Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget
British Legion
The Royal British Legion

WEST MONKTON WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Detailed information
Compiled and Copyright © Ray Stokes 2016

The Details of those from the parish of West Monkton who gave their lives in two world wars. The names of 51 members of the armed forces who died in the service of their country in the First World War (1914 -18) and the Second World War (1939 -1945) are inscribed on plaques just inside the entrance of West Monkton (St Augustine) Church. The names of four others William Beadon, Richard Percy Lewis, James Henry Paine (First World War) and Malcolm Edward Lock (Second World War) appear on memorial plaques on the north and west walls of the church.

This page is intended to provide some basic facts about them and, where possible, details of their families and their links to the parish.

Five are buried in the churchyard including Harold Bolton Redler, who won the MC for gallantry, and Wren Enid Davies, the only servicewoman from the parish listed among the war dead.

Five WW1 soldiers who gave their birthplace at West Monkton, are listed in UK Soldiers Died in the Great War although their names do not appear on the memorial scroll in the church. The most likely reason is that they moved away from the village, with their families, when very young and their names appear on the memorials in the towns and villages in which they made their homes. For the record I have included their details.

The information in this document has come from a number of sources including –

  • Soldiers Died in the Great War (1914-1918)
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • British Army WW1 Medal Rolls
  • British Army WW1 Service Records
  • British Army Pension Records
  • Memorial Book of Somerset
  • Census returns 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911
  • Somerset Light Infantry 1914-1918 (Everard Wyrall)
  • Somerset County Gazette Archives
  • West Monkton Registers of Baptisms and Burials

Every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the details given here. However, if you spot any errors or omissions, can add to the information or supply photographs, please contact Ray Stokes Tel: 01823 762417 or email raymstokes@tiscali.co.uk.

FIRST WORLD WAR (1914-1918)

BAKER Reginald
Private Somerset Light Infantry. Pte Baker’s name appears in the Memorial Book of Somerset listing 8,000 men born in the county who died in WW1 together with more than 3,000 who died while serving with county regiments. The book is kept in Wells Cathedral. His address is given as West Monkton. However, there is no obvious matching entry in CWGC records or UK Soldiers Died in the Great War.
BEADON William
Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Officer 51st Sikhs Frontier Force. Killed in Action 13 January 1916 Mesopotamia (now Iraq). Aged 48. Son of Taunton-born Major Gen Edward Musgrave Beadon (died 1906) and his wife Harriette Richards Beadon. Husband of Joanna Elizabeth Beadon (nee Ballard) of Lexham Gardens, London The 51st Sikhs served on the Suez Canal before moving into Mesopotamia. In December 1915, a British division had retreated into the town of Kut-el-Amara, where they were besieged by Turkish forces. Several attempts were made to relieve the beleaguered force but without success. Lt Col Beadon was killed in the first attempt to relieve Kut, during the Battle of Wad, and is buried in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. He was mentioned in despatches.
BLACKWOOD Miles Harry
** Shown on church scroll as HM Blackwood** Second Lieutenant2nd battalion Seaforth Highlanders. Killed in Action I July 1916 Beaumont Hemel France. Aged 19. Son of Harry Officer Blackwood and his wife Isla of Monkton House, West Monkton, and Kincurdie, Rosemarkie, Ross-shire. Joined 5th Bn Royal Fusiliers in 1914. After Sandhurst he was posted to 2nd Bn Seaforth Highlanders in July 1915. Killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme when the British Army suffered its worst-ever losses with 58,000 casualties, a third of them killed, in a single day. Buried Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps, France.
BOSLEY Fred
Stoker 1st class SS/106609 Royal Navy HMS Defence. Killed in Action 31 May 1916 Jutland. Aged 29. Younger son of farm worker William and Mary Bosley of Monkton Heathfield. HMS Defence was an armoured cruiser which was sunk during the Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of the war. She was struck by two salvoes from German ships that detonated her rear magazine. The fire spread to the ship's secondary magazines which exploded. Around 900 lives were lost. There were no survivors. Fred Bosley’s name appears on Plymouth Naval Memorial honouring those who have no grave because they were lost at sea.
BOSLEY Henry
Leading Stoker K/13867 Royal Navy HMS Pegasus. Killed in Action 20 Sept 1914 East Africa. Aged 29. Older brother of Fred Bosley (see above). Both brothers had been regulars in the Royal Navy for some years before the war. The cruiser HMS Pegasus was having repairs to her boilers, off Zanzibar, when she was attacked by the German light cruiser Königsberg. Thirty-one crew were killed and 55 wounded. Henry Bosley is buried in Dar es Salaam War Cemetery.
CHAMBERLAIN George
Private 10116 8th battalion Devonshire Regt. Killed in Action 25 Sept 1915 France. Aged 29. Was one of 16 children of farm worker William and his wife Eliza of Clavershay, North Petherton. George worked as a farm labourer. He enlisted in Exeter and was killed during the Battle of Loos. He has no known grave. His name appears on the Loos memorial.
CLEMENTS George
Private 3583 C Sqn 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays). Died 6 March 1919 Belgium. Aged 30. Son of John and the late Annie Clements of Somerset. Husband of Lily Clements of 27 Dapdune Road, Guildford Surrey Buried in Huy (La Sarte) Communal Cemetery, near Liege. Huy was the location of the 50th (Northumbrian) Casualty Clearing Station from January to May 1919. George Clements was mentioned in despatches.
DUMMETT William Mallett
Private 20725 1st battalion Devonshire Regiment. Died 12 October 1918 Devonport UK. Aged 30. Son of widow Jessie Dummett and the late Henry Dummett who ran a bakery in Fore Street, Cullompton. William worked as a clerk with the Electricity Supply Company. His home is given in the war records as Monkton Heathfield. No cause of death given. May have died of wounds or been a victim of the flu pandemic (Spanish flu) that claimed millions of lives between June 1918 and December 1920. His death was registered in Devonport and he is buried in Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery.
DYER Charles Herbert
Sapper Royal Engineers. Died Nov 1918 Essex. Aged 28. Son of farm labourer Charles Dyer and his wife Mary Ann (nee Phillips) of Boomey Lane, West Monkton. Baptised at West Monkton on 29/3/1890. His death was registered in Billericay, Essex "while on military service". Buried West Monkton churchyard on 19 Nov 1918.
FALCONER Edgar
Lance Corporal 235317 1st battalion Herefordshire Regt. Died 13 Nov 1917 Egypt. Aged 26. Youngest of three sons of Allan Falconer, butler at Gotton House, and his wife Sarah. Allan Falconer died in 1934, at the age of 77, at the Parsonage, Hestercombe. Edgar Falconer was buried Kantara War Cemetery. Kantara, close to Suez, was a major military base and hospital.
FALCONER John Malcolm
Private 201695 2/4th battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Died 21 February 1918 India. Aged 30. Second son of Allan and Sarah Falconer (see above). In 1911 he was a law clerk living in Redruth, Cornwall. The 2/4th battalion was a territorial unit that spent the entire war in India. Buried Dehli War Cemetery
FORD Frank
Private 6713 1st battalion Coldstream Guards. Killed in Action 25 October 1914 Belgium. Aged 26. Only son of the late Elijah Ford and his wife Emily Jane (nee Wilkins) of Bathpool. Grandson of John Wilkins of West Monkton. Born Gosport 21/3/1888 but went to school in West Monkton. Joined Army on 22/3/1906 and served for seven years. Then joined Cardiff City police. At the outbreak of war rejoined the Army and went from Windsor to France on 31 Aug 1914. Killed in the First Battle of Ypres. His name is inscribed on the Menin Gate.
GARDNER Frederick William
Sapper 2246 3/1 Field Company Royal Engineers. Died 25 March 1918 Taunton. Aged 37. Second son of stone mason Walter Gardner and his wife Mary Ann of Bathpool. Worked as a stone mason/bricklayer. Lived in Stoke View, Bathpool Road, with his wife Minnie (nee Fudge) and daughter Winifred (3). Attested on 9 Dec 1915. Mobilized on 31 May 1916 joined RE in Hampshire. At end of 1916 he developed mental health problems. Was admitted to Cosham military hospital in January 1917 and discharged from the Army on 3 Feb 1917 as permanently unfit. He died in Cotford Asylum (later renamed Tone Vale Hospital) and was buried at West Monkton on 30/3/1918.
GARDNER Walter Francis
Sapper 498549 224 Field Company Royal Engineers. Died of wounds 9 April 1918 France. Aged 42. Eldest son of stone mason Walter and the late Mary Ann Gardner of Bathpool. Worked as a bricklayer. Husband of Annie Gardner (nee Leat) of The Laurels, Bathpool Road, Taunton. They married in 1912. Buried in Croix-du-Bac British cemetery, Steenwerck.
GIBBINS Albert Edward
Private 27652 8th battalion Somerset Light Infantry. Killed in Action 11 April 1917 France. Aged 19. Eldest child of milkman Albert Gibbins and his wife Edith Ellen of Prestbury, Cheltenham. Born in Gloucestershire and enlisted in Cheltenham. Address given in Memorial Book of Somerset as West Monkton. He was formerly in the West Somerset Yeomanry so may have worked on a local farm. Buried Orange Trench, Monchy Le Preux, France
GREEDY Michael George Mudford
Private 27242 7th battalion Somerset Light Infantry. Died of wounds 1 Dec 1917 France. Aged 21. Son of estate blacksmith George Greedy and his wife Mary Jane (nee Mudford) of Goosenford, West Monkton. Michael, the eldest of their nine children, worked as a dairy/ cow boy. He enlisted in Taunton and was formerly in the West Somerset Yeomanry. During the Battle of Cambrai (30 Nov- 3 Dec) 7th SLI was "practically wiped out" in successive German counter attacks. When they came out of the front line on Dec 3 the battalion was down to two officers and 90 other ranks. Buried in Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt, France.
HEARNE Frederick
Private 27755 11th battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Killed in Action 24 April 1917 France. Aged 31. Formerly Private 5939 Gloucestershire Regiment. Born in North Curry. Second son of Henry and Elizabeth Hearne. Lived in Broad Lane, North Curry, with his wife Mabel. Worked as a farm labourer so may have been employed at some stage in West Monkton. No other obvious local connection. Name appears on Arras Memorial.
HOARE Marwood
Able Seaman 225753 Royal Navy HMS Triumph. Killed in Action 25 May 1915 Dardanelles. Aged 28. Son of Sarah Hoare, of Hill Farm, Thurlbear, Taunton, and the late James Hoare, he was a regular in the Royal Navy. Battleship HMS Triumph sank in the Dardanelles after being struck by a torpedo while supporting land troops at Gallipoli by firing on Turkish positions. Seventy-eight crew were lost. AB Hoare’s name appears on Plymouth Naval War Memorial.
HURFORD Albert J
Died 2 Dec 1918. Aged 24. Pte Hurford died three weeks after the Armistice and is buried at Tournai. Not clear whether he died of wounds or illness. Tournai was captured by the Germans on 23 August 1914 and was occupied until 8 Nov 1918 when it was taken by British troops. There was a major casualty clearing station - 51st (Highland) - in the area from 14 November 1918 until 20 July 1919.
HURFORD James
Died 1919. Aged 27. Son of John and Maria Hurford, of Portman Row, Bathpool. Born West Monkton. Husband of Florence Maud (nee Boyce) married Thurloxton 1916, and father of Lillian Mabel. Joined the RFA reserve in 1910. Went to France in Aug 1914 with British Expeditionary Force. Admitted to hospital in 1916 because an old leg injury, suffered in a fall when working as a miner in Pontypool, was aggravated by war service. Returned to UK and transferred to DLI. Discharged with a pension on 12/9/1918. James Hurford died in 1919 aged 27 and because of his army service was included in the war dead although his name does not appear in UK Soldiers Died in WW1.
HURFORD William
Two William Hurfords were born in West Monkton parish. One, the son of John and Maria of Portman Buildings, Bathpool, born in 1883, the other the son of George and Jessie Hurford, born in 1894. Insufficient information in records to identify this soldier. Not shown in CWGC records or Soldiers Died in WW1.
LEWIS Richard Percy
Lieutenant Colonel Devonshire Regiment attached to 1/10th Manchester Regiment. Died of wounds 7 Sept 1917 Flanders. Aged 43. Born 10 March 1870 in London. Son of barrister Richard Lewis and his wife Eliza Mary (nee Kinglake). Educated at Winchester and Oxford. Played as wicket keeper for Oxford and Middlesex. Fought in the South African War 1900, the Nandi Expedition 1905/6 and in Gallipoli 1915 before being posted to France/Belgium. He was reported to have been hit by a shell splinter while giving orders to a runner and died shortly afterwards. Buried Ypres Reservoir Cemetery. His name appears on a plaque in West Monkton church. His mother’s family, the Kinglakes, were a prominent local family.
MORGAN Lewis
Flight Lieutenant Royal Naval Air Service. Died 11 May 1917 Chingford Essex. Aged 24. Son of Capt Lewis Harold Gilbert Morgan and his wife Mary (nee Roope) of Cheddoncote, near Taunton. Their son was born in Plymouth on 22/5/1892. Educated at HMS Conway he obtained a commission in the RNVR in 1908. In August 1914 he was appointed to HMS Coroni and served in the North Atlantic for nine months before transferring to the RNAS gaining his Royal Aero Club aviators licence (No 1496) on 5 Aug 1915. He served in East Africa before being posted to RNAS Chingford as an instructor. Flt Lt Morgan was instructing a student when their bi-plane crashed. Both men were killed. According to a local newspaper report they were "the victims of pure misadventure and the accident could not have possibly been averted by either occupant". Although probate records give his address as Cheddon Fitzpaine, he is buried in the churchyard at Sampford Arundel where his parents were living by the end of the war.NOTE: His parents lost all three sons in WW1. Lewis’s brothers Capt Frederick Morgan Royal Horse Artillery and Lt Walter Morgan 6th battalion South Lancs Regt, were both killed in action at Gallipoli in 1915.
NATION Eling Charles
Private 17874 Coldstream Guards. Killed in Action 31 July 1917 Belgium. Aged 22. Although he was born in Bitton, near Bristol, his family came from West Monkton. His father Thomas Richard Nation, a butcher, was born in the village. At the time of the 1911 census Eling was working as a gardener in Holford. His parents were living in Monkton Street, West Monkton. His father gave his occupation as "sexton" In July 1917, in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, the Guards division attacked the enemy front line east of the Yser canal near the village of Boesinghe (now Boezinge) and pushed the Germans back. But their success came at a cost. Pte Nation is buried in nearby Artillery Wood cemetery.
NATION Henry Joseph
Private 15812 2nd battalion Welsh Regiment. Died of wounds 9 April 1915 France. Aged 30. Older brother of Eling Nation (see previous entry). Born in West Monkton. Enlisted in Pontlotyn, Glamorgan Buried at Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, France. This was the site of a number of casualty clearing stations.
NORMAN Arthur John
Second Lieutenant 8th battalion Leicestershire Regt. Died of wounds 29 Sept 1916 France. Aged 32. Son of farmer Christopher and Lucy Hannah Norman (nee Leverton) of The Farm House, Heathfield, Taunton, later of Overton House, West Monkton. Their son was born in Thurloxton. Worked as a bank clerk and in 1911 was living in Tiverton. Buried in St Sever, near Rouen. There were a number of military hospitals in the Rouen area throughout the war.
OATEN Christopher
Private 3rd battalion South Wales Borderers. Died of illness 1919 Taunton. Aged 18. Son of William and Mabel Oaten who lived in Duke Street, Taunton. Went to Kingswood School in Bristol, and became a tailor. He joined the Army in Sept 1915 in Bristol giving his age as 18 (he was in fact 15). He did not serve overseas. After two spells in hospital he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and discharged from the Army on 21 Feb 1917 (when his correct age was given on the form) as unfit for military service. He was sent to a sanatorium but died two years later. His name was submitted by West Monkton for inclusion in the county memorial book but it is not known what connection he had with the parish.
OATEN Henry
Private 39607 13th (Works) battalion Devonshire Regt. Died 20 Feb 1917 England. In 1911 there was a Henry Oaten, born 1895, working at Manor Farm, Cheddon Fitzpaine. Not clear whether this is the same man. According to UK Soldiers Died in the Great War Henry Oaten died while on "home service". Buried St James churchyard, Taunton.
PAINE, DSO James Henry
Lieutenant Colonel Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in Action 25 July 1918 France. Aged 47. Son of the late James and Mary Paine of Springfield, West Monkton (where he was born in 1870). His father, who died in 1911, lived in West Monkton for nearly 42 years. Lt Col Paine was married in 1896 to Caroline Mary (nee Piers). Their address is given as Dunescote, Burnham-on-Sea. He joined the Royal Artillery as a Second Lieutenant 1890; promoted Lieutenant 1893 and served on the North West Frontier in India winning the Distinguish Service Order during the operations in Merkan with No. 4 (Hazara) Mountain Battery … "the perfect drill, steadiness and discipline of the battery was admirable". Promoted Captain 1899; Major 1910; served in the Great War with 26th Battery, Native Mountain Artillery in India and later in France, commanding 76th Brigade Heavy Artillery. He was killed near Albert in France and is buried in Franvillers Cemetery.
PRATT Edgar Charles
Private 7941 1st battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Killed in Action 12 May 1915 Flanders. Aged 27. Born Bishops Hull. Worked as a labourer on GWR. Husband of Annie Mabel Pratt (nee Hayman) of Swingbridge, Bathpool. In 1911 Annie, who worked in the shirt industry, lived with her parents in Harmony Row, Bathpool. Edgar has no known grave. His name is inscribed on Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres. His name also appears on Bishops Hull war memorial.
PRYOR Jasper Henry
Private 37414 12th battalion Gloucestershire Regt. Died 16 Feb 1917 France. Aged 24. Jasper Henry Pryor was born in Willsden Green in Middlesex in 1892. In 1911 he was living with his widowed mother Louise Marian Pryor in Bathpool, Taunton, and working as an architect and surveyor’s clerk. He is buried in Gorre cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
REDLER, MC Harold Bolton
Aged 21. Son of flour miller Daniel Bolton Redler and Annie Pethick Redler (nee Crocker) His father was born in Devon, and his mother, a doctor’s daughter, in Stogumber, but by the time of their son’s death the couple were living in Boschbeek, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa, and Daniel Redler was described as a company director. Harold was awarded the Military Cross "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty." He was credited with destroying five enemy aircraft and causing five others to go down out of control. The citation in the London Gazette (22 June 1918) says: "He continually attacked enemy troops and transport from a low altitude during operations and showed splendid qualities of courage and determination throughout." The Turnberry golf course was used as an airbase during WW1 to train pilots in aerial gunnery and combat. Redler crashed while testing a device enabling pilots to fire through the propeller. A memorial to honour airmen who served on the base has been erected on the hill overlooking the 12th green Probate records from 1919 give Harold’s home address as Bathpool, Taunton. He is buried West Monkton churchyard.
ROSSITER, MM Oliver
Killed in Action 28 Feb 1918 France. Aged 27. Born West Monkton. Enlisted Taunton Son of farm worker George and Jane Rossiter of Mount Fancy, West Monkton. In 1911 Oliver Rossiter, described as a "collier", was lodging with his uncle and aunt William and Alice Blackmore at 2 Gordon Cottages, Monkton Heathfield. Awarded the Military Medal given for gallantry in the face of the enemy. No known grave. His name appears on the Arras Memorial
TALBOT Jesse
Private 201393 1/4th battalion Gloucestershire Regt. Killed in Action 17 July 1916 France. Aged 21. Born in Taunton. Son of Frederick and Ellen Talbot of 6 Leycroft Road, Taunton. Shortly after his birth the family moved to Newport in South Wales but by 1911 they were living in No 3 Court, East Reach, Taunton, and Jesse was working as a draper’s porter. No known connection with West Monkton. He was killed during the battles in the Somme area and has no known grave. His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial.
TAYLOR Amale Ralph G
Private 26474 1/5 Somerset Light Infantry. Killed in Action 10 April 1918 Palestine. Aged 19. Son of James and Elizabeth Taylor (nee Mockridge), 2 Cabbage Row, Bathpool. Amale (also spelt as Emale and Emile) was born in West Monkton and worked as a labourer. During early April 1/5 SLI were given the task of advancing the line to Rafat. They captured a ridge and held on to it despite repeated attacks by the Turks and Germans. But nine men were killed and 74 wounded in these operations, with seven missing believed killed. Buried in Ramleh (Ramallah) war cemetery now in Israel.
THORNE Edwin John
Private 295614 7th battalion Somerset Light Infantry. Died 24 August 1918 France. Aged 25. Son of farmer John and Rose Florence Thorne of Gotton Farm, West Monkton, husband of Maud Winifred Thorne (nee Jones) of 46, Gray's Rd, Taunton. The 7th (service) battalion was formed in Taunton on 1914 and went to France in July 1915 as part of the 20th (Light) division. At the end of July 1917 the battalion was involved in raids on enemy trenches in the Lens sector with a small number of casualties. The battalion history noted "August was a quiet month." Pte Thorne is buried in Ligny-St. Flochel British Cemetery, Averdoingt, France No cause of death given in records.
WARREN William Charles
Private 241657 1/5 battalion (Prince Albert’s) Somerset Light Infantry. Died 18 Nov 1918 Palestine. Aged 36. Son of William Charles and Adela Warren, of Acacia House, Bathpool, Taunton. The 1/5 SLI were not in action after mid September 1918 so he may have died of wounds or disease – a week after the Armistice. Buried in Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery
WHITE Charles Arthur
Private 27896 8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry. Killed in Action 31 July 1917 Belgium. Born in Ditcheat and enlisted in Taunton. Killed in the opening stage of the Third Battle of Ypres. Name appears on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
WHITE Ernest Albert
Private 25895 7th battalion Gloucestershire Regiment. Killed in Action 23 July 1917 Mesopotamia. Aged 40. Son of Samuel and Mary White of Stone, East Pennard, near Shepton Mallet. Worked as a stone mason. Husband of Elizabeth White of 144 Whetstone Rd, Shepton Mallet. They married in 1902 and had four children in the first nine years of their marriage. His address is given as West Monkton in the Memorial Book of Somerset. Name appears on the Basra Memorial.
WHITE George Dennis
Private 32213 8th battalion Somerset Light Infantry. Killed in Action 23 April 1917 France. Aged 20. Born in Corfe near Taunton, one of nine children of farm bailiff George White and Bertha Hannah Maria Ann (Annie) White (nee Symes). In 1911 the family were living in Bathpool and George was working as an agricultural labourer. In April 1917 all four battalions of the SLI in France (1st, 6th, 7th and 8th) were involved in the spring offensive in the Arras sector. On April 24 the 8SLI suffered many casualties from "heavy machine gun fire and a terrific shrapnel barrage" as they attacked enemy positions in the Second Battle of the Scarpe. Pte White’s name appears on the Arras memorial
WILLS Arthur George
Lance Corporal 10224 1st battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Killed in Action 21 Nov 1914. Aged 19. Youngest of the six sons of James and Elizabeth Wills, of Hyde Rd., Bathpool, Taunton. Arthur worked as farm labourer. 1 DCLI were based in Ireland at the outbreak of war but landed in France on August 15 and would have been involved in the First Battle of Ypres (19 Oct -22 Nov). No known grave. Name inscribed on Menin Gate Memorial
WILLS Charles
Private Somerset Light Infantry. Insufficient information to identify this soldier. There was a Charles Wills born in West Monkton in 1879, the second son of James and Elizabeth Wills. The CWGC list 14 men with the name Charles Wills or C Wills who died in WW1 – but none were in the SLI.
WILLS Ernest John
Private 32251 2nd battalion South Lancashire Regt. Killed in Action 12 April 1918 Belgium. Aged 32. Third son of James and Elizabeth Wills of Bathpool. Married to Quenella Florence Jubilee Wills (nee Hurford). They lived at 5 Laburnham Terrace, Creech St Michael, and had a daughter Dorothy May. In 1911 Ernest was working as a miller in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. He enlisted at Berkeley and from Nov 1915 until April 1917 served in England. He was posted to France on 1 May 1917. His name appears on the Ploegsteert Memorial commemorating those who died in this sector but have no known grave.
   The following soldiers, who gave their birthplace as West Monkton when joining the Army, appear on memorials elsewhere.
BRADBEER George Henry
Private 16745 7th battalion Somerset Light Infantry 27 June 1917 Belgium. Son of agricultural labourer Thomas Bradbeer and his wife Jane of Church Cottages, Cheddon. But later moved to Bishops Lydeard. Married to Evalene Bradbear and had two daughters and a son. By 1911 his wife had died and George, a bricklayer, was living with his in-laws and three children at Donyatt, near Ilminster. Buried Vlamertinghe Military cemetery
BROOMFIELD Ernest William
Private 241867 1/5th battalion Somerset Light Infantry. Killed in Action 10 April 1918 Egypt. Aged 31. Son of shopkeeper William Broomfield and wife Kate. Husband of Henrietta Broomfield of 43 Eastbourne Road, Taunton. Ernest was born in West Monkton but the family moved to Grays Road, Taunton, about 2 years later. Before the war Ernest worked as a shirt cutter. Buried in Ramleh (now Ramallah).
KALLAWAY Edgar
Private 6761 1st Battalion Coldstream Guuards. Killed in Action 29 Oct 1914 Ypres. Aged 27. Son of accountant James Kallaway and his wife Jane. Born in West Monkton but the family moved into Taunton and lived in South Street, Alfred Street and Grays Road. Edgar began work as a shop assistant and then railway porter but in July 1913 travelled to Canada in search of a new life. He arrived back in the UK on Sept 8 1914 presumably to volunteer. He was killed in action less than eight weeks later.
LEY William Richard
Private 32762 1st battalion Lincolnshire Regt formerly in Somerset LI. Killed in Action 25 July 1917 France. Aged 36. Son of William Richard and Emma Ley of Barnstaple, Devon. Husband of Edith Ellen Ley of Queensland Road, Holloway, London. Enlisted in Taunton. Buried in Cojeul British Cemetery, St Marton-sur-Cojeul, Pas de Calais.
TOTEN Henry Thomas
Private 36500 4th battalion Worcestershire Regt. Killed in Action 29 May 1917 Arras. Aged 29. Son of timber carter Alfred and Mary Toten. In 1901 he was living in Taunton Road, Bathpool but by 1911 the family had moved to String Lane, East Reach, and Henry was working as a labourer. His name appears on Arras Memorial which commemorates 35,000 Allied forces who died in the Arras sector 1916-18 and have no known grave.
   SECOND WORLD WAR (1939-1945)
ASTON Edward David
Private 1618840 5th battalion Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. Killed in Action 10 August 1944 France. Aged 31. Son of Mrs MS Aston of Cheddon Fitzpaine. Killed in the advance through northern France following D-Day. Buried in Bayeux War cemetery, France.
COCHRANE John Henry Forrester
Sgt Navigator 7 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed in Action 4 December 1943 Holland. Aged 29. Son of Cmdr Morris Edward Cochrane RN retd and his wife Charlotte Cochrane (nee Newton) of Braydon, Wiltshire Probate records give his address as Rexhill Farm, Bathpool. No 7 Sqn based at Oakington, north west of Cambridge, flew Lancaster bombers on night attacks on Germany Buried Gramsbergen Cemetery, Holland
COOK John
Not Known. Insufficient information to trace him in CWGC records
DAVIES Enid Fuelle
Wren 87329 WRNS HMS Goldcrest Pembrokeshire, Wales. Died 6 November 1947 UK. Aged 21. Born 21 April 1926, daughter of David and Elizabeth Davies (nee Fuelle) of Hyde Lane Cottages, Bathpool. HMS Goldcrest was the Fleet Air Arm base in Brawdy, Pembrokeshire. Enid is buried in West Monkton churchyard
LEAVER Cyril Mervyn
Sergeant 1179757 14 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed in Action 13 June 1942 North Africa. Aged 21. Son of Mr and Mrs ES Leaver of Taunton. 14 Squadron was a bomber squadron which in mid 1942 was based in Eqypt and flew Bristol Blenheim aircraft bombing targets in the Western Desert. Name inscribed on Alamein Memorial.
LOCK Malcolm Edward
Lieutenant 1st Armoured Battalion Coldstream Guards. Killed in Action 9 March 1945 Xanten Rheinberg Germany. Aged 23. Younger son of Brigadier-General F. R. E. Lock, D.S.O., and Mary E. Lock, of Wakehill, Ilminster, Somerset. Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery near Kleve.
NATION Thomas Alan Hanson
Petty Officer D/JX 133217 Royal Navy HMS Glorious. Killed in Action 8 June 1940 off Norway. Aged 27. Son of Thomas and Ethel L Nation of West Monkton. The aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and her escorting destroyers HMS Acasta and HMS Ardent were intercepted in the Norwegian Sea by the German battle cruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst. The three British ships were sunk by gunfire in a little over two hours, with the loss of over 1500 officers and men. Name inscribed on Plymouth Naval Memorial
PALMER Harold Heard
Signalman 2372287 Royal Corps of Signals. 5 August 1942 India. Aged 22. Son of David and Marjorie Palmer of Monkton Heathfield. His name appears on the Brookwood Memorial which commemorates nearly 3,500 men and women who died during the Second World War and have no known grave, the circumstances of their death being such that they could not be appropriately commemorated on any of the campaign memorials in the various theatres of war.
PARSONS Gordon Henry
Lance Bombardier 966531 32 Heavy Regt Royal Artillery. Killed in Action 9 September 1944 Italy. Aged 28. Son of Robert and Mabel Kate Parsons of Taunton. Husband of Mrs Ruby A Parsons (nee Pring). During September 1944 British forces attacked the well-prepared German defensive position known as The Gothic Line that stretched from Rimini, in north east Italy, right across Italy. Buried at Coriano Ridge, near Rimini, Italy.
PERRY Leslie Walter
Flying Officer Wireless operator/ gunner 106 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed in Action 1 November 1944 Holland. Aged 22. Son of William and Alice Perry (nee Winter) of Taunton. Husband of Josselyn Irene Perry (nee James) of Taunton. 106 Sqn flew Lancasters on long range bombing missions including attacks on the V1 and V2 rocket launch and storage sites. Buried Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Holland
STRICKLAND Ronald Frederick
Private 14622523 6th battalion York and Lancaster Regiment. Killed in Action 7 December 1944 Italy. Aged 20. Son of John and Louisa Mary Strickland of Bathpool Buried in Forli War Cemetery Italy
THURSTON Nigel Vere Broke
Lieutenant Royal Navy HMS Halcyon. Killed in Action 3 June 1940 Dunkirk. Aged 25. Son of Lt.-Col. Vere Broke Thurston and Claire Burlinson Thurston, of West Monkton; husband of Patricia Thurston (nee Tonks). Awarded the Harold Tennyson Prize at Dartmouth RN College. HMS Halcyon was a minesweeper. At the evacuation of Dunkirk she transported 2,271 troops until she had to be withdrawn due to damage following air attack in which two crew members were killed, Halcyon's only casualties of the war. Buried West Monkton churchyard.

Last updated 10 August, 2022

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