BARNARD

William

Private G/12060, 7th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Killed in action 27th September 1916. Aged 30. Born Stoke, Kent, enlisted Rochester, resident Clay Hill, Hoo, Kent. Son of Mr. A. O. and Mrs. E. Barnard, of Webbs Cottages, Bells Lane, Hoo, Rochester. No nown grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 11 C.

BLACKMAN

Leonard Charles

Private 5559, 18th Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Killed in action at Villiers Brettoneaux 8th July 1918. Aged 29. Son of John and Emma Blackman, of King's Hill Dairy, Hoo, Rochester. BOrn Hoo St Werburgh, Kent. Enlisted Glebe, New South Wales, Australia. Labourer by trade. Educated at Elementary School around Hoo. Emigrated to Australia aged 23. Buried in LONGUEAU BRITISH CEMETERY, Somme, France. Plot II. Row A. Grave 5.

BRAMBLE

Henry Thomas

Gunner 57455, 49th Battery, 40th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action 6th February 1916. Born Rochester, enlisted Chatham. Buried in WYTSCHAETE MILITARY CEMETERY, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot V. Row B. Grave 3.

COOMBE

A S

probably Allen Sandby COOMBE, Probationary Flight Officer, Royal Naval Air Service. Died 4th September 1917. Aged 18. Son of Dr. and Mrs. Sandby Coombe, of "Brownswood," Cherry Gardens, Folkestone. Buried in CHINGFORD MOUNT CEMETERY, Essex. Grave Reference: D.10. C.R. 5389.

CORBY

Frederick William

Private CH/19148, H.M.S. Vanguard, Royal Marine Light Infantry. Died 9th July 1917. Son of Mr. J. and Mrs. A. Robertson, of Hoo, Kent. No known grave. Commemorated on CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL, Kent. Panel 25.

Note: HMS Vanguard exploded at Fleet Base of Scapa Flow around 11.30 pm on the 9th July 1917, with the total loss of 804 dead, leaving only 2 survivors. A 12 inch gun turret weighing many tons was hurled across the fleet at anchor, to land on Flotta, a mile away, and set fire to the moorland. The loss of the Vanguard is believed to have been caused by an explosion in one of the two munition magazines which served the amidships turrets. Although no formal cause for the cordite explosion was ever found by the Court of Inquiry which was convened into such a major disaster, the most likely explanation is that a fire in a coal bunker or other neighbouring area smouldered away undetected long enough to heat the cordite stored at an adjoining bulkhead to dangerous levels, eventually triggering an explosive reaction. Eyewitness accounts of the incident described seeing a bright flash or flame, followed by two heavy explosions and then a third, smaller one.

FROMOW

William John

Gunner 50243, 82nd Battery, Royal Field Artillery. Died in Mesopotamia 12th August 1916. Aged 32. Born Chadwell East, enlisted Chatham. Son of Mrs. F. Wills (formerly Fromow), of 3, Salisbury Square, Hoo, Rochester, Kent. Buried in BAGHDAD (NORTH GATE) WAR CEMETERY, Iraq. Plot XXI. Row C. Grave 35.

HUBBLE

George Henry

Guardsman 24424, 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Died of wounds 17th March 1917. Aged 20. Born Northfleet, Kent, enlisted Chatham. Son of George and Agnes Hubble, of 6, Ripple Vale Villas, Hoo, Rochester, Kent. Buried in GROVE TOWN CEMETERY, MEAULTE, Somme, France. Plot Iv. Row C. Grave 30.

HUTCHINGS

Wilfred William

Private L/9395,2 nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Killed in act9ion 24th May 1915. Aged 20. Born Stoke, Kent, enlisted Chatham, resident Noo, near Rochester. Son of George and Ellen Hutchings, of 10, Gordon Terrace, Hoo, Rochester, Kent. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 12 and 14.

KADWILL

Edward George

Sergeant 9370, 1st Battalion, Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers. Killed in action 12th October 1916. Born Faversham, enlisted Chatham. Son of William Richard and Jessie Kadwill, of 5, Elswick Cottages, Hoo, Rochester, Kent. His brother William Arthur Kadwill also fell (see below). No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 15 A.

KADWILL

William Arthur

Sergeant 3549, 4th Battalion, Rifle Briagde (The Prince Consort's Own). Died in the Balkans 16th October 1918. Aged 26. Born Faversham, enlisted Chatham, resident Hoo. Son of William Richard and Jessie Kadwill, of 5, Elswick Cottages, Hoo, Rochester, Kent. His brother Edward G. Kadwill also fell (see above). Buried in KIRECHKOI-HORTAKOI MILITARY CEMETERY, Greece. Grave 334.

LINGHAM

Oscar Stephen

Private 71637, 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Killed in action 25th March 1918. Born Southwark, enlisted Gravesend, resident Hoo. Formerly 26840, 31st Training Reserve Battalion. No known grave. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAl, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 3.

MILNER

Frank Henry

Acting Corporal T/17728, Royal Army Service Corps attached 20th Heavy Transport Company. Died in Mesopotamia 23rd October 1916. Aged 33. Born Rohester, enlisted Chatham, resident Hoo. Husband of C. M. Gifkins (formerly Milner) of 5, Haig Villas, Hoo, Rochester, Kent. Buried in AMARA WAR CEMETERY, Itaq. Plot IX. Row C. Grave 26.

MOODY

Arthur

Private G/12159, 11th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Killed in action 14th June 1917. Aged 28. Born Hoo, enlisted Chatham. Son of Henry and Eliza Moody, of 1, Broad's Cottages, Hoo, Rochester, Kent. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 45 and 47.

MOUNT

James Alfred

Lance Corporal 9369, 1st Battalion, Princess victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers. Killed in action 12th October 1916. Aged 30. Born Edmonton, North Middlesex, enlisted Chatham, resident Hoo. Son of Mrs. Sarah Mount, of 2, Bennetts Cottages, Hoo, Rochester, Kent. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 15 A.

POYNTER

Ernest Alfred

Private 48400, 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment). Killed in action 11th August 1918. Born and resident Rochester, enlisted Chatham. Formerly 10376, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Buried in BOUCHOIR NEW BRITISH CEMETERY, Somme, France. Plot VI. Row D. Grave 35.

SCOTCHMUR

William Thomas

Private 201313, 2nd/4th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Killed in action in Egypt 4th November 1917. Aged 21. Born Hoo, enlisted Chatham. Son of William Thomas and Annie Scotchmur, of 3, Vidgeon's Cottages, High St., Hoo, Rochester, Kent. Buried in BEERSHEBA WAR CEMETERY, Israel. Plot/Row/Section G. Grave 28.

SEDEN

Albert Henry

Stoker 2nd Class K47921(CH), H.M.S. Pembroke, Royal Navy. Died 15th June 1918. Aged 28. Son of Mrs Emma Elizabeth Seden of Hoo (later became Mrs A Jarvis of 7, Kingsnorth Terrace, Hoo.) Buried in south west part of the new ground in St. WERBURGH CHURCHHYARD, HOO, Kent.

SIMPER

A C G

No further information currently available

SKINNER

Owen Victor

Corporal 59824, 65th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds 18th September 1914. Aged 22. Born Rochester, enlisted Chatham. Son of Henry John and Florence Emma Skinner, of 1, Jubilee Terrace, Hoo, Rochester, Kent. Buried in NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE NEW COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Hauts-de-Seine, France. , Plot 4. Row 17. Grave 2.

THOMAS

A

No further information currently available