Category Archives: Commonwealth War Graves

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Lancashire, photography, Sergeant, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war, Wiltshire Regiment

Sergeant Herbert Rendall

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Sergeant Herbert Rendall

Herbert Edward Rendall was born in West Coker, Somerset, in the autumn of 1889. He was one of eight children to William and Mary Rendall. William was a foreman at a local twine factory, although by the time of the 1911 census, he had also taken on ownership of a local grocer’s shop. Herbert and his younger brother, Clifford, managed the shop for their father.

In the spring of 1913, Herbert married Thirza Shire. She was the daughter of an agricultural labourer from Yeovil and, by the time of their marriage, she had taken on work as a servant for the vicar of St Leonard’s Church in Misterton, near Crewkerne.

When war was declared, Herbert joined the Somerset Light Infantry. Sadly, little detail of his military service remains. It is clear that he was hard working and well thought of, as he progressed through the ranks to Sergeant, and transferred to the 1st Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment.

Herbert served on the Western Front, and, as the war entered its final months, he would certainly have been involved in the Battles of the Lys, on the Hindenburg Line and in the closing Battles of the Somme.

By the autumn of 1918, Sergeant Rendall was back on home soil, either for home support, or for medical reasons. He was based in Bury, Manchester, and had fallen ill. While the full details are unclear, whatever condition he had contracted got the better of him, and he passed away on 4th November 1918. He was 29 years of age.

Herbert Edward Rendall was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the quiet graveyard of St Martin’s Church in West Coker.

Records vary over the date of Herbert’s passing. While his headstone confirms 4th November, military records – and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website – suggest the following day. Similarly, some documents suggest he was 30 when he died, while his birth and death records confirm he was in his thirtieth year.

Thirza went on to have a full life. She married again in 1923, to a Henry Tregale, and the couple went on to have a daughter. She lived to a ripe age, passing away in the autumn of 1981, at the age of 93.

Commonwealth War Graves, Dorset, Great War, history, illness, Machine Gun Corps, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war

Private Edgar Bowditch

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Private Edgar Bowditch

Edgar George Bowditch was born in the spring of 1887, in the Dorset village of Melbury Osmond. One of seven children, his parents were William and Sarah Bowditch. William was an agricultural labourer turned gamekeeper, and Edgar helped his father out when he left school.

William passed away in 1911, and Edgar fell off the radar until March 1914, when he married local mason’s daughter Rosetta Morris. The couple settled down in her home village of West Coker, Somerset.

When war was declared, Edgar stepped up to serve his King and Country, and enlisted in the Machine Gun Corps as a Private. He was assigned to the 37th Battalion, and certainly saw action overseas. He “came through without a scratch and in good health until demobilised in France.” [Western Chronicle: Friday 21st February 1919]

Private Bowditch was unwell when he arrived back in West Coker on 4th February 1919. While his condition is unclear, it worsened, and he passed away at home ten days later. He was 32 years of age.

Edgar George Bowditch was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Martin’s Church in his adopted home of West Coker.

Rosetta married again in 1921, to a John Axe. The couple remained in the same part of Somerset, John dying in 1947. Rosetta lived on, passing away in Yeovil in 1963, at the age of 77 years old.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Grenadier Guards, Guardsman, history, injury, Kent, London, photography, Somerset, story, war

Guardsman John Boucher

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Guardsman John Boucher

John Charles Boucher was born in East Coker, Somerset, in the spring of 1894. The youngest of five children, he was the son of Charles and Ann Boucher. Charles worked on the railways as a plate layer, while John found work in a local textile factory as a yarn dyer when he left school. He was a sporty young man, and became a prominent member of the nearby Stoford Football Club.

Ann died in 1914 and, when war was declared, John was keen to play his part. He had enlisted in the Grenadier Guards by the summer of 1917 and was assigned to the 5th Battalion. Full details of Guardsman Boucher’s military service are lost to time, but it is clear that he served abroad, and was wounded twice in the fighting.

John was based at Guards barracks in Kensington, London. It was here that he met Elsie Louise Vaughan, who was the daughter of a local insurance agent. The couple married at the Holy Trinity Church in Paddington on 28th June 1917.

Guardsman Boucher was soon sent to the Western Front again, however, and, in the spring of 1918, he was caught up in the Battles of the Lys. Wounded for a third time, he was medically evacuated to Britain, and admitted to the Military Hospital in Sidcup, Kent. Sadly, it was to be third time unlucky for John: his wounds proved too severe, and he died of his injuries on 13th April 1918. He was just 24 years of age.

John Charles Boucher was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the cemetery of his home village, East Coker.

Tragically, just three weeks after John’s death, Elsie gave birth to their first, and only, child, a son she named after his father. She went on to marry again in the spring of 1919, to a John Bellamy. The couple would go on to have a child of their own – a daughter called Iris – the following year. John Jr died in 1972, and Elsie followed five years later, at the age of 83 years old.

Commonwealth War Graves, Dorset, Dorsetshire Regiment, Great War, history, photography, Private, Somerset, story, unknown, war

Private William Tewkesbury

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Private William Tewkesbury

William Gilbert Tewkesbury was born in Ilchester, Somerset, in the autumn of 1881. The middle of three children (although his older brother died in 1887), his parents were William and Jane Tewkesbury. William Sr was a farm labourer, and this is something that William Jr and his younger brother, Hedley, also went into.

When war arrived on Europe’s shores, William Jr stepped up to play his part. Full details of his military service are, sadly, lost to time, but he enlisted in the Dorsetshire Regiment, and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion. His mother, Jane, passed away in 1915, and it is unclear whether this loss proved to be the catalyst for her son’s enlistment.

Private Tewkesbury’s battalion served in the Middle East for the duration of the conflict.

During the past week we have had three of our local men who have seen active service home for a few days’ leave… Private William Tewkesbury… who has been on active service in Mesopotamia…

Western Chronicle: Friday 8th June 1917

William survived the war, and was awarded the Victory and British Medals for his service. He returned home, and, presumably, took up his previous employment once he was demobbed in February 1919.

The next available record for William is that of his passing, and even this is sketchy. He passed away on 21st March 1920 in Sherborne, Dorset, though the cause is unknown. He was 39 years of age.

William Gilbert Tewkesbury’s body was brought back to Ilchester for burial. He was laid to rest in the village’s parish cemetery. While not recorded, it is likely that this is where Jane had been buried five years earlier, and where William Sr would be laid to rest just months later, when he too passed away.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, photography, Private, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Somerset, story, Tyne & Wear, war

Private William Saunders

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Private William Saunders

William Edgar Saunders was born in the summer of 1900 in Limington, Somerset. He was one of nine children to labourer and drainage contractor William Saunders and his wife, Rhoda.

There is little further information documented about William Jr’s life. During the First World War, he enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and was assigned to the 5th Battalion which served in France and Italy. All that can be confirmed, however is that he joined after March 1918 – presumably once he came of age – and was sent to the North of England for training.

Tragically, Private Saunders’ tale is a common one for young men of his age. Billeted at close quarters with other men from across the country, disease was rife, and he was not immune. William was admitted to the 1st Northern General Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, suffering from a combination of influenza and pneumonia.

This combination of conditions was to prove too much for young Private Saunders’ body to bear. He passed away on 25th October 1918, aged just 18 years old.

William Edgar Saunders’ body was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Mary’s Church in his home village of Limington.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, illness, London, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Somerset, story, Surrey, war

Ordinary Seaman Walter Pearce

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Ordinary Seaman Walter Pearce

Walter John Pearce was born on 15th June 1900 in Clapton, East London. One of ten children, his parents were James and Lily Pearce. Both were from Somerset, but cowman James went where the work was and they soon moved back to the South West, where he and Lily were from.

When he finished school, Walter found work as an errand boy for a grocer, but war was coming to Europe and, while he was too young when the conflict began, it was clear that he wanted to play his part as soon as he was able.

Walter enlisted in June 1918, joining the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. His service records show that he was 5ft 8ins (1.73m) tall, and had brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion. Ordinary Seaman Pearce was sent to HMS Crystal Palace in South London for training, arriving there on 17th June 1918.

Tragically, Walter’s service was to be short. Being billeted in close proximity to other men and boys from across the country, meant that disease was readily transmitted, and Walter contracted pneumonia. Admitted to the nearby Norwood Cottage Hospital, the lung condition was to prove fatal: Ordinary Seaman Pearce died on 19th July 1918. He was just 18 years of age, and had been in active service for just 33 days.

Walter John Pearce was brought back to Somerset – where his parents were now living – for burial. He was laid to rest in the peaceful graveyard of St Mary’s Church in Mudford.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Gunner, Hampshire, history, illness, photography, Private, Royal Marines, Somerset, story, war

Gunner Frederick Milverton

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Gunner Frederick Milverton

Frederick Walter John Milverton was born on 26th June 1888 in the Somerset village of Rimpton. One of seven children, his parents were farm workers George and Mary Milverton.

When he left school, it was natural for Frederick to follow in his father’s footsteps. The 1901 census recorded him as working as a farm lad in Leigh, Dorset, while in 1911 he was back at the family home, where he was formally employed as a rabbit trapper.

George passed away in 1913 and, with war fast approaching, Frederick remained at home, to help support his mother. But he eventually received his enlistment notice and, on 28th February 1916, he joined the Royal Marine Artillery.

Private Milverton’s service records show that he was 5ft 8ins (1.73m) tall, with dark brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. After five months’ initial training, Frederick was awarded the rank of Gunner 2nd Class, and assigned to the cruiser HMS Euryalus.

For the next couple of years Gunner Milverton remained on board Euryalus, serving in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, India and Hong Kong. He transferred to HMS Lavatera in March 1918, and saw out the remainder of the war on board.

In January 1919 Gunner Milverton returned to home soil, and was assigned to the Royal Marine Artillery Headquarters in Eastney, Hampshire. It was here, however, that he fell ill, and was admitted to the Royal Naval Haslar Hospital with bronchial pneumonia. Tragically the condition was to get the better of him: Frederick passed away on 6th February 1919, at the age of 30 years old.

Frederick Walter John Milverton’s body was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the quiet graveyard of St Mary’s Church in his home village of Rimpton.

Commonwealth War Graves, Corporal, Great War, history, illness, Kent, North Somerset Yeomanry, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war, Wiltshire

Corporal de Courcy Raymond

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Corporal de Courcy Raymond

de Courcy William Raymond was born in the summer of 1883 in the Somerset village of West Camel. He was one of six children to carpenter George Raymond and his wife, Anne. de Courcy – whose name may have had family connections – followed his father into carpentry and, by the time of the 1911 census, the family had moved to nearby South Barrow, where George had been born.

When war came to Europe, de Courcy was keen to play his part. Sadly, full details of his military service no longer survive, but what can be determined is that he had enlisted by March 1915, joining the North Somerset Yeomanry.

Private Raymond was assigned to the 2nd/1st Battalion, which was a second-line troop, and remained on home soil, moving from Somerset to Wiltshire to Kent by the autumn of 1915. He was evidently good at his job as he was soon promoted to the rank of Corporal for his efforts.

It was while he was based in Kent that de Courcy fell ill. He contracted pneumonia, and was admitted to a military hospital in Canterbury. Sadly, the condition was to prove too much, and he passed away from the condition on 9th October 1915. He was 32 years of age.

The body of de Courcy William Raymond was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the family plot in the graveyard of St Peter’s Church in South Barrow.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, history, Lance Corporal, photography, Royal Engineers, Sapper, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, unknown, war

Lance Corporal James Toop

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Lance Corporal James Toop

James Toop was born in the Somerset village of Galhampton on 13th January 1879. He was the fifth of eleven children to William and Elizabeth Toop. William was a farm labourer, and James followed his father’s line of work when he left school.

James disappears from documents for a while, only surfacing again in October 1914, when he enlisted for army service. At this point, he was working as a bricklayer, and notes that he had previously served in the Somerset Light Infantry. He is recorded as being 5ft 8ins (1.73m) tall, weighing 136lbs (61.7kg). He had brown hair, grey eyes, and gave his religion as Congregationalist. James also lied about his age, saying that he was 29 years and 9 months when, in fact, he would have been closer to 36 years old when he joined up.

Sapper Toop was assigned to the Royal Engineers, and spent nine months on home soil, during which time he was promoted to Lance Corporal. On 18th July 1915 he went to France, but returned just five days later.

Admitted to the Royal Victoria War Hospital in Netley, Hampshire, James was recorded as suffering the stress of campaign. He was moved to Napsbury War Hospital, near St Albans in Hertfordshire, after a couple of weeks. This institution – formerly the Middlesex County Asylum – was where servicemen suffering from shell shock were sent for rehabilitation, and Lance Corporal Toop joined the near 2,000 other residents.

James’ diagnosis was recorded as being neurasthenia with depression and, in October 1916, he was medically discharged from the army. The medical report noted that he had “had nervous breakdown, complained of vomiting of his food. Had defective memory. Had religious mania 5 years before enlistment.” While his condition was not the result of his war service, the medical board recorded that his mental debility has been aggravated by the strain.

James falls off the radar again at this point. When he recovered, he returned to bricklaying for work. In 1916 his mother died, followed a year later by his father. Both were laid to rest in the family grave in St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Sparkford, Somerset.

James Toop died on 5th July 1918 at the age of 39 years old. He was also buried in the family plot, reunited with his parents far too soon.

accident, Canada, Canadian Infantry, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, Lance Corporal, photography, Royal Air Force, Second Lieutenant, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war, West Midlands

Second Lieutenant Cyril Croft

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Second Lieutenant Cyril Croft

Cyril Talbot Burney Croft was born on 28th January 1891 in Streetsville, Ontario, Canada. He was the only child of Dorset clergyman Otho Croft and his Canadian-born wife, Lucy.

Otho brought his young family back to England when Cyril was a boy. The 1901 census found him and Lucy living in South Cadbury, Somerset, where he had taken the role of the local rector. Their young son, meanwhile, was boarding at a school in St Leonard’s in East Sussex.

Education was key to Cyril’s development. He was sent to King’s College in Taunton and St Boniface College in Warminster, and enlisted in the Officer’s Training Corps for three years.

During this time, he and Lucy had travelled back to Canada, and there was an obvious draw for the young man as, in 1913, he made a move to Quebec, becoming the Assistant to the Commissioner of Harbour Works in the city.

When war broke out, Cyril was quick to step up and play his part. Joining the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 23rd September 1914, his service records show that he was 6ft 1in (1.85m) tall, with black hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion.

Cyril was initially assigned to the 12th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry, where he held the rank of Lance Corporal. On arriving in England, however, he took his leave of the Canadian force, and accepted a role in the King’s Royal Rifles. Within a few months, he transferred again, gaining the rank of Second Lieutenant in the 8th (Service) Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry.

Details of Cyril’s actual service are vague, however, as his British Army service records are no longer available. It appears that he did not serve any time overseas, as his battalion was raised in Taunton, Somerset, and did not move to France until the end of 1915.

Second Lieutenant Croft had made a further transfer by this point, joining the Royal Flying Corps in the summer. He gained his wings on 27th October 1915 at a Military School in Birmingham.

On 8th December 1915, he was a passenger in an aircraft being piloted by a Lieutenant McDonald at Castle Bromwich.

The weather was “bumpy” but not bad… They went towards Birmingham, and then made a turn to the left. [McDonald] noticed that the engine was missing fire when he was at a height of 1,500ft [460m], and decided to land. He turned off the petrol, but did not switch off the electric ignition. He made a right-hand turn, so as to reduce the height, the machine then being at a normal angle, when, owing to the wind, the aeroplane banked. To put the machine back again he put the control lever over to the left, but finding that the machine did not answer to the control, he put on the right rudder, and Lieutenant C Black, of the Royal Flying Corps, who had instructions to watch the aeroplane, stated that shortly after eleven o’clock in the morning it ascended to a height of 1,500ft. Shortly afterwards he saw the machine coming down: it made a short spiral, then a complete circle, and while turning to make another at a height of 500ft [150m], fell straight to the ground, nose downwards. The aeroplane was in proper working order, and the witness was of the opinion that the accident was due to wind disturbances.

De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour

Croft and McDonald were both killed. Cyril was just 24 years of age. His Colonel wrote to Otho and Lucy, noting that Cyril “did so well that it makes one feel the loss all the more of such a promising young officer. He is, indeed, a great loss to our country, especially in these times.” Cyril’s Major noted “he had a most charming, lovable character, and was thoroughly popular with all his brother officers. He was exceedingly keen at his work, and in him the service has lost a most promising and capable officer.”

Cyril Talbot Burney Croft was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of his father’s church: St Thomas a Becket’s in South Cadbury.

Second Lieutenant Cyril Croft
(from ancestry.co.uk)