Bloxham

1914 - 1919
THEY GAVE – WE HAVE
The GREAT WARS
1939 - 1945

H AYRES   V CUMMINGHAM
A BARTLETT   W DICKENSON
A BAUGHAN  W H G ENOCK
E CALLOW  E GOLBY
E CARTER    W C GOLBY
F  CARTER   E H HAVILL
L N CLIFTON R HARTALL
A COLEMAN  S HAWTIN
A HEATH

E S HOPKINSON  W G RUSSELL
C HORLEY  F W SIMPSON
F HORLEY  G SUTTON
G. JACOB   J SUTTON
F MANNING  A L TYRRELL
C R MOBLEY  E WISE
N W MOBLEY  A WOODWARD
F ROGERS   W G WOODWARD

1939-1945

R W BRIDGES M W FAULKNER
J C BUTLER  H G PREEDY
G S DARBY  C V SMITH
R G S DARBY  W A WIGGINS
H G YOUNG

Frank Manning, Canadian Infantry

In St Mary's Church

he Fallen on the memorial from WW1

Harry AYRES
Private, HQ Company, 5th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and
Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 42 Brigade, 14th Division. Army no. 10517
He died of his wounds on 7 July 1915. He was 18
He was the son of Solomon and Emma Ayres, The Square, Bloxham
He is buried in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church, Bloxham

Alfred Thomas BARTLETT
Private, 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Army no. 114784
He died in action in the fighting at Mount Sorrel near Ypres on 5 June 1916. He was 22
He was the son of James and Sarah Bartlett, High Street, Bloxham
He is remembered on panel 30, 32 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres

Alfred Edwin BAUGHAN
Private, 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 28 Brigade, 7th Indian Division. Army no. 9105
He died from disease on 16 August 1916. He was 26
He was the son of William H and Fanny Baughan.
He is buried in grave XXI A 21 in the North Gate War Cemetery, Baghdad
Additional information
His name at birth and in the census was Albert Edwin Baughan. The military records show him as A E Baugham.

Ernest Charles CALLOW
Gunner, Z Battery, 1st/5th Brigade, Royal Horse
Artillery. Army no. 153820
He was killed in action on 24 April 1917. He was 27.
He was the son of Wyatt and Louisa Callow of Barford St. John and husband of Amy Callow of Humber Street, Bloxham
He is buried in grave I D 7 Bois Carre British Cemetery, Thelus

Edward Ellis CARTER
Sergeant, 156th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Army no. 53947.
He died of his wounds on 29 April 1916. He was 36
He was the husband of Annie Carter, Rosebank, Bloxham
He is buried in grave III H 64 Bethune Town Cemetery

Frank CARTER
Private, 1st Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, 2  Brigade, 1st Division. Army no. 9338
He was killed in action on 9 May 1915 during the attack at Rue du Bois during the battle of Aubers Ridge. He was 23. 
He was the son of Mathew and Matilda Carter, Primrose Cottage, Bloxham 
He is remembered on panel 28 to 30 of Le Touret Memorial

Leslie Noah CLIFTON
Private, 1st Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment, 11 Brigade, 4th Division. Army no. 16441. He was formerly with The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Army no. 11223
He was killed in action during the fighting for Albert on 1 July 1916. He was 23.
He was the son of Noah and Edith Clifton.
He is buried in grave C 2 Redan Ridge Cemetery Number 2, Beaumont Hamel

Alfred George COLEMAN
Corporal, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 5 Brigade, 2nd Division. Army no. 11258
He was killed in action near Arleux during the battle of Arras on
28 April 1917. He was 25
He was the son of Mr and Mrs A Coleman, 3 Horsefair, Hook Norton.
He is remembered on bay 6 & 7 of the Arras Memorial

Victor CUNNINGHAM
Private, 6th Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 60 Brigade, 20th Division. Army no 32775. He was formerly with The Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars. Army no 3126
He was killed in action on 9 October 1916 in the fighting on the Somme. He was 19
He was the son of Charles and Emily Cunningham of Bloxham
He is remembered on pier & face 10A & 10D of the Thiepval Memorial

Walter DICKENSON
Lance Corporal, 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 28  Brigade, 7th Indian Division. Army no. 8621.
He died from disease on 15 August 1916. He was 27.
He was the son of Henry and Mary Ann Dickenson
He is buried in grave XXI C 11 North Gate War Cemetery, Baghdad
Additional information
His name is spelt Dickinson in some military records

William Henry G ENOCK
Gunner, 99th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Army no. 183221
He died of his wounds on 5 July 1918. He was 32.
He was the son of George and Mary Enock of Bloxham
He is buried in grave I D 31 Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, near Boulogne

Ernest GOLBY
Private, 5th Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry, 42 Brigade, 14th Division. Army no. 202757.
He was killed in action on 23 March 1918 near St Quentin. He was 42.
He was the son of Amy E Fairbrother, 6 Strawberry Terrace, Bloxham.
He is remembered on panel 50 & 51 of the Pozières Memorial

Wilfrid Clarence GOLBY
Private, 6th Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 60 Brigade, 20th Division. Army no. 32739. He was formerly with The Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars. Army no. 2260
He was killed in action on 7 October 1916 during the battle for the Transloy Ridges. He was 21
He was the son of Clarence and Sarah Ann Golby, High Street, Bloxham 
He is remembered on pier & face 10A & 10D of the Thiepval Memorial 

Ernest Hubert HAVILL
Private, 2nd Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment), 25  Brigade, 8th Division. Army no. 43610. He was formerly with The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Army no 38495
He was killed in action on 6 October 1918 during the Final Advance. He was 18. 
He was the son of Thomas William and Sussannah Havell, Signal Hayes Road, Walmley, Erdington, Birmingham.
He is buried in grave VII F 4 Brown’s Copse Cemetery, Roeux
Additional information
In the military records he is HAVELL which was the spelling used to register his birth

Reginald Charles HARTALL
Private, 9th Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment, 39 Brigade, 13th Division. Army no. 13823
He was killed in action on 21 April 1916 in the attempt to relieve Kut. He was 25
He was the son of the late Rowland and Emily Hartall of Bloxham
He is remembered on Panel 18 & 63 of the Basra Memorial

Spencer Albert HAWTIN
Gunner, 121st Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Army no. 87578
He died of his wounds on 19 April 1918. He was 30
He was the son of Richard and Rhoda Hawtin of Bloxham and the husband of Annie Hawtin
He is buried in grave I C 12 Bagneux British Cemetery,
Gezaincourt, Somme
Additional information
Gezaincourt was the site of several hospitals at this time.

Arthur HEATH
Sapper, 251st Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers. Army no.
151627. He was formerly with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Army no. 19103
He died of his wounds on 9 June 1917. He was 39.
He was the husband of Ellen Sophia Heath, Sycamore Terrace, Bloxham
He is buried in grave II D 2 Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium

Evelyn Somerset HOPKINSON
Lieutenant, Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve
He died on 21 September 1917 in North Aston. He was 42.
He was the son of George H and Blanche I Hopkinson, St Mary’s Lodge, Bloxham
He does not have an official military grave and his death is recorded in the Civil Registers but he had volunteered and been discharged for health reasons

Charles Henry HORLEY
Corporal, 2nd Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters
(Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), 71 Brigade, 6th Division. Army no. 92006. He was formerly with The Leicestershire Regiment. Army no. 10700
He died of his wounds on 30 November 1917 which he would have received in the battle of Cambrai. He was 36
He was the son of Job and Sarah Horley, Merivals Lane, Bloxham and the elder brother of Frederick, the next entry
He is buried in grave III C 14 British Cemetery, Rocquigny-Equancourt Road, Manancourt, Somme

Frederick HORLEY
Rifleman, 4th Battalion, The King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 80
Brigade, 27th Division. Army no. 8494
He was killed in action on 28 January 1915. He was 25.
He was the son of Job and Sarah Horley, Merivals Lane, Bloxham
He is remembered on panel 51 and 53 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres

George JACOB
I have not identified anyone in any of the military records

Frank MANNING
Private, 5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan
Regiment) Army no. 441293
He died on 6 April 1916. He was 32
He was the son of William and Hester Manning, Portland Cottage, Barford Road, Bloxham and the husband of Kezia Manning
He is buried in grave III C 4 Aeroplane Cemetery, near Ypres

Charles R MOBLEY
Private, 24th Battalion (2nd Sportsman’s), The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 5 Brigade, 2nd Division. Army no. G/25805 
He was killed in action on 14 April 1917 at the battle of Vimy Ridge. He was 25.
He was the son of William and Louisa Mobley and the elder brother of Norman, the next entry.
He is remembered on bay 3 of the Arras Memorial

Norman Wilfred MOBLEY
Private, 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards, 3 Guards Brigade, Guards Division. Army no. 16005
He was killed in action on 25 September 1916 in the fighting around Norval or Lesboeufs. He was 23
He was the son of William and Louisa Mobley
He is remembered on pier & face 8D of the Thiepval Memorial

Frank ROGERS
Corporal, 10th Battalion, The Prince of Wales’s Own (West
Yorkshire Regiment), 50 Brigade, 17th Division. Army no. 10767
He was killed in action on 24 August 1918. He was 28.
He was the son of Frank and Elizabeth Rogers, Queen Street, Bloxham
He is buried in grave IV T 38 Pozières British Cemetery, Ovillers la Boisselle

William George RUSSELL
Sergeant, 14th Battalion (1st Birmingham), The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 13 Brigade, 5th Division. Army no. 993
He was killed in action on 26 October 1917. He was 25.
He was the son of James W & Annie Russell of Bloxham 
He is remembered on panel 23-28 & 163A of the Tyne Cot Memorial
 
Francis William SIMPSON  MM 
Staff Sergeant, 2nd/3rd Home Counties Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps Army no. 497253
He was killed in action on 28 October 1917. He was 23. 
He was the son of Thomas W and Fanny Simpson of Bloxham and the husband of Hilda W Simpson, The Wood Haven, Sidney Road, Walton-on-Thames
He is buried in grave II B 13 Minty Farm Cemetery

Gilbert Nathaniel SUTTON
Second Lieutenant, B Battery, 95th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
He died in England on 14 October 1916. He was 26.
He was the son of Annie Sutton, The Knoll, Bloxham and the late Nathaniel L Sutton, Bilton Lodge, Rugby. He was the brother of John, see next entry.  He is buried in grave 41 3 45284, All Soul’s Cemetery, Kensal Green
Additional information
He was educated at Christ's Hospital and Lincoln College, Oxford

John Henry Holbeche SUTTON
Private, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 5 Brigade, 2nd Division. Army no. 34751
He was killed in action on 23 August 1918. He was 19.
He was the son of Annie Sutton, The Knoll, Bloxham, Banbury, and the late Nathaniel L Sutton.
He is buried in grave I B 7 Gomiecourt South Cemetery
Additional information
He was educated at Christ's Hospital.

Alec Leslie TYRRELL
Private, 5th Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 42 Brigade, 14th Division. Army no. 16538
He was killed in action on 25 September 1915. He was 19.
He was the son of Edward and Martha Tyrrell of Bloxham
He is remembered on panel 37 & 39 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres

Edmund WISE
Rifleman, 7th Battalion The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own), 41 Brigade, 14th Division. Army no. S/9545
He was killed in action on 31 August 1915. He was 38.
He was the son of Charles and Mary Ann Wise, New Road, Bloxham
He is buried in grave X 22 Potijze Burial Ground Cemetery, Belgium

Albert WOODWARD
Lance Corporal, 11th Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers, 68 Brigade, 23rd Division.  Army no. 7491
He was killed in action on 2 April 1916.
He was the son of Jonathon Woodward and the late Mary K Woodward, Grub Street, Bloxham
He is buried in grave A 58 Bully Grenay Communal Cemetery, French Extension near Arras

George William WOODWARD
Private, 6th Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 60 Brigade, 20th Division. Army no. 33028. He was formerly with The Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars. Army no. 3125
He died on 26 February 1917 probably from illness. He was 24.
He was the son of the late George and Mary A Woodward, Tank Street, Bloxham
He is buried in grave IV B 37 Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte

On the Roll of Honour in the Church

Richmond Fothergill ROBINSON
Second Lieutenant 7th Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps, 41 Brigade, 14th Division
He was killed in action on 30 July 1915 at the Battle of Hooge. He was 35.
He was the son of Vice-Chancellor W. Fothergill Robinson and the husband of Mrs M  G Robinson, 87 King Street, St. Catharine's, Ontario, Canada.
He is remembered on panel 51 and 53 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres

Charles TYRRELL
Lance Corporal, Mounted Branch, Military Police Corps. Army
no. P/101
He died on 12 September 1915. He was 50 
He was the husband of Mary E Tyrrell, 25 The Bourne, Hook
Norton.
He is buried in grave R V B 1  Merville Communal Cemetery


On a plaque dedicated to Bloxham Bellringers

Theodore Herbert Henry WOOD
Second Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion attached to 1st Battalion, The Dorsetshire Regiment, 15 Brigade, 5th Division.
He was killed in action on 13 April 1915. He was 23.
He was the son of The Rev. Clifford Cunningham Wood and Maria A Wood, Finsbury, Alexandra Place, Penzance
He is buried in grave F 18 Ramparts Cemetery, Lille Gate, Ypres
Additional Information
BA (Honours) Modern History, Oxford.


The Fallen in WW2

Ronald William BRIDGES
Wireman, HMS Hood, Royal Navy,   RN no.  P/MX 62163
He died on 24 May 1941. He was 22
He was the son of George and Mabel Bridges of Bloxham
He is remembered on panel 57 column 1 of the Portsmouth Naval Memorial and he  has a headstone in Bloxham churchyard 
Additional information
HMS Hood's final voyage began two days earlier at 00.50 hours on Thursday, 22 May, 1941, when she left  Scapa Flow in company with battleship HMS Prince of Wales and six destroyers. The crew gained their first clue that something was developing at 19.39 hours on 23 May when full speed was ordered.  At 20.02 hours, a message from cruiser HMS Suffolk reported the enemy as one battleship and one cruiser, some 560 kilometres distant and almost directly north of the battle-cruiser force.  Speed was
increased to and 27 knots at 20.54 hours.
On 24 May 1941 The British went to action stations at 00.15 hours.  Visibility deteriorated rapidly about a half-hour later.  HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales resumed first degree of
readiness at 05.10 hours. 
At 05.35 hours Bismarck and Prinz Eugen were sighted, range approximately 38,000 meters.  HMS Hood and her consort
altered course, HMS Prince of Wales taking station 4 cables distant on HMS Hood's starboard quarter. 
HMS Hood opened fire at 05.52 hours, range approx. 25,000 yards. HMS Prince of Wales opened fire at 05.53 hours with her
opening salvo being observed as over, the 6th was seen to straddle. Bismarck replied with extreme accuracy on HMS Hood.  After the 2nd or 3rd salvo, fire broke out in in the vicinity of the port 4 inch gun. At 06.00 hours, just after Bismarck's 5th salvo, a huge explosion occurred between HMS Hood's after funnel and mainmast and she sank in three or four minutes. 1,415 officers and men of HMS Hood were killed in the explosion, or died in the water shortly thereafter.

John Capel BUTLER
Private, 7th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry, 167 Infantry Brigade, 56 Division.  Army no. 5381246
He died in action in the first assault on the Gustav Line on 23 January 1944. He was 28
He was the son of Hermon S Butler and Emily Butler and the husband of Ivy A Butler of Bloxham
He is remembered on panel 8 of the Cassino Memorial 

George Scott DARBY
Captain, Royal Engineers. Army no. 38319
He died on 9 September 1943. He was 58.
He was the father of Robert, the next entry
He is remembered on the left hand column of Oxford Crematorium
Additional information
He had served in WW1 in India and the Middle East but had been invalided out of the Army earlier in WW2

Robert George Douglas DARBY
Leading Aircraftman, Royal Air Force.  RAFVR no. 1293444
He died in a training accident in Devon on 15 February 1941. He was 19
He is remembered on the left hand column of Oxford Crematorium
Additional information
The war memorial has R G S DARBY

William Maxwell FAULKNER
Private, 4th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Army no. 5387206
He was killed on active service during the orderly rear guard defence of the Allied withdrawal to Dunkirk on 19 May 1940. He was 20.
He was the son of Albert and of Kate Faulkner of Somerton.
He is remembered on column 92 of the Dunkirk Memorial
Additional Information
The War Memorials in Bloxham have transposed his initials and in Somerton he is recorded as Maxwell Faulkner
Thank you Sandra Pender for your help

Horace George PREEDY
Gunner, 121 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, 10th Indian Infantry Division. Army no. 994149
He died on 2 July 1942. He was 24
He was the son of Benjamin and Violet M Preedy.
He is buried in grave 1 J 19 Hadra War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria

Charles Victor SMITH
Private, 2nd (Air Landing) Battalion, Oxfordshire and
Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6 Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airlanding Division. Army no. 5388076
He died on 24 March 1945. He was 25.
He was the son of Victor W and Mary A Smith
He is buried in grave 36 B 4 Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Additional information
The biggest and most successful airborne operation in history was the assault by the Allies in Operation Varsity. 
Parachute battalions supported by glider troops from the Air Landing Brigade crossed the Rhine on 24 March 1945. The aim was to secure and deepen the bridgehead east of the Rhine and then advance across country to the Baltic coast, 350 miles away. Their initial objectives were the high ground overlooking the crossing point at Diersfordter Wald and the road and rail bridges over the River Issel at Hamminkeln.
540 American Dakota aircraft carried 12 parachute battalions, 5 British, one Canadian and 6 American, closely followed by 1,300 gliders, packed with troops.
The Germans expected the assault and fighting was heavy. Weather was perfect and almost everyone landed as intended, although some ended up in the trees and were cut down by German machine guns. The 5th Parachute Brigade suffered heavily from mortar fire. On the ground the enemy had occupied almost all of the nearby houses, but within 24 hours, all objectives had been achieved and as planned, the division was joined by ground forces of the 21st Army Group. The bridges were secured and the village of Hamminkeln captured.
By the end of the first day's action 1,078 men of the 6th Airborne Division had been either killed or wounded and 50 aircraft and 11 gliders shot down.
In just seven weeks, supported by the tanks of the Grenadier Guards and three regiments of artillery, they marched and
fought their way to the Baltic port of Wismar which they entered on 2 May and joined up with the leading elements of Russian troops.

William Alfred WIGGINS
Private, 8th Battalion, Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), 44 Infantry Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division. Army no.
5393143
He died on 17 July 1944. He was 21
He was the foster-son of Mrs M M Charles of Bloxham
He is buried in grave V E 5 Ryes War Cemetery, Bazenville
Additional information
His Brigade landed after D Day on 14 June and he probably died in the fighting for Caen

Harold George YOUNG
Private, 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxfordshire and
Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division.  Army no. 5385921
He died on 13 June 1944. He was 30
He was the son of Charles E and Florence Young and the husband of Margaret Young of Hengoed, Glamorgan.
He is buried in grave IA E 19 Ranville War Cemetery
Additional information
He is the only UK soldier who died in WW2 who had these initials. It is probable that he landed in Normandy on D Day and more than that, as part of one of the first units. The story is that immediately before the landings on D-Day, 6 June 1944. There was Operation Deadstick, when D Company, 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry commanded by Major John Howard as well as Royal Engineers and men of the Glider Pilot Regiment (181 men), landed 6 Horsa gliders to capture the vital Pegasus Bridge over the Caen Canal and Horsa Bridge over the Orne River to secure the eastern flank to prevent German armour from reaching the British 3rd Infantry Division that was landing on Sword Beach.
The 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry landed very close to their objectives at 16 minutes past midnight They were the first Allied unit to land in France.  The glider assault completely took the German defenders by
surprise. The bridges were captured within 10 minutes, two men, Lieutenant Den Brotheridge (from Smethwick) and Lance-Corporal F Greenhalgh (fron Bury) were killed. One Glider assigned to the capture of Horsa Bridge was landed at the bridge over the River Dives, some 7 miles from where they were meant to land. They, in spite of this, captured the River Dives bridge, advanced through German lines towards the village of Ranville where they eventually re-joined the British forces. The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry were reinforced half an hour after the landings by 7 Para, with further units arriving shortly afterwards.
 
The Fallen in WW2 who are not on the War Memorial

Cyril Johnson COLEMAN
Civilian
He was killed by enemy action on 18 June 1944. He was 50.
He was the son of the late Johnson Coleman and of Sarah (Sally) Coleman, Cul-de-sac, King's Road, Bloxham. He lived at 33 Nottingham Place, Marylebone
He died at The Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, London.
He is buried in the Churchyard of St Mary's Bloxham
Additional information
The Guards Chapel stood in Bird Cage Walk and was the Chapel of the Royal guardsmen based at the nearby Wellington Barracks.  
Just past 11.00 hours the congregation heard a distant buzzing which gradually increased until the engine cut out and the V1 Bomb glided down and hit the concrete chapel roof having been rebuilt after damage in the Blitz. The rocket exploded on impact and the roof collapsed on the congregation. 121 military and civilians were killed and 141 seriously injured.  
Only the Bishop of Maidstone, who was conducting the service, was totally unhurt.  The altar where he was standing was covered by a portico which sheltered him from the blast.  Legend has it that after the explosion the altar candles were still burning.  
It took 2 days to dig the dead and injured out of the devastation which was the worst V1 disaster.

Thank you John L Blakeman, OFHS and Alan Regin, The Guild of Bell Ringers and Jan Gore