Private 16399. 3rd Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Died on 20th February 1916. Aged 27. Son of William and Triana Betts, of Fir Cottage, Briston, Melton Constable. Buried in Holt Burial Ground, Norfolk. Row/Section C. Grave 542.

Note: A story passed down from a school teacher at Cromer secondary modern school for many years who had nocticed an anomaly that interested him, namey that all the names were in alphabetical order except one, William Betts, which was added at a later date. The later additin, accordng to the schoolteacher, was because at the time of the memorials creation, he was considered unworthy. His crime? He had been born out of wedlock. Good enough to serve and die for his country, but not good enough to be honoured. As time passed, a campaign was started to have him added, and eventually the town relented. RIP Private Betts.

Second Lieutenant, Thomas Townshend Boast, 3rd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment attached 1st Battalion, Born 30 October 1890, baptised, 28 December 1890, son of gardener/groom, George John Boast and Mary Ann Boast, of Cromer Road, Holt, Norfolk. Thomas was Educated at Holt. He had three siblings, Mabel, George and Alice. He was employed as a bookmaker’s manager; he volunteered for active service on the outbreak of war in August 1914, but was rejected as medically unfit. After a second unsuccessful attempt to join in May, 1915 he was eventually accepted and enlisted in the Norfolk Regiment on 5 November 1915. He served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from March 7, 1916, he then returned home to train for a commission, 21 February 1917, and was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Norfolk Regiment, 1 August 1917. He joined his Battalion in France before proceeding to Italy. He must have had some home leave for me married Doris Adelaide Burdette, at Banbury Oxfordshire, 6 July 1918; she lived at 20, Southam Road, Banbury. He then re-joined his Regiment in France. Thomas was killed by a sniper, after fulfilling a most successful and gallant act, capturing a position and a number of prisoners at Neuville, near Cambrai, 30 September 1918.

His Major wrote to his widow; “Your husband was one of my best officers, rful under any circumstances, thoroughly efficient in all his work, and one of nicest fellows I‘ve ever met. All the men had the highest opinion of him, and would follow him anywhere: frequently I have overheard them talking about him, and all the splendid things he had done with the regiment. It is a sad loss to us all, and his death is a bitter grief to us”. A Private wrote; “He was a fine example to us all, and he would never send one of us where he would not go himself”

Medals: British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Administration to his Will was with his widow. Effects: £183.0s.2d.

2nd Lieutenant, Thomas Townshend Boast is buried at Neuville-Bourjonval British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. C.W.G.C. Ref: - C. 29.

His parents had moved to Taxal Edge, Whaley Bridge, Cheshire.

Flight Sergeant 748376, 207 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died in a local hospital 20 July 1941 from injuries received from an air incident approximately a month earlier. Aged 24. Born 13 November 1916. Son of Frederick Henry and Nellie Arnott; husband of Lilian Clarice (nee Bullock) Arnott, of Spalding, Lincolnshire, married April to June Quarter 1940 in North Walsham Registration District, Norfolk; brother of Patrick Arnott (below). In 1939 he was a Civil Enginner, son of Frederick H Arbott (a widower), resident Kelling Road, Holt, Erpingham R.D., Norfolk. Cremated at Norwich and Norfolk Crematorium, Norfolk, ashes buried in Holt Cemetery 24 July 1941; formerly resident at Kelling Road, Holt.

[Thanks to Willem de Jong of Dronryp village, Friesland, Netherlands for this information]

Sergeant (Observer) 580865, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Serving with 102 Squadron and based at RAF Driffield. Died 20 May 1940. Aged 20. Only son of Walter Henry and Annie Adela Mary Barrett, of Holt. Buried with the crew of Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V N1380 DY-R at Brissy-Hamégicourt Cemetery, France.

In June 2018 relatives of Duncan's attended a service at the church and the photo shows Sami, from the village of Brissy-Hamégicourt, being presented with a 102 Squadron badge by Harry Bartlett and watched by Duncan’s cousin, Gordon Barrett. Also present was Mavis Roadley (nee Barrett) and others of her immediate family.

Duncan’s father was an author writing three books on life in the Norfolk/Cambridge Fens and a fourth along the same lines that was co-authored. His mother was a district nurse.

Leading Aircraftman 541180, (serving in H.M.S. Welshman)., Royal Air Force. Country of service United Kingdom. Killed in action at sea when he was lost on board the cruiser-minelayer HMS Welshman which was sunk by the U-boat U-617 35 miles northeast of Tobruk, Libya, 1 February 1943. Aged 23. Native of Holt, Norfolk. Son of Bertie Henry and Eunice May Bond, of Holt, Norfolk. No known grave. Commemorated on Malta Memorial. Panel 9, Column 2. See also Malta Memorial

Special note: HMS Welshman was heading for Alexandria when she was hit and sunk by a torpedo from U-617. Over 150 Naval officers and man died, along with a number of Air Force and Army personnel who were aboard.

Possibly: Oswald Leo Kerridge. Supply Assistant D/MX 59639. H.M.S. Courageous, Royal Navy. Died on 17th September 1939. No known grave. Commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon. Panel 35, Column 1.

Special note: On 17th September 1939 Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart in the Type VII U-boat U29 torpedoed and sank HMS Courageous in the South-West approaches (Southwest of Ireland), 150nm WSW of Mizen Head, Ireland. The carrier went down in only twenty minutes and 518 of her 1,200 compliment went with her, including her commander Captain W T Makeig-Jones.

Wren 10781. H.M.S. Minos, Women's Royal Naval Service. Died on 13th January 1942. Daughter of George Ritchie Thompson and Isabella Mary Thompson of Holt. Buried in Holt Burial Ground, Norfolk. Row/Section D. Grave 828.

Special note: HMS Minos was a port naval establishment based in Lowestoft and was responsible for Harbour Defence, small escort and other craft. On the 13th January 1942, three Dorniers dropped 4 250-kg bombs on Lowestoft which caused 70 deaths and enormous devastation. Although there is no evidence at the moment that Wren Thompson died in this attack, it would seem quite likely.