BLUNTISHAM-CUM-EARITH WAR MEMORIAL

The Bluntisham cum Earith War Memorial is to be found on the Green adjacent to the A1124, outside the St Mary's Church, (Rectory Road), Bluntisham. It was orignally situated in Hollidays Road and Recorty Road but was moved after a traffic accident. The memorial takes the form of a concrete base with a further three-stepped base upon this upon which is mounthe a Cornish gramite tapered plinth, shaft and Celtic cross. The inscription is in raised lettering on the side of the plinth ahd the front face of the shaft. There are 34 names for World war 1 and 8 for world War 2. The memorial was unveiled in 1921. The first table is of those soldiers commemorated on the Bluntisham-cum-Earith Memorial. The second table contains information for the Bluntisham Baptist Chapel.

Photographs from old postcards

THIS CROSS WAS ERECTED
BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION
IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF
THE MEN BELONGING TO
BLUNTISHAM AND EARITH
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
I N THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918

ABBOTT	Albert Fordham	42120, Pte, 1st Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 4-9-16, age 21. Son of Mr & Mrs J Abbott, of East End, Bluntisham. Born & residing in Bluntisham, enlisted Huntingdon. Listed Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Also listed Bluntisham Baptist Chapel memorial.
ABBOTT	Charles Russel	17571, Pte, 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 16-6-15, age 19. Son of Mr & Mrs J Abbott, of East End, Bluntisham. Born & residing in Bluntisham, enlisted Huntingdon. Listed Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Also listed Bluntisham Baptist Chapel memorial.
ALLGOOD	Frank	41299, Pte, 8th North Staffordshire Regiment. Died 16-4-18, age 19. Son of James & Margaret Allgood, of West End Farm, Bluntisham. Listed Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium.
ALLGOOD	[Alexander] Thomas	33329, Pte, A coy 6th Yorkshire Regiment. Died 28-7-17, age 20. Son of James & Margaret Allgood, of West End Farm, Bluntisham. Buried Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme, France.
AMBROSE	Robert Wiliam (Ronald)	18459, Pte, 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 28-7-17, age 22. Son of Herbert & Annie G Ambrose, Hillrow, Causeway, Cambs. Born & residing Earith, enlisted Bedford. Listed Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, Belgium. Also listed Haddenham.
ASHMORE	[George] Arthur	7524, Pte, 1st East Surrey Regiment. Died 31-8-18. Buried Vaulx Hill Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Also listed Bluntisham Baptist Chapel memorial.
BECK	Henry George	43435, Pte, 11th Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action 22-3-18. Born Earith, enlisted St Ives. Formerly 25242 Bedfordshire Regiment. Listed Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
CARMAN	Arthur Edward	CH/19336, Pte, 1st Royal Marine Btn, Royal Naval Division, Royal Marine Light Infantry. Died 22-11-16, age 19. Son of Mrs R Carman, of Haddenham. Buried Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Also listed Haddenham, Cambs.
CHAPMAN	Alfred	371850, Pte, 4th Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 30-10-17, age 29. Son of James & Jane Chapman, of Bluntisham; husband of Ada E Chapman, of Bridge End, Somersham. Listed Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium. Also listed Somersham and Bluntisham Baptist Chapel memorial.
CHAPMAN	Edward	2317, Pte, 9th East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action 5-8-17. Born Woodhurst, living Somersham. Husband of Mrs C L Jeeps (formerly Chapman), of Berrycroft, Willingham. Listed Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, Belgium. Also listed Somersham.
ENFIELD	Sidney	14984, Cpl, 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 15-5-15. Born & residing Earith, enlisted Huntingdon. Listed Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
FOX	Archibald (Archie) Jim	33593, Pte, 3rd (Reserve) Essex Regiment. Died in at home 16-2-17. Born and resident Bluntisham, enlisted Huntingdon. Son of Betsy Fox & the late James Fox. Born & residing Bluntisham, enlisted Huntingdon. Buried Bluntisham (St Mary) Churchyard, Cambs.
FOX	Cornelius Augustus	49059, Pte, 6th Royal Fusiliers. Husband of R Fox, of Colne. Enlisted Huntingdon. Died 18-3-17. Buried Dover (St James's) Cemetery, Kent. Also listed Colne.
HADDER	Vivian	15170, Pte, 1st Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 27-7-16. Born & residing Sutton, enlisted Huntingdon. Listed Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Also listed Sutton, Cambs.
HADDER	Mander	24475, Pte, 5th Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 12-5-17. Son of William Hadder, of The Jolly Bankers, Sutton, Cambs. Listed Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Also listed Sutton, Cambs.
HEWITT	Frank	12816, L/Cpl, 7th Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 1-7-16, age 28. Son of John Richard & Jane Hewitt, 493 Seven Sisters Rd, South Tottenham, London. Born Tottenham, enlisted Huntingdon, residing Derby. Buried Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France. Also listed Bluntisham Baptist Chapel memorial.
HILLS	Herbert	43488, Pte, 11th Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action 26-8-17, age 23. Son of Mr & Mrs John Hills, High St, Earith. Born Earith, enlisted Huntingdon. Buried Hargicourt Communal Cemetery Extension, Aisne, France.
HUDSON	Walter	19714, Pte, 8th Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 14-9-17, age 30. Son of Josiah Hudson, High St, Earith; husband of Mrs Ethel Ginn (formerly Hudson), 2 New Town, Earith. Born & residing Earith, enlisted Bedford. Listed Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
JOHNSON	William James	7284, Pte, 2nd East Surrey Regiment. Died 25-04-15, age 19. Son of Frank and Margaret Johnson, of Bluntisham, Hunts. Lived in Wood End, Bluntisham. Listed Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, Belgium.
KIDMAN	Ernest	269786, 2/7th Sherwood Foresters. Died 26-9-17. Listed Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium. Also on the Woodhurst Memorial.
LEACH	George Ernest	51227, L/Cpl, 13th Royal Fusiliers. Died 18-5-17, age 25. Son of Martha Ann Leach, Bluntisham & the late Arthur Leach. Buried Bluntisham (St Mary) Churchyard, Cambs.
NEAL	Frank James	307664, Sgt, 1/8th Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Died 27-8-16, age 21. Son of James & Alice Neal, Colne Rd, Bluntisham. Formerly Hunts Cyclists Btn. Listed Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Also listed Bluntisham Baptist Chapel memorial.
PHILLIPS	[Edward] Alfred	S/18434, Rfn, 9th Rifle Brigade. Died 3-5-17, age 34. Son of John & Mary Charter Phillips, of Bluntisham. Listed Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Also listed Bluntisham Baptist Chapel memorial.
RAWLINGS	Oliver George	23219, Pte, 4th Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 23-4-17, age 21. Son of George Seymour Rawlings & Mary Ann Rawlings, Church End, Earith. Born & residing Earith, enlisted Ampthill. Buried Orchard Dump Cemetery, Arleux-en-Gohelle, Pas de Calais, France.
SECKER	George	Private 4/3336, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 4th September 1916, aged 19. He was the brother of William Secker who is also on the memorial (below). Born Heigham, Norfolk, enlisted Norwich. Son of William Alfred and Mary Ann Secker. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 1 D.
SECKER	William	G/18755, Pte, 7th Battalion Royal Sussex Rrgiment. Died of wounds 25th August 1918, age 19. Son of William & Mary Secker, School Lane, Earith. Born St Martin's, Norfolk, enlisted Norwich. He was the brother of George Secker who is also on the memorial (above). Buried Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France.
STOKES	Thomas	32610, Pte, 197th coy Machine Gun Corps. Killed in action 11-10-17. Son of the late Thomas & Sarah Stokes. Born and resident Earith, enlisted Ampthill. Listed Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium.
SYMONDS, MM	Ernest Henry	Acting-Bombadier, 25011, 83rd Bde, Royal Field Artillery. Died 30-10-17, age 21. Son of Jesse & Ellen Symonds, of Earith. Buried Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinghe, Belgium.
SYMONDS	Frederick [Jesse]	Private M/347431, Army Service Corps attached to 150th Anti-Aircraft Section. Died 19th May 1918.Born melton, Suffolk, enlisted and resident Ipswich. He was the brother of Ernest Henry Symonds (above). Husband of Ida Minnie Symonds, of 38, Ruskin Rd., Ipswich. Buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Plot IX. Row A. Grave 72.
WALES	Bertie	269410, Pte, Hertfordshire Regiment. Died 21-9-17, age 20. Son of Martha Wales, High St, Earith. Listed Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium.
WALES	John Thomas	235258, Pte, 17th Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died of wounds 29-8-17, age 40. Husband of Sabina Wales, of Earith. Buried Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
WALKER	Thomas	No further information currently.
WARD	[Arthur] Ernest	G/24707, 6th The Buffs (East Kent Rgt). Died 9-8-18, age 19. Son of Arthur & Annie Ward, Little London, Bluntisham. Buried Franvillers Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Also listed Bluntisham Baptist Chapel memorial.
WILSON	Charles Henry	23234, Pte, 8th Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 15-9-16, age 23. Son of John & Rosetta Wilson, School Lane, Earith. Born Longstanton, enlisted Ampthill, residing Earith. Listed Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
WILSON	Walter	20436, Pte, 4th Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 29-5-17, age 21. Son of John & Rosetta Wilson, School Lane, Earith. Born Longstanton, enlisted Somersham, residing Earith. Listed Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
1939-1945
COULSON	Peter Lawrence	5885521, Pte, 5th Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 24-12-42, age 19. Son of Thomas & Sarah Ann Coulson, of Earith. Buried Medjez-el-Bab War Cemetery, Tunisia.
DEARMAN	Arthur James	5886245, Pte, 5th Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 24-5-40, age 21. Son of Arthur & Elizabeth Dearman, of Earith. Buried Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul, Nord, France.
FLACK	[Arthur] James	Boy 1st Class, HMS Curacoa, Royal Navy. Died 27-4-40. Son of Natt & Margaret Flack, of Colne. Buried Kirkwall (St Olaf's) Cemetery, Orkney.
GARDNER	Derek	No further information currently.
HINKINS	Ernest Goerge Rex	CH/X 501, Sgt, Royal Marines. Died 30-12-42, age 32. Son of William & Elizabeth Hinkins; husband of Winifred W Hinkins, of Warboys. Listed Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.
MOORE	Frederick	Army driver, killed in car accident in 1945. Possibly: Gnr 6094606, Royal Artillery, died 4-12-45, age 27. Son of Henry John & Amelia Moore. Buried Udine War Cemetery, Italy.
MOORE	Eric Oliver	Pte, 2nd Huntingdonshire Btn Home Guard. Drowned at Hemingford Grey 28-6-42, age 17. Son of Oliver & Phyllis Moore, of Back Lane, Earith. Buried Bluntisham (St Mary) Churchyard, Cambs. See also L J Barson, Somersham.
VINTNER	Maurice Lovat	1868893, Cpl, Royal Engineers. Died 17-1-142, age 27. Son of Arthur William & Anne Vinter, of Earith. Buried Benghazi War Cemetery, Libya.
WARD	[Alan] Kenneth	1607007, Sgt, Flight Engineer, 100 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 26-11-43, age 20. Son of Joseph & Eliza Ward, of Bluntisham. Buried Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery, Brandenburg, Germany.
Note: A wooden memorial screen in the parish church lists the names of those killed in both world wars. A separate plaque includes the name of James W Nunn, South Africa, 1899-1902. BLUNTISHAM BAPTIST CHAPEL Compiled and copyright © 2000 John Prior Memorial plaque commemorating men associated with the chapel.
ABBOTT	Albert Fordham	See above.
ABBOTT	Charles Russel	See above.
ASHMORE	George Arthur	See above.
CHAPMAN	Alfred	See above.
HEWITT	Frank	See above.
PHILLIPS	Edward	See above.
TOPPER	Harold Bernard	267571, Pte, 1/1st Bucks Btn, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 15-8-16, age 21. Son of Jonathan & Martha Topper. Born Colne, enlisted Huntingdon. Formerly Hunts Cyclists Btn. Listed Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Also listed Colne.
WARD	Ernest	See above.
A plaque to K A Ward, who died 26-11-1942, is also located in the chapel. See above.

Last updated 27 January, 2022