Private 508, 2nd Battalion, Leinster Regiment. Died 2 May 1916. Aged 26. Baptised 29 June 1890 in Ubley, Somerset, son of Martha and George Best. At the time of deatyh his family details were sthe he was the son of Martha Jane Best, of 10, Victoria Terrace, Paulton, Bristol. In the 1891 census he was aged 1, born Ubley, Somerset, son of William F E and Martha J Best, resident Cleeve Hill, Ubley, Clutton, Somerset. In the 1901 census he was aged 11, born Ubley, Somerset, at school, son of George and Martha J Best, resident Leze Farm, Blagdon, Axbridge, Somerset. Buried in BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot VIII. Row A. Grave 108.

Second Lieutenant (Pilot), 23rd Squadron, Royal Flying Corps and General List. Aged 22. Missing assumed killed in action flying in a Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b 11 September 1916. In the 1911 census he was aged 17, born Crick House on Chepstow Mar, occupation Milling, son of Godfrey and Cecile Firbank, resident Blagdon Aldwick Court, Wrington near Bristol, Blagdon, Somerset. Son of Mrs. Cecil Firbank, of Aldwick Court, Wrington, Bristol, and the late Godfrey Firbank. Also served in German South West Africa. No known grave. Commemorated on ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Also listed on St Michael And All Angels Church War Memorial, Butcombe, Avon.

Extract from the Bristol Times and Mirror - 2 February 1917:

Private 15525, 1st Battalion (Depot), Gloucestershire Regiment. Died of wounds in Canadian General Hospital, Taplow, 27 September 1918. Enlisted Bristol. Awarded the Military Medal (M.M.)[London Gazette 14 September 1916, Supplement 29749, Page 9000]. Buried in LUTON GENERAL CEMETERY, Bedfordshire. Grave 12447.

His Military Medal Details from Western Daily Press - 15 September 1916, page 3.

Sergeant 277353, 1st/7th Battalion, Princess Louise's (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders). Killed in action at Arras 23 April 1917. Aged 33. Born Denny, Stirlingshire, resident Priddy Wells, Somerset, enlisted Stirling. Son of Robert Tunstall (a Mill Worker). Husband of Agnes May Tunstall, of Blackford, Cheddar, Somerset. Awarded the Military Medal (M.M. - Collected by his widow in a ceremony in College Green Bristol). In the 1911 census he was aged 27, born Alloa, Clackmannanshire, a Gamekeeper, boarding at Yoxter Farm, Charterhouse, Blagdon, Bristol, Charterhouse, Somerset where his future wife was also resident. Resident Charter House, Blagdon, at time of marriage. Married, aged 28, Agnes May Shipsey in Blagdon, Somerset, 1 January 1912. Buried in LEVEL CROSSING CEMETERY, FAMPOUX, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row A. Grave 60. TYHere is also a plaque in his memory in St. Hugh's Church, Charterhouse. The plaque reads:

Sacred to the memory of JOHN TUNSTALL
Aged 33
Lance-Sergeant Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Killed in Action at Arras
On St George’s Day 1917
A Fortnight after he had been awarded the Military Medal
“For Gallantry Displayed”.
“The battle day is passed”
Father in Thy gracious keeping
Leave we now Thy servant sleeping.

Private 5681094, 1st Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry). Killed in action in Burma 30 March 1944. Aged 29. Born Pembrokeshire, resident Warwickshire. Son of Frank England Lye and Matilda Mary Lye, of Blagdon, Somerset. In the 1921 census he was aged 6, born Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, son of Frank and Matilda Lye, resident Menlea, Blagdon, Somerset. No known grave. Commemorated on RANGOON MEMORIAL, Myanmar. Face 7.

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1944:

LYE Henry James of Bath-road Blagdon Somersetshire died 30 March 1944 on war service Administration Bristol 4 October to Frank England Lye retired carpenter. Effects £246 17s.

Extract from Western Daily Press - Saturday 22 April 1944, page 5:

ON ACTIVE SERVICE

LYE.—Henry James (Harry), the beloved son of Frank and Matilda Lye. of Blagdon. aged 29 years and dearly loved nephew of Emily Bath, killed, March, in Burma.

Pilot Officer (Pilot) J/85758, 434 (Bluenose) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force. Flying in a Handley Page Halifax V, serial number LL2588, he took off from R.A.F. Croft on night operations to Montzen to attack railway installations, and was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed on the Dutch-Belgian border, possibly near Aubel, Belgium, at 1.30 hrs, 28 April 1944. Born 9 June 1917. Son of Mr. J. A. Vigor, of Yew Tree Cottage, High Street, Blagdon near Britsol, Somerset. Buried in HEVERLEE WAR CEMETERY, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium. Plot 6. Row A. Grave 8. Canadian Archives Accession Reference: RG 24, Volume 28867

Note from Internation Bomber Command Centre - Losses database

Edmund was born in St.Pancras, London, England on 9 June 1917. His parents both lived at Blagdon, Somerset, England. His enlistment application showed his permanent address as Blagdon and present address as St. Catherine’s, Ontario. He had a brother F/Lt. J. A. Vigor living in London, also a female married cousin in St. Catherine’s, Ontario. He gave his nationality as Canadian in his enlistment papers. The only schools mentioned are the Queen’s School in Cambridge, England and a Technical College in Coventry, England where he took evening classes (no dates). Edmund worked at Noakes Securities Ltd. (Aero Engines) in Coventry where he inspected components before assembly. His sport interests were soccer, swimming, tennis and boxing.

He enlisted at Niagara Falls on November 1939 and was next shown as embarking at 3PRC on 5 February 1943. He was at 20 (P)AFU, 4 May 1943, 24 OTU 10 August 1943 and 434 Squadron on 8 January 1944. Edmund was sadly to lose his life on 28 April 1944.

Major 71665, 349 Battery, 76 Heavy A.A. Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died of wounds 12 April 1943. Aged 24. Born and resident Bristol. Son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Wagstaff; husband of Doreen L. Wagstaff, of Chew Stoke, Somerset. In the 1921 census he was aged 2, born Bristol, son of Gerge Frederick and Ethel May Wagstaff, resident Engineer's Arms, St John's Lane, Bedminster, Bristol, Gloucestershire. Buried in LA REUNION WAR CEMETERY, Algeria. Plot 4. Row G. Grave 2.

Extract from Western Daily Press - Wednesday 12 April 1944, page 4:

IN MEMORIAM

WAGSTAFF.—Joseph John. Major, R.A., B.N.A.F., killed on active service April 2 1943, of Blagdon. Somerset, dearly beloved son of Ethel and the late George Wagstaff, of Bristol.

Lieutenant 228316, 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Died 19 April 1945. Aged 23. Resident Blagdon, Somerset. Son of Sir George Vernon Proctor Wills, 2nd Bt., and of Lady Wills, A.R.R.C., J.P., of Langford, Bristol. Buried in ARGENTA GAP WAR CEMETERY, Italy. Plot III. Row C. Grave 3.

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index, 1945:

WILLS sir George Peter Vernon baronet of Coombe Lodge Blagdon Somersetshire died 19 April 1945 on war service Probate Bristol 12 November to dame Nellie Jeannie Wills widow and Arthur Charles Crosfield Oddie chartered accountant.
Effects £775417 0s. 6d.

Extract from Aberdeen Press and Journal - Saturday 21 March 1942, page 2:

Sir G. Wills for Coldstreams

Sir George Peter Vernon Wills, twenty-year-old cadet member of the millionaire family associated with the tobacco firm, is to be a second-lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards, states a supplement to last night's "London Gazette."

Extract from Aberdeen Press and Journal - Saturday 21 March 1942, page 2:

Millionaire Baronet Killed Action

Sir George Peter Vernon Wills, member of the millionaire tobacco family, has, it is announced to-day, been killed in action in the Mediterranean area, while serving as a Lieut, in the Coldstream Guards. Sir George, who was 23, was the third baronet. His grandfather, Sir George A. Wills, left £10,000,000, and his father, whom he succeeded in 1931, left over £2,000,000. The heir is his 16-years-old brother, John Vernon Wills.