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ALBOURNE WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Alan Seymour 2004

Courtesy & Copyright © Beverley Goodwin 2017

The village and church of Albourne lie just to the west of the main A23 London to Brighton Road.  The old village school where the men of the village who went to war would have been educated is now a private residence and located in Church Lane, north of the church.  This school was replaced in the early 1960's with a new building in a different part of the village.

THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW 

The church is nearly a mile from the village, down the narrow, tree lined and aptly named, Church Lane, it is nonetheless, in the centre of the Parish.  Built from chiefly flint and stone, in the early English style, with some Norman remains and 14th century piscina, it has a turret containing one bell.  The church was entirely rebuilt, with the exception of the chancel, during the mid 19th century.  Inside the church will be found the parish war memorial with the following inscription:-

"To the glory of God and in grateful remembrance of the Parishioners of Albourne who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1919"

The nine names listed on this memorial are:-

BURTENSHAW  A. PEACOCK  G. A.
CARTER  T. W. R. PELLING Arthur A.
FISHER  G. B.  PURDEW  C. P.
GOBLE  W. WALDER  H. P.
MITTEN  J.  

On the north wall by the organ is a small brass plaque commemorating the 1939-45 war, no names are listed.  On the south side of the Chancel will be found a broken wooden cross, a grave marker, the type which used to marked the graves of the fallen, before they were replaced in the 1920's by the  CWGC. with stone headstones.  Apart from two makings on a small plate 'GRU.' (Grave Registration Unit)  & 'British Soldier' no other markings were found.  The 'British Soldier' marking would suggest that this cross marked the grave of an unidentified British soldier, no other markings were found on this cross.

CHURCHYARD

There are no war graves located in the churchyard or inscriptions noted on the family graves.

BURTENSHAW  Arthur

Private 30111, 7th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.  

Arthur Burtenshaw, the son of William and Jane Burtenshaw of 'Lahore Cottage' College Lane, Hurstpierpoint, was born in Albourne and enlisted for military service in Brighton.  Arthur, formerly 15116, Royal Sussex Regiment, was killed in action on 7th June 1917, age 37.  He is buried in LA LAITERIE MILITARY CEMETERY, Heuvelland, Belgium - grave reference Plot XII, Row A, Grave 21.   At home his name is also commemorated on the War Memorial outside the Holy Trinity Church, Hurstpierpoint  and also on the War Memorial in 'The Campion Chapel' inside the church.  The following report appeared in the 'The Mid-Sussex Times' newspaper of 3rd July,1917

PTE. A. BURTENSHAW KILLED.- 

Yet another local soldier has made the supreme sacrifice on behalf of the cause of the Empire, Mrs. A. Burtenshaw, of Hurstpierpoint, having heard from a Lance-Corporal of the death of her husband, Private Arthur Burtenshaw, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.  In his letter the writer said:- "It is with deep regret that I write these few lines.  Your husband and I were chums in the Queen's at _______ and we came out here together to join the Regiment.  Now I write to keep my promise to him.  I am very sorry indeed to tell you that he was killed in action on the morning of June 7th.  He is laid to rest far behind the line in a peaceful little spot.  He died doing his bit for the old country in an advance that thrills the whole of the British Empire.  God grant you strength to bear up under the sad loss is the prayer I offer to the Throne of Grace on your behalf."  Private Burtenshaw, who was 37 years of age, was a member of a well-known Albourne family, his parents being Mr. and Mrs. W. Burtenshaw, of Albourne Street.  Before joining the Army he was employed in Mr. Geer's market garden at Hurstpierpoint, where he lived for seven years.  He has been spoken of as "one of Nature's gentlemen" and his straightforward nature won for him general esteem.  Mrs. Burtenshaw and her little son desire to express their grateful appreciation of the numerous letters and other tokens of sympathy received on the occasion of their bereavement.

CARTER  Thomas William Richard

Corporal 320529, 16th (Sussex Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 

Thomas William Richard Carter, the son of Richard and Clara Carter of Hurstpierpoint; husband of Beatrice Carter of 'Santa Cruz' Hurstpierpoint.  Thomas was born in Fratton, Hampshire and enlisted for military service in Hove.  He was killed in action during 'The Battle of Sheria' Palestine, on 6th November, 1917, age 36. He is buried in the BEERSHEBA WAR CEMETERY, Israel - grave reference, Row M Grave 21.   At home his name is also commemorated on the War Memorial outside the Holy Trinity Church, Hurstpierpoint  and also on the War Memorial in 'The Campion Chapel' inside the church.  In the Battalions Great War History - ('The Sussex Yeomanry and 16th (Sussex Yeomanry) Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment 1914-1919' by Lieut.- Col. H. I. Powell-Edwards, D.S.O. pub.1921.) his name is listed in the 'Roll of Other Ranks' in Appendix E. page 297.  The following reports also appeared in 'The Mid-Sussex Times' newspaper during 1918:-

CORPORAL CARTER KILLED. -

Corporal Thomas W. R. Carter, only son to Mrs. Carter, Hurstpierpoint, was killed in action in Palestine on November 6th 1917.  He belonged to the Yeomanry, and had served a year in Egypt.  His Captain writes to the widow :- "Your husband was killed almost instantaneously during the early part of a completely successful attack, which gave our armies a victory of the greatest importance.  His grave lies in the centre of our line of advance and overlooks the captured position.  Your husband came to my company when first he came out to Egypt, and from that day he was always one of my most valued non-commissioned officers always cheerful, willing to undertake any duty, and most capable in performing it.  I shall always think of him as one of the finest and best of Yeoman."  

On the 1st anniversary of his death the following appeared on the 5th November 1918, in the 'In Memoriam' section of the Births, Marriages and Deaths,  Carter - In ever loving memory of Corporal Thomas William Richard Carter, 18th Sussex Yeomanry, of Hurstpierpoint, who fell in action, at dawn, in Palestine, November 6th, 1917.  Very dearly loved. 

FISHER  George Bertram 

Sapper 1702, 1st/7th Hants Works Company - (CWGC) or 2/7th Hants Field Company - (Soldiers Died), Royal Engineers.

George Bertram Fisher, the son of Mrs. Louisa Banfield, of "Spring Cot." Albourne, Hassocks, Sussex; husband of Ellen Louise Clark (formerly Fisher), of 4, Church Road, South Hayling, Hampshire, UK.  George was born in London and enlisted for military service in Portsmouth.  He died at home (UK) either from illness, accident or wounds on 12th June, 1916, age 29.  He is buried in the HAVANT AND WATERLOO (HAVANT) CEMETERY Hampshire - grave reference G. 1280.

GOBLE  Walter

Able Seaman J/49516, H.M.S. Victory, Royal Navy

Walter, the son of Richard and Jane Goble, of Reeds Farm, (Albourne) Hassocks.  Walter, died on 23rd October, 1918, age 21 and  is buried in the DALMENY AND QUEENSFERRY CEMETERY, West Lothian, UK- grave reference 473.

MITTEN  [Ernest] John

Private G/3393, 9th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment.

Ernest John Mitten, was born in Hastings and enlisted for military service in Hurstpierpoint.  He was killed in action on 3rd August, 1917, and has no known grave and is commemorated on the YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Belgium - Panel 20.

PEACOCK  George Arthur

Driver 168763, 63rd Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery.

George Arthur Peacock, the son of William Henry and Emily Peacock of Albourne.  He was born in Hurstpierpoint and enlisted for military service in Brighton.  George, died on the 27th January 1917, and is buried in the FORCEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY AND EXTENSION, Somme, France - Grave reference Plot 3, Row D, Grave 2. 

PELLING Arthur Albert

Private 67447, Posted 2/2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).

Arthur Albert Pelling, the son of Thomas and Mary Pelling, of 1, Western Cottages, Albourne, Hassocks.  Arthur, was born and lived in Albourne at the time he had enlisted for military service in Brighton.  Arthur was killed in action on 26th October, 1917 and has no known grave and is commemorated on the TYNE COT MEMORIAL, Zonnebeke, Belgium - Panel 28 to 30 and 162 to 162A and 163A.

PURDREW  Charles Peter

Corporal 25231, 1st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment).

Charles Peter Purdrew, was born in Epsom Surrey and enlisted for military service in Brighton, at the time of enlistment he was living in Albourne.  He was killed in action on 21st September 1918, and is buried in VILLERS HILL BRITISH CEMETERY, Villers-Guislaninn, France - grave reference Plot VI,  Row D, Grave 16.

WALDER  Herbert Philip

Private 27658, 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).

Herbert Philip Walder, was born in and enlisted for military service in Hove at the time of his enlistment he was living in Albourne.  Herbert was killed in action on 7th October, 1916 and has no known grave and is commemorated on the THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France - Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A.

Last updated: 4 January, 2022

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