First World War Heroes

Fallen Heroes
of the
Great War
1914 - 1918
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In September 2004, friends from the parish visited Ypres (Ieper). During their stay they visited:
● Menin Gate, Ypres on which the names of 54,900 solders, who have no known grave, are inscribed.
● Tyne Cot (above) the largest British and Commonwealth war cemetery with 11,908 graves and an
additional 34,927 names of solders, inscribed on the wall, who have no known grave.
● Flanders Fields Museum. Ypres
● Allied trenches on Hill 60 just outside Ypres.
The visit touched all those who made the journey.
Below are the names of those who were born or lived in Felmersham parish and died in the 1914 - 1918 Great War.

Canadian Memorial

War damaged tree - Hill 60

Felmersham War Memorial

Memorial to
Charles John Ashpole
Felmersham Church Yard
(West End). Click to view.

In Flanders' Fields
by Major John McCrae, 1915

In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' fields.

1914 – 1918 Great War - Parish of Felmersham Roll of Honour Commemorative Triptych in Felmersham Church
Helen Batchelor TAYLOR Nurse Served as a VAD working for the Red Cross in Malta	Died on Monday, 15th November 1915. Buried in Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta. The Cemetery is located 2 kilometres south-west of Valletta on the road to Sliema. On the edge of the Gwardamanga district, the entrance is on Triq II-Principessa Melita, leading to Triq Tal-Pieta and Msida Sea Front and Creek. Below: Photo of grave.
Charles John ASHPOLE Private 45168, 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment.	Killed in action Sunday, 26th August 1917 in France & Flanders. Age 19. Born Felmersham, enlisted Bedford. Son of Arthur and Mary Ashpole, of Felmersham. Buried in Hargicourt British Cemetery, Aisne, France. Grave I. F. 15.
Herbert William ASHPOLE Private G/25950 10th (R. East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment).	Killed in action Monday, 7th October 1918 in France & Flanders. Age 20. Born and resident Felmersham, enlisted Bedford. Son of William and Clara Ashpole, of Pavenham Rd., Felmersham. Buried in Aubers Ridge British Cemetery, Aubers, Nord, France. Grave IV. E. 7.
● John BETTS Private 32052 "D" Coy., 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment.	Killed in action Monday, 24th September 1917 in France & Flanders. Age 36. Born and resident Felmersham, enlisted Bedford. Son of Thomas and Ann Betts, of Felmersham; Husband of Edith A. W. Betts, of Victoria Cottage, Felmersham. Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 48 to 50 and 162A
Harold Charlton BOYCOTT Lieutenant 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards	Died of wounds on Thursday, 21st March 1918. Buried in Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Pas de Calais, France. Grave VI. B. 18.
● Robert BROWN Private G/25925 23rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment.	Killed in action Tuesday, 31st July 1917 in France & Flanders. Age 32. Born Milton Ernest, enlisted Bedford, resident Felmersham. Son of Joseph William Brown; husband of Mary Elizabeth Brown, of Church End, Felmersham. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 49 and 51
Harry BURT	Currently no further information.
Ernest COOPER Corporal 22065 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.	Killed in action Wednesday, 27th June 1917 in France & Flanders [board states 3rd July 1917]. Born Milton Ernest, enlisted Bedford, resident Radwell. Son of Mr. J. Cooper, of Dropshort, Radwell. Buried in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas de Calais, France. Grave I. S. 36.
John William HOOD Private 43308 1st Bn., Bedfordshire Regiment Formally 863 Hunts Cycle Bn.	Born: Blackheath, Enlisted: Huntingdon, Lived at Radwell Died Tuesday 3rd September 1918. D.O.W. Age 24. Son of William and Charlotte Hood, Radwell, Beds. Buried: Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamp, Somme, France.
Charles Edward HULATT Private 25464 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.	Killed in action Monday, 3rd July 1916 in France & Flanders. Age 20. Born and resident Radwell, enlisted Bedford. Son of Charles Hulatt, of High St., Radwell. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 2 C
Frederick HULATT Private 125434 Machine Gun Corps (Infantry).	Died of wounds Tuesday, 5th November 1918 in France & Flanders. Enlisted Rotherham. Formerly 205246, Yorkshire & Lancashire Regiment. buried in Canonne Farm British Cemetery, Sommaing, Nord, France. Grave D.10.
Thomas E KEMBLE	Currently no further information.
● Joseph PAYNE Private G/18805 1st Battalion Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment).	Killed in action Thursday, 14th March 1918 in France & Flanders [board states 15th March 1918]. Age 31. Born Felmersham, resident & enlisted Market Harborough, Leics. Son of Thomas and Mahala K. Payne, of Felmersham. Formerly 108716, Royal Army Service Corps. Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 14 to 17 and 162 to 162A.
Charles RICHARDSON Private 201428 1st/4th Battalion, Essex Regiment	Died on Saturday, 8th December 1917. Age 33. Husband of Nellie Richardson, of Radwell. Buried in Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel. Grave K. 2.
Herbert [Henry] Gilbert SEAMARKS Sergeant 15084 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.	Killed in action Saturday, 28th September 1918 in France and Flanders. Age 23. Born Stevington, enlisted Bedford, resident Radwell. Son of Mrs. Ellen Purser (formerly Seamarks), of Radwell. Commemorated on Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 4 and 5
Albert S SMITH	Currently no further information.
Frederick Jesse TURNER Private 225133 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment).	Killed in action Monday, 3rd December 1917 in France & Flanders [board in church states 30th November 1917]. Age 23. Born Felmersham, enlisted Luton, resident Leagrave, Luton. Son of Henry Turner, of Felmersham, Bedford, and the late Betsy Turner. Formerly 203703, East Kent Regiment posted to 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France. Panel 11.
William G WHITWORTH Sapper 289241 22nd Light Railway Train Crew Company Corps of Royal Engineers	Died Saturday, 12th January 1918 [board states 14th January 1918]. Age 20. Son of John and Elizabeth Whitworth, of Radwell. Born Radwell, enlisted Desborough, Northants, resident Sharnbrook. Buried in Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt, Somme, France. Grave IX. C. 18.
Robert H WIGGINS M.M. Lance Corporal 20341 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.	Died of wounds Tuesday, 5th November 1918 in France & Flanders. Age 24. Born Pavenham, enlisted Bedford, resident Felmersham. Son of Harry Wiggins, of West End, Stevington. Awarded the Military Medal. Buried in Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. Grave II. C. 23.
Above: Menin Gate - side elevation. Below: Allied trenches and battlefield craters, Hill 60. Photographs in and around Ypres by Peter Hartop © 2004 Details of the fallen researched by Martin Edwards © 2002 and published with his permission. Information on J W Hood was supplied by Bill Perriton, Bromham, Bedford (Second Cousin of J W Hood)

Men from Felmersham Parish who served and survived the Great War Photo on Left: Commemorative board in Felmersham Church
H COOK	E T HULATT	E ROBINSON	E SMITH
P COOK	F HULATT	H ROBINSON	H SWANNELL
A J COOK	W J HULATT	C RUSSELL	R W THOMAS
H COOPER	W HULATT	Arthur Edwin RUST³	F E TURNER
W J COOPER	W D MACKIE	Charles W RUST⁴	Sgt Robert TURNER¹
A E CUMBERLAND	C MAKEHAM	Thomas A RUST⁵	B R TURNER
C F DESBOROUGH	F MARRIOT	Ernest James RUST²	J TURNER
A GALLANT	R F MORRIS	H SCRIVENER	M TYRELL
F GADSBY	T C PACEY	J W SCOLEY
C HULATT		T SCOLEY

1. Sgt. Robert Turner

2. Ernest (Strike) James
RUST

3. Arthur (Dart) Edwin
RUST

4. Charles (Cunning)
William RUST

5. Thomas (Booba)
Albert RUST

The above photographs are by kind permission of: Dennis Turner: 1.; Sandra Hawes: 2,3,4 & 5.

Joe PAYNE
Private G/18805
1st Battalion Queen's

Killed in action Thursday, 14th March 1918 in France & Flanders.
See Roll of Honour for details.
Photo: Andrew Payne

Helen Batchelor TAYLOR

Helen Taylor served as a VAD working for the Red Cross in Malta during the First World War. Malta was used as a base for supplying and supporting the battles in Gallipoli and Salonika. Other graves, in the military cemetery, are of servicemen who also died in November 1915 and they show that many of them died in Malta of wounds received in Gallipoli.

Helen died, in her 42nd year, from dysentery in Floriana Hospital, Malta. Her headstone states "She gave her life for others" which suggests she caught her illness while nursing the wounded.

The inscription reads: In loving Memory of Helen Margaret Bachelor Taylor. V.A.D. Daughter of the Late Henry Hilton Green of Felmersham, Bedfordshire, England. Passed away Nov. 15th 1915. "She gave her life for others"

She is buried in Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta (photo on the left, details above). Her death is recorded on the War Memorial, Felmersham and in Felmersham Church on a commemorative triptych in the Memorial Chapel and on a brass plaque in the Chancel.

Ref: Martin Edwards (© 2002) and Beds Times 26 November 1915.

Photograph and additional details by Gina Hamlyn, a relative of the Green family.

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