List of the Fallen of WW1
Halstead's Heroes of WWII
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.
With thanks to Halstead Heritage Museum who supplied much of the information here
Flight Sergeant John Cedric ADDY - 103 Sqn. Wellingtons - RAF Volunteer Reserve
Citation: "Since joining the squadron in March 1941, this N.C.O. has been outstanding by his consistent keenness as his operational record shows. He has, since becoming a captain, only abandoned his mission twice; once by unavoidable engine trouble and, on the second occasion, his aircraft was seriously hit by flak over Delmonhurst and one engine put out of commission. On this occasion, Sergeant Addy jettisoned his bombs and by skilful piloting brought his aircraft safely back to Bircham Newton.By his determination in the air and his quiet coolness on the ground, Sergeant Addy sets a particularly fine example to the remaining aircrews of the squadron. I have every confidence in this N.C.O. as a pilot and strongly recommend him for the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal which I consider his fine record deserves."
[The Attack on "Gneisenau, "Scharnhorst & Prinz Eugen] On 12th February 1942, Flt/Sgt Addy was captain of one of five aircraft which were detailed to cause damage in daylight to Battle Cruisers "Gneisenau" and "Scharnhorst" and Cruiser "Prinz Eugen" in the North Sea. Flt. Sgt. J.C. Addy, D.F.M. was killed when piloting his Anson N5030 on a night Navex from Lichfield (27 OTU), crashing on Snaefell on 17 January 1942. Four of his crew members survived. https://www.medalsofengland.com/medals.php?id=79&medalid=1338
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Pte Frederick ALLEN - 1st Bn. Essex Regiment
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Service Number: 6010930
Died 28th November 1941 aged 24
Buried or commemorated at TOBRUK WAR CEMETERY 8. G. 12. Libya
Son of Pte. Frederick George Allen, 2nd Bn. The Northamptonshire Regt., who died of wounds during the WWI (6th March, 1918), and Violet May Allen, of Halstead, Essex, goodness knows how she must have felt when her husband was killed in WWI and her son in WWII.
Inscription: ALWAYS IN OUR THOUGHTS. REST IN PEACE
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George William ARDLEY - Leading Signalman - Royal Navy - H.M.S. Dunedin
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Sgt. Frederick William ASHFIELD - 420 RCAF Sqdn. RAF Volunteer Reserve
Frederick William Ashfield was born on 5th January 1913 in Norfolk (Wayland Q1-1913 4B:401), son of Frederick Henry and Stina ASHFIELD (née ANDERSEN).
By 1914 his parents had moved to the Post Office at Horseheath where his two brothers Olaf E(buried in Horseheath as an infant) and Leslie (buried in Holland) were born.
His mother was Norwegian and met his father in USA when working for Duleep Singh the estate owner at Elveden.
Early in 1939, a commercial traveller, he married Joan Winifred HARWOOD from Halstead, Essex. In Sept.1939 they were at The King's Head, Colchester Road, Halstead with his father in law Ernest J Harwood, publican, mother in law Winifred E. Harwood. In 1939 his parents were still at the Post Office in Horseheath. http://www.undyingmemory.net/Horseheath/ashfield-frederick.html
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Sgt. Victor Brockley Marlar BANBURY - 11th Regt. Royal Horse Artillery
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Service Number: 1398365
Died 16th March 1942 aged 28
Buried or commemorated at KNIGHTSBRIDGE WAR CEMETERY, ACROMA 10. K. 5. Libya
Son of Frank Percy and Constance Mary Banbury, of Halstead, Essex.
Inscription: FAITHFUL
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Sgt Edwin Bentall INMAN - 82nd Sqn. RAF Volunteer Reserve
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Service Number: 748460
Died 27th May 1941 aged 22
Died 27 May 1941
Buried or commemorated at MALTA MEMORIAL Panel 1, Column 2. Malta
Born Halstead 1919, son of Arthur Kenneth and Ivy Mary Inman, of Kirby Cross, Essex.
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Whilst attacking an enemy convoy, his aircraft was shot down into the sea, all the crewmen lost their lives. - Two Blenheims of 82 Squadron were shot down today while engaging in an offensive operation in the southern Mediterranean. The Blenheims were among six sent to attack a large convoy escorted by destroyers as it headed for Tripoli in Libya. Early this afternoon they reached the six merchant vessels with their escort of eight destroyers and launched their attack.The bombers flew in low over the ships to release their bombs in the midst of very heavy anti-aircraft fire. Two of the merchant ships were hit but two of the Blenheims were also destroyed as they dived down towards the vessels. It has been suggested that the resulting explosions destroyed two of the Blenheims. The pilots of the two bombers have been named as Flt/Lt G M Fairbairn and Sgt E B Inman. Their crews were Sgt R J Austin, Sgt K P Collins (1), P/O P J Higgins and Sgt S W Kemp.
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Gunner Charles BECKWITH - 15th Bty. 6.H.A.A. Regt. Royal Artillery
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Service Number: 6004638
Died 17th March 1945 aged 42
Charles died as a POW in Japanese hands at Kuching Sarawak. The cause of death was listed as general debility. He is buried or commemorated at LABUAN WAR CEMETERY K. A. 16. Malaysia
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2676790/charles-beckwith/
Husband of Bertha Beckwith, of Halstead, Essex.
Inscription: R.I.P. IT'S LONELY HERE WITHOUT YOU AND SAD THE WEARY WAY. LOVING WIFE & SONS
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Signalman Douglas Charles CHUDLEY - H.M.S. M.T.B. 494 Royal Navy
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Service Number: P/JX 700850
Died 7th April 1945 Aged 18
Douglas was killed in action on board Motor Torpedo Boat 494 when it was rammed by a German S.176 near Smith's Knoll, off Norfolk coast.
Buried or commemorated at LOWESTOFT (NORMANSTON DRIVE) CEMETERY Sec. 25. Grave 532
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2720855/douglas-charles-chudley/
Son of Harvey James Chudley and Gertrude Chudley, of Halstead, Essex.
Inscription: IN TREASURED MEMORY OF OUR DEAR DOUG. O GOD, WE GIVE HIM NOW INTO THY KEEPING
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Sgt. Neville Alfred Charles CHUMBLEY - 25 Field Reg. Royal Artillery
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Cedric Leonard Ashley DISS - Able Seaman H.M.S. Sikh - Royal Navy
HMS SIKH British destroyer built in 1937 by A. Stephen & Sons; 1,870 tons; 355.5x36.5x9 ft. ; 44,000 s.h.p.; 36.5 knots; turbine engines; 3 drum boilers; eight 4.7 in. guns, 7 smaller, 4 T.T. HMS Sikh (Capt. St. J. A. Micklethwait, D.S.O.), in company with her sistership, HMS Zulu, (Capt. Lt. A. R. Moore), were on a raid on the Libyan port Tobruk, on the night of September 13th-14th, 1942, when about a mile from the shore they were bombed by shore batteries and HMS Sikh was disabled. She was taken in tow by HMS Zulu but the cable was hit by a shell. A second attempt was made, but the situation being too dangerous, HMS Zulu was compelled to retire, covered by the guns of the now sinking Sikh. The loss of life on the Sikh amounted to 15 officers, including Capt. Micklethwait, and 260 ratings. A few survivors reached the shore and became prisoners of war. https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?228850
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Guardsman Leslie Ernest GRANDFIELD - 3rd Bn. Grenadier Guards
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Service Number: 2616215
Died 21 May 1940 aged 20
Buried or commemorated at DUNKIRK MEMORIAL Column 32. France
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2501625/leslie-ernest-grandfield/
Son of William Ernest and Edith Mary Grandfield, of Halstead, Essex.
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This a substantial, guaranteed original item, complete with the manufacturer’s stamp “F. Narborough, Birmingham” on the rear and dates back to the World War II period. Made of solid brass, which has not been polished, it has the Grenadier Guards motif with a King’s Crown and the regiment’s name underneath. Stamped into the plate is the Army Number 2616215 and the name “L. Grandfield”. Guardsman Leslie Ernest Grandfield served with the 3 rd Battalion Grenadier Guards and was killed in action on May 21, 1940. This was the date of the British Expeditionary Force counter-attack at Escaut in which the 3 rd Battalion of the Grenadier Guards took part. It was in this engagement that L/Cpl Nicholls of the same Battalion won the Victoria Cross for bravery. Guardsman Grandfield is memorialized at the Dunkirk Memorial. (Source: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/named-ww-ii-kia-grenadier-guards-kc-506742368)
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Aircraftman 1st Class - Jackson William HALL - Royal Airforce Reserve
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Service Number: 1150111
Died 5th July 1941 aged 21
Son of George and Ella G. E. Hall, of Halstead, Essex.
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Pte. Morton HARRINGTON - 1st Bn. Hertfordshire Regiment
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Pte. Maurice Harry KEMP - 2nd. Bn. Essex Regiment
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Sgt Rober George HASLER - Royal Army Service Corps
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Service Number: T/2614231
Died 6th April 1942 aged 25
Buried or commemorated at FREETOWN (KING TOM) CEMETERY 6. D. 3. Sierra Leone
Born in Halstead 1917, son of Geoffrey and Elizabeth Hasler; husband of Iris Constance Hasler, of Braintree. Essex.
Personal Inscription
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE
Inscription: In loving memory of my dear husband. he died so we may live"
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| During the Second World War the four territories in West Africa - including Sierra Leone - became bases for recruiting and training men for the armed forces and their ports and harbours were of great value to convoys bound for the Middle East, India, South Africa and South America. By the end of 1942, coastal defence artillery had been installed and manned in all the principal West African ports. Freetown became a naval base. |
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Francis William KNOWLES - Flying Officer RAF Volunteer Reserve
Derby Daily Telegraph - Monday 04 February 1946: DAKOTA CRASH: 3 STILL MISSING
The Air Ministry stated to-day that the bodies of only three of the six men in the Transport Command Dakota which crashed on Cold Fell, less than ten miles from its base at Crosby-on-Eden, near Carlisle, had been found. Only one, Warrant Officer W. Reeve, has been identified, and his next of kin have been informed. The other five - Flying Officer J D Taylor, Flying Officer W. Knowles, Sergt. G. T Wardle, Warrant Officer A. G. Gravestock, and Flight Sergt. D Thomas - have been posted missing, believed killed. The aircraft took off at 9.40 m. on Saturday, and contacted its base at six minutes past two yesterday morning. Then it disappeared. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=16342.0
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Mark Noel KIBBLE - Lance Bombardier - 32 Field Regt. Royal Artillery
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Pte. Harold Kitchener LARTER - 7th Bn. Essex Regiment
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Service Number: 6023279
Died 19 November 1940
Buried or commemorated at HALSTEAD CEMETERY Grave 7697. UK
Son of Mr. and Mrs. William James Larter, of Halstead.
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Pte. Harold Jack MEADOWS - 4th Bn. Suffolk Regiment
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Arthur James MASKELL - Warrant Officer Class II
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Aircraftman, 2nd Class - Peter Frederick MITSON - Volunteer Reserve - RAF
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Driver Ronald John RAYNER - 51 Div. Coy Royal Army Service Corps
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Cyril Moorhouse ROWLAND - RAF Volunteer Reserve
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Flying Officer Robert Ray SARGENT - 254 Sqdn. RAF Volunteer Reserve
On 20 November 1942, a British Beaufighter VI EL324 was shot down by ships Flak and crashed in the North Sea, 8 km west from Hoek van Holland. The aircraft had departed from North Coates and targeted the Coast of Holland. All 2 crew members died: HESKEL, CYRIL, Sergeant (no. 978773), 2. SARGENT, ROBERT RAY
https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?292526
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Pilot Officer Kenneth Charles TURP - 83rd Sqdn. RAF Volunteer
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Arthur Edward VITLER - 18th Div. Sigs. Royal Corps of Signals
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Gunner Cecil John WARNE - 94th Dorset and Hampshire Yeomanry
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Service Number: 932651
Died 4th October 1944 aged 21
Born in Halstead in 1923, son of Samuel and Lily Warne; husband of Kathleen Olive Warne, of Braintree, Essex.
Buried in corner of orchard. Reburied 12th October 1944.Buried or commemorated at ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY 14. C. 2. Netherlands
Cecil died on 4th of October 1944 and was buried in corner of an orchard. He was reburied 12th October 1944 in Oosterbeek. After the Battle of Arnhem, the 'Bridge to Far,' fighting continued around the area for some time.
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| 4 October 1944: Story from OP Captain C.N.B.Hancock: Elst Church tower was a lively spot for F.O.O's from all batteries. It was the only possible place for an O.P. in our area and consequently got a lot of attention from the Hun. It was quite commonplace to receive a many as fifteen or twenty hits in a day. Fortunately it had very thick walls and could "take it". Captain Cohen was evacuated from the tower after a shell burst about six feet from the slit through which he was looking. Bmd Hillier, his OP Ack, continued to man the O.P. very ably for the rest of the day. Gunner Warne, a signaller was killed the same day while mending a cable at the foot of the tower. RAUnitsNetherlands |
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Douglas WHITFIELD - 3rd Engineer Officer - Merchant Navy S.S. Empire Dace
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