
STRETHAM WAR MEMORIAL
World War 1 and 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © 2000 Dave Edwards & Cliff Brown
additional information from Patrick Gariepy
The
memorial is in St James churchyard in the High Street, Stretham. The
memorial takes the form of a Celtic cross of Ketton stone mounted on
a plinth on a four-stepped base. There are 24 names for World War 1
and 11 for World War 2. The memorial cost £100 and was unveiled
by Lieutenant-Colonel F J M Stratton on 2nd July 1922. Details appeared
in the Cambridgeshire Times 7th July 1922 with a fore runner in the
Cambridge Independent Press 18th November 1921. There is also a War
Memorial in the village cemetery listing the same names.
To the glory of God
and in grateful memory
of the men of Stretham
who fell in the
Great War 1914 – 1918.
Extract
from Cambridgeshire Times 7th July 1922:
Memorial
Dedication – Stretham
Simple
in design but none the less imposing a Celtic cross in Ketton stone
erected in the churchyard at Stretham overlooking the main road through
the village was formally unveiled and dedicated on Sunday afternoon
to perpetuate the memory of the 24 heroes of the village who gave their
life during the War.
There was a large and representative concourse of villagers assembled
to pay homage to our honoured dead. A grey clouded sky deepened the
impressiveness of the scene but as the service procedure to bright sun
occasionally broke through as if to cheer the saddened hearts of those
who mourned..
The Memorial was erected at a cost of £100 and the fund was patronised
by no fewer than 200 subscribers.
The service was conducted by the Rev Stitt and the singing was accompanied
by the Ely City Military Band.
Colonel Stratton said those in Stretham knew better than he how bitterly
the blow was felt as one by one the men had passed on. They had gone
in order that Stretham might hold her head high with her neighbours.
Stretham has done her share in the great fight. England is a fair land
worth dying for but it is far more worth living for.
The melancholy notes of the Last Post rang forth and when the echo had
died away Bishop Price formally dedicated the Memorial. The Rev J. Parnell,
Baptist minister at Stretham described the memorial as the People's
Memorial. Prayers were offered by Mr H. Acred, Methodist lay preacher
and the National Anthem bought the proceedings to a close
Extract
from s Cambridgeshire newspaper 23rd November 1951:
The
torrential rain which fell in the early afternoon on Sunday caused a
decision to be made to postpone the proposed dedication of the War Memorial
plaque. But as it was impossible to let everyone know, quite a few assembled
at the cemetery at the advertised time. It happened at this time the
weather cleared and a short service was conducted by the Rector, Rev
H.E. Cowgill.
After a short address by the Rector the plaque, bearing the names of
the men who gave their lives in the 1939-45 war, was unveiled by the
Chairman of the Parish Council, Mr S. Smith. The names engraved on the
granite plaque are W. Bidwell, R.G. Clarke, A. Driver, D. Gibbs. J.
Howe, J. Jarman, A. Murfitt, K. Neville, T. Pearson, A. Thompson and
E. Wesley. After the unveiling the hymn ‘Abide with Me’
was sung and the Last Post and Reveille were sounded by a member of
the Wicken Band.
BAXTER |
Albert
V |
Lance Sergeant 16315, 11th Battalion,
Suffolk Regiment, killed in action on 26/8/1917, buried: Hargicourt
British Cemetery, Aisne, France. Plot I. Row C. Grave 34. Born Stretham,
enlisted Ely. Son of Mr. J. Baxter, of Top St., Stretham, Cambs.
|
BAXTER |
Frank
[Coulson] |
Corporal 15483, 8th Battalion, Suffolk
Regiment, killed in action on 19/7/1916, age 27, buried: No known
grave. Commemorated on THiepval memorial, Somme, France. Pier and
Face 1 C and 2 A. Born Stretham, enlisted Ely. Son of James and
Hannah Baxter, of Top St., Stretham, Ely, Cambs. |
BEASLEY |
Percy
William |
Private 26579, 14th Battalion, Hampshire
Regiment, killed in action on 17/8/1917, aged 25, buried: No known
grave. Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen,
Belgium. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A. Born and resident Stretham,
enlisted Ely. Formerly 26952, Suffolk Regiment. |
BULLMAN |
Benjamin
aka Ben |
[Also spelt BULMAN] Private, 2nd Battalion
Suffolk Regiment, died on 16/8/1916, age 25, buried: No known grave.
Commemorated on THiepval memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face
1 C and 2 A. Brother of Mr. Charles Bullman of Stretham. |
CLARK |
Abel
|
Private 3/6916, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire
Regiment, died of wounds on 28/3/1915 age 19, buried: Boulogne Eastern
Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Plot III. Row D. Grave 67. Born
and resident Stretham, enlisted Ely. Son of Abel and Mary Ann Clark,
of Wilburton Rd., Stretham, Ely.
Extract from Cambridge Independent Press
- Friday 16 April 1915, page 5:
Private
A Clark Killed.
Mr.
Abel Clark, of Stretham Ferry, has received from the War Office
an intimation of the death of Pte. A. Clark, 1st Bedfordshire
Regiment, which occurred at No. 11, General Hospital, Boulogne,
France, on the 28th of March. 1915. Pte. Clark died of a gunshot
wound in the back, received in action. A communication expressing
the sympathy of their Majesties has been received from Lord Kitchener.
|
CONSTABLE |
William
Henry |
Private 26319, 2nd Battalion, Suffolk
Regiment, killed in action on 18/8/1916, age 30, buried: No known
grave. Commemorated on THiepval memorial, Somme, France. Pier and
Face 1 C and 2 A. Born Stretham, enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Son of
Mr & Mrs H. Constable of Stretham. |
DIMMOCK |
Bertram
aka Bert |
Private 253665, 3rd Battalion attached
1st/4th Battalion, London Regiment (Royal
Fusiliers), killed in action on 28/3/1918, buried: No known grave.
Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 9. Born
Stretham, enlisted Stratford, resident Dalston. |
HAZEL |
Heber
[G] |
Private
G/12314, 1st Battalion The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey
Reg.), killed in action on 13/4/1918, age 23, buried: No known grave.
Commemorated on Ploegsteert Memorial, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut,
Belgium. Panel 1 and 2. Born Stretham, enlisted Newmarket, resident
Isle of Ely. Son of Harry and Bertha Hazel, of Tilehouse Farm, Stretham,
Ely, Cambs.
|
HITCH |
George
William |
Private 326000, 1st/1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire
Regiment, killed in action on 14/10/1916, buried: Mill Road Cemetery,
Thiepval, Somme, France. Plot XVII. Row F. Grave 7. Enlisted Ely.
Formerly 2883, Cambridgeshire Regiment. |
HOWE |
Herbert
|
Lance Corporal G/5862, 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex
Regiment, who was killed in action on 9th September 1916. Born Stretham,
enlisted Ely. Buried: Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, Somme,
France. Plot IX. Row D. Grave 14. Born Stretham. Boer War veteran,
served with RAMC. |
LANGFORD |
Benjamin
aka Ben |
Lance Corporal 9921, 2nd Battalion.
Bedfordshire Regiment, killed in action on 31/10/1914, buried: No
known grave. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper,
West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 31 and 33. Born and resident Stretham,
enlisted Bedford. |
LOWE |
Joseph
William |
Private 30702, 9th Battalion Suffolk
Regiment, died of pneumonia on 9/1/1917, age 24, buried: Etaples
Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Plot XXI Row A Grave 9A.
Born Stretham, enlisted Ely. Son of Daniel and Ada Ann Lowe; husband
of E. M. Lowe, of Cage Lane, Stretham, nr. Ely, Cambs. |
MURFITT |
Walter
|
Sergeant 11272, 2nd Battalion Sherwood
Foresters (Notts. and Derby Reg.), killed in action on 5/10/1915
age 27, buried: Potijze Burial Ground Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen,
Belgium. Born and resident Stretham, enlisted Derby. Son of Joseph
and Amelia Murfitt, of Pump Lane, Stretham, Isle of Ely, Cambs.
|
ROUTLEDGE |
Ernest
[Gordon] |
Private G/14267, 7th Battalion Royal
Sussex Regiment, was killed in action on 30th November 1917, age
19, buried: No known grave. Commemorated on Cambrai Memorial, Louverval,
Nord, France. Panel 7. Born Stretham, enlisted Newmarket. Son of
Alfred R. and Emily J. Routledge, of The Manse, Stretham, Cambs.
|
SENNITT |
Archibald
Frederick aka Archie |
Private
18685, No 2. Company, 2nd Battalion Canadian Infantry
(Eastern Ontario Regiment), died on 17 June 1915 age 32, buried:
No known grave. Commemorated on Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Son of Frederic Oliver and Hannah Sennitt, of Red Lion St., Stretham,
Ely, Cambs, England. Born September 26, 1884, in London, the son
of Hannah Sennitt of Red Line Street, Stretham, Cambs. He was unmarried
and in civil life was employed as a carpenter. On the outbreak of
war he was a member of the 101st Regiment, Canadian Militia. On
September 23, 1914, he enlisted in the C.E.F. in At the time of
his enlistment he was described as being 5 7½
tall with fair complexion, brown hair and brown eyes. National Archives
of Caada Accession Reference: RG
150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8778 - 35
|
STITT |
Innes
D’Auvergne Stewart |
Second
Lieutenant, 1/16th London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster
Rifles), killed in action on 28/3/1918 age 19, buried: No known
grave. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay
10. Son of Rev. Samuel Stewart Stitt and Mary his wife, Rector of
Stretham. There is a family memorial to Lt. Stitt within the church.
His poem "The Last Leave" can also be read in the church.
TO
THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF
INNES D'AUVERGNE STEWART STITT.
2ND LIEUT 1/16TH LONDON REGT. (QUEEN'S WESTMINSTER RIFLES.)
DEARLY LOVED SON OF REVD. S. STEWART STITT, M.A.
RECTOR OF THIS PARISH AND MARY HIS WIFE.
REPORTED MISSING IN THE GREAT WAR AT TOWY POST, NEAR ARRAS, FRANCE
MARCH 28TH 1918 AGED 19 YEARS
"THINK NOT THAT WE MADE FINE SACRIFICE, HEROIC WITH SACRIFICIAL
SIGHS:
BUT MOVED TO AN END APPOINTED MEET, AND THE INCOMPLETE THAT WE
MADE COMPLETE
INNIS STITT
Extract
from a Cambridgeshire newspaper of the time:
STRETHAM
LIEUTENANT MISSING.
In our last issue we reported that Sec.-Lieut. Innes d'Auvergne
Stewart Stitt, son of the Rev. S. Stewart Stitt, Rector of Stretham,
was reported missing. The Captain of the company to which he was
attached, who is now lying wounded in a London hospital, writes
: "B Company were holding a front line post called Toyew Post.
Innes was there with the me for the three very trying days and still
more trying nights, which preceded the attack. When the barrage
started at 3 o'clock on the 28th I withdrew all my remaining men
who were not absolutely indispensable at their posts to two deep
dug-outs and sent the officers down there too. When the attack canto
at 7 a.m. everyone fought heroically. Innes was splendid; he stuck
to me all the way through. When we had used all our bombs and nearly
all our ammunition we went back to Naval Trench, about a thousand
yards back. Innes was quite all right when I last saw him, unwounded
and fairly fresh, but I had to leave them when I got back to Naval
Trench, as I knew I couldn't afford to lose much more blood, and
my revolver had been shot out of my hand." Another officer,
referring to the Captain and Lieut. Stitt, writes: "I have
discovered that he was wounded towards the end, but not seriously.
Nobody who saw him wounded has survived, but his batman, since killed,
told one of the few surviving N.C.O.'s of his platoon that he had
seen Innes wounded, but not badly. So we are all hoping before long
we shall have news of him from Germany." |
SWAN |
Herbert
Law |
[Rifleman
on SDGW] Sergeant 44675, 19th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles,
died on 2/12/1917, age 35, buried: Grevillers British Cemetery,
Pas de Calais, France. Plot XI. Row A. Grave 12. Born and resident
Stretham, enlisted Fulham, London SW. Son of Thomas and Rachel Swan.
Born at Stretham, Ely, Cambs. Formerly 3531, London Regiment.
|
TAYLOR |
Edward
John |
Private
22208, 7th Battalion. Suffolk Regiment, killed in action on 9/8/1916,
age 22, buried: No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial,
Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A. Born Stretham, enlisted
Cambridge. Son of John and Susan Taylor, of Brooks Lane, Stretham,
Isle of Ely.
|
VALE |
Edward
[Charles] |
Private,
22006 Depot, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Died
at Knightshayes V.A.D. Hospital, near Tiverton, Devon, of wounds
received in France, 9/10/1917, age 27. Formerly G/3650 Royal Fusiliers.
Buried Chevithorne (St Thomas) Churchyard, Devon. Son of William
and Ellen Vale. Brother of Mrs H Crow, Red Hill Cottage, Cambridge
road, Stretham, Ely.
NOTE: Knightshayes is now a National Trust property. |
WESLEY |
Albert
George |
Private
22584, 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, killed in action
on 8/8/1916 age 20, buried: No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval
Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A. Born Streham,
enlisted Cambridge. Son of Albert and Rosa Wesley, of Stretham Ferry,
Stretham, Ely, Cambs.
|
WESLEY |
Horace
|
Private
20831, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, died of wounds on 24/8/1917,
age 29, buried: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen,
Belgium. Plot XVIII. Row D. Grave 16A. Born and enlisted Stretham.
Son of George and Jane Wesley, of Green End, Stretham, Ely, Cambs.
Formerly 34990, Suffolk Regiment.
|
WHEELER |
Jack
Douglas |
Second
Lieutenant, 5th Battalion (Territorial), Suffolk Regiment,
killed in action on 31/7/1917, age 28, buried: No known grave. Commemorated
on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Panel 21. Son of Alfred G. and Harriet Eliza Wheeler, of Stretham,
Ely, Cambs.
|
WHEELER |
Russell
Mervyn |
Lieutenant,
9th Battalion attached 1st/7th
Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, killed in action on 30/11/1916 age
35, buried: Pont-Du-Hem Military Cemetery, La Gorgue, Nord, France.
Plot II. Row C. Grave 17. Son of Alfred G. and Harriet Eliza Wheeler,
of Stretham, Ely, Cambs. BA & MA Cambridge. Teacher at Cambridge
and Harrow.
|
WINTER |
John
Phillip |
[Philip
John on SDGW and P.J. on CWGC] Private 18136, "C" Company,
1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment, killed in action on 8/5/1915, age
27. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen,
Belgium. Panel 21. Born Stretham, enlisted Ely. Son of John and
Mary Ann Winter; husband of Dora F. Winter, of Barton Bendish, King's
Lynn.
|
1939 - 1945 |
BIDWELL |
Matthew
William |
Private 5884188, 1st Battalion Suffolk
Regiment, died on 24/5/1940, age 22, buried: Cretinier Cemetery,
Wattrelos, Nord, France. Grave 16. Son of Matthew William and Emma
Bidwell, of Ely, Cambridgeshire. |
CLARK |
Richard
Geoffrey |
[Also spelt CLARKE] Leading Aircraftman 1234258,
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died on 15/5/1945, age 23, buried:
Padua War Cemetery, Italy. Plot III. Row G. Grave 2. Son of Geoffrey
Best Clark and Dorothy Elizabeth Clark; husband of Olive Maud Clark,
of Stretham, Cambridgeshire. |
DRIVER |
Albert
|
Private, 5831194, 4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment,
who died on Monday 23 August 1943, age 27. Born 6 January 1916.
Born and resident Cambridgeshire. In 1939 Register he was an Assistant
in Grocer and General Stores, High Street, Ely R.D., Cambridgeshire.
A Fireman for R.D.C. Buried in Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Myanmar
(Burma). Plot B6. Row E. Grave 19.
Extract from England & Wales Government
Probate Death Index 1947:
DRIVER
Albert of Reed-street Stretham Cambridgeshire died
23 August 1943 on war service Administration (with Will) Peterborough
1 April to Eliza Driver (wife of Richard Driver).
Effects £235 17s. 2d.
|
GIBBS |
Douglas
[Albert] |
Private 5933753, HQ Company, 2nd Btn.
The Cambridgeshire Regiment, Suffolk Regiment, missing in action
on 15/2/1942, age 20, buried: No known grave. Commemorated on Singapore
Memorial, Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore. Column 58. Son of Albert
J. and Elsie Gibbs, of Stretham, Cambridgeshire.

|
HOWE |
John
|
Probably: Corporal
5933506, John Henry Howe, 2nd Battalion, The Cambridgeshire
Regiment, Suffolk Regiment, died on 24/1/1942 age 21, buried: Kranji
War Cemetery, Singapore. Plot 18 Row D Joint grave 5-6. Son of William
Henry and Kate Howe; husband of Joan Mary Howe, of Ely, Cambridgeshire.

|
JARMAN |
[Robert]
John |
Bombardier 1531760, 212 Battery, 70 H.A.A. Regt.,
Royal Artillery, who died on Monday 18 December 1944, age 26. Buried
in Madras War Cemetery, Chennai, India. Plot 1. Row K. Grave 9.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Jarman, of Stretham, Cambridgeshire. |
MURFITT |
[George]
Andrew |
Driver T/225559, Royal Army Service Corps., died
on 26/10/1941, age 33, buried: Beirut War Cemetery, Lebanese Republic.
Plot I. Row C. Grave 3. Son of George and Edith Murfitt, of Stretham,
Cambridgeshire; husband of Hazel Murfitt, of Stretham. |
NEVILLE |
Kenneth
[Harry Glover] |
Gunner 966073, 64 (The Queen’s Own Royal Glasgow
Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, died on 10/4/1942,
age 24, buried: Stretham Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
Grave C. 196. Son of Algernon and Mabel Neville, of Stretham. |
PEARSON |
Tom
|
Private 5933719, 2nd Battalion, The
Cambridgeshire Regiment, Suffolk Regiment, died on 27/9/1943 age
21. Prisoner of War. Son of Mr Tom and Mrs May Pearson, Cambridge
St., Stretham. Brother of Michael. Buried: Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery,
Myanmar. Plot B6. Row L. Grave 1.

|
THOMPSON |
Alec
[George] |
Private 5827755, 1st Battalion The Cambridgeshire
Regiment, Suffolk Regiment, Missing in action on 13/2/1942 age 23.
Buried: No known grave. Commemorated on Singapore Memorial, Kranji
War Cemetery, Singapore. Column 60. Son of Mrs. A. E. Thompson,
of Stretham, Cambridgeshire.

|
WESLEY |
[John]
Edward [Creek] |
Private
5830912, John Edward Creek Wesley, 4th Battalion Suffolk
Regiment, died on 21/9/1944 age 25. Buried: No known grave. Commemorated
on Singapore Memorial, Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore. Column 60.
Son of Mrs M Wesley, Reed St., Stretham.
|
Last updated
23 August, 2023
|