Category Archives: London

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, London, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 2nd Class Charles Cash

Leave a comment
Stoker 2nd Class Charles Cash

Charles Cash was born on 8th August 1893 in Stepney, East London. He was one of seven children to Samuel and Clara Cash. The 1901 census gives Samuel’s trade as a fish porter, while his wife was recorded as a scrubber in a Sick Asylum.

Samuel died not long after the census was taken, and the family seems to have dissipated. Charles is recorded as having entered the local workhouse with his younger brother on 1st August 1906: the reason for admission being being deserted by their mother.

The next census record – taken in 1911 – raises some hope for Charles as it found him living with his mother’s sister and brother-in-law in Bow, where he was working as a labourer in a chemical works.

Things continued to look up for young Charles. On 1st August 1915 – nine years after entering the workhouse, he married Florence Elizabeth Ribbons, a labourer’s daughter from Poplar. The couple went on to have one child, a daughter named after her mother, in October 1916.

War was, by this point, raging across Europe and, despite having a new baby, Charles had to play his part. On 12th December 1916, he joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class, and, given his age, it is likely that he was drafted, rather than volunteering.

Stoker Cash’s service records show that he was 5th 7.5ins (1.71m) tall, he had dark brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion. He was posted to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, and it was here that he served for nine months.

The summer of 1917 was particularly busy for the base, and temporary accommodation was set up in the Drill Hall; this is where Charles found himself billeted.

On the night of 3rd September 1917, Chatham suddenly found itself in the firing line as a wave of German aircraft bombed the town. The Drill Hall received a direct hit, and Stoker Cash was amongst those to be instantly killed. He was just 24 years old.

Ninety-eight servicemen perished during the Chatham Air Raid that night. They were buried in a mass funeral at the Woodlands Cemetery in nearby Gillingham. This, too, is where Charles Cash was laid to rest.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Hampshire, history, Kent, killed in action, Leading Stoker, London, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 1st Class Joseph Jackson

Leave a comment
Stoker 1st Class Joseph Jackson

Joseph Charles Sackett Jackson was born in Rotherhithe, Surrey, on 4th May 1884, and was on of seven children. His father – post office worker Joseph Jackson Sr – died in 1895, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise the family.

She soon married Matthew Newton, a widower himself, and the 1901 census found the couple living in Asylum Road, Peckham with eleven of their children and step-children. Joseph, who was 17 years old by this point, was one of only four of the household to be working, and was employed as a brass turner.

Keen to better himself, Joseph looked to a longer career and, in September 1901, he enlisted in the Royal Navy. His service records show that he was 5ft 3ins (1.6m) tall, had dark brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion.

Initially underage, he served on the home front, Joseph was based at the shore establishments around the country – HMS President (London), HMS Pembroke (Chatham Dockyard, Kent) and HMS Victory (Portsmouth, Hampshire). In 1906, when he turned 23, he formally enlisted in the Royal Navy, and was given the rank of Stoker 2nd Class.

Over the next year, Joseph served on three vessels – HMS Hawke, HMS Dido and HMS Pathfinder – and was promoted to Stoker 1st Class. He continued his work at sea, but returned to HMS Pembroke in between voyages.

In the summer of 1913, Stoker Jackson was assigned to the battleship HMS Dominion, and it was here that he spent the next four years. He was promoted again, this time to Leading Stoker. He returned to HMS Pembroke in August 1917, although he was again given the rank of Stoker 1st Class.

Chatham Dockyard was particularly busy that summer, and the large number of extra servicemen meant that Joseph was billeted in temporary accommodation in Chatham Drill Hall.

On the 3rd September 1917, the first night air raid carried out by the German Air Force bombarded the town, and scored a direct hit on the Drill Hall; Stoker 1st Class Jackson was among those killed instantly. He was 33 years old.

Joseph Charles Sackett Jackson was laid to rest, along with the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid, in the Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, illness, London, Middlesex, photography, Private, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war

Private Wilfred Francis

Leave a comment
Private Wilfred Francis

Wilfred Harry Francis was born in October 1890 in Castle Cary. He was the oldest of eight children to Edward and Rosina Francis, both of whom had also been born in the Somerset Town. Edward was a baker in his younger days, but, by the 1911 census he was employed as a builder’s labourer. Wilfred was recorded in the same document as a tailor.

War was coming to Europe, and Wilfred enlisted. He had been a volunteer in the Somerset Light Infantry, but on 6th April 1915, he made this a formal role. His service records show that he stood 5ft 6ins (1.68m) tall had light blue eyes and light brown hair.

Private Francis was assigned to the 6th Battalion and sent to France in the summer of 1915. His battalion was immediately thrown into the thick of the fighting at Ypres. The intensity of the battles of Hooge and Bellewaarde seemed to impact Wilfred as, on 7th October, he was admitted to the 4th London General Hospital, suffering from shell shock.

Wilfred was discharged after two weeks, and signed off as fit for light duties. It seems that he didn’t return to the Western Front, but instead was transferred to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of the regiment, based in Devonport.

The memories still seemed to haunt Private Francis, however. He was admitted to hospital again – this time the County of Middlesex Hospital in Napsbury, near St Albans – with mania. This time his ‘mental deficiency’ proved to much for the army, and he was discharged from military service on 18th July 1916. His discharge papers show that he gave the hospital as his address and recommended that he be admitted to a civil asylum.

Wilfred’s trail goes cold for the next few years. He seems to have been brought back to Somerset for ongoing treatment, but passed away in Wells on 27th March 1919; the cause of his passing is not known. He was 28 years of age.

Wilfred Harry Francis was laid to rest in the Castle Cary Cemetery, hopefully finding peace at last.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Kent, London, London Regiment, photography, Private, Somerset, story, Sussex, war

Private John Lake

1 Comment
Private John Lake

John Walker Lake was born in Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the spring of 1892, the only child of estate manager and auctioneer Percy Lake and his wife Elizabeth.

John’s mother passed away in 1900, when he was only eight years old, and details of his early life are hard to come by. However, by the time of the 1911 census, he had left school and enrolled in a mining college in Guston, near Dover, Kent.

When war broke out, John was quick to enlist. He joined the London Regiment on 18th September 1914, and was assigned to the 2nd/23rd Battalion. His service records show that he stood 5ft 8ins (1.72m) tall, had light hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion.

Private Lake was not to remain in the army for long. Within weeks of joining, he contracted tuberculosis and, on 22nd February 1915, after just 158 days, he was discharged from service as being no longer medically fit for duty.

At this point, John’s trail goes cold. He initially returned to live with his father in Eastbourne. By the autumn of 1918, however, he was in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, probably for health reasons.

The tuberculosis got the better of John Walker Lake, however; he passed away on 20th October 1918, at the age of 26 years old. He was laid to rest in the Milton Road Cemetery in Weston-super-Mare.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Lieutenant, London, photography, Royal Field Artillery, Somerset, story, unknown, war

Lieutenant Cecil Pearse

Leave a comment
Lieutenant Cecil Pearse

Cecil George Lunell Pearse was born in the spring of 1883, one of seven children to George and Elizabeth Pearse. George was a schoolmaster from Devon, who moved the family to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset in the the 1870s to take up a post at the National School in the centre of the town.

Cecil and at least two of his siblings also went on to become teachers. By the time of the 1911 census, he was living in Plumstead, South East London, with his brother and sister-in-law, and teaching locally.

War was about to descend on Europe, and it is at this point that Cecil’s trail begins to go cold. He enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery, serving as part of the 8th London Howitzer Brigade. During his time, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant, and it seems that he remained part of the Territorial Force, but there is little more information available about his time in the army.

Nor is there much detail around Lieutenant Pearse’s death. He passed away on 20th October 1918, at the age of 35 years old, through causes unrecorded.

Cecil George Lunell Pearse was laid to rest in the Milton Road Cemetery in Weston-super-Mare, the town of his birth.

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Captain, Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, Hong Kong, Ireland, Lieutenant, London, Major, Norfolk, Northern Ireland, photography, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, story, unknown, Wales, war

Major Stafford Douglas

Leave a comment
Major Stafford Douglas

Stafford Edmund Douglas was born on 4th January 1863, the second of four children to Stephen and Mary Douglas. Stafford came from a military family, his father having been a Captain in the Royal Navy. This led to a lot of travelling and, having been born in Donaghadee, County Down, he then moved to South Wales.

By the 1880s, when Stephen and Mary had set up home in Portsmouth, Stafford had started to carve out a career for himself, and was a Lieutenant in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, based at Edinburgh Castle.

Over the coming years, Lieutenant Douglas, who stood 5ft 8.5ins (1.74m) tall and also spoke French, travelled the world, serving in South Africa, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Hong Kong. By 1894 he had made Captain, and he finally retired in 1903, after nineteen years’ service.

On 29th April that year, at the age of 40, Stafford married Mary Louisa Harris. She was the daughter of an army colonel, and the couple wed in St George’s Church, Hanover Square, London. The couple set up home in Exeter, Devon, and went on to have two children – Violet and Stafford Jr.

At this point, Stafford’s trail goes cold. When war broke out in 1914, he was called back into duty, working as a Railway Transport Officer in Norwich. He continued in this role until 1919, before being stood down and returning home.

Stafford Edmund Douglas passed away on 15th February 1920, at the age of 57 years old, although no cause of death is immediately apparent. He was laid to rest in the Milton Road Cemetery in Weston-super-Mare, presumably where his family were, by this time, residing.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, illness, London, London Regiment, photography, Rifleman, story, war

Rifleman Horace Thompson

Leave a comment
Rifleman Horace Thompso

Horace Douglas Thompson was born in Camberwell, East London on 23rd April 1898. He was the oldest of four children – and the only boy – to Horace and Elizabeth Thompson. Horace Sr was a grocer’s packer, originally from the village of Gissing in Norfolk.

Details of Horace Jr’s early life are a little sketchy, but it seems that by some point after the 1911 census, both of his parents had died, and he was fostered by his aunt and uncle – Charlotte and Robert Thompson – who lives in Leytonstone. By this point, he was working as a doctor’s errand boy.

When war broke out, Horace was keen to play his part. He enlisted in the 6th Battalion of the London Regiment – also known as the City of London Rifles – towards the end of 1916. It is unclear whether Rifleman Thompson saw any action overseas, but in April 1917 he was admitted to the Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital in Newton Abbot, Devon, suffering from acute gastritis, or appendicitis.

Sadly, Rifleman Horace Douglas Thompson was to succumb to the condition – he passed away at the hospital on 16th April 1917. He was laid to rest in Newton Abbot Cemetery; he was days short of his 19th birthday.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, London, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 1st Class William Bullock

Leave a comment
Stoker 1st Class William Bullock

William Bullock was born on 25th December 1882, one of nine children to William and Ellen Bullock. William Sr was a fish fryer from London, and this is where he and Ellen brought up their family.

When he left school, William worked as a coster and porter, and, in 1909, he married long time love Amelia Horrigan. The couple went on to have four children: two boys and two girls.

War was closing in on Europe and, on 23rd November 1915, William enlisted. He joined the Royal Navy a a Stoker 2nd Class: his service records state that he stood 5ft 5ins (1.65m) tall, had dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion.

Stoker Bullock’s first posting was HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard at Chatham, Kent. He spent most of his time there, returning to the base after voyages on board HMS Cheerful and HMS Shannon. It was while on board the Shannon that William was promoted to Stoker 1st Class.

In August 1917, William was back at HMS Pembroke. The Dockyard was particularly busy that summer, and the large number of extra servicemen meant that he found himself billeted in temporary accommodation in Chatham Drill Hall.

On the 3rd September 1917, the first night air raid carried out by the German Air Force bombarded the town, and scored a direct hit on the Drill Hall; Stoker 1st Class Bullock was among those killed instantly. He was 34 years old.

William Bullock was laid to rest, along with the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid, in the Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham. Tragically, the Navy Death records state that he was: Buried as “unidentified” in one of the following graves – 516, 522, 735, 642, 935, 937 or 948.

Commonwealth War Graves, Essex, Great War, Hampshire, history, Kent, killed in action, London, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 1st Class Frederick Reyner

Leave a comment
Stoker 1st Class Frederick Reyner

Frederick Walter Reyner was born in Braintree, Essex, on 18th May 1884. The youngest of five children, his parents were Stephen and Martha Reyner. Stephen was a carpenter, who raised his family alone, when Martha passed away in 1889.

When Frederick left school, he found work as an iron worker. When Stephen also died in 1902, Frederick moved in with his older brother, Henry.

His father’s death seemed to have been the spur he needed to move on to bigger and better things: on 21st April 1904, Frederick enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class for an initial period of five years. His service records show that he stood 5ft 4ins (1.63m) tall, had brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion, with a small scar on his left thumb as an identifying mark.

Over the course of his term of service, Stoker Reyner served on three ships – HMS Acheron, Berwick and Irresistible – and was promoted to Stoker 1st Class. After each voyage, he returned to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent.

When his initial term ended in 1909, Frederick was placed on reserve, and moved back in with Henry and his family. He worked to pay his way, finding employment as a postman around Brixton, where his brother lived. He met local woman Charlotte Rebecca Scott, and the couple married in St Andrew’s Church, Peckham, on 31st May 1914.

War, by this time, was imminent, and Frederick soon found himself called back in to action. After spending a year on shore, at HMS Pembroke and HMS Victory – the Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth – Stoker Reyner was assigned to HMS Europa, a cruiser that patrolled the Eastern Mediterranean. He spent two years on board, before returning to HMS Pembroke in July 1917.

The base was particularly busy that summer, and the large number of extra servicemen meant that Frederick was billeted in temporary accommodation in Chatham Drill Hall.

On the 3rd September 1917, the first night air raid carried out by the German Air Force bombarded the town, and scored a direct hit on the Drill Hall; Stoker 1st Class Reyner was among those killed instantly. He was 33 years old.

Frederick Walter Reyner was laid to rest, along with the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid, in the Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham. Tragically, the Navy Death Records state that he was Buried as unidentified in one of the following graves: 516, 522, 642, 735, 935, 937 or 948.

To add to the sadness of Frederick’s story, Charlotte was pregnant when he died. She gave birth on 31st May 1918, to a son who she named in memory of her late husband.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, London, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 1st Class Alfred Purton

Leave a comment
Stoker 1st Class Alfred Purton

Alfred Purton was born on 10th November 1897, one of fourteen children to Daniel and Rosetta Purton. Daniel was a dock labourer from Bromley-by-Bow, East London, and this is where the family were raised.

When he left school, Alfred found work as a stoker at the local gasworks, but in 1916, he was called up to do his duty for King and Country. Given his family background and his own employment, it is little surprise that he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class.

Alfred’s service records show that he stood 5ft 5ins (1.65m) tall, had auburn hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion, although he was noted to have moles on his legs and arms. His first posting was at HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, and he spent a couple of months training there.

In October 1916, Stoker Purton was assigned to the cruiser HMS Dartmouth, which helped patrol the South Atlantic. During his nine months on board, his work was recognised and he was promoted to Stoker 1st Class.

In July 1917, Alfred returned to HMS Pembroke. The Dockyard was particularly busy that summer, and a large number of extra servicemen meant that he was billeted in temporary accommodation in Chatham Drill Hall.

On the 3rd September 1917, the first night air raid carried out by the German Air Force bombarded the town, and scored a direct hit on the Drill Hall; Stoker 1st Class Purton was among those killed instantly. He was just 19 years old.

Alfred Purton was laid to rest, along with the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid, in the Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham. Tragically, the Navy Death Records state that he was Buried as unidentified in one of the following graves: 516, 522, 642, 735, 935, 937 or 948.