HARTFIELD WAR MEMORIAL

The Hartfield is a large village in the Ashdown Forest about 10 miles south east of East Grinstead. It is well known for its connections with AA Milne and his ‘Winnie the Pooh’ books. The War Memorial is by the side of the road in the High Street near Church Street. The parish church of St Mary the Virgin is about a hundred yards down Church Street and contains a further individual memorial. The War Memorial itself is worn in parts and moss covered in others making it difficult to interpret some names.

Photograph Copyright © James Castle 2014

It contains the inscription:-

To the Glorious Dead of Hartfield
1914 – 1918

followed by the names for World War 1. The casualties for the Second World War are under these. In front of the memorial is a further one of a drinking trough, now filled with flowers. On this is the inscription:-

1914 – 1918
1939 – 1945
Thank You

There is a further small memorial in the church:-

1939 – 1945
To the Glory of God, this chapel was beautified
in memory of the warriors
who came not home to Hartfield.

It is a little known fact that the crucifix with the figure of Our Lord, that stands on the path by the Lych Gate was a gift of Mrs Peel in 1916 in memory of her son, Charles W Peel, and the other young men from the Parish who had died at the time. The crucifix including base stands approximately 8’ 6” tall. There are no visible inscriptions on this monument, but there is a possibility of a faint inscription on the front panel of the top tier of the base.

On the main village war memorial there are six names which are spelt incorrectly. These are: F Hider should read F Hyder, A Summer should read A Sumner, D Weeks should read D Weekes. There are also G, H and W Wheatly who should read G, H and W Wheatley.

1914-1918

BASSETT	Albert	Sapper 537927, 350th Engineering and Mining Company, Royal Engineers. Born in 1879, Hartfield, Sussex. Son of William and Harriet Bassett. Enlisted 19th August 1914 in Hastings. Originally served with 5th Royal Sussex Regiment, Service Number 2259. According to his Medal Index Card he also served in the Royal Sussex Regiment, Service Number 240446. He transferred to the Royal Engineers on 22nd June 1917. Service Number 537927. He married Ellen Harriett Berry on 7th March 1918. He caught Bronchio Pneumonia on 31st January 1919 as a result of his military service. Died in No.12 Stationary Hospital, St. Pol-Sur-Ternoise, France and is buried at St. Pol British Cemetery: Grave II.E.9. His brother James died 8th October 1915. See below.
BASSETT	James Baldwin	Private G/5497 6th (Service) Bn, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Born in 1878, Hartfield. Born circa 1878 in Hartfield, Sussex. Son of William and Harriet Bassett Enlisted in Brighton. Killed in action on 8th October 1915 during the Battle of Loos. Commemorated on Panel 95-97 of the Loos Memorial. His brother Albert died 31st January 1919. See above.
BOAKES	Ernest Stanley	Private 45690, 36th Company, Machine Gun Corps. Born about 1898 in Hartfield. Son of John and Hester Boakes of Holtye. Living in Rogers Town, Cowden when he enlisted in Chichester and originally 21102 in the East Surrey Regiment. Died of wounds 26th April 1917. Buried in Grave XVIII A 5A in Etaples Military Cemetery. Also listed on the Holtye War Memorial and on a family grave of one of his brothers in Holtye churchyard.
BROWN	William George	Private 55569, 198th Company, Machine Gun Corps. Born about 1892 in Hartfield. Son of Mary Brown. Living in Forest Row when he enlisted in Tunbridge Wells. His wife, Ethel, later lived at ‘Carrington’, Croydon Road, Reigate, Surrey. Originally served as G/42390 in the Royal Fusiliers. Killed in action 26th September 1917. Commemorated on Panel 154-159 & 163A of the Tyne Cot Memorial.
BURFOOT	Bertram	Private 18547, 3rd Bn, Coldstream Guards. Born about 1897 in Tonbridge. Son of Horace and Kate Burfoot of Hartfield. Living in Hartfield when he enlisted in East Grinstead. Died of wounds 14th December 1917. Buried in Grave VI D 11A in Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport. Also listed on the Coleman Hatch Memorial .
DIVALL	Reginald	At the top of his headstone it reads "Known to be buried in this cemetery". Private SD/4882, 11th (Service) Bn (1st South Down) Royal Sussex Regiment. Born about 1891 in Coleman’s Hatch. Son of Leonard and Hannah Divall of Coleman’s Hatch. Enlisted in Tonbridge. Died 6th December 1917. Commemorated on Special Memorial 10 in White House Cemetery near Ypres. This memorial is for the 16 casualties known or believed to have been buried there whose graves cannot be traced. Also listed on the Coleman Hatch Memorial
EDWARDS	Frederick Sylvester	Private G/1302, 2nd Bn Royal Sussex Regiment. Born in 1894 in Hartfield. Son of Sylvester and Sarah Edwards. Enlisted in Tunbridge Wells. Killed in action 9th May 1915 at Aubers Ridge. Commemorated on Panel 20 and 21 of the Le Touret Memorial. Also see Thomas Honeysett of the same regiment, killed the same day with a service number of G/1306.
FIELDER	Cecil	Lance Corporal 242012, 2nd/6th Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Son of Mr & Mrs William Fielder of Perry Hill, Hartfield. Killed in action 19th July 1916, age 19. He is commemorated on Panel 22 – 25 of the Loos Memorial. His brother Frederick also died, 27th June 1916. See below.
FIELDER	Frederick Stephen	Lance Corporal 20999, 2nd Bn Border Regiment. Born in Plaxtol, Kent. Son of Mr & Mrs William Fielder of Perry Hill, Hartfield. Living in Hartfield when he enlisted in Battersea. Originally 13243 in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. Killed in action 27th June 1916. Commemorated on Pier and Face 6A & 7C of the Thiepval Memorial. The battalion was at Morlancourt on the Somme in preparation for the attack at Mametz on 1st July. His brother Cecil also died, 19th July 1916. See above.
FISHER	George Kenneth Thompson	Captain, 1/4th Bn Norfolk Regiment. Born about 1879 in Barrow, Lancashire. Eldest son of the Reverend George Carnac Fisher and his wife May. Reverend Fisher was the Vicar of Barrow when George was born, then St Mary’s, Forest Row from 1882-9, then Bishop of Islington, Bishop of Ipswich and finally Suffragen Bishop of Croydon. They later lived at Flegg Burgh House, Norfolk. His wife family were the Thompsons, the owners of Ashdown Park at Wych Cross. The owner ship of Ashdown Park passed to the younger George in 1908. He was educated at Cheam School and Harrow. In 1909 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 4th Bn Norfolk Regiment. In 1912 he also became one of the Sheriffs for the county of Durham On 23rd August 1914 he married Janet Katherine Mary Anson (sister of Sir Denis Anson Bt) who later lived at 23, Launceston Place, London. They had two sons. He was a civil servant and worked for the Labour Department of the Board of Trade. Served at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli and was ‘Mentioned in Despatches’. Later invalided to the UK with Dysentery. Died of wounds from a hand grenade while on patrol duty 3rd September 1917. Buried in Grave XXIV A 12 in Gaza War Cemetery. Also commemorated on the Forest Row, Coleman’s Hatch and Fleggburgh War Memorials and the Memorial to Staff of the Ministry of Labour now in Caxton House, London.
HARDING	Ernest	Private 315837, 16th (Sussex Yeomanry) Bn, Royal Sussex Regiment. Born about 1875 in Danehill. Husband of Mrs E S Harding of Marsh Green, Hartfield. Enlisted in Coleman’s Hatch. Died 6th November 1917. Buried in Grave M 18 in Beersheba War Cemetery. Listed on both Hartfield and Colmans Hatch Memorials as Lance Corporal.
HEASMAN	George	Private 228699, 1st Bn London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) attached to (possibly posted to) the 2nd Bn Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Born in Hartfield in 1882. Son of George and Emily Heasman. He lived at Leaves Farm and enlisted in Hartfield. Originally served as 2241 in the Royal Sussex Regiment. Killed in action 9th October 1917 while going to the aid of a wounded comrade. Commemorated on Panel 148-150 of the Tyne Cot Memorial. Listed on the Hartfield Memorial as a Lance Corporal.
HYDER	Frank	Private SD/2934, 13th (Service) Bn (3rd South Down) Royal Sussex Regiment. Born in Tonbridge. Husband of Mrs M E Hyder of ‘The Rough’, Coleman’s Hatch. Enlisted in Hastings. Killed in action 16th April 1916. Buried in Grave I A 9 in the Post Office Rifles Cemetery, Festaubert. Name spelt incorrectly on Hartfield Memorial. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial as ‘Frank Hyder’.
HILL	Frederick William	Gunner 124708, 1st Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Born in 1886 in Hartfield. Son of George and Emma Hill of 1, St James Cottages, Balcombe, Sussex. Living in Tunbridge Wells when he enlisted in Worthing. Killed in action 31st July 1917, the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres. Commemorated on Panel 9 of the Menin Gate, Ypres. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial
HONEYSETT	Thomas E	Private G/1306, 2nd Bn Royal Sussex Regiment. Born in Hartfield and enlisted in Tunbridge Wells. Killed in action 9th May 1915 at Aubers Ridge Commemorated on Panel 20 and 21 of the Le Touret Memorial. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial. Also see Frederick Sylvester of the same regiment, killed the same day with a service number of G/1302
HUMPHREY	Thomas	Private, 33438, 1st/8th Bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Born in Hartfield. Enlisted in Tunbridge Wells and served as 202826 in the Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Killed in action 9th October 1918. Buried in Grave V A 2 in Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial
KILLICK	William	Private G/15455, 12th (Service) Bn (2nd South Down) Royal Sussex Regiment. Born in Hartfield. Enlisted in Maidstone. Killed in action 17th October 1916. Buried in Grave XIX D 7 in Mill Road Cemetery, Thiepval. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial. The battalion had been occupying the Schwaben redoubt since 15th October when a German counter attack was beaten off late in the day. The position was held until the 17th when the battalion was relieved. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial.
LENEY	Cyril Henry	Private 91839, 15th (Service) Bn, Durham Light Infantry. Born in West Hoathly. Living at Shrewton, Wiltshire when he enlisted in Devizes. Originally served as M/318138 in the Motor Transport in the Army Service Corps. Killed in action on 27th May 1918. Commemorated on Special Memorial 5 in Hermonville Military Cemetery. This is about 7 miles north west of Reims. The memorial is due to the fact that six soldiers were understood to have been buried there, but their graves could not be traced and he is one of the six. Listed on the Hartfield and Coleman’s Hatch Memorial as a Lance Corporal.
LUXFORD	Edward J	Gunner 277542, 119th Siege Battery, Royal Artillery. Born about 1874 in Forest Row. Son of Job and Jane Luxford of Forest Row. Husband of Elizabeth Luxford of 2, Highfields, Forest Row. Enlisted in Horsham. Killed in action 8th May 1918. Buried in Grave II F 17 in Gwalia Cemetery at Poperinghe. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch and Forest Row Memorials.
MASKELL	George	Private G/5679, 9th (Service) Bn, Royal Sussex Regiment. Born in Mayfield in 1882. Son of Henry and Naomi Maskell. Lived in Hartfield since 1888. Enlisted in Tunbridge Wells. Killed in action 25th September 1915, the first day of the Battle of Loos. Commemorated on Panel 69-73 on the Loos Memorial. Brother Mark died 10th November 1916. See below.
MASKELL	Mark	Private 25357, 6th (Service) Bn., Northamptonshire Regiment. Born in Mayfield in 1888. Son of Henry and Naomi Maskell. Lived in Hartfield since 1888. Enlisted in Dover. Killed in action 10th November 1916. Commemorated on Pier & Face 11A & 11D of the Thiepval Memorial. This was near the formal end of the Battle of the Somme on 18th November and the battalion was in trenches in ‘Mash’ Valley. Brother George died 25th September 1915. See above.
MAY	Ernest William	Lance Corporal G/3753. 9th (Service) Bn., Royal Sussex Regiment. Born about 1890 in Catsfield, Sussex. Son of Harry and Maria Markis May of 1, Rupert Villas, Bracknell, Berkshire. Enlisted in Eastbourne. Killed in action 18th August 1916. Commemorated on Pier and Face 7C of the Thiepval Memorial. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial. The battalion took part in an attack on Guillemont. One company reinforced the 7th Bn Northamptonshire Regiment in the German line near ‘The Quarry’. Battalion relieved on 20th August with 186 casualties. Extract from Sussex Express 6th October 1916: Death of a very brave soldier. Lance Corporal Ernest May joined the colours at the beginning of the war and went to Chichester and Shoreham for training. He was home on June 2nd. 1916 for seven days leave. Back in the trenches, with a comrade he was taking a message to his colonel. In order to pass a wounded soldier he moved out of the trench and was shot in the chest. He told his comrade that he had been hit and died immediately
MEDHURST	John Arthur	Sapper 146264, 91st Field Company, Royal Engineers. Born about 1891 in Hartfield. Son of Arthur Bromley Medhurst and his wife, Fannie (village postmistress), of ‘Vine House’, Hartfield. Enlisted in East Grinstead. Died of wounds 9th April 1917. Buried in Grave I L 1 in Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun. Arthur was a builder and Land Agent to Earl de la Warr. He was unmarried. His mother was the sub post mistress in the village.
PEEL	Charles William	Second Lieutenant, 3rd (Reserve Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers, attached to 2nd Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Born about 1888. Youngest son of the late William Felton Peel of Alexandria, Egypt and Wargrave Hill, Berkshire. Originally served as Private 2373 in the London Regiment. Killed in action at St Julien 24th April 1915. Commemorated on Panel 44 and 46 of the Menin Gate, Ypres. The 3rd Bn only served in Ireland and England. A Mrs Peel lived at ‘The White House’ Hartfield. Listed on Hartfield village War Memorials as Captain CW Peel. His mother dedicated the crucifix in the churchyard to him and the other men from the parish who had died at that time: William Wheatley, Thomas Honeysett, Fred Edwards, Ernest Vaughan, James Bassett and Ewbert Shelley.
SHELLEY	Ewbert John	Sapper 2209, 1/3rd Kent Field Company, Royal Engineers. Born about 1895 at Frant, Son of William and Alice Shelley of ‘Holly Croft’, Hartfield. Known as Jack. Living in Hartfield when he enlisted in Gillingham, Kent. Drowned aboard HMS Hythe (troopship) which was rammed in an accident with SS Sarnia off Gallipoli 28th October 1915. Commemorated on Panel 23 – 25 or 325 – 328 of the Helles Memorial. Also see Ernest Vaughan, same unit same day.
STEVENSON	George W	Private 5546, 2/6th Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Born 1883 in Hartfield. Son of the late Leonard John Stevenson and of his wife, Elizabeth of 44, Manor Park, Lewisham, London. Resident in Coleman’s Hatch when he enlisted in Horsham. Initially served as 2857 in the Royal Sussex Regiment. Killed in action 5th July 1916. His brother John Stevenson died on 27th October 1916. Buried in Grave II J 10 in Rue-Du-Bacquerot No 1 Military Cemetery, Laventie. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial
STORY	F G	Private. No further information currently available.
SUMNER	Alfred William	Private SD/3024, 13th (Service) Bn (3rd South Down) Royal Sussex Regiment. Born about 1877 in Ashurst, Kent. Son of the late Albert and Katherine Sumner. Husband of Emma Jane Sumner (later Crittenden) of ‘Red House’ Hartfield. Enlisted in Eastbourne. Killed in action 21st October 1916. Buried in Grave XI C 13 in Serre Road Cemetery No 2 on the Somme, France. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial. Name spelt incorrectly on Hartfield Memorial. An attack on Stuff Trench was made by 148 Brigade and by ‘C’ Company of the battalion from the Schwaben Redoubt. The remainder of the battalion moved forward about 4.30 pm and took over the captured positions.
TESTER	William E	Private G/4534, 12th (Service) Bn. (2nd South Down) Royal Sussex Regiment. Born in Forest Row, enlisted in East Grinstead Died 24th September 1917. 20-25 September Battle of the Menin Road. Commemorated on Panel 86 – 88 of the Tyne Cot Memorial. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial
TIBBLES	Frederick G	Private L/7165, 1st Bn., The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Born Yalding, Kent, enlisted at Canterbury. Living at Hartfield. Regular Soldier. Killed in action 23rd October 1914. Commemorated on Panel 2 of the Ploegsteert Memorial. The battalion had been at Grande Flamengnie Farm since the 20th. On 23rd ‘A’ & ‘C’ Companies fought hand to hand with the attacking German troops. The position was held until the 25th when there was a further withdrawal.
TITCOMB	Arthur [William]	Private 40983, Depot, Royal Fusiliers. Born about 1876. Son of Ralph and Alice Titcomb. Husband of Eliza Jane Titcomb of Drew Street, Rodbourne Swindon, Wiltshire. Employed as Coachman to Captain Percy Mann of Bolebroke, Hartfield. Admitted to hospital in Lewisham said to be suffering shock. After 10 weeks he died on 29th January 1917. Buried in Hartfield in Grave 1 A 17. Civilian Headstone. His son Ernest Arthur Robert Titcomb died during World War Two on 22nd January 1945 and is commemorated on the Wroughton war memorial in Wiltshire.
VAUGHAN	Ernest	Driver 1991, 1/3rd Kent Field Company, Royal Engineers. Born about 1896 in Tunbridge Wells. Living there when he enlisted in Gillingham, Kent. Son of Mr & Mrs Vaughan of Station Road, Withyham. Drowned aboard HMS Hythe (troopship) which was rammed in an accident with SS Sarnia near Gallipoli 28th October 1915, Listed on the Helles Memorial Panel 23 to 25 or 325 to 328. Also see Ewbert Shelley, same unit same day.
WEEDING	George [W]	Trooper 1548, Household Battalion. Born about 1885 in Coleman’s Hatch. Son of George and Sarah Ann Weeding. A gardener and husband of Alice Weeding of ‘Hillside’, Coleman’s Hatch. Killed in action 3rd May 1917. Commemorated on Special Memorial H 7 at Roeux British Cemetery. His grave was destroyed by shellfire. Brother of John Weeding, died 20th August 1917 (see below). Listed on Hartfield Memorial as Private. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial
WEEDING	John	Private G/13259, 7th (Service) Bn., The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Born about 1897 in Hartfield. Son of George and Sarah Ann Weeding of ‘Edgemount’, Coleman’s Hatch. Living in Coleman’s Hatch when he enlisted in East Grinstead. Served in ‘D’ Company. Died 20th August 1917 from appendicitis. Buried in Grave XVII K 4A in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. Brother of George Weeding, died 3rd May 1917 (see above). Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial
WEEKES	David	Private G/60598, Royal Fusiliers. Born in Withyham. Lived at No 1 Oak Cottage, Chuck Hatch. Died 9th April 1917 during the First Battle of the Scarpe (first phase of the Arras Offensive). Name spelt incorrectly on Hartfield Memorial. Also listed on the Withyham Memorial.
WEST	A	Lance Corporal. No further information currently available.
WHEATLEY	George	Lance Corporal G/8, 6th (Service) Bn., Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Born about 1888 in Hartfield. Son of George and Ellen Wheatley of Newtons Hill, Hartfield. Killed in action 3rd May 1917. Commemorated on Bay 7 of the Arras Memorial. Name spelt incorrectly on Hartfield Memorial. Brother, William died 7th April 1915, see below.
WHEATLEY	Harry	Private 11406, 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers. Born about 1895. Son of Joseph and Ellen Eliza Wheatley of Hillside Farm, Coleman’s Hatch. Died 26th March 1918 St Quentin, France. Commemorated on Panel 3 of the Pozieres Memorial. Name spelt incorrectly on Hartfield Memorial. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial. His sister Alice married George Weeding. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial
WHEATLEY	William	Lance Corporal L/6687, 1st Bn., East Surrey Regiment. Born 1893, Hartfield. Son of George and Ellen Wheatley of Newtons Hill, Hartfield. Died on 7th April 1915 from wounds received on 19th March 1915. 3rd May 1917. Buried in grave III. D. 80 Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. Name spelt incorrectly on Hartfield Memorial. Brother, George died 3rd May 1917, see above.
WOODHAMS	Thomas Henry	Sergeant G/1307, 9th (Service) Bn., Royal Sussex Regiment. Born about 1893. Son of Henry Thomas and Sophia Catherine Woodhams of ‘New Cottages’, Cotchford Farm, Hartfield. Died 13th April 1917. Commemorated on Bay 6 of the Arras Memorial.
In 2014 the following men were added to the Hartfield War Memorial which had a spare panel and is made from stone. It was not possible to add any of them to the Colemans Hatch War Memorial.
DIVALL	Edward	Private 46126, 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, 63rd Royal Naval Division. Born in 1876. Son of Thomas and Hannah Divall of Hurstland Cottages, Hartfield. Husband of Ellen (Mitchell). Killed in action 29th April 1917 and is listed on the Arras Memorial, France.
FRY	Frederick Samuel	Company Sergeant Major L/5733, B Company, 2rn Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Born 1880. Son of Albert and Harriet Fry. Husband of Alice (Witkowski). Killed in action 25th September 1915. No known grave. Listed on the Loos Memorial, France. Listed on the Hartfield Memorial
KENNARD	Arthur	Private 8557, 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. Born in Hartfield in 1891. Son of Edmund and Annie Kennard. Killed in action 6th August 1915 during Gallipoli Campaign and is listed on the Helles Memorial, Turkey.
MASKELL	Harry	Private G/607, 7th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Born in 1896. Son of William and Alice Maskell. Lived at Bolbroke Cottages. Killed in action 1st August 1916, Commemorated on the Thepval Memorial.
MELLOR	Benjamin Charles S	Private 8078, H Company, 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. Son of Lewis and Mary Mellor. 1911 Census lists him as serving in Mauritius and South Africa with the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. His place of birth is given as Hartfield.
MELVILLE	William [Woodfall]	Lieutenant, "C" Coy 6th Bn. attd 2nd Bn.King's Royal Rifle Corps. Born 1877, Hartfield. Son of the late Robert Melville (County Court Judge of Hereford and Shropshire), and the late Mrs. Agnes Melville, of Hartfield Grove, Sussex; husband of Violet S. Melville, of Maypool, Galmpton, Brixham, Devon. Died 9th May 1915, age 38. Commemorated on Panel 32 and 33.of Le Touret Memorial. Also commemorated on the Portsmouth Cathedral Cross Memorial.
POLEHAMPTON	Frederick	Second Lieutenant 8 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Born in Hartfield in 1873. Son of Reverend Edward and Mrs Helena Polehampton. His father was the Rector Lived in Burton Dassett, Warwickshire and at 10 Dorset Street, Marylebone, London. Killed in aircraft crash on 26th April 1915 and is buried at Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery: Grave i. A. 89. Also listed on the Walton, near Wellesbourne, Memorial, Stratford on Avon.
STEVENS	Charles [Edward]	Private G/19177, 7th Bn., Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Mrs Charles Stevens of White House Farm, Colmans Hatch. Killed in action on 21st March 1918. Buried in grave 1. J. 12 of Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension. Extract from Tunbidge Wells Courier 6th December 1918, page 3: Private Stevens, Hartfield, Killed. Mrs Charles Stevens of White House Farm, Coleman’s Hatch has received information that her husband Private C Stevens previously reported missing on March 21st is now reported killed. The report was received from an official German list and has been accepted as sufficient evidence for official purposes. He was an old and valued employee of Rickwood & Co Vale House in whose service he has been for 15 years. He leaves a widow and three children to mourn their loss.
STEVENSON	John	Private 17604, 23rd Company, Machine Gun Corps. Son Leonard John Stevenson and Elizabeth Stevenson. 1911 Census lists him as living in India while serving in the 1st West Yorkshire Regiment. Killed in action 27th October 1916. Buried in grave II B 16 in Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte, France. Listed on the Hartfield Memorial. His brother George Stevenson died on 5th July 1916.
WHEATLEY	Charlie	Ordinary Seaman SS/9214, HMS ‘Shakespeare’, Royal Navy. Born about 1900. Son of Jesse and Ada Wheatley of ‘Spring Cottage, Coleman’s Hatch. Died 8th February 1921 due to drowning. Buried in Grave B 21 A. Civilian Headstone. HMS Shakespeare was a destroyer flotilla leader, launched in June 1917 and scrapped in 1936. Listed on the “Safe Return” from “The Great War” Memorial in the Vicarage Rooms, Colmans Hatch. He is probably unique in being on one war memorial for surviving, and on a second in the village for having died.
WHEATLEY	Doctor	Private S/260, 2nd Bn., Royal Sussex Regiment. Born 1888, Hartfield. Son of Isaac Wheatley and Rosanna (Coates) . Living in Legers Row Hartfield in 1891. Living in Colmans Hatch in 1901. Killed in action on 9th May 1915. Commemmorated on Panel 20 and 21 of Le Touret Memorial.
1939-1945
BURFOOT	Wilfred Arthur	Leading Aircraftman 122111, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Son of Horace and Kate Burfoot. Died of natural causes while on the troopship HT Duchess of Richmond, en route to the Far East 12th February 1943. He was buried at sea and is commemorated on Column 427 of the Singapore Memorial. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial
BUTLER	Charles Raymond	Rifleman 11007743, 9th Bn., Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Born about 1913. Son of Charles Wood Butler and his wife, Edith Eleanor, of Ashford. Died 6th August 1944. Buried in Grave V A 3 in Brouay War Cemetery, Normandy. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial and also at Forest Row where he is listed as ‘Ray’.
CHIPPERTON	Bernard	Trooper 14526247, Royal Armoured Corps. Born about 1925. Son of Frank and Rosa Chipperton of Hayes, near Bromley, Kent. Died 6th September 1943 as a result of falling out of a Scout Car at Stanley, County Durham. At the time of his death, his parents lived at Tillingham Lodge, Upper Hartfield. Commemorated on Panel 2 of the West Road Crematorium, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial.
CRITTENDEN	Albert Stanley	Sapper 1871588, 22 Fortress Company, Royal Engineers. Born about 1915. Son of Mr & Mrs Percy Crittenden of Hartfield. Captured during the fall of Hong Kong and died as a Prisoner of War as a result of friendly fire. The POW transport ship he was on, the Lisbon Maru, was sunk by the American submarine, the USS Grouper six miles from Tung Fusham Island, off the China coast, 29°57'N, 122°56'E between 1st and 2nd October 1942. This ship was carrying 1816 prisoners on board and was bound for Shanghai. Commemorated on Column 8 of the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial.
JARVIS	Frederick R	Bombardier 6397906, 5 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Born about 1913. Son of Frederick Robert and Alice Jarvis. Step son of Mrs Nora L Jarvis of Hartfield. Died during the fall of Singapore on 13th February 1942. Commemorated on Column 8 of the Singapore Memorial and on the war memorial in the Vicarage Rooms, Coleman’s Hatch.
KIDDELL	John Bartram	Lieutenant (A), HMS ‘Kestrel’, Royal Navy. Son of Harry Morbhanj Bartram Kiddell and his wife Blanche Mary Vialou of ‘Alderton’, Hartfield. He was commissioned as a Midshipman in April 1939, Acting Sub Lieutenant the next Month, substantive Sub Lieutenant a year later and to Lieutenant in November 1941. HMS Kestrel was a joint RAF / Royal Navy aerodrome at Worthy Down near Winchester. However he flew with 825 Naval Air Squadron from RAF Detling near Maidstone. 825 had previously served in the Norwegian campaign and flew Fairey Swordfish. On 25th May 1940 in Swordfish ‘5H’ he was spotting the gunfire of the cruiser ‘Galatea’ with his observer Lt Geoffrey Nethercote Beaumont RN when they were attacked near Calais by two Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. Although the aircraft escaped, the manoeuvres were so violent that Lt Beaumont was thrown out of the cockpit and killed. He is commemorated on the Lee on Solent Memorial. On 2nd July he was on a mission to attack the aerodrome at Schiphol in Holland with his Air Gunner Leading Airman Harry Burt when they were shot down over a dummy airfield near Schiphol . Burt was killed and Kiddell made a Prisoner of War. He was eventually sent to Stalag Luft III at Sagan in Poland and had been transferred to a private mental hospital where on 1st July 1943 he died during “an attempt to escape while at the height of his mania”. Endeavouring to flee from the infirmary, he was caught under the barbed wire, and the guard, who did not know the prisoner, killed him. He is buried in Grave 3 C 12 in Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
MANN	Thomas Alexander	Second Lieutenant 88476, 144 (The Surrey and Sussex Yeomanry, Queen Mary’s) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Born about 1919. Son of Percival Ramsay Mann and his wife, Norah, formerly of Bolebroke and Perry Hill and later of Southrop, Gloucestershire. Died from a ruptured appendix in hospital at Khartoum, 7th January 1941. Buried in Grave 9 B 7 in Khartoum War Cemetery. There is also a private memorial to him and his father in St Mary’s Church in Hartfield.
MILES	Sidney John Richard	Private 6398544, 1st Bn Royal Sussex Regiment. Born about 1912. Died 19th October 1941. Known as Jack. Buried in Grave 3 H 3 in Tel El Kebir War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. Also commemorated on Withyham Memorial.
NEALE	Frederick John	Private 6401337, 5th (Cinque Ports) Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment. Born about 1920. Son of Frederick Alfred and Flora Rose Neale of Frilford, Berkshire. Died 9th September 1940. Buried in the churchyard of Holy Trinity at Coleman’s Hatch. Also listed on the Coleman’s Hatch Memorial.
PATON	John Ramsay	Captain IA/1054, 13th Frontier Force Rifles, Indian Army. Died during the invasion of Malaya on 19th December 1941. Buried in Grave 1 B 12 in Taiping War Cemetery, Perak, Malaysia, The Hartfield War Memorial lists him as Captain and Adjutant.
QUEEN	Thomas	Signalman 819485, Royal Corps of Signals. Born about 1910. Son of James and Helen Queen. Husband of Elizabeth Queen (Nee Powell) of Hartfield. Died as a Prisoner of War on 29th April 1942. Buried in Grave 7 C 14 in Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore.
STAPLEY	Robert McKie	Sergeant (Air Gunner) 1807327, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Born about 1921. Son of Frank and Charlotte Stapley of Hartfield. He was an Air Gunner on board Wellington Z1107 of 28 Operational Training Unit which crashed on a training flight at Breedon, Leicestershire, on 2 August 1943. Buried in Grave D 73. Commonwealth War Graves Headstone.
SYMONS	Edward Graham De Twenebroke	Flying Officer 84907, 455 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Born about 1907. Son of Ralph and Ethel Symons. Husband of Hilda Symons. Acting Pilot Officer 23rd August 1940, Pilot Officer 23rd September 1940. 455 was an Australian squadron formed in May 1941 and based initially at Swinderby, Lincolnshire before moving to Wigsley, Nottinghamshire on 8th February 1942. The squadron flew Handley Page Hampden 1 bombers and dropped mines in the path of the ‘Scharnhorst’ and ‘Gneisenau’ during the ‘Channel Dash’. Edward Symons was killed with his crew in Hampden P1156, Code letters UB-F. He died on 12th February 1942 and is commemorated on Panel 67 of the Runnymede Memorial.
In 2014 the following people were added to the Hartfield War Memorial which had a spare panel and is made from stone. It was not possible to add any of them to the Colemans Hatch War Memorial.
BLENNERHASSETT	Marmaduke	BLieutenant, HMS Greyhound. Royal Navy. 6th Baronet. Husband of Gwenfra (Harington-Morgan). Killed in action on 25th May 1940 during Dunkirk evacuation. Buried: Row E Joint grave 3 Dover (St James’s)Cemetery, Dover.
BRAMWELL	Ellen	Wife of Harry Bramwell. of “School House”, Hartfield Died 9th July 1943 at Whitehall, London Road, East Grinstead. Killed by enemy bombing. Buried Hartfield Lower Churchyard plot E38.
BRAMWELL	Harry	Born about 1873. Husband of Ellen Bramwell. of “School House”, Hartfield Died 9th July 1943 at Whitehall, London Road, East Grinstead. Killed by enemy bombing. Buried Hartfield Lower.
VENESS	Harry James	Born about 1895. Husband of Elsie May Veness of Posingford Farm, Hartfield, East Sussex. Died 9th July 1943 at Whitehall, London Road, East Grinstead. Killed by enemy bombing. Buried Hartfield Lower Churchyard plot D64.