Balscote previously Balscott, The Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene
A marble plaque
1914-1918 JOHN L COMPTON SYDNEY COX HENRY COLES THOMAS COOK ARTHUR WM GARDNER ERIC HITCHCOX HERBERT HITCHCOX CYRIL KEMPSON CHRISTOPHER SKUSE 1939-1945 ALBERT C JONES MAY THEY REST IN PEACE |
The Fallen in WW1
John Leslie COMPTON Private, 2/5th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment). Army no 34395 He died from his wounds on 10 October 1918. He was 19 He is buried in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalene, Balscote Additional information He was the son of Thomas Henry and Elizabeth Compton of Balscote SYDNEY COX or SIDNEY Private, 46th Battalion, Central Ontario Regiment, Canadian Infantry. Army no 472803 He died on active service on 5 May 1917. He was 31 He is buried in Avion Mem 4 La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, Vimy Additional Information He was the son of John Edward and Ellen Cox of Balscote and the husband of Fanny Mary Cox of Midemoya, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada. His name was Sydney until he emigrated when it appears as Sidney Henry COLES He had served with the Hampshire Regiment Army no 17281 before WW1 enlisting on 14 June 1908 when he was 22. He was wounded in Gallipoli on 6 August 1915 and discharged on 26 October 1915. He then re-enlisted as Gunner, 2nd Siege Artillery, Reserve Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery, Army no 283287 on 24 May 1916. He was discharged on 29 March 1918 and died almost immediately at home. His death is registered as a civilian in Banbury in the quarter ending June 1918. He was 33. Additional information He was the son of Edward and Jane Coles of Balscote THOMAS COOK This is the name on the memorial but no soldier appears to have died who meets the information available. There was a William Cook who served from Balscote, he did not die but he was the son of Mrs Skuce, see below. Arthur William GARDNER Private, 1st/5th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 143 Brigade, 48th Division. Army no 241704 He was killed in action in the fighting at Ypres on 22 August 1917. He was 35. He is remembered on panels 23 to 28 and 163A of the Tyne Cot Memorial Eric Percy HITCHCOX Private, 6th (Service) Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 60 Brigade, 20th Division. Army no 17372 He was killed in action on 31 March 1916 near Ypres. He was 18 He is buried in grave I J 7 Essex Farm Cemetery Additional information He was the son of William and Sarah Hitchcox of Bolscote Herbert Wilfrid HITCHCOX Private 10th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, 1 Brigade, 1st Division. Army no 15652, He was formerly Army no 14461 with The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry He was killed in action on 25 September 1915, the first day of the battle of Loos. He was 23 He is remembered on panels 60 to 64 of the Loos Memorial Additional Information He was the son of William and Sarah Hitchcox of Bolscote and the elder brother of Eric, above. Cyril Thomas KEMPSON Private, 1st Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment. Army no 68374 He died from his wounds on 5 April 1918. He was 19 He is buried in grave II D 8 Aire Communal Cemetery near St Omer Additional Information He was the son of Thomas Edward and Eliza Kempson of Balscote Christopher Alban SKUCE Private, 8th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 17 Brigade, 24th Division. Army no G/64239. He was formerly Army no 6469 with 2nd/12th London Regiment He died from his wounds on 23 March 1918. He was 20 He is buried in grave II D 8 Roye New British Cemetery, The Somme Additional Information He was the son of Alban and Louisa Skuce. When he was born his birth was registered as Cook but his parents married the following year and he then used the name Skuce. The census and the military record give the spelling as SKUCE The Fallen in WW2 Albert Charles JONES Corporal, 564 Army Field Company, Royal Engineers. Army no 2008640 He was killed on active service on 7 October 1944 in the heavy fighting as the Allies fought their way north through Italy. He was 27 He is buried in grave XV A 8 Coriano Ridge War Cemetery Additional Information He was the son of Albert Edward and Mary Annie Jones and the husband of Elsie Agnes Jones, of Shutford Not included on the War Memorial Frederick Cannon READ Fireman, SS Fowey Rose (Liverpool) Merchant Navy He was killed when his ship was bombed and sank off the coast of Pembrokeshire on 5 July 1941. He was 17 He is remembered on panel 51 of the Tower Hill Memorial Additional Information He was the son of Lilian Read of Balscott |