Roll of Honour - Somerset

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

WINSFORD WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 - Detailed information
Compiled and Copyright © Melanie Mileham 2017;
transcribed Archie Needs

The memorial can be found within the church of St. Mary Magdelene, Winsford, Somerset. It takes the form of a bronze plaque inscribed with white writing. There are eleven men from World War 1 commemorated.

FOR GOD, KING, AND COUNTRY.

IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF WINSFORD WHO
LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR
1914-1919

BAKER	Harris Bertram	Private 28739, 7th Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (formerly 1480 West Somerset Yeomanry). Killed in action 16th August 1917 in the Battle of Langemark, part of the Third Battle of Ypres. He was born in Winsford on 28th May 1894, the son of stone mason John Henry Baker and Sarah Jane Adams. He attended Winsford School and in 1917 married Gertrude Duddridge of Bishops Hull. He is remembered with honour on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.
BASS	Victor Abraham	Private 4594, 20th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. Killed in action in the second phase of the Battle of the Somme in High Wood, part of Delville Wood, near Longeuval, France on 20th July 1916 aged 28. He was born in Chester in 1888, the son of Roger and his wife Thomasina who was originally from Langport. Victor is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme and a Memorial Service was held for him in Winsford Church on 30th September 1916.
BLAKE	James	Private 17425, 1st Somerset Light Infantry. Died 9th August 1916 from the after-effects of a gas attack near Poperinge, France. James was born in Dulverton on 17th July 1889, the son of William Henry Blake and Elizabeth Middleton. He attended Winsford School and prior to enlisting worked as a farm labourer at Liscombe. He is buried in Plot 1 Row F Grave 8 at at Ferme-Olivier Cemetery in Belgium.
CALLAWAY	Archibald Thomas	Private 29236, 1st Warwickshire Regiment (formerly 21726 Somerset Light Infantry). Killed in action 17th August 1917 in the Battle of Langemark, part of the Third Battle of Ypres aged 27. Archie was born in Winsford on 11th May 1890 to Thomas Callaway and Elizabeth White. He attended Winsford School and later worked as a carter on a local farm. Like his brother Frederick, he is remembered with honour on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.
CALLAWAY	Frederick John	Private 203369, 8th Somerset Light Infantry. He was killed in action at the Battle of Broodseinde, part of the Passchendale Campaign, near Ypres in Flanders on 4th October 1917 aged 32. Frederick was born on 4th December 1884 in Winsford and attended the village school. After school he worked as a Hotel Groom in the Royal Oak. Like his brother Archie, he is remembered with honour on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.
LE BAS	Owen Vincent	Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps and The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). He was killed in action on 7th November 1915 near Douai in France aged 21. Owen was the son of barrister Reginald Vincent Le Bas and Florence Harriet Lamb and was born on 3rd October 1894 in Kensington. He gained his Flying Certificate at the British Flying School at Le Crotoy, France on April 29th 1915. He is buried at Browns Copse Cemetery in Rouex, France in Grave V11 F.36
NEWTON	James	Private 17337, 6th Somerset Light Infantry. James was killed in action on 16th September 1916 aged 21 in the Battle of Bernafay Wood, a continuation of the Battle of Delville Wood in the Second Phase of the Battle of the Somme. He was born in Withypool in 1895 to James Newton and Mary Bryant of Little Ash. He is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
QUARTLEY	William	Private 29689, 2nd Duke of Edinburgh's Wiltshire Regiment (formerly 8436 Devonshire Regiment). William joined the Army in 1911 and served in the Devonshire Regiment guarding the Suez Canal in Egypt. He returned to England when war broke out and was sent to the Western Front in France. He was wounded on 3rd July 1916 and was admitted to the Stationary Hospital at Rouen. On recovery he was transferred to the Wiltshire Regiment (29689). He was once again wounded on 20th October 1916 and was admitted to the General Hospital at Etaples. On Easter Monday 1917 he took part in the great attack of the Battle of Arras and paid the ultimate sacrifice. He was killed in action at the Battle of Arras on 9th April 1917 and is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery V1 L.1. He was born in Winsford on 27th March 1888 to Ellen Needs of Mousehanger. William attended Winsford School and at a Memorial Service in Winsford Church conducted by Rev George Swift was attended by a large congregation.
TREBLE	William John	Private 20411, 8th Somerset Light Infantry. Killed in action on 4th September 1916 during the Second Phase of the Battle of the Somme. He was born on 22nd July 1896 in High Bray, Devon to William James Treble a carpenter from Milton's Cottage, Bridgetown and Alice Susan Hill. William attended Exton School and is remembered with honour at Bay 4 of the Arras Memorial, France
WEETCH	Ernest John aka Jack	Private 345644, 16th Devonshire Regiment. Jack served with the 16th Battalion Devonshire Regiment which was formed at Moascar, Egypt on 4th January 1917. Having been involved in the fighting in Palestine and in the capture and defence of Jerusalem, they left Alexandria in Egypt and landed in Marseilles, France on 7th May 1918. Jack was killed in action on 2nd September 1918 in the Second Battle of Bapaume aged 28 and is remembered with honour on Panel 4 of the Vis-En-Artois Memorial, France. His elder brother Frederick was also killed just 26 days later. Jack was born in Exton on 4th January 1890 to James Weetch (Game Keeper) and Mary Baker of Folly Cottage, Winsford.
WEETCH	Frederick James	Guardsman 21410, 1st Coldstream Guards. The Battalion landed in France in 1914 and remained on the Western Front throughout the War. They were involved in many engagements; 1914 First Battle of Ypres, 1916 Battle of the Somme and 1917 the Battle of Passchendale and the Third Battle of Ypres. Frederick died of his wounds on 28th September 1918 in the Battle of the Canal Du Nord, part of the Fifth Battles of Ypres, just 26 days after his brother Jack. He was born on 11th October 1887 in Exton and in 1914 married Laura Hawkins at Withypool. Frederick is buried in grave E34 at Thilloy Road Cemetry, in Beaulencourt, France.

Last updated 30 June, 2017

War Memorials Trust