GUESTLING WAR MEMORIAL

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

Guestling is a village to the East of Hastings. The memorials are located inside St Laurence Parish Church on the south wall to the right of the door. There is a stone World War 1 tablet set within a wooden frame below which is another stone tablet World War 2. There are 24 surnames with Christian names for World War 1 plus one burial in the Churchyard not included on the Memorial, there are 8 names for World War 2.

Photographs Copyright © Chris Comber 2007 Note below: Chris Comber hard at work checking the names

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL
MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH
WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN
THE GREAT WAR
1914 - 1918

BAILEY	Arthur George	possibly Private G.6443 7th. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 12th. Division. Killed in action at Amiens 13 August 1918. Aged 34. Son of Mr & Mrs George Bailey. Born and enlisted in Hastings. Included on Hastings War Memorial Ex Regular Soldier,Royal Sussex Regiment. (1901 Census) Served in South Africa Commemorated on the Vis En Artois Memorial
BAKER	George Henry	Private TF.2799 1/5th. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st. Division Killed in action at Richebourg L’Avoue 9 May 1915. Aged 25. Son of George & Harriett Baker of Guestling. Born in Guestling and enlisted in Hastings Included on Hastings War Memorial. Commemorated on Le Touret Memorial
BEECHING	Luke Walter	Able Seaman PO/208406, H.M.S. Cressy, Royal Navy. Drowned in the North Sea when his ship was sunk by a German Submarine 22 September 1914. Aged 31. Born 1 September 1884 in Guestling, Sussex. Prior to enlistment he was an errand boy. Son of Luke & Ellen Beeching of Guestling; husband of Mary Ann E. Beeching, of 17 Liverpool Road, Lower Walmer, Kent; father of Henry Alexander, Dorothy Cecilia and Hilda Cressy. Born in Guestling and enlisted in Portsmouth. Enlisted 1 September 1902 for 12 years, re-enlisted 15 May 1913. Height 5 feet 71/2 inches, brown hair, hazel eyes, fresh complexion, two swallows tattooed on his chest. In the 1891 census he was aged 6, born Sussex, son of John and Eliza Beeching, resident with his parents at The Thorne, Guestling, Hastings, Sussex. In the 1901 census he was aged 26, an Able Seman, Royal Navy, born Guestling, married to Mary Ann Elizabeth with one son, Harry Alexander, resident 17 Matrimory Street, Landport, Portsmouth, Hampshire. No known grave. Commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire. Panel 1. Extract from De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1918 Volume 1a Page 27: BEECHING, LUKE, A.B. (Ports.) 208406, R.N., s. of John Beeching, by his wife, Eliza ; b. Hastings, 1 Sept. …. ; educ. there ; joined the Navy in 1901, and was lost when H.M.S. Cressy was torpedoed in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. He m., Portsmouth, 27 July, 1908, Mary Ann Elizabeth (C.G. Station, Walmer, Kent), dau. of George William Good, R.N., and left one son and two daus.: Henry Alexander, b. 30 July, 1910 ; Dorothy Cecilia, b. 10 April, 1913; Hilda Cressy, b. 2 Nov. 1914.
BESCOBY	Edgar Lawrence	Second Lieutenant 12th. Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. 24th. Division Wounded at Messines and died in hospital near Poperinghe 18 June 1917. Aged 25. Son of Mr H.G. & Mrs E Bescoby of Guestling. Born in Guestling. Buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium
BRYANT	Frederick James	Private G.4191 Royal Sussex Regiment. Died at home 2 November 1917. Name also appears on the War Memorial in Icklesham Parish Church Details from Medal Rolls and Icklesham Burial location not found.
CHALKLEY	Joseph Frank	Rifleman 1410 1/21st. Battalion, London Regiment. (The Surrey Rifles) 47th. London Division. Died 10 November 1915. Aged 21. Son of Joseph & Emily Chalkley of 57, Richmond Road, Brighton. Born in Finsbury and enlisted in Camberwell. Former resident of Guestling. Buried in Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery
CLAYTON	Charles	Lance Corporal SD.4144 13th. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th. Division. Died of wounds at Merville 2 July 1916. Aged 22. Son of Robert & Rose Clayton of Guestling. Born in New York (USA) & enlisted in Hastings Buried in Merville Communal Cemetery
FAIRALL	George Henry	Lance Corporal 30227 246th. Company, Machine Gun Corps. Killed in action at Ypres 23 September 1917. Aged 21. Son of George & Elizabeth Fairall. Born in Rotherfield and enlisted in Eastbourne. Formerly Royal Sussex Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial Belgium.
FELLOWS	Frederick James	Pioneer 129944 Royal Engineers. No.2 Special Company, Killed in action 6 April 1917. Aged 19. Son of Ernest Albert & Mary Anne Fellows of "The Thorn" Guestling. Born in Guestling and enlisted in Hastings. Formerly Royal Sussex. Buried in Ecoivres Military Cemetery, Mint St. Eloi
FELLOWS	Percy James	Private G/25999 10th. Battalion, East Kent Regiment. 74th. Division Died of wounds at Cambrin 13 October 1918. Aged 19. Son of Jesse & Elizabeth Fellows of 6, Doleham Cottages, Guestling. Born in Three Oaks and enlisted in Hastings. Buried in Cambrin Military Cemetery
FELLOWS	Herbert	probably John Herbert Field Fellows. Able Seaman, . S.S. "Poljames" (London), Mercantile Marine. Drowned, as a result of an attack by an enemy submarine, 2 October 1918. Aged 26. Son of George and Emily Fellows; husband of Mary Jane Fellows (neé Parker), of 52 Clifton St., Roath, Cardiff. Born in Guestling in 1893 the illegitimate son of Emily Fellows baptised at St. Laurence, Guestling 5 March 1893. By 1896 Emily had married George Santer at Guestling and John Fellows appears as his step-son on the 1911 Census. Mercantile Marine Medal issued 23 October 1923, next of kin Mrs M J Fellows, Blackheath Brooks, Guestling nr. Hastings.
GOODSELL	George James	Private G. 1508 7th. Battalion, Royal West Surrey Regiment. 18th. Division Killed in action on the Somme at Montauban 1 July 1916. Aged 21. Son of George James & Agnes Goodsell of Rose Cottage, Three Oaks, Guestling. Born in Brede and enlisted in Croydon. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial
HARBOROUGH	Ernest Victor	Lance Corporal G. 20626 16th. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 74th. Yeomanry Division. Killed in action 15 September 1918. Aged 21. Son of Mr & Mrs Russell Harborough of Rose Cottage, Guestling Thorn, Guestling. Born and enlisted in Hastings. Included on Hastings War Memorial. Buried in Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension.
HARMAN	William	Private TF.240719 1/5th. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 48th. Division. Died of wounds in base hospital at Etaples, 18 August 1917. Aged 22. Son of Mr & Mrs Harry Harman of 12, Dalham Cottages, Guestling. Enlisted in Hastings Included on Hastings War Memorial. Buried in Etaples Military Cemetery
KEYWOOD	Herbert Ernest Samuel	Private 432755 Labour Corps. Died at home 16 December 1917. Aged 38. Son of James & Emma Keywood of Bramber. Born in Bramber and enlisted in Hastings. Resident of Guestling. Formerly Royal Sussex. Buried in St. Nicholas Churchyard, Bramber.
OSBORNE	Albert Vincent	Private TF. 1837 1/5th. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st. Division Wounded at Richebourg on the 9 May 1915. and died in military hospital in Manchester on the 24 May 1915. Aged 21. Eldest son of Albert & Kate Osborne of "The Watermill" Pickham, Guestling later of Broad Street, Icklesham. Brother of John Osborne. Born in Guestling and enlisted in Ore, Hastings. Buried in Manchester (South) Cemetery
OSBORNE	John	Private 28130 8th. Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. 18th. Division. Killed in action near Serre 15 November 1916. Aged 21. Son of Albert & Kate Osborne of "The Watermill" Pickham, Guestling, later of Broad Street, Icklesham Brother of Albert Osborne. Born in Guestling and enlisted in Chichester Buried in Serre Road Cemetery No 2
RAMSEY	Frederick Thomas	Private 5892 17th. Battalion, Australian Infantry 2nd. Australian Division Killed in action at Bullecourt 3 May 1917. Aged 27. Son of John & Mary Anne Ramsey of Guestling Emigrated to Australia pre War. Commemorated on Villers Bretonneux Memorial
RICH	Charles	Private G.68774 23rd. Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. 33rd. Division Killed in action 25 March 1918. Aged 19. Son of William & Ellen Rich of Guestling. Born in Brede and enlisted in Hastings. Commemorated on Arras Memorial
STACE	Frank	Private G.9092 2nd. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st. Division. Killed in action near Bazentin le Petit 5 August 1916. Aged 20. Son of Mr & Mrs J,F,Stace of Mount Pleasant, Guestling. Born in Guestling and enlisted in Hastings. Buried in Brewery Orchard Cemetery
STANDEN	Archibald Edwin	Lance Corporal 15922 6th. Battalion, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry 20th. Light Division. Killed in action 3 August 1916. Aged 33. Son of Edwin & Eliza Standen of Guestling. Born in Ore,Hastings & enlisted in Birmingham Resident of Aston, Birmingham. Cabinet Maker Buried in Sucrerie Military Cemetery Colincamps
WELLS	Thomas George	Private TF. 2787 1/5th. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st. Division Killed in action at Richebourg 9 May 1915. Aged 19. Son of Thomas & Mary Wells of Lidham Farm, Guestling. Born in Ore,Hastings and enlisted in Hastings Included on Hastings War Memorial Commemorated on Le Touret Memorial
WICKENDEN	Isaac Henry	Sergeant 12163 38th. Battalion, Machine Gun Corps. (Infantry) Killed in action 21 August 1918. Aged 30. Son of Isaac & Barbara Wickenden of East Grinstead. Husband of Mrs Lilian Martha Wickenden of Three Oaks, Guestling. Born in East Grinstead and enlisted in Tenterden, Kent. Formerly with Royal Sussex Regiment. Buried in Forceville Communal Cemetery Extension
WYNNE	Ernest Edward	Captain 1/5th. Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. 59th. Division. Killed in action 8 June 1917. Aged 21. Son of Rev. Edward Horace Wynne & Mrs Katherine Doreen Wynne of Guestling Rectory, Guestling. Formerly of Uppingham, Rutlandshire. Born in Rugby, Warwickshire. Buried in Bull Grenay Communal Cemetery, British Extension
Churchyard burial not on Memorial
ASHBURNHAM	Cromer	Major Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Died at home 11 September 1919. Aged 53. Son of Major General Sir Cromer Ashburnham KCB. And Lady Ashburnham. Husband of Ethel Mary Ashburnham of East House, Sydling, Dorchester. Served in South Africa. Buried in St. Lawrence Churchyard, Guestling.
ALSO TO THOSE WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 - 1945
COOPER	Reginald Henry	Sergeant Royal Air Force Died on active service in Egypt after the War 24 November 1946. Aged 26. Son of Frederick William & Caroline Maria Cooper. Husband of Mrs Woodley Cooper of Hastings. Buried in Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt
COX	Frederick Arthur	No further information currently available
GODDSELL	John	Seaman Royal Naval Patrol Service HMS "St. Briac" Fleet Air Arm Target Vessel Lost at sea 12 March 1942. Aged 35 when the ‘St. Briac" was mined in the North Sea off Aberdeen. Son of John & Mary Goddsell. Husband of Ada Lily Goodsell of Icklesham. Commemorated on Lowestoft Naval Memorial
GOODSELL	Stanley Ernest	Staff Sergeant Royal Army Service Corps. No 2 Motor Boat Company, . Lost on active service in the Eastern Mediterranean 21 February 1945. Aged 24. Son of Augustus & Elsie Goodsall of Guestling Commemorated on Athens Memorial,Greece
HYLAND	Reginald Leslie	No further information currently available
MORFORD	Reginald Stanley	Lance Sergeant 7th. Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Killed in action during the retreat to Dunkirk 21 May 1940. Aged 24. Son of Reginald George & Ellen Morford. Husband of Ruby Anne Morford of Guestling. Buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension
SMITH	Albert	No further information currently available
TRUMAN	Richmond Henry Francis	Lieutenant Royal Artilery Hong Kong & Singapore Royal Artillery Att. 3rd. Light A.A. Regiment. Taken prisoner by the Japanese and died in captivity in Siam 16 June 1943. Aged 32. Son of Herbert Charles & Edith Dorothy Truman of Fairlight. Buried in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery Thailand

AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING
WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM

Last updated: 7 March, 2025