Croughton

The War Memorial in the Churchyard of the Church of All Saints, Croughton.
This parish is part of the Astwick Vale Benefice of which includes St Michael at Aynho, All Saints at Croughton, St George at Evenley, St Michael & All Angels at Farthinghoe and The Most Holy Trinity at Hinton with St Peter at
Steane

L CORP STEPHEN WATSON    OBLI
PTE FREDERICK JAMES         OBLI
PTE JAMES E LAMBERT         OBLI
PTE JAMES LONG                 OBLI
PTE WILLIAM LONG             OBLI
PTE FREDERICK A MOBBS    OBLI
PTE GEORGE HAWKINS        OBLI
PTE JOHN HAWKINS            MGC
PTE FRED HAWKINS            RASC

DOROTHY ALLFREY

REAR ADM SIR ROBERT K ARBUTHNOT
PTE GEORGE THOMAS          RMLI
PTE ALBERT BADBY              NORTHANTS REGT
PTE T ARTHUR COLES           NORTHANTS REGT
PTE REGINALD HAWKINS      ROYAL NTH LANCS
PTE FREDERICK J MOSS        C S R
PTE LEWIS GURDEN             15th HUSSARS
PTE ARTHUR W GURDEN       MIDDLESEX REGT
GNR GEORGE SOUTH            RFA

JOHN HARPER

CAPT SEYMOUR BARNE                      RFC
SEC. LIEUT FREDERICK A LEATHERLAND RF
PTE ARTHUR W MOSS                        R F
PTE JACK BLACK                              5TH LANCERS
PTE CHARLES BADBY                        ROYAL BERKS REGT
PTE J HENRY W MANNING                 C GDS
PTE GEORGE N MCLENNAN               WILTS REGT
SERGT HARRY HARDY                      CAND INF
SERGT ROLAND H PAYNE                  NF

MORRISON WOOTTON

Captain Morrison J WOOTTON, Essex Regiment

The Church of All Saints, Croughton

The Fallen from WW1

Sir Robert Keith ARBUTHNOT KCB, MVO
Rear Admiral, HMS Defence, Royal Navy
He died on 31 June 1916. He was 52
4th Baronet Arbuthnot of Edinburgh, husband of Lina Arbuthnot, 51 Elsworthy Road, Hampstead
He is remembered on the Plymouth War Memorial
Additional information
HMS Defence, Battle of Jutland, 31st May -1st June 1916.   Extract from the official History; "Naval Operations" by
Sir Julian S Corbett 1923 ...........
Both the Defence and Warrior had already hit the doomed Wiesbaden. Still Admiral Arbuthnot, in spite of straddling
salvoes, held on till within 5,500 yards of his prey he turned to
starboard. Both ships were now in a hurricane of fire, which the
Germans were concentrating with terrible effect to save their burning ship, and there quickly followed another of the series of appalling catastrophes which so tragically distinguish this battle from all others. Four minutes after crossing the Lion's bows the Defence was hit by two heavy salvoes in quick succession, and the Admiral and his flagship disappeared in a roar of flame.

Albert BADBY
Private 5th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, Pioneer
Battalion for the 12th Division. Army no. 12999
He died from his wounds on 20 August 1918. He was 24.
He was the son and of Mary and the late William Badby, Green Mill Lane, Croughton
He is buried in grave V B 18 Daours Communal Cemetery Extension.
Additional information
There was a Casualty Clearing Station in Daours

Charles Henry BADBY
Private, 1st Garrison Battalion, The Oxfordshire and
Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Army no. 19482
He died from natural causes on 9 October 1919. He was 31.
He was the son of George and Charlotte Jane Badby of Churlford Oaks, Chipping Norton and a native of Croughton
He is remembered on panel 10 of the Port Said War Memorial Additional information
The memorial states the Berkshire Regiment. All the records show only service in The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. 1st Garrison Battalion was posted to India in February 1916. Presumably he was hospitalised in Egypt as he returned home at a time when the Spanish Flu Pandemic was at its peak.

Seymour BARNE MC
Captain, 20th Hussars, Household Cavalry, 5 Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division attached to 35 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
He died on 23 April 1917 when the aircraft in which he was flying was shot down by an enemy aircraft. He was 31.
He was the son of the late Lieutenant Colonel Frederick St John N Barne and of Constance A Barne of Sotterley and Dunwich
He is buried in grave VI C 11 Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension
Additional information
He was educated at Eton, wounded at the first Battle of Ypres,
awarded the MC and for 2 years had held a Staff appointment with a Cavalry Brigade before volunteering as a Cavalry Observer with the RFC.
35 Squadron was equipped with Armstrong Whitworth FK8s and sent to France in January 1917 where they were attached to the Cavalry Corps, a fact commemorated in its badge.
Reconnaissance was the squadron's primary role coupled with artillery co-operation, low-level bombing and gunnery.
The announcement of his being awarded the Military Cross is in the London Gazette of 11 January 1916
His address for probate is given as 215 Ashley Gardens, Middlesex

Jack BLACK
Private, 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers, 3 Cavalry Brigade, 2nd
Cavalry Division. Army no. L/6902
He was killed in action on 22 June 1917. He was 23
He was the son of Thomas and Louisa Black and brother of Louisa Black, 23 Clarendon Gardens, Maida Vale
He is buried in grave H 30 Unicorn Cemetery, Vend’huile

Thomas Arthur COLES
Private, 1st Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, 2 Brigade, 1 Division. Army no. 27768
He died of his wounds on 26 March 1917 as the Germans were retreating to the Hindenburg Line. He was 36
He was son of Alfred and Mary A Coles and the husband of Annie Waite (formerly Coles) of Brackley.
He is buried in grave O VIII K 12 St Sever Cemetery Extension,
Rouen.
Additional information
Rouen was a major hospital centre throughout the war.

Arthur William GURDEN
Private, 13th (Service) Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment) 73 Brigade, 24 Division. Army no.
TF/204481
He was killed in action in the fighting at Passchendaele on 24 August 1917. He was 39
He was the son of Ann and the late John Gurden of Croughton, the husband of Emma and the brother of Lewis, see next entry
He is remembered on panels 113, 115 Tyne Cot Memorial Additional information
The Army records spell this surname Gurdin but the war memorial, the census returns and the birth registration all show Gurden

Louis GURDEN
Private, 15th (The King's) Hussars, 3rd Cavalry Division. Army no. 4747
He was killed in action on 1 November 1914 as the British Expeditionary Force made their stand before Ypres protecting the access to the Channel ports. He was 32.
He was son of Ann and the late John Gurden of Croughton and the brother of Arthur
He is buried in grave VI S 29/34 Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, Zillebeke, Ypres
Additional information
The Army records spell this surname Gurdin but the war memorial, the census returns and the birth registration all show Gurden

Henry (Harry) James HARDY
Sergeant, 16th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Canadian Scottish), 1st Canadian Division. Army no. 28699. He had earlier served 12 years with the Northamptonshire Regiment.
He was killed in action on 22 April 1915, his Division were on the Ypres Salient and faced their first real test in the defence of St Julien deploying gas for the first time by the Allies on the Western Front. He was 38
He was the son of Robert and Clara Hardy of Croughton
He is remembered on panel 24, 26, 28, 30 of the Menin Gate
Memorial, Ypres

Fred HAWKINS
Private, 700th MT Company, Army Service Corps. Army no.
M/323118. He was formerly with The Worcestershire Regiment.
He died on 18 January 1918 after an accident. He was 29
He was the brother of John and George, later entries and the son of George and Annie Hawkins of Croughton and the husband of Emily T Hawkins of Market Place, Deddington
He is buried in The Churchyard of The Church of All Saints, Croughton
Additional information
He is also remembered on the Deddington War Memorial

George HAWKINS
Private, 6th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry 60 Brigade, 20th Division. Army no. 20723
He was killed in action at Guillemont during the Battle of the Somme on 3 September 1916. He was 31
He was the son of George and Annie Hawkins of Croughton
He is remembered on pier and face 10A and 10D of the Thiepval Memorial

John HAWKINS
Private, 2nd Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 1 Division. Army no. 25635. He was formerly with the Northamptonshire Regiment
He was killed in action as the Germans fell back to the Hindenburg Line on 24 February 1917. He was 21
He was the son of George and Annie Hawkins of Croughton
He is buried in grave XI A 6 Assevillers New British Cemetery

Reginald Richard HAWKINS
Private 9th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, 71 Brigade, 6th Division. Army no. 41944. He was formerly with the Northamptonshire Regiment.
He died on 27 October 1918 of natural causes. He was 20.
He was the son of William and Martha Hawkins of Croughton
He is remembered on the Memorial Screen Wall Hochheim Hill Cemetery, Worms, Germany

Frederick JAMES
Private, 2nd/4th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry 184 Brigade, 61st Division. Army no. 201946
He died of natural causes on 12 March 1918. He was 43.
He was the son of Mark and Ann James.
He is buried in grave 1 99 Oxford Cemetery, Botley

James Edward LAMBERT
Private, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 5 Brigade, 2nd Division. Army no. 8379
He was killed in action on 6 March 1916. He was 21
He was the son of the late William J and his widow Annis A Smart (formerly Lambert) of Croughton
He is buried in grave A 4 Tranchée de Mecknes Cemetery, Aix Noulette
Additional information
There was no major battle at the time he was killed. We must therefore presume that he was killed in the daily skirmishes and artillery fire that was a constant feature of a front line soldier's life

Frederick Arthur LEATHERLAND
Second Lieutenant, 11th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 54 Brigade, 18 Division.
He was killed in action on 7 August 1918 on the eve of the “Advance to Victory”. He was 23
He was the son of John and Ellen Leatherland, 3 George Road, Warley.
He is remembered on panel 19 to 21 Pozières Memorial

James LONG
Private, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry 5 Brigade, 2nd Division. Army no. 10076
He was killed in action during the fighting at Arleux during the Battle of Arras on 28 April 1917.
He is remembered on bay 6 and 7 of the Arras Memorial Additional information
When he enlisted he was living in Tusmore and a link has not been found to Croughton

William LONG
Private, 5th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry, 24 Brigade, 14th Division. Army no. 201964
He died on 3 September 1917. He was 21
He was the son of Emily Busby (formerly Long) of Oddington, Islip, and the late William Long.
He is buried in grave III C 4 Hamburg Cemetery.
Additional information
It is most probable that he was a Prisoner of War in Germany. This cemetery is the main burial place for British PoWs from WW1 who died in captivity.

John Henry Wilcox MANNING
Private, 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division. Army no. 17564
He died on 5 February 1917 of pneumonia. He was 34 He was the son of Samuel R and Mary A Manning and husband of Mary A Manning, High Town Road, Chadlington, Charlbury
He is buried in grave II N 20, Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte, Somme
Additional information
A native of Croughton.

George Neill McLENNAN
Private, 7th Battalion, The Duke of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire Regiment) 79 Brigade, 26th Division. Army no. 13595
He died of malaria on 12 August 1916. He was 26.
He was the son of Roderick and Sarah Elizabeth McLennan of Staple Fitzpaine, Taunton
He is buried in grave 206B Lembet Road Military Cemetery,
Salonika
Additional information
he was born in Croughton.

Arthur Fred MOBBS
Private, 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 28 Brigade, 7th Indian Division. Army no. 9069
He died on 9 August 1916. He was 24.
He was the son of Thomas and Georgina Mobbs, Croughton
He is buried in grave XXI E 31 North Gate War Cemetery, Baghdad
Additional information
His Battalion was captured after the surrender of the garrison at Kut-el-Amara. Whilst he was not killed in action, the cause of his death is not known but once again, the fevers that swept through the ranks of the British Army killed many soldiers.
I have not established whether he was a PoW but he was certainly in this theatre from 5 December 1914. After their capture, a Provisional Battalion was formed from those who were not captured and the reinforcements and they were attached to 28
Indian Brigade, 6th Poona Division. This Provisional Battalion was renamed 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 6 July 1916.

Arthur William MOSS
Private, 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 9 Brigade, 3rd Division. Army no. G/65254
He was killed in action in the Third Battle of the Scarpe on 3 May 1917, the first day of the battle. He was 36
He was the son of William and Isabella Moss and the husband of
Margaret Moss, Park Cottages, Lower Green Road, Esher
He is remembered on bay 3 of the Arras Memorial

Frederick John MOSS
Private, 15th (County of London Battalion) Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles, The London Regiment, 140 Brigade, 47th Division. Army no. 440.
He died of his wounds on 17 October 1916 after the fighting at Transloy Ridges and the Butte de Warlencourt. He was 32.
He was the son of Frederick J C and Eliza Moss, Mill Lane, Croughton
He is buried in grave III H 1 Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension
Additional information
He was probably being treated by 45th and 56th (1st/1st South
Midland) Casualty Clearing Stations in Dernacourt.

Roland Herbert PAYNE
Sergeant, 228th Quebec Regiment (Northern Fusiliers) Battalion, Canadian Infantry. Army no. 1006490
He died in Toronto on 29 January 1917 from appendicitis. He was 42.
He was the son of Benjamin and Lucy Payne He enlisted in South Porcupine, Ontario where he was living with his wife Ellen Payne. He is buried in grave 4352, Section 17, Prospect Cemetery, Toronto
Additional information
His wife had returned to England before he was posted to Europe just before he died. She was living at Shaftesbury House, St. Mary's Row, Birmingham.
He had previously served in 15th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry during the Anglo Boer War and, according to his obituary in the Toronto press, he was considered a fine Bayonet Instructor

George SOUTH
Gunner, A Battery, 174th Brigade, Royal Horse and Field Artillery. Army no. 14972
He was killed in action on 19 September 1918. He was 38.
He was the son of William and Letitia South, School Lane, Croughton
He is buried in grave F 30 Upton Wood Cemetery, Hendecourt lès
Cagnicourt

George THOMAS
Private, HMS Bulwark, Royal Marine Light Infantry. RN no.
PO/15867
He died on 26 November 1914. He was 21
He was the son of Elijah and Rachel Thomas of Farthinghoe
He has no grave but appears on Portsmouth Naval Memorial
Additional information
On the afternoon of Thursday, 26 November, 1914, Winston Churchill made the following statement to the House of Commons:
"I regret to say I have some bad news for the house. The Bulwark battleship, which was lying in Sheerness this morning, blew up at 07.35 o'clock. The Vice and Rear Admiral, who were present, have reported their conviction that it was an internal magazine explosion which rent the ship asunder. There was apparently no upheaval in the water, and the ship had entirely disappeared when the smoke had cleared away. An inquiry will be held tomorrow which may possibly throw more light on the occurrence. The loss of the ship does not sensibly affect the military position, but I regret to say the loss of life is very severe.
Only 12 men are saved. All the officers and the rest of the crew, who, I suppose, amounted to between 700 and 800, have perished.
I think the House would wish me to express on their behalf the deep sorrow with which the House heard the news, and their sympathy with those who have lost their relatives and friends."
HMS Bulwark, a battleship of 15,000 tons, was moored to No.17 buoy in Kethole Reach on the River Medway, almost opposite the town of Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent. It was one of the ships forming the 5th Battle Squadron. She had been moored there for some days, and many of her crew had been given leave the previous day. They had returned to the Bulwark at 7 o'clock that morning and the full complement was on-board. The usual ship's routine was taking place. Officers and men were having breakfast in the mess below deck, other were going about their normal duties. A band was practising while some men were engaged in
drill. The disaster struck.
A roaring and rumbling sound was heard and a huge sheet of flame and debris shot upwards. The ship lifted out of the water
and fell back. There was a thick cloud of grey smoke and further explosions. When the smoke eventually cleared, the Bulwark had sunk without trace.
None of the Bulwark's officers survived.
On Monday, 30 November, the funerals of 21 of the victims took place in the Naval Burial Ground at Woodlands Cemetery,
Gillingham.

Stephen WATSON
Corporal, 7th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 8 Brigade, 26th Division. Army no. 22744
He was killed in action against that little known ally of Germany, Bulgaria on the Dioran Front on 17 October 1916. He was 25
He was the son of the late Richard and of Lucy Watson later Tolack, one time Landlady at the White Horse
He is buried in grave B 304 Karasouli Military Cemetery, Greece

The Fallen in WW2

Dorothy ALLFREY
Civilian
She was killed by enemy action on 18 June 1944. She was 65.
She was the widow of William S Allfrey, 229 St James's Court, Buckingham Gate and the daughter of Beville Ramsay and Sarah M Ramsay, Croughton House
She died at The Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, London
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 chapel roof which was made of concrete, 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 njured. 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.

John Francis HARPER
Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) 78 Squadron, Royal Air Force. RAFVR no. 1083168
He died on 31 July 1943. He was 30
He was the son of William and Fanny Harper of Croughton and the husband of Margaret Harper of Leamington Spa
He is buried in grave 6 E 9, Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Additional information
His aeroplane Halifax II, JD329, coded EY-G of 78 Squadron took off at 22.08 hours on 30 July 1943 from RAF Breighton to bomb Remscheid. The aeroplane was hit by flak then shot down by a night fighter. The Halifax crashed at Uedesheim on the west bank of the Rhine, 7 km from Neuss.
2 of the crew, Flight Officer G I Whitehouse and Flight Sergeant K A Skidmore RAAF were taken prisoner.
Those who died were:
Flight Sergeant Gerald A Rourke, RAAF Sergeant Ronald Shelton, Sergeant John F Harper,  Sergeant David Williams and Sergeant Angus B Marshall. They were initially buried in Dusseldorf, then reinterred at Riechswald Forest War Cemetery.

Morrison Jack WOOTTON
Captain, 5th Battalion, The Essex Regiment. Army no. 72751
He was severely wounded in the action at the Trigno river on the night of 2 November and he died on 4 November 1943. He was 30.
He was the son of Jack and Caroline E Wootton of Manitoba and the husband of Gladys G Wootton of Bournemouth
He is buried in grave XVII B 27 Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy
Additional information
The attack at Trigno river was the first major battle involving this
battalion and unfortunately they sustained heavy casualties.
His Father was born in Croughton and it is probable that many of his Uncles, Aunts and Cousins were living there during WW2. He
certainly married in England.

The Fallen of Croughton and Evenley who are not on the War Memorial

William Moss BADBY
Private, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 5 Brigade, 2nd Division. Army no. 7610
He died from his wounds received during the battle for the Ancre on 16 November 1916. He was 18
He was the son of George and Charlotte J Badby of Chalford
Oaks, Chipping Norton
He is buried in grave III E 5 Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty

James Edward LAMBERT
Private, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry 5 Brigade, 2nd Division. Army no. 8379
He was killed in action 6 March 1916. He was 21
He was the son of Annis A Smart (formerly Lambert) of Croughton and the late William J Lambert.
He is buried in grave A 4 Tranchée de Mecknes Cemetery, Aix-Noulette
Additional information
There was no significant battle at the time of his death simply
the everyday threat and horror of trench warfare.

George POLLARD
Private, 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 28 Brigade, 7th Indian Division. Army no. 8219
He died probably from fever on 1 September 1916. He was 28
He was the son of Henry and Mary Pollard of Farthinghoe
He is buried in grave XXI T 11 North Gate War Cemetery, Baghdad
Additional information
His Battalion was captured after the surrender of the garrison at
Kut-el-Amara. Whilst he was not killed in action, the cause of his death is not known but once again, the fevers that swept through the ranks of the British Army killed many soldiers. We have not established whether he was a PoW but he was certainly in this theatre of war from 5 December 1914.
After their capture, a Provisional Battalion was formed from reinforcements and those who were not captured. They were attached to 28 Indian Brigade, 6th Poona Division. This
Provisional Battalion was renamed 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 6 July 1916.

Albert RAWLINGS
Private, 11th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment, 34 Brigade, 11th Division. Army no. 3425
He died of his wounds at sea on 10 September 1915. He was 27.
He was the son of William and Sarah Rawlings and a native of Croughton
He is remembered on panel 158-170 of the Helles Memorial.
Additional information
His Battalion had landed in Gallipoli at Suvla Bay on 6 August

Arthur Wilson SYKES
Private, 33rd Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry),
11th Division. Army no. 13158
He was killed in action on 10 June 1917 during the fighting at Messines. He was 32.
He was the son of Joseph and Hannah Sykes and a native of Croughton
He is remembered on Panel 56 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres

Ernest Album CHATWELL
Private, D Company, 13th Battalion, The Essex Regiment, 6 Brigade, 2nd Division. Army no. 29188
He was killed in action at the fighting at Arleux during the Battle of Arras on 28 April 1917. He was 31
He was the son of John and Mary Chatwell, Spring Cottages, Evenley
He is buried in grave IV G 18 Lieven Communal Cemetery
Extension
Additional information
He was a native of Evenley

George CRIPPS
Private, 1st Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, 2 Brigade, 1st Division. Army no. 6869
He died on 17 September 1914 from his wounds received during the battle of the Aisne. He was 28
He was the son of George and Sylvia Cripps and the husband of Emily Jane Cripps, 92 Banbury Road, Oxford and a native of Evenley
He is remembered on la Ferté sous Jouarre Memorial

Thomas Samuel HOLTON
Private, 7th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, 73 Brigade, 24th Division. Army no. 17065
He was killed in action on 18 August 1916. At this time he would have been involved in the fighting around Delville Wood, a major action during the Battle of the Somme. He was 30
He was the son of Frederick and Sarah Holton of Evenley
He is remembered on pier and face 11A, 11D of the Thiepval
Memorial