tuesday last the inhabitants of the parish of Widdington assembled to commemorate the blessings of peace on the fall of [Napoleon] Bonaparte, - when the lower classes were amply regal’d with joints of meat, plumb puddings, and barrels of good old English Ale on the lawn in front of the Rectory – The cheerfulness of the scene, the fineness of the weather, and the lively airs played by the band, altogether produced the most striking and pleasing effect – In the evening the gentry and Yeomanry with their friends and families repaired to a neighbouring barn, which had been most tastefully prepared for the occasion by its hospitable owner – Mr. Mumford -  when the gay dance commenc’d, which was kept up with great spirit until the company was summon’d to an elegant cold collation – After various appropriate songs and toasts, - the dance was again resumed until a late hour, when at length the party reluctantly broke up highly please’d with the festivities of Widdington.’

regal’d – regaled: treated like royals 

Yeomanry – a group of men who held cultivated or small landed estates: between 1794 and 1908 in                                       Britain, the Yeomanry were also a small voluntary cavalry force

gay – happy

The Boer War

On Saturday the 10th March 1900 the following article appeared in the Herts and Essex Observer:

‘WIDDINGTON. THE RELIEF OF LADYSMITH.’

‘Private J. Newman of the 2nd Middlesex has sent to his mother at Widdington some stirring incidents of the fighting at Spion Kip. He says: “We are having a terrible time of it in our efforts to reach Ladysmith, the hardest piece of work that has ever been done out here. I have not had my boots off for a month and have not been in camp or had a wash for 10 days. At night we have to get the best covering we can and often get drenched to the skin by heavy thunderstorms and our clothes have to dry on us. We have lost terribly, our regiment alone losing 80 killed and wounded in one action. It is a horrible sight. When we took one of the Boer trenches we found it filled with their dead, burnt by our Lyddite like bees in a hive, and they stank like rotten sheep. When we got the order to charge it was awful to see our poor comrades dropping; they begged us for a drop of water, but we were not allowed to stop to give them some. We lost over 400 before we took that position and our poor captain was among those who were shot down. He was very severely wounded. I had a narrow escape myself as one bullet passed clean through my helmet and knocked it off. When we got to the Boer trenches it was a hand to hand fight and it was four o’clock in the afternoon before we retired. We then laid down for the night but we could not sleep, we were so hungry and thirsty and the cries from the wounded were heart-rending. During the night we were formed up in a line and our names called, and our colonel told us that half our men were killed and wounded and a lot were missing and nobody could account for them. He asked us all to pray to God to bring us through, and we did so, and also for our wounded. I cannot write any more; my heart is broken for my fallen comrades.’ 

Spion Kip – A miss spelling of Spion Kop; a hill 38km from Ladysmith along the Tugela River in Natal, South Africa. A battle was fought here between the 23-24th of January 1900.

Lyddite – A high explosive containing Picric acid. Mainly used by the British in WWI and before.

WWI in Widdington

‘I hadn’t long been at this village school before the 1914-18 war broke out. With the treat of invasion, arrows were painted on buildings to indicate where to go if it happened. One direction was towards Henham. The children had to play their part. I remember tearing paper into strips to be used as stuffing for pillows and the like, for army use, and the teacher was busy knitting khaki socks. In summer we went blackberry picking with teacher. We didn’t mind because we were paid so much as a pound for the berries. Sometimes we went home quite rich. Occasionally the soldiers, when on manoeuvres, came to the village, some on horseback. They sat on the green for a while for refreshments. Jugs of coffee were made for them. Any left over was given to us, but without milk or sugar, so it wasn’t very nice. Every day at 12 noon the church bells were rung to remember the forces fighting for our country. We lost several of our men. The loss of manpower meant women going to work in the fields. Some children went stone picking. In those days we didn’t have air raid wardens, shelters or gas masks, but we did have the blackout. We knew there was a raid when the planes went roaring over and we could hear guns in the distance. Two German Zeppelins were brought down not all that far from here. For some reason balloons were floating about the sky at times. One came down at the back of the church. During this time there was a very bad flu epidemic and many died, sometimes more than one person in a family. One day I was in the Post Office at lunch time when the ‘phone rang. It was to say the war was over. Armistice had been signed.

No school for us that afternoon.’

The soldiers killed mentioned in this child’s account of WWI in Widdington: 

Charles W. Banks

Born: 1886

At first, like most children in Widdington, Charles was registered on the census as a scholar. This essentially meant he went to school. At the age of 14 he joined his father in the upkeep of Jock Wood where he was a Wood Carter. After this he became a Horse Keeper for Newlands Farm. The Banks family lived with of John and Mary Ann Banks, who occupied two rooms at Toch Lodge. John was the Wood Ward for Jock Wood. Charles’ father, David Banks, was the game keeper for Jock Wood. David, and his wife Mary Banks, also occupied two rooms at Toch Lodge with their four children. Elizabeth J., Susannah R., John J. and Charles W.

In 1909 Charles married Florence Alice Banks (formerly Hopwood) of Wood End Widdington. They had one daughter Dorothy Banks who was born in 1910. 

Charles W. Banks was a Lance Corporal in the 2nd Bn Middlesex Regiment. His service number was G/29973. He died on 16/8/1917 age 33. He fought in the Flanders region of Belgium, known as the Third Battle of Ypres or just Passchendaele – the village that saw the heaviest of the fighting. There were approximately 301,000 casualties making the 3rd battle of Ypres one of the most costly offensives in WWI. He died on a day of British victory 2 weeks into the offensive, but many more were to follow as the Germans started their own offensive to reclaim the land they just lost. Charles has no marked grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial for the missing. Panel number 113 to 115.

Frank Benjamin Barrett

Born: 1897

At first like all children in Widdington, Frank was a schoolchild at the village school. Later he joined his father as a farm labourer. After this, Frank went on to works as a Platform Porter at Newport Station until he enrolled in the army. He lived with his mother and father, Joseph and Lucy (formerly Stanley) Barrett, and his two surviving siblings – Albert Stanley Barrett and Ethel Julia Barrett. Sadly he had another sibling born between 1901 and 1911 who died. There address was confined to “The Village” Widdington.

Frank B. Barrett was a Private in the 1st Bn Essex Regiment. His service number was 28927. He died on 30/11/1917 age 20. He died during the Cambrai operations. This was a British attack – originally a very large scale raid, which employed new artillery techniques and massed tanks. The attack started on the 20th November and was bought to a halt ten days later by a German counter attack. Frank died during the German’s counter attack. Cambrai is now seen as a blueprint for the very successful “Hundred Days” offensive by British troops. So the overall effect was a ‘splendid success’ although many men died during the first offensive. Frank is commemorated at Cambrai memorial, Louverval, France. He is on panel 7, stone M. He may be registered as Benjamin Frank rather than Frank Benjamin.

Frank Canning

Born: 1889

At first, like all Widdington children, Frank was a student at the village school – like his brothers and sister. Later he became a farm labourer, like his father and older brother William, before enrolling in the army. He lived with his mother and father, Sarah and James Canning (who died between 1891 and 1901). He also had many siblings. William Canning (labourer), Nellie Grace Canning (cook/servant), Fred Canning (baker boy), Alfred Canning (groom/gardener) and Sidney (coachman). There were seven Canning children all together, but their brother Albert Henry Canning died, he was two years older than Frank. They all lived in ‘the Green’ Widdington.

Frank Canning was a Private in the 2nd Bn East Surrey Regiment. He died on 11/3/1915 aged 26. He was registered as KIA (killed in action) in the military records from this date. He died between the first and second battle of Ypres. He was holding a position in the bulge of allied captured land which included Ypres. The allied troops were unaware of the impending gas attack that would start the second battle of Ypres. Mostly, there were artillery attacks across the trenches between the two battles of Ypres. Frank Canning was killed during one of these artillery attacks. In this picture you can see the blue trench around Ypres, where Frank was posted. It is most probable that he was in the trench opposite the German’s ‘option 1’. He is commemorated at Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery. 

Sidney Canning

Born: 1894

Also a student at the Village School and later a coachman. Frank worked for a Mr Theobald of Pond Mead Widdington for over 5 years. All other family information is above under his brother Frank Canning.

Sidney Canning was a Private in the 1st Bn Essex Regiment. His service number was 16018. He was killed on 23/11/1916 aged 23. He was killed just after the battle of the Somme, which ended on the 18th of November. Specifically, he was killed after the Battle of the Ancre 13-18th November. The offense was resumed in January 1917, but stopped as they tried to survive the harsh weather through the winter. He is possible that Sidney Canning was killed by the rain, snow, fog, mud fields, waterlogged trenches and shell-holes. The Somme cost the British army 415,000 men, with high losses from France and Germany as well – the Somme is the bloodiest battle in history. Sidney is commemorated at Thiepval Memorial, Picardy, France. His name can be found on Pier and Face 10D.

George William Cox

Born: 1890

Like every other Widdington Child under the age of 14, George was a school child at the Village School. After this he worked as a farm labourer on a farm owned by the family. Then he enrolled into the army to fight in WWI. His father and mother, James Cox (Horseman, Late Housekeeper) and Ester Jane Cox, had eight children all together. Ellen Elizabeth Cox (Scholar/married Hayes), Bessie Jane Cox(servant at Buckhurst Hill for the Kemballs), Alfred J Cox (House boy on farm, Horseman on the farm), Arthur Cox (farm labourer), Maud Cox, May Cox and Edgar Cox. There was a 42 year age gap between James and Esther.

George W. Cox was a Private in the 2nd Bn East Surrey Regiment. His service number was 1188. He died on 17/03/1917 aged 27. He was recorded as KIA on official military documents (killed in action). He fought in the Balkans Campaign on the side of the allies (France, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, the UK, Romania and Greece) against the Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungry, Bulgaria and Germany. Greece entered the war in 1917. He joined the Balkan Campaign and arrived in Greece at the port of Salonica (now Thessaloniki). His regiment then went up to the Macedonian Front. He died in the initial attack in an offensive planned for late April – the overall attack was then called off on 21st May after major losses. He is commemorated in Struma Military Cemetery in Greece along with 946 other Commonwealth burials – 51 of which are unidentified. There are also 15 war graves of other Nationalities.

Frank Ernest Pallett

Seen on the memorial as Pallet but actual registered surname is Pallett

Born: 1896

Frank was born in Debden, like his parents, James (Gardener at Pond Mead) and Ellen Pallett, and eight of his eleven siblings. They were: Flora Pallett (died young), Sydney Pallett, Lindsey Pallett (joined the military and served in India), Fanny Matilda Pallett (servant for the Hammonds), Bessie Pallett (servant for the Scotts), Edith Pallett (died young) and Earnest May Pallett (farm labourer). The family then moved to Kent where the rest of the Pallett siblings were born. They were: Edith May Pallett (schoolchild), James Pallett (school) and Ellen Elizabeth Pallett (died young). Altogether 11 of them were born and three died as children. While they lived in Kent, the eldest Pallett boy, Sydney, joined the army as part of the Queen’s regiment. He was killed in action at Flanders Fields. The whole family then moved again to Widdington, were they lived on Church Street.

Frank Ernest Pallett joined the Royal Horse Artillery Royal Field Artillery and was a Gunner. His regimental number was 3511. He died on 23/10/1918 aged 22. He was badly gassed and sent home from the front lines. On his Journey home, while recovering, he contracted influenza and died of pneumonia in Plymouth Hospital within two days. He was buried in Widdington Church Yard, and a funeral service was held for relatives and friends. Sadly, his mother died two weeks after his return home of the flu epidemic mentioned in the recount of Widdington in WWI.

Sidney James Pallett

Born: 1887

Sidney lived with his parents, Harry Laurence (groom gardener) and Mary Hannah Pallett, and 9 siblings. One of his 10 siblings died between 1901 and 1911. He was a brick layer with his brother Fredrick Pallett. He had one older brother William Frank Pallett who married Ella Pallett and then settled in Saffron Walden. He also had many younger siblings: Ada May Pallett (servant for the Greens), Winifred Kate Pallett (servant for the Betts), George L Pallett (who left the home at 15 and joined His Majesty’s royal naval training establishment – he was a boy under training), Frances E Pallett, Florence H Pallett (school) and Victor Pallett (school). They all live on London Road in Newport but were members of Widdington Parish.

Sidney James Pallett was a Private in the 9th Bn Essex Regiment. His regimental number was 10596. He was killed on 3/9/1916 aged 29. He was killed during the battles of the Somme. He was most likely killed during the Battle of Delville Wood or the Battle of Guillemont. Both of these battles took place very close to each other – in date and geographically. Both were attacks on German defensive systems where men from both sides were cut down in their thousands. There were many attacks and counter attacks.

Arthur George Wright

Born: 1892

Arthur lived with his parents, Frederick William (bricklayer) and Isabel Wright, along with his grandfather, James Wright (died by 1911 / retired shoemaker). He had many siblings: Emily Wright (married Ernest Archibald Turner and was an assistant school teacher), Nellie Mahalia Wright (married Harry Duller at 22), John Wright (bricklayers assistant), Fred Wright, Charlie Wright (training to be a teacher, so still in school at 17), Gertrude Wright (school), Harold Wright (school), Gladys May Wright (school), Isabel Wright (died young), Daisy Wright (died young) and Cyril James Wright (school). Altogether 12 children but 2 died young. Arthur then went to live with his sister, Emily, and her husband and daughter Kathleen Isabel Crave Turner. He was a motor mechanic and a chauffeur.

Arthur George Wright joined the M. T. Coy 605th Army Service Corps. His regimental number was M2/097689. He died at sea on 8/1/1916 aged 24. The Army Service Corps (or ASC) preformed feats of logistics to provide the majority of supplies to the army. This meant that they could maintain a vast army on many fronts at the same time. At peak the ASC numbered 10,547 officers and 315,334 men. Arthur was a member of the Mechanical Transport branch of ASC. He embarked from Brindisi on the Citta de Palermo on 8/1/1916 as part of the British Adriatic Mission, heading for Valona (now Vlore in Albania). Two hours after their departure, 6 miles north-east of Brindisi, the ship struck a mine and capsized. Of the 200 on board, about half were saved including 84 of the 143 British troops. Arthur George Wright wasn’t one of them. He is commemorated, along with his ship mates and 1,990 others lost at sea, on the Hollybrook Memorial in Southampton.

There were also 39 other men who served during WWI from Widdington who came home again:

Albert Bateman

Born: 1890

Albert Edward Bateman lived with his parents, William (engine driver on farm) and Ellen Bateman, and his 9 brothers and 1 sister, Frank Bateman, Ernest Bateman (labourer), Sydney Bateman (labourer) and Edward Victor Bateman. In 1911, Edward was a farm labourer, as were his brothers, still living in Widdington. Overall, his mother had had 10 children – one of which sadly died by 1911. Albert’s father had also died by 1911. The family had 2 servants, Susan Hanchett (cook) and Annie Greaves (housemaid). They probably came with the three visitors who joined them in 1911, James Walter Court, Frances Ellen Court and Ellen Mary Ducane (widow). It is listed that the boys, Sydney, Albert, Edward and Frank, all lived with their mother in one house on the property. Whereas the visitors and servants lived in the other house on the property. There are no military records available. As Albert served at home we can assume he worked on an anti-aircraft gun or at a home branch of the ASC.

Ernest Bateman

Born: 1881

Brother of Albert Bateman (above) so all early life details are with him.

Ernest James Bateman married in Stutton, Suffolk in June 1909 aged 29. He married Sylvia E Gildersleeve, who died in June 1962 aged 82. There are no other records availiable.

Sidney Bateman

Born: 1884

Brother of Albert Bateman (above) so all early life details are with him.

Sidney Bateman died in 1953 aged 70. It is believed he married Fanny Mansfield on the 8th Dec 1917 in Saffron Walden. There are no other records available.

James Bentley

Born: 1884

In 1891, James W Bentley (scholar) lived with his parents, Alfred John (labourer) and Betsy Bentley, and his brothers, Charles A Bentley and George F Bentley, in Ringers Road, Widdington. In 1901 the whole family is under the name ‘Bartley’ which is a spelling error. By 1901, James had gained three siblings, Frank Bentley, Ethel Bentley and Francis Bentley. By 1911, two more siblings had been born, Herbert Bentley and Mary Bentley. James William Bentley married Florence Henley Rice in Surbiton, Surrey on 9th Jul 1906 aged 21. No wartime records available.

Alfred Canning

Brother of Sidney and Frank Canning (above) so all early life details are under Frank Canning.

Born: 28th Mar 1893

Alfred was an Airman in the Royal Air Force. His date of service was 22 May 1918 and his service number was 169916. He joined at age 25. Before he joined the Air Force, Alfred was a member of the Bedfordshire Regiment. He enlisted to the army reserves aged 24. His army regimental number was 352762. Again no marriage or death records.

John Canning

Born: 1882

John Canning was no relation to Alfred or William Canning. In 1891, he lived with his parents, Alfred and Elizabeth Canning, sadly his father died in 1899 and his mother in 1898. His older sister Charlotte Canning left them before 1901, to become a servant for the Putneys, as did his sister Emily Canning, to become a servant for the Hepburns. In 1901, he lived with his older brother, George Canning (labourer), and his younger siblings, Charles Canning (shepherd), Susan Canning and Lucy Canning. In 1911, he lived in Wood End with his sister Ellen Canning and was a farm labourer throughout his life. He married Clara Sapsford, daughter of William and Emily Sapsford, on the 20th Nov 1920 aged 38. John died Mar 1939 aged 56. 

William Canning

Brother of Sidney and Frank Canning (above) so all early life details are under Frank Canning.

Born: 1883

William enlisted in the army at age 33. He was a member of Northampton Regiment Middlesex and his Regimental Numbers are 73265 and 86497. There are no available Marriage or death records.

Edgar Chipperfield

Born: 1890

Edgar James Stalley Chipperfield lived in Cornells Road here in Widdington. He lived with his parents, John (builder) and Alice Eliza Chipperfield, the family also lived with boarder William Stuckner in 1901. He worked as a Carpenter in 1911. He married Flora Wright in 1913, before WWI broke out. Together they had one son – John William Chipperfield (who joined the building profession) - on 27th May 1923. Edgar was a member of the Royal Artillery and was a Gunner. His regimental number was L/11498. Edgar died on 30th Nov 1961 at aged 71.

Joseph Chipperfield

Born:

Joseph Thomas Chipperfield was a member of the Royal Engineers during WWI, regimental number WSR503632. He was discharged at the end of the war on 16th April 1919. Throughout his military career, he served three times (82 days, 2years 94 days and 30 days). The only medical records cover his rheumatism (arthritis) which was aggravated in France, Dec 1917. He was discharged as unfit due to his rheumatism. He had married Harriet Hart on 20th Apr 1904. Together they had three children, Marie Harriet (July 30th 1908) and two others (Nov 30th 1912 and Sep 28th 1914) whose names are illegible.

William Clarke

Born: 1881

The only William Clarke affiliated with Widdington was born here before moving to Buckinghamshire. He was a chauffeur and his parents William and Hannah were labourers in a leather shop. He had 3 siblings: Ethel B, Alice M, and Thomas R in 1901.

If you have any additional information on William Clarke that we could add to this book please contact the church warden.

Henry Coe

Born: unknown

Henry Coe didn’t find any matches in the census’s up to 1911 from Widdington. The only possible match was a Mr. Coe, who simply lived in “the village”.#

 If you have any additional information on Henry Coe that we could add to this book please contact the church warden. 

Edgar Cox

Born: 19th May 1898

Brother of George William Cox (above) so all early life details are under George William Cox.

Edgar enlisted in the army in 1914, aged 17. He was a member of the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery. His Regimental Number was 940256. In 1922, Edgar married Gladys M Briden in Bishop Stortford. Edgar died on Dec 1972 aged 74.

James Croft

Born: 1895

James W Croft lived in Waldegraves in Widdington with his mother and father, Joseph (farmer) and Isabella, and his 5 siblings, Joseph (joiner), Margret, Charles, Frank and Bessie, and William Cooper, a widower who helped on the farm. He was born in Liverpool but the family moved after his birth.

He enrolled in the RAMC (royal army medical corps) at age 21 after moving to Liverpool. He received the silver badge in 1917. He was a private in the RAMC and his regimental number was 110855. He married Maria Newall between April and June of 1918.

Joseph Croft

Born: 1893

Brother of James Croft (above) so all early life details are under James Croft.

No military details have been found. Joseph G Croft died age 60 in March 1953 in Essex.

Charles Dellow

Born: 1884

Charles lived with his mother, Sarah (a widow of Abram Dellow), and his younger brother Harry (gardener and houseboy). Charles worked at a footman in 1911 and had 10 other siblings – 9 of these had left home by 1911 and 1 had sadly died. They were Emily,  Jane, Frederick, George, William, Frank, Elizabeth L, Kate J and Rose E Dellow.

Charles married Lilly L Gray in 1917 Buckinghamshire. He died in Dec 1963 aged 80. There are no available war records for Charles.

Harry Dellow

Born: 1896

Brother of Charles Dellow (above) so all early life information is under Charles Dellow. 

Harry Thomas was a chauffeur when he signed up to the military on 11th Feb 1916 aged 20. He was a member of the Army Service Corps. His initial sign up form was completed in Grove Park. According to his attached measurements sheet he was 5ft 4 and a weight of 104 ½ Ibs. He fought in France and was discharged due to a broken pelvis in 1918.

Alfred Dennison

Born: 1898

Alfred G. Dennison lived with his parents, George Frederick and Sarah Ellen (formerly Jeffery) Dennison, and his four younger siblings, Charles Gooley Dennison, Harry Percy Dennison, John William Dennison and Horace Oliver Dennison. They also had three other siblings who had moved away by 1911, George A Dennison, Maud M Dennison and Beatrice M Dennison. The whole family were agricultural labourers other than Sarah – a housewife. They also lived with Alfred Walter Salmon and Emily Salmon, the two caretakers. The whole family live at Pond Mead, Widdington. 

He joined the army at 18 and was a member of the Royal Fusiliers. He had two regimental numbers: 573782 and 48114. Alfred married Dorothy Emily Hutchin between Apr and Jun 1924 in Bishop Stortford. Alfred died March 1944 aged 46. They had no known children.

Gooley Dennison

Born: 1891

Brother of Alfred Dennison (above) so all early life details are under him.

Charles Gooley Dennison (known as Gooley) joined the Army Service Corps at 24 in the year 1915. His regimental number was 094172. Gooley married Lizzie Vale in Bishop Stortford between Jul and Sep of 1921. His wife, Lizzie, died on Mar 1983 aged 85.

Horace Dennison

Born: 21 Nov 1899

Brother of Alfred Dennison (above) so all early life details are under him.

Horace Oliver Dennison joined the army aged 17 in 1917. He is registered to have lived at 4 High Street, Widdington. He was listed as Attestation – meaning he could be called up at any time. During this time he was a motor mechanic. After this he joined the East Surry regiment at the rank of Private. His Regimental Number is 50166. Horace married Ada M Freeman between Apr and Jun 1921 in Saffron Walden. He died Mar 1970 aged 70 in Bishop Stortford. Together they had no known children.

Percy Dennison

Born: 1894

Brother of Alfred Dennison (above) so all early life details are under him.

Harry Percy Dennison (known as Percy) joined the army age 22 in the year 1916. He was classed as Attestation – meaning he could be called up at any time. He was then called up to help in the Army Service Corps. His Regimental Number was 155676. He lived in Sawbridgeworth. He married Beatrice “Bessie” Deller in June 1924 aged 30. Harry Percy Dennison died on 9th Mar 1961 aged 67. 

William Dennison

Born: 8th Oct 1895

Brother of Alfred Dennison (above) so all early life details are under him.

John William Dennison died in Saffron Walden in March 1970. There are no war or marriage records for John William Dennison.

Harry Duller

Born: 1882

Harry Duller lived with his Uncle Samuel Caton (labourer) and his Aunt Harriet Caton. He was born in Sawston, Cambridgeshire and lived in Widdington when he was 9. He was listed as a scholar and was then upgraded to a boarder by 1901 aged 19. He married Nellie Mahalia Wright in 1905 and together they had 3 children by 1911. Arthur, Isabel and George Duller.

I believe he was a member of the Queen’s own Kent regiment but his name shows no clear matches.

Ralph Grainger

Born: 1883

Ralph was born to William (postman) and Lydia Grainger in Newport and was the 2nd eldest of all his siblings: Burke, Maude, Sidney, Percy and Kate. In 1901 he worked at Newport’s grocery. By 1911 Ralph H Grainger was living at Bridgecroft, Widdington with his wife Ellen Grainger. He was the gardener. 

Sadly no military records were found.

Edgar Hoy

Born: 1896

Edgar James Hoy lived at Rose Cottage and was still attending school at 15. He was the son of James Thomas (baker) and Agnes Annie Hoy. Together the couple had 5 children: Ernest George, Charles Alexander, Dora May and Thomas Victor Hoy. The family also lived with George Reed (pensioner and farmer) and Jane Bradford (a domestic servant).

The only military record that matched his name were that of a medal roll list from the navy. He was part of the crew of Queen Charlotte and took part in the Battle of Algiers.

Thomas Hoy

Born: 1889

Brother of Edgar Hoy (above) so all early life details are under him.

Thomas Victor Hoy was a member of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and his regimental number was 41149.

Frederick Ketteridge

Born: 1890

Fred Charles Ketteridge was the son of Allen A (bricklayer) and Ellen Rose Ketteridge. They had 10 children: Alice M, Emily E, Dora A, Hilda R, Eva, Victor Moris, Annie and two others who sadly died between the census periods. Fred worked as a farm labourer by 1911 aged 21.

There are no military records available under Frederick Charles Ketteridge.

Andrew Mackinnon

No valid information from any source.

If you have any additional information on Andrew Mackinnon that we could add to this book please contact the church warden.

Charles Newman

Born: 1872

Charles Henry Newman was born in Widdington but their family then moved around. He lived with his mother Emma (grocer) and siblings John, William, Lily and Leonard Leopold. Charles was the ‘general dealer’ meaning he sold their produce at market. Throughout his early life he moved from place to place staying with his various relatives. By 1911 he was doing joinery work at the saw mill.

There are no records later than the 1911 census.

James Pallett

Born: 1900

Brother of Frank Ernest Pallett (above) so early years information is under his name. James Pallett was only 12 in 1911 meaning that he was 15 when war broke out. He served at home, meaning he never left Britain. This means it’s a lot harder to find out what he would’ve done or been a part of. He most likely worked on one of the anti-aircraft guns or was an engineer for tanks and aircraft in the UK.

Lindsey Pallett

Born: 1888

Brother of Frank Ernest Pallett (above) so early years information is under his name.

Lindsey joined the 2/ Royal West Kent Rgt and was a Private. He served with 29 other men in India. He had joined the army just before 1911 and was 22 when the census was taken. Lindsey married Beatrice E Patient in 1936. He died June 1970 and is buried at Saffron Walden Cemetery.

Charles Reynolds

Born: 1869

Charles William Reynolds was born in Widdington and was baptised on the 6th Jun 1869. His parents are simply listed as David Reynolds and Marianne. They do not appear in any of the censuses affiliated to Widdington and the surrounding area before or after this date.

If you have any additional information on Charles Reynolds that we could add to this book please contact the church warden.

Alfred Rust

Born:1890

Alfred Rust was the son of Joshua (labourer) and Mary Rust. He was the 2nd youngest of his 8 siblings: G Henry, William, Joseph B, Frederick, Margaret, Frank A, Harry E and Florence. They also lived with William Salmon who was a labourer and brother to Mary. The family’s father Joshua left between 1891 and 1901. In 1901 all the older siblings had jobs with Alfred working as a House Boy and his brother Frederick as a carpenter.

Alfred joined the army in 1917 aged 27. He joined the ASC under the mechanical transport division. He had worked as a butler before signing up. His father Joshua is listed as being his next of kin rather than his mother or various siblings. His medical sign up form says he had ‘rather flat feet’ but that was his only defect. He was a Ford driver for the ASC and was described as reliable and intelligent.

Alfred married Fanny Maria Quarrie in Warrington on 3rd Jun 1920.

Frederick Rust

Born: 1883

Brother of Alfred Rust (above) so all early life details are under him.

There are no military details for Frederick Rust. 

He dies aged 81 in March 1964 in Essex.

Frederick Simmonds

Born: 1900

Frederick H C Simmonds lived at Pond Mead Cottage with his parents William (gardener) and Margaret L Simmonds and his younger brother Cecil.

No military records are availiable.

Herbert Turner

Born: 1898

Herbert Turner lived in one of Newlands Cottages with his parents George (farm foreman) and Alice Turner. He was labourer on Newlands farm at age 13. He had 3 siblings, one of which sadly died: Hilda R and Hettie M.

He married Florence S Jenner in 1922 in East Grinstead.

Charles Wilson

Born: 2nd Apr 1893

Charles Alfred Wilson lived on Spring Hill with his parents Fred (horses) and Clara Wilson, his grandma Emma Wilson and 2 siblings: Kate Wilson and Hubert Wilson. They also lived with Cecil Cooper. Charles worked as a farm labourer. 

He married Florence Hurn in 1916 in Hertfordshire. Charles died aged 84 in March 1978 in Manchester.

Charles Wright

Born: 9th Aug 1894

Brother of Arthur George Wright (above) so early years information is under his name.

Charlie John Wright married Elsie Lena Florence Hare in December 1921. They had one child during their marriage – unable to access these records as the child is still living. They all lived in Wrights, Wood End, Widdington. Charlie was a headmaster for a profession and had stayed in school a lot longer than most other children in Widdington and other rural villages. Charlie died in Nov 1979 aged 85.

Harold Wright 

Born: 1899

Brother of George Wright (above) so early years information is under his name.

Harold was only 15 when the war broke out. He was a soldier in 1918, right at the end of the war. He served in Cercundrabad, India. Harold married Mabel Grace Goff in West Ham on 15th Nov 1919. Together they had two children –Kenneth Fredrick P Wright and Monica Louisa Jessie Wright. He had a job as a chauffeur in Bristol in 1925. The photo is of Harold and Mabel outside of the Four Mile House Pub in Gloucester in 1944. He died aged 48 in Sep 1946 in Gloucester. 

John Wright

Born: 1887

Brother of Arthur George Wright (above) so early years information is under his name.

He married Nellie Grace Caming, at the Parish Church in Widdington, on 3rd Jun 1911. He was a Bricklayer Journeyman. John Wright enlisted to the army age 29 in 1916. He was a member of the Royal Engineers regiment. He didn’t serve overseas. John also lived at the ‘Hem De Lys’ (a misspelling of ‘Fleur De Lys’) and was the innkeeper. John William Wright died on 5th Mar 1920 and left £234 2s. 4d. to his wife.

WWII in Widdington

We only have one WWII memorial in Widdington. It is in the church on a plaque under the boars head tapestry. Sadly, we don’t have a list of the men who served and returned in WWII. Commemorated on the plaque is the only man who died, from Widdington, in WWII.

Mark William Hollis

Born:

Mark William Hollis joined the Highland Light Infantry in 1934. He became a Lieutenant in 1937, a temporary Captain in 1940 and later a Major. He served with the Highland Light Infantry in Palestine 1936-9 where they remained until WWII broke out. He was killed in action 29th Jan 1941.

This photo was taken 31st May 1935 while he was in full dress uniform. It is one of many in the Museum of Royal Highland Fusiliers

During WWII the 2ndHLI moved to Egypt and was active in the liberation of Ethiopia in the battle of Keren. Mark William Hollis was killed just after the the battle of Keren, where 2nd HLI had played a leading part. It is to be assumed that Mark Hollis was one of 3,229 allied casualties injured during the battle – many who later died.

Barentu Britrea. Regimental Number 63628. Buried Keren War Cemetery, Keren, Anseba, Eritrea, East Africa 31. Fought in East Africa. 

Father: Sir Alfred Claud Hollis. Mother: Lady Hollis (Longman) of Widdington Essex. 

Sources

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/ - most background information on people mentioned

http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/ztngxsg

http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/regiment014.htm

http://www.onthisday.com

http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery

https://en.wikipedia.org/

http://www.familyhistory.co.uk/the-boer-war/

http://www.firstworldwar.com/

https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/

http://www.greatwar.co.uk/

http://www.historyhouse.co.uk/placeW/essexw25.html

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-one/1915-and-world-war-one/

http://www.historytoday.com/blog/2013/07/greece-and-first-world-war

http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/firstworldwar/index-1915.html

http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/1661to1966/ww1east/ww1east.html

https://salonikacampaignsociety.org.uk/

http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/

https://greatwarlondon.wordpress.com/tag/army-service-corps/

http://lafayette.org.uk/hol183906.html

The Widdington Chronicles

All information and research done by: Elizabeth Robson (14) for Bronze DofE Volunteering.