Roll of Honour - Norfolk

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

DITCHINGHAM WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Detailed Information
Compiled and Copyright © Transcribed & Researched by Lynda Smith - 2005

Ditchingham is situated next to Bungay on the Norfolk / Suffolk border. The War Memorial is huge and made from marble, with a life-size bronze figure at its base. It was designed by Derwent Wood. For more information and pictures of Ditchingham church please see Simon Knott's Norfolk Church Website.

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN HONOUR OF OUR DEAD

THESE MEN WENT FROM THIS VILLAGE IN THE GREAT WAR.
THEY DIED FOR ENGLAND IN DEFENCE OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.

ATTOE	Alan Gordon	Private 13/58982. 20th Battalion Training Reserve. Died at home on 1st January 1918. Aged 18. Born Wymondham, Norfolk. Lived Ditchingham. Enlisted Norwich. Son of George and Eliza Attoe, of Ditchingham, Norfolk. Buried: Bungay Cemetery, Suffolk. Ref. CX. 86.
BIRD	Herbert Henry	Serjeant 267166. 2nd/6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment. Formerly 298 6th Norfolk Regiment. Died in France & Flanders on 19th July 1916. Aged 30. Born Ditchingham. Enlisted Bungay, Suffolk. Son of Edward and Elizabeth Bird, of Station Rd., Ditchingham, Norfolk. Commemorated: Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 60 to 64.
BIRD	Sidney	Private 66673. 76th Company Machine Gun Corps. Formerly 31274 Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 29th September 1917. Aged 29. Born Wrentham, Suffolk. Lived Frostenden. Enlisted Lowestoft. Son of James and Louisa Bird, of Gorleston-on-Sea, late of Wrentham; husband of Edith A. Bird, of Ivy Cottage, Free Lane, Ditchingham, Bungay, Suffolk. Buried: Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No.3, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Ref. I. J. 13.
BUTCHER	Ralph R	Private 10950. 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 16th September 1916. Born and lived Ditchingham. Enlisted Lowestoft. Buried: Guards' Cemetery, Lesboeufs, Somme, France. Ref. IV. Q. 10.
CODLING	Harry	Private 3671. 1st/4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in Gallipoli on 20th August 1915. Aged 20. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Charles and Emily Codling, of Belsey Bridge, Ditchingham, Norfolk. Commemorated: Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 42 to 44.
DOBBIE	Reginald Henry Victor	Private 10/1470. Wellington Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Died on 8th August 1915. Aged 27. Son of Henry Dobbie, of Bungay, Suffolk, England. Commemorated: Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial, Turkey. Column 20.
EDMUNDS	Harold Charles	Lance Corporal 202433. "D Company, 1st/1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment. Formerly 3282 Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 18th September 1918. Aged 22. Enlisted Bungay. Son of John and Maryanne Edmunds, of Ditchingham, Norfolk. Buried: Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery, Epehy, Somme, France. Ref. II. E. 1.
FAIRHEAD	Daniel Dennis	Private 54334. 34th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, transferred to (60365) 101st Company, Labour Corps. Formerly 70165 Middlesex Regiment. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 14th May 1918. Aged 27. Born Ditchingham. Lived Fleggburgh, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Enlisted Wroxham. Son of Alfred and Louisa Fairhead, of Ditchingham, Bungay, Suffolk; husband of Lily May Fairhead, of Chelsea House, Riseholm Rd., Lincoln. Buried: St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France. Ref. Q. II. H. 12.
FISKE	Harold Arthur	Private S4/072389. "A Supply Company (Aldershot), Army Service Corps. Died at home on 20th April 1915. Aged 19. Born Barsham, Suffolk. Lived and enlisted Bungay. Son of Samuel and Alice Amelia Fiske, of 9, Wharton St., Bungay, Suffolk. Buried: Earsham (All Saints) Churchyard, North-West of Church.
GARROULD	Arthur Lewis	Private 51486. 15th Battalion Royal Scots. Formerly 9099 Royal West Surrey Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 9th April 1918. Aged 37. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Edward William Garrould. Buried: Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord, France. Ref. II. I. 38.
GILLINGWATER	Arthur	Private 14943. 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 13th May 1916. Born Howe, Norfolk. Enlisted Norwich. Buried: La Brique Military Cemetery No.2, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Ref. II. E. 4.
GORBEL	Albert Victor	Private G/24516. 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 26th August 1916. Aged 26. Born Wivenhoe, Essex. Lived Bungay, Suffolk. Enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Son of Ebenezer and Eliza Gorbell, of Station Rd., Ditchingham, Bungay; husband of Lucy Jane Gorbell, of Hedenham, Bungay, Suffolk. Commemorated: Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 12 D and 13 B.
GRAY	C	No further information available at present.
HALE	Harry Alan	[Spelt HAILE on memorial] Private 43405, 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. Killed in action 21st December 1916. Born at Bungay, enlisted Ditchingham. Formerly 1405, Norfolk Cyclist Battalion and 43405, Norfolk Regiment. Buried in CATERPILLAR VALLEY CEMETERY, LONGUEVAL, Somme, France. Plot IX. Row J. Grave 23.
HAMILTON	Kenneth Robert	Private 43465. 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment. Formerly 2154 2nd/6th Battalion Norfolk (Cyclist) Regiment. Died in France & Flanders on 19th November 1916. Aged 19. Born Ditchingham. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Robert James and Sarah Ann Hamilton, of Yarmouth Rd., Broome, Bungay. Buried: St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France. Ref. O. II. D. 6. See also Liverpool Street Station, London
HANSY	George Henry	(Spelt Hansey on CD). Private 9343. 7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 9th September 1915. Born Ditchingham. Enlisted Tumble. (sic). Buried: Pont-De-Nieppe Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Ref. I. A. 1.
JOHNSON	B	Possibly: Bertie Albert Johnson. Corporal 43156. 7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Formerly 1155 Suffolk (Cyclists) Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 27th March 1918. Enlisted Bungay. Commemorated: Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France. Panel 25. Or may be Robert Harold Johnson (see below) who is buried in the churchyard.
KENT	Jacob Ernest	(Ernest Jacob on CD & CWGC). Private 41752. 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers. Formerly S/4/064775. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 18th April 1918. Aged 29. Born Bungay, Suffolk. Lived Ditchingham. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Jacob and Murray Kent, of 5, Castle Hill, Bungay, Suffolk, husband of Nellie Kent, of Gas House Lane, Ditchingham, Norfolk. Commemorated: Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 140 to 141.
NORMAN	William Herbert	Private 25241. 8th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 22nd October 1916. Aged 30. Born Broome, Norfolk. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Joseph William and Sarah Elizabeth Norman, of Loddon Rd., Ditchingham, Norfolk. Commemorated: Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 1 D.
PRIOR	H	Probably: Bertie Prior. Private 21045. 2nd Battalion The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Formerly 28501 Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 2nd April 1917. Born Greston, Norfolk. Lived Ditchingham. Enlisted Bungay. Buried: Croisilles British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. I. A. 13.
REYNOLDS	Ernest Archer	Private 21267. 8th Battalion Border Regiment. Formerly 18894 Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 5th July 1916. Born Felbrigg, Norfolk. Lived Ditchingham. Enlisted Norwich. Commemorated: Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France Pier and Face 6 A and 7 C.
RUNICLES	Harry	CD gives Rumicles). Gunner 64138. "A Battery, 86th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 9th July 1916. Aged 19. Lived Belsey Bridge, Norfolk. Enlisted Beverley. Son of Harry and Harriet Runicles of Bath Hills Farm, Earsham, Norfolk. Commemorated: Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 A and 8 A.
SAMPSON	W I	No further information available at present.
SEELEY	Ernest William	Serjeant 10499. 6th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment. Killed in action in Gallipoli on 10th August 1915. Aged 33. Born Gomersol, Yorkshire. Lived Bungay. Enlisted Liverpool. Son of William and Rose Seeley, of Hall Lodge, Ditchingham, Norfolk. Commemorated: Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 139 and 140.
SIMMONS	Philip Christopher	Private 240499 (1784). 5th Battalion The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Killed in action with the M.E.F. on 28th September 1916. Aged 28. Born and lived Ditchingham. Enlisted Ashford, Kent. Son of Philip and Elizabeth Simmons, of Thwaite Rd., Ditchingham, Norfolk. Commemorated: Angora Memorial, Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery. Iraq. Ref. 151.
SMITH	George Arthur	Gunner 124865. 321st Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 3rd June 1917. Aged 30. Born Pulham Market, Norfolk. Lived Ditchingham. Enlisted Bungay. Son of G. P. and Ellen Smith, of Ditchingham, Bungay, Norfolk. Buried: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Ref. XII. C. 13A.
STROWGER	Hubert G.	Lance Serjeant 8514. 2nd Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Died in Mesopotamia on 31st December 1916. Born Kirby Crane, Norfolk. Enlisted Bungay. Commemorated: Basra Memorial, Iraq. Panel 10.
WILLIAMS	Augustus G.	Private 6806. 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 25th October 1914. Aged 29. Born Ditchingham. Enlisted Starston, Norfolk. Son of Ambrose Williams; husband of the late Eva Williams. Commemorated: Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 8.
WILLIAMS	Gordon C.	Lance Corporal 43415. 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 30th August 1918. Born and enlisted Ditchingham. Buried: Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. II. F. 16.
RODWELL	Mary A.	Staff Nurse. Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service. Died on 17th November 1915. Commemorated: Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton. Staff Nurse Rodwell probably died when H. M. Hospital Ship Anglia was sunk by a mine in the English Channel on 17th November 1915 bringing wounded soldiers back from France.
1939 – 1945
FAIRHEAD	Sidney Dennis	Private 5777184. 5th Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment. Died on 23rd June 1943. Aged 23. Buried Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand. Ref: 2. M. 57.
LAMBERT	James Charles	Leading Aircraftman (Pilot U/T) 1332833. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died on 31st December 1941. Aged 18. Son of Stanley R. J. Lambert and Florence E. Lambert, of Ditchingham. Buried: Ditchingham Cemetery. Sec. E. Row D. Grave 17.
PLUMB	Frederick Alfred	Gunner 1692005. 127 Battery, 37 Lt. A.A. Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died on 14th February 1941. Aged 25. Son of Frederick James Plumb, and Isabel Plumb, husband of Lily Grace Kathleen Plumb, of Bungay, Suffolk. Buried: Ditchingham Cemetery. Ref. Sec. D. Row C. Grave 42.
REEVE	William	Private 5948199. 1st Battalion The Hertfordshire Regiment, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. Died on 1st December 1941. Aged 28. Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Baker, of Ditchingham, Suffolk. Buried: Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya. Ref. 3. A. 18.
TREHERNE	Jerome Edmund Offley	Second Lieutenant 307952. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, attached to 1st Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment. Died on 27th July 1944. Aged 20. Son of Edmund Henry Apsley Treherne and Camilla Mary Treherne, of Ditchingham, Norfolk. Buried: Hermanville War Cemetery, Calvados, France. Ref. 2. I. 4.
Buried in the cemetery, not on the memorial.
FAIRHEAD	Alfred Edward	Private 3283. 3rd/5th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Died at home on 14th October 1915. Enlisted Beccles. Buried: Ditchingham (St. Mary) Churchyard. North of church.
JOHNSON DCM, MM	Robert Harold	Sergeant 424322. "A" Company, 27th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment). Died on 17th July 1919. Aged 27. Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and The Military Medal. Sergeant Johnson was born in Ditchingham on 1st November 1893, the son of Samuel Lucy Johnson. In Canada he worked as a fisherman. Buried: Ditchingham Cemetery. In the North-West part.

Last updated 15 February, 2018

War Memorials Trust