Roll of Honour - Norfolk

ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS
OF THE BIRCHAMS
TO THE MEMORY OF
KILLED IN THE GREAT WAR
1914- 1918
FOR KING AND COUNTRY

There is also a wooden Roll of Honour in the Parish Church.

THIS MEMORIAL
IS PLACED HERE IN
GRATEFUL MEMORY OF
HIS MAJESTY
KING GEORGE VI
AND TO HONOUR THOSE
OF THIS PARISH WHO MADE
THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN
THE TWO WORLD WARS.

Names are identical on both Memorials.

1914 - 1918

BEESTON	John Dunn	Driver T/421936. 665th H.T. Coy. (Blackheath) Army Service Corps. Died at home on 2nd July 1918. Aged 38. Born Harpley, Norfolk. Lived Great Bircham. Enlisted King’s Lynn. Son of the late John Dunn Beeston, of London House Great Bircham; husband of Ida Elizabeth Beeston, of 16, Great Bircham. Buried in Great Bircham (St. Mary) Churchyard.
CHAPLIN	Edward Robert	Stoker 1st Class 223109. (RFR/CH/B/6421). H.M.S. "Aboukir. Royal Navy. Died on 22nd September 1914. Aged 27. Son of Samuel Chaplin, of Carr Terrace, Docking, Norfolk; husband of Ellen E. Tree (formerly Chaplin), of 107, Windsor Rd., Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. Commemorated on Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 4. See also Bexhill-on-Sea & Bexhill-on-Sea St Mary Magdelene. Special note: In the early hours of the morning of 22 September 1914, HMS Cressy along with HMS Aboukir & HMS Hogue were sunk by torpedoes from a U-boat under the command of Otto Weddigen, in the North Sea.
EASTER	E	Private. Unable to positively identify. Possibly Wallace Donald G E Easter birth recorded 1887 Docking District, present Bircham Tofts 1891 as Grandson of John Easter, born Bircham Tofts. Present Bircham Tofts 1911 as Wallis Donald Easter. No trace number or name variation SDGW. CWGC has E Easter (no forename noted, no stated Norfolk connection). Lance Corporal L/12393. Royal Fusiliers (Battalion not noted). Died 4th January 1916. Buried Eastbourne (Ocklynge) Cemetery. Z.572. [Note: location of large WWI military hospital]
EASTER	Robert John	Private 59511. 6th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 4th November 1918. Aged 19. Born Bircham Tofts. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Adelaide Easter, of 24, Bircham Tofts, King's Lynn, Norfolk, and the late James Easter. Buried in Preux-Au-Bois Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Ref. A.39.
EASTER	Sidney Harold	Lance Corporal 13678. 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 15th September 1916. Born Bircham Tofts. Enlisted Norwich. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 1 D.
ENGLAND	George	Corporal 9288. 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment. (Prince of Wales's Own). Killed in action in France & Flanders on 1st January 1917. Born Snetson (sic), Lynn, Norfolk. Enlisted York. No known grave. Commemorated on Guards' Cemetery, Combles, Somme, France. Priez Farm Mem. 4.
ENGLAND, DCM	R	Sergeant. Distinguished Conduct Medal. Possibly Robert J England born Snettisham 1888, son of James Thomas and Alice Eliza England. Brother of George Henry England. There is a Distinguished Conduct Medal citation from the London Gazette [2 December 1919] for R T ENGLAND: 17988 Sjt. R.T. ENGLAND MM 1st Battalion, (Banbury) As platoon commander, on 24th October 1918, during the attack near Verchain, he displayed marked courage and ability in leading and hamdling his command. During the advance, the line was held up by hostile fire from two machine-gun posts. He pushed his Lewis guns round the flank and rushed the position, capturing two guns and their teams. Lateron, when consolidating, he got three captured guns into position and engaged the enemy whilst his men were getting protection. Throughout the day he set a splendid example to his men.
HAMMOND	Arthur Albert	Private 13697. 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 8th June 1915. Aged 20. Born Great Bircham. Enlisted Norwich. Son of William J. and Ellen E. Hammond, of 77, Great Bircham, King's Lynn. No known grave. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 4.
HAMMOND	Frank Augustus	Private 17761. 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards. Died of wounds on 28th August 1918. Aged 32. Born and lived Great Bircham. Enlisted King’s Lynn. Son of William and Ellen Hammond, of 77, Great Bircham, King's Lynn. Buried in Ligny-Sur-Canche British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. A. 1.
HUBBARD	Frederick William	Private 42079. 7th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Died on 10th November 1918. Aged 18. Born Anmer, Norfolk. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Mrs. Agnes B. Hubbard, of Great Bircham, King's Lynn. Buried in Brebieres British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. D.3.
KING	James Edward	Rifleman 592994. 18th Battalion London Regiment (London Irish Rifles). Formerly 82090 R.A.M.C. Died on 25th October 1918 (CD gives date as 23rd October). Aged 36. Born Rudham. Lived King’s Lynn. Enlisted Kettering. Son of Mrs. Anne King, of 80, Great Bircham, King's Lynn. Buried in Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Belgrade Cemetery, Namur, Belgium. Ref. III. C. 8.
MILES	Robert	Private 24028. 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action on 4th September 1916. Born Great Bircham. Enlisted King’s Lynn. Buried in Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France. Ref. I. I. 8.
OSBORNE	Jacob	(Osbourne on CD). Private 13349. 2nd/4th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment.). Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 24th May 1918. Aged 24. Born Bircham Newton. Lived King’s Lynn. Enlisted Skipton, Yorkshire. Son of Edward Jacob and Mary Ann Osborne, of 2, Bircham Newton, King's Lynn. Buried in Bienvillers Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. XX. B. 8.
OSBORNE	J M	Private. No further information available at present.
TAYLOR	Bertie Alfred	Air Mechanic 1st Class 23436. 57th Squadron Royal Air Force. Died on 30th July 1918. Aged 22. Son of Ernest George and Sarah Ann Taylor, of Baythorpe Rd., Bircham Tofts, King's Lynn. Buried in Huby-St. Leu British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. C. 11.
WACEY	Albert Thomas	Acting Bombardier 36005. 113th Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 4th March 1915. Aged 23. Born and lived Bircham Tofts. Enlisted Norwich. Son of George and Eliza Wacey, of 8, Bircham Tofts, King's Lynn. Buried in Merville Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Ref. I. D. 12.
WHARTON	Sidney Alfred	Second Lieutenant 8th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, attd. Trench Mortar Bty. Died of wounds on 1st July 1917. Aged 20. Son of Mrs. A. Wharton, of Bircham Tofts, King's Lynn. Buried in Dive Copse British Cemetery, Somme, France. Ref. II. R 26.
WHARTON	Thomas Henry	Private (memorial gives rank as Corporal) 312784. 9th Battalion Essex Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 3rd July 1916. Aged 27. Born and lived Great Bircham. Enlisted Chelmsford. Son of Herbert and Mary Wharton, of Bircham, King's Lynn, Norfolk. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 10 D.
1939 – 1945
BRISTON	Eric Victor	Leading Seaman C/JX 142857. H.M.S. Verdun, Royal Navy. Died on 22nd March 1946. Aged 27. Son of Harry and Alice Briston, of Bircham; husband of Gwendoline Myrtle Briston, of Bircham Tofts. Buried in Great Bircham (St. Mary) Churchyard. LEADING SEAMAN R.N. 1C/JX 142857 E.V. BRISTON ROYAL NAVY H.M.S. VERDUN 22nd MARCH 1946 Age 27
EASTER	M	Bombardier. No further information available at present.
OSBORNE	A	Private. No further information available at present.

Last updated 5 October, 2018