WORLD WAR ONE
Andrews, Charles Ernest
Andrews, Frank Edgar
Andrews, Walter William
Colman, Harry
Colman, Hugh Charles
Foster, George
Purkiss Arthur
Purkiss, Arthur Macdonald
Purkiss, Willie
Robinson, Arthur
Robinson, Charles
Stubbings, Ernest John
Turner, Arthur William
Tycer, George
WORLD WAR 2
Banks, John Wiiiiam
Barnard, Frank Robert
Bridgman, Francis Harley
Gibbs, Cecil John
ANDREWS, Charles Ernest
Brother of Frank Edgar Andrews
Born 1884, living in Hill Road at the [1891 and ]1901 census, working as an agricultural labourer
Private 17043, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment
Killed in action 1 July 1916, aged 32
Commemorated in Serre Cemetery. 1 July 1916 was the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Many hundreds of the Somme soldiers were killed in the vicinity of this cemetery during the British offensive and it was not possible to retrieve their bodies for almost a year.
ANDREWS, Frank Edgar
Brother of Charles Ernest Andrews
Born 1891, living in Hill Road at the 1891 census
Private 24578. 2nd Battalion., Suffolk Regiment
Died 7 May 1917, aged 26.
Buried in Feuchy Chapel, British Cemetery Wancourt, Pas de Calais, France Grave Ref 1 D 20
ANDREWS, Walter William
Born 1892. Living in Saffron Walden at 1901 census, living with mother Emma Foster and stepfather David Foster.
Enlisted in Brisbane Australia Dec 191S, giving his trade as Stoker.
Private 2005. 41st Battalion, Australian Infantry.
Killed in Action 31″ July 1917, aged 26.
Commemorated on Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Panels no 7-17-23-25-27-29-31. (His service record Indicates he was buried In Messines. These graves were destroyed in later fighting. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate for those with no known grave.)
COLMAN, Harry
Bom 1886, living In Boarded Barn, Hempstead. Son of William Thomas and Frances Eliza Colman. At the 1901 census his father was listed as a farmer.
Private 1941A, 34th Bn., Australian Infantry.
Killed In Action 11th June 1917, aged 32. Commemorated on Messines Ridge British Cemetery Ref: 4 F 21. (Messines was considered a strong strategic position held by the Germans from Oct [1914] and not retaken until the Battle of Messines on 7th June 1917).
COLMAN, Hugh Charles
Born 1881, civilian trade Life Assurance Manager.
Private 231031. Royal Bucks Hussars, 2/1 Dorset Infantry. 1/1st City of
London Yeomanry, City of York Hussars.
Discharged 15th March 1918, no longer fit for war. Intended place of residence Wincelow Hall, Hempstead, died June 1918, aged 32.
Burled In Radwinter churchyard.
FOSTER, George
Born 1888, living In Hill Road at 1901 census as a farm worker. Son of George Foster.
Private 16578, 9th Battalion, Essex Regiment.
Killed in Action 18th October 1915, aged 27.
Commemorated on Loos Memorial, Panels 85-87 (The Loos Memorial commemorates over 20,000 officers and men in the area from the River Lys to the east and west of Grenay who have no known grave.)
PURKISS Arthur
Born 1884, living In Blagdens Cottage at the 1901 census. Father was a farm labourer
Sapper 310937, 3rd Field Survey Corps, Royal Engineers.
Killed in Action 3rd October 1918, aged 23. Commemorated in Chapel Corner Cemetery, Sauchy-Lestrée, Pas de Calais, Panel Ref. CG.(Sauchy-Lestrée was captured by the 56th (London} Division on the 27th September 1918. The cemetery was used by fighting units during the following five weeks.)
PURKISS, Arthur MacDonald*
Born 1900 in Radwinter, living with parents at 73 Linnell Road, Camberwell, London. At the 1901 census father described as a carman.
Private 35150, 1st Bn., Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He probably lied about his age, joining up when he was only 14, despite the minimum age of serving overseas being 19.
Killed In action 4th September 1916, aged 16.
Commemorated In Serre Road Cemetery No. 2 Ref.XXXVlll.C.8. He would have been fighting on the Somme. The Regiment’s roll of honour which Includes his name records action at Becordel-Becourt on 4 September 1916.
PURKISS, Willie
Born 1891,llving in Hill Road, Hempstead at the 1901 census.
Private 14822, 11th Battalion, Essex Regiment.
Died 24 March 1916, aged 25.
Commemorated In Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Ref. V.D.16A
ROBINSON, Arthur
Born 18&4, living In Hill Road, Hempstead at the 1901 census.
Private 4226, 1″ Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment.
Died of wounds 4 June 1915, aged 31.
Burled in Bethune Town Cemetery, Pas de Calais, Grave Ref. V D 86.
See a local newspaper report of Arthur Robinson’s death here
ROBINSON, Charles
Born 1890, living in Hill Road, Hempstead at the 1901 census. Son of Charles and Ann Robinson.
Private 15203, 11th Battalion, Essex Regiment.
Died of wounds 22nd September 1916, aged 25.
Buried In St Severs Cemetery, Rouen. Rf B.20.40.
STUBBINGS, Ernest John*
Born 1885 in Hempstead. At the 1901 census he was living with his mother who was a housekeeper domestic. Ernest is described as a Corporation Servant.
Private 26129, Machine Gun Corp (Infantry).
Killed In Action 21 April 1917, aged 32.
Commemorated In Ronville Military Cemetery, Memorial 1.
TURNER, Arthur William*
Born 1888 In Hempstead. At the 1901 census living with parents near the church. His father and brother were farm labourers.
Private 15685, lst Battalion, Essex Regiment.
Killed In Action 14th April 1917, aged 29.
Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Ref. Bay 7.
TYCER, George*
Born 1882, living next to the Royal Oak (pub, now Oak House). [At the 1901 census with parents. The census shows his parents had moved to Blagden Cottages, however, George was not residing there at that time.]
Private 203075, 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment.
Killed in action 26 September 1917, aged 35.
Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, Passchendaele. Panel 75 to 77,
* Note that the memorial on the wall of St Andrew’s Church does not include the above four individuals, possibly because they were Chapel members
WORLD WAR 2
BANKS, John William
Petty Officer, Cook, D/MX 81822. H.M.S. Aldenham RN
Killed In action 14th December 1944, aged 31 when the ship hit a mine on the return passage from the Adriatic to drop off partisans. The ship sank quickly. Out of 189 on board, only 67 survived.
Commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial Panel 91, column 2.
BARNARD, Frank Robert
Born 1912 In Hempstead, his parents Joseph and Jane were living In Hempstead at the [1901 census and probably still were in 1944]. Frank was married to Ethel Barnard. They lived in Putney.
Rifleman 1646440. 9th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
Killed In Action 31″ October 1944, aged 32.
Buried in Nedeweert War Cemetery, Netherlands, Ref. 11.A.11.
BRIDGMAN, Francis Harley
Born 1917, his parents John Moore and Dorothea Bridgman lived in Saffron Walden.
Sergeant 911575. 104 Squadron, RAF Volunteer Reserves.
Killed In action 25 April 1941, aged 24. In April 1941, 104 Squadron was re-formed at Driffield as a Wellington medium bomber unit, taking part In the night time bombing offensive against Fortress Europe.
Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 40.
GIBBS, Cecil John
Probably born in 1914 in Hempstead. His mother, Mrs S. Gibbs, was living In the village at the time of his death.
Private 5832298. 1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment.
Died 22 July 1943 while a prisoner of the Japanese, aged 29.
Commemorated on the Singapore Memorial, Singapore, Column 58.