Rifleman 49410, 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own). Killed in action Saturday, 5 October 1918 in France & Flanders. Born Congly, North Wales, enlisted Cambridge, resident Balsham. Buried in ETERPIGNY BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Row C. Grave 10.

Private 2398, 10th Battalion (Prince of Wales' Own Royal) Hussars. Killed in action Saturday, 9 March 1918 in France & Flanders. Born and enlisted Cambridge, resident Balsham. Buried in TERTRY COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Somme, France. Row A. Grave 4.

Private, 15766, 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment who was killed in action on Saturday, 1 July 1916. Born Balsham, enlisted Linton. Buried in OVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY, Somme, France. Plot XII. Row X. Grave 5.

Photograph Copyright © Tony Beeton 2005

Private 29068, 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Killed in action Monday, 13 November 1916 in France & Flanders. Born and resident Balsham, enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Buried in ANCRE BRITISH CEMETERY, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme, France. Plot VII. Row A. Grave 27.

Bombardier 36437, 59^th Seige Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died of wounds Thursday, 23 September 1915, age 23. Born Balsham, enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Son of John and Sarah Biggs, of Balsham, Cambridge. Buried in CHOCQUES MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row D. Grave 118.

Private 3416, 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars. Killed in action Tuesday, 8 October 1918. Born Belsham (Balsham), enlisted Bury St Edmunds, resident London. Buried in BUSIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Nord, France. Plot IV. Row B. Grave 27.

Private 63087, 3rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). Killed in action 26 May 1915. Aged 25. Born Balsham 19 August 1889. Son of Mrs. C. Brown, of 9, Chimney Lane, Balsham, Cambs; brother of Violet. Labourer. Unmarried. Enlisted and passed fit at Montreal 24 October 1914. Height 5ft 9½ inches, girth 35½inches, complexion dark, eyes grey, hair brown; religion Church of England. He had heart tattoos on his hands and his right forearm. No known grave. Commemorated on VIMY MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Roll of Honour states 2nd Canadians KIA France 25 May 1915. National Archives of Canada Accession Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 1119 - 37

From Andy Pay's research into the Marquis de Ruvigny's Roll of Honour Volume 1 , Part 1, Page 55, the following:

Albert William BROWN, Private, number 63087, 3rd Battalion (Canadian Grenadier Guards) Canadian Expeditionary Force. Son of Albert Charles Brown of Balsham co Cambridge, by his wife Mary dau of James Purkiss. Born Balsham 19 August 1889, educated council school there and went to Canada 22 March 1912. He joined the Canadian Grenadiers in June 1913 and at the outbreak of war volunteered for foreign service, came over with the second contingent and after a period of training at Shorncliffe went to the western front. He had only been in France a month when he was killed in action 26 May 1915.

Extract from Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 18 June 1915, page 8:

Balsham Man Killed.

One of the young men upon the Balsham Roll of Honour, Albert William Brown, has been killed in action. He left Balsham some few years since for Canada, and was serving at the front with the Canadian Contingent. He was at home about a month ago for a few days.

[Listed as Horace BROWN on CWGC and SDGW] Private 54164, 20th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Killed in action 4 October 1918 in France & Flanders. Born and resident Balsham, enlisted Peterborough. Formerly 205098, Northamptonshire Regiment. Buried in BEAUREVOIR BRITISH CEMETERY, Aisne, France. Row G. Grave 24.

Private 3/7040, 2^nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, died of wounds on Friday, 25 August 1916. Aged 31. Born Finchingfield, Essex, enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Son of John and Sarah Broyd, of Balsham, Cambs. Buried in ABBERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Somme, France. Plot VI. Row H. Grave 13.

Private 26126, 95th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Killed in action Thursday, 8 November 1917. Born and resident Balsham, enlisted Linton. Formerly 16297, Suffolk Regiment. No known grave. Commemorated on TYNE COT MEMORIAL, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 154 to 159 and 163A

[Spelt Roland CLARKE on memorial] Private 15599, 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action on Saturday, 1 July 1916. Age 25. Born Balsham, enlisted Linton. Son of James and Alice Clarke, of Townsend Cottages, Linton, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A.

Private 2654, 50^th Battalion, Australian Infantry, killed in action on Thursday, 18 October 1917. Aged 30. Born Balsham. Farmer. Educated at Balsham. Son of James and Susannah Frances Deer, of Frogshall, Balsham, Cambs. Enlisted 30 August 1916 6th Regiment, transferred to 50th Battalion 18 March 1917. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 7 - 17 - 23 - 25 - 27 - 29 - 31. Australian War Memorial Circular Document

Private 9815, 1st Battalion, King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry). Killed in action on Saturday, 8 May 1915. Age 24. Enlisted Cambridge. Brother of Mr. T. Free, of 8, Church St., Wakefield Rd., Normanton, Yorks. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 47

Private 3290, Suffolk Yeomanry. Killed in action Monday, 29 November 1915 at Gallipoli. Born and resident Balsham, enlisted Woodbridge. No known grave. Commemorated on the HELLES MEMORIAL, Turkey. Panel 19.

Private, 14141, Depot Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died on Wednesday, 24 November 1915. Born Balsham, enlisted Linton. Commemorated in MANCHESTER SOUTHERN CEMETERY, Lancashire. Q. 393 (Screen Wall).

Lieutenant acting Captain, 3^rd Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment). Died on Sunday, 24 November 1918. Aged 34. Son of Dr. R. T. Head, of Balsham, Cambs.; husband of Margaret L. Head, of 43, Mildred Avenue, Watford. Awarded the Military Cross (M.C.) & Bar. Buried in EAST LONDON CEMETERY, Plaistow, Essex. Row 52. Grave 16139. Also commemorated on a memorial in Balsham Church.

Private 12706, 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action on Thursday, 20 July 1916. Aged 19. Born Newmarket, enlisted Ipswich. Son of Robert and Rhoda Kinsey, of Monewden, Framlingham, Suffolk. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A

Private 16564, 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action on Saturday, 1 July 1916. Aged 22. Born West Wratting, enlisted Linton. Son of Mrs. Edith Boness (formerly Knights), of 124, Fitzroy St., Cambridge. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A

[Connection with Balsham not ascertained but lived in Whittlesford] Lance Corporal T.F.2469, 1/7th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment). Killed in action 1 October 1916. Aged 21. Enlisted Hornsey, Middlesex, resident Lower Edmonton, Middlesex. Son of William Bird Melton and Emma Melton, of 138, Victoria Rd., Lower Edmonton, London. Awarded the Military Medal (M.M.). In the 1911 census he is aged 16, born Herlington, Middlesex, a Brass Worker, resident 1 King Edward Road, Lower Edmonton. In the 1901 census he was aged 6, born London, resident Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire; his father was a Tavern Keeper. Buried in GUARDS' CEMETERY, LESBOEUFS, Somme, France. Plot VII. Row X. Grave 6.

Private 8448, 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died on Sunday, 26 September 1915. Prisoner of war. Born Balsham, enlisted Haverhill. Buried in NIEDERZWEHREN CEMETERY, Germany. Plot III. Row A. Grave 12.

Gunner 156835, "D" Battery, 241st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds on Friday, 27 July 1917. Aged 26. Born Balsham, enlisted Mill Hill, Middlesex. Son of George and Jane Plumb; husband of Florence Emma Plumb, of 59, Russell Rd., Finsbury Park, London. Buried in LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot XVI. Row I. Grave 8. [Roll of Honour states he died in August]

Private, 966, 18th Battalion, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force. Killed in action at Gallipoli on Sunday, 22 August 1915. Aged 25. Son of John and Susan Plumb, of High St., Balsham, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on LONE PINE MEMORIAL, Turkey. Panel 62.

Private 3/10190, 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died on Thursday, 1 April 1915 at home. Born Balsham, enlisted Linton. Buried on south boundary in HOLY TRINITY CHURCHYARD, BALSHAM, Cambridgeshire. [Spelt Sydney Plumb on SDGW]

Lance Corporal (Rifleman), C/7337, 18th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps. Died of wounds Thursday, 28 March 1918. Born Balsham, enlisted Huddersfield. No known grave. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 7

Private 6090, 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars. Died of wounds on Wednesday, 27 March 1918. Born and resident Blasham, enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Buried in ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN, Seine-Maritime, France. Section P. Plot VII. Row D. Grave 7B.

Photograph Copyright © Tony Beeton 2005

Private 1331, Essex Yeomanry. Killed in action at on Ypres, Friday, 14 May 1915. Aged 19. Enlisted Colchester, resident Quendon. Son of Isaac and Margaret Taylor, of High St., Balsham, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 5.

One other Balsham soldier has come to light but his details appear on the Babraham War Memorial, but he was born in Balsham

Lance Corporal 13813, 11^th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action 1 July 1916. Aged 25.  Born Balsham, Cambridgeshire, enlisted Cambridge. Son of George and Susan Whittaker, of Chalk Hill Farm, Babraham, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A. See also Babraham memorial.

Private 5830007, 5^th Battalion, Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment). Died 31 May 1940. Aged 21. Roll of Honour endorsed Dunkirk. Buried in HOUTEM CHURCHYARD, Veurne, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave 216.

Private D/17002, 6^th (Home Defence) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 29 December 1939. Aged 50. Son of William and Annie Hobbs; husband of Agnes K. Hobbs, of Balsham. Buried in BALSHAM (HOLY TRINITY) CHURCHYARD, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.

Joiner, Cable and Wireless under Navy orders, S.S. Retriever (London), Merchant Navy. Died when is ship was bombed off Greece 12 April 1941. Aged 24. Son of John and Laura M. Hobart, of Balsham, Cambridgeshire. No known grave. Commemorated on TOWER HILL MEMORIAL, London. Panel 86.

Further information supplied by Alan Phipps of the World Ship Society:

Daniel George Hobart aged 24 years was the son of John and Laura Hobart and served in the Merchant Navy aboard the S.S. Retriever as a cable jointer or joiner. The ship was owned and operated by Cable and Wireless of London. It was an elderly cable ship of 647 tons built in 1909, and commanded by a Captain Foy.

On Friday 11th April 1941 she was engaged on Government service en route from Lemnos to Piraeus an in area which was exceptionally dangerous, when they came under attack by dive bombers of the Luftwaffe, at 264 deg. one mile off Aliki Rocks near Phleva Island. One bomb penetrated the deck and blew the bottom out of the boat and it sank.

Sergeant 5933199, 1^st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment. Died at Takanun, Thailand of cholera 7 June 1943. Age 29. Prisoner of War of the Japanese. Son of William and Ellen Jolley, of Balsham, Cambridgeshire; husband of Elsie May Jolley, of Cambridge. Buried in KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY, Thailand. Plot 2. Row M Grave 11.

Warrant Officer Class II (CSM) H/6008, Winnipeg Grenadiers, R.C.I.C. Died when he saved six of his men when he threw himself on a Japanese grenade Friday 19 December 1941. Aged 42. Awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.) citation in London Gazette 1^st April 1946. Son of John Robert and Harriet Sussana Osborn; husband of Margaret Elizabeth Osborn, of St. Vital, Manitoba, Canada. No known grave. Commemorated on SAI WAN MEMORIAL, Hong Kong. Column 25.

Known as the forgotten VC of East Anglia. He was brought up in Balsham and volunteered for the First World War when 17 years old and was badly gassed. Dr Head, whose son was killed in the conflict, recommended that in view of his breathing difficulties he leave England. Moving to Canada he volunteered again at the age of 46 at the outbreak of the Second World War. He was a highly regarded CSM and saved six of his men when he threw himself on a Japanese grenade.

Photograph Courtesy & Copright © Richard E Hinkle 2002

The citation in the London Gazette of 1st April, 1946:

At Hong Kong, on 19th December, 1941, a company of the Winnipeg Grenadiers became divided in an attack on Mount Butler. A part of the company led by C.S.M. Osborn captured the hill at bayonet point, but after three hours owing to the superior numbers of the enemy the position became untenable. C.S.M. Osborn and a small group covered the withdrawal and when their turn came to fall back he single-handed engaged the enemy, exposing himself to heavy enemy fire to cover their retirement. Later the Company was cut off and completely surrounded. Several enemy grenades were thrown which C.S.M. Osborn picked up and threw back. When one landed in a position where it was impossible to pick it up, he threw himself upon it and was instantly killed. His self-sacrifice undoubtedly saved the lives of many of his comrades. C.S.M. Osborn was an inspiring example to all throughout the defence, and in his death he displayed the highest qualities of heroism and self-sacrifice.

Son of John Robert and Harriet Sussana Osborn. Husband of Margaret Elizabeth Osborn, of St. Vital, Manitoba. John Robert Osborn was born in Norfolk England on the 2nd of January 1899. He served in the First World War as a seaman in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and saw action at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. At the end of the war he moved to Saskatchewan where he farmed for two years at Wapella. He then worked with the maintenance division of the Canadian Pacific Railway in Manitoba where he married and had five children. He joined the Winnipeg Grenadiers in 1933 and was called to active duty on the 3rd of September 1939. At forty-two years of age he was the second oldest VC recipient in the Second World War. There is no known grave but his name appears on the Sai Wan Memorial in Hong Kong. His medal is on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

On the 1901 census, in Hackford, Norfolk, which says he was born at 'Forldham', Norfolk - no such place, but could be Flordon or Fordham. There is a statue of him on Hong Kong Island.

Sergeant (Air Gunner) 1874495, 626 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 23 May 1944. Aged 21. Son of Rebecca Richardson, of Balsham, Cambridgeshire. Buried in JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY, Gelderland, Netherlands. Plot 12. Row C. Grave 9. Extra details supplied by Tony Beeton on a separate page.

Photographs Copyright © Tony Beeton 2005

Private 5889109, 1^st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 1 March 1945. Aged 24. Son of Robert William and Maud Simpson, of Balsham, Cambridgeshire. Buried in TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERY, Myanmar. Plot 18. Row C. Grave 10.

Able Seaman C/JX 551439, R.F.A. Olga E. Embiricos, Royal Navy. Died 29 January 1944. No known grave. Commemorated on CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL, Kent, United Kingdom. Panel 76, Column 1.

Further information supplied by Alan Phipps of the World Ship Society:

Able Seaman Francis Douglas Tomlin was detached to the crew of SS Olga, a Greek tramp steamer operating under British (Ministry of War Transport) control. S.S. Olga was actually “Olga E. Embiricos” a ship of 4,600 tons having been built in 1922 and owned by C.E. Embiricos of Andros.

Francis was part of a four man Royal Navy gun crew provided to operate the gun carried by the ship. The reason he was carrying out such duties was due to the loss of so many Merchant Seaman the Royal Navy provided the men needed. Prior to this the merchant seaman crew would have been trained to operate what was often a First World War gun and in some cases Boer War guns that had been put back into use.

On S.S. Olga there were four seamen assigned for what was called DEMS duty, Defensive Equipped Merchant Ship. Francis was one of the group.

On Saturday 29th January 1944 S.S. Olga loaded with 6900 tons of coal was en route Durban-Aden-Massawah when she was attacked and torpedoed by the German U-boat U-188 under the command of Kapitan-Leutnant Siegfried Lüdden at position 12.3 N x 50.10 E.

Of the 37 crew on S.S. Olga twenty were lost which sadly included Daniel.

Omitted in error from the Memorial and the of Roll of Honour:

Sergeant 1874043, 431 Squadron (RCAF), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died Sunday 20 February 1944.  Arnold lived in Balsham in Fox Road and his parents moved after the war to the Land Settlement at Abington. Buried BERLIN WAR CEMETERY, Bradenburgh, Germany. Plot 6. Row D. Collective grave 12-17. See Great Abington also.

Also commemorated in the Church:

Sergeant 4488, Kitchener’s Horse. Killed in action 13 December 1900 at Nooitgedacht when fighting in the Boer War. Aged 26. Third son of Dr R T Head. [See also Cambridgeshire Boer War memorial]