East Stoke Remembered
War Memorial Remembered
This is one of several booklets I have written on War Memorials and local war graves.
All this started whilst I was researching the death of my uncle, Cecil Amphlett, who was killed in action in Burma in 1943 and was officially listed as having no known grave. However, in 1992 a photograph of his grave in Burma taken in 1943 by one of his colleagues was given to me.
At that time, I thought we only look at War Memorials, around Remembrance Day in November. Reading the names inscribed on them without really knowing who they were, or how they died. I often find that relatives know little about what happened 60 or more years ago and are grateful that someone has taken the time to find out and let them know.
I hope that the following notes will serve as a starting point for anyone who wishes to research a relative’s death in more detail. It is impossible to do any military research without the name of the unit served with and, in many cases, the service number.
I have not been able to go into much detail with the names from the First World War as many records were damaged during the Second World War when the Record Office was hit by enemy bombs and those records that did survive were damaged by fire and water.
My starting point for research is The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record Search, where I find name, rank and number. I then cross-reference those with details from census returns where available. Losses in the navy and air force are much easier to find from records since each service keeps records of ships or aircraft lost, which can obviously result in many lives being lost at the same time.
With the army, this is not as easy, because their records usually cover what a Regiment did as a whole and not just that of a Company or Platoon. For example, an entry in the Regimental War Diary written at the time or even several days later, would record that “the objective was taken with the loss of two officers and eight other ranks.” In the past, I have been fortunate to talk to soldiers who were in action with those who died and hear first hand what happened but sadly, that option decreases with each passing year.
East Stoke War Memorial
WW1
Ernest Brooks
By 1911 there is a George and Kate Brooks living with daughter Lilian aged 9
Other than this name, I have been unable to find an Ernest Brooks on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list.
I have checked other lists but can find no mention of Ernest Brooks.
If anyone has details please contact me so I can amend my records.
William Bishop
At the beginning of my research, I had been unable to identify William Bishop on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list.
Without a year of death, the name is so common there are too many to search through.
I did however find a William Bishop on the 1881 census, the son of George and Ann Bishop.
At the time, he was 5 years old and living in East Stoke with his 5 brothers and 1 sister.
This would have made him 38 years in 1914.
The 1901 census shows that he had left home as it only shows George and Ann Bishop residing at the Stoke mills, where George is a Waggoner.
There is one son, Jesse aged 13 years.
By 1911, William Bishop, now aged 35 years, is listed as living in Bedwelly Monmouthshire and working as a General Labourer, he is still single.
The details confirm that he was born in East Stoke in 1876.
As a final attempt to identify William, I looked again at the CWGC list and using his birth date, I looked at each year of the war to see if there was a match.
I was able to find that there was a Corporal William Bishop of the 11th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment killed in action on 3 May 1917 aged 42 years (born 1876), the son of George Bishop, no mother listed as next of kin as she had died in 1903.
William is remembered on the Arras Memorial, which lists the names of 34757 soldiers of the Commonwealth who died in the Arras area between 1916 and 1918 and have no known grave.
236978 Able/Seaman Walter John Cobb
Walter was the husband of Mary and the son of Robert Cobb, his mother is not mentioned so I presume she had died before 1915, when Walter was killed.
The 1891 census shows his mother as Jane .F. Cobb married to Robert. D. Cobb and Walters’s brother Richard George Cobb.
He was an Able Seaman serving on board H.M Submarine C31.
Records show that C31 was sunk by mines off the Belgian coast on 4 January 1915 whilst on patrol off Zeebrugge, there were no survivors.
Walter’s death is recorded as 7 January for some reason; this may be the date the family were notified.
He was 27 years old and is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
215722 Able/Seaman Richard George Cobb
Richard Cobb was an Able Seaman serving on board HM Submarine E6, commissioned on 17 October 1913.
In August 1914, she and E8 were the first to patrol Heligoland Bight, where on the 28 August she saw action against the German Patrol.
On 26 December 1915 she was sunk by mines off Harwich in the North Sea, there were no survivors.
Richard Cobb is remembered, along with his shipmates, on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Lieutenant Armar Somerset Butler
Armar served with the South Lancashire Regiment before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps.
On 16 October 1917, Lieutenant Butler was killed at the age of 24 years and is buried in the Sarigol Military Cemetery near Kriston, Greece.
He was the son of the Rev. Pierce Butler and his wife Daisy who lived at East Stoke Rectory.
He came from a famous military family as he was the nephew of Major James Armar Butler who died of wounds received at the defence of Silistria on 21 June 1854,he was the son of Lieut. General the Hon. Henry Edward Butler.
Clerk. Ralph Twisden Butler
Ralph was the younger brother of Armar and was serving with the Royal Navy as a Clerk.
He died on 5 June 1916 and is buried in the Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery in Scapa Flow, Scotland.
I have no details as to how Ralph died.
20050 Private W G Dorey
Buried in East Stoke Churchyard, I obtained a Death Certificate that shows Walter George Dorey died of Tuberculosis at his home in Stokeford.
It is strange that his occupation is shown as Farm Labourer while The Commonwealth War Grave Commission show that he was with the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment when he died on 6 December 1915.
Charles Joseph Hanham
Charles Hanham died on 5 October 1919 at the Bovington Military Hospital, a result of appendicitis and peritonitis at the age of 25 years.
He is recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list as a Gunner with 1068 Battery of the 221st Brigade, service number 239312; although his Death Certificate records that, he was a Farm Carter.
He was the son of Joseph Charles Hanham of West Holme.
49978 Pte Charles John Hardy
Born on 31 October 1894, Charles was the son of William and Rebecca Hardy of Binnegar Hill, where they lived with their family of 5 boys and 3 girls.
Charles was serving with the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers when he died on Sunday 2 September 1918.
He was buried in the Wielverghem Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery.
This cemetery was used by the nearby Dressing Station, so it would seem that Charles died of wounds received during action in this area of Belgium.
I am grateful to Mrs. Eileen Hardy of Wareham for her help in identifying Charles, whose brother Arthur was Eileen’s father in law.
82936 Corporal Charles Albert Messeder Thorpe
Charles was serving with the Royal Field Artillery ‘A’ Battery 79th Brigade where he was a Corporal Fitter.
His date of death is shown as 21 October 1918, so close to the end of the war, at the age of 28 years.
He is buried in the Neuvilly Communal Cemetery, France.
His wife was Annetta Rose Thorpe, whose address is given as The School House, East Stoke; his parent came from Manchester so was Annetta the local schoolteacher?
26729 Private William Wills
William Wills was a Private serving with the Machine Gun Corp 28th Company.
On the 18 July 1916, he was killed in action at the age of 22 years.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
His next of kin is listed as Mrs. Ellen Toms of Child’s Hill, High Wood, and East Stoke
The 1901 census shows that they were living is Stoborough at that time and Ellen was a 35 year old single mother (Widow?).
WW2
Richard Argue
This name has been probably one of the most difficult to research due in part to the fact that there is no record of him on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list.
In addition, there was a son called Leonard Richard Charles, who I thought may have taken his father’s name, and was also known as Richard, how wrong I was.
However, after several months of banging against a brick wall I found a marriage certificate for Richard and a birth certificate for Leonard, both issued in Weymouth, the marriage was in 1916 and the birth in 1923.
Both show Richard was in the Royal Navy and at the time of Leonard’s birth he was a Chief Armourer serving on HMS Dauntless.
As I was unable to find any other information about him, I employed the help of a professional researcher, who had an interest in naval research and was able to visit the National Archives at Kew.
He was able to find both father and son listed there which showed that Richard had retired from the navy in 1926, but was recalled to service at the start of WW2 in September 1939 at Devonport, but was discharged in December1939.
It must have been shortly after this that he took a position as a chauffeur at Binnegar Hall, as by 1941 Leonard, now 18 years old, was joining the Merchant Navy, and gave his father’s address as being there.
I was able to confirm that Leonard survived the war and I eventually found a death certificate for him showing he died in Camden, London in November 1991.
Just by chance, I thought I would look at the telephone directory for London to see if there were any Argues still in the area, as he was only 68 years when he died his wife could still be there.
I was pleased to find that there was a L.R.C. Argue still listed, and thought that this must be worth a phone call.
As a result of this, I was able to speak to Leonard’s widow, who confirmed that it was Richard who was remembered on the East Stoke memorial, and that he died in 1945 from cancer.
My conclusion is that that at the time it was thought proper to put Richard’s name on the memorial in gratitude for his service in 1939, as it was unusual to put a civilians name on unless he was with the Home Guard.
5728577 Private William Albert Burt
William Burt was with the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment in Holland.
He died, aged 28 years old on 20 November 1944, probably from wounds received in action near the German border.
He is buried in the Brunssum War Cemetery along with others who part of the 43rdWessex Division.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Burt, who lived at East Holme and worked on the Bond Estate.
P/J 95224 Able/Seaman Harry Reginald Eves
Harry was an Able Seaman serving on board HMS Eagle, an aircraft carrier commissioned on 26 February 1924.
When war broke out, she was based in Singapore but must have been moved as she took part in the hunt for the German ship Graf Spee.
In 1940, she began operations in the Indian Ocean, and it is during this time that it is most probable that Harry met his death.
It is recorded that he died on 14 March 1940 and this would coincide with an explosion on board Eagle, as she needed repairs before continuing with operations.
By 1942, she had returned to England for a refit and in August of that year she was escorting a Malta bound convoy.
On the 11 August, she was hit by 4 torpedoes from the German U-boat U-73 and sank with the loss of 160 of her 927 crew.
Harry Eves was buried at sea and is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Although he is on the East Stoke memorial, his wife is shown as living at Landford Wiltshire, which is between Salisbury and Southampton. His parents, Charles and Sarah Eves were running the village shop in Binnegar Lane.
Able/Seaman Frederick David Hannam
Frederick Hannam was a Merchant Seaman serving on the tanker MV Leon Martin.
I had difficulty finding this ship as it had not been claimed as sunk by a U-Boat or by other enemy action.
A search of lost merchant ships eventually showed that the ship had hit a mine on 13 November 1940.
Able Seaman Hannam aged 27 years was one of those lost; there is no record of survivors, who along with Frederick are named on the Tower Hill Memorial to those merchant seamen lost at sea.
He was the son of Frederick and Gladys Hannam whose address is given as St. Johns, Jersey, in the Channel Islands.
I need to find their connection with East Stoke as I have been told that they may have lived near the Black Dog, now the Stokeford Inn.
P/JX 234929 Seaman Norman Walter Alastair Hadow
Norman was lost in what was probably the worst naval disaster of WW2, the sinking of the Battleship HMS Hood on 24 May 1941, as there were only 3 survivors from the crew of 1481. (The last of these died in 2008).
He was the 19 year old son of Alastair and Muriel Macleod Hadow, who were living at West Holme Manor.
Norman is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
7879213 Warrant Office II Charles John Jennings
Charles was the husband of Christine Laura Jennings of Longthorns East Stoke.
He was with the Royal Armoured Corps and died on 15 November 1942, aged 45 years, and is buried in East Stoke Churchyard.
I have a copy of his death certificate that shows he died in County Durham under sad circumstances.
P/K63532 Chief Stoker Victor Edward Kellaway
Victor was serving on the Hunt Class escort destroyer HMS Holcombe that was in the Mediterranean.
She was cruising off Bougle, Algeria on 12 December 1943 when she was spotted by the German U-boat U-593 and sunk with the loss of 84 of her crew.
The US destroyer USS Niblack picked up 80 survivors.
Earlier in the day the U-593 had sunk HMS Tynedale, the sister ship to Holcombe.
At the age of 42 years Victor was one of those lost and is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
The 1911 census shows he was the son of John and Alice Kellaway of East Stoke.
The CWGC shows that he was also the husband of Lily Victoria Kellaway who was living in Bournemouth.
5726350 Private Herbert James Newberry
Herbert Newberry was killed in action during the battle for Monte Cassino in Italy on the night of 11/12 May 1944.
I covered this battle during the research of Hungerford memorial when I lived there, as one of the former residents was also killed in the same action serving with the same regiment, the Somerset Light Infantry.
The battle started on the night of 11/12 May following a large artillery barrage, which crept forward in front of the advancing infantry. It was on the banks of the Rapido River that the 2nd Battalion Somerset Light Infantry were to form part of the 4th Infantry Division of the 10th Brigade at the assembly point at Monte Trocchio. It is impossible to cover all the events of this assault, but extracts taken from the Regimental History record the main facts.
The attack was to start at 11.00pm on the night of 11 May with the 2nd Kings Regiment holding the river crossing points, which were narrow tracks through mine fields. The creeping barrage started at 11.00pm but the infantry were thirty minutes late assembling at the crossing points. The valley was full of noise and smoke, both allied and enemy, with river fog adding to the confusion. When the Somersets arrived at the crossing point, it became apparent that the advance crossing by the 2nd Kings had not gone well. The strong currents had taken their boats downstream, after the wire rope that the engineers had put across had been cut by heavy mortar fire. The mortar fire also destroyed many of the assault boats.
Congestion built up as engineers brought more rafts and ferry equipment. By now the crossings were running two hours late and the creeping barrage had finished. It was not until 3.00am on 12 May that the rest of the Kings Regiment and the 2ndSomersets were across the Rapido River and 4.00am before they advanced 400 yards to consolidate their line.
Many soldiers were killed crossing this river and it impossible to say where Herbert was killed.
Aged 23 years, he is buried in the Cassino War Cemetery just outside the town.
His mother and father were still in East Stoke area, living near the crossroads for Highwood and Binden.
Records also show that he was married to Winifred Ada Newberry of Whitstable in Kent.
1778545 Gunner Ernest Park
Ernest was a Gunner with 171 Battery of 57 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, aged 22.
This unit formed part of 8th Army in North Africa, where Ernest was killed on 7 March 1943.
The son of Arthur and Kate Park, who lived opposite the church, in cottages, which have since been demolished.
Ernest he is buried in the Tripoli War Cemetery.
Lieut-Commander Hugh Wathew Taggart
Hugh Taggart, aged 34 years, was serving on board the converted cruise liner HMS Voltaire, now an Armed Merchant Cruiser sailing in the South Atlantic.
On the 4 April 1941, she came into contact with the German raider ‘Thor’ and within the hour, she was on fire and sinking fast.
Shortly after hoisting a white flag she sank with the loss of 75 of her crew, 197 survived.
Hugh’s death is recorded as 9 April 1941 and he is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
He was the son of The Rev. Hugh Selwyn and Emma Taggart of East Stoke Rectory.
(now Kemps Hotel) and the husband of Florence Ruth Taggart of Douglas, Isle of Man.
5512873 Private Edwin John Wellstead
As the war reached its final stages the British were about to cross the River Rhine into German, having failed to do so at Arnheim in September 1944.
It was during this battle that Edwin, who was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, was killed when, it is believed, his glider crashed.
Aged 21 years old, he was the son of Walter and Dora Wellstead of East Stoke, between Binnegar and Holme Bridge, and is buried in the Reichswald
Every effort has been taken to ensure that the information listed here is correct.
I have checked various census details and the Dorset Kelly’s Directory and have asked in the local Parish Magazine for anyone to contact me with information, this has been limited for various reasons.
I am grateful to those who did contact me, as without your help I would have made some errors in identification.
In particular I would like to thank Mrs M. Newberry of Wool and Mrs. E. Hardy of Wareham for their in-put and Barry Quinn and East Stoke Parish Council for their support and encouragement.
If you have any information that you think I should include ( Ernest Brook ) or correct, or have photographs of those listed here that I could copy, please contact me at the address details below.
Richard Amphlett
Springfield
Chalk Pit Lane
Wool
Wareham
BH20 6DW
01929 460021