Acting Sergeant 107647, 285th 285th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers. Died 10th November 1918 in Italy. Age 26. Born Barling, Essex, enlisted Southend-on-Sea, resident Great Wakering. Awarded the Military Medal (MM). Buried in GIAVERA BRITISH CEMETERY, ARCADE, Italy. Plot 6. Row B. Grave 2. See also Great Wakering.

Southend Standard, 21-11-1918, M.M. 6-9-1917

BAILEY, Thomas William - A/Sgt, No 107647, 285th A.T. Coy, Royal Engineers

Acting Sergeant Bailey was born at Little Wakering where he was educated, and lived at "Erewhon", Alexandra Road, Great Wakering. He was employed at the Southend Waterworks until he enlisted in November 1915. After serving sometime he was transferred to Italy, winning the Military Medal in August 1917, as a Lance Corporal, for bravery in the field and devotion to duty under fire. He was soon after promoted to Sergeant. He was accidentally killed in Italy on the 10th November 1918, after the Armistice between Italy and Austria had been signed, and one day before the Armistice with Germany. His officers letter to Mrs. Bailey says that " He was accidentally killed yesterday by the premature explosion of an Austrian shell he was carrying at the time, and two other men were severely wounded..........He was buried under the Union Jack will full military honours in a little British cemetery near Treviso." He was 27 years old and his name appears on the Great Wakering War Memorial.

Gunner 153977, "Z" Battery, 5th Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery. Died of wounds 1st June 1917 in France & Flanders. Age 27. Born Great Wakering, enlisted Woolwich. Son of Henry and Rosetta Bennewith, of Little Wakering; husband of Ethel Caroline Bennewith, of The Castle Inn, Little Wakering. Buried in BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION (NORD), Nord, France. Grave III. B. 203.

Southend Standard 7-6-1917

BENNEWITH, Francis Sidney - Gunner, No 153977, Royal Horse Artillery

Gunner Bennewith lived at the Castle Inn, Little Wakering,and was educated at Barling. He was the son of Mr.H.Bennewith, wheelwright and builder of Little Wakering, where he was a member of the church choir. He had been emloyed by Messrs. Beharrel & Sons of Barking. and before that for four years in the Southend Rates Office. He enlisted in Wollwich in October 1916, and had only been in France for one month when he died of wounds on 1st June 1916. He had recently been married. He was 27 years old, and was buried in Ballieul.

Private 5084, 32nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (city of London Regiment). Died of wounds 26th October 1916 in France & Flanders. Born and resident Little Wakering, enlisted Shoeburyness. Buried in ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN, Seine-Maritime, France. Grave O. I. E. 3.

Southend Standard 2-11-1916

BURGESS, Leslie - L/Cpl, No 5084, 32nd Royal Fusiliers

Lance Corporal Burgess was employed with his father at Bullers Farm, Little Wakering. He enlisted at Shoeburyness in September 1914 and went to France in May 1915 where he was wounded in the head on 20th November following. He was invalided to England, and upon recovery returned to France in April 1916. He was again wounded on 15th September 1916, and lay on the battlefield for five days and six nights. When found he was taken to hospital at Rouen, where he died as a result of his wounds and exposure on the 26th October 1916, aged 25. He was buried at St.Sever, Rouen.

Air Mechanic 3rd Class 305113, Recruits' Depot (Blandford), Royal Air Force. Died 30 October 1918. Age 17. Son of John and Sarah Ann Clark, of "May Blossom," Little Wakering. Buried in the South-East part of ST. MARY CHURCHYARD, LITTLE WAKERING, Essex.

Southend Standard 14-11-1918.

CLARK, Frank Kline - Air Mechanic III, No 305113, Royal Air Force

Frank Clark was the son of Mrs. Clark of May Blossom, Little Wakering. He was born in Southend but moved to Little Wakering with his parents in 1912, attending the Concil Schools. He had only been in the RAF for four weeks when he contracted influenza, dying in Blandford Military Hospital on 5th November 1918. He was 17 years old and was buried in Little Wakering churchyard.

Sergeant 2070, 1st/6th Battalion, Essex Regiment. Killed in action 7th october 1915 at Gallipoli. Born Bletchingley, Surrey, enlisted Shoeburyness, resident Little Wakering. Son of Mrs. C. Maynard, of Primrose Cottage, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Commemorated in 7th FIELD AMBULANCE CEMETERY, Turkey. Special Memorial A. 45, buried as one of 276 unidentified graves.

Southend Standard 4-11-1915

MAYNARD, Alfred John - Sergeant, No 2070, A Company, 1/6th Essex Regiment

Born at Bletchingley, Surrey, Sergeant Maynard was the son of Mrs.A.Maynard, and had lived in Southend and Great Wakering for twelve years, latterly at Primrose Cottage, Eastwood, employed as a market gardener. He enlisted in August 1914 and was sent to the Dardenelles in July 1915, having been promoted to Sergeant in the previous April. At about 6 o'clock on the 7th October 1915 he had just got up into the firing position to see to an iron sniping plate when he was shot through the head, dying instantly. He was buried N.N.E. of Anzac Cove, and was 30 years old. His officer, Captain Eric W. Jee wrote the following to his mother: "October 26th. Dear Mr & Mrs Maynard - As the commanding officer A company, 1-6th Essex Regiment, it is my painful task to confirm the news of your sons death and tell you as much about it as i know. Your son was on of my most trustworthy non - commissioned officers, and had been with me through thick and thin since we landed. I had only one other officer with me, but sergeant Martin commanded his platoon or took charge of a section of trench equally well. The great thing about him was his cheerful and helpful word for all his men , and this really made him an ideal leader of men. I am afraid my words can be of little use to you in losing so gallant a son. He died doing his duty in the trenches, fortunately his death was instantaneous and painless. A snipers bullet hit him in the head. Sergeant Maynard was applying for a commission out here, and no-one would have done more credit to the rank. He was at all times remarkable for his personal bravery and disregard for danger. He was complimented by the commanding officer for information brought in regarding the country in front of our trenches, where he had taken a patrol. He was properly buried by a chaplain in Australian Gully, the commanding officer and many of his personal friends attending during the darkness. Sergeant Maynard and myself were friends apart from our duties, and we often had tea together, and we used to talk of old times in England. Assuring you of my deepest and sincerest sympathy, and that his loss is remembered and mourned by N.C.O.s and men as well."

Private 350808, 7th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment. Killed in action 7th October 1916 in France & Flanders. Enlisted Sun Street, resident Southend-on-Sea. *** Cannot locate a CWGC record for this man ***

Southend Standard 15-3-1917 as missing

PYE, Arthur - Private, No 350808, 7th City of London Regiment

Private Pye lived at Southend and was killed in action at Warlencourt on 7th October 1916 and was buried at the New British Cemetery, Warlencourt, Eaucourt.

Leading Aircraftman 927421, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 8th April 1945. Age 23. Son of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Garrad, of Little Wakering, Essex. Commemorated on SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore. Column 453.

Private 6021986, 2nd/5th Battalion, Essex Regiment. Died 1st July 1942. Age 25. Son of Frederick James Garrad and Grace Gertrude Garrad, of Little Wakering, Essex. Buried in EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY, Egypt. Grave XX. C. 15.

Private 14566339, 7th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry. Died 7th August 1944. Age 19. Son of William and Annie Naomi Holmstead, of Little Wakering, Essex. Commemorated on BAYEUX MEMORIAL, Calvados, France. Panel 13, Column 3.

Sergeant (Observer) 526601, 7 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died 24th March 1941. Age 23. Son of Richard William and Emily Seymour, of Little Wakering. Buried in SUTTON ROAD CEMETERY, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, Essex. Plot R. Grave 12264.

Flight Sergeant (Pilot) 1614960, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 26th November 1944. Age 21. Son of George Stanley and Sarah Isobel Keziah Ladbrook, of Southchurch. Buried in ST. MARY CHURCHYARD, LITTLE WAKERING, Essex.

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