Photographs Copyright © Ann Thompson - 2000

either Arthur HOSTLER, Gunner 153363, 111th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died 12 June 1919. Aged 37. Son of Thomas and Sarah Hostler, of Aldreth, Haddenham, Ely, Cambs.; husband of Nellie Elizabeth Hostler, of 38, Fermoy Rd., Harrow Rd., Paddington. Buried in Paddington Cemetery, Middlesex, United Kingdom.

Private 7921, 1st Battalion, The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Died 13 September 1914 when the battalion were taking part in the crossing of the Aisne. Aged 26. Husband of Grace Eleanor O'Rourke, [formerly Markwell, of Haddenham], of 4, Little Parkfield Rd., Lark Lane, Liverpool. - in 1907 in Gosport Hampshire he married Grace Eleanor Markwell of Haddenham, Cambs. He is recored in the parish records as a labourer of this parish in 1908 when his 12 hour old son was buried and in 1910 at the baptism of his daughter Lilian. The family are shown in Liverpool on the CWGC record but Lilian was at school in Haddenham until May 1915. No known grave. Commemorated on LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL.

Research by Haddenham Local History Group:

Initially the only apparent connection between John and Haddenham was that his name was on the War Memorial. He turned out to have been Haddenham’s first fatality of the war.

After some digging we found that John Louis O’Rourke was at some point Louis John O’Rourke from the Liverpool area, but in 1907 he married Grace Eleanor Markwell, of Haddenham, Cambridgeshire at Alvestoke near Gosport in Hampshire. How and where they met is a mystery.

They do not appear to have been living here in 1911 but the Haddenham parish records of 1908 show the burial of their 12 hour old unbaptised son and John as a labourer of this parish. Their daughter Lilian was baptised in Haddenham in 1910.

When John joined the army we don’t know – he may have been a special reservist – but on 12th August 1914 he was sent to France with the 1st Battalion the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment while his family were living in Lark Lane Liverpool.

Two Army Corps were initially sent to France to be joined by a third towards the end of the month giving a total of about 120,000 – this was the BEF, (British Expeditionary Force), Britain’s ‘contemptible little army’.

The BEF assembled at Maubeuge close to the Belgian border and around the 20th August began to advance towards Belgium on the left flank of, but slightly back from, the French 5th army.

The French, it must be remembered, had been fighting since early August, launching attack after attack into German held territory only to repulsed in most cases with heavy losses. The French pre-war military ethos was that attack was the best form of defense and that esprit de corps would win over the most modern of weapons. So they attacked in what would become known as the Battle of the Frontiers, with blue jackets and red trousers, with flags flying and in some cases bands playing – and they paid the price. On the 22nd of August (before the BEF had fired a shot in anger) they suffered what would be the heaviest loss experienced by any army in a single day throughout the war.

At the end of that one day 26,000 Frenchmen were dead and more than double that wounded.

French intelligence had told the BEF and French 5th Army that they were advancing towards a division, possibly an army corps of reservists screened by uhlans (cavalry). What was actually coming their way was the German first and second armies – in excess of 600,000 men.

The British and German first army came together at Mons on the 23rd of August and whilst they gave a good account of themselves the BEF was forced to withdraw as the French were in retreat. Three days later they made a stand at Le Cateau and this gave the Germans a bloody nose, slowed them down and allowed the BEF to withdraw in good order. Most of the fighting so far had involved 2 Corps so John O’Rourke was not yet involved.

The retreat continued with rear guard actions by both corps being fought. The BEF were pushed back across the river Aisne and to within 30 miles of Paris, nearly 200 miles from Mons.

At some point John’s family moved back to Haddenham. We know this because the school register shows that Lilian was at school here up to May 1915. John would not join them.

The Germany army was stopped at the River Marne, and from the 6th of September retreated back across the Aisne where they dug in on the high ground overlooking the river. On the 13th of September almost one month after John’s arrival in France the BEF attempted to cross the Aisne in several places and it was in this operation that John was killed. The operation to cross the river was a success but the month long battle to evict the Germans from their positions was not and John’s regiment suffered badly in the attempts. Between the 15th and the 17th The Loyal North Lancashires lost 9 officers killed and five wounded along with 500 other ranks. One company which crossed the Aisne 200 strong found itself reduced to two officers and 25 men.

In 1915 John’s family moved back to Liverpool but must have maintained their links with the village through his widow, because John’s name is on the memorial and after she died in 1935 in Hesswell near Liverpool she was bought back to be buried here. Her grave is among those of other Markwells in the churchyard.

Lieutenant, Royal Air Force (formerly Royal Naval Air Service). Drowned at Sunda Bay in the Aegean 6 August 1918 while on a scouting mission. Born 11 September 1893. Son of Everard Lavender Porter, of The Manor, Haddenham, Ely, Cambridgeshire. In the 1911 census he was the son of Everard Alvender and Sara Elizabeth Porter, aged 17, Assisting on Farm, born Haddenham, resident Station Road, Haddenham, Ely, Cambs. He first served 16 January 1915 as F3117, H.M.S. Pembroke III and finished his service with the RNAS on H.M.S. President II. Buried in Suda Bay War Cemetery, Greece. Plot XI. Row C. Grave 14. See also Cambridge County High School

An extract from National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1919 reads:

PORTER Everard Marsden of Haddenham Isle of Ely died 6 August 1918 at Suda Bay Aegean Sea Administration London 26 July to Everard Lavender Porter farmer.
Effects £235 4s. 4d.

Extract from Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 06 September 1918, page 6:

R.A.F. OFFICER’S DEATH.
Lieut. E. M. Porter Drowned While Scouting in Ægean Sea.

We deeply regret to record the fact that Lieut. E. Marsden Porter, R.A.F., eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Everard L. Porter, of the Manor, Haddenham, was drowned while scouting in the Ægean Sea. The young officer, who was in his 25th year, was educated at Soham Grammar School and Cambridge County School, and being of an engineering turn of mind, devoted his studies in that direction until the outbreak of the war, when he joined the Huntingdon Cyclist Corps in September 1914. In the following December he transferred into the Royal Naval Armoured Car Section, with which he was drafted for active service in the East in August, 1915, and was at Gallipoli onwards until the evacuation. Afterwards he went to Egypt, and on returning to England and the disbandment of the Armoured Car Section, he obtained a commission in the Royal Naval Air Service, and obtained his pilot’s certificate in September, 1916. In November 1917 he was drafted again to the East Mediterranean and attached to one of H.M. ships, upon which he was dispatched thither only a fortnight before he met with the unfortunate accident which resulted in the loss of a young life full of promise for the future, as is evidenced in the following extracts from a letter dated August 8th, received from Commanding Officer confirming the sad news of his death:-

“I regret exceedingly having to cause you further anguish, but I feel that you and your son’s relatives and friends must be anxiously awaiting details of the circumstances attending on the occurrence which unfortunately ended a life abounding in promise of fame and honour in the service of his King and country.

"Lieut. Porter had only joined this station from Base Headquarters a fortnight ago, but in few days had made himself beloved by every one of his messmates by his never-failing optimism and cheerfulness. He was engaged in scout duty in connection with suppression of the submarine menace and was flying a of seaplane on which he was singularly skilful. On the morning of the 6th he left at dawn in the most peaceful, calm weather; in fact, such conditions as to necessitate extra caution in landing, as the water, being mirror-like, is most deceiving, and most difficult to locate the surface. On returning to make the landing his machine was seen to fly at maximum speed straight into the water, and eye-witnesses say there was doubt at all that the pilot was confident that he was still a fair height from the water. The machine was completely wrecked, and sank instantly. When the wreck was brought ashore the pilot was found entangled among wires and other fabric, and resuscitation was begun at nonce. After 35 minutes work, Dr. Loutitt, R.N.V.R., declared life extinct.

"The obsequies were held the same day, he being accorded an Air Force funeral, with full honours. There was a large attendance of military and naval officers, as well as diplomatic representatives of England, France, Italy, and Russia. The local garrison kindly loaned their hand and a large escort. There were several lovely wreaths."

Photograph Copyright © Barry Cundell 2010

Private 2669, 'A' Company, 1/1st Cambridgeshire Regiment. Killed in action 9 May 1915. Aged 30. Born Haddenham, enlisted Wisbech. Son of Thomas and Rebecca Ransome, of Linden End, Haddenham, Isle of Ely, Cambs. Lived in Fridaybridge for 15 years. The 1901 cenus gives him as the son of Thomas and Rebecca Rasome, aged 16. Teamster on Farm, born Haddenham, resident Froze (possibly Froys) End, Haddenham. Buried in Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Zillebeke, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

[GE Russell inside church] Private, 240069. 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 19 April 1918. Aged 34. Son of George and Elizabeth Russell, of Haddenham, Cambs; husband of Agnes Annie Russell, of Moulton, Newmarket. Reservist, enlisted on 4 August 1914. Served in France, returned to England with trench fever, then sent back to France, where he served in the Medical Corps. Killed when recovering wounded in April 1918. Married local girl Agnes Moss, on 27th February 1911, moved to Newmarket. The family moved back to Moulton when war started to live at the thatched cottage, No 20 the Street. Buried in Mont Noir Military Cemetery, St. Jans-Cappel, Nord, France. Plot I. Row E. Grave 2.

Lieutenant, 1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment. Died from an attack of menigitis 3 August 1915. Aged 22. Son of Rev. W. T. R. Crookham, C.B.E., T.D., (formerly vicar of Haddenham), and Beatrice Crookham, of The Vicarage, Wisbech. Scholar of Jesus College, Cambridge, B.A. 1915. Born 30/4/1893, educated Felsted School, Essex. Scholarship to Jesus College, Cambridge in 1912. Commissioned 1914 in 2/1st Cambs. Regiment. BA in 1915. To B Company, 1/1st Cambs. on 19 June 1915, severely wounded by rifle grenade 3 July 1915 causing a wound to the skull. Buried in Le Treport Military Cemetery, Seine-Maritime, France. [See Also Wisbech]

Company Serjeant Major 8314, 11th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. Died of wounds in Salonika 4 September 1918. Aged 32. Son of Alfred Pardoe, of Chaddesley Corbett, Kidderminster; husband of Mabel Helen Pardoe, of West End, Haddenham, Ely. Buried in Karasouli Military Cemetery, Greece.

DCM Citation London Gazette 16 January 1915:

8314 Serjeant J. Pardoe, 5th Bn., Worc. R.
For gallantry and ability during the advance through a very difficult country under heavy fire. Rendered valuable assistance to Company Commander.