9866 Pte John Sidney Martin, 3rd Bn CEF

Chailey Parish Magazine notes in October 1914 that John Martin is serving his King and Country. This information is then repeated up to and including September 1915.

According to his surviving attestation papers, John Sidney Martin was born in Newick on 19th April 1894. It seems likely though, that he was actually born in 1895 as his birth was registered at Lewes district in the June quarter of that year. He appears on the 1901 census living at Church Road with his parents and seven siblings. The household comprised, William John Martin (head, aged 47; a self employed builder), his wife Adela Martin (aged 42) and their eight children. In age order they are: William Henry Martin (an 18 year old carpenter), Florence Kate Martin (aged 15), Mabel Grace Martin (aged 13), Edith Cicely Martin (aged 11), Alfred Geoffrey Martin (aged ten), John (aged five), Daisy Evaline Martin (aged four) and Horace Raymond Martin (aged two).

John and Horace certainly went to school in Newick (and it’s reasonable to assume that the other children, all born in Newick, did as well). Years later, when the two boys joined the army, they sent photos of themselves to their old headmaster, John Oldaker, and it is his notes that fill in  more information on John Martin. He wrote:

John Sidney Martin (1903-1909) Enlisted before the war, 10th Royal Grenadier Signalling Corps, 3d Battn, 1st Canadian Contingent. Went to France Feb 1915. Taken prisoner near Ypres, April 1915. Confined in Germany until the end of the war.

In actual fact, John's attestation papers record that he joined up at Valcartier, Canada on the 22nd September 1914 and that he was living in Toronto and working as a silversmith when he did so.

My thanks to Simon Stevens for supplying the information on John Martin from John Oldaker's album and also the photograph of John Martin, reproduced on this page.

730340 Private Albert James BURNETT, 130th Bn Canadian Expeditionary Force

Albert James Burnett does not feature at all in Chailey’s Parish Magazine even though he was born in the village.

He was probably born on 31^st March 1890 and his birth was registered in the June quarter of that year at Lewes.  The 1891 census records him as a one year old infant living at South Street with his family.  The household comprised George Burnett (head, married, aged 61 and working as a roadman), his wife Emily Burnett, aged 37, and their five children: Elizabeth Burnett (aged 12, a scholar), Alice Burnett (aged nine, a scholar), Edith Mary Burnett (aged seven, a scholar), George William Burnett (aged four) and Albert James.  The children’s mother had been born in Barcombe but they and their father were all Chailey-born. 

By the time the 1901 census was taken, Albert’s father had died and his mother was working as a laundress.  Albert is recorded as an eleven year old. 

In April 1914, Albert left his home at 6 Andros Close, South Common, Chailey and emigrated to Canada.  On 9th January 1916 he attested with the 111^th (South Waterloo) Overseas Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) at Galt, Ontario, giving his adress as “R R No 7, Galt”.  He gave his trade or calling as “Farmer” and it was noted that he was five feet six and a half inches tall, had fair hair, hazel eyes and a fair complexion.  He gave his next of kin as his mother in Chailey and date of birth as 31^st March 1886.  Why he added an extra four years to his age is unclear.  He was given the rank of private and the army number 730340.

 

His service with the 111^th CEF was short-lived however and on 8th March 1916 he was discharged due to sickness.  His last pay sheet lists 28 days’ pay at $1 per day plus a field allowance of 10 cents per day and a clothing allowance of $10.00. 

On 21^st August 1916 he tried again, this time enlisting with the 42nd Regiment (240th Overseas Bn) CEF.  He gave his address this time as Tillsonburg and his trade or calling as “Farm labourer”.  Whereas on his previous enlistment his hair and complexion had been noted as fair, this time it was noted as dark.  His eyes were also noted as dark rather than hazel. Two faint vaccination scars were noted on his left arm. 

This time, Albert Burnett gave his date of birth as 31st March 1891 which is probably one year out.  Again, why he should falsify his age so marginally is unclear.  In any event he was enlisted as a private soldier and given the number 1042090. 

On Friday September 8th 1916 the East Sussex News reported that Albert Burnett had enlisted and on 14th September he was inoculated against typhoid.  Four days later he supplied the additional information that he had been born at Hope Cottage, South Street, Charley [sic], that his mother’s name was Emily Burnett; that she was a widow and that James was not her sole support. 

He arrived in England aboard SS Lapland on 6th October 1916 and was sent on strength to the 12th Battalion at West Sandling.  Eighteen days later he was admitted to Moore Barracks Hospital and on 9th November he was diagnosed with epilepsy. 

His medical history notes reveal that he had suffered fits since birth but that these had become more severe in the last seven years after he had had a bicycle accident in which his bike had run over an embankment.  There was also a history of epilepsy in the family with his grandfather noted as having suffered from fits. 

The doctor’s notes continue: “Present illness: had fits after enlisting in Canada.  Discharged from 111th Bn.  Rejoined and came over with 130th.  Fits became average one a day.  Admitted.  I saw patient in fit today… no biting tongue or frothing at mouth.” 

He was discharged from Moore Barracks Hospital on 2nd December 1916 and by the end of the month had been discharged from the army altogether.  Many years later, on 4th February 1937, he was issued with a discharge certificate giving his date of discharge as 30th December 1916 due to medical unfitness.

1608 Gunner Edgar Lancelot Towner, Canadian Field Artillery

According to his Canadian attestation papers, Edgar Lancelot Towner was born in Sussex, England on 17th November 1881. This date is confirmed by the registry of births, marriages and deaths which has an entry for him on page 194 of the Lewes volume (2b) for the December quarter of 1881. He appears on the 1891 census of England and Wales living at South Street, Chailey with his family. The household comprised: Emily Towner (head, widow, aged 45) and four children: Henry William Towner (aged 17, working as a gardener), Rose Harriet Towner (aged 11), Edgar (a nine year old scholar) and Emily Walls Towner (aged five).

Ten years later, Edgar is still living in Chailey although by now his 21 year old sister Rose (a housekeeper) is noted as the head of the family with Edgar (aged 19) working as a stockman on a farm and his sister Emily noted as being at home with her sister. Their mother had died a few weeks before at the age of 56, her death registered at Lewes in the March quarter of 1901. There is no mention of Henry on the census return for Chailey. If the information Edgar gave on the census and subsequently on his attestation papers is correct, it would appear that shortly after 1901 he left farming and joined the army. His attestation papers, dated 1st February 1916 and signed and witnessed in Toronto, note that he had previously served for 12 years with the Royal Garrison Artillery.

By the time he attested, Edgar Towner was 35 years old, married to Gertrude and working as a milk driver. He gave his address as 108 Jones Avenue, Toronto although this was subsequently scored through and 180 Bertrand Avenue written in its place. Edgar's height was recorded at five feet nine and a quarter, his complexion fresh, eyes blue and hair black. A small scar on his left side was noted as a distinctive mark. He gave his religion as Church of England.

Edgar Towner’s attestation was approved by the officer commanding 48th Overseas Battery, Canadian Field Artillery and he was given the army number 1608. Between 22nd and 25th May 1916, he was treated for laryngitis at Toronto Hospital and on 3rd August 1916 he completed a statement of family information stating the same address he had given on attestation. His father and mother (both un-named) were noted as deceased and he also noted a son, Edgar Thomas Towner, aged one year and three months. Edgar gave his profession as Dairyman.

On 11th September 1916, Edgar Towner embarked upon SS Cameronia at Halifax, Nova Scotia and eleven days later disembarked at Liverpool. Chailey Parish Magazine first records him in November 1916 as Towner, Gunner E, Canadian F A, England. Thereafter, continuously until July 1919, the magazine would simply record him as Towner, Gunner E, Canadian F A.

Edgar Towner appears to have spent time initially with the 16th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade before being Struck off Strength and posted to the 31st Battery, 15th Brigade at Milford Camp, Witley on 22nd January 1917. He proceeded overseas on 20th March 1917, arriving in France the following day. Between the 4th and 16th November 1917 he was at an Army Rest Camp and was later on leave between 13th and 27th January 1918. He was awarded a Good Conduct badge at Rouen on 1st February 1918 (two years to the day since he had attested) and was again on leave between the 1st and 20th January 1919. On 25th April 1919 he left for England and was Struck off Strength, pending his departure for Canada on arrival in England the following day.

A Medical History Form was completed two days later at Bramshott. On 18th May 1919 he embarked for Canada aboard SS Aquitania, arriving at Halifax on the 25th. He was discharged from Number 2 Discharge Depot in Toronto on 27th May 1919. At his Bramshott Medical Board it was reported that Edgar had suffered permanent partial hearing loss which had gradually worsened as a result of an explosion in May 1917. The incident which caused this hearing loss did not, at the time, necessitate him being hospitalised. The Board also noted that he had partial dentures. Apart from the two home addresses noted on his attestation form, in pay records dated February 1917 his address was given as 39 Galt Avenue, Toronto and on his discharge in 1919 he gave his address as 70 Marjory Avenue, Toronto. The address on his Medal Card, stamped 11th March 1922 gave a fifth address: 148 Gurzon (or Curzon) Street, Toronto.

Edgar Lancelot Towner’s brother, Henry (Harry) William Towner also served during the First World War. The two men may be related to Timothy Towner who is also mentioned in Chailey’s parish magazine.