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FAVERSHAM, GREAT EXPLOSION 2nd APRIL 1916 MEMORIAL

World War 1 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © 2004 Martin Edwards
additional information Kim Robinson

Further reading The Great Explosion at Faversham, 2 April, 1916 By Arthur Percival, M.B.E., B.A., F.S.A. published by the Faversham Society

In times of war it is not just those who were called into action who suffer. This incident highlights the perils of those at home in their effort to aid those at the front.

On Sunday 2nd April 1916 a fire broke out in some empty sacks at the Gun Powder Works (Gunpowder Mill) at Uplees, near Faversham. An attempt was made to put out the fire to no avail and the factory manager ordered an evacuation of the site. Too late, at 2.20pm an explosion occurred when 200 tons of TNT blew up while the evacuation was in progress. The explosion was so large that windows across the Thames estuary, in Southend, were shattered and the tremor was felt in Norwich. The crater made by the explosion was 40 yards across and 20 feet deep. The death toll was 109 men and boys were killed, including the whole of the Works Fire Brigade. As they tried to control the blaze so many firemen died in subsequent smaller explosions on the site.

The many bodies that were recovered were found in the surrounding marshes and dykes; seven were recorded as missing, most probably disintegrated by the explosion.

A mass grave was created for many of the dead in Faversham Borough Cemetery at Ladydene, on the Whitstable road. It was made in 1898, and belongs to the Corporation; and it contains 31 War Graves. Five men of the 4th Buffs were killed in the explosion. The memorial was dedicated by The Lord Bishop of Croydon on 27th September 1917.

The site as it is today can be viewed from photographs by David Hughes and Neil Clark

A further memorial lists those who died and were buried elsewhere.


Photographs above, and below, Copyright © David Hughes and Neil Clark 2004

Those buried in the Gunpowder Mill Burial Plot

ANDERSON H
No further information currently
APPLETON W
No further information currently
ASHBY A
No further information currently
BAKER E
No further information currently
BARTLETT J E
No further information currently
BEACH H C
No further information currently
BEALE J W
No further information currently
BEANEY W
No further information currently
BEER F J
No further information currently
BEESLEY A W
No further information currently
BLEACKLEY T H
No further information currently
BUSHELL H
No further information currently
BUTLER M
No further information currently
CATLOW William
Private T/20242, 4th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Age 48. Born Bootle, Lancashire, enlisted Folkestone, Kent, resident Chriton, Kent. Son of George and Harriet Adams; husband of Kate Jane Adams. Born at Skelmersdale, Lancs. CATLOW is a pseudonym that he enlisted under his real name was ADAMS.
CHADWICK W E
No further information currently
CHAMBERS T
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CHANDLER A H
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CHANTLER W
No further information currently
CHIDWICK A G
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CLARKE T A
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CLEMENTS S S
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CLUBB S H
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COE F
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COLE A E
No further information currently
COLLINS J
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COORD L F
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CORNWELL G
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COURT Ernest
Private T/20213, 2nd/4th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Born Minster, Thanet, Kent, enlisted Faversham, Kent, resident Ospringe, Faversham, Kent. Husband of Catherine Court, of Ospringe, Faversham.
COX. S H
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CRAWFORD J
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DAVY E C
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DAWKINS E J
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DOWSETT Albert
[Spelt DROWSETT on CWGC] Private T/20216, 4th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Age 48. Born Halstead, Essex, enlisted Dartford, Kent, resident Greenhithe, Kent. Husband of Anna Drowsett, of 40, Castle St., Greenhithe.
DRAY H T
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DRISCOLL A D
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FAIRCLOTH W
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FARTHING E J
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FEDBARB A L
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FREESTONE A L
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GARLAND C T
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GILBERT F W
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GOATHAM Archibald (Ben) W
Son of Emma & Edward Goatham.
GODDEN W J
No further information currently
GOODWIN A
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HALL G
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HARDING John
Private T/20210, 4th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Enlisted Sittingbourne, Kent, resident Milton Regis, Kent.
HOARE J
Ammunition Worker. Explosive Loading Company Limited, near Oare, Faversham, Kent. Died 2nd April 1916. Buried in the Gunpower Mill Burial Plot, Faversham, Kent. Listed on the Chilham War Memorial.
HOLBOURN Sydney William
Born Dover 30th August 1877. No further information currently
JARMAN J R
No further information currently
JARRETT F T
No further information currently
JARVIS H G
Ammunition Worker. Explosive Loading Company Limited, near Oare, Faversham, Kent. Died 2nd April 1916. Buried in the Gunpower Mill Burial Plot, Faversham, Kent. Listed on the Chilham War Memorial.
JARVIS William Edward
Private T/20169, 4th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Born and enlisted Dartford, resident Crayford, Kent.
KERRISON C W
No further information currently
KITTLE G
No further information currently
LANE T
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LEGG E
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LLOYD L M
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LLOYD S
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LYONS B A
Ammunition Worker. Explosive Loading Company Limited, near Oare, Faversham, Kent. Died 2nd April 1916. Buried in the Gunpower Mill Burial Plot, Faversham, Kent. Listed on the Chilham War Memorial.
MALEY W S
No further information currently
MANSER [Harry] F
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MILLS W
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MORRIS J W
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MORRIS W T
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PALOWKAR R M M
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PENNING E R
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PERRYMAN A J
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PHILLIPS A
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PHILPOTT A J
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PILCHER H
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POWELL G
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RANDALL T W
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READER R D P
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RICHARDS N G
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ROBUS C F
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SADDINGTON J
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SCROGIE W
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SELMES W C
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SINGER G
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SKINNER H
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SOUTHAM C
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SPILLETT J
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STACEY T
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STICKELS C J
No further information currently
STICKENS W J
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STOCK R
No further information currently
SUTTON J
Resident of High Brooms, Kent. No further information currently
TAYLOR C M
No further information currently
TAYLOR F C
No further information currently
TAYLOR H B
No further information currently
TERRY H
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TURNER W
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VINCENT S C
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WADE P C
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WALKER H C
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WALLER W T
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WARREN E J
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WARREN G J
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WEBB C A
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WELLARD M A
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WELLFARE W J
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WEST E
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WILES F
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WILLIAMS J
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WOOD H
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WOOD W H A
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WRIGHT L S
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WYLES F
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ALSO
TO THE FOLLOWING WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON THE SAME OCCASION AND ARE BURIED
ELSEWHERE AT THE REQUEST OF RELATIVES AND FRIENDS

ACROGIE

W
No further information currently

ANDERSON

H
No further information currently

BARTLETT

J C
No further information currently

BLEACKLEY

T N
No further information currently

BUSHELL

H
No further information currently

CHADWICK

W E
No further information currently

CLARKE

T A
No further information currently

COE

F
No further information currently

COLE

A G
No further information currently

CORNWELL

G
No further information currently

DAWKINS

C J
No further information currently

DEANEY

W
No further information currently

DRISCOLL

A
No further information currently

ELDARD?

A L
No further information currently

GODDEN

W J
No further information currently

JARVIS

H G
No further information currently

KERRISON

C W
No further information currently

KITTLE

C
No further information currently

LEGG

E
No further information currently

MALEY

W S
No further information currently

MILLS

W
No further information currently

PERRYMAN

A J
No further information currently

PILCHER

H
No further information currently

POWELL

G
No further information currently

RANDALL

T W
No further information currently

RICHARDS

N G
No further information currently

SOUTHAM

G
No further information currently

SUTTON

J
No further information currently

TAYLOR

C M
No further information currently

TAYLOR

G
No further information currently

TAYLOR

H B
No further information currently

VINCENT

S G
No further information currently

WEBB

G A
No further information currently

WRIGHT

L S
No further information currently

WYLES

F
No further information currently

Last updated 21 February, 2008

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