They Gave Their Today
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Compton

Picture
The War Memorial is inscribed 

IN HONOURED MEMORY
OF THE MEN OF COMPTON
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE GREAT WAR
1914 -1918
Picture
 THROUGH THE AGES ONE CLEAR
FLAME OF SACRIFICE HAS BURNED
AND BY ITS LIGHT MEN SEE GOD
Picture
 MICHAEL CHAPMAN  
GEORGE M GILLETT
GEORGE HORLOCK  
WILLIAM HOUNSOME
A CYRIL LAWSON  
ANDREW B MARCHANT 
THOMAS MARSHALL
ALBERT HARRY MAY
Picture
HENRY PINK
WALTER PINK
SIDNEY PINK
WILLIAM ROGERS
GEORGE HENRY H SCOTT
JESSE STOVOLD
ST THOMAS STOVOLD
Picture
A Plaque mounted on the wall behind the War Memorial

 THEIR NAME LIVETH
    FOR EVERMORE
1914 - 1918
 MICHAEL CHAPMAN  ALBERT HARRY MAY
GEORGE M GILLETT HENRY PINK
GEORGE HORLOCK  SIDNEY PINK
WILLIAM HOUNSOME WALTER PINK
A CYRIL LAWSON  WILLIAM ROGERS
ANDREW B MARCHANT GEORGE HENRY SCOTT
THOMAS MARSHALL JESSE STOVOLD
  ST THOMAS STOVOLD
   1939 - 1945
JOHN R F BOND  THOMAS W JUPP
H P E HODGSON  STEWART W LENTON
EPHRAIM A SMITH  
Picture
The Roll of Honour for Compton which hangs in the  Parish Church of St. Nicholas, Compton, in the County of Surrey
These served the King in the years of our Lord MDCCCCXIV – XVIII

1914 Aug Lionel Combe Brig Gen. Com. 202 Inf. Brigade
1892  June Alfred Goddard    Royal Horse Artillery
1896 Feb Edgar Martin Rundle Mr at Arms HMS Defence
1899 Feb Charles Richard Gillett Maj. Roy Field Artillery
1904 Sep F Thomas de Mallet Morgan Lieut. Royal Navy
1904 Sep Ernest James Watson QM Serg Roy Scots
Fusiliers
Sep George Watson    Roy. Scots  Fusiliers
Sep Walter Henry  Roy. Scots Fusiliers
1903  Sep Harry Chalcraft  Petty O 1st C Roy Navy
1906 Sep Harry Steadman QM Serg.  Surrey Yeomanry
1908  Sep Charles William Johns    Roy. Engineers
1914 Aug George Henry Hall Scott Capt 7Bn The
Queen’s
1914 Aug Edward Baxter Bett  Lieut.Com. Roy Nav Div
1914  Aug Herbert Hounsome  21st Lancers
Aug Arthur Hust                     King’s Roy. Rifles
Aug A. Cyril Lawson  Lieut.     7th. Rifle Brigade
Aug Ralph Lindsay   Corpl.     Surrey Yeomanry
Aug Andrew Marchant  Serg.  1/3 The Queen’s
Aug William Mappen              Roy. Field Artillery
Aug Harry Mills   Corpl.          2nd  Dragoon Guards
Aug Harold Neal                    Surrey Yeomanry
Aug Charles Packham           7th The Queen’s
Aug Ernest Edward Puttock    1st The Queen’s
Aug Frank Payne                  2/4 The Queen’s
Aug John Henry Race           19th Hussars
Aug Archibald Charles Rundle  Roy. Garrison Artillery
Sep Lionel Molyneux Combe Lieut. 9 service Bn The Cameronians
Sep Herbert Challen              Roy. Army Med. Corps
Sep George Maurice Gillett 6th Batt. Leicestershire R.
Sep Henry Hart                     7th Batt.The Queen’s
Sep William Hounsome  Serg. 7th Batt.The Queen’s
Sep Fredk. John Houghton      Leicestershire Reg.
Sep Arthur Albert Mercer Serg. 6th Leinster Reg.
Sep Ernest Charles Percy       2/4 The Queen’s
Sep Arthur James Percy        19th Hampshire R. Tpt
Sep William Rogers               Roy. Sussex Reg
Sep Frank Augustus Sex       Army Service Corps
Sep Norman Weaver  Lieut.  2nd County of London Yeo. 
Sep Donald Hassel Weaver Lieut. 3rd Essex Reg.
Sep Arthur Ernest Sex         Surrey  Yeomanry
Sep William Edmonstone  Capt. Roy. Welsh Fusiliers
Sep Geoff Ambrose Houghton MC Capt Roy Garrison Art.
1915 Jan Frederick Walter Mercer Sapper Roy Engineers
1915 Jan William Johns          Royal Navy
1915  Jan Walter James May  8th Batt.Roy.W.Kent R.
1914    Sep Jesse Stovold      7th East Surrey Reg.
Sep St Thomas Stovold         6th Batt. The Queen’s
1916   Sep Henry Stovold      Roy. Army Med. Corps
1915 Feb Arthur Goddard      Red Cross. Att Fr. Army Corps
Feb Leonard Kay Weaver      26th Roy. Fusiliers
Mar George Beagley            1st Batt. N.Staffs Reg.
Mar Walter Harry Batchelor   British Red Cross
Mar Edward Martin   Sapper  Roy. Engineers
Mar George Mills   Serg.       4th Rifle Brigade
Apr Frederick Mills                2/3 Essex Reg.
May George Packham           21/2 Roy. Fusiliers
1915  May Williams Parsons   Roy. Nav, Aux. Service
1915 June Michael Chapman Capt 4th Bn Grenadier Gds
June Frederick Claydon         2/3 The Queen’s
June Ethelbald Shrubb         7th Batt. Glo’ster Reg.
1915  July George Aubertin  1/4 The Queen’s
1915 Oct Ch. Worthington Lenton 1/3 The Queen’s
Oct Albert Harry May           2nd Batt. Roy W Kent R.
Nov Robert Dixon                Army Serv. Corps
Nov Thomas Mappen           Army Serv. Corps
Nov Herbert Stannard         3/5 The Queen’s
1916 Jan Arthur Johns         Royal Navy
1916 Jan Jesse Reeves       Sapper  Roy. Engineers     
Mar George Horlock           7th Middlesex Reg.
Apr Albert Simmonds         1/5 The Queen’s
May William Wells              The Queen’s
May Thomas Keats            Army Ordnance Dept.
June Russell Davey           18th Middlesex Pionrs.
June George Ellis              1st Batt. The Queen’s
june Frederick Marsh         ¼ The  Queen’s
June John Merson              Motor Trspt. A.S.C.
June Wm. George Mercer   Army Serv. Corps
June Wm. Viney Pink         1/3 Roy. W. Kent Reg.
June Thomas Charles Wren   Army Ordnance Dept.
July Charles C. Challen     Labour Batt. The Queen’s
July Walter Marshall         Motor Trspt. A.S.C.
1917 Jan James Horlock   Roy. Flying Corps
Jan Reginald Wyatt          British Red Cross
Jan Frederick Wyatt          Army Serv. Corps
Feb Frank Harmsworth    R.A.M.C. att. the French
Apr Thomas Horlock       3rd Batt. Leicestershire R.
1917 May Frank Vincent Stovold    Royal Navy
May George Chalcraft     Roy. Engineers
1917 June Charles Forward    1/3 The Queen’s
July Lincoln Holland        4th Batt. Norfolk. Reg.
July Edward Horlock       Motor Trspt. A.S.C.
Dec George Brett           Army Serv. Corps
1918 Mar Vernon Gillett 2nd Lieut 4th Bn Grenadier Gds
1918 Apr Hyla Edwin Bolter   Motor Boat Res.  R.N.
1918 June Charles Cornwell   1/7 Essex Regiment
1918 Mar Herbert Napper      Bedfordshire Reg.
Mar Sidney James Herridge   Machine Gun Corps
1918 Mar Herbert Saywell     Royal Navy
1918 June Henry Major Wonham  Roy. Sussex Reg.

Note that the names shown in bold are gold in the original indicate those that died.
Picture
 The window dedicated to William Harold Cliff HODGES
The Fallen from WW1

Michael CHAPMAN   MC
Captain, 4th battalion, Grenadier Guards, 4 Guards Brigade, 31 Division
He was killed in action on 12 April 1918 during the defence of Nieppe Forest during the Battle of the Lys.  He was 36 
He was the son of Sir Arthur W Chapman and the late Lady Agnes and the husband of Lilian Chapman, Limnerslease, Compton
He is remembered on panel 1 of the Ploegsteert Memorial.
Additional information
He was awarded the Military Cross "for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He carried out several difficult reconnaissances with great contempt of danger under heavy shell fire. Though twice wounded, he remained at duty until the battalion was relieved".
His probate address is that of the artist George Frederick Watts
whose ward he had married.

George Maurice Gerald GILLETT
Captain, 6th Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment, 110 Brigade, 21st Division
He was killed in action on 26 September 1916 in the fighting at Morval during the Battle of the Somme.  He was 33
He was the son of the Hon. Evelyn Gillett, Thornbury House, Thornbury, Gloucestershire and of the late Rev. Hugh Gillett
He is remembered on pier and face 2C and 3A of the Thiepval Memorial
Additional Information
His Father, Rev. Hugh Gillett was Rector of Compton from 1877 to 1912

George HORLOCK    MM   
Private, 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge’s Own (The Middlesex Regiment), 23 Brigade, 8th Division.  Army no. G/44077
He died of his wounds on 15 October 1918. He was 31.
He was the son of Albert and the late Mary J Horlock
He is buried in grave VII B 79 Duisans British Cemetery, Étrun.
Additional information
Military records show that he was in 2nd Battalion at the time of
his death

William HOUNSOME
Sergeant, 1st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)  19 Brigade, 33rd Division. Army no. G/2174
He was killed in action on 21 September 1918 in the fighting at St Quentin Canal, one of the battles of the Hindenburg Line. He was 22
He was the son of James and Louisa Hounsome, The Common, Compton.
He is buried in grave III B 17 Villers Hill British Cemetery, Villers-Guislain
Additional information
Military records show that he was in the 1st Battalion when he died

Arthur Cyril LAWSON
Second Lieutenant, 7th (Service) Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own), 41 Brigade, 14th Division
He died of his wounds in England on 6 July 1917. He was probably wounded during the battle of Arras. He was 20
He was the son of Arthur E Lawson CIE and Mrs Lawson, Barcroft, Cranleigh
He is buried in grave E 2 174322 Brompton Cemetery, part of which is a dedicated military cemetery
Additional Information
He was born in Madras and, in 1911, he was a student at Wellington College.

Andrew Boyer MARCHANT
Sergeant, 1st (City of London) Battalion, (Royal Fusiliers), London Regiment  167 Brigade,  56th  Division. Army no. 229273. He was formerly with The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Army
no. 2272
He was killed in action on 30 December 1917. He was 29
He was the son of William and Jane Marchant and the husband of Mabel A Marchant
He is remembered on pier and face 9D and 16B of the Thiepval Memorial

Thomas Richard MARSHALL
Private, 6th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 37 Brigade, 12th Division. Army no. G/207
He was killed in action on 5 August 1916 at Pozières Ridge during the Battle of the Somme. He was 17
He was the son of Thomas and the late Mary A Marshall
He is remembered on pier and face 5D and 6D of the Thiepval Memorial.

Albert Harry MAY    
Sapper, Electrical and Mechanical Company, Royal Engineers. Army no. 259085. He was formerly with 2nd Battalion, The Royal West Kent Regiment. Army no. 10102
He died, probably from illness, on 16 May 1918
He was the son of Henry and Emma May of Artington
He is buried in grave V C 15 in Basra War Cemetery

Henry James PINK
Gunner, 260th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Army no. 195538
He died on 22 February 1919 probably from the Spanish Flu
epidemic. He was 31
He was son of George and Ann Pink of Compton and the husband of Bertha K G Pink of Rowledge, Farnham.
He is buried in grave I A 9 Belgrade Cemetery, Namur, Belgium

Walter George PINK
Private, 23rd (Service) Battalion, (1st Sportsman’s), The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 99 Brigade, 26th Division. Army no. G/42289
He died from his wounds on 25 February 1917. He was 28
He was son of George and Ann Pink of Compton and the husband of Alice A Pink, 56 Tantallon Road, Balham
He is buried in grave VI A 22 Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, south of Albert

Sidney PINK
Private, 116th Battalion, (Central Ontario Regiment) Canadian
Infantry. Army no. 2537366
He was killed in action during the battle of the Canal du Nord on 29 September 1918. He was 28
He was son of George and Annie Pink of Guildford.
He is buried in grave A 36 St Olle British Cemetery, Raillencourt
Additional Information
He was christened Sidney but enrolled in the Canadian Army as Sydney

William ROGERS
On the positive side, in the Medal Index: William Rogers, Royal Sussex Regiment, Labour Corps, Regimental Numbers: 765, 149603
On the negative side I have looked in the following and found nothing: CWGC, SWDGW or 1911 Census, SWB record, Army Service record

George Henry Hall SCOTT
Captain, C Company, 7th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 55 Brigade, 18th Division
He was killed in action 1 July 1916. He was 34
He was the son of Sir Henry H and Lady Henrietta Scott, 17 Stratton Street, Piccadilly.
He is buried in grave VIII R 3 Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz
Additional information
His address for probate is given as Down Place, Guildford. In St Mary's Church, Lesbury, Northumberland there is a brass plaque
"In honoured memory of George Henry Hall SCOTT Captain C Company, 7th Battalion, The Queen's Regiment who fell near Montauban in the first attack of the battle of the Somme 1st July
1916, this brass is erected by his fellow officers. Pristinae virtutis
memor"

There is also a stained glass window in memory of him and his Father who had died in 1911.
He was a native of Northumberland

Jesse STOVOLD  
Corporal, 7th Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment, 37 Brigade, 12th Division. Army no. 1148
He was killed in action on 8 July 1916. He was 29
He was son of Henry and Caroline Stovold, 12 James Road, Peasmarsh. His brother is the next entry.
He is remembered on pier and face 6B and 6C of the Thiepval Memorial

St Thomas STOVOLD                   
Private, D Company, 6th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 37 Brigade, 12th Division. Army no. G/878
He was killed in action on 3 July 1916. He was 30
He was son of Henry and Caroline Stovold, 12 James Road,
Peasmarsh and the husband of Katherine M R Avenell (formerly Stovold), Hazel Cottage, Peasmarsh
He is buried in grave I H 1 Ovillers Military Cemetery

The Fallen from WW2

John Richard Frederick BOND
Captain, 4 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers. Army no. 95198.
He was killed in action on 21 December 1941 in the attack on
Benghazi. He was 21
He was the son of Major-General Richard L Bond, CB, CBE, DSO, MC, and Isabell H R Bond of Compton.
He is buried in grave 2 E 14 Benghazi War Cemetery

Henry Paul Egerton HODGSON
Captain, 4 Divisional Engineers, Royal Engineers. Army no. 50845
He was killed in action on 31 May 1940. He was 28 
He was the son of Colonel Philip E Hodgson, DSO and Dorothy M H Hodgson of Godalming
He is buried in plot 1 row A grave 33 De Panne Communal  Cemetery
Additional information
The British Expeditionary Force suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk.  De Panne village was the site of the final General Headquarters of the BEF in 1940, and there was a Casualty Clearing Station on the beach, which was an embarkation point for the evacuation. From 27 May to 1 June 1940, the Germans strove to prevent the embarkation of the troops by incessant bombing, machine-gunning and shelling.
The first German troops reached the village between 14.00 and 15.00 hours on 31 May, and after heavy fighting, the commune was completely occupied by about 09.00 hours on 1 June.

Thomas William JUPP
Warrant Officer (Pilot), Royal Air Force. RAFVR no. 909889
He was killed in an aeroplane crash on 20 September 1942. He was 23
He was the son of William A and Alice E Jupp of Compton.
He is buried in grave 424 in St Luke's Churchyard, Haverigg, Millom
Additional information
Thomas W Jupp was flying from RAF Millom which was, at that time, no. 2 Observer Advanced Flying Unit.  His aeroplane was an Avro 652 Anson 1, registration no. N4869 which crashed at Muncaster Fell Mountain. Those who also died were:
650479 Sgt Charles H Kemp (W/Ag)  
657986 Cpl Sydney Elliot (u/t Nav) 
1219799 LAC Douglas C Lord (W/AG u/t) 
1390472 LAC Ernest G Goodall (u/t Nav)

Stewart Worthington LENTON
Sergeant (Pilot), 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force. RAF no. 564249
He died when he crash-landed as a result of engine failure on 6
March 1940. He was 36
He was the husband of Lucy I P Lenton, Sutton Bridge,
Lincolnshire.
He is buried in plot 5 row G grave 25 Peronne Communal
Cemetery Extension
Additional information
In September 1939 the squadron moved to France with the Air Component of the BEF. The squadron suffered heavily during the Battle of France, losing all but four of its aircraft in the twelve
days between the start of the German offensive and its return to Britain.
His aircraft was Hawker Hurricane Mk I Serial number: L1978, VY-X engaged on an affiliation exercise with Lysanders. The aircraft suffered engine failure on take-off and crashed attempting a down-wind landing at Mons-en-Chaussée at 09.45 hours.

Ephraim Alexander SMITH
Corporal, 4th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). Army no. 6088430
He died on 23 October 1943. He was 28 
He was the son of Harry and Annie E Smith and the husband of Winifred E Smith of Compton.
He is remembered on face 4 of the Athens Memorial
Additional information
It is probable that he died on the Island of Leros where part of his battalion was trying to prevent a German invasion.
However HMS Eclipse, an E class destroyer exploded a mine off the island of Kalymnos. When she was sunk HMS Eclipse was carrying over 200 soldiers from the 4th Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) to reinforce the island of Leros. An estimated 119 crew and 134 soldiers died in the sinking. In either case, the Athens Memorial is where one would expect to find his name.

A window is dedicated to

William Harold Cliff HODGES
Captain, 78 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Army no. 89502
He died on 16 January 1944. He was 25
He was the son of William C and Joan Hodges of Hascombe
He is buried in grave III B 19 Minturno War Cemetery
Additional Information
At the end of October 1943 in Italy, the Allies were facing the German winter defensive position known as the Gustav Line, which stretched from the river Garigliano in the west to the Sangro in the east. It was not until 17 January 1944 that the Garigliano was crossed, and Minturno taken two days later.
The burials are mainly those of the heavy casualties
incurred in crossing the Garigliano in January.

Burials in Compton Cemetery

Edwin Geoffrey DAWES
Lieutenant Colonel, Royal Artillery. Army no. 31540
He died on 15 November 1946. He was 41
He was the son of Lilian N and the late Nicholas B Dawes and the husband of Sheelah D Dawes of Compton. 
He is buried in sec A grave 116A, Compton Cemetery
Additional information
Edwin Dawes had followed an Army career, like his Father and
Grandfather. He had joined the Royal Artillery as a Second Lieutenant when he graduated from the Royal Military College on 28 January 1925

Frederick Ronald HOUSE
Lance Corporal, The Gloucestershire Regiment. Army
no. 5190593
He died on 8 December 1940 at Southmead Hospital, Bristol. He
was 34
He is buried sec H grave 171 Compton Cemetery
Additional information
He has a military memorial and yet his death is recorded as a
civilian. He had probably been discharged as no longer being fit for active service and died from his injuries. His regiment had played a key role in the evacuation from Dunkirk.

Not on the War Memorial but included on the Roll of Honour in St Nicolas Church.

Edgar Martin RUNDLE
Master at Arms, HMS Defence, Royal Navy. RN no. 154037
He died when his ship was sunk on 31 May 1916. He was 41
He is remembered on panel 17 of Plymouth Naval Memorial
Additional information
HMS Defence was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert K
Arbuthnot, commander of the First Cruiser Squadron. On 31 May 1916, the day before the battle of Jutland, the First Cruiser Squadron was the advance guard for the Grand Fleet formed the starboard flank of the cruiser screen, sailing ahead of the main battle fleet.
On the evening of 31 May the battle cruiser Squadron under Admiral Beatty was being chased by the German High Seas Fleet,
back towards the Grand Fleet. Part of the First Cruiser squadron became entangled in the fighting around HMS Lion, Beatty’s flagship.
A German cruiser, the Wiesbaden, had been badly damaged in a clash ahead of the British battle cruisers. As Beatty came north, HMS Defence came in from the North West.
Admiral Arbuthnot had orders to engage enemy cruisers, and so made for the Wiesbaden, coming so close to the Lion that the larger ship had to alter course to avoid her. Unfortunately for HMS Defence, the main German battle fleet was close behind HMS Lion, who had only just signalled sighting their battleships.
Four minutes after passing HMS Lion’s bows, HMS Defence was hit by two 12 in salvoes from SMS Friedrich der Grosse, Admiral Scheer’s flagship.
HMS Defence was not designed to stand up to this sort of punishment. The German shells may have ignited the cordite charges in the ammunition tubes or simply penetrated to the magazines, and the ship exploded.  893 men died. 

Some Fallen from Compton who are not on the War Memorial

Alfred Ernest FRY
Private, 11th (Service) Battalion, The Essex Regiment, 53 Brigade, 18th Division.  Army no. 15105
He was killed in action near Doullens on 26 September 1915. He was 21
He was the son of Robert and Henrietta Fry of Shackleford
He is remembered on panel 85 to 87 of the Loos Memorial

Owen William HATCH
Private, 106th Company, The Labour Corps. Army no. 63120. He was formerly with 36th (Labour) Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Army no. 33146
He died of his wounds on 14 October 1917. He was 36
He was the son of Thomas and Harriet Hatch and the husband of Ellen Hatch
He is buried in grave I E 8 Duhallow ADS Cemetery
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