Roll of Honour - Sussex - Ashburnham and Penhurst

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

ASHBURNHAM AND PENHURST WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Chris Comber 2007

Ashburnham and Penhurst are hamlets about a mile apart. The area includes the former estate of Ashburnham Place now a conference centre. There are three Memorials. One takes the form of a framed illuminated list in the Parish Church of St Peter’s, Ashburnham, which is situated in the grounds of Ashburnham Place. These names are repeated on a roadside granite Cross to be found on the road from Pont’s Green outside the little sports field taking the form of a wheeled cross on a shaft mounted on aplinth with the inscription on the shaft of the cross and the plinth; the whole is in Celtic design set in relief on the upper part of the shaft and the cross. In St Michael and Archangel Parish Church, Penhurst, there is a small brass plate bearing the names of two local brothers who died serving with the Canadians. There is also one burial in the churchyard. Six men have been added for World War 2.

Ashburnham

Penhurst

IN
GLORIOUS MEMORY
OF THE MEN OF
ASHBURNHAM
AND PENHURST
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
FOR THEIR
COUNTRY
IN THE GREAT WAR
1914 - 1918.
"GREATER LOVE HATH
NO MAN THAN THIS"

AVARD	William	Private 44974, 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. 21st Division. Killed in action 11th April 1918. Aged 34. Son of Martha Avard,. Born in Eastbourne and enlisted in Eastbourne. Formerly with The Royal Sussex. Bricklayer/Gardener. Included on Eastbourne Memorial, St. Mary’s Parish Church and St. Andrew’s Norway Memorials. Buried in Wytschaete Military Cemetery, Belgium.
CARTER	Frederick William	Private 5540, 7th Battalion, Leinster Regiment. 16th Irish Division. Died of wounds 24th November 1917. Aged 31. Husband of Kate Elizabeth Carter of Brown Bread Street, Ashburnham. Born and enlisted in Ashburnham. Buried in Croisilles Railway Cemetery.
COOPER	Henry	possibly William Henry Cooper Private G/3885, 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Killed in action at Richebourg 9th May 1915. Enlisted in Brighton. Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.
CREASEY	Alexander William	Lance Corporal SD/901, 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division. Died of wounds in military hospital in Govan, Scotland 4th October 1916. Aged 24. Born in Warbleton and enlisted in Battle. Formerly with the South Downs Battalions. Buried in St Johns Churchyard, Bodle Street Green
HARMER	Alfred	Private TF/2108, 1/5th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division. Killed in action near Cambrin 8th July 1915. Aged 21. Son of Mr & Mrs Charles Harmer of Bay Cottage, The Forge, Ashburnham. Born in Ashburnham and enlisted in Hastings. Included on All Souls Parish Church Memorial, Hastings & Hastings War Memorial. Buried in Cambrin Churchyard Cemetery Extension.
HILDER	George	Private TF/203438, 1/7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. 56th London Division. Killed in action near Arras 10th April 1917. Aged 29. Son of Mr & Mrs L Hilder of “Atchenham Cottage”, Ashburnham. Born in Ashburnham and enlisted in Sevenoaks, Kent. Buried in London Cemetery, Neuville-Vitasse
HOBDAY, DCM	Stephen George	Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). 1st Canadian Division. Killed in action on the Somme near Courcelette 8th October 1916. Aged 31. Son of Benjamin Thomas & Elizabeth Hobday of Bunces Farm, Ashburnham. Born in Ashburnham. Commemorated on The Vimy Memorial.
HOBDAY	Walter James	Corporal 65453, 24th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Quebec Regiment). 2nd Canadian Division. Killed in action near Zillebeke, 16th June 1916. Aged 26. Son of Benjamin Thomas & Elizabeth Hobday of Bunces Farm, Ashburnham. Born in Battle. Commemorated on The Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium (Canadian Section)
MARCHANT	Sydney Frederick	Gunner 147068, 396th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died after hostilities in Greece 12th December 1918. Aged 21. Son of Mr Frederick Marchant & Mrs Ruth Cornford (formerly Marchant) of Great Sprays Farm, Penhurst. Buried in Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria, Greece.
MILLS	Thomas Henry	Private L/10348, 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division. Killed in action at Richebourg L’Avoue 9th May 1915. Aged 18. Son of Thomas & Kate Elizabeth Mills of Broomham near Guestling. Born in Sedlescombe and enlisted in Chichester. Commemorated on The Le Touret Memorial
PARROTT	Percy	Private G/8872, 11th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division. Died at home 2nd April 1918. Aged 26. Son of Mr Parrott & Mrs Mercy Parrott of Brays Hill, Ashburnham. Buried in Penhurst Churchyard
ROOKE	Ernest John	Private L. 7866 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division. Reservist and Ex-Regular soldier. Killed in action at Richebourg L’Avoue 9th May 1915. Aged 29. Local police constable for Battle and Ashburnham. Born St. Johns, Brighton and enlisted in Chichester. Next of kin Brighton. Commemorated on The Le Touret Memorial
STUBBERFIELD	Frederick George	Private TF/2611, 1/5th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division. Killed in action near Cambrin 8th July 1915. Aged 17. Son of George & Sarah Stubberfield of “The Corner House”, Ashburnham. Born in Ashburnham and enlisted in Hastings. Buried in Cambrin Churchyard Cemetery Extension
TURNER	Ernest	Private 21339, 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. 29th Division. Killed in action near Arras 23rd April 1917. Aged 35. Husband of Mrs L. L. Turner of 11 Beach Road, Eastbourne. Born in Ashburnham and enlisted in Eastbourne. Formerly with The Royal Sussex. Former Ashburnham Estate carter and probably brother of Francis Turner below. Included on Eastbourne War Memorial and Christchurch Parish Church Memorial, Eastbourne. Buried in Windmill British Cemetery Monchy Le Preux
TURNER	Francis (Frank)	Private SD/2362, 12th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division. Killed in action on the Rue De Bois 30th June 1916. Aged 37. Brother of Mrs Mercy Parrott of Brays Hill ,Ashburnham and Ernest Turner?. Born in Ashburnham and enlisted in Hastings. Agricultural labourer. Commemorated on The Loos Memorial
WINCHESTER	Charles	Private SD/752, 16th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 74th Division Killed in action 14th October 1918. Aged 27. Son of Mark & Lucy Winchester of 14, Ringwood Road, Bexhill. Born in Ashburnham and enlisted in Horsham. Name also appears on the Memorials in Bexhill, Ninfield and Warnham near Horsham. Bur Cambrin Military Cemetery.
Penhurst parish church brass tablet in church
HOBDAY	W J	Corporal 16th June 1916 at Zillebeke – see above
HOBDAY	S G	Lieutenant 8th October 1916 at Courcelette (DCM) – see above
AND IN MEMORY OF MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SECOND GERMAN WAR 1939 - 45
BEALE	David John	Private 5th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Killed in action at El Alamein 27th October 1942. Aged 22. Commemorated on The Alamein Memorial
CREASEY	Frederick William	Private, 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 8th Army. Killed in action in Libya 24th November 1941. Aged 25. Son of Arthur & Caroline Kate Creasey of Ocklynge, Eastbourne. Buried in Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery
FERGUSON	Charles Douglas	Corporal, Reconnaissance Corps, 44th Regiment. (7th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent). Killed in action in Tunisia 10th May 1943. Aged 25. Buried in Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia
ISTED	Ernest Charles	Sergeant (Air Gunner), 149 Bomber Squadron, Royal Air Force. Based at Lakenheath and equipped with Short Stirlings. Lost on operations over Holland 24th July 1942. Buried in Uden War Cemetery, Holland
TURNER	Ronald Arthur	Private 5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Killed in action during the retreat to Dunkirk 22nd May 1940. Aged 20. Son of Charles Frederick & Annie Turner of Ashburnham. Buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, France,
WARRINGTON	Clement Samuel Vincent	Able Seaman, H. M. Landing Craft (Tank) 7015, Royal Navy. Drowned when LCT 7015 was one of six landing craft lost in bad weather off Land’s End 18/19th October 1944. Aged 20. Commemorated on The Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Southsea.

Last updated 5 September, 2025

War Memorials Trust