Blackheath, Surrey
Blackheath War Memorial
The inscription covering all 4 faces reads REMEMBER WITH THANKSGIVING THE TRUE AND FAITHFUL MEN WHO IN THE GREAT WAR WENT FORTH FROM THIS PLACE FOR GOD AND THE RIGHT. THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO RETURNED NOT AGAIN ARE HERE INSCRIBED TO BE HONOURED FOR EVERMORE and underneath: 1914 FRANK FREDERICK HAYWARD L. Corpl. 2nd Bn. The Queen’s FRANCE 1916 JAMES CHARLES MANT Ld St R.N. H.M.S Invincible JUTLAND WILLIAM CHARLES CALLINGHAM Pte. 74th. Canadian Regiment FRANCE LEONARD GEORGE EDWARDS Pte 7th. Bn, The Queen’s FRANCE 1917 FRANK HARDWICKE Pte 1st Bn, 28th London Regiment FRANCE HENRY JAMES HAYWARD Pte 6th. Bn. The Queen’s FRANCE 1918 CHARLES BASIL MORTIMER HODGSON Captn. 3rd Bn. The Queen’s EGYPT CYRIL ARTHUR GODWIN HODGSON Captn. Royal N. Devon Hussars EGYPT 
The Framed Notice Board which is standing outside the Church containing an illuminated manuscript
Central panel An image of St George surrounded by four texts GREATER LOVE HAVE NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS BLOW OUT YOU BUGLES OVER THE RICH DEAD! THERE’S NONE OF THESE SO LONELY AND POOR OR OLD BUT, DYING, HAS MADE US RARER GIFTS THAN GOLD. THE SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS ARE IN THE HAND OF GOD AND SUCH AS BE FAITHFUL IN LOVE SHALL ABIDE IN HIM THERE’S NOT ROOM FOR DEATH NOR ATOM THAT HIS MIGHT COULD RENDER VOID: THOU -- THOU ART BEING AND BREATH, AND WHAT THOU ART MAY NEVER BE DESTROYED. Below this and above the names: GIVE REST OH LORD TO THY SERVANTS WHERE SORROW AND PAIN ARE NO MORE BUT JOY EVERLASTING JAMES C MANT AGED 29 Ld. St RN HMS Invincible: Which sank during the Battle of Jutland May 31st 1916 "So long but not goodbye." LEONARD G EDWARDS AGED 21 Pte 7th Bt The Queens Killed at Ferincourt July 15th 1916 “He in a short while fulfilled a long while” WILLIAM C CALLINGHAM AGED 32 Pte 74th Canadian Regiment Died of wounds received in the trenches 1916 FRANK F HAYWARD AGED 21 L Cpl 2nd Bn The Queens (S Africa & Bermuda) missing Nov 7th 1914 after retaking of trenches "Cheer up there's a rainbow in the sky." HENRY J HAYWARD AGED 23 Henry James Hayward Pte 6th Bt The Queens Died of wounds received bringing a message as a Queens runner. 1917 CYRIL A G HODGSON Capt R N Devon Hussars Died in Cairo hospital March 20th 1918 after serving in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine CHARLES B N M HODGSON Capt 3rd Bt The Queens Died in Cairo hospital April 12th 1918 from wounds received in Palestine March 9th having served in France, Gallipoli and Palestine FRANK HARDWICKE Pte 1st Bt 28th London Regiment Died in France 1917 The left side panel is headed HIS ANGELS SHALL GIVE CHARGE OVER THEE TO KEEP THEE IN ALL THY WAYS And then lists: ALBERT AYEARS FREDERICK BALCHIN JOHN BALCHIN ARTHUR COOPER ALBERT DAVIS ERNEST DAVIS ROBERT DAVIS ALBERT DURRANT GEORGE DURRANT JESSES DURRANT ERNEST DURRANT GILBERT EDWARDS EDGAR HERSEY HAROLD HUDGSON BENJAMIN MANT JAMES MERCER HENRY MERCER GEORGE RAGGETT The right hand panel is headed WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT BUT WHOSOEVER WILL LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE THE SAME SHALL SAVE IT And then lists CECIL STEWARD CHARLES RISBRIDGER ALGIE SAUNDERS ERNEST SAUNDERS HENRY STEWARD LIVI MANT SIDNEY HAYWARD JOHN MITCHELL CHARLES DEVONSHIRE ARTHUR HALL ERNEST BALCHIN JOHN HAMES PERCY SCOGINGS FRANK SAUNDERS LEN SAUNDERS 
The Plaque inside St Martin's Church, Blackheath
1914 – 1918 In Memoriam Frank Frederick Hayward L Cpl 2nd Bn. The Queens 1914 Belgium James Charles Mant Ld St RN HMS Invincible 1916 Jutland William Charles Callingham Pte 74th Canadian Regiment 1916 France Leonard George Edwards Pte 7th Bt The Queens 1916 France Frank Hardwicke Pte 1st Bt 29 th London Regiment 1917 France Henry James Hayward Pte 6th Bt The Queens 1917 France Charles Basil Mortimer Hodgson Capt 3rd Bt The Queens 1918 Egypt Cyril Arthur Godwin Hodgson Capt R N Devon Hussars 1918 Egypt Glory to God in the Highest on Earth Goodwill Toward Men 
F A BALCHIN ROYAL MARINES PO/X 109410
19 NOVEMBER 1941 AGE 40 “UNTIL THE DAY DAWN” 
T E BRAMBLE
CHIEF PETTY OFFICER RN P/J11938 SS SCOTTISH CO-OPERATOR 23RD NOVEMBER 1941 AGE 47 IN MEMORY OF A LOVING HUSBAND AND FATHER ALWAYS IN OUR THOUGHTS 
7208 PRIVATE WILFRED COVEY
THE QUEEN’S 7TH AUGUST 1916 AGE 22 IN LOVING MEMORY |
The Fallen in WW1
William Charles CALLINGHAM Private, 38th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment), 12 Infantry Brigade 4th Division. Army no. 135678 He died of wounds received in the trenches 4 November 1916 He is buried in grave IQ40, Albert Communal Cemetery extension. Additional Information Canadian records reveal that he was born on 4 June 1883, unmarried, his next of kin was his sister who lived in London and that he had enlisted (volunteered). Leonard George EDWARDS Private, 7th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 55 Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. Army no. G/1354 He was killed in action on 1 July 1916 near Fricourt in the Battle for Albert on the first day of the campaign known as the Battle of the Somme when the British Army suffered its worst day with over 19,000 killed and 35,000 wounded. He was 21 He was the son of Henry Edwards, 16 Mitchell Cottages, Blackheath. He is remembered on pier and face 5D and 6D of the Theipval Memorial Additional information I believe the information on the plaque to be incorrect. The date is wrong according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the other major authority “Soldiers died in the Great War” and I cannot find Ferincourt, the place where he is stated to have died but there is a village of Fricourt which flanked “Sausage Valley”. Thomas Frank HARDWICKE Rifleman, 1st/28th (County of London) Battalion (Artists' Rifles), The London Regiment, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. Army no. B/201426. He was previously a Private in the Army Service Corps. Army no. M/2/046969 He was killed in action on 30 October 1917 in the Second Battle of Passchendaele (26 October-10 November 1917), a phase of the Third Battles of Ypres. He was 23. He was the son of Annie Potter, (formerly Hardwick), 2 Hamlash Cottages, Frensham. He is remembered on panel 145 to 147 of the Tyne Cot Memorial Additional information His Medal Card spells his name as Hardwick as does his civil birth registration. His Mother had re-married in 1909 in Farnham. Frederick Frank HAYWARD Private, D Company, 2nd Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 22 Brigade, 7th Division. Army no. L/9152 He was killed in action on 7 November 1914 in the aftermath of the first Battle of Ypres. He was 24 He was the son of Mercy Leigh (formerly Hayward), 5 Mitchells Cottages, Blackheath and the late Sydney F Hayward. He was the elder brother of Henry, the next entry He is remembered on panel 11-13 and 14 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres Henry James HAYWARD Private, D Company, 6th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 37 Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. Army no. 2301 He died from his wounds on 24 August 1917. He was 23. He was the son of Mercy Leigh (formerly Hayward), 5 Mitchells Cottages, Blackheath and the late Sydney F Hayward. He is buried in grave I K 27, Monchy British Cemetery, Monchy le Preux near Arras. Additional information His Medal Card states that he was an Acting Sergeant. It is recorded that he had been a Queens Messenger. Charles Basil Mortimer HODGSON Croix de Guerre with Palm (France) Captain, attached to 2nd/24th (County of London) Battalion (The Queen’s) London Regiment, 181 Brigade, 60th Division. He was formerly Captain, 3rd Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). He died from his wounds on 1 April 1918. He was 37 He was the son of Charles D and Emily Hodgson, The Hallams, Shamley Green and the husband of Mary A Hodgson, North Canonry, Salisbury. He was the brother of Cyril, see next entry. He is buried in grave O 143, Cairo War Memorial Cemetery Additional information Probate granted 20 June 1918 to his widow. His address is stated as London SW1 Cyril Arthur Godwin HODGSON Captain, 16th Battalion (Royal 1st Devon & North Devon Yeomanry) Battalion T F, The Devonshire Regiment 229 Brigade, 74th Division. He was previously 2nd Lieutenant, Royal North Devon Hussars. He died on 20 March 1918. He was 33. The cause of his death is not known but it was probably as a result of an illness He was the son of Charles D and Emily Hodgson, The Hallams, Shamley Green He is buried in grave O 135, Cairo War Memorial Cemetery Additional information Royal North Devon Hussars was a cavalry regiment based in Alexandria, Egypt but they “dismounted” in 1917. James Charles MANT Leading Stoker, HMS Invincible, Royal Navy. Royal Navy no. K/1168 He was killed in action on 31 May 1916. He was 29 He was the son of Frederick and Charlotte Mant, White Cottage, Blackheath. He is remembered on 16 Portsmouth Naval Memorial Additional information HMS Invincible was the first Royal Navy battle-cruiser. She fought in the Battles of Heligoland Bight and the Falkland Islands when, with her sister ship HMS Inflexible, sank the German armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau almost without loss. 30 May 1916, the entire Grand Fleet, under Admiral Beatty was ordered to sea to look for the German Fleet. HMS Invincible was the flagship of the 3rd Battle-Cruiser Squadron under Admiral Hood and the three battle-cruisers sailed ahead of the main fleet. 31 May at 05:53 HMS Invincible found the Wiesbaden and opened fire with the other battle-cruisers joining battle two minutes later. 06:00 The German ships turned south to shelter in the mist after fruitlessly firing torpedoes. As they turned HMS Invincible hit Wiesbaden and knocked out her engines while HMS Inflexible hit Pillau once. This German 2nd Scouting Group was escorted by the light cruiser Regensburg and 31 destroyers of 2nd and 9th Flotillas and the 12th Half-Flotilla all of whom attacked the 3rd Battle-cruiser Squadron in succession. They were driven off by Hood's remaining light cruiser HMS Canterbury and the five destroyers of his escort. In a confused action the Germans only launched 12 torpedoes and disabled the destroyer HMS Shark with gunfire. Having turned due west, the Battle-cruisers were broadside to the oncoming torpedoes, but all three of them turned to present their narrowest profile to the torpedoes. All the torpedoes missed but, as HMS Invincible turned, her helm jammed and she had to come to a stop to fix the problem but this was quickly done and the squadron reformed. 06:21 The German battle-cruisers were 9,000 yards (8.2 km) away and the Battle-cruisers almost immediately opened fire on their flagship Lützow as well as Derfflinger. HMS Indomitable hit Derfflinger three times and Seydlitz once, while the Lützow quickly took 10 hits from HMS Lion, HMS Inflexible and HMS Invincible, including two hits below the waterline forward. 06:30 HMS Invincible abruptly appeared as a clear target for Lützow and Derfflinger. The two German ships fired three salvoes each at HMS Invincible and she sank in 90 seconds. At least one 305 mm (12 inch) shell from the third salvo struck her midships 'Q' turret. The shell penetrated the front of 'Q' turret, blew off the roof and detonated the midships magazines, which blew the ship in half. Of her complement, 1026 officers and men were killed, including Rear-Admiral Hood. There were 6 six survivors. The Burials in the Cemetery Frederick Arthur BALCHIN Marine, Royal Marines, RN no. PO/X 109410 He died on 19 November 1941 from an illness. He was 40 He was the son of James and Dorcas Balchin and the husband of Ivy E Balchin of Kirkcaldy. He is buried on the left of the main path of the cemetery of St John The Baptist Church, Wonersh Additional information His ship had struck a mine on 7 February 1941 Thomas E BRAMBLE Chief Petty Officer, HMS President III, Royal Navy. RN no P/J 11938 He died on 23 November 1941 from illness. He was 47 He was the son of James and Sarah Bramble and the husband of Millicent A Bramble of Wonersh. He is buried on the left of the main path of the cemetery of St John The Baptist Church, Wonersh Wilfred Luke COVEY Private, 11th Battalion The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) Number: G/7208 He died of his wounds on 7 August 1916. He was 22. He was the son of Luke and Jane Covey, 10 Lawns Mead, Wonersh. He is buried in St. John the Baptist Church Cemetery, Wonersh |