Alfred

Arthur

Thomas Edwin

Frederick

G/18129. Royal West Kent Regiment. Died 30th September 1916. Aged 19. Son of Mrs Francis Childerley, Paddock Row, Elsworth. Serre Road Cemetery No. 1.

From Andy Pay's research into the Marquis de Ruvigny' s Roll of Honour the following:

Volume 2, Part 3, Page 53 - (different spelling in Roll of Honour)

CHILDENLEY, Frederick - Private, No 18129, 7th (Service) Battalion, The Queens Own (Royal West Kents)

Eldest son of the late John Childenley, by his wife Francis (Paddock Row, Elsworth, co Cambridge), dau of William Tabraham. Born Elsworth aforesaid, 16th April, 1897; educated there, was an Agricultural Labourer; enlisted 29th March, 1916; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 27th August; was reported wounded and missing after the fighting at Thiepval on 30th Sept, 1916, and is now assumed to have been killed in action on that date. Unm.

Extract from Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 1 December 1916, page 4:

CAMBS. ROLL OF HONOUR.

ELSWORTH.

News has reached the village that Pte. F. Childerley, Royal West Kent Regiment, is reported wounded and missing. He is the son of Mrs. Francis Childerley, of Paddock-row, and enlisted in the Suffolk Yeomanry last March. He went to France in August, and was transferred into the Royal West Kents. Any information concerning him will be gratefully received by his mother. The last letter received from him was dated August 25th.

Charles

King [Richard]

Walter

[Memorial states 11th Battalion Suffolk Regiment 1st July 1916. Thiepval Memorial - details extracted from Cambridge Independent Press 16 June 1916] Private 16064, 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Killed in action 18 May 1916. Aged 24. Born Elsworth, Cambridgeshire, resident Notting Hill, London W., enlisted Shepherds Bush, Middlesex. Son of Minnie Day, of Elsworth, Cambridge; husband of Edith Bubear (formerly Day), of 28, Aylmer Rd., Shepherd's Bush, London. Served three years in the Metropolitan Police. Buried in POTIJZE BURIAL GROUND CEMETERY, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Row A. Grave 6.

Herbert

Corporal. 14436. 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Thursday, 3rd August 1916. Aged 28. Son of William & Louisa Desborough. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Extract from Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 6 October 1916 – page 4:

ELSWORTH.

Mrs. Desborough, of Elsworth, has received the following letter relating to her son, Corpi. Herbert Desborough, Suffolk Regt., who has been reported “missing.” The letter from a captain in the battalion:- “Mr. — has asked me to let you know what I could about your son. He was taken from the Company to act as corporal in charge of the Battalion Bombers. On the night of August 4th-5th we had to make an attack. As I went down to Battalion Headquarters I met the bombers going up. Almost immediately I had arrived there the report came through that the party had been hit by a shell and that all were killed. Later two came back suffering severely from shell shock—they know nothing of what happened. Next morning the rumour went round that Corporal Desborough had been seen going to the dressing station, but I am afraid this is false as I can find no definite person who saw him, and he went to none of our Brigade dressing stations. I am afraid it is almost certain that your son was killed instantly by the shell. No official report has come to us other than our own missing, but if wounded he would have written to you, or there would have been some news of him before now. Private Circus (another Elsworth man) knows nothing. He has promised to write if anything happened. I afraid this is all I can find out. We were only in B Company together for a short time, but your son was a fine soldier, absolutely fearless and very keen—one whom we could ill afford to lose. May I say how sorry we all feel for you. If can find out anything more I will let you know. If there is anything you would like to know, or to be done, would you please write to me?”

John

3/10210. 1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Died 19th Feb 1918. Aged 28. Husband of Dorothy Alma Desborough of Cowdell End, Elsworth. Colougne Southern Cemetery.

George Percy

Corporal. 14432. 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. 1st July 1916. Aged 24. Son of Thomas and Lydia Driver. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

John

Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own). Rifleman S/5682. Born Elsworth. Enlisted St Neots. Resident Knapwell. Died 12/9/18. Commemorated Vis-En-Artois Memorial, Pas De Calais.

Frank Philip

London Regiment. 3rd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers). Private 4404. Died 23/9/16. Enlisted London. Resident Elsworth. Aged 25. Only son of Frank and Mary Ann Kirby, Elsworth, Cambs. Husband of Mary Ann Kirby, Elsworth. Boisguillaume Communal Cemetery, Seine Maritime, France.

Extract from Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 6 October 1916 – page 4:

ELSWORTH.

Mrs. Frank Kirby, of the Manor House, Elsworth, has received official notification that her son, Frank Philip Kirby, of the Royal Fusiliers, died on September 23rd from wounds received in action. A comrade writes-: "He had made himself so liked by everybody by his cheerful spirits and courage in face of all danger. He had not the slightest trace of fear in him, and was admitted as being one of the best chaps alive. I am not writing this as flattery, but as the absolute truth, as will be testified by those friends of his and mine whose names and addresses I give. Your son was always looking forward to his return home as a great event. Which shows what a great regard he had for his home and mother. Accept my heartfelt sympathy in your great grief in losing such brave and manly son.”

Stanley Methuen

Private, 44287, 11th Battalionn Essex Regiment. Born Elsworth. Enlisted Cambridge. Resident Elsworth. Killed in action 17th September 1918. Formerly 44916 Beds Regiment. Son of John & Lucy Manning of Manor House, Elsworth. Aged 18. Trefcon British Cametery, Caulaincourt, Aisne, France.

Israel

Private 325886, 1st/1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment formerly 2695, Cambridgeshire Regiment. Killed in action 26th September 1917 having served for two years and eight months. Aged 23. Born Elsworth, enlisted Cambridge. Son of Frederick and Sarah Parnwell, Brook Street, Elsworth. Enlisted 7 September 1914. Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke.

Joseph

1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Private 7518. Born Connington, Cambs. Enlisted Elsworth. Died 25/5/15. B Company. Aged 25. Son of Benjamin and Sophia Poulter, The Poplars, Hardwick, Cambridge. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres. See also Madingley St Mary.

James

Duke of Cambridgeshire's Own (Middlesex Regiment). 18th Battalion. Private G/26949. Born Elsworth. Enlisted Framlingham. Died 21/5/17. Killed in action.

John

Lance Corporal 3/8287, 2nd. Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment. 3rd, Division. Killed in action on the Somme 16th August 1916. Son of Mr.Smith & Mrs Edith Smith of Church Lane, Elsworth. Born in Lewisham. Enlisted in Cambridge. Commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial MR.21.

WORLD WAR
1939-1945

Cyril Rasmussen

Chief Yeoman of Signals. C/J 93268. HMS Avenger. 15th November 1942. Aged 39. Husband of Mary Elizabeth Barry. Commemorated Chatham Naval Memorial.

Aubrey

Gunner 948986. 67 Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery. 19th June 1942. Aged 23. Son of John William and Clarissa Alice Bosworth. Husband of Elsie Ada Bosworth. Tobruk War Cemetery, Libya.

Knapwell Man Killed in Action.— Mrs. V. M. Desborough, of Knapwell, has received official notification from the War Office that her husband, Corpl. D. A. Desborough, of the 1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment, was killed in action at Singapore on February 15th, 1942. He was called up at the commencement of the war. Prior to the war, he was employed by Mr. Barwell, of Swavesey.

George Henry

Walter

John

Henry James

Pte 5823319. 2nd Bn Suffolk Regiment. 25th April 1941. Aged 35. Son of John and Emma Elizabeth Lawrence. Husband of Blanche Harriett of Suffield, Norfolk. Buried Holy Trinity Churchyard, Elsworth.

Robert Andrew

Pte 5933842. 1st Bn Cambs Regiment. 21st September 1944. Aged 25. Prisoner of War. Died at sea. Son of Arthur Lewis Watts and Annie Watts. Husband of Joan Watts of Elsworth. Commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.