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Blackheath, Surrey

Picture
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

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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

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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
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F A BALCHIN ROYAL MARINES PO/X 109410
19 NOVEMBER 1941  AGE 40

“UNTIL THE DAY DAWN”
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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
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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
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