LITTLE WILBRAHAM, ST JOHN WAR MEMORIAL

The war memorial is inside the parish church of St. John, on the north wall. The memroial takes the formk of a white marble tablet with the letters incised in black, the whole if mounted on a darker marble backboard. There are 34 names listed, 17 served and returned and 17 made the ultimate sacrifice. There are further memorials in Great Wilbraham St Nicholas church and Great Wilbraham Memorial Hall.

Extract from Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 14 May 1920, page 12:

LITTLE WILBRAHAM MEMORIAL.

An impressive service took place in the Little Wilbraham Parish Church on Sunday evening, when the memorial to the local men who fell in the war was unveiled.

An inspiring sermon was preached the Rector. Rev. Dr. Stokes, on Hebrews xii., 1. Touching incidents were related by the preacher and he earnestly hoped the great sacrifices had not been made in vain, but that a better England might arise. He alluded to the half million soldiers’ graves in France and Flanders, and the uniformity the memorials in the various cemeteries, showing the brotherhood of the fallen—the same pattern stone commemorating officers and privates alike. Appropriate hymns were sung, followed by the National Anthem. At the conclusion of the evening service Mrs. Stokes unveiled the memorial, supported by the Rector and churchwardens.

The memorial consists of a marble tablet, on which are inscribed the names, regiment and date of death of the local soldiers, bold Roman capitals, as follows:

"In proud and grateful remembrance of the men from this parish who lost their lives in the service their country in the Great War, 1914-1919. Blanden, Alfred W., 1st Suffolk, killed in action. February 18th, 1915; Arthur Gauntlett, R.G.A., died July 15th, 1918; Poulter, James, E. R.F.A., killed in action, October 1916; William Rolph, 1st Suffolks, killed in action March 7th, 1916; Stokes, Louis M.. Royal Marines, killed in action November 13th, 1916: Taylor, Bertie W., 11th Suffolks, killed in action January 17th. 1916; Brasnett. Walter E., 1st Suffolks, died from wounds April 9th. 1917; Brasnett. Archibald R., 1st Suffolks, died from wounds April 25th. 1917; Clarke. Harry S., 11th Suffolks, killed in action April 3rd, 1917; Claydon. Harry C. F., 8th East Surrey, killed in action November 11th, 1915; Potter, Maurice H., 2nd Notts, and Derby, killed in action, January 31st, 1915: Potter, Amos Frederick. Grenadier Guards; Shore, George. Royal Sussex, died from wounds July 1st. 1916; Shore. Arthur, 2nd Suffolks, killed in action March 3rd, 1918; Taylor, Henry A.. K.0.L.R., killed in action October 25th. 1915; Webb. Albert, 11th Suffolks, killed action April 28ih. 1917; Wood, Frank. 11th East Yorks., killed in action November 11th, 1917. Their name llveth for ever.”

The tablet is a white Sicilian marble, on black Belgium marble, with white Sicilian corbels, and was erected by Messrs, Whitehead and Day, Saffron Walden. The church was crowded with relatives and friends the men who had fallen.

Photographs Copyright © Ann Thompson 2000

BLANDEN	Alfred Walter	Private 7308 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment who was killed in action on Monday, 15th February 1915. Age 27. Born Gt. Wilbraham, enlisted Cambridge. Son of Walter C. and Catherine Blanden, of Whitehall, Little Wilbraham, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 21
BRASNEIT	Walter Edward	Serjeant 13968, 11th Battalion, 2nd Suffolk Regiment who was killed in action on Tuesday, 9th April 1918. Age 25. Born Grantchester, enlisted Newmarket. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Brasnett, of Six Mile Bottom; husband of Edith Maud Brasnett, of 8, Six Mile Bottom. Cambs. In the 1911 census he was aged 17 (born circa 1894), unmarried, a Farm Labourer, born Grantchester, Cambridge, son of John and Susannah Brasneet, resident Six Mile Bottom, Little Wilbraham, brother of Arhibald (below). No known grave. Commemorated on PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Panel 3. See also Six Mile Bottom
BRASNETT	Archibald R	Private 6034, 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment forlery 2nd Battalion. Died of wounds 25 April 1917 out of service. Aged 36. In the 1911 census he was aged 31 (born circa 1881), unmarried, a Farm Labourer, born Fakenham, Norfolk, son of John and Susannah Brasnett, resident Six Mile Bottom, Little Wilbraham, brother of Walter (below). Death registered in the March to June Quarter 1917 in the Chesterton Registration District. According to his Short Term Attestation he was aged 20 years 6 months when he enlisted, born Fakenham, a Porter by trade, enlisted and was apssed fit 5 February 1901 in London, aged 20. He was 5 feet 9¾ inches, weighed 147lbs, chest 35½ inches, complexion fresh, eyes blue, hair dark brown, religious denomination Baptist. He served with the Expeditionary Force France 7 October 1914 to 8 December 1914 and then 24 March 1915 to 5 May 1915. He was discharged 30 May 1916 as no longer physically fit for war service. Mother Mrs J Brasnett, of Six Mile Bottom, near Newmarket. He was wounded in the right hand then gunshot wounds and fractures tot he right arm, gunshot wounds to right leg and left wrist. See also Six Mile Bottom
CLARKE	Harry S	Private, Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in Action 3 April 1917, Buried in ST. NICOLAS BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. See also Six Mile Bottom
CLAYDON	Harry Charles Frederick	Private 5182 8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment who was killed in action on Thursday, 11th November 1915. Age 26. Son of Ben and Elizabeth Matilda Grace Claydon, of Six Mile Bottom, Newmarket; husband of Violet Maud Claydon, of 7, Six Mile Bottom, Newmarket. Buried in NORFOLK CEMETERY, BECORDEL-BECOURT, Somme, France. Grave I. C. 20. See also Six Mile Bottom and Liverpool Street Station, London.
LEWINGTON	Arthur Gauntlett	Gunner 9759 2nd Ammunition Col., Royal Field Artillery who died on Monday, 15th July 1918. Age 41. Son of Mrs. E. Lewington, of Little Wilbraham, Cambs. Buried in RAWALPINDI WAR CEMETERY, Pakistan. Grave 1. G. 7.
POTTER	Amos F.	Private 22555 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards who died on Tuesday, 26th November 1918. Husband of Mrs. E. E. Potter, of Bitteswell, Lutterworth, Leicestershire. Buried in PREMONT BRITISH CEMETERY, Aisne, France. Grave III. C. 24. See also Six Mile Bottom
POTTER	Maurice Henry	Lance Corporal 11182 1st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regt.) who was killed in action on Sunday, 31st January 1915. Age 24. Son of Elijah William and Jane Potter, of Six Mile Bottom, Newmarket. No known grave. Commemorated on LE TOURET MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 26 and 27. From Andy Pay's research into the Marquis de Ruvigny' s Roll of Honour the following: Volume 1, Part 1, Page 294. POTTER, Maurice Henry. Lance Corporal, number 11182, 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters. 4th son of Elijah William Potter, of Six Mile Bottom,Newmarket co. Cambs, goods porter on the Great Eastern Railway at Six Mile Bottom station, by his wife Jane, dau of James Cook. Born Six Mile Bottom 1-5-1891, educated council school there. Enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters 2-3-1909, served in India sept 1911 to oct 1914 and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders Nov 1914 to 1-2-1915 on which date he was killed in action near La Bassee and was buried 30 yards west of the Estaires-La Bassee road, was unmarried. He gained the second class Certificate of Education 19-12-1909 and a first class certificate of the same 27-3-1913, he also gained four good conduct badges and the swimming certificate at Bombay 17-1-1914. His three brothers are all now (1916) on active service. See also Six Mile Bottom
POULTER	James Edward	Gunner L/37164, "D" Battery, 90th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action 22 September 1916. Enlisted Hampstead, middlesex, resident Kentish Town. In the 1891 census he was aged 10, a scholar, born Little Wilbraham, resident with his parents Frederick and Mary A Poulter at Frog End, Little Wilbraham. He was baptised 5 September 1880, son of Mary Ann and Frederick Poulter, at Little Wilbrahm. Buried in BERNAFAY WOOD BRITISH CEMETERY, MONTAUBAN, Somme, France. Plot/Row/Section E. Grave 16.
ROLPH	William	Private 8380 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment who was killed in action on Sunday, 7th March 1915. Age 25. Son of Mrs. A. Rolph, of Little Wilbraham, Cambs. Buried in BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Nord, France. Grave J. 20.
SHORE	Arthur	Private 40893 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment who was killed inn action on Thursday, 28th March 1918. No known grave. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 4
SHORE	George	Private SD/3022 12th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment who died of wounds on Saturday, 1st July 1916. Age 24. Born Linton, enlisted at Hastings. Son of Walter and Annie Shore, of Six Mile Bottom, Newmarket. Buried in MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Nord, France. Grave VI. Q. 71.
STOKES	Louis Mander	Second Lieutenant 2nd R.M. Battalion R.M. Div., Royal Marine Light Infantry who was killed in action on Monday, 13th November 1916. Age 19. Buried in MAILLY WOOD CEMETERY, Somme, France. Grave I. D. 32.
TAYLOR	Bertie William	Private 13580 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment who killed in action on Saturday, 1st July 1916. Age 24. Born Little Wilbraham, enlisted Cambridge. Son of William Charles and Minnie Eliza Frost, of Church Green, Little Wilbraham, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 2 A
TAYLOR	Henry Andrew	Acting Corporal 14992, 6th Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). Died in Mesopotamia 25 October 1915. Born Hurst, Lancashire, enlisted London. Buried in HILL 10 CEMETERY, Turkey (including Gallipoli). Plot I. Row E. Grave 14. [Connection with Little Wilbraham and Six Mile Bottom unknown] See also Six Mile Bottom
WEBB	Albert	Private 20404 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment who killed in action on Saturday, 28th April 1917. Age 22. Son of David Webb, of 5, Six Mile Bottom, Newmarket. No known grave. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 4. See also Six Mile Bottom
WOODS	Frank	Private 11/843 11th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment who was killed in action on Thursday, 8th November 1917. Age 22. Son of Henry William and Harriet Woods, of Coventry Cottage, Six Mile Bottom, Cambs. No known grave. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 4 and 5. See also Six Mile Bottom
THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE 1939 - 1945
MAY, A.F.C.	Peter Rodriguez	Wing Commander 28048, 296 Squadron (Commanding Officer), Royal Air Force. Country of service United Kingdom. Killed in action flying out of Goubrine II, Tunisia, in a Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle GTI, serial number P1446, when the aircraft was lost without trace during Operation Chestnut to drop SAS troops over Sicily as part of Operation Husky 13 July 1943. Aged 35. Awarded the Air Force Cross (A.F.C.), Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C.)(U.S.A.). Native of Parkstone, Dorsetshire. Son of John Johnstone May, and of Christiana Brix May, of Parkstone, Dorsetshire; husband of Doreen May. Previously served in the Chinese Air Force (awarded gold medal). Panel 6, Column 1. No known grave. Commemorated on MALTA MEMORIAL, Malta. Panel 6, Column 1. See also Malta Memorial
PRESTON	Joseph	Trooper 14346508 49th Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment, R.A.C. who was killed in action on Sunday, 29th April 1945. Age 30. Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Preston; husband of Edna Kathleen Mary Preston, of Little Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire. Buried in BECKLINGEN WAR CEMETERY, Germany. Grave 2. H. 1A.

Last updated 24 September, 2024