GREAT LINFORD - WAR MEMORIAL
World
War 1 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © David Kent 2018
The
memorial is within the memorial hall in the High Street, Great Linford,
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. It takes the form of a rectangular Portland
Stone tablet with the names in encripted lettering; there are a further
four smaller rectangular Portland stone tablets each with a separate
regimental encripted insignia. There is also a separate dedicatory plaque
to those who died in World War 2. There eleven names for World War 1
and three names for World War 2. The names here are sorted into aklphabetical
order within conflict for ease of reading and research.
Extract
from Bucks Standard Saturday 17 April 1920:
GREAT
LINFORD
GREAT LINFORD’S FALLEN SOLDERS.
DEDICATION OF MEMORIAL TABLET.
There was a crowded congregation at Great Linford Parish Church on Sunday
afternoon, April 11, when with reverent and beautifully simple ceremonial
the memorial tablet erected in the sacred building to the ten gallant
men of the parish who fell in battle was unveiled by the Rev. F. B.
Gunnery, vicar of Newport Pagnell and Rural Dean. The tablet is of white
marble with a border of Verde Antico, and is inscribed: -
“In
thankfulness to God, and in honoured memory of the men of Great Linford
who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914-1919.
Capt. Ronald Montague Purvis, 3rd Batt. 2nd Black Watch,
Sgt. William Hobbs, 3rd W. Yorks,
Lce.-Cpl, Frederick Thos. Seamarks, M.G.C.,
Private Ernest Brightman, 1st Oxon and Bucks L I,
Private Glencoe Fincham, 14th Northumberland Fusiliers,
Private Walter Reginald Herbert Flute, 2nd South Wales Borderers,
Private Walter Charles Riddy, 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers,
Private Christopher Lorton Sapwell, R.A.V.C.,
Private Harry Seamarks, 6th R. W. Fusiliers,
Private Joseph Spriggs, 7th Wilts.
‘That Britain might stay free, full price
They paid a worthy sacrifice.’ “.
The service, which was conducted by the Rev. John Turnbull (vicar),
opened with a processional hymn, “Ten thousand times ten thousand.”
Other hymns sung were “On the resurrection morning,” “Stand
up, stand up for Jesus,” and “For all the saints.”
The choral portion of the service was nicely rendered by the choir,
with Mr. E. Whittaker at the organ. Major Mead read the lessons. For
the dedication the Rural Dean used a special form of service, after
which he gave an appropriate address from the pulpit. At the close Messrs.
F. Horne, R. Daniells and C. Kingham sounded the “Last Post,”
and Mr. Whittaker played Gounod’s “March Relieuse”
and Smart’s “Grand March.”
Great Linford sent 100 men to the war, and in addition to the tablet
in the church it is also intended to erect a memorial hall in the village.
Added
to the War Memorial at a later date was the name of Walter Chamberlain,
who died at his parents’ home on 30 July 1920.
The
Memorial Hall, when built, was of a wooden construction and was sited
approximately opposite the present Memorial Hall, at the end of the
High Street.
In
the same issue of the Bucks Standard of 17 April 1920 it was reported
that on 9 April 1920, a village fete followed by two evening concerts
raised the sum of £120 for the War Memorial Fund and was the grand
result of a ten week’s effort of the sewing party, consisting
of twenty-seven willing workers, who sold their creative garments to
make it a successful occasion.
THIS
BUILDING IS
DEDICATED AS A
MEMORIAL TO THE MEN OF GREAT LINFORD
WHO DIED IN
TWO WORLD WARS
1914 - 1919
BRIGHTMAN |
Ernest |
Private
2211, 1st/1st Buckinghmashire Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry. Died of wounds 31 August 1915. Aged 23. Born Little
Linford, Bucks, resident Felbridge, Sussex, enlisted Aylesbury,
Bucks. Son of William and Emily Brightman, of Great Linford, Bucks;
husband of Margaret Brightman, of Acacia Cottage, Felbridge, East
Grinstead, Sussex. Buried in ST. ACHEUL FRENCH NATIONAL CEMETERY,
AMIENS, Somme, France. Grave 12. |
CHAMBERLAIN |
Walter |
[Late
addition to memorial] Private, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light
Infantry. Died 30 July 1920. Aged 33. In the 1901 census he was
aged 14, born Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, son of Edward and
Martha Chamberlain, resident 15, Oxford Street, Fenny Stratford,
Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. In the 1911 census he was aged
24, born Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, a Groom, boarding at The
Stag, Winslow, Buckinghamshire. Buried in MANOR ROAD CEMETERY, FENNY
STRATFORD, Milton Keynes, Buckinggamshire. |
FINCHAM |
Glencoe |
Private
69353, VII Platton, "B" Company, 12th/13th Battalion,
Northumberland Fusiliers. Died on service 29 May 1918. Born Bishopsgate,
London, enlisted Tottenham, London. No known grave. Commemorated
on SOISSONS MEMORIAL, Aisne, France.
***
Can see no obvious connection with Gt Linford but this is the
only Glencoe Fincham in all records ***
|
FLUTE |
Walter
Reginald Herbert |
Private
40655, 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers formerly 27132, Oxfordshire
and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 11 April 1918.
Aged 28. Born Turvey, Bedfordshire, enlisted Bletchley. Son of the
late William and Zilpah Flute; husband of Eva Flute, of High St.,
Great Linford, Newport Pagnell, Bucks. No known grave. Commemorated
on PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, Hainaut, Belgium. Panel 5. |
HOBBS |
William |
Sergeant
203153, 1st/5th Battalion, Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire
Regiment). Died of wounds 30 October 1917. Aged 27. Born Newport
Pagnell, Bucks, enlisted Bedford. Only son of Thomas and Kitty Hobbs,
of Great Linford, Bucks. Buried in WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Pas
de Calais, France. Plot VI. Row F. Grave 14A. |
PURVIS |
Ronald
Montague |
Captain,
3rd Battalion attached to 2nd Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).
Died of wounds 14 March 1917. Born 18 May 1891 in Rutherglen.
Son of Mary Seton Purvis and the late Charles Hotham Purvis. In
the 1901 census he was aged 9, son of Charles Hotham and Mary
Purvis, resident Ivy Lodge, Tonbridge Road, Ightham, Malling,
Kent. No known grave. Commemorated on BASRA MEMORIAL, Iraq. Panel
25 and 63.
Extract
from Tonbridge School, 1553-1910, 1905, page 390:
PURVIS,
Ronald Montague. 1905-7. Judde House. Younger son of Major Charles
Hotham Purvis. b. 1891. Estate agent. Served in the Great War
(wounded twice); died, 14 March, 1917, of wounds received in action
in Mesopotamia.
Extract
from De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1918, volume 4,
page 164:
PURVIS,
RONALD MONTAGUE, Capt., 3rd (Reserve), attd. 2nd (73rd
Foot), Battn. The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), yst. s.
of the late Major Charles Hotham Purvis, 17th Lancers, of the
Hermitage, Hadlow, co. Kent, by his wife, Mary Seton (The Cottage,
Great Linford, Newport Pagnell, co. Buckingham), dau. of 14. T.
Jackson, of The Priory, St. Andrews ; and gdson. of the late Rear-Admiral
Richard Purvis, RN., of Bury Hall, Alverstoke, co. Hants ; b.
Rutherglen, 18 May, 1891 ; educ. The Orange, Hastings, and Tonbridge
School; gazetted 2nd Lieut. the Black Watch Oct. 1914; promoted
Lieut. Dec. 1915, and Capt. Aug. 1916: served with the Expeditionary
Force in France and Flanders from March, 1915; proceeded to Mesopotamia
the following Dec.; was wounded three times, and died at Mushaidie,
Mesopotamia, 14 March, 1917, from wounds received in action at
Mushaidie, north of Bagdad, the same day. Buried there. His Commanding
Officer wrote: "He was so good and brave an officer, so very
much liked by officers and men. His loss is a great one to the
regiment, which he loved so well and which he served always to
the very best of his powers." Unm.
Extract
from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index
1918:
PURVIS
Ronald Montague. of The Cottage Great Linford Newport Pagnell
Buckinghamshire died 14 March 1917 in Mesopotamia
from wounds Administration London 26 January
to Mary Seton Purvis widow.
Effects £186 0s. 4d.
|
RIDDY |
Walter
Charles |
Private
41667, 1st Battalion, Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
formerly T/4/088236, Royal Army Service Corps. Killed in action
11 April 1918. Born North Crawley, Bucks, resident Great Linford,
Bucks, enlisted Bletchley, Bucks. Son of Ellen Riddy, of 18 Station
Terrace, Great Linford, Buckinghamshire. Attested 9 December 1915
at Bletchley as 41667, Horse Transport, Army Service Corps, aged
22 years 5 months, resident 18 Station Terrace, Great Linford, Buckinghamshire,
a Coach Builder (Rubber) by trade at Wolverton Carriage Department
for London and North Western Railway, single. In the 1901 census
he waqs aged 7, born Buckihamshire, resident with his parents, Thomas
and Ellen Riddy, at Lodge Farm, Great Linford, Newport Pagnell,
Buckinghamshire. In the 1911 census he was aged 17, born North Crawley,
Buckinghmahsire, a Labourer on a farm, son of Ellen Riddy (a widow),
resident Green Farm Cottages, Great Linford, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.
Admitted to National Union Of Railwaymen, Railway Workers, as a
Labourer 18 May 1914, union branch Wolverton 2, Buckinghamshire.
No known grave. Commemorated on TYNE COT MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen,
Belgium. Panel 140 to 141. |
SAPWELL |
Christopher
Lorton |
[Also
listed as Christopher Lawton SAPWELL] Private SE/9470, 12th Veterinary
Hospital, Army Veterinary Corps. Died from the effects of Tubercule
of the Lung 16 August 1918. Aged 30. Born Buckinghamshire, resident
Newport Pagnell. His sister is listed as E A Sapwell of Great
Linford. Enlisted 11 June 1915 at Oxford, aged 27 years, resident
Linford, Newport Pagnell, Bucks, single, a Horsekeeper, previously
served with the Buckinghamshire Volunteers for 2 years. Embarked
at Southampton 26 June 1915, disembarked at Boulogne 27 June 1915.
Admitted to 25 General Hospital at Hardelot 24 April 1916, invalided
to England 19 May 1916, admitted to Tooting Military Hospital
20 May 1916 suffering from Tubercule of the Lung, discharged 14
June 1916 at Woolwich being no longer physically fit for service
under Para,
392 xvi King's Regulations, aged 28 years 7 months, height
5 feet 7 inches, chest 35½-37½ inches, fresh complexion,
blue eyes, brown hair, trade before enlisting Hosekeeper, intended
place of residence Great Linford, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshore.
In the 1891 census he was aged 3, born Great Linford, Buckinghamshire,
son of Frederick abd Lucy P Sapwell, resident High Street, Great
Linford, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. In the 1901 census
he was aged 13, born Buckinghamshire, a House boy (Manor House),
son of Frederick and Lucy Sapwell, resident Great Linford Rectory,
Great Linford, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Buried in GREAT
LINFORD (ST. ANDREW) CHURCHYARD, Buckinghamshire. Special Memorial
(S.E. corner, South wall).
Extract
from National Roll of The Great War 1914-1918 - XII - Bedford
& Northampton, page 196:
SAPWELL,
C. L., Private, R.A.V.C. |
After volunteering in June 1915 be underwent a period of
training, and was later drafted to France. During his service
in this theatre of war he did excellent work attending to
the sick and wounded horses. Later in 1916 he was invalided
to England with pleurisy, and was finally discharged as
medically unfit for further service in June 1916. He holds
the 1914-15 Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals. |
Great
Linford, Bucks. |
|
Z4076/D. |
|
SEAMARKS |
Frederick
Thomas |
Lance
Corporal 13537, 9th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) formerly
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Killed in action 25 April 1918.
Aged 24. Born and resident Great Linford, Bucks, enlisted Bletchley.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Seamarks, of Lodge Farm, Great Linford, Newport
Pagnell, Bucks. No known grave. Commemorated on TYNE COT MEMORIAL,
West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 154 to 159. |
SEAMARKS |
Harry |
Private
266671, 1st/6th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died on service
from disease contracted in Egypt 10 June 1918. Born and resident
Gt. Linford, Bucks, enlisted Bletchley, Bucks. Son of Fredrick and
Emily Seamarks, of Lodge Farm, Great Linford, Newport Pagnell, Bucks.
Buried in CAIRO WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY, Egypt. Section O. Grave 187. |
SPRIGGS |
Joseph |
Private
14499, "B" Company, 7th Battalion, Duke Of Edinburgh's
(Wiltshire Regiment) formerly 12566, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry. Killed in action in Salonika 24 April 1917. Aged
27. Born Great Linford, Bucks, resident Newport Pagnell, Bucks,
enlisted Oxford. Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Spriggs, of 11, Station
Terrace, Great Linford, Newport Pagnell, Bucks. No known grave.
Commemorated on DOIRAN MEMORIAL, Greece. |
IN
MEMORY OF THE MEN OF GREAT LINFORD
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES DURING THE 2ND WORLD WAR
1939 - 1945 |
BUSBY |
Eric
James |
Regimental
Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer Class 1) 6607404, 88th Field Regiment,
Royal Artillery. Died of Cholera as a Japanese Prisoner of War at
Tonchan P.O.W. Camp 1 July 1943; captured in Sinagpore 17 February
1942. Aged 39. Born 24 June 1904. Born St Marylebone, London W.,
resident Paddington, London W. Son of William and Elizabeth Busby;
husband of Hilda Busby, of Great Linford, Buckinghamshire. In the
1939 Register he was a Railway Oiler & Bell Repairer, married
to Muriel E M Lake, resident 59 Marina Drive, Milton Keynes, Wolverton
U.D., Buckinghamshire,. Cremated and ashes buried in KANCHANABURI
WAR CEMETERY, Thailand. Plot 6. Row A. Grave 12. |
LAKE |
Frank
Horace |
Private
5834391, 9th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died on service 4 March
1942. Aged 29. Born 9 December 1912 in Norfolk, resident Buckinghamshire.
Son of Horace Frederick and Alice Lake; husband of Muriel Eleanor
Maud (nee Flute) Lake, of Great Linford, married April to June Quarter
1936 in North Bucks Registration Districtm Buckinghmashire. Buried
in GREAT LINFORD (ST. ANDREW) CHURCHYARD, Buckinghamshire. |
TURNER |
Percy
Richard Abel |
Private
10535095, Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Died 25 December 1941. Aged
33. Born 2 July 1908, and resident, Buckinghamshire. Husband of
Norah B. E. Turner, of Great Linford. In the 1911 census he was
aged 2, born Great Linford, Buckinghamshire, son of Thomas and
Eliza Turner, resident High Street, Great Linford, Newport Pagnell,
Buckinghamshire. In the 1939 Register he was a Public Works Contractor's
Labourer, married to Nora B E Turner, resident Shop Yard, Milton
Keynes, Newport Pagnell R.D., Buckinghamshire. Buried in GREAT
LINFORD (ST. ANDREW) CHURCHYARD, Buckinghamshire.
Extract
from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1942:
TURNER
Percy Richard Abel of Shop Yard Great Linford Bletchley Buckinghamshire
died 25 December 1941 at The Northampton General Hospital Northampton
Administration Llandudno 20 April to Norah Beatrice
Eugene Turner widow.
Effects £17 17s. Resworn £530 3s. 6d.
|
When you go home, tell them of us and say, “for your tomorrow, we
gave our today.”
John
Maxwell Edmonds
Last updated
13 July, 2023
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