Second Lieutenant (Observer), 55th Squadron, Royal Air Force. Killed in action while flying in a De Havilland DH4 when the aircraft was shot down by Enemy Aircraft over France 12 June 1918. Born 1899 in Tow Law, Durham. Son of William Thomas and late Jeanette Louisa Brewer; William later lived in Hessle, Yorkshire. In the 1911 census he was the son of William Thomas and Jeanette Louisa Brewer, aged 12, a schoolby, born Tow Law, Durham, living in Front Street, Shotton Colliery; his father was a schoolmaster; he was the brother of Norman Reginald - see below. His father served as Head teacher at Goxhill Weslyan Primary School from 18 Oct 1918-21 Dec 1923. Enlisted 17 March 1917 at Pontefract (rejoined from reserve) 28. August 1918 Discharged to be re-appointed with commission as Second Lieutenant. Buried in CHARMES MILITARY CEMETERY, ESSEGNEY, Vosges, France. Plot I. Row A. Grave 5.

Private 20/257, 20th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Killed in action 21 September 1917. Born 11 August 1892 in Tow Law, Co. Durham, enlisted 9 September 1915 in Sunderland, resident Durham. Son of William Thomas and late Jeanette Louisa Brewer; William later lived in Hessle, Yorkshire. In the 1911 census he was the son of William Thomas and Jeanette Louisa Brewer, aged 18, a Colliery Lamp Cleaner, born Tow Law, Durham, living in Front Street, Shotton Colliery; his father was a schoolmaster; he was the brother of Thomas Edison - see above. His father served as Head teacher at Goxhill Weslyan Primary School from 18 Oct 1918-21 Dec 1923. No known grave. Commemorated on TYNE COT MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 128 to 131 and 162 and 162A.

Serjeant 9884, 3rd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. Killed in action 7 June 1915. Aged 23. Born Woodhall Spa, Horncastle, Lincs, enlisted Lincoln, resident Goxhill. Son of John and Ellen Drinkall, of North End, Goxhill, Hull; fiancee Miss O Vinter. Father recorded at Sutterton, Lincs at 1911 then in Goxhill at time of Robert’s death (Rtd. Police Sergeant). Robert recorded as drummer/musician at Dover Castle in 1911 census. Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.). No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 34. Also commemorated in Goxhill Parish Church and on his parent’s headstone in Goxhill cemetery.

DCM Citation:

"9884 Serjeant R. Drinkall, 3rd Bn., Worc. R. (LG 3 June 1915).
For conspicuous gallantry in the assault on the enemy's position at Spanbroek Molen on 12th March, 1915. Was one of the first to enter the German trench and by marked determination and ability succeeded in holding the right end for nearly three hours, not-withstanding the bombardment with grenades and machine-gun fire by th enemy."

Mess Room Steward, S.S. "Tycho" (Hull), Mercantile Marine. Drowned, as a result of an attack by an enemy submarine when his ship was torpedoed 20 May 1917. Aged 17. Son of Albert and Jane Elizabeth Howson, of 6, Church St., Goxhill, Lincs. In the 1911 census he was aged 10, born Goxhill, at school, son of Albert and Jane Howson, resident Goxhill, Lincolnshire. Parents both born in Hull but father Albert Goxhill resident in 1869 aged 2 and Jane Elizabeth Goxhill resident in 1879 aged 10. Nephew of William Williamson (his mother’s brother) also listed - see below. No known grave. Commemorated on TOWER HILL MEMORIAL, London. Also commemorated in Goxhill Parish Church.

Note: SS Tycho, 3216 tons, was built in 1904 by Earle's Ship Building & Eng., Co. Owned by Wilson Line Ltd, Hull, and was managed by Ellerman Lines, Ltd., Liverpool. She was first attacked by submarine torpedo 21 March 1915 in the Downs but it missed, the second occasion proved fatal when attacked again by torpedo 20 May 1917 and sunk 16 miles off Beachy Head, Sussex; 15 crew were killed. She was sunk by UB40 whilst enroute from Bombay to Hull with a general cargo.

Private 45600, 6th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. Killed in action 28 May 1918. Aged 23. Enlisted Grimsby, residence listed as Cleethorpes. Married in 1914 in Goxhill to Hannah Mary Easton. Present in Goxhill Marsh (Ferry Road) at 1911 census. Son of George William and Millicent Hunter. Wife Hannah Mary nee Easton b. Goxhill. Two daughters born in 1915 and 1917 in Goxhill. Widow listed as Hannah M. Hannah remarried in Grimsby in 1921. Married in 1914 in Goxhill to Hannah Mary Easton. Present in Goxhill Marsh (Ferry Road) at 1911 census. No known grave. Commemorated at SOISSONS MEMORIAL, Aisne, France. Also commemorated in Goxhill Parish Church.

Lance Corporal 15173, 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 6 November 1918. Born 1894 in Scunthorpe, enlisted Grimsby, resident Barrow-on-Humber. Son of Charles and Mary Ann Short of Goxhill. Married Rose Annie nee Broom of Staffordshire. Rose re-married after William’s death. Two sons from this marriage died in World War 2. Father born and lived in Goxhill until William’s birth. 1891 listed working at Old Hall with William Dunn, brother of Joseph Dunn. Recorded back in Goxhill at 1899. William’s father Charles Short is the brother of Fanny and Eliza Short who married Frederick and George Dunn, brothers of Joseph. Buried in BERLAIMONT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Nord, France. Plot/Row/Section B. Grave 1. Also commemorated in Goxhill Parish Church.

OUR GLORIOUS DEAD 1939 – 1945.

Able Seaman P/JX 337642, H.M.S. President III, Royal Navy. Died at sea 6 March 1943. Aged 38. Son of William and Gertrude Smaller, of Goxhill, Lincolnshire; husband of Catherine Smaller, of Goxhill. No known grave. Commemorated on PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Hampshire. Panel 75, Column 3.

Note: HMS President III - HMS President is a stone frigate, or shore establishment of the Royal Naval Reserve; re-established on 28 August 1939 in Bristol to train those allocated for service on the Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships. It was later transferred to locations across Windsor and London. By 31 May 1944 the command held over 30,500 accounts. The ledgers were closed after the war on 1 July 1946.

Flight Lieutenant 40867, 89 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died 27 September 1942. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C.). Buried in MALTA (CAPUCCINI) NAVAL CEMETERY, Malta. Prot. Sec. (Officers'). Plot E. Collective grave 3.

Leading Aircraftman 1475510, flying Avro Lancaster, 149 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 5 June 1945. Aged 22. Son of Thomas Kirkby Wardle and Alice Wardle, of Goxhill, Lincolnshire. Buried in LILLE SOUTHERN CEMETERY, Nord, France. Plot 5. Row C. Collective grave 9-17.

Note: No. 149 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron between 1918 and 1956. Formed 1918 in the Royal Flying Corps as a night-bomber unit, it remained in that role for the rest of its existence which spanned three periods between 1918 and 1956. Initially equipped with Heyford biplane bombers, the squadron converted to Vickers Wellingtons in January 1939. On 4 September 1939 L4259 was flown on "Ops Brunsbüttel 4/500 GP", the day after the declaration of war against Germany by Great Britain. (Source Pilot's Logbook). After being re-equipped with the Short Stirling in November 1941, the squadron took part in the first 1,000 bomber raid. The squadron also formed No. 149 Squadron Conversion flight on 21 January 1942 to train new Stirling crews and on 7 October this was formed into 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) together with 7, 101 and 218 Squadron Conversion Flights. In August 1944, the Stirlings gave way to Avro Lancasters, which served the squadron until 1949. At the end of the war no. 149 squadron participated in Operation Manna, to drop food to the starved Dutch population still under German occupation, and Operation 'Exodus', to return former prisoners of war back to the UK.

Gunner 1787152, 7 Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died while a Prisoner of War of the Japanese in Burma 25 July 1943. Aged 37. Born 22 September 1905. Son of William and Annie Shaw; husband of Ivy Shaw, of Hull. Buried in KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY, Thailand. PLot 2. Row H. Grave 21.

IN MEMORY OF
IVY SHAW
BORN 4.4.1908 DIED 8.8.1999
LOVING WIFE OF THE LATE
WILLIAM SHAW
WHO DIED IN BURMA WHILE A
PRISONER OF WAR OF THE JAPANESE
BORN 22.9.1905 DIED 25.7.1943
THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED
BY THEIR DAUGHTER
IRIS MARGARET MACLEOD