
SPENCERS
WOOD WAR MEMORIAL
World
War 1 & 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Andy Chaloner 2010
The
Spencers Wood War Memorial is outside, and repeated inside, the St Michael
and All Angels Church in Spencers Wood, Berkshire. The external memorial
takes the form of a roofed, wooden memorial, the memorial is made from
wood with an ornate inscription which is glazed to protect it. There
are names for both World War 1 and World War 2. The World War 1 names
are not in alphabetical order on the memorial but have been sorted into
alphabetical sequence here for ease of research and reading.
 |
Photographs
Copyright © Andy Challoner 2010
|
IN
EVER LOVING MEMORY OF
THE MEN OF THIS PARISH
WHO FOUGHT FOR LIBERTY AND HONOUR
1914-1919
REST
ETERNAL GRANT TO THEM O LORD, LET LIGHT PERPETUAL SHIN UPON THEM.
THIS TABLET DONATED BY PARISHIONERS
ALLEN |
T |
Private |
BEALES |
Edward
Ernest |
Private
10259, 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, killed in action
on the 25 September 1915, born Aylesbury, enlisted Shinfield, resident
of Spencers Wood. Remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium,
panel 7 and 8. Also remembered on the Shinfield War Memorial. The
2nd battalion attacked at Bois Grenier on the 25th September 1915
simultaneous to the battle of Loos, the attack was to prevent the
enemy from moving reserves down and jeopardising any breakthrough
at Loos. Diary entry for the Battalion, sustained the following
casualties: Officers Killed: 7, Wounded: 5. Other Ranks: Killed
32, Missing 143, Wounded 216. Also remembered on the Shinfield War
Memorial. |
BENHAM |
Edwin |
Stoker
1st Class K/39501, Royal Navy HMS Suffolk, died 19th June 1919 aged
38, son of Edwin and Charlotte Benham of Westgate–on-Sea, Kent,
husband of Amy Maude Benham of the Square, Spencers Wood, Reading.
Buried at Shinfield (St Marys) Church Cemetery. HMS Suffolk was
a Monmouth class armoured cruiser of the Royal Navy built in 1903
and sold out of the Royal Navy in 1920. She had a displacement of
9,800 tons, a speed of 23 knots, and a crew complement of about
680. Her primary armament consisted of 14 quick-firing 6-inch guns,
arranged in a mixture of turrets and casemates. Smaller guns and
two submerged torpedo tubes complemented this. |
BENNETT |
Albert
Edward |
Private
26869, 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, killed in action
on the 11th June 1918 aged 39, born Willesdon, Middx, enlisted Reading,
resident of Shinfield, husband of Florence Mary Bennett of the Lodge
Cottage, Hyde End, Shinfield, Reading. Remembered on the Soissons
Memorial in France. |
BRADFIELD |
Alfred |
Private
201940, 2nd/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, killed in action
on the 5th December 1917 aged 25, born Reading, enlisted Reading,
son of Joseph Bradfield of 6 Park Cottages, Shinfield Road, Reading.
Remembered on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval in France, panel 8. |
BUTLER |
A |
Private |
DICKER |
J |
Gunner |
DOUBLE |
James
Thomas |
Sapper
19658, 38th Field Company Royal Engineers, killed in action on the
6th October 1915 aged 25, son of Mr C S and Mrs E Double of "Holmleigh"
Spencers Wood, Reading. Remembered on the Loos Memorial in France,
panel 4 & 5. |
EARLEY |
Walter |
Private
4129, 26th Battalion Australian Infantry AIF, died on the 1st November
1917, son of George Earley of Spencers Wood, Reading. Buried at
Menin Road South Military Cemetery, grave III.K.31. |
FARMER |
Charles |
Private
PO/17048, Royal Marine Light Infantry, killed in action on the 15th
June 1915 aged 19, resident of Three Mile Cross. Remembered on the
Helles Memorial in Turkey, panel 2 to 7. Also remembered on the
Shinfield War Memorial. |
HEWITT |
Percival
William |
Sapper
48746, 73rd Field Company Royal Engineers, died on the 24th June
1917 aged 30, only son of Mr and Mrs J H Hewitt of Spencers Wood,
Reading. Buried at the Brandhoek Military Cemetery in Belgium, grave
II.L.6. |
HORNER |
Frederick
Ernest |
Private
30883, 115th Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), died on the 2nd
August 1917. Remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium,
panel 56. |
JONES |
Thomas
Charles |
Lance
Corporal 13135, C Company 6th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment,
Killed in action on the 4th November 1917 aged 25. Born Swallowfield,
enlisted Reading. Son of Mr and Mrs T Jones of Spencers Wood, Reading.
Buried at Poelcapelle British Cemetery in Belgium, grave VIII.D.18.
Previously served in the 8th Battalion and was wounded on two occasions.
The 6th Battalion diary entry for the 4th November 1917, 8.15am
- Battalion marched to PROVEN and entrained for Boesinghe. 12 noon
- Arrived Boesinghe where dinners were served. 3.30pm - Battalion
left Boesinghe for front line, rations were carried for the whole
3 days tour in the line. Quiet journey up - Relief complete by 8pm.
Sector taken over by battalion with dispositions D Coy Right Front
- C Coy Left Front - B Coy Right Support around Les 5 CHEMINS and
A Coy Left support around FAIDHERBE Cross. |
KEEP |
A |
Private |
KEEP |
H |
Private |
LEE |
Charles |
Private
16326, 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, born Swallowfield,
enlisted Reading, died of Wounds on the 3rd July 1916 aged 21, eldest
son or Mr and Mrs B Lee of Reading. Buried at Puchevillers British
Cemetery in France, grave I.B.26. |
LEE |
Eric
Francis |
Private
69588, 9th (Northumberland Hussars) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers,
died on the 9th April 1918 aged 18, son of Reginald Lee of 5 Ormiston
Road, East Greenwich , London and the late Annie Jane Lee. Remembered
on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium, panel 2. |
LEWENDON |
Frederick
Ernest |
Private
21766, 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, killed in action
on the 31st March 1918 aged 26, born Reading, enlisted Reading,
resident of 25 Howard Street, Reading, son of Mrs Davis of Fairhaven,
Spencers Wood, Reading, husband of Lily North (formerly Lewendon)
of 16 Kinson Road, Reading. Remembered on the Pozieres Memorial,
panel 56 and 57. The 8th Battalion diary entry for the 31st March
1918, Gentelles, France, 2am Batt marched out of village and at
4am relieved troops holding front line (19th Australian Batt 19th
Corps). A and B Platoons moved to the right to form a defensive
flank and assist 20th Division on left of Hangard. |
MERRITT |
Maurice
William |
Air
Mechanic 1st Class F/28513, Royal Naval Air Service HMS Louvain,
died on the 20th January 1918 aged 28, son of Maurice John and Mary
Merritt, husband of Lillian Jane Merritt of 37 Lymington Avenue,
Wood Green, London. Remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial, reference
30. HMS Louvain was an armed boarding steamer that was torpedoed
by U-Boat UC22 in the East Mediterranean on the 20th January 1918. |
NORRIS |
P |
AB
Royal Navy |
NORRIS |
William
Charles |
Private
9186, 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, killed in action on
the 10th March 1915 during the attack at Neuve Chapelle., born Burghfield,
enlisted Reading, resident Spencers Wood. Remembered on the Le Touret
Memorial in France, panel 30. |
SIMONDS |
Charles
Francis |
Major
13th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died on the 29th June 1916
aged 38, son of Mr and Mrs Simonds of Redlands, Reading, husband
of Evelyn of Strattonend, Cirencester, Glos. Had previously served
in the Boer War and was also Mentioned in Despatches. Buried at
Berles-Au-Bois Churchyard Extension in France, grave G5. Also remembered
on the Arborfield War Memorial. |
SMITH |
William
Joseph |
[Listed
as J W Smith on memorial] Mechanician 283349, Royal Navy, HMS
Good Hope, lost at sea, son of Mrs E Smith of Spencers Wood. HMS
Good Hope was sunk along with HMS Monmouth by the German armoured
cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau under Admiral Graf Maximilian
von Spee with the loss of her entire complement of 900 hands in
the Battle of Coronel, on 1 November 1914, off the Chilean coast.
Born 1 July 1877 at Newbury. Wife Ada; 66, Folkestone Rd, Copnor,
Portsmouth. No known grave. Commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Panel 3.

|
SWEETZER |
Jesse |
Private
7562, 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, killed in action
on the 28th April 1915, born Wakefield, enlisted Mortimer, son
of David Sweetzer 73 Catherine Street, Reading. Buried at Vieille-Chapelle
New Military Cemetery, Lacouture in France, grave II.C.4. The
1st Battalion diary entry for the 28th April 1915, Cuinchy, France,
A most unfortunate bomb accident occurred in our trenches about
8am. Bombs were being counted prior to handing over, and an explosion
occurred which killed three NCO's and men.

|
TUBB |
George |
Able
Seaman J/17147, Royal Navy HMS Broke, died on the 21st April 1917
aged 21, son of Mrs G Tubb of Spencers Wood, Reading. Buried at
the Dover (St James’s) Cemetery, grave M.L.4. On 20 April 1917,
while on night patrol of the Dover Barrage near Goodwin Sands,
HMS Broke came into action against six German destroyers of the
Kaiserliche Marine that had started to bombard Dover. Along with
HMS Swift she engaged the German destroyers in what became known
as the Battle of Dover Strait. A torpedo from HMS Swift sank one
of the enemy destroyers, G- 85.
Then the Broke deliberately rammed another, G-42, almost breaking
it in two. The two ships became locked together and for a while
there was close-quarters fighting on Broke's deck until the Broke
managed to break free. The German destroyer sank while the remaining
German warships escaped. The badly damaged Broke was towed home.

|
WALLEN |
Frederick
George |
Private
PLY/1639(S), 2nd Royal Marine Battalion Royal Navy Division, Royal
Marine Light Infantry, died on the 26th October 1917 aged 19, son
of Mr and Mrs James Wallen of Three Mile Cross, Spencers Wood. Remembered
on the Tyne Coy Memorial in Belgium, panel 1 and 162A. |
WALLEN |
James |
Private
22549, 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, died of wounds on
the 5th March 1917 aged 27, born Reading, enlisted Reading, son
of Mr and Mrs James Wallen of Three Mile Cross, Spencers Wood, Shinfield,
husband of Bertha Wallen of 90 Sherwood Street, Reading. Remembered
on the Thiepval Memorial in France, pier and face 11 D. |
WATKINS |
Alfred
Herbert |
Private
432238, 49th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment), died
on the 27th June 1916 aged 27, son of Harry and Anne Watkins of
Spencers Wood, Reading. Remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
in Belgium, panel 24-28-30. |
WHEELER |
Harry
Cussel |
Lance
Corporal 200855, 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, died of
wounds on the 29th August 1918 aged 22. Born Reading, enlisted Reading.
Son of William and Elizabeth Wheeler of Spencers Wood, Reading.
Buried at the Ste Marie Cemetery, Le Havre in France, grave Div.62.V.A.9. |
WHITE |
Lawrence
Wilfred |
Leading
Stoker 312249, Royal Navy HMS Invincible, died at the Battle of
Jutland on the 31st May 1916 aged 27, son of Robert and Fanny
White of "The Nest" Spencers Wood, Reading. Remembered
on the Portsmouth Navel Memorial, panel 17. HMS Invincible was
the flagship of the 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron during the Battle
of Jutland. on the 30 May, the entire Grand Fleet, along with
Admiral Beatty's battlecruisers, had been ordered to sea to prepare
for an excursion by the German High Seas Fleet. At 5:53 Invincible
opened fire on Wiesbaden, the German ship turned for the south
after fruitlessly firing torpedoes and attempted to find shelter
in the mist. As they turned Invincible hit Wiesbaden in the engine
room and knocked out her engines. As Invincible turned north,
her helm jammed and she had to come to a stop to fix the problem,
this was quickly done and the squadron reformed heading west.
At 6:30 Invincible abruptly appeared as a clear target before
Lützow and Derfflinger. The two German ships then fired three
salvoes each at Invincible and sank her in 90 seconds. Of her
complement, 1026 officers and men were killed, including Rear-Admiral
Hood. There were only six survivors.

|
WOOTTON |
W |
Private |
WRIGHT |
Stephen
Reginald |
Lance
Sergeant 3138, 2nd/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, Killed
in Action on the 10th June 1916 aged 24. Born Reading, enlisted
Reading, resident of Hoddesdon, Herts, late Spencer Wood. Buried
at the Rue-Du-Bacquerot (13th London) Graveyard, Laventie in France.
The 2nd/4th Battalion diary entry for the 10th June 1916, relieved
10th SWB between 12.30am and 5.30am. Whole Battalion in front line
from Fauquissart Section 3 1/2 miles SE of Laventie Casualties 2
OR Killed, 1 Wounded. Weather cold and wet. |
1939-1945 |
ELLIOTT |
Arthur
James |
Marine
PO/X1135, Royal Marines, HMS Suffolk, died on the 17th April 1940
aged 25, son of Arthur and Martha Elliott of Three Mile Cross,
Reading, husband of Gladys Rosalie Elliott of Three Mile Cross.
Buried at the Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery, plot P, row 2, grave
40. HMS Suffolk was a Kent-Class cruiser launched on 16th February
1928. On the 17th April 1940 she met HM Submarine SEAL, which
had acted as a navigational Beacon off Stavanger. She bombarded
Stavanger airfield. Then she was deployed to intercept a force
of German destroyers and came under heavy air attacks for several
hours. Only one direct hit of the 88 near misses reported. Sustained
major damage aft that disabled steering gear. Extensive flooding
and fire resulted and speed was reduced to 18 knots. On the 18th
April the ship returned to Scapa Flow steering by engines and
with quarterdeck awash.

|
FILBEY |
Ronald
Harry |
Pilot
Officer 159006, 426 (R.C.A.F) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, died on the 3rd January 1944. Remembered on the Runnymede
Memorial, panel 211. |
FISHER |
Annie |
Sergeant
W/75794 Auxiliary Territorial Service, died on the 14th September
1945 aged 35, daughter of George Robert and Annie Fisher of Spencers
Wood. Called Nancy on grave. Buried at Shinfield (Spencers Wood)
Burial ground, Shinfield.

|
LONGHORN |
Robert
William |
Petty
Officer P/J 32453, Royal Navy HMS Ross, died on the 3rd March 1943
aged 45, son of Robert and Louisa Longhorn, husband of May Longhorn
of Spencers Wood. Buried at Swallowfield (All Saints) Church Cemetery. |
SERVICE
BEFORE SELF
Last
updated
30 October, 2010
|