March 28, 2023

War Graves

War Graves

As part of the Centenary Year, there is currently a project going on in Brompton Regis to research the lives of the men from the parish who died in the Great War. Their names are recorded on the War Memorial in the Churchyard and the aim is to create a more detailed record of their lives and deaths to keep in the village and help ensure they will not be forgotten.

A little known fact about the small village of Brompton Regis is that its Churchyard is an official Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery. This is because one of the men from Brompton Regis who served and died in the Great War was buried here. He was Private Charles W Blackmore who served in the Somerset Light Infantry and who died on 27th October 1917.

So far the military record for most of the men have been found and details of their lives are emerging from the census details of the time. Some of the facts already emerging are very poignant and their remains are surprisingly widely spread across Europe and the Middle East.

If you are a descendent (or know) of any of the men listed below and have any information you could provide about them, or even a photograph, please do get in touch. Thank-you

Sarah Merchant    Tel: 01398 341973  e-mail: merchant461@btinternet.com

Click on each name for a summary of their short lives.

 

 Name

 Regiment

 Died

 Age

 Private Charles Blackmore  Somerset Light Infantry  27th October 1917  20
 Serjeant William Henry Cheek (1)  Devonshire   22nd February 1916  30
 Private George Henry Chilcott  Devonshire  1st April 1916  21
 Private James Harold Colman  Wiltshire   10th April 1918  19
 Private John Colman  Royal Army Service Corps  23rd December 1918  31
 Lance Corporal Charles Abraham Farmer (2)  Devonshire  31st July 1917  19
 Corporal William John Hawkins  Royal Marine Light Infantry  13th November 1916  22
 Private Sidney John Jennings  Somerset Light Infantry  18th August 1916  28
 Gunner John May  Royal Field Artillery  22nd December 1916  20
 Private Tom Rushton  The Queen's Royal West Surrey  13th October 1915  22
Lance Corporal Albert Edward Sowden  King's Shropshire Light Infantry  25th September 1915   24
Lieutenant Fenwick Charles Stevens  King's Own Royal Lancaster  7th September 1918  23
Private Job Tapp  Devonshire  14th July 1917  20
Private David Henry Wensley  Worcestershire  17th October 1917  23
Lance Serjeant Tom Williams (3)  Somerset Light Infantry  26th April 1917  35
Corporal Walter Charles Williams  Devonshire  25th September 1916  20
Private Wilfred John Baker (4)  Australian Infantry  20th September 1915  31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 (1) Recorded as 'Creek' on the memorial

(2) Rank recorded as 'Private' on the Memorial

(3) Rank recorded as 'Serjeant' on the Memorial

(4) Son of Brompton Regis not recorded on the Churchyard War Memorial