Roll of Honour - Sussex

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

FALMER WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Chris Comber 2008

The memorial is to be found within St. Laurnce Parish Church, Falmer. The memorial takes the form of a fine, wooden, carved plaque. There are 14 names for World War 1 and 9 for World War 2.

1914-1918

BECK

Albert Arthur

Private, 46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (The Saskatchewan Regiment). 4th Canadian Division. Killed in action 28th September 1918. Aged 35. Son of Stephen George and Fanny Beck of 81, Mill Street, Falmer. Buried in Cantimpre Canadian Cemetery, Sailly.

BUDD

James Alfred

Private G/27890, 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. 8th Division Killed in action on the Somme 27th February 1917. Aged 41. Son of Mr & Mrs James Budd of Falmer. Husband of Mrs Harriett Budd of Rose Cottage, Stedham. Born in Bramshott, Hants and enlisted in Chichester. No known grave. Commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial

BUXTON

Hugh Forster

Lieutenant, 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade. 8th Division. Wounded on the Somme and died on the 3rd November 1916. Aged 34. Son of Francis & the Hon Mrs Buxton of 43, Hans Place London. Buried in Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte

CHALCRAFT

Walter Stanley

Private SD/2640, 13th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division. Killed in action on the Rue De Bois 30th June 1916. Aged 25. Son of Walter Chalcraft (Railway Porter) & Louisa Chalcraft of 2, Railway Cottages, Falmer. Born Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and enlisted in Bexhill on Sea (1901 Census spelling Chalcroft). No known grave. Commemorated on The Loos Memorial

DIPLOCK

John

Sergeant 874046, 27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (The Manitoba Regiment) Died in the United Kingdom 16th December 1917. Aged 36. Son of George & Mariam Diplock of Falmer. Husband of Fanny Diplock (remarried) of Sooke Way West, Vancouver Island, Canada. Born in Falmer. Former railway platelayer Buried in Basingstoke (Worting) Cemetery, Hampshire.

GOBLE

Royal Navy. No record with CWGC. Possibly George James Goble SS/119936 Royal Navy Born in 1901 (Medal Rolls)

HOBDEN

Arthur Ernest John

Lance Sergeant 7303, 8th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment. 24th Division Killed in action near Ypres 9th September 1917. Aged 31. Son of Arthur & Marion Hobden of Yew Tree Cottage, Falmer. Born in Falmer and enlisted in Lewes. Formerly with the 1/5th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Buried in The Huts Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium

PELHAM, Legion of Honour

The Hon. Herbert Lyttelton

Lieutenant Herbert Lyttelton Pelham
© IWM (HU 116813)

[Transcribed as The Honourable Lyttleton Herbert Keymer PELHAM] Second Lieutenant. Born 3 April 1884 at Rectory House, Lambeth, 4th son of Rev. Francis Godolphin, 5th Earl of Chichester, of Stanmer, Lewes, Sussex; married Mary Gwendolen Emmott in St Margaret, Westminster. He was at Charterhouse [D] 1898 - 1900. In the 1891 census he was aged 7, born London, Middlesex, brother of Ruth Pelham and son of Canon Pelham, resident Dann Dairy, Gloster Road, Seaford, Eastbourne, Sussex. In the 1901 census he was aged 16, born Lambeth, Surrey, a school boarder, resident South Lynn, Mill Gap Road, Eastbourne, Sussex. In 1902 he was commissioned into the Hants. & Isle of Wight R.G.A. (Militia) then in 1904 transferred to the Royal Sussex Regiment. Held Aviator's and Pilot's Certificates. In the Great War he served as Adjutant with 2nd Bn. He was awarded the Cross of Légion d'Honneur. He was killed in action on 14 September 1914. His grave is in Vendresse British Cemetery, Aisne, France. Plot. I. Row C. Grave 15. See also Lambeth Parish Church, Charterhouse School Memorial and Keymer War Memorial

Extract from the Charterhouse Register, Long Quarter 1898:

Pelham, Herbert Littleton. b. 3 April, 1884. (Daviesites); Left O.Q., 1900.-Joined D.C.O. Hants & Isle of Wight R.G.A. (Militia ), 1902.

The Hon. H. L. Pelham, The Vicarage, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Extract from Northwich Guardian - Friday 19 December 1913, page 4, and Runcorn Guardian - Friday 19 December 1913, page 4:

The most recent qualiflcations for the Royal Flying Corps include Mr. Herbert Lyttelton Pelham, youngest brother of Lord Chichester, and lieutenant in the 2nd Royal Sussex Regiment. Mr. Pelham learnt to fly at the Vickers School Brooklands, and passed his tests in the most promising manner for the Royal Club's certificate, which was granted him the last meeting.

Extract from Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 19 September 1914, page 8:

Lieutenant the Hon. Herbert Lyttelton Pelham (killed) is brother to the Earl of Chichester. His father, the late Rev. the Earl Chichester, was formerly vicar of Yarmouth. Lieutenant Pelham was born in 1884, and became lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1908.

Extract from London Evening Standard - Saturday 19 September 1914, page 6:

The Hon. Herbert Lyttelton Pelham, youngest brother of the Earl of Chichester, was born in 1884. He entered the Militia, and in 1904 joined the Royal Sussex Regiment, of which he was appointed adjutant in December, 1911.

Extract from Beverley and East Riding Recorder - Saturday 26 September 1914, page 4:

Lieutenant the Hon. Herbert Lyttelton Pelham, who was killed in one of the recent engagements, is brother of the Earl of Chichester, and son of the late Hon. and Rev F. G. Pelham, a former vicar of St. Mary's, Beverley. Lieutenant Pelham was born in 1884, and became a lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1908.

Extract from Beverley and East Riding Recorder - Saturday 26 September 1914, page 4:

PELHAM—Killed in action, the Hon. Herbert Lyttelton Pelham, Lieutenant and Adjutant 2nd Battalion Boyal Sussex Regt., youngest son of the late Francis, Earl of Chichester, of Stanmer Park, Falmer, and Alice, Dowager Countess of Chichester, of Oldland, Keymer, aged 30.

PELLING

Harry

Private 256319, 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles (The Sasketchewan Regiment) 8th Brigade, 3rd Division. Killed in action 29th September 1918. Aged 34. Son of William & Naomi Pelling of 49, The Terrace, Falmer. Born in Brighton. Buried in Raillencourt Communal Cemetery Extension.

READ

George Robert

Private 6143, 18th Battalion, Australian Infantry (New South Wales) 2nd Australian Division. Killed in action 15th April 1918. No known grave. Commemorated on The Villers-Bretonneux Memorial

SAUNDERS

Harry

Private 51255, 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. 63rd Royal Naval Division Died of wounds 22nd August 1918. Aged 19. Son of Trayton and Eliza Saunders of 7, Home Farm, Stanmer Park, Falmer. Born and enlisted in Brighton. Buried in Bucquoy Communal Cemetery

STENNING

Henry

Private TF.203876 13th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. 24th Division. Middlesex. Died of wounds in base hospital at Rouen 17th April 1918. Aged 35. Son of Mrs Mary Stenning of The Rest House, Stanmer Park, Falmer. Born in Sayers Common and enlisted in Brighton. Buried in St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen

SIVYER

George

Private G/4920, 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division Killed in action at Loos 25th September 1915. Aged 34. Born Little Horstead near Uckfield and enlisted in Brighton. Included on Brighton War Memorial. No known grave. Commemorated on The Loos Memorial

UNSTED

Harry

Private G/20111, 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Indian Army. Died of disease in India 13th August 1918. Aged 32 Son of Mr Unsted and Mrs Louisa Unsted of Falmer. Resident of Old Town, Eastbourne. Born in Falmer & enlisted in Horsham. Included on Eastbourne War Memorial and St Mary’s Parish Church Memorial Eastbourne. No known grave. Commemorated on the Karachi memorial Pakistan.

1939-1945

ALDRICH

Ralph

Able Seaman, HMS “Manistee”, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Armed Boarding Vessel (Ex-Elder & Fyffes Cargo Liner 5,360 tons). Lost when the ship was torpedoed by U107 and The Italian Submarine “’Bianchi’’ in the Mediterannean 24th February 1941. Aged 22 Son of Wilfred Owen Aldrich and Nelly Aldrich. No known grave. Commemorated on The Portsmouth Naval Memorial Southsea.

BRANCH, GC EGM

Guy Rawstron

Flying Officer (Pilot), 145 Squadron, Royal Air Force (Auxilliary Air Force). Lost over the Dieppe area 11th August 1940. Aged 26 Son of Charles Churchill Branch, OBE, and Mrs Mary Branch. Husband of Lady Prudence Mary Branch. Educated at Balliol College, Oxford Buried in Quiberville Churchyard

EARL

Henry James

Sergeant Flight Engineer, 156 Bomber Squadron (Lancasters), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Lost over Hamburg 30th July 1943 Buried in Hamburg Cemetery, Germany.

GOLDRING

James William

Royal Corps of Signals. No record with CWGC data base.

GOLDRING

Edward Charles

Sergeant, No 49 Bomber Squadron (Manchesters), Royal Air Force. Lost over northern Europe 20th June 1942. Aged 22. Son of Charles & Frances Edith Goldring of Brighton. No known grave. Commemorated on The Runnymede Memorial

KETCHELL

Brian John

Sergeant, 102 Bomber Squadron (Handley Page Halifax 11’s.), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed in action over Northern Europe. 8th December 1942. Aged 23. Son of Richard John & Daisy Kate Ketchell of Falmer No known grave. Commemorated on The Runnymede Memorial

MAY

Kenneth Albert

[Listed on War Memorial as Albert] Army Cadet. Killed 28th April 1945 at Rottingdean Road, Falmer when his greatcoat was caught by a passing tank. The 1939 Register lists him as being at school, born 30 Oct 1928, resident with his parents, Abert V and Florence E, at 74 The Highway, Brighton C.B., Sussex. Buried in Falmer Churchyard, Sussex.

Will / Probate record reads,

Kenneth Albert May (born 1928) died 28th April 1945 at Rottingdean Road, Falmer.
Son of Albert Victor & Florence Ellen May of Newick Road, Brighton.

PELHAM

John Buxton

Captain, Scots Guards. Died at home 21st February 1944. Aged 31. 8th Earl of Chichester. Son of Jocelyn Brudenell Pelham OBE. DL. JP 6th Earl of Chichester & of Ruth, Countess of Chichester (nee Buxton). Husband of Ursula Countess of Chichester of Falmer. Buried in Stanmer Churchyard

WESCOMBE

Basil Courtney

Flight Sergeant (Pilot), 207 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died 14th January 1942. Aged 25. Son of George Courtney and Elsie Wescombe. Husband of Audrey Ruby Constance Wescombe of Bittern Park, Southampton. Buried in Falmer Church Cemetery. 7th Grave from gate - Pathside.

Last updated 26 May, 2022

War Memorials Trust