CONNET

Bertram

[Spelt CONNETT on CWGC and SDGW] Private 10100, 8th (Service) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. Killed in action 25th September 1915. Aged 19. Born Honiton, enlisted Exeter. Son of Charles and Alice May Connett, of Railway Cottage, Broom, Axminster, Devon. Although Bertram was born Honiton he had three younger siblings baptised in Hawkchurch. No known grave. Commemorated on LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 35 to 37.

EDWARDS

Joshua Rapsey

Private 11062, 8th (Service) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. Died of wounds 11th May 1917. Born and enlisted Axminster. Son of William and Eva Edwards. Baptised at Hawkchurch on 22nd January 1893. One of nine children baptised here. Sidney Edwards is his younger brother. Resident of Hawkchurch in 1901 aged 8. Buried in ACHIET-LE-GRAND COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row F. Grave 18.

EDWARDS

Sidney [Hoare]

Private 21022, 1st Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment. Killed in action 30th September 1918. Born Hawkchurch, resident Charmouth, enlisted Taunton, Somerset. Brother of Joshua and son of William and Eva Edwards. Baptised at Hawkchurch on 23rd March 1900. Resident of Hawkchurch in 1901 aged 1. No known grave. Commemorated on VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 7.

FOWLER

Albert

Private 35031, 1st F.S. Garrison Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry). Died at sea 3rd March 1917. Enlisted Axminster, resident Hawkechurch (sic). Son of William and Catherine Fowler. Baptised at Hawkchurch on 24th March 1895. One of four children baptised here. Resident of Hawkchurch in 1901 aged 6. Formerly 31564, Worcestershire Regiment. Probably buried at sea. No known grave. Commemorated on BASRA MEMORIAL, Iraq. Panel 12.

FOWLER

George

[Spelt FLOWER on SDGW] Private 11061, 9th (Service) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. Killed in action 30th September 1915. Born and enlisted Axminster. Cousin of Albert and brother of James. son of George and Mary Ann Fowler. Baptised in Hawkchurch on 23rd September 1887. One of nine children. Resident of Hawkchurch in 1901 aged 13. No known grave. Commemorated on LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 35 to 37.

FOWLER

James

Private 25711, 17th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. Killed in action 6th September 1916. Born and resident Axminster, enlisted Aberdare, Glamorganshire. Son of Mrs. M. A. Fowler, of Sedgecroft, Hawkchurch, Axminster, Devon. Brother of George. Son of George and Mary Ann Fowler. Baptised in Hawkchurch on 21st September 1890. Resident of Hawkchurch in 1901 aged 10. Known as “Bugler Fowler” Youngest of nine children. Buried in PHILOSOPHE BRITISH CEMETERY, MAZINGARBE, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row H. Grave 16.

GREENSHIELDS

Thomas Edwards

Lieutenant-Commander, H.M.S. Venerable, Royal Navy. Died 9th August 1915. Aged 31. Son of Mr. T. E. and Mrs. I. B. Greenshields, of Westhay, Hawkchurch, Axminster. Native of Liverpool. No known grave. Commemorated on PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Hampshire. Panel 7.

Extract from "de Ruvigny's ROLL OF HONOUR", Part Two, page 146.

GREENSHIELDS, THOMAS EDWARDS, Lieut.-Commander, R.N., eldest s. of the late Thomas Edwards Greenshields, of Liverpool, Shipowner, by his wife, Isabella Black (Westhay, Hawkchurch, Axminster), dau. of John Greenshields, of Montreal, Canada; b. Liverpool, 6 Jan. 1884; educ. Greenbank School, Sefton Park, there, and in H.M.S. Britannia; was appointed Sub-Lieut. 1904; promoted Lieut. 1906, and Lieut.-Commander 1 April, 1914; served in H.M.S. Majestic, H.M.S. Diana, H.M.S. Triumph, H.M.S. Venus, H.M.S. Illustrious, H.M.S. Berwick, and in H.M.S. Kent on the China Station; returned to England in Aug. 1913, when he was posted to H.M.S. Duncan, and in Aug. 1914, he was appointed 1st Lieut. in H.M.S. Venerable, in which ship he went to the Dardanelles in March, 1915, and in Aug., when volunteers were asked for to take command of parties evacuating wounded from Anzac Beach, he offered his services; left his ship on the 7th, and was killed in action at Anzac Bay on the 9th. Buried there; unm.

Note: HMS Venerable was a Bulwark Class Battleship. She was built at Chatham Dockyard, laid down January 1899, completed November 1902, at a cost of £1,159,853. Length 411 feet waterline 431 feet 9 inches overall, beam 75 feet, draught 27 feet 5 inches, displacement 15,366 load 15,955 tons deep. During World War 1 she was with the 5th Battle Squadron Channel Fleet attached to Dover Patrol as flag ship and for bombardment duties. Between May and October 1915 she was in the Dardanelles then between October and December 1915 she had a refit at Gibraltar. From December 1915 until December 1916 she was in the Adriatic then between February and March 1918 she was refitted as a depot ship for minelaying trawlers. In 1920 she was sold for scrapping.

HUSSEY

Frederick

Private 5061, 1st/7th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. Died of wounds 22nd November 1916. Born and enlisted Axminster. Son of Charles and Susan Hussey. Baptised in Hawkchurch on 4th May 1879. Resident of Hawkchurch in 1901, aged 22. Buried in DERNANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Plot IV. Row C. Grave 13.

LACEY

Henry aka Harry

Private 3815, 29th Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Died 26th September 1917. Aged 20. Born Chardstock, near Chard, Somerset. Son of Charles Absalom Lacey and Elizabeth Lacey, of "Sudkaye", Hawkchurch, Axminster, Devonshire. Enlisted Boort, Victoria, Australia. Emigrated aged 17 years. Educated at Holdict Manor Church of England School. Occupation farming. Although not born in Hawkchurch, in 1901 the Lacey family lived at HOLDITCH which is a small hamlet bordering on the village. (Where Harry was educated) The family believe that Harry went to Australia to join up as he was under age. Harry had followed his elder brother, James, to fight in the A.I.F. James survived WW1. Harry’s brother, George had descendants living in Hawkchurch until 2005. (The family lived at TUDHAYE not Sudkaye) Buried in BUTTES NEW BRITISH CEMETERY, POLYGON WOOD, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot XVIII. Row C. Grave 5. See also Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour document.

LEACH

Francis James

Captain (Adjutant), 2nd Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry. Died of wounds 26th April 1915. Aged 36. Son of John and Louisa Leach; husband of Doris Maunsell-Smyth. Served in the South African Campaign. Buried in ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCHYARD, HAWKCHURCH, Devon.

LOVERIDGE

Thomas Gill

Acting Sergeant 295095, 12th (West Somerset Yeomanry) Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry). Killed in action 19th September 1918. Born Axminster, enlisted Chard, Somerset. Formerly 805, West Somerset Yeomanry. Buried in STE. EMILIE VALLEY CEMETERY, VILLERS-FAUCON, Somme, France. Plot IV. Row F. Grave 12.

SPILLER

Charles

Private 11232, "A" Company, 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. Killed in action 18th July 1916. Aged 28. Born and enlisted Axminster. Son of William and Anne Spiller, of Courshay, Hawkchurch, Axminster, Devon. Son of William and Ann Spiller. Baptised in Hawkchurch on 13th May 1888. Resident of Hawkchurch in 1901 aged 12. Profession was a “Cowboy”. No known grave. Commemorated on LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 35 to 37.

TROTT

Frank

Private PLY/1056(S), 2nd Royal Marine Battalion, Royal Naval Division, Royal Marine Light Infantry. Died 19th February 1917. Aged 25. Son of Abraham Trott, of Sector Hill, Axminster, Devon. Native of Donyatt, Ilminster, Somerset. Son of Abraham and Emma Trott. Native of Donyatt. Resident of Hawkchurch in 1901 aged 9. Buried in DERNANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Plot V. Row C. Grave 28.

TROTT

Herbert

Private 11086, 9th (Service) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. Died 31st March 1915. Born Ilminster, Somerset, enlisted Axminster. Son of Abraham and Emma Trott. Native of Donyatt. Resident of Hawkchurch in 1901 aged 4 and brother of Frank Trott. Buried in ALDERSHOT MILITARY CEMETERY, Hampshire. Section AF. Grave 1842.

VINCENT

Edward William

Private 11088, 1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. Killed in action 21st July 1916. Born and enlisted Axminster. Buried in QUARRY CEMETERY, MONTAUBAN, Somme, France. Plot IV. Row I. Grave 2.

1939-1945

GREENSHIELDS

Henry Lafone

Sub-Lieutenant (A), H.M.S. Daedalus, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve serving with 266 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Killed in action 16th August 1940. Aged 22. Son of Maj. David John Greenshields formerly of the Royal Artillery and Edmee Greenshields, of Hawkchurch, Devon. Buried in CALAIS SOUTHERN CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot P. Grave 18.