Albert Andrew Heasman was born in 1890 or 1891, and, like his date of birth, much of his life remains a mystery. He was one of five children to William and Kate Heasman, who brought their family up in the West Sussex town of Worthing.
Documentation on Albert is scarce. He does not appear on census records until 1911, by which time he is working as a mate on a fishing boat, based out of Ramsgate, Kent.
Naval records are also patchy; he certainly enlisted during the war, and, by 1918 had joined the Royal Naval Reserve. He was assigned to HMS President III, a training ship based at the Royal India Dock in London.
The only other concrete information available on Leading Seaman Heasman is that he passed away from pneumonia on 21st October 1918. He was just 28 years old. His pension record confirms that his sister, Ethel, was listed as a dependent.
Albert Andrew Heasman’s body was brought back to Worthing, where he lies buried in the Broadwater Cemetery, to the north of the town.
Bertie Charles Bridger was born in the summer of 1876, one of nine children to William and Anne. William was a carman for the railway, and the family lived close to the central station in Worthing.
When Bertie left school, he followed in his father’s trade and, by the time of the 1901 census, was working as a groom and carman alongside his father and older brother, Arthur.
Bertie came to the notice of the local court when, in February 1900 he was called up to the Petty Sessions. He was fined for ‘cruelly ill-treating a horse by working it into an unfit state’ [Sussex Agricultural Express: Friday 9th February 1900], and ordered to pay a total of 18 shillings.
In the spring of 1904, Bertie married Ethel Gray, a carpenter’s daughter from Essex, who had found employment as a parlour maid for a Worthing solicitor. The couple would go on to have two children, Bertie Jr, who as born in 1905, and Leonard, born seven years later.
By the time of the 1911 census, the young Bridger family were living near the main railway station in a two-up, two-down property, where Bertie Sr was still plying his trade as a carman at the station.
War was coming, however, and in the summer of 1915, Bertie enlisted in the Royal Defence Corps. He was assigned as a Private to the 452nd Protection Company and, while his exact duties remain unclear, it is likely that he would have been involved with horses at some level, given his experience.
Private Bridger’s service appears to have mainly been spent on home soil, although, towards the end of the conflict he was sent to Ireland. It was while he was there, that he came down with influenza, which then turned into pneumonia. He was admitted to the Military Hospital in Curragh, but he died of the conditions on 14th November 1918, three days after the Armistice was signed. He was 42 years old.
The body of Bertie Charles Bridger was brought back to Sussex, and he was laid to rest in the Broadwater Cemetery to the north of Worthing. The local newspaper commented that:
Previous to his enlistment the deceased soldier was an outside porter at the Railway Station for nearly thirty years, and the sympathy of a wide circle of friends will be extended to his widow and two children.
Henry Gordon Greenfield was born in Worthing, West Sussex, in 1890. The fourth of nine children, his parents were Edmund and Caroline. Edmund was a carter from the town, who raised his family in a small terraced house near the station.
By the early 1900s, Edmund had changed profession, becoming a plasterer, and this was employment that his son followed him into. This seems to have been more lucrative for the family, and they moved to a larger property to the north of the town.
In August 1911, Henry married Edith Tombs. Edith was a gardener’s daughter from London, who had moved to Worthing for work. When the couple married, she was employed as a domestic servant for a solicitor and his wife. The young couple would go on to have three sons.
When war broke out, Henry was quick to enlist. He initially joined the Royal Sussex Regiment, serving his time as part of the 10th Battalion. This was a reserve company, that was based on home soil. When hostilities came to an end, Henry was transferred to the Labour Corps, and was billeted in Belfast.
Little further information about Henry’s service can be confirmed; he was admitted to the Military Hospital in Belfast with pneumonia, but sadly died of the condition on 27th February 1919. He was just 28 years old.
Brought back to Worthing, Henry Gordon Greenfield lies at rest in the Broadwater Cemetery there, not far from his parents and widow.
Henry’s younger brother Frederick also served during the Great War. Joining the Royal West Kent Regiment as a horse driver, he fought on the Western Front. He was killed on 17th August 1917, and is buried at the Duisans Cemetery in northern France. He was just 21 years of age.
Henry James Greenfield was born in Brighton, Sussex, in July 1878, one of at least seven children to William and Anne Greenfield. Henry’s parents were from Worthing, who seem to have worked their way along the coast to Brighton by the mid-1870s, when his older brother George was born.
William was a bootmaker and, by the early 1880s, had brought his family back to Worthing, where they remained settled.
At this point, it is harder to pinpoint Henry’s life, as documentation becomes scarce and, with Greenfield being a common name in Sussex at the time, it is challenging to confirm that anything written relates to this specific Henry James Greenfield.
There is a 1901 census with a Henry James Greenfield from Brighton on it: this lists him as an Able Seaman aboard HMS Ramillies moored in Valetta, Malta. However, given that the Henry buried in Worthing served with the army, rather than the navy, it seems unlikely to be the same person (although not impossible).
The next document that can by specifically linked to the grave is Lance Corporal Greenfield’s entry on the Army Register of Soldier’s Effects. In addition to giving his rank, this expands on his service during the Great War.
He joined the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) at some point before July 1918, and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion. While there is no confirmation of where he fought, his battalion served on the Western Front for the duration of the conflict.
Henry survived the war, but was admitted to a hospital in Leith, near Edinburgh, where he passed away from ‘sickness’ on 31st December 1918. He was 36 years old.
The document stated that his effects were distributed to his six siblings; this suggests that William and Anne had both passed away by this point, and also indicates that Henry himself had not married.
Henry James Greenfield’s body was brought back to Worthing; he is buried at the Broadwater Cemetery to the north of the town.
Charles Bashford was born on 10th August 1890, one of fifteen children to James and Mary Ann Bashford. James was a fisherman, and the family lived in Field Row, a narrow lane in the centre of Worthing, West Sussex.
The seaside town was a centre of fishing activity, so it is no surprise that most of James and Mary Ann’s children went into it in some way, and Charles was no exception. The 1911 census list him as the youngest of four siblings still living at home, and three of those gave their trade as fisherman, as well as James. Charles’ older brother William was the only sibling not to, and he was working as a printer.
War was coming to Europe, and, given his seafaring experience, it is no surprise that Charles sought to enlist in the Royal Navy. He joined up on 12th August 1916 and, after six weeks’ training, was assigned to the Royal Navy Reserve (Trawler Section). During his service he would have been involved in minesweeping and anti-submarine activities, using his own boat – or his family’s one – to do so.
Little further information is available for Deck Hand Bashford. He survived the war, but passed away on 11th August 1919 at the Royal Haslar Hospital, where he had been admitted, suffering from pneumonia. He was 28 years old.
Charles Bashford was brought back to his home town of Worthing; he was laid to rest in the Broadwater Cemetery there.
Fred Vincent was born in Crewkerne, Somerset, in 1889, one of seven children to Charles and Elizabeth Vincent. Charles was a dairyman, and, over the years, the whole family helped out in the business. This seemed a transitory business – over the years, the family moved around Dorset and, by the time of the 1911 census, were living in Wiltshire.
Frustratingly, after that document, Fred’s trail goes quiet. He married a woman called Dorothy, and at some point the couple moved to Worthing, West Sussex, although there are no records to confirm dates for either of these.
When war broke out, Fred enlisted in the Royal Sussex Regiment. Documents are again lacking, so it is impossible to tell which battalion he served in, or whether he was based at home or abroad. Private Vincent did subsequently transfer to the Labour Corps, although again, dates and the location of his service are not available.
Sadly, Fred has disappeared into the mists of time. He and Dorothy were living in Worthing when he passed away on 9th March 1919, at the age of 30 years old. There is nothing in contemporary newspapers to suggest that his passing was anything out of the ordinary.
Fred Vincent lies at rest in the Broadwater Cemetery of his adopted home town of Worthing.
Hubert Stephen Buck was born on 18th October 1887, in Stepney, East London. His father, Edgar Buck, started to use his grandmother’s maiden name – Campbell – from the 1880s, and, by 1901, the family had formally changed their name.
At the time of his marriage to Hubert’s mother Alexandra Stephen in 1885, Edgar was working as a ostrich feather manufacturer. The couple went on to have six children, all boys, of which Hubert was the second oldest.
By the time of the 1901 census, Edgar and Alexandra has moved the family south of the river, from Mile End to Lambeth. By now, Hubert’s father was working as a musician, but there is little further information about his trade.
The next census – from 1911 – found the family living in Lewisham. Edgar was now listed as a band leader, while Hubert, who was the oldest child still living at home, gave his profession as musician, presumably in his father’s band.
War was imminent and, while Hubert was definitely involved, there is little specific information about his military service. He enlisted in the Irish Guards, and was assigned the role of Bandsman.
In August 1917, Hubert married Alice Johnson in Sutton, Surrey. He listed his profession as Musician in HM Irish Guards, so must have enlisted before that point. Interestingly, the same document identifies Edgar’s profession as Bandmaster in the 1st City of London Regiment, so it seems he also enlisted.
The marriage certificate shows Alice was two years older then her new husband, and that she was the daughter of warehouseman Alfred Johnson, who had, by that point, passed away.
Bandsman Campbell survived the war, but there is no indication as to whether he served abroad, or was part of a territorial force. He and Alice moved to Worthing in West Sussex, but there is no confirmation on when the move took place. The 1921 census, taken in June of that year, records the couple as living at 151 Lyndhurst Road in Worthing, where he was noted as being a totally disabled pensioner. There is little further information about him, other than the fact that he died on 4th August 1921, at the age of 35.
Hubert Stephen Campbell was laid to rest in the Broadwater Cemetery in Worthing.
While Hubert’s trail went cold, there is further information on Alice. An advert in the Worthing Gazette offers musical training by her:
Musical Training on Modern Methods
Pianoforte (Matthay), Voice Production, Singing, Theory, Harmony, Aural Culture, Musical Appreciation, and Art of Teaching.
Thorough preparation for all Examinations, Elementary to Diploma Grades, Special Courses for Teachers for the study of the Matthay system and the Art of Teaching.
MADAME ALICE CAMPBELL (Member of the Musical Councils of the London and East London Musical Festivals. Registered Teacher: Teachers’ Registration Council.
Worthing Gazette: Wednesday 31st August 1921
Digging a little deeper, and there are similar advertisements in the newspaper from late 1917, through to at least the 1930s, by which time, Alice was running the Worthing School of Music.
The advert suggests a couple of points. It certainly suggests that a love of music is what brought Hubert and Alice together in the first place. There was a definite musical connection in the household, initially driven by Hubert’s father, and continued with his widow.
Given that the advert above is dated a matter of weeks after Hubert’s death, it also seems likely that his passing was not unexpected. There is nothing in the local media relating to his death, and, with regular students to teach, Alice obviously felt is unnecessary to take any significant time away from her work in grief. It is supposition on my part, but it would suggest that Hubert died from a chronic condition, possibly one of the lung diseases that were rife across Europe in the aftermath of the Great War.
The last advert for the Worthing School of Music ran on 12th September 1934. Beyond that date – when Alice would have been 49 – there is no further clear record of her or the school.
Henry Charles Forrest was born in Bromley, Kent, in the summer of 1893. The youngest of eight children to William and Wilhelmina Forrest, Henry’s father was a police sergeant, who retired not long after his youngest son’s birth, moving his family to Worthing in West Sussex.
Henry was obviously a bright lad; the 1911 census records him as a student teacher. The only one of William and Wilhelmina’s children still living at home, he was, by this point, still just 17 years old. His career continued over the next few years, and he taught at the Ham Road Schools in Worthing.
In the spring of 1916, Henry married Constance Robertson. The young couple had a lot in common and seemed like a perfect match. Constance was the daughter of a retired police constable, and was also a student teacher.
War, by this time, had come to Europe. Full details of Henry’s military service are not available, but it seems that he initially joined the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Private Forrest was promoted to the rank of Corporal, and subsequently transferred to the Army Cycling Corps, serving in France.
As the war moved on, Corporal Forrest was released to resume his teaching back in Worthing but, in the autumn of 1918, he contracted influenza and pneumonia. The conditions got the better of him, and he passed away on 5th December 1918, at the age of just 25 years old.
Henry Charles Forrest was laid to rest in the Broadwater Cemetery in Worthing; sadly, it seems that Constance was unable to attend – she was represented at the ceremony by her mother.
Arthur William George Westby was born in the spring of 1895, the only child to Arthur Henry Westby and his wife, Emma. Arthur Sr was a Corporal in the Scots Guards, but, beyond the fact that his son was born in Clapham, South London, there is little further information about Arthur Jr’s early life.
His father’s military career must have taken him across the country – the 1901 census lists Emma and Arthur Jr living in Bolton, Lancashire, even though there seem to be no connections with the county for them.
The records for Arthur Jr go quiet until 1920. At this point, documents hint at his military service during the Great War.
The death notices in the Sussex newspapers confirm his passing:
On November 19th 1920, at The Cedars, 13 Browning Road, Worthing, Arthur WG Westby (late MT, RASC), beloved husband of Ethel Westby, and only son of Ex-RQM Sergeant and Mrs Westby, 34 Wenban Road, Worthing. Patiently suffered to the end, result of Active Service.
Worthing Gazette: Wednesday 24th November 1920
There is no further information available about Ethel, and no marriage records to confirm a date for their wedding.
From a military perspective, Arthur enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps, and was attached to the Motor Transport division. Again, there is nothing to evidence when he enlisted or for how long he served. It seems that Private Westby was injured in the line of duty, and was medically discharged in April 1918. The injury appears to have been life-changing, and it affected him until the end of his life.
Arthur William George Westby passed away in Worthing on 19th November 1920, aged just 25 years old. The specific cause of his death is unknown. He was laid to rest in the Broadwater Cemetery in the town, close to his parents and widow.
William Edmund Dale was born in Worthing, West Sussex on 25th November 1886 and was the older of six children. His father, also called William, was a carman, and he and William’s mother, Eliza, brought the family up in the Sussex town.
William Jr seems to have had a number of jobs, working as a draper’s errand boy, a milkman’s assistant and a gardener. He found his true calling at the age of 12, however, when he enlisted in the Royal Navy.
Initially acting as a Boy 2nd Class, over his initial twelve years’ employ he served on eleven vessels, and rose through the ranks to Boy, Ordinary Seaman and Able Seaman.
It was while serving on HMS Blake in 1910, that he married Mary Williams. The couple went on to have two children, William, born in 1910, and Harry, born the following year. The family set up home in Portsmouth, where the sailor was based.
With his initial service complete in 1916, William’s term of duty was extended until the end of hostilities. A promotion to Leading Seaman followed, and he was assigned to HMS Attentive, part of the Dover Patrol guard.
In 1917, William was promoted again, this time to the role of Petty Officer, and was assigned to HMS Royal Sovereign, the Navy’s new battleship. He served on the vessel for the remainder of the way, and through into the summer of 1919.
It was in the last month of his service, that Petty Officer Dale fell ill. He was taken ashore, and sent to the Royal Naval Hospital in Chatham, Kent. He had contracted meningitis, and sadly succumbed to it within days of being admitted. He died on 4th August 1919, at the age of just 32 years old.
William Edmund Dale was brought back to the town of his birth; he lies at rest in a quiet corner of the Broadwater Cemetery in Worthing, West Sussex.
Death and Service 