The history of Fulbourn and the men who died in WW1. 

Fulbourn V.A.D. Hospital.

The National Schoolroom in Fulbourn was built in 1859 at the cost of £624 to educate children between the ages of 5-12. With the terrible slaughter of servicemen in France and Belgium, the need for convalescent hospitals became urgent, and on the 19th November 1914, the Rev’d C.F.Townley, of Fulbourn, County Director of the Red Cross asked if there were any buildings suitable for the use as a Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital. The Rector of Fulbourn, the Rev’d J.V.Durrell gave permission for the infants school to be used.

In four days the entire infants school moved to the Congregational Church Hall and stayed there until November 1918.

In those four days the school was transformed into a V.A.D. hospital and on the 23rd November 1914 the hospital opened and received 30 patients. Fulbourn was the fourth hospital in the Cambridge area to be opened and the first to receive British Servicemen.

The Church School made an entire and compact Red Cross Hospital. The accommodation was as follows:entering the lobby, on the left was a large and lofty ward (was the assembly room) to hold seventeen beds, with two open fire grates; attached to this ward are the bathroom and wash-house, formed from another lobby. Outside this lobby was a large boiler, taken over from the Welsh Division, which furnishes hot water. Here water was laid on by the Rev’d Townley. Opening out of the large ward was the nurses private kitchen. Going through the class-room, one enters the second ward (was the infants school), to hold eleven beds; opening out of this was the larder, made out of another lobby, with a wire door fitted, so that it was nice and airy. Between the two wards, which were divided by a partition forming a passage was the kitchen (another class-room) fitted with two cooking stoves, water tank, and convenient shelves. Here all the cooking was done, with the exception of the large meat joints, which were kindly cooked by the village baker (Mr Ellis, father of Stanley Gladstone Ellis, killed in action. See below). Connecting the hospital was a temporary covered way. The outhouses were used for washing up purposes, storing coal etc (this was the Fulbourn reading-room which was closed for the duration of the war) and it made a capitol mess-room and recreation room for the patients, and was provided with a billiard table, piano and library.

On the 27th November 1914 a meeting was called in the village to form a V.A.D. for men to relieve nurses at night and to help with the transportation of patients, forty men volunteered their services.

In the period between 1914-1918 Fulbourn V.A.D. Hospital helped to bring back to health one thousand three hundred and seventy eight servicemen. The hospital closed down on the 30th November 1918 and the infants school moved back into their premises.

Fulbourn VAD Hospital Staff.

(Names doubled up indicate additional cards)

Beaumont - Miss Lilian Mary.

Bridge - Miss Marjorie Louise.

Bridge - Miss Marjorie.

Chaplin - Miss Mabel.

Conway - Mrs Jessie.

Coote - Miss Sarah.

Dickinson - Miss Edith.

Dickinson -  Miss Sarah.

Durell - Miss Phyllis.

Fison - Miss Florence.

Fox - Miss Rebecca Annie.

Hickling - Miss Constance.

Hickling - Miss Blanche.

Hughes - Miss May.

Knights - Ethel.

Knights - Hilda.

Long - Miss Bessie.

Long - Miss Bessie.

Mitchell - Mrs.

Nicholls - Miss Dorothy gertrude.

Oakey - Miss Winifred O.

Orman - Miss Winifred.

Robinson - Mrs M.A.

Rolfe - Miss Miriam.

Shepherd - Lewis R.

Stalley - Miss Alice.

Taylor - Miss Grace.

Townley - Mrs Alice Rosalinde Murray.

Townley - Gladys Mary.

Townley - Rosalinde Cecil.

Townley - Selina Georgiana.

Townley - The Rev Charles.

Whitmore - Miss Eliza. 

The men of Fulbourn who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Those marked with a * are on a memorial velum in St Vigor's Church and don't appear on the War Memorial. It is unknown why this should be.

BANYARD. Frederick Henry

Private 26277 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment who was killed in action on Sunday, 6th January 1918. Age 27. Born and resident Fulbourn, enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Son of Abraham Henry and Harriet Banyard, of Hawthorne Cottage, Fulbourn, Cambs. Buried in HOOGE CRATER CEMETERY, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave I. A. 2.

* Birmingham. Thomas

BRIDGE. Victor

Rifleman S/654 10th Battalion, Rifle Brigade who was killed in action on Monday, 18th September 1916. Age 25. Born Hawkedon, Suffolk, enlisted East Ham, Essex, resident Fulbourn. Son of George David and Emma Bridge, of High St., Fulbourne, Cambridge. Buried in GUARDS' CEMETERY, LESBOEUFS, Somme, France. GRave X. C. 5.

* COE. George Maris (Morris on CWGC records)

Company Serjeant Major

Service Number G/6771 Died 13/09/1916 Aged 37 10th Bn. Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)

Son of M. Coe, of Hinton Rd, Fulbourne, Cambs, and the late Elijah Coe; husband of Annie May Coe, of 158 High St., Shoeburyness, Essex. Father of John D.M. and Emeline M.M. Coe. (Further information available from webmaster)

Picture courtesy of Nottinghamshire Gov. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/rollofhonour/People/Details/22277

DARNELL. Samual

Private 3/8638 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment who was killed in action on Monday, 31st July 1916. Age 37. Son of Samuel and Tamar Darnell, of Upper Caldecote, Biggleswade, Bedfordshires; husband of Lily M. A. Poulter (formerly Darnell), of 64 Huron Rd, Goderich, Ontario, Canada. Born Cockayne Hatley, Beds, enlisted Ely, resident Fulbourn. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 2 C

DURELL. David Carlyon Vavasour

Private 2094 16th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment who was killed in action on Saturday, 1st July 1916. Age 36. Son of the Rev. John Vavasour Durell (Rector of Fulbourn 1867 - 1917) and Ellen A. Durell, of Tower Hill, Much Hadham, Herts. Native of Fulbourn, Cambridge. Born Fulbourn, enlisted Cockspur Street, resident Cambridge. Buried in HAWTHORN RIDGE CEMETERY No.1, AUCHONVILLERS, Somme, France. Grave A. 7.

* Edwards. William

Turned up in 1935 with amnesia.  See http://www.roll-of-honour.com/NewsandReviews/FulbournNewspaper15021935.html 

ELLIS. Stanley Gladstone

Private 33813, 8th Battalion, Border Regiment. Killed in action Wednesday, 10th April 1918 in France & Flanders. Resident of Fulbourn. Born Cottenham on 16 February 1898. Went to Fulbourn Infants School, enlisted Cambridge. Formerly 178617, Royal Field Artillery. His father was the baker in Fulbourn. Remembered with Honour on PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Panel 6

FOREMAN. Ernest W

Lance Corporal 70337, 17th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters. (Notts & Derby Regt.) who died aged 34 on Monday 30th July 1917. Born and resident Fulbourn, enlisted Maidstone, Kent. Son of Richard & Harriet Foreman, of Hay Street, Fulbourn, Cambs. Formerly 6048, Leicestershire Regiment. Remembered with Honour YPRES.(MENIN GATE) Ieper, West-Valaanderen, Belguim.

FOREMAN. Percy Charles

Private 36562 6th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales) who died of wounds on Saturday, 18th August 1917. Age 22. Born Fulbourn, enlisted Bury St Edmunds, resident of Fulbourn. Son of Charles and Emma Foreman, of Town Close, Fulbourn, Cambs. Formerly 4634, Cambridgeshire Regiment. Buried in LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave XVII. H. 16. 

GILLSON. Charles

Private 318557 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment who killed in action on Thursday, 2nd March 1916. Born Fulbourn, enlisted Cambridge. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 21. Brother of David and Sidney below.

GILLSON. David

Private 3/6691 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment who was killed in action on Friday, 14th January 1916. Age 23. Born and resident Fulbourn, enlisted Cambridge. Son of John and Emma Gillson. Buried in CERISY-GAILLY MILITARY CEMETERY, Somme, France. Grave II. H. 9. Brother of David above and Sidney below.

GILLSON. Sidney

Private 203021 (7611) 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment who killed in action on Monday, 23rd April 1917. Age 19. Born and resident Fulbourn, enlisted Cambridge. Son of the late John and Emma Gillson. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 5. Brother of David and Charles above.

HANCOCK. Arthur

Private 20445 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment who was killed in action on Saturday, 1st July 1916. Age 30. Son of Walter and Mary Hancock of Home End, Fulbourn. Born Fulbourn, enlisted Cambridge. Husband of Lucy Whylin Hancock, of Home End, Fulbourn, Cambridge. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A. Brother of Pte 20446. Harry Hancock also 11th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. They joined together and died together.

* HANCOCK. Charles William.

Private CH/7691 (RMR/B/1050. R.M.L.I. who died on Tuesday 22nd September 1914 Age 40 when his ship HMS Cressy was torpedoed by U-9 in the North Sea.

Born Fulbourn 1874 to George and Clara Hancock of Broad Green, Fulbourn (living 15 Marshall Road, Cambridge at time of death). Husband of Julia Evelyn, father of Charles and Doris.

Enlisted 18 October 1893.

Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, United Kingdom. Panel 7.

Also commemorated on the Cambridge Guildhall Roll of Honour and St Johns Church, Hills Road, Cambridge Roll of Honour.

His name is on the Memorial in the church, but not on the War Memorial.

HANCOCK. Harry

Private 11th. Battalion,Suffolk Regiment, who was killed in action on Saturday 1st July 1916. Remembered with Honour THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Son of Walter and Mary Ann of Home End, Fulbourn. Born Fulbourn, enlisted Cambridge. Brother of Private Arthur Hancock of 11th Battalion,Suffolk Regiment who died aged 30 also on the 1st July 1916, Remembered with Honour THIEPVALMEMORIAL They joined together and fell together.

HART. Albert Charles

Private 7th Bn Suffolk Regiment who died aged 30 on Sunday 17th March 1918, was the son of Mrs C Hart of Fulbourne, Husband of Maria Hart, Station Road. Fulbourne, Cambs. Remembered with Honour MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Nord, France. 

HART. Leslie Herbert

Private G/63279 Middlesex Regiment posted to 19th Battalion, London Regiment who died was killed in action on Sunday, 1st September 1918. Born Fulbourn, enlisted Bury St Edmunds, resident Mill Road, Cambridge. Formerly 203344, Essex Regiment. Commemorated on VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 8-9.

HOWARD. George

Private G/15842, 6th Battalion, Royal West Surrey Regiment. Killed in action Monday 3rd July 1916. Age 19. Born Edmonton, Essex, enlisted Cambridge, resident Fulbourn. Son of Mrs. Harriett Haynes, of 14, Priory St., Huntingdon Rd., Cambridge. Formerly 12439 Suffolk Regiment. Remembered with Honour on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 5 D and 6 D.

HOWLETT. Charles Sidney

Private 26644 14th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment who died of wounds on Monday, 25th December 1916. Born Framlingham, Suffolk, enlisted Cambridge, resident Yoxburgh, Suffolk. Married Annie Belinda Manning at Fulbourn 2nd October 1915, they lived at Home End, Fulbourn at that time. His father was a bailiff. Formerly 16852, Suffolk Regiment. Buried in MENDINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave I. B. 12.

* Mason. William

MATTHEWS. Arthur Sidney

Birth recorded June 1899 Chesterton RD. In the 1911 census he is the son of Sidney James and Alice Matthews, aged 12, at school, born Fulbourn, resident Ships Yard, Fulbourn. No further information currently available.

MAWHOOD. George Edward

Lance Corporal CH/12386 Royal marine Light Infantry, (RMR/B/1906). S.S."Ben Lomond".  Son of William Mawhood, of 24, Laynard Rd., Bermondsey, London. Husband of Edith Mawhood, of 2, East View, Fulbourn, Cambridge. Commemmorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

On the memorial scroll but not on the War Memorial.

MOULE. Cyril George

Private 5379, 25th Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. who died aged 24 on Thursday, 3rd/4th May 1917, was the son of George Newling Moule and Sophie Moule, of Hawthorne Cottage, Fulbourne, Cambs, England. (He was the cousin of Norman Osborne's mother, immigrated to Australia.) Commemorated on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial, Villers Bretonneux-France. Panel 105.

OSBORNE. Frederick J

Private G/14078, 10 Bn. The Queen's ( Royal West Surrey Regt.) Died Saturday 7th October 1916. Joined the Suffolk Regt with his brother George. He was married to Cissy and had one daughter. Buried in A.I.F. BURIAL GROUND, FLERS, Somme, France. Grave 11.M.25. Cousin of Richard Osborne. His widow remarried before the end of WW1 to a Mr Buttress from Teversham and went to live in Manor Farm Cottage Teversham. As he lived in Teversham at the time he was killed his name is also on the War Memorial in Teversham Church yard.

PATTEN. Arthur Charles

Private 127198 8th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Inf) who died of wounds on Sunday, 18th August 1918. Age 19. Born and resident Fulbourn, enlisted Cambridge. Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Patten, of Rose Cottage, Cow lane, Fulbourne, Cambs. Buried in BERLIN SOUTH-WESTERN CEMETERY, Brandenburg, Germany. Grave V. C. 1.

PATTEN. Harry

Private 4th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. who died Wednesday ,27th November 1918. Remembered with Honour LILLE SOUTHERN CEMETERY, Nord, France.

PEACHEY. George William

Private G/87619 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment who was killed in action on Thursday, 28th March 1918. Age 19. Born and resident Fulbourn, enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Son of William and Emma Peachey, of Grange-Farm Cottage, Fulbourn, Cambs. Commemorated on POZIERES MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Panel 60 and 61.

PEACOCK. Victor Percival

Private 15906 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment who was killed in action on Monday, 9th April 1917. Age 27. Born Landbeach, enlisted Cambridge. Husband of H. Peacock. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 4.

* PETTIT. James R

possibly James Pettit, Private 9565 1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry who died on Saturday, 8th May 1915. Age 27. Son of Ephraim and Harriet Pettit, of Milton Rd., Impington, Cambs. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 47.

PULFER. Bertie Alfred

Private 2nd.,Bedfordshire Regiment who was killed in action on Thursday,21st March 1918. was the husband of Mrs.M.A Pulfer, of Highfield, Fulbourn, Cambridge. Born Stanton, Suffolk, enlisted Bury St Edmunds, enlisted Walsham-le-Willows, Suffolk. Remembered with Honour CHAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY, HOLNON,Aisne,France. Mrs Pulfer remarried to Norman Osborne's father Mr Richard Osborne.

RICHMOND. Charles Rule

Private 7819, 1st Battalion, North Staffordshires who died of wounds aged 30 on Monday, 26th April 1915. Was the son of George and Matilda Richmond of Fulbourn. Born and resident Fulbourn, enlisted Cambridge.

RICHMOND. Henry [Harry] Alexander

Acting Bombardier 36674 "C" Bty. 78th Bde., Royal Field Artillery who was killed in action on Thursday, 2nd September 1915. Born Cambridge, enlisted Yarmouth, Norfolk. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 5 and 9.

ROLPH. Arthur Lou[i]s

Boy 2nd Class J/47831 H.M.S. "Ganges.", Royal Navy who died on Saturday, 17th June 1916. Age 16. Son of Stephen Rolph, of Pierce Lane, Fulbourn, Cambs. Buried in SHOTLEY (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, Suffolk. R.N. Plot. 96. Note: There is a HMS Ganges Association.

* ROLPH. Richard. MMR.

Steward aboard HM Patrol Boat Amalthca. Died of illness in the Shetland Isles, Buried 13 August 1917. Anns Hill Cemetery, Gosport, Hants. Husband of Clara Jane Rolph.

Richards name on his service record has a surname of Ralph. 

RULE. Robert Frank

Gunner 101996 244th Siege Bty., Royal Garrison Artillery who was killed in action on Wednesday, 18th September 1918. Age 34. Born and resident Fulbourn, enlisted Cambridge. Husband of Susannah Rule, of Church St., Fulbourn, Cambs. Buried in HERMIES HILL BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Grave II. G. 12.

SALMON. Percival Herbert Harry

Corporal 33896 37th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers Labour Corps who died on Thursday, 21st March 1918. Age 33. Son of Henry Salmon, of Cambridge; husband of Louisa Alice Salmon, of 303, Newmarket Rd., Cambridge. Buried in FAUBOURG D'AMIENS CEMETERY, ARRAS, Pas de Calais, France. Grave VII. B. 28.

SAXBY. Walter  William

Private 15792 9th & 11th Battalions, Suffolk Regiment who was killed in action on Wednesday, 24th May 1916. Buried in BECOURT MILITARY CEMETERY, BECORDEL-BECOURT, Somme, France. Grave I. M. 10.

Born Laxfield/Framlingham Suffolk 1891.

The information below is recorded on the Roll of Honour website but is most likely incorrect. Please contact us for further info.

( Walter. Born Ore, Sussex, enlisted Hastings. )

William had two brothers, David who also enlisted in the Suffolks before him (lower number) who survived and died in 1954 and Charles who enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regt and Died of Wounds 8 May 1915. Charles is commemorated on the Madingley Church memorial. 

STANFORD. Frederick John

Private G/52546 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers who died of wounds on Sunday, 15th April 1917. Age 42. Born Teversham, enlisted Bury St Edmunds, resident Cambridgeshire. Husband of Ada Stanford, of Hinton Rd., Fulbourn, Cambridge. Formerly F/3696, Middlesex Regiment. Buried in DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN, Pas de Calais, France. Grave II. J. 6.

STANFORD. Walter George

Private 326658 1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment who was killed in action on Wednesday, 26th September 1917. Age 35. Enlisted Cambridge. Son of John and Frances Stanford, of Highfield Gate, Fulbourn; husband of G. D. J. Stanford, of Highfield Gate, Fulbourn, Cambridge. Formerly 4227 Cambridgeshire Regiment. Buried in PERTH CEMETERY (CHINA WALL), ZILLEBEKE, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave III. B. 10.

TAYLOR. Herbert W

1406422 Former service number 34860. Royal Artillery. Attested 24/04/11 age 18½ at Cambridge. Born Fulbourn 1893. Son of John and Annie M Taylor of Broad Green, Fulbourn. Died between 28/07/16 and 15/08/16, unofficially reported.

SWAN. George (Spelling of Swann on memorial)

The record on the Roll of Honour website is incorrect and awaiting correction

Private 1st Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment who died on Monday, 9th April 1917. Remembered with Honour COJEUL BRITISH CEMETERY, ST.MARTIN-SUR-COJEUL, Pas de Calais, France.

The correct details are: Pte 14828 8th Bn Suffolk Regt. Son of E.A. Swann of Bottisham and the late Alfred J. Swann. Died 19 May 1917 and commemmorated on the Arras Memorial, Bay4. Killed by a shell burst along with others while in frontline trenches.

WEBSTER. Lawrence Fitzgerald

Lieutenant 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles (Quebec Regt.) who died aged 31 on Tuesday, 30th October 1917. Was the son of Harris and Martha Ellen Webster of Fulbourn, Cambridge, England. Lieutenant Webster emigrated to Canada. Remembered with Honour YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL,Ieper, West Vlaanderen Belgium. See also Perse School.

Names on the Memorial Role of Honour in St Vigor's Church which do not appear on the War Memorial.

 Rolph. Richard William M.M.R. (CWGC has his surname as Ralph)

Chief Steward. Died of illness 2nd August 1917 age 51. Posting aboard HM Yacht "Almalthea" in the Shetland Islands. Buried 13th August 1917. Plot 37 Space 29. Ann's Hill Cemetery, Gosport, Hants. Wife Clara Jane interred in the same plot

More to follow........................... 

I would like to thank the following for the documentary and photographic content:

Roll-of-Honour.com.

International Wargraves Photography Project. 

Norman Osborne, President of Fulbourn & Teversham Branch.