FOSSEY

Horace George

Pte. G/14534.  2^nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment.  Killed in action Thursday 17 October 1918.  Born Husborne Crawley.  Enlisted Bedford.  Commemorated:  Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France.  Ref. III.B.20.

National Roll of the Great War - Bedford

He joined in November 1914 and after the completion of his training served on important duties with his unit until 1916, when he was drafted to the Western Front. He took part in many severe engagements, including those at Loos and Le Cateau, where he was killed in action while serving with a machine-gun unit in October 1918. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals"

Bedfordshire Times - 25th October 1918

"News has reached Mrs fossey on Tuesday that Horace, her only son, had been killed in France. Writing on the 18th inst. his Officer stated that while working a machine gun the previous day, he had been shot by a German sniper. He expressed the sincere regret of officers and men, who held the gallant young fellow in high esteem. He was being buried that day.

Horace Fossey was a bright, intelligent fellow, and before enlistment he worked for Mr C. P. Hall at the Park Farm. He volunteered in November 1914, joining the Beds. Regiment and has spent two years in France. He had taken part in numerous engagements, and had once been gassed. He was expecting to leave France for his leave this next week or two.

His mother is a widow and much sympathy is felt for her and the family. He was 22 years of age.

PEPPITT

Frederick William

Pte. 27951.  “A” Coy. 1^st Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).  Killed in action Friday 2 February 1917.  Born and lived Husborne Crawley.  Enlisted Luton.  Son of Frederick & Elizabeth Peppitt of Husborne Crawley, Beds; husband of Mary Peppitt of Station Road, Woburn Sands, Beds.  Commemorated:  Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas-de-Calais, France.  Ref. I.L.44.

Bedfordshire Times - 23rd February 1917

"A further letter has been received by Mrs Peppitt from a Red Cross section stating that her husband's remains had been decently interred. On Sunday the Vicar made sympathetic reference to the event and the church bells rang half muffled at the services. The Deceased, who was trained with the Beds. Regiment, was attached to the engineers on arrival in France. He was killed by a shell while laying wire on the 3rd inst"

ROWBERRY

Alfred Charles

Petty Officer Stoker 293134 (RFR/CH/B/8046).  R.N.  HMS Cressy Royal Navy.  Died Tuesday 22 September 1914.  Age 34.  Son of George and Sarah Rowberry; husband of Ada Rowberry of 29, Millbrook, Ampthill, Beds.  Served in the South African War.  Commemorated:  Chatham Naval Cemetery, Kent.  Ref. 4.

Special Note:  HMS Cressy.  In the early hours of 22 September 1914 HMS Cressy along with HMS Aboukir & HMS Hogue, three aged destroyers, were sunk in the North Sea by a torpedo from U9 under the command of Otto Weddigen.  60 officers and 1300 men were lost from the three ships.

Bedfordshire Times - 25th September 1914

"In connection with the Naval disaster we learn that Mr Rowberry, the attendant at the Swimming Baths, was a Naval reservist called out at the commencement of the war and was on H.M.S. "Cressy".

A strange coincidence is that Stanley Stapleton, is on the "Lowestoft", the ship that played such an important part in the rescue work"

Bedfordshire Times - 9th October 1914

"Monday's list of missing from H.M.S. "Cressy" included the name of A.L. Rowberry. Mr Rowberry, who left the village the first week of the war, was previously in charge of the water works and baths. He was a fine manly fellow, and highly respected in the neighbourhood. He left a wife and one child."

SMITH

Archie (Archibald)

L/Cpl 26098.  9^th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.  Killed in action Sunday 3 September 1916.  Age 26. Born Husborne Crawley.  Lived Woburn.  Enlisted Bedford.  Son of Elizabeth and Edward Smith 65 Crow Lane, Husborne Crawley. Formerly 25986 Bedfordshire Regiment. Commemorated: Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 11A.

National Roll of the Great War - Bedford

He joined in 1916 and in the same year was drafted overseas. Serving with his unit on the Western Front he fought in several important engagements, and was killed in action on the Somme on 3rd September 1916. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory medals.

65 Crow Lane, Husborne Crawely

Bedfordshire Times - 22nd September 1916

"A muffled peal was rung on the Chruch bells on Sunday in honour of Archie Smith, who was the first villager to sacrifice his life in the war. A corporal of the Company, writing to Mrs. Smith, states that the gallant solider was one of the first to mount the parapet, and he was immediately killed."

SIBLEY

Walter

Private 17427, 7th Bn., Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds Thursday 25th April 1918. Age 27. Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Peacock of Husborne Crawley. Enlisted in October 1914 at Woburn, from His Grace the Duke of Bedford's Estate. Buried in Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-Sur-Somme, Somme, France. Grave I.A.12.

Bedfordshire Times 17th May 1918

"The Church bells were muffled on Sunday in honour of the memory of George Peacock, an old ringer. News of the death of this young villager, killed in France, came to his parents on Thursday. He was one of four brothers serving, and joined up in the autumn of 1914 in the Beds Regiment. He had been through numerous engagements during his 3 years active service"

ROBINSON

Sydney Arthur

Pte. 5952269.  2^nd Battalion The Hertfordshire Regiment.  Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment.  Died Monday 2 February 1942.  Age 23.  Son of Arthur & Florence Robinson of Husborne Crawley.  Buried in Husborne Crawley Churchyard.

PEACOCK

William George

Trooper 5950311.  2^nd/6^th Battalion The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire Regiment), Reconnaissance Corps., R.A.C.  Died Sunday 28 May 1944.  Age 21.  Son of Frederick & Gertrude Peacock of Husborne Crawley.  Commemorated:  Kohima War Cemetery, India.  Ref. 8.H.2.