Brushford, Somerset
A framed Roll of Honour located within St Nicholas Church, Brushford, West Somerset.
Faithful unto Death. Men of this Parish who have laid down their lives for their King & Country in the great European War. "Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints". "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" ("It is sweet and honourable to die for the homeland") "We look for the Resurrection of the dead and the life of the World to come." There is also a Reredos at St Nicholas Church (an ornamental screen covering the wall at the back of an altar) with gilt horses and carved quatrefoils on a frame on both sides of the altar. It is inscribed: IN HONOURED MEMORY OF THE BRUSHFORD MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR 1914 - 1918. It lists the names of 9 of the 10 men of Brushford who were killed during WW1. Oddly, the name of Trooper Felix Tarr is missing. |
WW1
PRIVATE James 'Jim' Baker (1893-1914)
He was born at Brushford, Somerset, in 1893 and was the son of Charles and Jane Baker, of Allshire Cottage, Dulverton, Somerset.
At the beginning of WW1 he enlisted into the 2nd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment as Private 5778. The Battalion were sent to France on the 6th of November 1914 and deployed on the Western Front. Jim was killed in action, aged 21 years, when his company were involved in an attack on the German Trenches at Pont Richon on the 18th of December 1914. The attack was considered to be a success with a number of German trenches taken. However, this was at the cost of the lives of 121 British Officers and Men. Jim's body was never identified/recovered and he is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, France. Panel 8 and 9. |
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PRIVATE John Ambrose Ball (1886-1915)
He was born in 1886 and was the son of James and Ann Ball, of King's Nympton, Devon, and he was the husband of Edith Annie Ball, of Riphay Cottage, Exebridge, nr Dulverton, Somerset.
In WW1 he served as Private 18348 in the 8th (Service) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. He 'died of wounds' from received in action at the Somme on the 21st of February 1915, aged 28 years, and was buried at the Meaulte Military Cemetery, Meaulte, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France. Plot B. 20. |
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PRIVATE Albert George Carter (1892-1917)
He was born at East Anstey, Devon, in 1892 and was the son of George (1853-1926) and Louisa Carter nee Manning (1860-1956). His father was the Farmer of Radnadge Farm, East Anstey, Devon
Albert was the husband of Emily Carter, of Allways End, East Anstey. During WW1 he served as Private 27161 in the 7th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry. Albert was killed in action, aged 25 years, on the 16th of August 1917 during the first day of the Battle of Langemarck. The battle took place near Ypres in Belgian Flanders, on the Western Front against the German 4th Army. Albert's body was never identified/recovered and he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. Panel 41 to 42. |
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William Henry Cockram (d.1916)
Little is currently know about William Henry Cockram of Brushford Somerset. During WW1 he served as Private 20929 of the 9th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. He died from the effects of exposure whilst serving on the field of battle in France around the village of Mametz on the 2nd July 1916. He was buried at the Corbie Communal Cemetery, Corbie, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France. Plot 1. Row B. Grave 13.
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PRIVATE Charles Kemp Fewings M.M. (1895-1918)
He was born at Chulmleigh, Devon, in 1895 and was the son of John Kemp Fewings and his wife; Elizabeth Fewings. Charles was the husband of Laura Fewings (later Upham), of Stowey Cottage, Wheddon Cross, Somerset.
In WW1 Charles served as Private 29266 of the 50th Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). He was a recipient of the Military Medal (M.M.) which was awarded to those who had undertaken acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire. He was killed in action, aged 23 years, on the 26th of March 1918 on the Somme, France. His body was never identified/recovered, and he is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial Pozieres, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France. Panel 90 to 93. |
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PRIVATE Arthur George Fyfe (1899-1918)
He was born at Exebridge, Somerset, in 1899 and was the son of David George and Ruth Fyfe, of 5, Exebridge, nr Dulverton, Somerset.
During WW1 he enlisted as Private 40756 in the Somerset Light Infantry, but later he was transferred to the 5th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment as Private 48715. He was killed in action during an attack on the German held village of Méaulte, on the Somme, France, on the 8th of August 1918. He was aged 19 years and was buried at Beacon Cemetery, Sailly-Laurette, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France. Plot II. G. 1. |
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SAPPER Walter John Greedy (1889-1918)
He was born in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, in 1889 and was the son of Mrs Sarah Jane Greedy, of Ford Road, Wiveliscombe, Somerset. He was the
brother of William John Greedy (1891-1918) who served as a Corporal in the 1st/5th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, and was killed in action in Palestine in 1918. On the 26th of December 1913 Walter was married to Irene Hobbs, and prior to WW1 he worked for the Great Western Railway at Dulverton Station. During WW1 he served as Sapper175203 (later renumbered WR/2567350) in the Royal Engineers. He died at Exeter, Devon, aged 29 years, on the 22nd of December 1918 (Circumstances currently unknown) and was buried in the Churchyard at St Nicholas Church, Brushford. Plot 2:6. In addition to his grave he is commemorated on the Brushford Roll of Honour as well as the Great Western Railway's Roll of Honour at Taunton Railway Station. |
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PRIVATE Fred Milton (1885-1918)
Name is missing from Brushford's War Memorial - but is, instead, on both of the Dulverton War Memorials
He was born at Brushford, Somerset, on the 19th of August 1885 and was the son of Mr Edwin C. and Mrs Elizabeth A. Milton, of 5 Bridge Street, Dulverton. His baptism took place at All Saints’ Church, Dulverton, on the 13th of September 1885.
Before the war Fred resided and worked as an agricultural labourer at Lyncombe Farm, Brompton Regis. In WW1 he served as Private 203683, 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry, and was killed in action at Second Battle of Kemmel (Kemmelberg, Belgium) part of the wider ‘Battle of the Lys’, on the 26th of April 1918, aged 32 years. His body was never identified/recovered and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 38 and 39. His name also appears on the Dulverton War Memorial, and the war memorial within All Saints' Church at Dulverton. |
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LANCE CORPORAL William Thomas Palmer (1898-1918)
He was born at Brushford, Somerset, in 1898 and was the son of John and Lucy Palmer, of Rock Cottage, Brushford.
William enlisted with the West Somerset Yeomanry as Private 1673 and saw service in Egypt fighting the Ottoman Turks. Whilst in Egypt the Yeomanry were converted to an infantry force and in 1917 became the 12th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, with William's Service number changing to 295397 and being promoted to Lance Corporal. The 12th Battalion were re-deployed to France, sailing from Alexandria on the 30th of April 1918 and landed at Marseilles on 7th of May 1918. They were then involved in the Second Battles of the Somme and the Battles of the Hindenburg Line. He was killed in action at Cambrin, France, on the 13th of October 1918, during the final advance in Artois and Flanders. William was aged 20 years and was buried at Cambrin Military Cemetery, Cambrin, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France. Plot Q. 9. The personal inscription on his gravestone reads: "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS." |
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TROOPER Felix Tarr (1889-1915)
He was born at Exebridge, Somerset, in 1889 and was the son of Mrs Bessie Tarr, of Huckley Head Cottage, Bampton, Devon (d.1946).
Felix enlisted in the 1st/1st West Somerset Yeomanry (Corps of Hussars) as Trooper 955. The Yeomanry were ordered in Gallipoli, Turkey, in 1915 to fight the Ottoman Turks. They arrived Mudros on the Greek Island of Lemnos on the 1st of October 1915, before being transferred onto the SS Osmanieh for onward travel to Suvla Bay in Gallipoli, arriving on the 9th of October 1915. They bivouacked at 'Oxford Street' at Karakol Dagh, attached to the 11th (Northern) Division, and whilst digging trenches received their first casualties. Felix was wounded in action and evacuated to the Australian Military Hospital back at Mudros on the Island of Lemnos, where he 'died of wounds' on October the 16th 1915, aged 26 years. He was buried at the East Mudros Military Cemetery, Lemnos, Greece. Plot III. B. 47. |
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PRIVATE William Stanley ('Stan') Tucker (1894-1915)
He was born in Fremington, North Devon in 1894 and was the son of John Tucker (1855-1931) and Mary Jane Tucker nee Spearman (1857-1916), of 1 Victoria Tce, Fremington, North Devon. Before WW1 Stan worked for the Great Western Railway at Dulverton Railway Station.
When war came he enlisted at Dulverton into the 6th Battalion of the Leinster Regiment, seeing action against the Ottoman Turks in Egypt. He 'died of wounds' on the 16th of August 1915, aged 21 years, and was buried at the Alexandria (Chatby) Military And War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria, El Eskenderiya, Egypt. Plot K. 80. He is commemorated on his grandparents and parents joint grave at St. Peter's Parish Churchyard, Fremington, Devon, as well as on the Great Western Railway's Roll of Honour at Taunton Station. |
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