They Gave Their Today
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Tadmarton

Picture
St Nicholas Church
Picture
From the road with the War Memorial in the right foreground
Picture
THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD,
AS WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD:
AGE SHALL NOT WEARY  THEM,
NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN.
AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN
AND IN THE MORNING,
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Picture
2ND LIEUT FRANK E L RIDDLE FESTUBERT
MAY 16 1915. 
PTE CHARLES SMITH LOOS SEPTEMBER 25 1915
PTE JOHN W GIBBS PERSIAN GULF JUNE 20 1916
PTE GEORGE W GREEN POZIÈRES JULY 22 1916
PTE WALTER HATFIELD  EGYPT JUNE 2 1919
(ALL OF THE OXF & BUCKS LT INF)

RICHARD J HOWKINS QOOH DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED AT THE 2ND BATTLE OF THE SOMME ON MARCH 23 1918
 
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
Picture
THESE MEN ALSO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 - 1945
PTE R J HOWKINS OXT & BUCKS L I KILLED IN ACTION ITALY NOV 11 1943
BDR B A FREEMAN ROYAL ARTILLERY DIED AS A PRISONER OF WAR IN JAPANESE HANDS SEPT 21 1944

THIS CROSS WAS ERECTED BY GENERAL SUBSCRIPTION
Picture
IN EVER GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THOSE WHO AT THE CALL OF DUTY LEFT THEIR HOMES TO FACE DEATH IN FOREIGN LANDS DURING THE GREAT WAR OF 1914 - 1919
MORE ESPECIALLY OF THOSE WHO FELL AND WHOSE NAMES ARE HEREON INSCRIBED
Picture
In St Nicholas Church is a wooden framed paper poster painstakingly developed and obviously contemporary. 

The eternal GOD is our refuge and underneath me are the everlasting Arms

ROLL of SERVICE
In Te Domine, spreravi
Ps xxi vers 1

The following were serving when war broke out
Name     Unit of Service   where served or serving
1   Cave Lieut L   ASC (late Clr Sgt QOOH) England & afterwards France
2   Paul Lieut G (midshipman deleted)   RN (HMS Reynard A? both deleted and Temeraire   At Sea
3   Riddle 2nd Lieut F E L  Oxf  & Bucks Lt Infy  France
4   Cave R     ASC (late Trooper QOOH) England and afterwards France
5   Green Gunner W   RGA (122 Batty)  France
6   Hatfield Sergt  J  QOOH    France

The following joined the colours during the course of the
war:-
9   Austin Lt G C P   11th Hussars   France
8   Riddle Lt A E S  Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  France and Mesopotamia
9   Austin Gunner R  RFA (115 Batty)  France
10 Buckingham Pte G RHA (late Remounts Department ASC England and France
11 Buckingham Pte H  Northumberland Fusiliers (late ASC)  France
12 Buckingham Pte K? M Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  France
13 Bourton Pte Alfd  Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  Mesopotamia
14 Freeman Pte Alfd  Glo’ster Regt   France
15 Freeman Gunner A? RGA       France
16 Freeman Pte E W   Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  France
17 Freeman Pte F C   Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  Mesopotamia (invalided is deleted)
18 Freeman HG Bombr RGA    England
19 Freeman Pte P    Coldstream Guards  France
20 Freeman Pte W    ASC (kitchen Dept)  France
21 Gibbs Pte F (Signal?)  Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  Mesopotamia (invalided)
22 Gibbs Pte  J   Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  Mesopotamia
23 Green Pte G  (bugler) Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  France
24 Hatfield Pte  G  KRRC    France
25 Hatfield Pte W   Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  France
26 Howkins Gunner E  RFA    Egypt, Palestine & Syria
27 Howkins Trooper G QOOH    France
28 Howkins Trooper R    QOOH    France
29 Howkins Gunner W RGA (129th Bty)  France
30 Phipps Signaller Alfd RGD (26th Batty)  France
31 Riddle GK 2nd Lieut (and several deletions) Oxf & Bucks Lt Infy  France
32 Salmon Pte H F     RAMC                     England
33 Smith Pte  C         Ox & Bucks Lt Infy           France
34 Smith Pte G         Hussars and deletions       Mesopotamia
35 Tew Pte A            Coldstream  Guards          France
36 Timbrell Gunner H     RFA (14th ???             England
37 Wyatt Pte G        Remounts ??
38 Day Sapr W         ????
Right hand side bottom section continues
39
Handsworth Pte W E  Ox & Bu Lt  Infy  France and England
40 Hawkins Pte J W H     RAVC                  France
41 Bourton Pte H            16th Reserve  ASC
42 Phipps Pte Ar         Ox & Bucks Lt Infy atth MGC   England
43  Abbotts J            Dr   RE                                    France
44 Buckingham Pte J      Devonshire Regt
45 Freeman Pte Alfd       Devonshire Regt                 Ireland
46 Green ???
Hall ???

On the right hand side

Yea though I walk through the
Valley of the Shadow of Death,
I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me

LIST OF CASUALTIES

The numbers correspond to those marked X on the Roll of Service

3   Killed at the battle of Festubert, N France May
16th 1915
8   Wounded at le Plantin, N France Sep 8th 1915
33 Reported missing after the battle of Loos, Sep 25th 1915
12 Taken prisoner early in the war? (not officially reported) this entire line deleted
38 Wounded at the battle of Loos Sep 25th 1915
22 Died at sea on board HM Hospital Ship Syria bound for Bombay June 20th 1916
23 Killed in action at Pozières, in N France July 22nd 1916
33 (see above) Since reported killed
24 Seriously wounded at Thiepval, N France Sep 2nd 1916
25 Seriously wounded at Ginchy, during battle of the Somme, Oct 7th 1916
16 Slightly wounded at the battle of the Ancre Nov 13th, 1915 (Beaumont Hamel)
27 Wounded at Guillemont Farm, nr Bony, May 20th 1917
15 seriously wounded at the battle of the Ancre Nov 13th
1916
30 Slightly wounded at Wytschaete Church June 16th 1917 (Italain Bronze Medal)
5   Dangerously wounded in Advance beond Ypres Aug 7th 1917
24 Taken prisoner near Cambrai Nov 30th 1917
7   Wounded in great German attack March 22nd 1918
28 Reportedly killed but subsequently found to have been
taken prisoner on March 23rd 1918
29 Seriously wounded been taken prisoner on March 26th 1918
28 Died of Wounds while a prisoner in German hands 
25 Died of smallpox in Egypt, June 2nd 1919

Summary
Three killed; one died of wounds; one died at sea; one died ?
after declaration of Peace
Eleven wounded

The Great War began for England on Aug 14th 1914,
And ended on Nov 11th 1918 with the total defeat of
The enemy, viz. Germany, Austria-Hungary Turkey and Bulgaria
Dear Viewer, please scoll down and look at the last photo on this page. It is the Roll of Honour for this village, obviously drawn up during the War and for me it is one of the most poignant of all memorials
​
The Fallen from WW1

John William GIBBS
Private, 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire and
Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Army no. 19472
He died at sea on board HM Hospital Ship Syria bound for Bombay on 20 June 1916 and presumably he was
either ill or wounded. He was 25
He was the son of Annie Elizabeth Gibbs of Upper Tadmarton, and the late Charles Gibbs.
He is remembered on panel 26 and 63 Basra Memorial
Additional Information
An email from a family member, Glynn: My wife, Jane,  is related to John William Gibbs (known in the family as Jack). You mentioned that he died on the hospital ship Syria and that he was “presumably... ill or wounded”!  You might like to know that the information we have is that he was at the battle of Gallipoli and died on the ship as a result of the wounds he had received at Gallipoli.  His brother Frank, incidentally was also in the same battle and on the same ship, but he survived the war! There is a photograph of Jack (John William) on the wall in Tadmarton church.

George GREEN
Private, (Bugler) 4th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and
Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Army no. 3469
He was killed in action at Pozières on 22 July 1916. He was 19
He was the son of John and Mary A Green, Upper Tadmarton
He is buried in grave I D 8 Pozières British Cemetery,
Ovillers La Boisselle
Additional Information
Birth Place: Milton
Residence: Lower Tadmarton
Enlistment Location: Oxford

Harry Walter HATFIELD
Private, 1st/7th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire
Regiment, Brigade, Division. Army no. 303022. He was formerly with The Oxfordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars). Army no. 3176
He died of smallpox on 2 June 1919. He was 22
He was the son of Charlotte Hatfield of Tadmarton and the late Harry Hatfield.
He is buried in grave P 31 Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
Additional Information
Birth Place: Marston, St. Lawrence
Residence: Tadmarton
Enlistment Location: King's Lynn

Harry Walter HATFIELD
Private, 1st/7th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire
Regiment. Army no.  303022. He was formerly with The Oxfordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars), Army no. 3176
He died of smallpox on 2 June 1919. He was 22
He was the son of Charlotte Hatfield on Tadmartan and
the late Harry Hatfield
He is buried in grave P 31 War Memorial Cemetery,
Cairo
Additional information
Birth Place: Marston, St. Lawrence
Residence: Tadmarton
Enlistment Location: King's Lynn

Richard Joseph HOWKINS
Private, Oxfordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars), Army no. 40283
He died on 22 August 1918. He was 18
He is buried in grave II E 17 Niederzwehren Cemetery, near Kassel and about 120 miles south of Hanover.
He was the son of Thomas and Sophia Howkins, upper Tadmarton
Additional information
It is probable that he was being held as a PoW by the Germans but I have not managed to verify this
Birth Place: Tadmarton
Residence: Tadmarton
Enlistment Location: Oxford

Francis Edmund Langton RIDDLE
Second Lieutenant, 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
He was killed in action at the battle of Festubert on 16 May 1915. He was 21
He was the son of the Rev. Arthur Esmond Riddle and Edith May Riddle, Tadmarton Rectory
He is remembered on panel 26 of Le Touret Memorial
Additional Information
He had been a pupil at Bloxham School and he appears on their Memorial see http://www.bloxhamschoolwardead.co.uk/id3.html

Charles SMITH
Private, 5th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry. Army no. 10439
He was killed in action on 25 September 1915 during the Battle of Loos. Apparently he had initially been posted as missing. He was 26.
He was the son of John and Harriett Smith of Upper Tadmarton
He is remembered on panel 37 and 39 of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres
Additional Information
Birth Place: Tadmarton
Residence: Tadmarton
Enlistment Location: Oxford

The Fallen who do not appear on the Roll of Honour

Harry SUMMERS
Private, 4th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry, 148 Brigade, 48th Division. Army no. 202256
He was killed in action on 26 March 1917 during the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line. He was 29
He was the son of Mrs Caroline Summers, 6 Council House, Tadmarton
He is buried in grave II F 24 Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, near Peronne
Additional Information
Born: Banbury
Enlisted: Retford
Lived: Adderbury

Walter SUMMERS
Private 2nd/7th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment,
182 Brigade, 61st Division. Army no. 306402
He was killed in action at the Somme Crossings on 24 March 1918. He was 24
He was the son of Mr and Mrs C Summers, 6 Council House, Tadmarton
He is remembered on panel 18 and 19 of the Pozières Memorial
Additional Information
Enlisted: Birmingham
Lived: Springhill Birmingham

The Fallen in WW2

Bernard Austin FREEMAN
Bombardier, 85 Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery.  Army no. 1475880
He died at sea whilst a prisoner of war on 21 September
1944. He was 24
He was the son of Herbert George and Alice May Freeman and
the husband of Hilda Frances Freeman of Broughton
He is remembered on column 7 of the Singapore Memorial
Additional Information
In May 1942 the Japanese began transferring POWs by sea. However the Japanese refused to adopt
the international protocols and to clearly mark and identify the ships thus ensuring that they appered to be cargo boats and thus a target.
Prisoners were often crammed into cargo holds with little air, food or water for journeys that would last weeks. Many died due to asphyxia, starvation or dysentery. Some POWs became delirious and unresponsive in their environment of heat,
humidity and lack of oxygen, food, and water.
These unmarked prisoner transports were targeted as enemy ships by Allied submarines and aircraft.
More than 20,000 Allied POWs died at sea when the transport ships carrying them were attacked by Allied submarines and aircraft.
The Japanese ship, the Hofuku Maru (or Toyofuku Maru) was a Hell Ship. 
On 21 September 1944 the Hofuku Maru sailed with Convoy MATA-27 for Takao in Formosa. She was attacked by an American aircraft carrier about 80 miles north of Corregidor, the aircraft carrier’s planes sunk the whole fleet including the
Hofuku Maru, not knowing she carried prisoners. The Hofuku Maru was carrying 1289 prisoners from Manila to Japan, 1047 were lost.

Richard Joseph HOWKINS
Private, 7th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.  Army no. 14317958
He died on 11 November 1943 at the time when the Allied invasion of Italy was temporally halted near Monte Cassino. He was 23
He was the son of Ernest and Louisa Howkins of Lower Tadmarton
He is buried in grave XIX J 8 Cassino War Cemetery


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