Carhampton, Somerset
WW1 1914-1918
LIEUTENANT Conrad Clive Brockington (1897-1916)
He was born in 1897 at Weston, Bath, Somerset, and was the son of the Revd. Dr Alfred Allen Brockington (1871-1938) and his wife; Mary Clive Brockington nee Clive (1867-1922) . The family resided at 108 Newbridge Road, Weston, Somerset.
Conrad's father had served in several curacies in Somerset before being appointed Vicar at St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton, between 1905 and 1911. He was next made Vicar of Carhampton with Rodhuish between 1911 and 1915, before joining the Royal Army Chaplains Department on the 2nd of October 1915 and serving in France and Flanders. After the war he moved to Liverpool, and eventually West Kirby, Cheshire, where he died on the 4th of July 1938. Conrad had six siblings: Ruth Clive Brockington (1896–?), Carol Clive Brockington (1899–1918), Sylvia Ellen Clive Brockington (1902–1908), Faith Mary Clive Brockington (1903–1909), Miriam John Clive Brockington (1905–1985), and Paul Allen Clive Brockington (1909–1980). At the commencement of WW1 Conrad applied for a commission in the Army and on the 20th of March 1915 he was appointed as Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion of the Welsh Regiment, later Lieutenant of 'D' Company, 2nd Battalion of the Welsh Regiment. He was killed in action at 'High Wood', a wooded area near Bazentin le Petit, France, on the 8th of September 1916, aged 18 years. High Wood was of tremendous significance during the Battle of the Somme. The wood was first attacked on 14th of July 1916, but the British were unable to take it. A decision was made to make an assault with tanks on the 15th of September, but before that there was to be another drive to improve the British position. On the 8th of September the 2nd Welsh Regiment, together with the 1st Gloucester’s, attacked the west side of High Wood but suffered badly, especially the Gloucester’s. Lieutenant Brockington was first reported as 'missing in action' but it was later confirmed that he had been 'killed in action. His body was never identified/recovered. |
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Lieutenant Conrad Clive Brockington is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 7 A and 10 A.
In addition to being named on the war memorial plaque at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Carhampton, he has a personal memorial plaque located at St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton, which reads: SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
LIEUT. CONRAD CLIVE BROCKINGTON OF THE 2ND BATTALION OF THE WELCH REGIMENT KILLED IN HIGH WOOD ON THE 8TH SEPTEMBER 1916 THE FIRST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH |
PRIVATE Albert James 'Jim' Cook (1901-1918)
He was born in Carhampton on the 15th of July 1901 and was the son of Thomas and Rose Cook, of 2 The Bridge, Main St., Carhampton. His father was a Farmer. Albert was known as 'Jim' and had attended Carhampton school before, at the age of 11, gaining employment working at the kennels of the West Somerset Foxhounds.
His family came from a long military background. His Father had served in the local Militia, and 5 of his uncles had been army regulars. His Grandfather had served in the old 11th Regiment of Foot (Devonshire Regiment), and his Great Grandfather had fought in the Napoleonic Wars between (1803–1815). Jim's two brothers had also both enlisted into the army during WW1, both whilst aged under 18 years. So it was that in March 1915 young Jim, aged just 13 years and 10 months, boldly went to the recruiting office at Taunton and said he was 18. In a newspaper article of 1920 his mother commentated: "I am going to join up," he told us in March 1915. He was a big lad. He couldn't bear to see smaller men going. "Look here, Mother," he said to me, "if you tell them my real age I'll drown myself - I will straight." So I had to let him go, and he went to Egypt." He enlisted as Private 1619 in the West Somerset Yeomanry, and later as Private 295369 of the 12th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry Battalion, and served in Egypt and then Palestine, before his Battalion were redeployed to France in June 1917. He was 'killed in action' on the 3rd of August 1918, aged 17 years. He was due to go on home leave on the 4th of August and, ironically, it was whilst he was leaving the trenches that he came under the observation of an enemy sniper. Seconds later he was shot in the head, killing him instantly. He was buried at the Aire Communal Cemetery, Aire-sur-la-Lys, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France. PLOT III. J. 23. On his gravestone the personal inscription reads: IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR JIMMY MISSED BY ALL AT HOME & ABROAD FATHER & MOTHER. R.I.P. |
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On Thursday the 18th of November 1920 Jim's family, unable to travel to see his grave in France, undertook a pilgrimage to London to visit the tomb of the unknown soldier at Westminster Abbey in Jim's honour. Whilst at the Abbey Mr Westlake, Caretaker of Westminster Abbey, was so taken aback with sympathy that he permitted the couple to lay a small laurel wreath and card upon the tomb of the unknown soldier, where it was placed in a position of honour next to the tribute received from the King. Their card read: 'In loving remembrance of our darling, Jim Cook, who answered his country's call at the early age of 13 years and 10 months, and laid down his life at 17 years of age. Ever remembered by Dad and Mam, brothers and sisters, at home and abroad.'
Commenting to the Daily Sketch newspaper she said: "All our three boys were Soldiers. One is still in India. They were all under 18 when they joined up". |
PRIVATE Henry Herbert Curtis (1885-1915)
He was born at Cirencester, Gloucestershire, in 1885 and was the son of Charles and Ellen Curtis, of Carhampton, Somerset.
He served as Private SE-7955 of the 8th Veterinary Hospital, Army Veterinary Corps, and died whilst on active service in France on the 1st of June 1915, aged 30 years. His death was described as "under mysterious circumstances" but military records give no further insight. This may mean he died of an undiagnosed illness. He was buried at the St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France. Plot A. 10. 41. |
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PRIVATE Walter Farmer (1896-1918)
He was born at Carhampton in 1896 and was the son of Francis Eli and Emma Jane Farmer, of Marshwood Cottages, Blue Anchor, Somerset.
He served as Private 51464 in the 8th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry and was killed in action at the Battle of the Sambre, France, on the 4th of November 1918, aged 22 years. He was buried at the Flesquieres Hill British Cemetery, Nord, France. Plot IV. C. 27. The personal Inscription on his gravestone reads: 'UNTIL WE MEET IN THE AIR WITH CHRIST'. |
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PRIVATE Ernest Charles Gardner (1891-1918)
He was born in Carhampton, Somerset, in 1891 and was the son of George and Hannah Gardner of Carhampton, and brother of Mr E.J. Gardner of High Street, Carhampton.
He served as Private 240729 in the 1st/5th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry (60th Machine Gun Battalion) and was deployed in Egypt, and them Palestine. He was killed in action whilst fighting the Ottoman Turks on the 10th of April 1918, aged 26 years, and was buriel at the Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel. Plot S. 51. |
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LANCE CORPORAL Henry Grandfield (1887-1918)
He was born at Over Stowey, Somerset in 1887 and was the son of William Weymouth Grandfield (1853-1927) and Martha Grandfield nee Crispin of Adscombe, Over Stowey. He had three sisters; Mary, Emma and Annie. Before WW1 Henry resided at Carhampton and was employed by the Great Western Railway, probably at Blue Anchor Station.
On enlisting into the army he initially served as Gunner 64923 in the Royal Field Artillery but later transferred Royal Tank Corps to become Lance Corporal 300539. He died at Wareham, Dorset, on the 1st of October 1918, aged 31 years (circumstances unknown) and was buried at Over Stowey Cemetery, Somerset, Plot 5. 40. In addition to the Carhampton War Memorial plaque, his name is also commemorated on the GWR Roll of Honour Memorial at Taunton Railway Station. |
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PRIVATE Charles George Morris (1884-1914)
He was born at Branksome, near Poole, Dorset, in 1884 and was baptised at St Aldhelm's Church, Branksome, on the 29th of June 1884. He was the son of George and Mary Alice Morris - who later resided at Park View, Park Street, Dunster, Somerset.
Charles first enlisted into the army at Poole, Dorset, on the 20th of June 1904 as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Dorset Regiment. On his enlistment papers he gave his occupation as a Farm Carter. In 1911 he is listed as being a Cook at the British Regimental Barracks in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) India. By 1912 Charles had left the army and was residing at Kittisford Barton, Kittisford, near Taunton, Somerset, where he had returned to his previous occupation as a Farm Carter. On the 17th of April 1912 at the United Methodist Church, Clayhanger, Devon, he married Ada Jane Eyres (b.1880), the daughter of Gamekeeper William Eyres of Hayne Moor, Bampton, Devon. The marriage was witnessed by Edward Gillard and also Charles’s sister; Florence Mabel Morris. At the commencement of WW1 he recalled to his Regiment at Poole, Dorset, to become Private 7291 in the 1st Battalion of the Dorset Regiment. The Dorset's were sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force , arriving at Le Havre on the 16th of Aug, 1914 and were deployed on the Western Front. |
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Charles was killed in action at the Battle of La Bassée on the 13th of October 1914, aged 31 years. His body was never identified/recovered and he is commemorated at the Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 22 and 23.
He is commemorated on the War Memorial Plaque at St John the Baptist Church, Carhampton. |
PRIVATE George Henry Strong (1892-1918)
He was born at Carhampton, Somerset in 1892 and was the son of Joseph and Fanny Strong, of "The Tanyard," Carhampton.
George enlisted at Minehead to become Private 267080 in the 15th Battalion (2nd Birmingham) of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. After having been based in France for most of the war, his Battalion were redeployed to Italy to take-up positions along the River Piave in late January 1918. Here they supported the Italian Army in fighting the forces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. George was killed in action on the 2nd of February 1918, aged 26 years. He was buried at the Giavera British Cemetery, Arcade, Italy. Plot 1. Row D. Grave 3. |
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PRIVATE Charles Hubert Williams (1899-1918)
(Shown incorrectly as Hubert C. Williams on Carhampton's WW1 War Memorial Plaque)
He was born at Carhampton, Somerset, in 1899 and was the son of Robert Edwin Williams of Cutcombe, Somerset, (1853 -1940) and Emily Williams nee Weetch of Bicknollar, Somerset (1859-1931).
His siblings were: 1. Robert Maurice Williams (1889-1926). Born at Carhampton. 2. Dulcie Quartly nee Williams (1891-1956). Born at Carhampton. 3. Helen Nesta Williams (1893-1983). Born at Carhampton. 4. Dorothy Kate Williams (b.1897). Born at Carhampton. The family home was at of ‘Redfield’, Main Road, Carhampton. In WW1 Charles served initially as Private 45896 of the Hampshire Regiment before transferring to the 2/4th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment as Private 44349. He was killed in action at Picardy, France, on the 7th of June 1918, aged 19 years, and was buried at St. Venant-Robecq Road British Cemetery, Robecq, Pas de Calais, France. Plot IV. C. 18. He is commemorated on the War Memorial plaque within St John the Baptist Church, Carhampton, Somerset, where, unfortunately, his name has incorrectly been inscribed as Hubert C. Williams. |
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PRIVATE Thomas Hurford Williams (1893-1918)
He was born at Carhampton, Somerset, in 1893 and was the son of Charles Williams of Wootton Courtney, Somerset (b.1867) and Elizabeth Ann Williams nee Hurford of Withycombe, Somerset (1870-1939).
His siblings were: 1. Bessie Williams (b.1894) 2. Joseph Williams (b.1895) 3. Annie Eliza Williams (1897-1932) 4. Margaret Williams (b.1904) The family home was at Briddicott, Carhampton. In WW1 Thomas enlisted as Private 674 in the 2nd Battalion of the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment, who were subsequently deployed to the Gallipoli, arriving on the 9th of July 1915. After the failure of the campaign against the Ottoman Turks, the battalion were evacuated in December 1915 to Alexandria, Egypt, and later redeployed to France to fight on the Western Front. Thomas was ‘Killed in Action’ in France on the 20th of February 1918. He was aged 25 years and was buried at Plot I. B. 13. of the Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France, where the personal inscription on his gravestone reads: “BRIGHT IS THEIR GLORY NOW BOUNDLESS THEIR JOY ABOVE.” He is commemorated on the War Memorial Plaque at St John the Baptist Church, Carhampton. |
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WW2 1939-1945
GUNNER Cyril George Bryant (1919-1941)
He was born at Carhampton in 1919 and was the son of Thomas and Alice Mary Bryant, of Carhampton, and brother of Thomas John Bryant (1904-1989).
During WW2 he served in the Royal Artillery as Gunner 1497459, in 315 Battery of the 30th Searchlight Regiment. At the end of March 1941 his regiment were deployed in Bristol City and Avonmouth Docks for fire-watching and fire-fighting duties. It was an area that, at that time, was being heavily blitzed each night. Cyril was killed by enemy action on the 3rd of April 1941, aged 22 years, and was buried in the churchyard at St John the Baptist Church, Carhampton. Grave No. 193. |
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SERGEANT Cecil John Hole (1909-1943)
(Shown incorrectly as John C. Hole on Carhampton's WW2 War Memorial Plaque)
He was born in Dunster, Somerset, on the 7th May 1909 and was the husband of Kathleen Hole, of Washford, Somerset, and father of Anthony John Hole (1939-1965).
During WW2 he served as Sergeant 1320392, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and was attached to 20 O.T.U. (Operational Training Unit) at RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland. The role of 20 O.T.U. was to train night bomber crews using the Vickers Wellington aircraft. He died on the 8th of October 1943, aged 34 years, when his Wellington Bomber (Serial number X3662) ditched into the sea at around 6am,10 miles North West of Dunvegan Head, Isle of Skye. Killing all the crew-members.:
His son's grave, which is located at St Andrew's Churchyard at Old Cleve, Somerset, also has a memorial to his father upon it, which reads: 'also of Cecil John Hole R.A.F. - Father of the above - Missing October 8th 1943 - Aged 34.' |
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CORPORAL Frederick Ernest Reynolds (1910-1944)
He was born in 1910 at Carhampton, Somerset, and was the son of Arthur and Alice Edbrook Reynolds; and husband of Edith Gwendoline Reynolds.
In WW2 as Private, later Corporal, 5673270 of the 2nd Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry. The 2nd Somersets arrived in Italy in March 1944 and served in the Italian Campaign as part of the British Eighth Army in many battles such as that of Monte Cassino, one of the worst battles of the Italian Campaign, in 1944. He was killed in action on the 16th of July 1944, aged 34 years, and was buried at the Foiano Della Chiana War Cemetery, Italy. Plot II. R. 1. The personal inscription on his gravestone reads: 'ONE OF THE BRAVEST, ONE OF THE BEST, GOD TOOK HIM HOME IN HEAVEN TO REST' |
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FLIGHT SERGEANT Arthur Donald Shopland (1925-1945)
(Shown incorrectly as Donald Shopland on Carhampton's WW2 War Memorial Plaque)
He was born in 1925 and was the son of Fred and Beatrice Maud Shopland, of Carhampton, Somerset.
In WW2 he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as Service Number: 1851187 and gained the rank of Flight Sergeant serving with 161 Squadron at RAF Temsford in Bedfordshire. No. 161 (Special Duties) Squadron was a highly secretive unit of the Royal Air Force, performing missions as part of the Royal Air Force Special Duties Service. It was tasked with missions of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) during the Second World War. Their primary role was to drop and collect secret agents and equipment into and from Nazi-occupied Europe. On the night of the 30th March 1945 his aircraft (a short Stirling MA-Y, serial no. LK119) and team we tasked on an SOE mission 'Operation Bit 14' to Norway. Stirling LK119 took off from RAF Temsford in Bedfordshire at 22.01 hrs on the night of 30th March detailed to carry out supply dropping over Norway. The aircraft was shot down over Hegland, Holt, Norway, by a German Night-Fighter at about 01.30 hrs on 31st March, killing all members of the crew in the ensuing crash. Flight Sergeant Shopland was aged 20 at the time of his death. He, together with the other members of the flight crew were buried at Arendal Hogedal Cemetery, Norway. British Plot H. 15. Joint grave 4 and 5. Arendal is a large town on the south east coast of Norway. |
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The members of the flight crew on the 30th March 1945 were:
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