Private 6260, 21st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 24th November 1915. Aged 22. Born and lived Swaffham. Enlisted Ashtead. Son of George Harry and Daisy Mary Bunting, of Western House, Swaffham, Norfolk. Educated at Rydal Mount, Colwyn Bay, and Guy's Hospital. Buried in Woburn Abbey Cemetery, Cuinchy, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row B. Grave 17.

Note: The 21st Royal Fusiliers were assigned on 21 November 1915 to the trenches immediately south of La Bassee Canal to be attached to the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment for training purposes.

On 24 November 1915, a German rifle-grenade burst upon a trench where a party was working on repairs and improvements, killing three men – Pte 6260 Donald Morton Bunting, Pte 2689 John Felix Frith, & Pte 2984 William Trevor Morgan – who were interred at Woburn Abbey Cemetery, Cuinchy.

Photograph Copyright © Chris Harley 2008

Corporal 8631, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 12th July 1915. Aged 21. Born and enlisted Swaffham. Son of Mrs. W. Gout, of Lynn St., Swaffham, Norfolk. Buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord), France. Plot I. Row D. Grave 99.

[Edmund on CWGC] Sapper 85370, 208th Field Coy. Royal Engineers.   Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 26th June 1916. Aged 36. Born Necton. Lived Hunstanton. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Harrison John and Martha Nichols; husband of Agnes Mary Nichols, of 7, Charlbury Terrace, Hunstanton, Norfolk. Buried in Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Plot I. Row G. Grave 30. 

Officer's Steward 2nd Class L/6551, H.M.S. "Indefatigable," Royal Navy. Killed in action on 31st May 1916. Born 24 February 1884 in Swffham. Son of Ellen Nokes, of White Lodge, Gayton, near Kings Lynn, Norfolk. No known grave. Commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon. Panel 17.

Special note: The Battlecruiser Indefatigable was in action at the Battle of Jutland when she was hit on the fore turret and the magazine spaces were penetrated, blowing the ship in half. She sank with a loss of 1017 crew. There were four survivors.

Captain, 7th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 13 October 1915. Aged 36. Born 19 February 1879. Baptised 26 March 1979 at Gargrave, Yorkshire (West Riding). Son of the late Capt. John Nondeffe Preston (3rd Hussars), and Mrs. Thermuthes Fancuier Preston, of Flasby Hall, Gargrave, Leeds. Served with Lumsden's Horse in the South African Campaign. Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.) [London Gazette 27 September 1901]. In the 1891 census he was aged 12, born Gargrave, Yorkshire, resident Newton Le Willows, Leyburn, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (North Riding). In the 1901 census he was aged 22, born Gargrave, Yorkshire,an Indigo planter, son of John Norcliffe and Thermuther Farguier Preston, resident Flasby Hall, Flasby & Winterburn, Flasby with Winterburn, Skipton, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding). In the 1911 census he was aged 32, born Floasby, Yorkshire, a General Merchant, resident The Shrublands, Swaffham, Norfolk. Listed on the Electoral Register for Swaffham from 1906 to 1915. No known grave. Commemorated on LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 30 and 31. See also Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey, and Gargrave War Memorial, Yorkshire.

From the Charterhouse Register Vol 2, Cricket Quarter 1893:

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1916:

PRESTON Philip Chamberlayne of Swaffham Norfolk captain in H.M. Army died 13 October 1915 at Hulluch in France having been killed in action Probate Norwich 28 July to John Henry Preston esquire and William Harold Martin solicitor. Effects £20262 19s. 5d.

Extract from Dundee Evening Telegraph - Monday 1 November 1915, page 4:

Descended From Pitcairlie, Fife.

Captain Philip Chamberlayne Preston, of Swaffham, 7th Battalion Norfolk Regiment (wounded France, missing, believed to be killed), was born in 1879. He was the younger son of the late Captain John Norcliffe Preston, of Flasby Hall, Yorks, whose mother was descended from the old Scottish family of Cathcart of Pitcairlie, Fife, and of Carbiston, Ayrshire. Captain Preston was educated at Charterhouse. He was decorated for service in the South African War, and was gazetted captain in October, 1914. His family have been seated at Flasby since the reign of' George II., and is descended from the old Lancastrian family of Preston of Halker. Captain Preston was the only brother of John Henry Preston of Flasby Hall.

Extract from Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 12 August 1916, page 6:

RECENT WILLS

Among the wills recently proved are the following:

Captain Philip Chamberlayne Preston, of Swaffhan Norfolk, who was killed at Hulluch, France. left £1,000 to Lucy Bird, now a nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Folkestone .............

£20,262

Extract from Birmingham Daily Post - Saturday 12 August 1916, page 4:

LATEST WILLS

Among the wills recently proved are the following:

Captain Philip Chamberlayne Preston, of Swaffham, of the 7th Norfolk Regiment, saw active service in the South African war. Was killed in action in France. Left £1,000 to Miss Lucy Bird, of the Roval Victoria Hospital (net personalty £18,813) .............

£20,262

Extract from West Bridgford Advertiser - Saturday 19 August 1916, page 6 and Portadown News - Saturday 19 August 1916, page 6:

BEQUEST TO NURSE.

Captain Philip Chamberlayne Preston, of Swaffham, Norfolk, who was killed in France, left property worth £20,262. He made numerous bequests, including a legacy of £1,000 to Miss Lucy Bird, now a nurse at the Boyal Victoria Hospital, Folkestone.

Sapper 189241, Corps of Royal Engineers (Railway Operating Division). Killed in action in France & Flanders on 19th December 1916. Born and lived Swaffham. Enlisted Norwich. Buried in Bazentin-Le-Petit Military Cemetery, Somme, France. Plot/Row/Section E. Grave 21. See also Liverpool Street Station, London

[Frederick Edward on CWGC] Private T.F./5956, 1st/7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 29th August 1916. Aged 23. Lived Swaffham. Enlisted Norwich. Buried in   Quarry Cemetery, Montauban, Somme, France. Plot V. Row G. Grave 22.

Petty Officer Sick Berth C/M 36075, H.M.S. Eskimo, Royal Navy. Died on 12th July 1943. Aged 40. Son of Alfred John and Jessie Nason; husband of Ellen E. E. Nason, of Swaffham, Norfolk. No known grave. Commemorated on Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent. Column 72, Panel 3.

Special note: The Destroyer, HMS Eskimo, was on active service in the Mediterranean when she was hit by a small bomb which penetrated the fuel tanks. Following an explosion, 19 men were killed or injured.

[Clifford James on CWGC] Petty Officer D/J 107649, H.M.S. Galatea, Royal Navy. Died on 15th December 1941. Aged 33. Son of Sidney and Ellen Tufts; husband of Constance Mary Tufts, of Southery, Norfolk. No known grave. Commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial. Panel 45, Column 3.

Special note: HMS Galatea was sunk by a German submarine on 15th December 1941 near Alexandria with a loss of 470 lives.