The men whose names are shown upon this place are those from the Parishes of Elmore, Longney, Hardwicke, Haresfield and Quedgeley in the County of Gloucestershire. Who, at the call of King and Country endured hardships, faced danger and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice in the service of their country.
Giving up their own lives, that others may live in freedom
Their bodies are buried in peace, but their Name Liveth for Evermore
ELMORE
1914-1918
2nd Lt. Henry George Christopher GUISE
1/5th Territorial Battalion C' Company Gloucestershire Regiment
Died on 6th May 1915 Commissioned August 1914. Killed by accidental explosion of a hand grenade. Aged 27. Son of William Guise, of Gloucester. Buried at Ploegsteert Wood Military Cemetery.
Pte 30798 Edward Martin CLARKE
9th Lancashire Fusiliers
Died on 4/10/1917 age 19. Son of Thomas and Annie F Clarke of Victoria Cottages, Real Lane, Hempstead, Quedgley, Glos. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
James GARDNER
Reginald W.E. MAYO
W.Joseph MERRETT
Alfred SPENCER
Wintour Edward WEBB
1939-1945
H. CRESSWELL
W.COE
H.V.WYATT
HARESFIELD
1914-1918
Alfred BALL
Son of William and Mary Ball of 99 Ranelagh Road, Pimlico, London. Gloucestershire Regiment, died 10th September 1916, age 24, buried in the Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt, L'Abbe, France.
Albert Henry BACHELOR
Grenadier Guards, died 7th February 1916, age 20, buried in the Merville Communal Cemetery, France.
The 1901 Census shows Albert, born in Colethorpe, living with his motherLavinia and five brothers and sisters, including his elder brother William. The family lived near The Cross and it is likely that george Batchelor on duty at the signal box was their father.
William George BACHELOR
Grenadier Guards, died 27th November 1917, age 28, no known grave. William's name is inscribed upon the Cabrai memorial, France. William was born in Whitington, Derbyshire.
Albert Edward CLIFFE
Son of Mrs Charlotte Cliffe of Cliff Well, The Edge, Stroud. Hampshire Regiment, died 30th March 1917, age 48. Buried at St Lawrence Churchyard, Stratfford-sub-Castle, Wiltshire.
Harry Foster CLIFFE
Son of Mrs Charlotte Cliffe of Cliff Well, The Edge, Stroud. Gloucestershire Regiment, died 22nd April 1917, age 29. Grave unknown. His name is inscribed upon The Arras Memorial, France.
Norman Henry GARDNER
Son of Charles and Jane GARDNER of Haresfield, husband of Dorothy of 6 Gold Street, Roath, Cardiff.
Gloucestershire Regiment, died 21st March 1916. Buried in St Patricks Cemetery, Loos, France. In 1901 his family were living at The Post Office, his father was a foreman platelayer and his mother was Post Mistress.
Harry Merritt HARRIS
Royal Field Artillery, not listed on The Commonwealth War Graves database.
In 1901 a Harry M HARRIS age 8, born Hardwicke, listed as a boarder was living with Eliza Heaven, a widow living near Cross farm, Colethrope.
Alfred James HUMPHRIES
Son of Sarah Humphries, Army Service Corps, died 24th May 1915, age unknown, buried at sea. his name is inscribed upon the Chatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt.
William Cornock KEEN
Son of Charles and Clara Keen of Maul Farm, Haresfield, Army Vetinary Corps, accidentally drowned in Mesopotamia on 12th April 1917, age 29, no known grave. His name is inscribed upon the Basra Memorial, Iraq.
Raymond Edward KNIGHT
Raymond Edward KNIGHT was the eldest child of Edward and Rosa Knight of Malthouse Farm and later of Pool Farm. In 1911 he was earning his living by teaching History and English at Buxton College, Derbyshire.
We do not yet know when he enlisted in the Gloucestershire Regiment, but by August 1914 he was a Corporal. Whilst serving in France he was awarded The Distinguished Conduct Medal.
The London Gazette citation reads:
"For conspicuous gallentry on the night of the 3rd-4th August, 1915, near Hebuterne, when in command of a patrol he went out to reconnoitre in the direction of a suspected listening post. in advancing, he encountered the hostile post, evidentlycovering a workingparty in the rear. Cpl KNIGHT at once shot one of the enemy, and, with L/Cpl HARVEY, rushed the post, shooting two others, and assistance arriving the enemy fled. Three Germans were killed and their r ifles and a Mauser pistol were brought in. The patrol had no loss."
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was instituited in 1854 and was the army's second ranking gallantry award, almost always sean as, "a near miss for a VC"
The Battle of the Somme started July 1916. It appears that Raymond was wounded during the attack on the village of La Boiselle. He died on 22nd July 1916, age 29, with the rank of Second Lieutenant. he is buried in the Bapaume Post Military Cemetery, Albert, France.
John George MAJOR
Gloucestershire Regiment. Not listed upon The Commonwealth War Graves database. John George MAJOR was born in Charlton Kings, the second son of John and Annie Major. In March 1912, aged 18, a farm labourer, he enlisted in the Gloucestershire Regiment at Stroud. By August 1914 he was serving in France, his first of three tours of duty. He rose through the ranks to the rank of Sergeant in August 1916. In december of that year he caught a severe cold that was followed by pleurisy. This condition was to culminate in his discharge from the service with a pension. He had served 5 years and 227 days with the colours.
In August 1917 he married Florence Letitia Watts of Ashley Vale, Bristol. He died on 11th August 1918, age 24, exactly three months before the end of The First World War.
Edwin Henry OVERBURY
Edwin Henry OVERBURY, a farm labourer, enlisted in the Gloucestershire Regiment in December 1899. He spent nearly eight years serving on St Helena and in South Africa before returning home to complete his service.
In 1910 he married Eda Copner from Haresfield, a year later they were living in Chalford Hill where he was employed as a postman.
At the moment all we know about his Great War service is that he served in The Queens Own West Kent regiment and was present during The Third Battle of Ypres. Private OVERBURY died on 19th October 1917, aged 34. He has no known grave. His name is inscribed upon the memorial wall at Tyne Cot near Ypres.
Thomas STOCKDEN
Son of the late E Stockden of Stapleton, Bristol, Royal Marine Artillery, died 31st May 1916, age 23. Lost at sea, his name inscribed upon the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
1939-1945
Frederick John IRELAND
HARDWICKE
1914-1918
Lional BARROW
Reginald DAVIS
Alfred FREEMAN
Michael LLOYD-BAKER
Edward NASH
Stanley NASH
Herbert SELWYN
Albert STEPHENS
1939-1945
Peter DRIVER
David FAULKNER
John HAMILTON
Ronald PERKINS
Leslie SIMMS
LONGNEY
1914-1918
Alfred James BASE
Samuel George BOYCE
Graham John LONGNEY
James Thomas PANTING
Edwin James PARRY
Frederick Thomas WIXEY
Leonard CAMERON
QUEDGELEY
1914-1918
Allan BECALL
Arthur BECALL
Guy BROOKS
Kenneth BROWN
Bernard BROWNEY
Charles CALE
Carey CARTER
Herbert COATMAN
Reginald DAVIS
George FARMER
Arthur LOVELL
Charles MAYCOCK
Edwin MORTIMORE
Stanley NASH
Donald SESSIONS
Harry SMITH
Charles TOWNSEND
Reginald VEAL
1939-1945
Sidney BIGGS
Maurice BOULTON
David MORGAN
Eric POTTER
Howard SMITH
Howard TURNER
Names of the men from Hardwicke Reformatory who died during The Great War
1914-1918
A. ASTBURY
W. BUTCHER
A. CULL
B. GILLIGAN
H. HAYES
A. HOUGHTON
B. JONES
W. LOVERIDGE
J. MIDGELEY
B. NORRIS
G. PARTRIDGE
J.ROWE
N.SCHOFIELD
H. SIMMONDS
W. TAYLOR
J. THOMAS
G. WILLIAMS
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn, At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We Will Remember Them
* We are grateful to Alec Jeakins for his research of the men of Haresfield.
* Hardwicke and District Branch Royal British Legion are committed to preserving the memory of all of those who sacrificed their lives during conflict. If anyone notes any ommission or errors please contact the Branch. Any person with details of any of the men listed above are requested to contact Dave Gargett at the Branch.
