George A Boreham

Sgt. 250734, 10th Bn Essex Regiment. Born Holton St Mary c1886. Former gamekeeper to Mr Botterell of Colne Park. Killed in action 23 Mar 1918. Commemorated Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France.

 

Stanley Butcher

Lance-cpl of 5th Suffolk Regiment killed in action Dardanelles 12 or 21 Aug 1915. Aged 25, son of James and Agnes Butcher (formerly of Colne Engaine, lately of Skelmersdale, Lancs.). Commemorated Helles Memorial, Turkey.

 

Sidney Carter

Private 24614 of 9th Bn Essex Regiment. Born Colne Engaine. Died 3 Jul 1916. Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

 

Charles Catterwell or William Charles

Pte 12059 of 3rd Bn Essex Regiment drowned in the Mediterranean on 4th May 1917 on his way to Egypt aged 21 years.

Son of Mrs E Turner of North End, Little Yeldham. Prior to enlistment employed by Mr Mann. Commemorated Savona Memorial, Italy.

 

The SS Transylvania was a passenger liner of the Cunard subsidiary Anchor Line, and a sister ship to SS Tuscania. She was torpedoed and sunk on May 4, 1917 by the German U-boat U-63 at 44°15′N 8°30′ECoordinates: 44°15′N 8°30′E while carrying Allied troops to Egypt and sank with a loss of 412 lives. At 10 am on May 4 the Transylvania was struck in the port engine room by a torpedo fired by the German U-boat U-63 under the command of Otto Schultze. At the time the ship was about 2.5 miles (2.2 nmi; 4.0 km) south of Cape Vado near Savona, in the Gulf of Genoa. Savona Town Cemetery contains 85 Commonwealth burials from the First World War, all but two of them casualties from the Transylvania. Within the cemetery is the Savona Memorial which commemorates a further 275 casualties who died when the Transylvania sank, but whose graves are unknown.

 

Transylvania was discovered on 8 October 2011 off the coast of the island of Bergeggi (Savona, Italy) at a depth of 630 metres.

 

Stanley M Coppin

Pte 40157 2nd Bn Essex Regiment. Born Greenstead Green c1889 son of George & Emma Coppin. Died 20th Oct 1916. Nephew of Mr & Mrs Lewis of Abbots Farm, CE. Employed by Miss Courtauld. Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

 

Bertram W Bixey

Driver 207833, 20th Reserve Bty Royal Field Artillery. Born Colne Engaine c1891, a thatcher, son of Mr & Mrs William Bixey, and married to Rosa. Lost appeal in Essex Appeal Tribunal.

Enlisted 5 Feb 1917, died in hospital at Woolwich 4 March 1917 of pneumonia. Buried Colne Engaine.

 

Percy Edgar Bixey

Private 270201, Hertfordshire Regiment. Born Colne Engaine son of Edwin Arthur and Maria Elizabeth Bixey of Valiant's Farm, Pebmarsh. Killed in action 3 July 1917 and commemorated at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

 

Scott Fairbank

Private G/1278 "B" Coy, 2nd Bn Royal Sussex Regiment. Born Colne Engaine son of Mr & Mrs Alfred Fairbank. Killed in action, British Expeditionary Force, 26 January 1915 aged 21 years. Commemorated at Woburn Abbey Cemetery, Cuinchy, Pas de Calais, France.

 

George Fordham

Private 235740, 13th (Service) (1st Barnsley) Battalion, York & Lancaster Regiment (formerly 2375 of Suffolk Regiment (Cyclists?), was killed in action 7 Oct 1917, France and Flanders. Commemorated Roclincourt Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

 

Alfred James Gardner

Pte 43849 1st Bn Royal Berkshire Regiment (ex 305248 Suffolk Yeomanry, killed in action 6 May 1918, France & Flanders. Commemorated Berles New Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

 

From The Battalion War Diary for 6th May 1918:

France, Brigade Purple Line. Back areas shelled by enemy. Direct hit on gun pit occupied by B coy. 3 Killed 9 Wounded. Killed Pvts HP Franklin 220636, AJ Gardner 43849, TJ Stephens 43774.

The previous day the battalion had been in the Front Line at Boiry St Martin, just south of the strategic town of Arras but had been relieved by the Kings Rifle Corps at 1.45am

 

Douglas Charles Hibble

Able Seaman, J/27502 HMS Mary Rose formerly HMS Crescent. Son of Ellen Hibble born 9 Jul 1897 Colne Engaine, drowned 17 Oct 1917 North Sea. Employed by Mr Jackson. Commemorated Chatham Memorial, Kent.

 

On the afternoon of the 16/10/1917, HMS Mary Rose (C.L. Fox) left Marsten with twelve merchantmen, 2 British (Benelench), 1 Belgian, 2 Danish (Margrethe, Stella), 5 Norwegian (Dagbjørg, Habil, Silja, Sørhaug, Kristine) and 3 Swedish (Visbur, H. Wicander), and 2 armed trawlers in convoy bound for Shetland, joined later by HMS Strongbow (Edward Brooke). At 0600 hours the following morning at 60 deg 6 min N, 1 deg 6 min E, HMS Strongbow sighted two German cruisers, the Bremse and the Brummer in poor visibility and mistook them for British cruisers. 

 

The Brummer had closed to within 3000 yards and opened up with devastating fire, knocking out Strongbow’s main steampipe and wireless.The Strongbow was abandoned and sank at about 0930 hours with the loss of 47 Officers and men, after the German ships had made three separate attacks against her. 

 

The German ships then turned their attention to the merchantmen and quickly sank 4 of them. The Mary Rose had heard the firing astern of her and closed in to fight against desperate odds. Lieutenant-Commander Fox had no idea that the convoy was being attacked by anything other than a submarine. A few moments later he sighed the German cruisers and grasped the real position. 

 

Without a moments hesitation he approached the enemy at high speed, and at about twenty minutes past six the gunners opened fire at a distance which was estimated at between 6000 and 7000 yards. When at a distance of about 2000 yards from the enemy Lieutenant-Commander Fox put the helm hard over, and the German gunners got the range as the Mary Rose was on the turn. 

 

After that the end came quickly. She sank in a very short time taking with her most of her compliment of 88 Officers and ratings, including Lt. Cdr. Fox, who was last seen swimming in the water just before the Mary Rose went down. A few survivors with one Officer, Sub Lt. Freeman managed to escape on a raft. 

 

AB Hibble now lies at peace in the North Sea with 82 of his fellow shipmates at Lat 60.06Deg N Long 1.07 Deg W

 

George Hicks

Driver T4/040354 35th Div. Train, Army Service Corps. Born c1877 died in hospital in France 29 Oct 1918 of pneumonia. Before enlistment worked for Mr Bone, builder and contractor. Commemorated Pont-de-Nieppe Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.

 

Raymond George Fulcher Lane

Driver 77398 No.2 Airline Sect, Royal Engineers. Born Colne Engaine son of Frederick and Alethea Lane (schoolmaster). Died Salonika 10 November 1918 aged 24 years and commemorated at Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria, Greece.

 

George Quartermain (Sidney George Quartermaine)

Private 67415 Royal Fusiliers posted 2/2 London Regiment formerly 59th Field Bakery. Born Lewknor, Oxfordshire and died 26 October 1917. Commemorated at Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

 

George Charles Reynolds

Private G/6720 1st Bn The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Born c1895 son of Charles George & Lucy Maria Reynolds. died France 15 Sep 1916. Commemorated at Guillemont Road Cemetery, Guillemont, Somme, France.

 

Bert Ridgwell

Private 23805, 2nd Bn 9th Essex Regiment. Born Earls Colne son of Mr & Mrs Walter Ridgwell. Killed in action France 9 Jul 1916 and commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

 

Ernest Ridgwell

Private 51769, 11th Bn Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), ex 6758 25th Middlesex (Duke of Cambridge's Own). Born c1877 son of Mr & Mrs Walter Ridgwell. Before enlistment worked at Knights Farm for Miss Courtauld as a horseman and ploughman. Died of wounds 21 Oct 1917 in France. Commemorated Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Westvleteren, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

 

Harry George Smith (Existing plaque says Henry W Smith)

Private 45166, 37th (Labour) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Resident Colne Engaine. died of wounds 11 Oct 1916 and commemorated Longueval Road Cemetery, Somme, France.

 

Tom Smith

Private 56035, 10th Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers, formerly 32150 Essex Regiment. Born Colne Engaine the son of Mrs E Smith (latterly of Southend). Killed in action 27 February 1917 and commemorated at Beaurains Road Cemetery, Beaurains, Pas de Calais, France.

 

Ernest Wakeling

Private 10740, 9th Essex Regiment. Born Colne Engaine c1897 son of George and Sarah Wakeling. Died of wounds 22 Oct 1915 in France. Commemorated at Lillers Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

 

Percy G Wakeling

Private 10213, 2nd Bn, Essex Regiment. Born c1895 Colne Engaine, son of George and Sarah Wakeling. Died of wounds 6 Jan 1915. Commemorated at Bailleul Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.

 

Frederick Willsher

Private G/66351 4th Bn Royal Fusiliers. Born c1885. Killed in action 8 October 1918 in France. Commemorated at Forenville Military Cemetery, Nord, France.

 

Frank James Wright

Private 250847, 5th Bn Essex Regiment. Born c1897 son of James and Mary Emily Wright. Killed in action 26 Mar 1917 in Palestine. Commemorated at Gaza War Cemetery, Israel.

 

Frank was killed during the First Battle of Gaza on 26th March 1917. The 1/5th Battalion of the Essex Regiment suffered very heavily at the First Battle of Gaza - the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists 117 fatalities for the battalion on 26th March 1917 including Frank. (Photo above courtesy of Ann Emson of Station Road.)