Newnham War Dead

Surname

SMITH

First names

Walter George

Service / Regiment

"C" Company  1st Battalion The Buffs East Kent Regiment

Rank

Corporal

Service No

L/8093

Died

Friday 25th December

Year

1914

Age at Death

25

Monument

Remembered Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois Grenier

Memorial Reference

E. 49.

Next of Kin

Son of Walter George and Agnes SMITH, of

Local Address

Egerton, Kent

Notes

The 1st Battalion was a peacetime Division of the army and was quartered in Ireland and England at the outbreak of war.  It was mobilised to concentrate near Cambridge. By early September 1914 it was fully trained and equipped.
On the 10 September 1914, it landed at St Nazaire and moved to the Western Front, where it remained throughout the war. The Division arrived in time to reinforce the hard-pressed BEF on the Aisne, before the whole army was moved north into Flanders

Surname

SEARS

First names

Walter

Service / Regiment

1st Battalion The Buffs East Kent Regiment

Rank

Private

Service No

L/8642

Died

Monday 20th December

Year

1915

Age at Death

28

Monument

Remembered Duhallow A.D.S. cemetery Ieper, West-Vlaanderen Belgium

Memorial Reference

VI. A. 14.

Next of Kin

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter. SEARS,

Local Address

of Sittingbourne, husband of Minnie HILL (formerly SEARS), of 20, New St., Ashford, Kent.

Notes

The 1st Battalion was a peacetime Division of the army and was quartered in Ireland and England at the outbreak of war.  It was mobilised to concentrate near Cambridge. By early September 1914 it was fully trained and equipped.
On the Thursday 10 September 1914, it landed at St Nazaire and moved to the Western Front, where it remained throughout the war. The Division arrived in time to reinforce the hard-pressed BEF on the Aisne, before the whole army was moved north into Flanders

Surname

HAYESMORE

First names

Hubert Harold

Service / Regiment

7th (Service) Battalion The Buffs East Kent Regiment

Rank

Private

Service No

G/5033

Died

Saturday 1st July

Year

1916

Age at Death

22

Monument

Remembered Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Somme France

Memorial Reference

VIII. V. 2.

Next of Kin

Son of Alfred and Emily HAYESMORE, of

Local Address

Harbridge Manor Cottage, Cranbrook, Kent. Native of Tenterden, Kent.

Notes

Formed at Canterbury, September 1914. Early days were somewhat chaotic, the new volunteers having very few trained officers and NCOs to command them. No organised billets or equipment. However, by the Spring of 1915, the Division was considered to be ready for France. Tuesday 25 May 1915 : landed in Boulogne; the Division served with distinction on the Western Front for the remainder of the war, taking part in most of the significant actions

Surname

ATKINS

First names

Frank

Service / Regiment

7th (Service) Battalion The Buffs East Kent Regiment

Rank

Private

Service No

G/13054

Died

Saturday 9th December

Year

1916

Age at Death

20

Monument

Buried Etaples Military Cemetery

Memorial Reference

XX. F. 10A.

Next of Kin

Son of Henry Thomas and Edith Emma ATKINS Native of Newnham.

Local Address

Stuppington Cottages,

Notes

Formed at Canterbury, September 1914. Early days were somewhat chaotic, the new volunteers having very few trained officers and NCOs to command them. No organised billets or equipment. However, by the Spring of 1915, the Division was considered to be ready for France. Tuesday 25 May 1915 : landed in Boulogne; the Division served with distinction on the Western Front for the remainder of the war, taking part in most of the significant actions

Surname

ATKINS

First names

Ernest Bolton

Service / Regiment

Royal Navy H.M.S. "Vanguard."

Rank

Leading Stoker

Service No

K/21358

Died

Monday 9th July

Year

1917

Age at Death

21

Monument

Remembered Chatham Naval Memorial

Next of Kin

Son of William and Annie ATKINS

Local Address

Ivy Cottage Newnham

Notes

HMS VANGUARD Scarpa Flow North Scotland at 11.20 pm on the Monday 9th July suddenly blew up, taking over 800 of her crew down with her. It was a magazine explosion in one of the two magazines which served the amidships turrets 'P' and 'Q'.

HMS Vanguard

Surname

FILMER

First names

Harry

Service / Regiment

1st Battalion The Buffs East Kent Regiment

Rank

Private

Service No

G/13347

Died

Thursday 3rd May

Year

1917

Age at Death

30

Monument

Remembered Philosphe Pas de Calais British Cemetery, France

Memorial Reference

I. O. 18.

Next of Kin

Believed to be the Son of William & Emma FILMER

Local Address

Notes

The 1st Battalion was a peacetime Division of the army and was quartered in Ireland and England at the outbreak of war.  It was mobilised to concentrate near Cambridge. By early September 1914 it was fully trained and equipped.
On the Thursday 10 September 1914, it landed at St Nazaire and moved to the Western Front, where it remained throughout the war. The Division arrived in time to reinforce the hard-pressed BEF on the Aisne, before the whole army was moved north into Flanders

Surname

MANN

First names

William Thomas

Service / Regiment

7th (Service) Battalion. Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Rank

Private

Service No

G/23626

Died

Tuesday 23rd January

Year

1917

Age at Death

18

Monument

Remembered Aveluy Communal Cemetery Extension Somme France

Grave/Memorial Reference

Next of Kin

Son of William Thomas and Emma MANN, of

Local Address

Newnham, Sittingbourne, Kent.

Notes

Formed at Maidstone on Saturday 5 September 1914 Tuesday 25 May 1915 : landed in Boulogne; the Division served with distinction on the Western Front for the remainder of the war, taking part in most of the significant actions

Surname

CHAPMAN

First names

Henry Mercer

Service / Regiment

Royal Munster Fusiliers

Rank

Private

Service No

15077

Died

Wednesday 7th March

Year

1917

Age at Death

25

Monument

Remembered Fouquescourt British Cemetery Somme, France

Memorial Reference

I. BB. 6.

Next of Kin

Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Mercer CHAPMAN, of

Local Address

Newnham, Sittingbourne; husband of Olive Mary DUNKIN (formerly CHAPMAN), of Laburnum Cottage, Boughton, Faversham, Kent.

Notes

Surname

SLINGSBY

First names

Albert Edward

Service / Regiment

1/19th (County of London) Battalion

Rank

Private

Service No

613113

Died

Tuesday 21st August

Year

1917

Age at Death

Monument

Remembered Menin Gate Memorial Ypres Belgium

Memorial Reference

Panels 52 to 54.

Next of Kin

Believed to be the Son of William and Emily SLINGSBY of Newnham

Local Address

Notes

August 1914 : in Camden Town. Part of 5th London Brigade, 2nd London Division.  Tuesday 11 May 1915: formation became 141st Brigade, 47th Division.

Surname

HILLS

First names

George Tappenden

Service / Regiment

“A” Company  29th Battalion. (Vancouver) Canadian Infantry British Columbia Regiment

Rank

Private

Service No

116675

Died

Tuesday 6th November

Year

1917

Age at Death

26

Monument

Remembered Passchendaele New British Cemetery Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen Belgium

Memorial Reference

XIII. F. 1.

Next of Kin

Son of Ernest and Annie Josephine HILLS

Local Address

of Newnham. George is listed as a Canadian

Notes

29th (Vancouver) Battalion. Formed at Vancouver on Saturday 24 Oct 1914

Surname

FIELD

First names

Leslie Jack

Service / Regiment

8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

Rank

2nd Lieutenant

Service No

Died

Monday 4th November

Year

1918

Age at Death

23

Monument

Remembered Montay-Neuvilly Road Cemetery

Memorial Reference

III. B. 16.

Next of Kin

Son of Albert and Rosanna FIELD Native of Newnham, Kent.

Local Address

Stone Cottage, Hogben Hill, Selling, Faversham, Kent.

Notes

Formed at Reading, September 1914, as part of K3.
September 1914: attached as Army Troops to 26th Division.
Sunday 8 August 1915: transferred to 1st Brigade, 1st Division.
Saturday 2 February 1918 : transferred to 53rd Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division.

Surname

RAINES

First names

George

Service / Regiment

2nd Battalion. The Buffs East Kent Regiment

Rank

Private

Service No

L/10210

Died

Thursday 24th October

Year

1918

Age at Death

23

Monument

Remembered Niederzwehren Prisoner of War Camp Cemetery Kassel, Hessen Germany

Memorial Reference

X. B. 2.

Next of Kin

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph RAINES, of

Local Address

138, Charon St., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

Notes

Tuesday 4th August 1914 Wellington, Madras, India. Monday 16th November 1914 sailed from Bombay and landed at Plymouth on Wednesday 23rd December 1914. Here joined 85th Brigade, 28th Division, at Winchester. Embarked for Havre at Southampton on Sunday 17th January 1915. Sailed from Marseilles for Alexandria between Monday 25th – Sunday 30th October 1915. November 1915 to Salonika.

Surname

PILES

First names

Albert Edward

Service / Regiment

1st/7th Battalion. Middlesex Regiment

Rank

Private

Service No

G/41464

Died

Thursday 28th March

Year

1918

Age at Death

32

Monument

Remembered Maroeuil British Cemetery

Memorial Reference

IV. J. 6.

Next of Kin

Son of Alfred And Harriet PILES of

Local Address

Newnham

Notes

August 1914 : in Hornsea. Part of Middlesex Brigade, Home Counties Division. September 1914 : left the Division and moved to Gibraltar, arriving 17 September 1914. February 1915 : returned to England. Moved to France, landing at Le Havre Saturday 13 March 1915. Monday 15 March 1915 : attached to 23rd Brigade, 8th Division. Between Wednesday 23 June and Monday 2 August 1915, amalgamated with 1/8th Battalion. Tuesday 8 February 1916 : transferred to 167th Brigade, 56th Division.

Surname

BUTLER

First names

Frank

Service / Regiment

18th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)

Rank

Corporal

Service No

72588

Died

Sunday 5th May

Year

1918

Age at Death

34

Monument

Remembered Niederzwehren Prisoner of War Camp Cemetery Kassel, Hessen Germany

Memorial Reference

IV. J. 8.

Next of Kin

Son of John and Annie BUTLER; husband of Emily S. BUTLER Born at Newnham.

Local Address

Nursery Cottage, Brogdale Rd Faversham,

Notes

Formed in 6th Division, January 1916. Moved into No 6 Battalion, Machine Gun Company Friday 1 March 1918

Surname

MIDGETT

First names

A

Service / Regiment

The Buffs East Kent Regiment

Rank

Private

Service No

Died

Year

Age at Death

Monument

Grave/Memorial Reference

Next of Kin

Local Address

Notes

Sadly nothing is known about this individual

Possibly a sick joke ' A. Midgett' or a pseudonym of a hero who was not eligible to have volunteered and should have been 'rejected'.