WITTERSHAM - Kent Fallen

WITTERSHAM
The Great War
1914 -1919
1

ADDY W.H
Gunner 374561 William Henry ADDY. No 1 Company, Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). Died
Tuesday 26 th February 1918 aged 25 years. Born Beckley, Sussex. Enlisted Tenterden. Son of
Henry and Mary Addy of the Queen’s Head public house, Wittersham, Ashford, Kent. Husband of
Eveline Mary Paine (Formerly Addy) of Church Gate, Udimore, Sussex. Buried locally in the
Wittersham Cemetery (Parish Council), Wittersham, Kent. Grave reference B.9.
The 1901 census gives –
Queens Head, Public House, Wittersham Street, Wittersham
Henry William ADDY 31 Publican Beckley, Sussex
Mary Ann 31 Beckley, Sussex
William Henry 9 Beckley, Sussex
Caroline 5 Beckley, Sussex
2

ADES J
Sergeant T/ 722 James ADES. 5 th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Tuesday
4 th July 1916. Born Wittersham. Resided Wittersham. Enlisted Tenterden. Son of Richard and
Emily Ades of Poplar Cottage, Wittersham, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Amara War Cemetery,
Amara, Iraq. Grave reference VIII.A.15.
The 1901 census gives –
Poplar Cottage, Wittersham
Richard ADES 41 Labourer Wittersham
Emily 40 Wittersham
Fanny 15 Wittersham
Nellie 12 Wittersham
James 7 Wittersham
Minnie 5 Wittersham
Ethel 1 Wittersham
Burtrum 82 Labourer Brede, Sussex (father)
See Frederick Hinkley (below) - it looks as though the Hinkley and Ades families both lived and
worked on Poplar Farm as farm labourers.
The summer of 1916 was an un-eventful time for the 5 th Buffs. It was for the most part involved in
harvesting and building. That is not to say that the conditions were easy. A great many men died
of disease and illness. In August 1916 Sir Stanley Maude took over command in Mesopotamia
(Iraq) and by January 1917 the battalion was once more moving towards Kut and Baghdad.
3

ASHDOWN T.C
Private SD/2277 Thomas Charles ASHDOWN. 7 th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Died
Wednesday 16 th October 1918 aged 21 years. Born Peasmarsh, Sussex. Enlisted Hastings,
Sussex. Son of Richard and Elizabeth Ashdown of Bates Farm, Peasmarsh, Sussex. Buried in
the Orchard Dump Cemetery, Arleux-En-Gohelle, France. Grave reference IX.A.20.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
Bates Farm, Wittersham
Sapper 36962 Edward ASHDOWN. Royal Engineers.
Private 2077 Thomas Charles ASHDOWN. Royal Sussex Regiment.
4

BATEUP H.C
Lance Corporal 49581 Horace Charles BATEUP. 2/4 th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment.
Died 15 th April 1918 aged 20 years. France. Born Wittersham. Enlisted Derby. Resided
Wittersham. Son of William and Elizabeth Batehup of Stocks Cottage, Wittersham, Kent. Horace
has no known grave. His name appears on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium. Panel reference
3.
The 1918 Ashford Absentee Voters List gives 5 serving soldiers with the surname BATEUP all
from Goudhurst.
The 1901 census gives –
Ham Green, Wittersham
William BATEUP 38 Labourer Brede, Sussex
Elizabeth Jane 37 Wittersham
Albert H 13 Wittersham
Bertha L 12 Wittersham
Jane C 9 Wittersham
George E 6 Wittersham
Horace C 2 Wittersham
5

CARTER R.T
Major Richard Thellusson CARTER MC. 11 th Siege Battery, 14 th Brigade, Royal Garrison
Artillery (RGA). Died 18 th August 1918. Buried Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, France. Grave
reference V.G.7.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
The Street, Wittersham
095163 Charles Edwin CARTER. Army Service Corps.
Richard was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for courage and leadership.
6

CATT A.H
Private G/8894 Amos Herbert CATT. 6 th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died 7 th
October 1916. Born Wittersham, Kent. Enlisted Ashford. Grandson of Amos and Jane Catt of
“Moon Green”, Wittersham, Ashford, Kent. Amos has no known grave. His name appears on the
Thiepval Memorial, The Somme, France. Panel reference 5D.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
Moons Green, Wittersham
Driver 192945 Merton George CATT. Royal Garrison Artillery.
The Glynes, Wittersham
Private 25821 William David CATT. 13 th East Surrey Regiment.
The 1901 census gives –
Moons Green, Wittersham
Amos CATT 45 labourer Northiam, Sussex
Jane 45 Beckley, Sussex
William 19 Bricklayer Newenden
Annie 16 Beckley, Sussex
Kate 12 Peasmarsh, Sussex
…..land 5 Wittersham
…… 3 Wittersham
Amos 9 Beckley, Sussex
The day that Amos died his battalion was holding frontline positions on the Transloy Ridge, The
Somme, France. The battalion went over the top with the Royal West Kent’s in support. German
machine gun fire was intense and many men were cut down as they left their trench. The 6 th
battalion were stopped dead in their advance. The 7 th October 1916 was a dreadful day in the
history of The Buffs. Hundreds of men were mown down and killed on this day.
7

COLLINGS L.L
Second Lieutenant Lionel Lapidge COLLINGS. Royal Air Force (RAF). Formerly 2 nd
Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (DLI). Died Thursday 3 rd October 1918 aged 40 years. Born
Brighton, Sussex. Son of William Henry and Eleanor Arabella Collings. Buried Brighton (Extra-
Mural) Borough Cemetery, Brighton, Sussex. Grave reference 39222.
DENGATE S.C
Rifleman 41816 Sidney Charles DENGATE. 16 th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles. Formerly
(4800) London Regiment. Died Thursday 18 th April 1918 aged 24 years. Born Wittersham.
Enlisted Hammersmith, London. Son of Alfred and Elizabeth Dengate of The Old Post Office,
Wittersham, Kent. Buried in the St Sever Cemetery Extension, St Sever, France. Grave reference
P.IX.R.1A.
The 1901 census gives –
Wittersham Street, Wittersham
Alfred DENGATE 50 Bricklayer Wittersham
Elizabeth 45 Wittersham
Minnie 24 Wittersham
Edward 22 Wittersham
John 20 Wittersham
Florence 16 Wittersham
Nellie 13 Wittersham
Sidney 9 Wittersham
8

HINKLEY F
Private 73539 Frederick. HINKLEY. 10 th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby
Regiment). Died Monday 4 th November 1918 aged 20 years. Born Wittersham. Enlisted
Canterbury. Resided Wittersham. Son of Thomas and Sophia Hinkley of Mill House, Wittersham,
Kent. Buried in the Englefontaine British Cemetery, France. Grave reference D.14.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
The Mill, Wittersham
Private 45200 Thomas Alfred HINKLEY. 16 th King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
Private 73539 Frederick HINKLEY. 15 th Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment).
The 1901 census gives –
Poplar Cottage, Wittersham
Thomas HINKLEY 34 Corn Miller Hastings, Sussex
9

Sophia 46 Wittersham
Ethel 7 Wittersham
Thomas 6 Wittersham
Frederick 2 Wittersham
See James Ades (above) it looks as though the Hinkley and Ades families both lived and worked
on Poplar Farm as farm labourers.
10

HOAD H.V
Private T/1326 Herbert Victor HOAD. 5 th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died
Monday 31 st January 1916. Born Wittersham, Kent. Enlisted Tenterden. Son of John and Maria
Hoad of Kingsgate Lane, Wittersham, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Basra War Cemetery, Basra,
Iraq. Grave reference VI.F.6.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
Hartley Cottage, Wittersham
Private 27201 Lewis HOAD. 5 th Royal West Kent Regiment.
27332 George HOAD. Royal Air Force.
The 1901 census gives –
Kings Gate Lane, Wittersham
John HOAD 62 Labourer Wittersham
Maria 56 Wittersham
Albert 27 Wittersham
Kate 16 Wittersham
Edith 14 Wittersham
Herbert 13 Wittersham
On the 21 st January 1916 the 5 th battalion carried out an attack at the Umm-el-Hanna Lines in
Iraq. This was located about 8 miles from Kut-al-Amara. The attack proved a failure and the
battalion had to entrench itself and wait for reinforcements. A number of officers were killed
together with over 50 men. The weather was terribly wet and by the evening that day the trenches
were full of water. Herbert was probably wounded in this engagement and was evacuated to
Basra base hospital where he sadly succumbed to his wounds.
11

KNIGHT S
Private 2295 Sydney KNIGHT. 3 rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment). Died
Saturday 27 th February 1915 aged 20 years. Born Wittersham. Enlisted Shepherds Bush,
London. Son of Charles and Mary Knight of “Hamgreen”, Wittersham, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the
Bailleul Communal Cemetery, Bailleul, France. Grave reference J.9.
The 1901 census gives –
……….. Lane, Wittersham
Charles KNIGHT 39 Agricultural Doddington
Mary A 38 Stone
Mildred 14 Wittersham
William 11 Wittersham
Dorothy 9 Wittersham
Sydney 6 Wittersham
Percy 1 Wittersham
Louis 1 Wittersham
Edwin 1m Wittersham
On the 18 th January 1915 the battalion sailed on the SS Atlantian from Southampton to Le Havre.
On the 2 nd February the battalion was in Ouderdom. On the 8 th it was at Bedford House with the
2 nd Buffs. On the 19 th it was at Locre in Belgium. On the 22 nd February the battalion moved into
frontline trenches at Kemmel. The battalion remained in trenches at Kemmel until the 26 th
February when it withdrew to Westoutre. Sydney was probably wounded earlier in the month and
was evacuated through the medical chain to a base hospital at Bailleul where he eventually died
of wounds. His body was buried near to the hospital.
12

MAYNARD W
Private TF/204219 William MAYNARD. 7 th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died
Sunday 30 th September 1917 aged 36 years. Born Rolvenden, Kent. Enlisted Cranbrook. Son of
Charles and Mary Maynard. Husband of Nellie Maynard of Church Cottages, Wittersham, Kent.
Buried in the Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium. Grave reference VIII.H.22.
On the 23 rd September 1917 the 7th battalion moved by train to St Jan Ter Biezen. Five days
later (on the 28 th September) the men were in huts and tents when an enemy plane flew over and
dropped 6 bombs right into the camp, resulting in the death of 28 men. A further 63 others were
wounded. It seems likely that William was one of the wounded and later died of his wounds.
13

NASH C.I
NO TRACE
PAINE A
Private T/1418 Alfred PAINE. 5 th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died of Cholera
Friday 28 th April 1916. Born Wittersham, Kent. Enlisted Tenterden. Buried in the Amara War
Cemetery, Amara, Iraq. Grave reference XXI.H.16.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
Ham Green, Wittersham
Private 240577 Albert PAINE. South Staffordshire Regiment.
Private 240304 Thomas PAINE. 5 th Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
Underhill, Wittersham
Private 228056 William Samuel PAINE. 2 nd Royal Fusiliers.
On the 21 st April 1916 the 5 th battalion advanced near Kut and fought a major engagement with
the Turks. On the 27 th April many men reported sick with cholera. Environmental conditions were
appalling and medical facilities were rudimentary. The regimental diaries state that 3 men died of
Cholera on the 28 th April 1916. Alfred was one of these men.
14

PHILPOTTS T
Private 27473 Thomas James PHILPOTTS. 8 th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Died
Monday 2 nd September 1918 aged 39 years. Born Almeley, Hereford. Son of Arthur Philpotts of
Almeley, Hereford. Husband of Rose Curtis Philpotts of Pound Farm, Wittersham, Kent. Buried in
the Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France. Grave reference III.A.30.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
Pound Farm, Wittersham
Private 27473 Thomas James PHILPOTS. 8 th Middlesex Regiment.
15

RUSSELL J.G
(brother)
Private T/1431 James George RUSSELL. 5 th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died
Friday 21 st January 1916 aged 24 years. Born Wittersham, Kent. Enlisted Tenterden. Son of
James Woollett of Moons Green, Wittersham, Kent. Buried in the Amara War Cemetery, Iraq.
Grave reference XVII.J.13.
Before the outbreak of war James had worked at Mr Banisters Mill in the village as a Loader.
The day that James was killed the 5 th battalion carried out an attack at the Umm-el-Hanna Lines
in Iraq. The attack proved a failure and the battalion had to entrench itself and wait for
reinforcements. A number of officers were killed together with over 50 men. The weather was
terribly wet and by the evening that day the trenches were full of water.
16

SLINGSBY H.T
Private L/8631 Henry Thomas SLINGSBY. 1 st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
Died Thursday 18 th April 1918 aged 28 years. Born Wittersham, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury. Son
of Barbara and Thomas Slingby of The Lordens, Peening Quarter, Wittersham, Ashford, Kent.
Buried in the Haringhe (Bandaghem) Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium. Grave reference
II.F.9.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
The Quarter, Wittersham
Gunner 68267 Benjamin Bailey SLINGSBY. Royal Garrison Artillery.
The 1901 census gives –
17

Back Street, Wittersham
Thomas SLINGSBY 52 Labourer Wittersham
Barbara 46 Wittersham
William 17 Labourer Wittersham
Mary Ann 15 Wittersham
Elsie 14 Wittersham
Henry 11 Wittersham
Charles 9 Wittersham
Benjamin 7 Wittersham
On the 15 th April the 1 st Buffs were in trenches at Zonnebeke in Belgium. The battalion lost 8 men
and received 230 by way of draft from England. The battalion moved to Westhoek and manned a
number of posts until the 23 rd April. The fact that Henry was buried in Poperinghe tends to
indicate that he was injured earlier in the month and taken to a Poperinghe Base Hospital where
he subsequently succumbed to wounds.
18

TURNER A.W
Shoeing Smith Corporal 42224 Arthur William TURNER. Canadian Field Artillery (CFA).
Formerly (3 years) The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died Sunday 25 th April 1915 aged 29
years. Born 11 th October 1889 at New Romney, Kent. Son of Mrs Emma Turner of High Street,
Wittersham, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the Potijze Chateau Wood Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium.
Grave reference A.18.
Before the outbreak of war Arthur was a Blacksmith. Arthur had served 3 years in The Buffs. He
re-enlisted on the 25 th September 1914. It is thought that Arthur joined the Canadian Army in
France direct and that he never actually lived in Canada.
19

WILKINSON J.F
Major James Fisher WILKINSON MC. 54 th Battery, 39 th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (RFA).
Died Tuesday 29 th October 1918 aged 23 years. Son of Alfred Maximillian and Ione Mary
Wilkinson of Wittersham, Ashford, Kent. Buried in the La Valee-Mulatre Communal Cemetery
Extension. Aisne, France. Grave reference A.40.
James was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for courage and leadership.
James was educated at Sandroyd School, Cobham, Surrey, Harrow School London and the
Royal Military Academy Woolwich.
WILSON G.G
Sergeant S4/08493 G.G WILSON. Royal Army Service Corps (RASC). Died Tuesday 11 th
February 1919. Buried in the South Shields (Harton) Cemetery, South Shelds, Tyne and Wear.
UK. Grave reference B.1386.
This man died after the Armistice (11.11.18).
20

WOOLLETT T.A (brother)
Private T/1411 Thomas WOOLLET. 5 th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died
Friday 7 th January 1916. Born Wittersham, Kent. Enlisted Tenterden. Son of James and Harriet
Woollett of Moons Green, Wittersham, Ashford, Kent. Buried Amara War Cemetery, Amara, Iraq.
Grave reference XXXI.D.10.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
Hunts Hill, Wittersham
Private 240368 Bertram Harold WOOLLETT. 5 th Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
Gunner 143960 Frederick George WOOLLETT. Royal Garrison Artillery.
The 1901 census gives –
Moons Green, Wittersham
James WOOLLETT 28 Labourer Peasmarsh, Sussex
Harriet 26 Wittersham
James 9 Wittersham
William 8 Wittersham
Thomas 6 Wittersham
Edward 3 Wittersham
Martha 1m Wittersham
On the 6 th January 1916 a signal came from Kut saying that large numbers of Turkish troops were
moving downstream of the River Tigris towards Sheikh Saad. An aircraft spotted the troops
entrenching both sides of the river. The Tigris Corps of which the Buffs was part of moved to
meet the enemy. The 5 th battalion attacked the Turk positions head on and by nightfall it became
obvious the attack could not succeed. The next day 7 th January the Buffs alongside The Black
Watch and The Seaforth Highlanders were again ordered to attack in strength. As the British
moved forward under heavy fire the Turks attempted to encircle the Tigris Corps. By nightfall the
position remained stalemate. It was later discovered that the Turks had withdrawn upstream.
British Army casualties at Sheikh Saad were over 4,000 men.
21

WOOLLETT E.E (Brother)
Private G/22700 Edward Ernest. WOOLLETT. 7 th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
Died Sunday 15 th /17 th July 1917. Born Wittersham, Kent. Enlisted Canterbury. Son of James and
Harriet Woollett of Moons Green, Wittersham, Ashford, Kent. Edward has no known grave. His
name appears on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. Panel reference 12 and 14.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
Hunts Hill, Wittersham
Private 240368 Bertram Harold WOOLLETT. 5 th Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
Gunner 143960 Frederick George WOOLLETT. Royal Garrison Artillery.
The 1901 census gives –
Moons Green, Wittersham
James WOOLLETT 28 Labourer Peasmarsh, Sussex
Harriet 26 Wittersham
James 9 Wittersham
William 8 Wittersham
Thomas 6 Wittersham
Edward 3 Wittersham
Martha 1m Wittersham
There is some confusion as to the exact date of Edward’s death. On the 15 th and 17 th July 1917
the 7 th battalion were based in the Dickebusch area of Belgium. The day that Edward died his
battalion was being shelled by heavy German Guns. The battalion war diary also mentions that
they were constantly being gassed.
22

LOST MEN
AUSTEN P.A (brother)
Corporal G/3091 Percy Alfred AUSTEN. 8 th Battalion, Queen’s (Royal West Surrey
Regiment). Died 19 th April 1917 aged 19 years. Born Small Hythe. Resided Tenterden. Son of
Fred and Mary Austen of “Cricket Field House”, Broad, Tenterden, Kent. Formerly 16 Kings Gate
Lane, Wittersham, Kent. Buried in the Maroc British Cemetery. Grave reference I.Q.33.
1901 Census
16 Kings Gate Lane, Wittersham, Kent
Fred AUSTEN 43 Agrigcultural Labourer Tenterden
Mary 44 Tenterden
Fred 15 Carter on Farm Tenterden
Frank 12 Smallhythe
William 10 Smallhythe
Jack 9 Smallhythe
Charles 6 Smallhythe
Harry 5 Smallhythe
Percy 3 Smallhythe
Percy joined his battalion in 1915. He fought in Gallipoli, Turkey and Egypt before arriving in
France. Before the outbreak of war Percy was employed by Messrs T Ive’s and Son of Tonbridge
(Cricket ball makers).
23

BRUNGER E. F
Private T/240901 Edward Frank BRUNGER. 2 nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
Formerly 5 th Battalion. Died Tuberculosis (Galloping Consumption) 6 th August 1917. Born 16 th
August 1896 Wittersham 16 th August 1896. Resided White Hill, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent.
Enlisted Ashford. Edward has no known grave. His name appears on the Kirkee War Memorial,
near Bombay, India.
Great Uncle of Pieta James of Queensland, Australia.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
White Hill, Boughton Aluph
Private 203084 Henry BRUNGER. 4 th Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
In August 1917 the 2 nd Buffs were in Salonika, Greece fighting the Bulgarian Army. Edward had
been left behind in India suffering from T.B. Edward eventually died of Consumption (T.B) in the
Bombay British Military Hospital.
HOAD P.E
Private TF/2196 Percy Ewert HOAD. 5 th Battalion (Cinque Ports), Royal Sussex Regiment.
Died 28 th July 1915 aged only 17 years. Served with the B.E.F. Born 10 th July 1898 at Kings
Gate, Wittersham, Kent. Enlisted Hastings, Sussex. Son of George Hoad Mrs Sarah Parsons of
Ferry Road, Rye, East Sussex. Formerly White Cottage, The Strand, Rye, Sussex. Buried in the
Labourse Communal Cemetery. Grave reference A.6.
Percy was educated in Rye, Sussex. He enlisted 15 th August 1914 and went to France 10 th July
1915. Percy was killed in action by an enemy shell.
24

KENWARD J.A
Driver T4/092693 James Arthur KENWARD. 535 th Heavy Transport Company, Royal Army
Service Corps (RASC). Died in UK on 22 nd October 1918. Born Wittersham, Kent. Enlisted
Maidstone. Resided West Farleigh, Kent. Buried locally in the Northiam Cemetery, Northiam,
Sussex. Grave reference 385.
LEVITT G
Company Sergeant Major (CSM) 8569 George LEVITT MM. 11 th Battalion, Queen’s Own
(Royal West Kent Regiment). Died 31 st July 1917 aged 26 years. Born Wittersham, Kent.
Enlisted Lewis, Sussex. Resided Battle, Sussex. Son of John and Charlotte Levitt of Ninfield,
Sussex. Husband of Mary Isabel Levitt of 4, Brooklyn Road, Seaford, Sussex. Buried
Godewaersvelde British Cemetery. Grave reference I.A.32.
Awarded the Military Medal (MM) for bravery in the field. His name appears on the Seaford War
Memorial in Sussex and also on the Sussex Police war memorial at Lewis Police Headquarters.
George joined the Sussex Constabulary on the 19 th November 1912 (warrant card number 1284).
He resigned from the police on 24 th June 1915 and enlisted at Lewis.
PAINE C
Private L/9646 Clarence PAINE. 2 nd Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment).
Died Iraq 24 th January 1916 in Iraq. Born Wittersham. Enlisted Tenterden. Buried in the Kut War
Cemetery, Iraq. Grave reference F.9.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
Ham Green, Wittersham
Private 240577 Albert PAINE. South Staffordshire Regiment.
Private 240304 Thomas PAINE. 5 th Buffs (East Kent Regiment).
Underhill, Wittersham
Private 228056 William Samuel PAINE. 2 nd Royal Fusiliers.
REYNOLDS F
Private G/24263 Frank REYNOLDS. “C” Company, 10 th Battalion, Queen’s Own (Royal West
Kent Regiment). Died 23 rd July 1917 aged 20 years. Born Wittersham. Enlisted Maidstone.
Resided Mereworth, Kent. Son of Lewis George and Eliza Ann Reynolds of Wittersham, Kent.
Buried locally in the Mereworth (St Lawrence) Churchyard, Kent. Grave reference – Old ground
South of church near South boundary.
25