Reverend Arthur Hamilton Boyd OBE MC TD

Arthur Hamilton Boyd was born in Edinburgh on 7th June 1869.  He was the son of Sir John and Lady Isabella Boyd (nee Lawson) of Maxpoffle, Roxburgh.  Sir John was Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1888 to 1891.

Arthur had nine brothers and sisters including a twin brother, Alan Stuart Boyd.  One of his sisters, Bethia Theodora Boyd, the youngest of Sir John’s daughters, would later marry the vicar of St Peter’s Church, Chailey, The Reverend Thomas Harry Lee Jellicoe.

Arthur was educated at the Edinburgh Academy, graduating from Edinburgh Theological College in 1894 and at Woolwich Theological College.  From 1896 to 1898 he was curate at Chailey and from 1898 to 1901 was a clergyman at Hurstpierpoint, also in Sussex.

Presumably while he was at Chailey, Arthur met and married Penelope Elizabeth Blencowe of Bineham, Chailey.  Their marriage is recorded in the March quarter for 1898. The 1901 census notes Arthur (aged 31) and Penelope (aged 32) living at Hurstpierpoint with their two month old son, William Arthur Hamilton.  Later that year the family moved again, this time to Slaugham, where Arthur took up the position of rector, a post he would hold until 1928.

In 1903, Arthur and Penelope had a second son, James Hamilton, and two years after that, Arthur took up the post of Chaplain to the Forces, 3rd Class, attached to the 4th Royal Sussex Regiment.  There were various grades of chaplain, each grade carrying an equivalent army rank.  Fourth Class was equivalent to captain, Third Class to major, Second Class to lieutenant colonel and First Class to colonel. 

When war was declared, Arthur Boyd was appointed Acting Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class and posted to Divisional Troops, 3rd Cavalry Division British Expeditionary Force, France. In 1915 he was appointed Senior Chaplain 3rd Class, 3rd Cavalry Division and in November 1916 he was appointed Deputy Assistant Chaplain-General, 2nd Class, Cavalry Corps.

Chailey Parish Magazine first mentions Arthur Boyd in its November 1916 issue, noting that he is a temporary lieutenant colonel.

Arthur Hamilton Boyd led a distinguished military career. He was captain of the St Mary’s Slaugham company of the Church Lads’ Brigade and was decorated for gallantry.  He was awarded the Military Cross on 18th February 1915 for distinguished conduct in the field and was Mentioned in Despatches three times: 17th February 1915, 22nd June 1915 and 30th December 1918.  On 1st January 1919 in the King’s New Year’s Honours’ List, he was awarded the OBE (military) and this was followed up in August 1919 with the award of the Territorial Decoration.

On 23rd September 1919, the Reverend A H Boyd OBE, MC, TD, relinquished his commission and reverted to T/CF 3rd Class.  Arthur Boyd was also a member of the Junior Army & Navy Club, Whitehall and in 1921 was living at Slaugham Rectory, Haywards Heath, Sussex.

Arthur Boyd’s medals are held by The Royal Army Chaplain’s Department Museum (The Museum of Army Chaplaincy) at Amport House, Amport, near Andover, Hampshire.  The group consists of: OBE, MC, 1914 Star with clasp, British War Medal, Victory Medal with MID Oakleaf and his George V Territorial Decoration.  The photograph of his medals on this website is re-produced by kind permission of the trustees of The Museum of Army Chaplaincy. The photo of Reverend Boyd at the top of the is post is published with the permission of Alison Botterill to whom, many thanks.

Lt Robert Campion Blencowe, Royal Defence Corps

Robert Campion Blencowe was born at Hurstpierpoint, Sussex in 1858.  He appears on the 1861 census as the eldest son of John George Blencowe and Frances Campion Blencowe.  At the time the census was taken, Robert Campion was two years old and his younger brother, John Ingham Blencowe, was four months old.  The family lived at Bineham Mansion in Chailey.

John George Blencowe was the only son of Robert Willis Blencowe and had inherited a considerable sum of money plus the combined estates of The Hooke and Bineham.  When he married Frances Campion, an heiress in her own right, he received an additional marriage settlement of nine thousand pounds.  As well as being a significant landowner (the 1861 census notes that he owns 220 acres and is the employer of eleven men and two boys), John George Blencowe was also a Member of Parliament (1859-1865) and, like his father before him, a magistrate at Lewes, serving there from 1842 until 1897; the longest serving magistrate except for the Duke of Richmond.

Robert Campion Blencowe appears on the 1871 census as a 12 year old scholar staying at 40 Upper Brunswick Place, Hove, Brighton.

I have been unable to locate Robert Blencowe on the 1881 census return.  His parents, John George Blencowe and Frances Blencowe appear on the 1881 census still living at Bineham but by this time, their three sons (William Poole Blencowe was the third son, born in 1869) had obviously left the family mansion.  In 1881, the census recorded John George Blencowe, (aged 64), Frances Blencowe (51) and their five daughters: Florence C[harlotte] Blencowe (aged 21), Harriet Blencowe (aged 18), Frances I[sabel] Blencowe (aged 16), Mary Blencowe (aged 15) and Penelope E Blencowe (aged 13).

It is possible that by the time the 1881 census was taken, Robert was in India.  A copy of Dress Regulations for Officers of the 1^st Battalion (XX) Lancashire Fusiliers, offered for sale by Maggs Brothers military booksellers in August 2006, notes Robert Campion Blencowe as the book’s owner.  The Maggs Brothers website notes that Robert made full lieutenant in January 1880 and that the 2nd Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers embarked for Bombay the following year.

On the 1891 census, John George and his wife are still at Bineham with their daughters although by now, Florence C Blencowe had married and become Florence C Drummond. Her son, Frederick John Drummond (whose birth was registered in the September quarter of 1891) would later be killed in action in the First World War. 

Robert Campion Blencowe (aged 32) appears on the 1891 census living at The Grove, Basingstoke, Hampshire with his 36 year old wife Augusta Blencowe (nee Dickenson) and three servants.  The couple had married in 1886 and Robert Campion is noted on the census as “living on own means”.

On the 1901 census, Robert Campion Blencowe’s name appears under the ecclesiastical parish of St Michael and All Angels in Basingstoke.  He and Augusta were now living at Skippetts House with three servants.  Robert Campion is still noted as “living on own means”.  Augusta died in 1905 and Robert re-married Jessie Wright, a woman who was, according to Rob Tillard, “a formidable lady who seemed forbidding to small boys.

Robert Blencowe’s service record could not be found at the National Archives but it is possible to piece together a sketch history based on information contained in Chailey Parish Magazine and The London Gazette.

Supplement to The London Gazette, Page 8013, of the issue dated 7^th October 1914 notes that Robert Campion Blencowe, late Lieutenant of The Lancashire Fusiliers, is to be a lieutenant with the Territorial Force Reserve.

Chailey Parish Magazine first mentions him in March 1915, noting that he is serving his King & Country and then adding in October that year that he is a lieutenant with the Norfolk Regiment.  On 28^th June 1916, the Supplement to The London Gazette notes that Lieutenant Robert Campion Blencowe is promoted to Captain.

At some point thereafter, it would appear that Robert Blencowe transferred from the Norfolk Regiment to the Royal Defence Corps.  On 7^th November 1917, on page 13176 of the Supplement to The London Gazette, it was noted that Lt R C Blencowe of the RDC would retain his seniority.  Just over a month later, on 17^th December, he resigned his commission on account of ill health, and was granted the honorary rank of lieutenant.  His name appears for the final time in Chailey Parish Magazine’s roll of serving men in January 1918 where it is {incorrectly) noted that he is still serving with the Norfolk Regiment.

The Blencowe family was one of the most influential families in Chailey and the family name crops up time and time again in contemporary newspaper cuttings.  John Ingham Blencowe and Frances Isabel Blencowe in particular, also played significant roles in the village during the war years but Robert appears to have been the most influential member of the Bineham family.  The term, “pillar of the community” appears apt in his case and as well as involving himself in local affairs he also supported a number of worthy causes.  The Women at Work Collection held at The Imperial War Museum in London notes that he was a member of the RSPCA in 1914, contributed a £50 donation to the Soldiers’ Clubs Association in 1915 and 1916 and, also in 1916, donated £20 to Queen Alexandra’s Field Force Fund.

Captain John Ingham Blencowe, Eastern Command

John Ingham Blencowe was born at Hurstpierpoint, Sussex on 15^th December 1860.  He appears on the 1861 census as the second son of John George Blencowe and Frances Campion Blencowe.  At the time the census was taken, John Ingham was four months old and his elder brother, Robert Campion Blencowe, was two.  The family lived at Bineham Mansion in Chailey.

John George Blencowe was the only son of Robert Willis Blencowe and and had inherited a considerable sum of money plus the combined estates of The Hooke and Bineham.  When he married Frances Campion, an heiress in her own right, he received an additional marriage settlement of nine thousand pounds.  As well as being a significant landowner (the 1861 census notes that he owns 220 acres and is the employer of eleven men and two boys), John George Blencowe was also a Member of Parliament (1859-1865) and, like his father before him, a magistrate at Lewes, serving there from 1842 until 1897; the longest serving magistrateexcept for the Duke of Richmond.

I have been unable to locate the Blencowe family on the 1871 census.  John George Blencowe and Frances Blencowe appear on the 1881 census still living at Bineham but by this time, their three sons (William Poole Blencowe was the third son, born in 1869) had obviously left the family manison.  In 1881, the census recorded John George Blencowe, (aged 64), Frances Blencowe (51) and their five daughters: Florence C Blencowe (aged 21), Harriet Blencowe (aged 18), Frances I[sabel] Blencowe (aged 16), Mary Blencowe (aged 15) and Penelope E Blencowe (aged 13).

On the 1891 census, John George and his wife are still at Bineham with their daughters although by now, Florence C Blencowe had married and become Florence C Drummond. Her son, Frederick John Drummond (whose birth was registered in the September quarter of 1891) would later be killed in action in the First World War. 

John Ingham Blencowe (aged 30) appears on the census living at Court House, Lewes with his 29 year old wife Mabel Frances Blencowe and their daughter, Margaret P[enelope] Blencowe (aged one).  Mabel’s maiden name was Ingram and she was one of seven daughters living at Ades in Chailey.

On the 1901 census, John Ingham Blencowe’s name appears under the parish of St Michael’s in Lewes.  He and his family were living at Pelham House with John Ingham’s profession noted as Land Agent.  The family comprised his 39 year old wife Mabel Frances Blencowe and their daughter, Margaret P Blencowe (aged 11).  Staying with them was Thomas A Ingram, John’s nephew as well as his pupil.

According to John Ingham’s application for a commission in the Sussex Yeomanry (TF) which he completed on 18^th September 1914 (aged 53), he had previously served with the regiment as a sergeant between 1902 and 1905, being discharged in 1905 on the expiration of his time.  On his application he indicated that he had been educated at (what looks like) Bradfied College and Brasenose College, Oxford.  He gave his address for correspondence as Cinder Farm, Chailey and his profession as Land Agent.

John Ingham Blencowe was appointed 2^nd lieutenant with the 2/1^st Sussex Yeomanry on 5^th October 1914, temporary lieutenant on 18^th February 1915 and then temporary major on 6^th April 1915. 

In December 1916, Major John Ingham Blencowe was appointed as Assistant War Department Agent and Valuer for Eastern Command and continued in this role, gaining the final rank of captain, until his duties ceased on 10^th July 1920.

John Ingham Blencowe lived at Pelham House in Lewes (now the council offices) and eventually moved to Church House in Chailey where he died in 1945 at the age of 85.

The Blencowe family was one of the most influential families in Chailey and their names crop up time and time again in contemporary newspaper cuttings.  Robert Campion Blencowe and Frances Isabel Blencowe in particular, also played significant roles in the village during the war years.

G/24460 Private William Hugh Blanchard, 9th Royal Sussex Regt

Chailey Parish Magazine notes that a Private W Blanchard is serving with a Training Reserve battalion in April 1917.  In December 1917 the regimental information is updated to 3^rd Royal Sussex and in May 1918 it is updated again to 9^th Royal Sussex.

The National Archives in Kew has only one W Blanchard with the Royal Sussex Regiment noted and that is G/24460 Private William Hugh Blanchard.  In fact the National Archives holds two card for this man: one in the name of W Hugh Blanchard, serving with the 9^th Royal Sussex Regiment, and the other in the name of William H Blanchard, serving with the Royal Sussex Regiment (no battalion given). 

In July 1918, the parish magazine notes that Blanchard has been wounded and this information is repeated monthly thereafter until July 1919 which is the final entry for this soldier.

The 9^th Royal Sussex Regiment was a New Army battalion which was formed at Chichester in September 1914 and all original recruits were given the ‘G’ prefix to their regimental number.  However, although Blanchard too has the G prefix to his number, the fact that he appears for the first time in the parish magazine in April 1917, coupled with the fact that he spent an initial period of time with a Training Reserve battalion would appear to suggest that he was not an early volunteer. 

The 9^th Royal Sussex formed part of the 73^rd Brigade in the 24^th Division and first saw action at Loos in September 1915 where it suffered heavy losses.

In “This and That in Chailey and Barcombe”, Andrew Fayle recalls, “For years the post was delivered on walking rounds.  Old Mr Blanchard, an ex soldier who had only one eye and an artificial leg, was the postman.  He walked from South Common Post Office, all up through Norman’s Brick Yard, then South Street, along Markstakes Lane as far as High House and Tutts Farm, and back.  A long way.  Like all postmen in those days he would carry stamps which you could buy from him and you could ask him to bring a postal order by arrangement. He was also our own ‘Broadcasting Station’. If you saw cattle straying, or if you lost anything, you would tell him and he would broadcast the news. ‘Yes’, he would say, ‘I’ll pass the news on.’”

 
The Mr Blanchard referred to above may be the same Private W Blanchard noted in Chailey’s parish magazine in 1917.

Edwin Baldock

Edwin Baldock is noted in Chailey Parish Magazine in January, March and April 1916 as having attested. The remark, "medically unfit" is recorded next to his name and this was due to the fact that he had been kicked in the leg by a horse before the war. The injury was sufficient to prevent him being called up for military service.
 
Edwin's grandson recalls that he worked with horses but that his main occupation was that of a sign-writer. He had married Emily Page on 9th November 1907 and although initially based in Chailey Parish, the couple had moved to Brighton. Emily died in 1944 and Edwin died in May 1956.

Kelly’s 1915 directory for Sussex lists a Chailey Edwin Baldock as Farm Bailiff and Chailey resident Reg Philpott remembers that the Baldock family came from nearby Wivelsfield where they were butchers and blacksmiths.

Photograph of Edwin in later life courtesy of his grandson, Michael Baldock. Probate calendar extract taken from Ancestry.

John Baker

John Baker appears only twice in Chailey’s Parish Magazine and on both those occasions as one of several names in a special list of attested men published in March and April 1916. At this point in time I know nothing more about him.

Gunner J Avery, Royal Marine Artillery

I know very little about this man.  Avery, Pte J, Ry Marine Artillery  first appears in Chailey Parish Magazine in April 1916.  By October 1916, the magazine notes his rank as Gunner and it would appear that he served throughout the war, his final entry in July 1919 simply reading Avery, Gunner J, Ry Marine Artillery.

Three other Chailey men with the surname Avery served in the First World War – Arthur, Harry and Thomas -  and it is possible that J Avery was related to all or some of these men.

32967 Pte Harry Avery, 7th Norfolk Regiment

Harry Avery was born in Chailey around 1898.  When the 1901 census was taken, the family was living at 13 South Street, Chailey.  The family comprised Thomas Avery (head of the household, aged 48), his wife Caroline (42) and their seven children: Thomas (21), Edith (18), Rose (16), Frederick (13), Harriett (9), Arthur (6) and Harry (2).  Thomas senior worked as a carter on a farm.  His son Thomas was a brick-maker (presumably working at Norman’s, locally) and Edith worked as a general domestic servant.  The family also had a boarder, 22 year old Frank Funnell who worked as a labourer in at the local brickyard.

Harry Avery first appears in Chailey Parish Magazine in March 1916 where his name is one of several noted in a special list of attested men.  In April 1917 he appears again as Avery, Pte H, TR Batt.  In December 1917 he is noted as serving with the 3rd Norfolk Regiment and by January 1918 with the 7th Norfolk Regiment.  His last entry in the Parish Magazine appears in July 1919 where he is still noted as serving with the 7th Norfolk Regiment.  He was given the army number 32967.

The 7th Norfolk Regiment was a New Army Battalion formed at Lincoln in September 1914.  It formed part of the 51st Brigade in the 17th (Northern) Division throughout the war.

Chailey resident Reg Philpott remembered Harry Avery as Henry Avery.

Another Avery, J Avery, also served in the First World War and it is possible that Harry was related to him.  Like Harry, his brothers Thomas and Arthur both served in the army during World War 1 and both survived.

38838 Dvr Arthur Avery, Royal Engineers

Arthur Avery was born in Chailey around 1894.  When the 1901 census was taken, the family was living at 13 South Street, Chailey.  The family comprised Thomas Avery (head of the household, aged 48), his wife Caroline (42) and their seven children: Thomas (21), Edith (18), Rose (16), Frederick (13), Harriett (9), Arthur (6) and Harry (2).  Thomas senior worked as a carter on a farm.  His son Thomas was a brick-maker (presumably working at Norman’s, locally) and Edith worked as a general domestic servant.  The family also had a boarder, 22 year old Frank Funnell who worked as a labourer in at the local brickyard.

Arthur first appears in Chailey’s Parish Magazine in September 1915 when he is noted as serving King & Country.  In October 1915 he appears in the magazine as Avery, Pte A, RE, England and by December of that year his rank his noted as Driver.  He was given the army number 38838.

In April 1916, Avery is noted as Avery, Dvr A, RE, Salonica.

Arthur Avery survived the war.  His last entry appears in Chailey’s Parish Magazine in February 1919 where his rank and regiment are noted.

 
Another Avery, J Avery, also served in the First World War and it is possible that Arthur was related to him.  Like Arthur, his brothers Harry and Thomas both served in the army during World War 1 and both survived.

SE/21101 Private Thomas Avery, RAVC

Thomas Avery was born in Chailey around 1879. When the 1901 census was taken, the family was living at 13 South Street, Chailey. The family comprised Thomas Avery (head of the household, aged 48), his wife Caroline (42) and their seven children: Thomas (21), Edith (18), Rose (16), Frederick (13), Harriett (9), Arthur (6) and Harry (2). Thomas senior worked as a carter on a farm. His son Thomas was a brick-maker (presumably working at Norman’s, locally) and Edith worked as a general domestic servant. The family also had a boarder, 22 year old Frank Funnell who worked as a labourer in at the local brickyard.

Tom Avery appears in Chailey Parish Magazine for the first time in November 1916, noted as a Private, serving with the Army Veterinary Corps in France (regimental number SE/21101). He survived the war and appears to have served until the end, finally appearing in the parish magazine in July 1919. 

G/25996 Pte Victor Ashford, The Buffs

On his service papers dated 25th May 1918, Victor Ashford’s home address is given as Colonels Bank, Chailey.  Geographically speaking, I believe that Colonels Bank was in Newick rather than Chailey, but as the service record states Chailey, I am including Victor’s First World War service here.  Brothers Frederick and George Smith, also remembered on this site, lived at Colonels Bank too, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s site noting this as being in Chailey.

Victor was called up for service at the age of 18 years and 11 months and posted to the 3rd Buffs; number G/25996 (although his preferred regiment was noted as The Royal Engineers). He was five feet eight and a half inches tall, a farm labourer who gave his next of kin as his father, James Ashford. 

Victor remained in England for just over four months before being sent to France with on 28th September 1918.  He joined the 10th Battalion in the Field on 5th October 1918 and remained with it until 5th December when he was admitted to the 51st Casualty Clearing Station with bronchitis.  He was moved to the 53rd General Hospital at Boulogne two days later and then, on 17th January 1919, returned to England from Wimereux aboard the Hospital Ship Jan Breydel. The following day he was admitted to the 1st Western General Hospital in Liverpool where he remained until 21st February when he was granted leave to return home until the 3rd March.

On 27th November that year, medically classified as B2, Victor was demobilised and awarded a final pension of five shillings and sixpence a week for one year.

Albert Agate, Royal Sussex Regiment & MGC

Albert Agate was born in Keymer, Sussex in 1870.  His birth was recorded on page 149 of the Cuckfield (Sussex) register (2b) in June of that year.
 

By the time the 1881 census was taken, he was living at 2 Shaftesbury Cottages, Lye Lane, Keymer.  His father, Alfred, aged 33, was noted as a Bricklayer Journeyman and his mother (also 33), as a Bricklayer’s wife.  The couple had five children: Mary (13), Albert, Henry (6), Ellen (4) and Alfred (1).  The census gives Albert’s birth year as 1871.

 

Twenty years later, the 1901 census records 29 year old Albert as a Farm Labourer and the head of his own household at Glebe Cottage in Streat, Sussex.  With him are his 26 year old wife, Sarah Louisa and their four children: Alfred Albert Agate (6), Daisy May (3), Florence Esther (2) and Henry Robert (5 months).

In July 1915, Chailey Parish Magazine notes that Alfred Agate sen was serving King and Country and in October 1915 the magazine adds the additional information that he is serving with the Royal Sussex Regiment in England. By January 1916 the magazine notes that he is with the 3rd Battalion.

In April 1916, the magazine notes that Driver Agate senior is with the 3rd Royal Sussex MG in England and the following month that information is updated to note that he is in France.  As the 3rd Royal Sussex remained a Special Reserve battalion in England, Albert certainly would not have served abroad with them but was probably transferred to one of the service, territorial or regular battalions of that regiment shortly prior to going overseas. 

The next information update in Chailey’s Parish appears in December 1917 when it states that Driver Agate (senior) is now serving with the 62nd Machine Gun Corps.  This information is repeated over the ensuing months until the list of Chailey serving men ceased to appear in July 1919. 

 

Albert's medal index card (above, courtesy Ancestry) shows his MGC number as 4956 and his Royal Sussex  Regiment number as 6938. G/6938 would fit with an enlistment date of late May 1915 (which would tie in with the announcement in Chailey Parish Magazine shortly afterwards).

Albert’s oldest son Alfred also served in the First World War and died eight days after the Armistice on 19th November 1918 at the age of 23.  His entry in the Commonwealth War Graves Register records that he was the son of Albert and Sarah Louisa Agate who, at the time of that entry, were now living at Godley’s Green, Chailey.

8531 Driver Alfred Albert AGATE CXII Bde, RFA

Alfred Albert Agate was born in 1894, his birth recorded on page 171 of the Cuckfield (Sussex) register (2b) in December of that year.

Alfred was the eldest son of Albert and Louisa Agate and was named after his grandfather.  In 1901, the family was living at Glebe Cottage, Streat, Sussex, is father making a living as a Farm Labourer.  Alfred (aged six) had two sisters and a brother: Daisy May (three), Florence Esther (two) and Henry Robert (five months).

 

In October 1914, Chailey Parish Magazine notes an Alfred Agate serving his King and Country.  It is unclear however, whether this is Alfred Agate or his father Albert who is also listed as Alfred up until September 1915.  Alfred would have been 19 when war was declared, his father 44.  It seems more probable that Alfred, a young single man would have rushed to join up than his father who was getting on in years.

In October 1915 the magazine notes that Agate, Dvr A (jun) is serving with the Royal Field Artillery in France.  From December 1916 until November 1918, the entry simply reads, Agate, Dvr A (jun), RFA.

Alfred Agate survived the duration of the war only to die eight days after the Armistice.  In January 1919, his name was added to the Roll of Honour which appeared in Chailey’s Parish Magazine.  It read: Driver A Agate, RFA, died sickness, Nov 19th 1918 in France.  He was 23 years old and had served his King and county for over four years.

Alfred Agate does not appear to be mentioned in Soldiers Died In The Great War but the information held on him by The Commonwealth War Graves’ Commission fills in further detail.

At the time of his death he was 8531 Driver Alfred Albert Agate and was serving with C Battery in the 62nd Brigade of The Royal Field Artillery.  He is buried in Douai British Cemetery, France (above). My grateful thanks to Jon Miller for the photo.

T2SR/03145 Driver George Ernest Sparshott, Army Service Corps

George Sparshott appears on the 1901 census for Hurstpierpoint, Sussex as 11 year old George E Sparshott.  His birth was registered at Cuckfield, Sussex in the March quarter of 1890 as George Ernest Sparshott.

In 1901, the family members are recorded as George Sparshott (head, aged 35 and working as a labourer) and his wife, Selina (aged 32).  The couple had seven children: George (aged 11), Alice M (aged nine), Ellen (aged eight), Charlie (aged six), Gilbert (aged four), William (aged two) and Harry (aged one).  There were also three boarders: Seymour Smith (24), Alfred Heasman (32) and William Poole (25).  George, his mother and his siblings were all born at Hurstpierpoint.  His father was born at Ashington.

George appears in the Chailey Parish Magazine for the first time in January 1918 as Sparshott, Driver G, ASC.  That is all the information that the magazine yields and this is repeated up to and including the final roll call of local men in July 1919.  In the peace celebrations that took place in the village in August 1919, George Sparshott is mentioned as coming third in the cigar and needle race for soldiers and sailors.

 

21370 L/Cpl John William Williams, Northumberland Fusiliers

Lance-Corporal John William Williams of the Northumberland Fusiliers was a patient at Beechland House in 1917 after being wounded at the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. His entry in Nurse Oliver’s album reads:

21370 L/Cpl J W Williams 24/27th Northumberland Fusiliers
Wounded October 21st 1917 Near Ypres

He shares the page in her album with entries from Private Angus McKenzie of the 1/5th Seaforth Highlanders, 801298 Gunner John William Thurgood of the Royal Field Artillery, 21/1522 Private Charles Edward Harrald of the 24th Northumberland Fusiliers and Corporal W R D F Reynolds.

John Williams’ medal index card at The National Archives states that he arrived in France on 13th July 1915. His entry on the British War and Victory Medal Roll gives four battalions: 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers, 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, 27th Northumberland Fusiliers and the Durham Light Infantry.

The 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers arrived in France on 18th Jan 1915 having been stationed in India and John Williams would have been part of a draft when he joined the battalion a few months later. I am not sure when or why he transferred to the 1st Battalion and then to the 27th; maybe he had been wounded and on recovery was posted to a different battalion. While the 1st and 2nd Battalions were regular battalions, the 27th was a service battalion (also known as the 4th Tyneside Irish). It had been raised at Newcastle in January 1915 and later formed part of the 103rd Brigade in the 34th Division. It went to France in January 1916. On 10th August 1917 it was amalgamated with the 24th Battalion to form the 24/27th Northumberland Fusiliers and it was while serving with this newly merged battalion that John Williams was wounded.

After recovering at Beechland House, John was transferred again, this time to the Durham Light Infantry, remaining with this regiment until discharged, probably in 1919. His army service number with the DLI was 83497.

No full service record for John Williams survives but thanks to findmypast's superior indexing of WO 363 and WO 364 one fragment with his name mentioned has survived (above). This shows that he was admitted to the 2nd Eastern General Hospital on the 28th October 1917, seven days after he was wounded.

Sources and Acknowledgements

• The National Archives: Medal Index Card
• The National Archives: British War and Victory Medal Roll: O/1/103 B44: Page 8652: WO 329/1629
• The National Archives: 1914/15 Star Medal Roll: O/1/ 7c: Page 128
• British Regiments 1914-18 by Brigadier E A James OBE TD (Samson Books, 1978)

25442 Pte N Wigston, 4th Worcestershire Regiment

25442 Private N Wigston was a patient at Beechland House in 1916. His entry in Nurse Oliver’s album reads:

Pte N Wigston (25442)
4th Batt Worcestershire Regt
88th Brigade 29th Division

Wounded in left leg at Guerdecourt
October 18th 1916

Private Wigston shares this page with entries from 1366 Lance-Corporal Ernest Ladd of the 5th East Kent Regiment and 22782 Lance-Corporal Ernest Fairbrother of the 10th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

The 29th Division first landed at Gallipoli (and suffered 34,000 casualties during its time there). It sailed for France in March 1916 and received such a blow on 1st July that it was incapacitated from further action until October 1916 by which time fresh reinforcements had been absorbed.

By the time that Private Wigston was wounded, the 88th Brigade which was part of the 29th Division, was attached to the 12th (Eastern) Division. In The Somme - The Day by Day Account author Chris McCarthy gives the following information for 18th October 1916 when Private Wigston was wounded:

Wednesday 18th October [1916] XV Corps 12th Division

The Division assaulted Grease Trench on its right with 2nd Hampshires and 4th Worcesters (88 Brigade), and the south-eastern end of Bayonet Trench with 9th Essex (35 Brigade). The Hampshires captured Grease Trench and gave support to 9th Norfolks (6th Division) beyond the Gueudecourt-Beulencourt road, and the Worcesters were just as successful; they blocked Hilt Trench to protect their flank. The 9th Essex made little progress: their left company entered Bayonet Trench at a point where there was no wire, but they were bombed out from the flanks.

In The Story of the 29th Division by Captain Stair Gillon (Nelson 1925), the following information is given about the 18th October attack:

On the 18th October the brigade was again taken for an attack from their captured trenches in front of Guerdecourt.

The other two battalions of the Brigade were, this time, engaged, 2nd Hampshires on the right (under Colonel Middleton) and 4th Worcesters on left (under Colonel E T J Kerans). The attack was equally successful, all objectives being gained and held, in spite, again, of the failure of troops on the flanks. Zero hour was 3:40am and the rain was pouring down, making the ground nearly impassable.

Part of the Hampshires furthest objective was found to be a trench which was only partially completed and very shallow, and not yet occupied. However, they surprised a working party of the enemy and accounted for them by death and capture.

The troops on their right failing to come on, the Hants took an extra 300 yards of trench for them and consolidated and held it. The Worcestershires had some lively hand-to-hand scrapping, and took pretty heavy toll of the enemy. Their left flank being in the air owing to the failure of the other troops, they had to make a defensive flank back to our regained starting point, which they successfully held and beat off various local counter-attacks.

A yarn, which I believe to be true, as it was told to me the day after the battle, illustrates the German character well, and also the coolness of our men. A private of the Worcestershires was told off to take back on his own eight German prisoners. He went off quietly but when he got about half way back he met a strongish party of Germans who had not been mopped up. He wasn’t put out at all, and started to fire on them, and got his prisoners to load spare rifles for him, of which there were several lying about, so that he could keep up rapid fire! The prisoners carried out his order like lambs, one of them also being instructed to roll a cigarette for the firer, which was also done. The German party was finally routed and the soldier brought his eight prisoners in safely.

… the bag of prisoners in the second attack was about 150 and many more slain.

The 88th Brigade had previously attacked Guerdecourt on 12th October with the 1st Essex and 1st Royal Newfoundland Regiment to the fore when “all trenches captured were held” and around 130 prisoners taken with many more killed.

Sources and Acknowledgements

• The Story of the 29th Division by Captain Stair Gillon; Nelson 1925
• The Somme - The Day by Day Account - Chris McCarthy

G/4780 L/Cpl Edward John Burnage, Royal Sussex Regiment

G/4780 Lance-Corporal Edward John Burnage was a patient at Hickwells at the end of 1915 and the beginning of 1916. His entry in Nurse Oliver’s album comprises a drawing of the Royal Sussex Regiment badge and the following text:

The Iron Regiment [drawing of Royal Sussex Regt cap badge]
But are not Downhearted
Lc Cpl Burnage 2nd Royal Sussex
Wounded in the Battle of Loos Sept 25.1915 and again wounded at Givenchy Dec 24th 1915

Also on this page are entries from 23331 Private W H Baddock of the 3rd Grenadier Guards and Private S F Brown of the 2/9th Middlesex Regiment.

Edward Burnage was born in Eastbourne Sussex on the 25th June 1890, his birth registered at Eastbourne in the September quarter of that year. He appears on the 1891 census as a nine month old infant living with his family at 51 Ashford Road, Eastbourne. The household comprised Frederick Burnage (head, married, aged 28, working on the railways), Elizabeth Burnage (wife, aged 29) and their two children: Elizabeth (aged two) and Edward.

By the time the 1901 census was taken the family was still living at the same address but had grown by one. Mabel Burnage, aged ten is noted as the third child, Edward is recorded as “Ted”. The children’s father is noted as a railway engine driver.

On the 1911 census, Edward is noted as a 20-year old boot maker living at 78 Ashford Road, Eastbourne with his parents and sister Mable. Horrice (probably Horace) Burnage, the three-year old grandson of Edward's parents also makes an appearance on this return.

Edward attested with the 9th Royal Sussex Regiment on 5th January 1915. He gave his occupation as labourer and his next of kin as his mother, Elizabeth Burnage. She was now living at 78 Ashford Road, Eastbourne and Edward was also still living at home. He was five feet, nine and three quarter inches tall and distinguishing marks are noted as a two inch scar in the centre of his forehead and a mole one inch behind his right inner ankle. On 8th January he was posted to the 3rd battalion and then, on the 1st May, straight out to the regular 2nd Battalion in France. It was while serving with this battalion that he suffered a gunshot wound to his leg on 25th September 1915, the opening day of the Battle of Loos. Four days later he was back in England at The Royal Sussex Depot.

The wound must have been relatively slight as by 1st November he had been posted to the 3rd Battalion and then, on 10th December, to the 7th Battalion. It was while serving with the 7th that he was wounded at Givenchy on Christmas Eve 1915. The war diary for the 7th Royal Sussex Regiment notes that in December 1915 the battalion was in the Festubert-Hingette-Givenchy region. On 23rd December the Brigade moved to the Givenchy line and took over

“Right Battalion of Right Sector from 7th Suffolk Regiment. Front occupied from Sap ‘H’ just S of RIFLEMANS CRATER to S of DUCK’S BILL by ‘C’, ‘B’ and ‘D’ Companies. ‘A’ Company in support GUNNERS SIDING & MAIRIE REDOUBT.”

On 24th December at 7.15 in the morning, the diarist wrote that the Germans, “blew up defensive mine between their line and ours opposite Saps ‘G’ & ‘H’, blowing in the end of their two saps and causing considerable damage by burying men and subsequent shell fire. In afternoon the Germans occupied this crater temporarily and could not be got at owing to the depth of mud around the newly blown up crater. Sap ‘H’ was rendered untenable except for 15 yards. Rifle grenading began on both sides. Trench mortars were either out of gear or could not be found to reply and turn enemy out of crater. Machine-gun enfilade was of some use. Much artillery fire both sides day and night. Casualties 3 killed 23 wounded.”

The duel continued into Christmas Day but by this time Edward Burnage had already begun his journey home. He arrived at Brighton on 29th December, an event covered by The Sussex Daily News the following day:

ANOTHER RED CROSS TRAIN COMES TO BRIGHTON - MANY COT CASES … There was a greater percentage of ‘cot’ cases than has hitherto been known in a trainload to Brighton. In all, the cases numbered 170, and no fewer than 89 of these required to be transferred by stretcher. They had all come from France and were all Britishers. They landed at Dover and were conveyed by a Great Western Red Cross train via Norwood Junction to Brighton… a large number were sent to the 2nd Eastern General Hospital in Dyke Road where the Christmas decorations will provide a bright and gaily coloured environment."

Edward was probably sent almost immediately to Chailey. If an operation were required, that would have been carried out at the 2nd Eastern General Hospital and then he would have been sent the few miles north. This was the pattern of events for Private Baddock who had arrived with Edward at Brighton in the same Red Cross Convoy. Both Edward and W H Baddock are mentioned by name in the Sussex Daily News of 8th January 1916 as having arrived at Brighton.

On 18th April, by now recovered, Edward was sent the Command Depot. He was discharged from the army on 10th June 1916 having completed one year and 157 days’ service. He also applied for a Silver War Badge but on 30th November 1916 was compelled to write to the Colonel in Charge of Infantry Records for the second time.

Dear Sir
I trust you will forgive me for writing twice on the subject of War Badge. I shall be glad if you could let me have one quickly. I am awkwardly placed, being a Casual Porter on the Railway here. I am subject to a deal of annoyance, people thinking I ought to join up, not knowing I have done my Bit. On Saturday last the Guards played a football match and on their way back, the annoyance from them was so great I was compelled to defend myself which was greatly to my detriment. If I had the Badge to wear, the Public could see for themselves. 
Apologising for troubling you.
Yours Respectfully
4780 Pte E J Burnage, Royal Sussex Regt.

Edward Burnage married Georgina Field in Eastbourne at around the same time he was writing about his missing badge, their marriage recorded in the fourth quarter of that year. A son, Frederick K G Burnage was born in 1917 and a second son, Allan J Burnage, in 1919. Having received his Silver War Badge on 10th January 1917 one presumes - and hopes - that Edward started to settle back into some semblance of civilian life. In 1920, by now living at 49 Leslie Street, Eastbourne, he received his King’s Certificate on discharge.

Edward Burnage died in Eastbourne in late 1981 aged 91. His death occurred at around the same time I first saw the entry in Nurse Oliver's album that he had written over 60 years earlier.

88802 Driver George William Deer, Royal Field Artillery

George William Deer was a patient at Hickwells in 1915. His entry in Nurse Oliver’s album reads:

No 88802 Driver G W Deer, Royal Field Artillery

May the owner of this book always succeed
For the kindness she showed me was great indeed
May her luck never fail through trouble and strife
And I will never forget her until the end of my life

He shares this page in Nurse Oliver’s album with 6334 Private John Thomas of the 2nd South Staffordshire Regiment and 33612 Sapper F Willmott of the Royal Engineers. His medal index card (above) notes that he served with the 94th Brigade Royal Field Artillery and gives his date of enlistment as 8th September 1914 and his date of discharge (due to sickness) as 14th August 1915. He did not serve overseas.

The silver war badge roll notes that George was 25 years old at the time of his discharge in 1915, giving an approximate year of birth of 1890. He is possibly the same 20 year-old George William Deer who appears on the 1911 census as a compositor, born at Mildenhall, Suffolk and living with his parents at Beck Row, Mildenhall. This man died in Greenwich in 1959.

Medal index card courtesy Ancestry.

Private W Worster

 

Private Worster was a soldier-patient at either Hickwells or Beechland House. His album entry has been heavily over-written in black ink at some stage and there is no date.  The entry reads:

 
A Kind Token
I wish you all the happiness
in the World

Pte W Worster

5/14 Middlesex Regn

There was no 5/14th Middlesex Regiment but the 5^th (Extra Reserve) and the 14^th (Reserve) Battalions of the Middlesex Regiments were stationed in England.  I have been unable to locate a medal index card for this man and it is possible that he never actually served overseas.

William Hugh Blanchard

Chailey Parish Magazine notes that a Private W Blanchard is serving with a Training Reserve battalion in April 1917.  In December 1917 the regimental information is updated to 3^rd Royal Sussex and in May 1918 it is updated again to 9^th Royal Sussex. 

The National Archives in Kew has only one W Blanchard with the Royal Sussex Regiment noted and that is G/24460 Private William Hugh Blanchard.  In fact the National Archives holds two card for this man: one in the name of W Hugh Blanchard, serving with the 9^th Royal Sussex Regiment, and the other in the name of William H Blanchard, serving with the Royal Sussex Regiment (no battalion given).   

In July 1918, the parish magazine notes that Blanchard has been wounded and this information is repeated monthly thereafter until July 1919 which is the final entry for this soldier. 

The 9^th Royal Sussex Regiment was a New Army battalion which was formed at Chichester in September 1914 and all original recruits were given the ‘G’ prefix to their regimental number.  However, although Blanchard too has the G prefix to his number, the fact that he appears for the first time in the parish magazine in April 1917, coupled with the fact that he spent an initial period of time with a Training Reserve battalion would appear to suggest that he was not an early volunteer.   

The 9^th Royal Sussex formed part of the 73^rd Brigade in the 24^th Division and first saw action at Loos in September 1915 where it suffered heavy losses. 

In “This and That in Chailey and Barcombe”, Andrew Fayle recalls, “For years the post was delivered on walking rounds.  Old Mr Blanchard, an ex soldier who had only one eye and an artificial leg, was the postman.  He walked from South Common Post Office, all up through Norman’s Brick Yard, then South Street, along Markstakes Lane as far as High House and Tutts Farm, and back.  A long way.  Like all postmen in those days he would carry stamps which you could buy from him and you could ask him to bring a postal order by arrangement. He was also our own ‘Broadcasting Station’. If you saw cattle straying, or if you lost anything, you would tell him and he would broadcast the news. ‘Yes’, he would say, ‘I’ll pass the news on.’” 

The Mr Blanchard referred to above may be the same Private W Blanchard noted in Chailey’s parish magazine in 1917. 

Sources & Acknowledgements

• The National Archives
• Chailey Parish Magazine
• This and That in Chailey & Barcombe by Edwin Matthias (1994)

L/10315 Pte William George Day, Royal Sussex Regiment

 

 

William George Day does not strictly belong on this blog as he is commemorated on neighbouring Newick's War Memorial.  However, his name appears in the memorial book kept by Newick School's headmaster, (below) along with many men from Chailey.

 

William was a regular soldier who enlisted with the Royal Sussex Regiment in April 1914.  The photo above almost certainly dates from that time and was probably taken at the regimental depot.  Note the fresh creases in his tunic and trousers.

 

William, born in Fyzabad, India (presumably into an army family) was killed in action on 15th May 1916 whilst serving with the 9th (Service) Battalion of The Royal Sussex Regiment.

 



 

Albert Still - a Barcombe terrier and conscript

The images from Albert Still's service record that appear on this blog are Crown Copyright and are housed in WO 363 at The National Archives. They are badly water-damaged as can be seen. Nevertheless, what remains is more than what survives for a lot of soldiers and I'll do my best to pick out the key points from each of the surviving pages.

The front page of the four-page attestation form gives basic details and shows that Albert attested at Lewes on the 22nd May 1916 and was called up at Chichester on the 15th May 1917.  At the time of attestation he was nearly 29 years old, married, working as an insurance clerk and living at Barcombe.  The word Norfolk can be seen top right and partial numbers can be seen to the left.  By the time Albert attested, conscription had been introduced and he would have been obliged to attest when he did.  He would have had no choice in the regiment to which he was eventually posted.  It is noted on this form that Albert had no prior military service.

Page two shows details of his next of kin - his wife Mabel whom he had married on the 25th April 1909 at the parish church, Chailey - and two daughters born in June 1914 and April 1916. The campaigns' section of this side shows that he spent his entire service between 15th May 1917 and 6th March 1919, at home in the UK. He would therefore not have been entitled to receive any medals.

Page three is a listing of Albert's army career: the 4th Royal Sussex (15th May 1917) Regiment, followed by an immediate transfer to the the 11th Norfolk Regiment on the same day. On the 20th October 1917 he was transferred to No 684 Agricultural Labour Company, then to 695 Company on the 15th December that year. Subsequent postings are blurred but we can see that he was discharged, no longer physically fit for war service, on the 6th March 1919. Defective vision and vertigo are noted as the disability. Albert's character is noted as good and his home address is recorded as 1 Munster Cottage, Barcombe, Sussex.

A blemish-free service is recorded and there's also a couple of numbers visible top left: 291117 and 429342. We can also see that Albert served with D Company of the 11th Norfolk Regiment.

The letter from the Ministry of Pensions notes that 429342 was Albert's number with the Labour Corps and that he had claimed a pension as a result of a heart condition aggravated by war service, and rheumatism attributable to war service.  He was awarded a weekly pension of five shillings and sixpence for 52 weeks from 7th March 1919 and a weekly allowance of two shillings and fourpence for his two children, effective from the 24th March 1919.  His case was to be reviewed after one year.

Army Form B178 notes that Albert's number with the 4th Royal Sussex Regiment was 1560 and that he had originally joined the Territorial Force on the 16th January 1913.  He was presumably discharged then, as a Time expired Territorial and was subsequently conscripted.  This Army Form also notes service in the Machine Gun Corps and a number 49461.

Chailey Heritage - Kenneth and William Garnett

I know nothing about Kenneth Gordon Garnett or his brother William Hubert Stuart Garnett. Both men are commemorated on a memorial at Chailey Heritage. The cuttings below are taken from De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, 1914-1918.