World War One casualties from Lemsford

 

Memorial at Lemsford Church

Robert Gill

 

Names on the Memorial

Robert Gill

During World War One some sixteen soldiers living in the Lemsford area were killed. These soldiers are commemorated on the Lemsford Memorial which is situated in the Lemsford Church grounds.

LEMSFORD WAR MEMORIAL 1914 – 1919

FRED BUNNAGE
Private  Royal Marine Light Infantry
Died: 6 November 1917
Recorded PORTSMOUTH WAR MEMORIAL
Fred Bunnage witnessed the sinking of the first German submarine of the First World War by HMS Birmingham on 8th August 1914. Two years later he was rescued from a sinking ship at the Battle of Jutland, the greatest naval clash in history. Frederick Bunnage, the eighth child and fifth son of Edward and Mary Ann Bunnage, was born in Cromer Hyde on 8th November 1884. He attended St John’s School and left to work on a farm. On 1st January 1901, when only 17, he enlisted in London and joined the Royal Marines, Portsmouth Division as Private PO/11207. He served on various ships including HMS Royal Sovereign and HMS Birmingham, in which he saw action at the Battle of Jutland. In November 1916 he joined the Q-13 HMS Privet or ‘Island Queen’. Q-ships were merchant ships, hired by the navy to pose as helpless merchantmen to tempt an attack by an enemy submarine. In fact the boat was heavily armed and aimed to sink the U-boat before it could inflict damage on the Q-ship or accompanying ships. In June 1917 he received £13-3-11 as prize money for action on the ‘Island Queen’. In March 1917 he joined HMS Q -36 ‘SS Puma’. He died in action at the age of 33 when Q-36 was sunk by U-63 off the coast of Gibraltar on 6th November 1917.

DAVID COCHRANE
Private Royal West Kent Regiment
Died 5 July 1917
Recorded ARRAS MEMORIAL
David was born in 1884 in Handside, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. In 1911, he lived in Hertford, was married with a one-year-old daughter and worked as a Farm Labourer/Miller. His wife Ada Maud Cochrane was born in Stanborough, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. David enlisted into the 1st Bn Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) Service No: 9/23264 in 1914 in Epping, Essex. On 5 July 1917 at the age of 33, David Cochrane was killed in action on the Arras sector and has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in Faubourg-d’Amiens Cemetery near Arras.

HERBERT E. FREEMAN
Private 7th Bn Bedfordshire Regiment
Died 1 July 1916
Recorded THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, France
Herbert Edward Freeman was born in 1897 in Newport Purcell, Oxfordshire. In 1911, he was a General Farm Labourer living with his family at Stanborough Farm, Hatfield, Hertfordshire where his father was a Horseman. On 1st July 1916, Herbert who was a Private in the 7th Bedfordshire Regiment (Service No 16466) was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.  Herbert was one of some 72,000 men who died in the Somme sector and have no known grave. The Thiepval Memorial contains the names of all those men.

REGINALD GOODE
Lance Bombardier, “D” Bty. 250th BdeRoyal Field Artillery
Died 27 March 1918
Cemetery ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, France
Reginald Goode was born in Lemsford, Hertfordshire in 1895. In 1911, Reginald was a Railway Porter living with his widowed mother in Lemsford. As a Lance Bombardier in the Royal Field Artillery (Service No 10177), Reginald was wounded in battle in the latter stages of the war. He was sent to a hospital near Rouen where he subsequently died of his wounds on 27 March 1918 at the age of 23. Reginald is buried in the Rouen city St Sever Cemetery Extension.

JAMES HALSEY
Lance Corporal,49th Bn., Canadian Infantry
Died 2 June 1918
Cemetery DIVISIONAL COLLECTING POST CEMETERY AND EXTENSION, Belgium
James Halsey was born in 1875 in Welwyn Hertfordshire. In 1881, he was living with his family in London Road, Welwyn where his father, Thomas Halsey, was a Woodman. By 1901, James was a Domestic Footman living and working in the home of a Mining Engineer in Bletchingley, Surrey. In 1909, James set sail from Liverpool to Quebec in Canada on board the Empress of Britain arriving on 17 September 1909. The manifest describes his occupation as a Coachman. On 19 May 1915, James now age 40 enlisted into the Canadian Armed Forces (Service No 435211), in Calgary. He was described as a Foreman and his next of kin was Mrs L Cochrane, his sister, who by now was married to John Cochrane, a Flour Mill Waggoner living in Lemsford.
On the morning of June 2, 1916, the Germans mounted an attack to dislodge the Allies from their positions at Mount Sorrel just north of the Ypres-Menin road. In the fiercest bombardment yet experienced by Canadian troops, whole sections of trench were obliterated and the defending garrisons annihilated. Human bodies and even the trees of Sanctuary Wood were hurled into the air by the explosions. By evening, the enemy advance was checked, but the important vantage points of Mount Sorrel and Hills 61 and 62 were lost. A counter-attack by the Canadians the next morning failed; and on June 6, after exploding four mines on the Canadian front, the Germans assaulted again and captured Hooge on the Menin Road. At Mount Sorrel Canadian troops suffered 8,430 casualties. On the first day of this attack, James Halsey as a Lance Corporal, Service No 435211, of the 49th Canadian Infantry was killed and is buried in the Divisional Collecting Post Cemetery  and Extension near Ypres (Leper).
Note: research seems to indicate that James belonged to the 49th Canadian Infantry and not 40th as recorded on the Lemsford Memorial.

EDWARD GEORGE HILL
Private, 1st Bn East Surrey Regiment
Died 6 November 1917
Recorded TYNE COT MEMORIAL, Belgium
Edward George Hill was born in 1882 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. In 1901, Edward by then a Genneral Labourer was living with his family at Cromer Hyde, Lemsford, Hatfield where his father was also a General Labourer. In 1911, George was living in Manor Park, Essex as a boarder and was employed as a Waterman with the Metro Waterboard. Edward enlisted into the East Surrey Regiment (Service No. 26303), at Mill Hill, Middlesex. On 6 November 1917, whilst a Private in the 1st Bn East Surrey Regiment, Edward was killed at the age of 35 during the Third Battle of Ypres and probably died during the capture of Passchendale. Edward is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial at Zonnebeke, Belgium, the memorial bearing the names of some 35,000 men whose graves are unknown.

ERNEST MARDLE
Private, 7th Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment
Died 1 February 1918
Cemetery CROIX-DU-BAC BRITISH CEMETERY, Steenwerk, Belgium
Ernest Mardle was born in 1888 at Cromer Hyde, Lemsford, Hertfordshire. By 1911, Ernest was still living with his family at Cromer Hyde where he was a Farm Labourer as was his father George Mardle. Ernest joned the 7th Bn Royal Sussex Regiment (Service No. G/15596) and was killed in battle on 1 February 1918 at the age of 29. He is buried in the Croix-Du-Bac British Cemetery at Steenwerk, Belgium.
Note 1: He is recorded as belonging to the Royal Sussex Regiment and not the Hertfordshire Regiment as indicated on the Lemsford Memorial.
Note 2: Ernest is the older brother of Frank Mardle below.

FRANK MARDLE
Bombardier ‘D’ Bty, 5th Bde Royal Field Artillery
Died 11 June 1916
Cemetery RAILWAY DUGOUTS BURIAL GROUND, Belgium
Frank Mardle who is the younger brother of Ernest Mardle above was born in 1891 at Lemsford, Hertfordshire. In 1901, he was living at Cromer Hyde, Lemsford, Hertfordshire where his father was described as Cowman on Farm. By 1911 Frank, aged 20, was living and working at Byrkley Gardens, Burton-on-Trent (a large mansion and gardens owned by a Brewery owner) as a Domestic Gardener, one of a team of nine gardeners.
Frank enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery (Service No. 17691) when as a Bombardier in ‘D’Bty, 5th Bde, Royal Field Artillery he was killed at the age of 25. Frank is buried in  the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground east of Ypres (Leper), Belgium.
Note: Frank Mardle is the younger brother of Ernest Mardle above.

FREDERICK W SPRIGGS
Private 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment
Died 11 July 1916
Cemetery SERRE ROAD CEMETERY No 2, Somme, France
Frederick W Spriggs was born in 1899 in Lemsford, Hertfordshire. In 1911, at the age of 12, he was still living at Lemsford with his widowed mother Elizabeth Spriggs, Frederick was at school. Frederick enlisted into the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment (Service No. 14200) and was killed on 11July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He is buried in Serre Road Cemetery No 2 near Albert.
Note: Frederick Spriggs is the younger brother of George Spriggs below.

GEORGE SPRIGGS
Private 1st Bn Hertfordshire Regiment
Died 29 October 1917
Cemetery ZANTVOORDE BRITISH CEMETERY, Belgium
George Spriggs was born in 1893 in Lemsford, Hertfordshire. In 1911, age 18, he was living with his widowed mother, Elizabeth Spriggs and worked as a Horseman on a Farm. George enlisted into the 1st Bn Hertfordshire Regiment (Service No. 266609) when as a Private he was killed in fighting around Zantvoorde. He is buried in Zantvoorde British Cemetery, Near Ypres (Leper), Belgium.
Note: George Spriggs is the older brother of Frederick above.

WILLIAM J STRONG
Lieutenant, 18th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
Date of Death 11 June 1916
Cemetery RUE-DES-BERCEAUX MILITARY CEMETERY, RICHEBOURG-L’AVOUE, France
William Strong was born in 1893 in St Pancras, London. In 1911, William, age 18, was living at Waterend House, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire where his father was a Cattle Dealer and Farmer, William was employed as an Assistant Farm Manager. William enlisted in the 18th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers when as a Lieutenant was killed on 11th June 1916 age 23. William is buried in Rue-des-Berceaux Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L’Avoue near Bethune in the Pas de Calais.

ROBERT TIMS
Rifleman 2nd/18th Bn London Regiment (London Irish Rifles)
Died 23 December 1917
Cemetery JERUSALEM WAR CEMETERY, Israel
Robert Tims was born in 1893 in Lemsford, Hertfordshire. In 1901, at the age of 8, Robert was living in Lemsford with his widowed mother Betsy Tims, she was a Watercress Grower. By 1911, Robert now age 18, was living and working at Barford House, St Ives, Huntingdonshire as a Domestic Hall Servant Boy.
Robert enlisted into the 2nd/18th Bn London Regiment (London Irish Rifles), Service No 591917, and went to fight in Palestine. On 23rd December 1917 age 25, Robert who was a Rifleman, was killed during fighting to occupy Jeruslaem. He is buried in Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel.

SIDNEY WALBY
Sergeant 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regiment
Died 21 September 1918
Cemetery UNICORN CEMETERY, VENDHUILE, France
Received Military Medal
Sidney Thomas Walby was born in 1897 in Cromer Hyde, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. In 1911 age 14, Sidney was living with his family at Cromer Hyde working on a farm, his father George Walby was a Farm Labourer. Sidney Enlisted into the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment, (service No 15023 where he became a Sergeant. On 21st September 1918, Sidney was killed and is buried in Unicorn Cemetery, Vendhuile near Peronne, France. Sidney was awarded the Military Medal.

HARRY W WELCH
Private 2nd Bn York and Lancaster Regiment
Died 19 September 1918
Memorial VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL, France
Harry William Welch was born in 1881 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. In 1891, Harry age 10 was living with his family at Stanborough, Hatfield where his father was a Farm Labourer. In 1901, Harry was living in Fore Street, Hatfield and working as a Grocers Assistant.
Harry Enlisted in the 2nd Bn York and Lancaster Regiment, Service No. 45976. On 19 September 1918 age 18, Harry was killed, age 37, during the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois. He is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial near Arras for those with no known grave.

CECIL B WHITE
Private 19th Bn Royal Fusiliers
Died 4 December 1915
Cemetery BROWN’S ROAD MILITARY CEMETERY, FESTUBERT, France
Cecil Bertram White was born in 1892 in Ayot St Peters, Hertfordshire. In 1911, age 19, Cecil was living at North Road, Lemsford, Hertfordshire with his family where he worked as a Tailor, his father James White was a Domestic Coachman.
Cecil enlisted in to the 19thBn Royal Fusiliers, Service No. 6580. On 4 December  1915, Cecil was killed in battle and is buried in Brown’s Road Military Cemetery, Festubert near Bethune, France.

CHRISTOPHER WREN
Private 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regiment
Died 3 July 1916
Memorial THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, France
Christopher Wren was born in 1897 in Lemsford, Hertfordshire. In 1911, age 14, Christopher was still living with his family in Lemsford where his father George Wren was a Labourer on a Watercress Farm. Christopher enlisted in to the 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regiment, Service No. 23378. On 3 July 1916, age 20, Christopher was killed during the Somme Offensive, he has no known grave. Christopher is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial near Bapaume, France.

Authors Note: 

The author apologises for any inaccuracies which may be contained in the above. The author welcomes any information which corrects or adds to the details presented.