Category Archives: Kent

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, Kent, London, photography, Private, Royal West Kent Regiment, story, Surrey, war

Private Robert Hawes

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Private Robert Hawes

Robert Hawes was born early in 1891 in Rochester, Kent. One of twins, his parents Henry and Alice had six children in all. Sadly, two of their children, including Robert’s twin, Edward, died early.

Henry was a bricklayer, and the 1891 census found the family living in rooms at 26 John Street, to the south of the town centre. This was a road they would know well, and the following return, taken in 1901, found them living two doors down, at No. 22.

When Robert completed his schooling, he found work as a general labourer for a wine and spirit merchant. By 1911, the Hawes family had relocated to 171 Rochester Avenue. Just one road from their previous home, this move afforded the seven of them more space.

War broke out in the summer of 1914, and Robert stepped up to play his part. Leaving his job as a cellarman, he enlisted on 11th December 1915, and, as a Private, was assigned to the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). His medical report notes that he was 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall, and had slight varicose veins to his right knee.

Initially attached to the 12th (Reserve) Battalion, by the summer of 1916 Private Hawes had been transferred to the 7th (Service) Battalion and sent to France. His unit was deeply ensconced at the Somme, and Robert was wounded during the opening day of the Battle of Ancre Heights.

Robert’s injury – a gun shot wound to the head – meant he was medically evacuated to Britain, and he was admitted to King George’s Hospital, London. Despite the treatment he received, his condition would prove too severe: Private Hawes passed away on 13th February 1917, at the age of 26 years old.

The body of Robert Hawes was taken back to Kent for burial, and he was laid to rest in St Margaret’s Cemetery, Rochester.

Robert’s older brother, Harry, had also served in the First World War. Attached to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Private H Hawes was killed on the first day of the Battle of Loos: he was 30 years of age.

Harry Henry Hawes is commemorated on the Loos Memorial at Dud Corner Cemetery, France.

By the time of Robert’s death, Henry and Alice had lost all three of their sons.

Commonwealth War Graves, Corporal, Great War, history, Kent, photography, Royal Army Service Corps, story, suicide, war

Corporal John Chaplin

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Corporal John Chaplin

An inquest was held on Thursday at the Guildhall, Rochester… on the body of John William Arthur Chaplin (28)… who hanged himself in the lavatory on Tuesday. Deceased was a demobilised soldier and had served in France and Egypt during the war.

Mrs Sarah Jane Chaplin stated that lately her son had complained of pains in the back of his head. Usually he was of a cheerful temperament. Since leaving the Army he had spent his grstuity and being without money and our of employment he became depressed.

George William Lewis Paterson, deceased’s cousin who occupied the same bedroom with deceased, stated that at 10.40pm on Monday, deceased was reading a paper in the kitchen. Witness when to bed and awoke at 5.30am to find deceased had not been to bed. The light downstairs was still burning. In the lavatory he found deceased handing by the neck…

A verdict of “Suicide whilst of unsound mind” was returned.

[Chatham, Rochester and Brompton Observer: Saturday 14th February 1920]

The life of John William Arthur Chaplin remains frustratingly elusive. He does not recognisably appear on any census return, and, while it is clear that he served in the Army Service Corps as a Corporal, his military records are no longer available.

The body of Corporal Chaplin, the former solder with nowhere to turn, was laid to rest in St Margaret’s Cemetery, Rochester, Kent.

Commonwealth War Graves, Deck Hand, Great War, history, illness, Kent, photography, Royal Naval Reserve, story, war

Deck Hand Sydney Beck

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Deck Hand Sydney Beck

Sydney William Beck was born on the 6th April 1885 in Rochester, Kent. The seventh of nine children, his parents were Albert and Mary Beck. Albert was a bargeman, and this was a line of work into which his son would follow.

There is little concrete information about Sydney’s life. He is recorded as having married Janet Ellis on 16th April 1911, this being backed up by his later service records.

When war broke out, Sydney joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a Deck hand. His papers not that he was 5ft 9ins (1.65m) tall, with brown hair and a fresh complexion. He is also recorded as having a clasped hands tattoo on his right forearm.

The funeral took place, with naval honours… on Saturday of Chief Deck Hand Sydney Beck, DSM, who passed away in the Royal Naval Hospital on the 12th inst., from pneumonia. The deceased, who was 33 years of age, was formerly a barge captain… He was on the trawler Aisne, which took place in the battle with a German submarine off Iceland. It was for this engagement deceased was given the DSM.

[Chatham, Rochester and Brompton Observer: Saturday 30th November 1918]

Sydney William Beck died on 12th November 1918, a day after the Armistice was signed, and a month after he was gazetted. His body was laid to rest in St Margaret’s Cemetery, Rochester, Kent.

Captain, Commonwealth War Graves, France, Great War, Hampshire, history, Kent, killed in action, photography, Royal Marines, story, war

Captain Herbert Morton

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Captain Herbert Morton

The mortal remains of Capt. Herbert Claude Morton, RMLI, were laid to rest in St Nicholas Cemetery, Rochester, on Tuesday afternoon, the first portion of the Burial Service being conducted in the Cathedral, where the deceased office was married, on September 17th, 1908, to Evelyn St Aubyn Lennard, eldest daughter of Col. and Mrs DL Barratt, late of Star-hill, Rochester. Captain Morton, who was 34 years of age, was the only son of Mr John Ellis Morton, of County Cavan, and Mrs Werry, of Cowes, Isle of Wight. He served during the campaign in China and was awarded the medal. His home was at Gosport.

[Chatham, Rochester and Brompton Observer: Saturday 5th December 1914]

The early life of Herbert Claude Morton is a challenge to piece together. The 1911 census states that he was born in France, and confirms that he and Evelyn were living with their then two children at 139 Stoke Road, Gosport, Hampshire.

This was the only census on which Herbert features and, as the “campaign in China” that the newspaper reported would have been the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, this may account for the lack of other documentation for him.

When war broke out, Captain Morton assigned to the battleship HMS Bulwark. He was on board Bulwark on the 26th November 1914, when she was moored close to Sheerness, Kent. That morning, an explosion ripped through the ship, sinking it and killing more than 740 people. Herbert was amongst them: he was 34 years of age.

The body of Herbert Claude Morton was laid to rest in a marked grave in St Nicholas’ Cemetery, Rochester, Kent.

The summer after her husband’s death, Evelyn gave birth to another child, daughter Stella, who would never know her father.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, Lance Corporal, photography, Private, Royal Army Service Corps, Royal West Kent Regiment, story, unknown, war

Private Edward Larraman

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Private Edward Larraman

Edward William Larraman was born in Rochester, Kent, in December 1882. The third of seven children, he was one of five sons to Alfred and Mary Larraman. Alfred was a mariner who died when Edward was just ten years old.

Mary took work as a housekeeper, moving the family from their home at 4 Davis Square to rooms at 18 Northgate. Edward is missing from the 1901 census but, with later service records suggesting he volunteered with the Royal West Kent Regiment, it is possible that he was training with them when the return was taken.

The military life seemed to suit Edward and, on 4th November 1902, he gave up his job as a riveter to formally enlist, joining the Army Service Corps as a Private. His service papers from that time show that he was 5ft 4.5ins (1.64m) tall and weighed 120lbs (54.4kg). Hr was noted as having light brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion.

Private Larraman spent the next four years on home soil, using the opportunity to gain a 3rd Class certificate in education, and rising to the rank of Lance Corporal.

On 23rd December 1907, Edward married Mabel Green. Born in Chatham, she was the daughter of a carpenter. The couple set up home at 3 Almon Place, Rochester – just a short walk from where Mary was living – and went on to have two children, Irene (born in 1908) and Thora (born in 1915).

Lance Corporal Larraman was medically discharged from the army on 18th May 1908. While it is unclear what affliction meant he was no longer fit to serve, he was awarded a pension for his service.

The next census, taken in 1911, found him and Mabel living in Almon Place with Irene and Mabel’s father Henry, and brother, George. Edward was listed as an army pensioner, while there were two salaries coming into the household: Henry was a carpenter and joiner at Chatham Dockyard, while George was a shop assistant.

At this point, Edward’s trail goes cold. It is clear that he re-enlisted when war broke out, although in what capacity, and for how long, is unclear. The only other record for him is that of his passing, on 22nd August 1919: he was 36 years of age.

The body of Edward William Larraman was laid to rest in St Nicholas’ Cemetery, Rochester, a short walk from where his family were still living.

Private Edward Larraman
(from ancestry.co.uk)
Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Kent, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, photography, Rifleman, Scotland, story, Suffolk, Surrey, war

Rifleman Arthur Catchpole

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Rifleman Arthur Catchpole

Arthur Ernest Catchpole was born in the spring of 1874 in the Suffolk village of Aldringham. The seventh of eight children, and the youngest of two boys, his parents were Joseph and Sarah Catchpole.

Joseph was employed as a gas fitter and, by the time of the 1881 census, had moved the family to Croydon, Surrey, presumably for work. The document recorded the family as living at 8 Cecil Terrace, a small cottage to the north-west of the town centre.

It seems that Arthur sought a way out as early as he could. The next census he appears on is from 1901, and this gives his profession as a Private in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps. Intriguingly, there is a record for a solder from Suffolk by his name, who was imprisoned in Dumfries in 1891. There are no other documents relating to the offence, but, as Arthur is absent from that year’s census, a link seems possible.

The 1901 census recorded Arthur – who was now known by his middle name – as living in the village of Speldhurst, between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. It also confirms that he was married, he and local woman Ellen Hoadley having exchanged vows in the summer of 1896. The would go on to have ten children between 1896 and 1916, all of them boys.

By the time of the next census return, the Catchpole family had moved back to Surrey, and were living in a small cottage at 12 Paxton Place, West Norwood. Ernest was now working as a domestic gardener, with Ellen left to raise their then seven sons.

When war came to Europe in the summer of 1914, it is likely that Ernest stepped up to play his part. Full details of his time in the army have been lost to time, but he was medically discharged from service on 10th February 1916. Arthur (his military documents reverting to his first name) had contracted tuberculosis, and was suffering from chronic myocarditis, and, as a result, was deemed unfit to remain a soldier.

At this point, Arthur’s trail goes cold. It seems likely that he returned home, with a later document noting the family’s residence as 4A Durban Road, a ground-floor flat in a Victorian terrace house.

It seems likely that Arthur’s health caught up with him. He passed away on 10th April 1918: he was 44 years of age. His widow posted a note in the local newspaper: “In loving memory of Ernest Arthur Catchpole, late of KRR, the beloved husband of Ellen Catchpole, who fell asleep on 10th April, 1918.” [Norwood Press and Dulwich Advertiser: Saturday 20th April 1918]

The body of Arthur Ernest Catchpole was laid to rest in the sweeping Streatham Park Cemetery, a short distance from his grieving family.

Berkshire, Commonwealth War Graves, Driver, Great War, Hampshire, history, Kent, London, photography, Royal Engineers, story, unknown, war

Driver John Green

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Driver John Green

The life of John James Green is a challenge to piece together. Born in Chatham, Kent, in the spring of 1880, he was the older of two children to David and Frances Green. David was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, but when he died in 1883, his widow was left with two young children to raise.

Frances moved the family back to Eton, Berkshire, where she had been born. She married again, to groom Robert Edwards, and the couple went on to have a child of their own, John’s half-brother, Robert.

When John completed his schooling, he followed in his father’s footsteps. He joined the Royal Engineers, and went on to be a Driver for the regiment.

The 1901 census recorded him as being a patient in the Connaught Hospital, attached the North Camp in Aldershot, Hampshire. While not confirming John’s condition, it does note that he was married, although there does not appear to be any other record confirming this.

On 29th October 1903, however, John did get married. His new bride was Alice Morton, and the couple exchanged vows in St Mary Magdalene Church in Southwark, London.

Sadly, Alice seems to have died young, and in December 1905, John wed for a second time, to grocer’s daughter Ellen Mansey. Now based back in Aldershot, the two married in Holy Trinity Church, and went on to have five children: John, Ernest, May, Charles and Alice.

The 1911 census found the Green family in rooms at 25 Lyson’s Road. A small terraced cottage, they shared it with the Scotts – married couple John and Edith, and their baby, William.

At this point, John’s trail goes cold. War broke out, and it is certain that he served in some capacity, but how and where is unclear. Driver Green survived the conflict, but passed away in Aldershot on 22nd May 1919: he was 39 years of age.

The body of John James Green was taken back to Berkshire for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St John’s Church in Eton, where his mother was still living.

It appears that Ellen may also have passed away by this point, as John’s pension was split equally between their five children. Tragically, his pension card notes Ernest and Charles’ guardian as the Sister in charge of St Augustine’s Home for Boys in Clewes, Berkshire. May and Alice were being looked after by Miss J Angerous of Pembroke Gardens, Windsor; while oldest son John Jr was in the care of Mrs B Evans Baldwin’s End, Eton College.

Commonwealth War Graves, County Antrim, Great War, history, Ireland, Kent, Merchant Navy, Northern Ireland, photography, Royal Naval Reserve, Stoker, story, suicide, war

Stoker Robert Dalzell

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Stoker Robert Dalzell

The early life of Robert Dalzell is a challenge to piece together. Born in Belfast, County Antrim, on 12th September 1874, his parents were William and Ellen Dalzell.

It is unclear what William was employed as, but it seems that Robert took up manual labour. The 1911 census recorded him as a plater’s helper, living on Ulverston Street in the Shankill area of Belfast. The census also sheds some light on his private life: he had been married to Matilda for eight years, and they had three children: Robert Jr, Mary and Elenor.

With a family to support, Robert needed a better paid, permanent career and, on the 22nd October 1904, he joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a stoker. His service papers show that he was 5ft 5.5ins (1.66m) tall, with blue eyes and a dark complexion. The document also confirms a number of tattoos: stars and a bracelet on his left forearm, and a mermaid and pineapple on his right.

Stoker Dalzell worked on ships traversing the Irish Sea to and from Liverpool. When war broke out, however, he was assigned to the armoured cruiser HMS Lancaster. She patrolled the North Sea and English Channel, and was involved in a number of skirmishes with enemy vessels.

An inquest relative to the tragic death of a naval stoker reservist, named Robert Dalzell, belonging to Belfast, was conducted… on Monday afternoon. Early on Friday afternoon the deceased was found lying in a pool of blood in the stokehold hatchway of the ship, beyond all medical aid, and passed away within a short time of the sad discovery.

Samuel Fisher, master-at-arms, identified the body… Deceased had been on the ship just over two months, and was forty years of age. The man’s conduct on board had been very good, and there were no service troubles… Prior to mobilisation the deceased had been employed in a private shipyard in Ireland. Witness last saw him alive on the ship on Friday morning, and a little later was informed that he had been found with his throat cut…

Stoker William George Hamshire said he only knew the deceased by sight. On Friday, about 1:30pm, witness found the deceased in No. 1 stokehold hatchway all alone, lying on his back, with his throat cut. The deceased was breathing, and a good deal of blood was coming from the wound. Witness called for assistance. [There was a razor] near the deceased’s right hand. The deceased was quite alone when witness found him The man was too far gone to speak. There was no sign of any struggle, and the wound had every appearance of being self-inflicted…

Stoker Thomas Gillan deposed that he had known Dalzell for eighteen years… Witness could give no reason for the tragedy. The deceased was a very quiet man, and had no home troubles so far as witness knew. Since Wednesday evening, however, the deceased had been a bit “moody,” and would not speak.

[Chatham, Rochester and Brompton Observer: Saturday 31st July 1915]

Other witnesses at the inquest confirmed that Robert had asked about upcoming leave, and whether he would get a railway pass to enable him to get home and see Matilda and the children: “He was all about getting home.”

The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide,” but were unable to confirm the state of Robert’s mind when he killed himself on 23rd July 1915.

The body of Robert Dalzell was laid to rest in the naval section of Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, Kent, not far from the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, where Lancaster was moored at the time of his passing.

Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, injury, Kent, Middlesex, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Navy, story, war

Ordinary Seaman Albert Hillman

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Ordinary Seaman Albert Hillman

Albert Alsop Hillman was born in Islington, Middlesex, on 22nd September 1895. He was the second of five children to Alfred and Harriet Hillman. Alfred was a builder’s labourer from Hoxton, and, at the time of the 1901 census, the family had rooms at 36 Affleck Street, not far from King’s Cross Station.

The next ten years showed a downturn in the family’s fortunes. They had moved to rooms at 19 Chapel Street, but Alfred was no longer bringing in a wage, and was recorded as being an invalid. In fact, unusually, none of the household of seven – including Albert and his older brother, Alfred Jr, both of whom were of age to have left school – were recorded in any trade, and it is not clear what, if any, money was coming in.

This changed in 1913, when Albert joined the Royal Navy. He had been earning money as a van guard, but a life at sea offered a career and a regular wage. Sent to HMS Vivid, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Devonport, Devon, he spent the next five months learning the skills he would need as a seaman. Being below the age to formally enlist, however, he was given the rank of Boy 2nd Class.

On 15th November 1913, Boy Hillman was given his first assignment, on board the battleship HMS Venerable. She would remain his home for the next few months, during which time he was promoted to Boy 1st Class.

Albert was formally enlisted in the Royal Navy on 18th February 1914, and was given the rank of Ordinary Seaman. His service papers show that he was 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall, with brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion. His papers also note that he had a scar on his right cheek, and a number of tattoos on his left forearm.

After a short spell at Chatham Dockyard in Kent – also known as HMS Pembroke – Albert was given his second assignment, aboard the destroyer HMS Liberty. In August 1914, she was involved in the Battle of Heligoland Bight and, in a skirmish with the German 5th Flotilla. She was hit by the enemy cruiser Mainz, which landed a direct hit on the bridge, killing the ship’s commander, Nigel Barttelot, and a number of other crew. Albert was wounded, and the ship made its slow way back to port.

When Liberty reached Pembroke once more, Albert was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital in Chatham, and would remain there for the next more than a year.

The death has taken place in the RN Hospital, Chatham, of Able Seaman Albert Hillman, who sustained terrible injuries whilst serving in HM destroyer Liberty in the sea fight in the Bight of Heligoland on August 28th, 1914. For sixteen months the young fellow – he was only 19 years of age – suffered, but he bore his pain unflinchingly and without a murmur, winning the admiration of the medical and nursing staff. It will be remembered that Lieut.-Com. Nigel Barttelot and six members of the crew of the Liberty were killed in the action, one died from wounds, and eleven others were wounded.

[Sheerness Guardian and East Kent Advertiser: Saturday 15th January 1916]

The newspaper report includes a couple of errors – Albert held the rank of Ordinary Seaman, and was 20 years of age when he died – and has a stoic and heroic sense of how the injured man bore his wounds with grace and calm.

The body of Albert Alsop Hillman was laid to rest in the naval section of Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, not far from the Kent hospital in which he had been tended for so long.

Air Mechanic, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Kent, photography, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, story, Suffolk, war

Air Mechanic 1st Class Reginald Blowers

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Air Mechanic 1st Class Reginald Blowers

Reginald Blowers was born in Carlton Colville, near Lowestoft, Suffolk, on 15th December 1892. He was the third of six children to Edward and Mary Bowers. Edward was a brickmaker, and the 1901 census recorded the family living at Brickyard Cottages, off Victoria Road.

The next census, taken in 1911, showed a big change for the family. Edward was now listed as a fisherman, the Third Hand on the vessel Passion Flower which, at the time the return was collected, was moored in Padstow, Cornwall.

Meanwhile, Mary and the children, along with her nephew Alfred, were living a 1 Stanley Road, Oulton Broad. Alfred was a fisherman, while Reginald was now employed as a carpenter. Two of his siblings were also working: sister Alice was a general servant, while 13-year-old brother Edward was an errand boy.

When war broke out, Reginald’s skills stood him in good stead. He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 23rd November 1914, and was assigned to the Royal Naval Air Service as an Air Mechanic 1st Class. His service papers note that he was just under 5ft 5ins (1.64m) tall, with bark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion.

Air Mechanic Blowers was sent to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, for his training. In April 1915, he transferred to HMS President II, another shore base, which served ports in London, Chatham and Sheerness.

In the winter of 1915/16, Reginald fell ill. He had contracted tuberculosis, and was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital in Chatham. Sadly, his condition would prove fatal: Air Mechanic Blowers passed away on 10th January 1916, at the age of 23 years old.

The body of Reginald Blowers was laid to rest in the naval section of Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, not far from the dockyard he had come to know as home.