Exford, Somerset
Within St Mary Magdalene's Church, Exford, there are three war memorial tablets:
- A white marble tablet on a black marble backboard commemorates 10 parishioners who died in World War One and has a wreath depicted on the apex of the backboard.
- A white marble tablet commemorates 3 parishioners who died in World War Two.
- A white marble tablet with an oak frame commemorates Major Morland Greig (of the Royal North Devon Hussars) and Richard Greig, father and son, killed in 1915 in World War One and 1941 in World War Two respectively. The badge of the Royal North Devon Hussars is shown in the top centre.
Exford Memorial Hall
The Exford Memorial Hall was built in memory of Major Morland John Greig (1864-1915) and to commemorate the additional nine Exford men who died in the First World War. It was opened by Lady Sanders in 1922. There are plaques at the Hall commemorating the fallen of both WW1 and WW2. The Hall was used as a school room for Leyton (East London) Schoolchildren who were evacuated to Exford during World War Two. |
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WW1
PRIVATE William Robert Balmond (1899-1918)
He was born in 1899 at Exford and was the son of John and Lucy Balmond, of Wellshead Cottage, Exford.
He served in the 1st Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as Private 42574, and was killed in action in France on the 4th of November 1918, aged 19 years. William was buried at Ors Communal Cemetery, Ors, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France. Plot C. 1. |
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PRIVATE Charles Henry Durman (1896-1916)
He was born in 1896 at Exford and was the son of James and Emily Durman, of Harwood Cottage, Timberscombe.
He served in the 8th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry as Private 19198, and was killed in action on the 29th of June 1916, aged 20 years. Charles was buried at Norfolk Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, Picardie, France. Plot I. A. 84. |
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PRIVATE John May Gibbs (1879-1917) Missing from Exford's war memorials
PRIVATE JOHN MAY GIBBS Service Number: 36510 Worcestershire Regiment (Depot)
Died 06 May 1917 of pneumonia
Age 38 years old
commemorated at BRISTOL (GREENBANK) CEMETERY Screen Wall. S. 342.
Son of John and Mary Gibbs, late of Exford; husband of Ada Gibbs, of 75, Chelsea Park, Easton, Bristol.
BIRTH Exford, Somerset 1879
Died 06 May 1917 of pneumonia
Age 38 years old
commemorated at BRISTOL (GREENBANK) CEMETERY Screen Wall. S. 342.
Son of John and Mary Gibbs, late of Exford; husband of Ada Gibbs, of 75, Chelsea Park, Easton, Bristol.
BIRTH Exford, Somerset 1879
PRIVATE Levi Gould (1895-1916)
He was born in 1895 at Winsford and was the son of John Matthew Gould (1861-1925) and Elizabeth Gould nee Palfreyman (1858-1928) of Church House, Exford.
He served in the 6th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry as Private 20527, and was killed in action on the18th of August 1916, aged 20 years. His body was never found/recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Thiepval, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France. Pier and Face 2 A. |
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MAJOR Morland John Grieg (1864-1915)
He was born to British parents at Chester, Delaware, Pennsylvania United States of America on the 16th of October 1864, and was the son of John Peter MacMorland Greig (1835-1890) and Ann 'Annie' Lydia Greig nee Beadle (1836-1896). His siblings were John Charles Hamilton Greig (1858-1917) and Arnold Alexander Greig (1871-1925).
He was the husband of Kate Grieg nee Humphreys (1863-1953) and father to Dorothy E. Greig (1890-?); John Morland Greig (1891-?); Phillip Humphries Greig (1892-1966); Kenneth John Morland Greig (1895-1948) and Richard Morland Greig (1905-1941). His occupation was as a Merchant, and he served as a local JP (Magistrate), as well as Master of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds. The 1911 census records show the family residence as Edgcott House, Exford. As an experienced horseman he joined the 1st Royal North Devonshire Hussars, which was a Yeomanry Territorial Force, and where he attained the rank of Major. In WW1 his regiment were called to active service and formed part of the 1/2nd South Western Mounted Brigade, who served as infantry at Gallipoli attached to the 11th Division. His regiment landed at Suvla Bay on the 9th of October 1915. Morland John Grieg was killed in action, Gallipoli, Turkey, on the 17th of October 1915, aged 51 years. He was buried at Gallipoli's 'Hill 10 Cemetery' Plot I. I. 16. The Exford Memorial Hall was built in memory of Major Morland Greig and also to commemorate the additional nine Exford men who died in the First World War. It was opened by Lady Sanders in 1922.
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Dick Lloyd, President of the Devon and Somerset Staghound, spoke in 2001 as follows about Morland Greig: "They never had a fixed house. They shuffled from one to another in an amazing way. They lived at Edgcott and Yealscombe, and Kings, Withypool. The Greigs were tremendously part of Exmoor in those days. Grandfather Greig, Morland Greig, was master of the Devon and Somerset when the first war started. When the war started on the 3rd of August and on the 4th or 5th they took the hounds to the meet. He says in his diary that he went in mufti and the staff in uniform. They sang 'God save the King', and he sent the hounds home. He went straight off to his regiment, which was the Royal North Devon Yeomanry. In due course he went to Gallipoli and was killed. He was aged 53 (in fact 51). How many people of 43 or even 33, do you know who went to the last war? It was amazing fortitude. They wouldn't have let him go now. He was killed commanding the squadron in Gallipoli". His memorial tablet exists in St. Mary Magdalene Church, Exford. He was the son of John Peter Morland Greig and Annie Lydia Greig and married Kate Humphreys of Edgcott, Exford, Somerset".
One of his sons; Kenneth John Morland Greig D.S.O. D.S.C (1895-1948) served in the Royal Navy from 1908 as a cadet. He had a distinguished career, achieving the rank of Commander before retiring in 1935.
At the commencement of WW2 he came-out of retirement to serve his Country once again. He was appointed to minesweeping duties with H.M.S. Lochinvar, and later HMS Sandown, before his final command (1943-44) aboardHMS Alecto, a Submarine Depot Ship deployed on boom defence duties at Portsmouth Harbour. Another son; Richard Morland Grieg (1905-1941) was killed during WW2 when the ship he was travelling on was attacked and sunk by a German surface raider. On the 11th March 1941 SS Britannia set out from Liverpool to Freetown in Sierra Leone, Durban and Bombay. On the 23rd of March 1941 she was attacked by the German Hilfskreuzer (auxiliary cruiser) 'Thor' and sunk. Of the 492 people on board only 243 of them survived after having spent days in life rafts awaiting rescue. |
SERGEANT Ernest Hill (1876-1916)
Ernest Hill was born in 1876 at Cutcombe and was the son of Mary Stone (formerly Hill), of Luckwell Bridge, Wheddon Cross, and the late John Hill.
He had joined the 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment in 1894, aged 18, and had served in both India (Tirah Expedition, NW Frontier) and in South Africa during the Second Boer War and in the defence of Ladysmith. He afterwards emigrated to Australia. With the arrival of the First World War he enlisted at Liverpool in New South Wales in June 1915, joining the 2nd Battalion, Australian Infantry. He served in the Dardanelles (Turkey) and Egypt before being transferred to the 54th Battalion of the Australian Infantry in February 1916. The battalion then moved to the Western Front in France (via Marseilles) in June 1916. The battalion took part in the Battle of Fromelles, where he was killed in action on the first day of the battle on the 19th of July 1916, aged 39 years. His service Number was 2425, and confirmation of his promotion to Sergeant came through after his death. Hill's body was buried near the dressing station at Eaton Hall, near Armentieres, on the on the 20th of July. Later to be exhumed and reburied at the Rue-Petillion Miliary Cemetery, Fleurbaix, Pas-de-Calais, France. Plot I. K. 11. |
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PRIVATE Richard Norman (1895-1916)
He was born at Exford in 1895 and was the son of James Norman, of Silver St., Wiveliscombe.
He enlisted at Taunton as Private 20530 Somerset Light Infantry. Later Private 29796 Welsh Regiment. Later Service No: 29796 1st Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment. (During WW1 it was often the case that soldiers were transferred to other regiments from their original in order to maintain service levels). He was killed in action on the 21st of October 1916, aged 21 years. His body was never identified/recovered, and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Pier and Face 13 A. |
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PRIVATE Sidney James Norman (1890-1917)
He was born at Exford in 1890 and was the Husband of Ethel Lilian Norman, of Bridge Building, Exford, Somerset.
He enlisted at Minehead and served as Private 64626 in the Machine Gun Corps of the Somerset Light Infantry. He died of wounds received in action on the 29th of June 1917, aged 27 years, and was buried at the Coxyde Military Cemetery, Koksijde, Arrondissement Veurne, West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen), Belgium. Plot I. B. 55. |
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LANCE CORPORAL Herbert Tucker (1894-1915)
He was the son of Mr. R. S. and Mrs. B. J. Tucker, of Alscott, Doverhay, Porlock.
In WW1 he served at Lance Corporal 13630 of the 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusilliers. The Regiment were deployed to Gallipoli (Turkey) and landed at Sulva Bay on the 7th of August 1915 and were immediately involved in an attack on Chocolate Hill on the 7th and 8th of August. Herbert Tucker was killed in action on the 16th of August 1915, aged 21 years. His body was never identified/recovered, and he is remembered on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Çanakkale, Turkey. Panel 178 to 180. |
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PRIVATE Maurice Wensley (1892-1917)
He was born in 1892 at Luxborough, Somerset, and was the son of Charles and Harriet Wensley, of "Court House," Exford.
He served as Trouper 1015 in the 1st Royal North Devonshire Hussars (Yeomanry Territorial Force). Later Private 345625 of the 16th (Royal Devon and Royal North Devon Yeomanry) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. He was killed in action, aged 25 years, on the 28th of November 1917 whilst fighting the Ottoman Turks during the battle for Jerusalem. His body was never identified/recovered, and he is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial Panel 15. |
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SERJEANT Edgar Winzer (1895-1917)
He was born at Exford in 1885 and was the son of William Winzer and Elizabeth Winzer of Wellshead Farm, Exford. In the 1911 census Edgar was shown to be residing at Wellshead Farm, Exford.
In WW1 he served as 1633 Serjeant in the 1st Royal North Devonshire Hussars (Yeomanry Territorial Force). Later Serjeant 345499 Devonshire Regiment, 16th (Royal Devon and Royal North Devon Yeomanry) Battalion. He was killed in action, aged 32 years, on the 3rd of December 1917 whilst fighting the Ottoman Turks during the battle for Jerusalem. He was buried at the Jerusalem War Cemetery. Plot A. 17. His elder brother was Cyril Winzer (1893-1985) who served in WW1 as Private 43039 of the Dorset Regiment. |
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WW2
SERJEANT Charles Henry Coward (1912-1942)
He was born at Barnstaple, Devon, in 1912 and was the son of Arthur and Emma Jane Coward. In 1940 he married Ann Brown (1918-1998) of Kilbirnie, Strathclyde, Scotland.
During WW2 he served in the Royal Army Service Corps. Service Number: T/61109, Serjeant in the 6th Supply Company, Royal West African Frontier Force. He died on the 5th of April 1942, Age 30 years old and was buried at the Freetown (King Tom) Cemetery, Sierra Leone. Plot 6. D. 1. The Personal Inscription on his gravestone reads: MAY THE HEAVENLY WINDS BLOW SOFTLY O'ER THIS SWEET AND HALLOWED SPOT |
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SERGEANT Stanley Allen Meadows (1914-1944)
He was born in 1914 at Islington, London, and was the son of Robert Allen Meadows and Elizabeth Ann Meadows, of Exford, Somerset.
During WW2 he joined the Royal Air Force and served as Sergeant 517497 with 101 Squadron at RAF Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire. He trained as a Wireless Operator and Air Gunner on Lancaster Bombers. On the 6th of November 1944 he was acting as the wireless operator on his aircraft (Avro Lancaster Mk1, Serial No. PB692) for a daylight bombing mission on the city of Gelsenkirchen, in the Northern Ruhr, Germany. His aircraft took off 12.00hrs but having reached Gelsenkirchen it was shot down over the district of Wanne-Eickel, resulting in the entire crew losing their lives. Stanley was aged 30 years. He was buried at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany. Plot 20. B. 3. Other members of the flight crew were:
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Richard Morland Grieg (1905-1941) Civilian War Dead
He was born at Edgcott House, Exford, on the 18th of November 1904 and was the son of Major Morland John Grieg (1864-1915) and Kate Greig nee Humphreys (1863-1953), of Edgcott House, Exford. (At the time of Richard's death his widowed mother was residing at Little Quarme, Wheddon Cross, Somerset.)
He was the brother of Dorothy E. Greig (1890-?); John Morland Greig (1891-?); Phillip Humphries Greig (1892-1966); and Kenneth John Morland Greig (1895-1948). Richard was the husband of Diana Greig nee Grant (1907-2003). He died, aged 36 years, on the 23rd of March 1941 as a civilian passenger aboard the SS Britannia when she was attacked by the German surface raider 'Thor' and sunk. On the 11th March 1941 the SS Britannia set out from Liverpool to Freetown in Sierra Leone, Durban and Bombay as a member of a convoy with an anti-submarine escort. She was originally a passenger ship of the Anchor Line and was operating as a troop ship under the command of Captain Alexander Collie and was carrying a total of 492 service personnel, passengers and crew. By the 23rd of March the rest of the convoy had disappeared and the SS Britannia was on her own. Early that same morning she was attacked by the German Hilfskreuzer (auxiliary cruiser) 'Thor', which was a converted merchant ship, under the command of Kapitän Otto Kähler. The Thor was armed with six 5.9 inch guns and easily overpowered the SS Britannia. When her single rear 4 inch gun was destroyed Captain Collie gave the order to abandon ship. After giving warning and allowing time to abandon ship, Thor shelled the Britannia on her waterline and she sank quickly. Of the 492 people on board; 243 of them survived the attack. Britannia's radio operator had managed to get off an RRR (Raider, Raider, Raider) signal with her location, which was acknowledged by Sierra Leone radio. The Thor picked up radio traffic which indicated that a Royal Navy warship was on its way at speed. In the light of this information, Kapitän Kähler did not stay to pick up survivors. He heard later that no warship had arrived and that some of the survivors had spent many days on rafts and in lifeboats before being picked up by other ships that happened to be in the area. Richard's body was never recovered and the plaque within the church at Exford is a memorial, not a grave. |
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One of Richard's elder brothers was Kenneth John Morland Greig D.S.O. D.S.C (1895-1948) who had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, having embarked as a Cadet in 1908.
During World War II he returned to the Royal Navy and was appointed firstly to H.M.S. Lochinvar for minesweeping operations. His next ship was HMS Sandown, a paddle-wheel ferry built in 1934 for Southern Railway's Portsmouth to Ryde service but requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1939 and converted to a minesweeper, and later in 1942 to an anti-aircraft ship. His final command (1943-44) being HMS Alecto, a Submarine Depot Ship deployed on boom defence duties at Portsmouth Harbour. |
Others buried at St Mary Magdalene's Churchyard with Military Connections.
MAJOR John Vere Foster (1883-1953)
He was born at Solihull, West Midlands, on the 5th of April 1883.
During WW1 he served as a Major in the British Army's Remount Service. In 1918 he married Dorothy Wyndham Baker (1891-1978). He died at Exford, aged 70 years, on the 3rd of June 1953. |
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LIEUTENANT COLONEL Guy Jackson (1904-1960)
& Audrey Elizabeth Downes (1922-1984)
MAJOR-GENERAL Hayman John Hayman-Joyce CBE DSO (1897-1958)
He was born in the hamlet of Rye Foreign in the Rother District of East Sussex on the 2nd of May 1897. In 1923 he married Irene May Swann (1897-1977). They had two daughters and a son.
Hayman-Joyce served as a lieutenant in the Border Regiment during the First World War. After attending the Army Staff College at Camberley from 1933 to 1934, he was given command of 5th Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) in France in 1940.He was appointed Commander of 6th Brigade later that year, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 48th (South Midland) Division in December 1941, and GOC of the 4th Infantry Division in August 1943. The 4th Division saw service in North Africa and took part in the allied invasion of Italy under his command. His last appointment was as GOC British Troops in Egypt in 1944, before he retired in 1947. He died at Exford, aged 61 years, on the 7th of July 1958. |
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CAPTAIN Murdoch Mackenzie R.N. (1743-1829)
He was born on the 28th of February 1743 and was the son of Thomas Mackenzie (1709–1760), a landowner, of Groundwater in Orkney, and his wife, Elizabeth (née Blaw). Murdoch Mackenzie attended Kirkwall grammar school. He was the nephew of Murdoch McKenzie (1712–1797) and, being of the same name, and both becoming Admiralty cartographers, surveyors, and hydrographers, they are usually referred to as "The Elder" or "The Younger".
Murdock Mackenzie 'The Younger' joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet and became a Midshipman on HMS Dolphin in her voyage around the world under Commodore John Byron between 1764 and 1766. In 1771 he succeeded his uncle as chief surveyor of the Admiralty. In 1773 he was surveying the coast of Cornwall, in 1775 the coast of Kent, and in 1779 the south coast of Devon. On the 5th of August 1779 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, but the promotion made no difference in his work. In 1780 he surveyed the channel between the Isle of Sheppey and the mainland, an idea having been started that the Dutch might attempt to get again into the Medway by this passage. In 1781 he surveyed the Needles of the Isle of Wight at the request of Trinity House, in order to determine the best way of protecting vessels from the rocks. About this time his eyesight began to fail, but he continued to act as Chief Surveyor of the Admiralty until 1788. He was promoted to be Commander on the 31st of January 1814, and died on the 27th of January 1829, in his 86th year. |
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Murdock Mackenzie 'The Younger' is often described as being "of Minehead in Somerset" but he actually resided with his wife (Sarah Ann Cox 1753-1826) at the Exmoor village of Exford - 10 miles southwest of the coastal town.
He and his wife were interred in the family vault in the crypt of St Mary Magdalene's Church, Exford. |
CAPTAIN Ronald Frank Rous McNeill (1894-1956)
Ronald Frank Rous McNeill was born on the 15th of January 1894 at Rothley, Leicestershire. He was the son of Charles Fitzroy Ponsonby McNeill OBE (1866-1955) and Lady Hilda Maud Rous (1867-1904). He married, firstly, Kathleen Beart on 6 April 1918 at Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa. He and Kathleen Beart were divorced before 1932. He married, secondly, Phyllis Rowatt in 1932 at St. George's Church, Hanover Square, London, England.
He gained the rank of Captain in the Irish Guards. |
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MAJOR Paul Fitzroy Marshall (1913-1970)
FARRIER SERGEANT Charlie Newton (1884-1958)
He was born at Exford on the 22nd of June 1884 and was the husband of Olive May Hookway (1889-1952) who he married in 1916.
During WW1 he served as Farrier Sergeant 154231 in the Royal Field Artillery. He died on the 11th of December 1958, aged 74 years. |
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MAJOR-GENERAL Arthur Wharton Peck (1869-1948)
He was born on the 23rd of April 1869 at Clifton, Bristol, and married Kathleen Halima Chester (1886-1946).
He enlisted into the army in 1890 and became a Major of Cavalry in the Indian Expeditionary Force. This was followed by his appointment as Temporary Brigadier General of the 17th Corps, Indian Army, before becoming Major General of the 25th Cavalry (Frontier Force), 17th Corps, Indian Army. He died in retirement at Exford, Somerset, on the 16th of September 1948, aged 79 years. |
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MAJOR Wandy Haswell William Swales (1933-1997)
Wandy Haswell William Swales was born on August the 27th 1933 at Newcastle upon Tyne, and was the son of William Anderson Swales and Dorothy Prior-Wandesforde. His father was an artillery officer. He was educated at Durham School and represented the county at Rugby, Football and Cricket. In 1952 Wandy joined the Royal Marines as a National Serviceman, serving in Libya, Greece and the Mediterranean. He was the only National Service Marine to be a member of the Guard of Honour at the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. Subsequently, he was commissioned into the Parachute Regiment TA.
As a sportsman Swales was a skilled all rounder. During his Territorial Army career he was a finalist in the TA light heavyweight boxing competition. He also played rugby on the wing for Northumberland and in 1959 – 60, for London Irish (their only unbeaten season since the war). He took part in the Devizes-Westminster canoe race on two occasions, finishing in the first 10 at his first attempt. He was also a keen yachtsman and, as a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, he completed numerous races including the 1989 Fastnet Race. In 1966 he climbed the Matterhorn. Leading the way Wandy joined the staff of Operation Drake in 1977. This charity, which later developed into Operation Raleigh, organized adventure trekking for young people. Wandy set up the main base in Sulawesi, where he established good relationships with tribes living in hitherto unexplored rainforest of Indonesia. In 1982 he became the Chief-of-Staff at Operation Raleigh working as No 2 to Colonel John Blashford-Snell, founder of Operation Drake and Raleigh. Wandy led both of the Operation Raleigh expeditions (10F and 11E) to Seram. Wandy then left Operation Raleigh to found his own company ‘Swaletreks’. This later turned into the charity ‘The International Scientific Support Trust’. This in turn became ‘Trekforce Expeditions’, a non-profit making concern organizing expeditions to support science, conservation and social projects in Belize, Kenya and Indonesia. The early 1990s saw an increase in the popularity of expeditions and since its foundation more than 1,000 people, mostly young volunteers, have taken part in Trekforce expeditions. |
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Trekforce placed an important emphasis on leadership and expedition staff at that time included Bruce Parry, Ed Stafford and a host of ex-Seram staff … Steve Oliver, Gillian Fairweather, Alastair Macdonald, John Proctor and Douglas Warner. Lody and Rackman, two of the dedicated Indonesian staff to name a few, helped to carry on the great work started by Operation Raleigh in Seram.
An inspiration to others Wandy died on the 12th of December 1997 of a heart attack aged 64 with his boots on, while walking with friends in Exmoor. To many he was the spirit and inspiration of Operation Raleigh Seram. He was one of the late and great original explorers. Like every other explorer, he led by example and inspired all those he came into contact with. He was a popular and outgoing man with a keen sense of fun and his spirit lives on. In the Operation Raleigh book ‘Adventure Unlimited’, Wandy christened the two Indonesian Operation Raleigh Phases as the ‘Impossible Expeditions’. The fact that they were not only possible but a great success, is a tribute to Wandy and to the support of each and every member of the International and Indonesian teams and associated guides and porters. |
PRIVATE Fred Taylor (1895-1919)
He was born at Luckwell Bridge, Somerset, in 1895, and in WW1 served as
Private 20528 of the Somerset Light Infantry. He died on the 29th of October 1919, aged 24 years. A headstone in the churchyard at St Mary Magdalene's Church, Exford, reads: Sacred to the memory of Pte. Fred Taylor of S.L.I. who died Oct. 29 1919 Aged 24 years. This stone was erected by his many friends as a memorial to one who gave his life for King and Country. The inscription is somewhat ambiguous and suggests that the headstone is simply a memorial rather than a grave site. The combination of Fred Taylor not appearing on the village war memorial, or that his details fail to appear within the official records of war dead, creates, for the present, a bit of a mystery. Further research is needed. |
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CAPTAIN Frederick Thomas H. Westrop (1904-1988)
PRIVATE Cyril Winzer (1893-1985)
He was born on the 19th of October 1893 and was the son of William Winzer and Elizabeth Winzer of Wellshead Farm, Exford.
He served in WW1 as Private 43039 in the Dorset Regiment. After the war he returned to Exford and farmed at Downscombe Farm. His younger brother also joined-up in WW1 and served as Serjeant Edgar Winzer (1895-1917) in the 16th Battalion (Royal Devon and Royal North Devon Yeomanry) of the Devonshire Regiment, He was killed in action in 1917 whilst fighting the Ottoman Turks during the battle for Jerusalem. |
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