Cholsey's Great War Dead

Cholsey's Great War Dead provides the information for the village's centenary remembrance of that terrible war.  For each of the fallen in the period 1914-18, a remembrance ceremony is held exactly 100 years later.

The research for Crime and Calamity in Cholsey: Life in a Berkshire Village 1819-1919, provided a lot of information about the Great War dead immortalised in the memorial in St Mary’s church.  Not all of the names made it into the published book, but I thought the information would be of interest to village historians and those involved in the annual Armistice Day remembrance services.

I have identified most of the names with little chance of ambiguity, but there are a few where I have been unable to find a suitable person with a connection to Cholsey.  All 41 names are listed in the book, and I have marked the six who remain to be identified.  Note that there is also a roll of honour in the Free Church, which has 34 of the same names, but five of the unknowns are not listed (Broadbridge, Chapman, Giles, Harwood and Marshall) and the two Hansens are missing.  A third memorial plaque, which now resides in the New Pavilion, has all 41 names, but mistakes have been made over some of their initials and the order is not strictly alphabetical!

In addition to these war dead, I have added a further 20 men who had a connection with Cholsey, but for some reason did not make it onto the church memorial.  They may have been born in the parish and moved away, or have parents or a spouse who ended up living in the village.  Also added are the six service patients from Fair Mile Hospital who are buried in the churchyard.

Buy the book now

Those included in the book

2Lt George Shrubb Abbott

Pte Alfred Abdey

L-Cpl Herbert John Abdey

Cpl Alfred Alder

Pte John Alder

Sapper Ernest Charles Henry Aldworth

F. J. Barrett

Pioneer Frank Beale

Pte Bernard James Edward Belcher

Pte Walter Blake

Pte Robert Charles Brind

A. Broadbridge

Pte Frank Rupert Butler

Pte Rowland John Butler

Pte Frederick Thomas Cato

G. Chapman

Pte Robert Clarke

Pte Albert Cook

Pte Ernest William Cook

Gunner Frederick Cordery

Pte William Deane

Pte Ernest William Dearlove

Pte George Didcock

Pte Stephen Draper

2Lt Francis Andrew Lloyd Edwards

Pte Edward Ernest Ferris

Gunner William Joseph Ferris

L-Cpl Edward Thomas Fruen

Cpl Leonard Franklin Gale

W. Giles

Signal Boy Edward Ferdinand Green

Driver Harry Greenough

Lt Carl Frederick Vilhelm Hansen

2Lt William George Hansen

H. Harwood

Pte Alfred James Hawkins

Pte Reginald Montague Griffiths Hearmon

Pte Alfred Hedges

Driver Frank Hedges

Major Richard Max Henman

Pte Henry House

Pte Walter Roland Howse

L-Cpl Edward James Hutt

Driver Albert Kimber

Pte Fred Kimber

2Lt Dudley Sidney Laurence

Capt William John Hurstwaite Leete

Rifleman Alan Love

W. G. Marshall

Pte Fred Nelson

Pte James Pearce

Pte George Reeves

Rifleman George Rumble

Cpl Vincent Elijah Saunders

Pte Albert Edward Silvester

Pte Albert Smith

L-Cpl Frank Alfred Spratley

Pte David Arthur Stocker

Guardsman Henry Hamilton Sturgess

L-Cpl Ernest James Taylor

Pte Harry Turner

Pte Charles Henry Tyrrell

L-Cpl Frederick William Vaughan

L-Bombadier Stephen Webb

Sgt Alfred Augustus Wilder

Pte Percy Augustus Witherall

Sapper Henry Francis Woodward