
FORNCETT
ST MARY
WAR MEMORIAL
World
War 1 & 2 - Detailed Information
Compiled and Copyright © Raymond Harvey 2004
The War
memorial stands beside a derelict church in Forncett St Mary.
|
Photographs
Copyright © Raymond Harvey 2004 |
TO
THE
GLORY OF GOD
AND TO COMMEMORATE
THE VALOUR OF THE
MEN OF THIS PARISH
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
AND OF ALL THOSE WHO
FREELY OFFERED THEM
IN DEFENCE OF RIGHT
AND IN THE SERVICE OF
THEIR KING AND COUNTRY
IN THE
GREAT WAR
1914-1918
BROOKS |
Walter
E G |
Private
20630, 9th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action 24th
August 1916. Born Forncett St Peter, enlisted Bury St Edmunds,
resident Stowmarket. No known grave. Commemorated on Thirpval
Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 6 B and 6 C. |
BROOKS |
Charles
Henry |
Private
17861, 7th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 14th
October 1917. Aged 19. Born Eaton, enlisted Norwich. Son of Nathan
and Eleanor Brooks, of Forncett St. Mary, Norwich. No known grave.
Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 3. |
COLEMAN |
George
Arthur |
Private
G/51419, 16th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment).
Killed in action 28th February 1917. Aged 18. Born Carlton Rode,
enlisted Norwich, resident Long Stratton. Son of Arthur and Laura
Fiske Coleman, of Low Road, Forncett St. Mary, Norwich. Buried
in Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, Somme, France. Plot VI.
Rw C. Grave 1. |
GREY |
Percival |
[Spelt
GRAY on SDGW & CWGC] Private 13012, 1st Battalion, Norfolk
Regiment. Killed in action 28th September 1915. Born Forncett,
enlisted Norwich. Buried in Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt,
Somme, France. Plot III. Row A. Grave 11. See also Liverpool
Street Station, London |
HARVEY |
Herbert |
Private
3/10203, 9th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 1st
May 1917. Aged 29. Born Forncett, enlisted Norwich. Son of Edmund
Harvey, of Forncett St. Mary, Norwich. No known grave Commemorated
on Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 30-31. See also
Liverpool Street Station,
London
Herbert
fell with 20 other men from his Battalion that day. One of those
killed was Frederick Lincoln, who had the same prefix 3/ before
his service number. This confirms that both he and Herbert enlisted
in the 3rd Reserve Battalion, which remained in Britain during
WW1. This Battalion, stationed at Harwich, trained men to send
out to the three regular battalions in the Norfolk Regiment (1st,
2nd & 3rd), so it’s unusual that Herbert and Frederick
found them selves in the 9th. Frederick was also from Norfolk
and he too enlisted at Norwich. He too has no known grave and
is commemorated on the same panel as Herbert.
At the time of Herbert's death, his Battalion was with the 6th
Division who were in the Arras sector. Historians tend to mark
battles by the ratio of losses and as such, there is no recorded
action for the 9th Battalion until the battle for Hill 70 in the
August of that year. However, as we can see, men fought and died
throughout each and every week. 20 men from one Battalion would
make International news today....then, it would get no further
than the Battalion Diaries......and even then, the men wouldn't
warrant being named!!
The 9th were a service Battalion and were formed in September
1914. That same month they attached to 24th Division and shipped
to France, but in October 1915 they transferred to the 6th Division,
who had been decimated reinforcing the shattered B.E.F. |
LUDKIN |
William
Edward |
Private
13266, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 4th June
1916. Born Forncett, enlisted Norwich. Buried in Faubourg D'Amiens
Cemetery, Arras, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row C. Grave 53.
See also Liverpool Street
Station, London
William
fell with 34 of his comrades from the 1st Battalion that day.
Coincidentally, one of those to fall with William was Edward Harry
Lincoln, also from Norfolk and enlisting at Norwich and as like
Herbert Harvey and Frederick Lincoln, Edward had enlisted in the
3rd Reserve Battalion,
The 1st Battalion were Regular Army soldiers and had moved with
their Division, the 5th, as soon as War had been declared. They
were one of the first Divisions over in France and took the brunt
of the early fighting at Mons. Their rifle rate of fire was mistaken
by the Germans as multiple Machine Guns! They fought a rearguard
action throughout August and September, suffering staggering losses,
but inflicting equally staggering losses to pursuing Germans.
At the time of William's death the Division were in the Front
lines awaiting the 'big push" on the Somme 1916. They had
been fighting throughout 1914-15 and had just moved from Ypres
and the 2nd Defence there. Sporadic fighting never relented during
the build up on The Somme, but like Herbert, because the Division
were not in official action, it is not recorded as major fghting.
It is likely that William's death may have been the result of
Artillery exchanges or raiding party fighting. No Officers are
recorded as dying that day. |
RAMM |
Edward
Freeman |
Private
20623, 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment. Died at sea 13th August
1915 at Gallipoli. Born Houghton, Norfolk, enlisted Norwich, resident
Forncett St Mary. Formerly 18857, Norfolk Regiment. No known grave.
Commemorated on Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 144 to 150 or 229
to 233. |
SHELDRAKE |
John
[William] |
Private
14849, 9th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 2nd October
1917. Aged 29. Born Hapton, enlisted Norwich. Son of Mr. T. Sheldrake,
of Hapton, Norfolk. Buried in Maroc British Cemetery, Pas de Calais,
France. Plot II. Row M. Grave 14. See also Liverpool
Street Station, London and Tharston |
R.I.P.
"BE THOU FAITHFULL UNTO DEATH AND I WILL
GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE."
1939-1945 |
DRAKE |
Reginald
Victor |
Private
5779562, 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment. Died 6th July
1943. Aged 23. Buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand.
Plot 2. Row N. Grave 9. |
GREEN |
Thomas
Edward |
Ordinary
Seaman P/JX 518572, H.M.S. Collingwood, Royal Navy. Died 18th
June 1943. Aged 35. Son of John and Emily Green, of Forncett st.
Mary; husband of Alexandra Nell Green, of Wreningham. Buried in
Forncett St Mary Churchyard, Forncett, Norfolk. |
HARVEY |
Raymond
Alfred |
Private,
4th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment. Died at sea 15th September
1944. while aborard the Japanese prison ship, Rakuyu Maru, which
was torpedoed by USS Sealion an American submarine. Born and enlisted
Norwich. Commemorated on the Singapore Memorial, Kranji War Cemetery,
Singapore. Column 50.
For
more information on the Rakuyu Maru see the FEPOW
pages. |
14
December 2004
|