Notes on soldier.
HALL, Thomas William – Guardsman – 16179, 2nd Bn. Grenadier Guards.
He was the eldest son of Thomas William & Elizabeth HALL of High Road Side, Ramsey Mereside, enlisted at March, Cambs. on 19th December 1914. He was killed in action on Wednesday,10th March 1915, aged 21 years, and is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial, Le Touret Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
HAMMENT, James – Private – 23133, 6th Bn. Bedfordshire Regt.
He was the son of John & Mary Ann HAMMENT of Fortyfoot Bridge, Ramsey, enlisted at Bedford. He was killed in action on Wednesday, 20th March 1918, aged 31 years, and is commemorated on Panel 48 to 50 and 162A of the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, the Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. [Also on Ramsey Fortyfoot memorial]
J [James] Hamment - His name appears on the Ramsey Fortyfoot memorial.
This memorial is now located in the new Village hall, prior to that it
could be found in the church of St Felix, that used to stand near to
that site.
IN MEMORIAM - GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS
LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS - THE GREAT WAR - 1914-1918.
HAMPTON, William Orr – 2nd Lieutenant, 3rd Bn. Norfolk Regt.
He was the elder and only surviving son of the Revd. William Henry HAMPTON, the Vicar of Pondersbridge for 24 years, and Elizabeth HAMPTON, was educated at Ely, Cambs, and joined the Army on 6th August 1914. He was killed in action in France on Saturday, 1st July 1916, aged 28 years, and his grave is in the Lonsdale Cemetery, Authuile, Somme, France. He was a Special Reserve Officer attached to the 70th Bn. Machine Gun Corps. [Also on Pondersbridge memorial]
HARDING, Charles Arthur – Private – 200948, 1/5th Bn. Durham Light Infantry.
He was born at Upton, Huntingdonshire in 1886, the eldest son of Arthur & Sarah Elizabeth HARDING of 98 High Street, Ramsey, enlisted at Oundle, Northants. He was killed in action on Thursday, 11th April 1918, aged about 32 years, and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, the Berks Cemetery Extension, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Mr. & Mrs. HARDING had four more sons serving for their country. He was formerly 3527 in the Northamptonshire Regt.
From a local newspaper - 1st March 1917 - his name appears as Corpl. Harding M. T. A.S.C., of Ramsey, who won the Military Medal for Meritorious service on the field - further details to follow.
Many thanks to Doreen Hill for information on this soldier who is a relation.
Many thanks to Doreen Hill for information on this soldier who is a relation.
Many thanks to Doreen Hill for information on this soldier who is a relation.
He was born on the 19th July 1895, the son of Arthur & Sarah Elizabeth HARDING of 98 High Street, Ramsey, Huntingdonshire, enlisting in the Hunts Cyclists on the 6th March 1914. He later transferred into the 2/22nd Battalion London Regiment as Rifleman 5729, later 682825 where he served from August 1914 until January 1919. He was disembodied 3rd August 1919 with the remark 'He worked well and is thoroughly reliable.'
He is thought to have served in Salonica - further details to follow.
Many thanks to Doreen Hill for information on this soldier who is the father.
From a local newspaper his name appears as having enlisted in the Army by June 10th 1915 – Harding, W., Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion.
Many thanks to Doreen Hill for information on this soldier who is a relation.
Royal Fusiliers, Ramsey, Missing in May 1918.
HARLOCK, William George – Private – G/35039, 11th Bn. Royal Fusiliers.
He was born 21st September 1891, son of William & Mary Ann HARLOCK of the True Britton, Lotting Fen, Ramsey Heights, who had been wounded in France died at the Fort Pitt Hospital, Rochester, on Sunday, 22nd October 1916, aged 25 years, and was buried in Ramsey St. Marys churchyard. He married Ellen Mary CARTER at Woodwalton on 26 December 1910, and besides the widow he also left several young children living at Packard's Drove, Lotting Fen, Ramsey Heights. [Also on Ramsey St. Marys memorial]
HARPER, Charles Golding – Private – 43111, 1st Bedfordshire Regt.
He was the son of Frederick & Maria (nee GOLDING) HARPER of Lotting Fen, Ramsey Heights, enlisted at Huntingdon. He was killed in action on Tuesday, 5th September 1916, aged 26 years, and his grave is in the Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, Somme, France. [Also on Ramsey St. Marys memorial] Formerly 1557 Hunts. Cyclist Bn.
From a local newspaper dated 13/10/1916 - Huntingdonshire Casualties - The following casualties appear in the official lists:- KILLED Pte. C. G. Harper, Ramsey St. Mary's, Beds. Regt.HARVEY, John William – Bombadier – L/37034, 183rd Bde. Royal Field Artillery.
From Ramsey, born at East Tuddenham, Norfolk, son of William & Emily Amelia HARVEY of Abbey Wood Yard, Ramsey, enlisted at London. He was killed in action on Thursday, 12th October 1916, aged about 32 years, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Mr. & Mrs. HARVEY had two other sons serving – Reginald Victor Buxton HARVEY and Bertram James HARVEY, both in the Royal Flying Section, and their daughter Bessie HARVEY was a V.A.D. Nurse.
HARVEY, William – Private – 49390, 19th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers.
He was the eldest son of John & Ann (nee PROUD) HARVEY of 14 Newtown Road, Ramsey, enlisted at Manchester. After nearly four years at the Front, he was fatally wounded by a machine gun bullet. He died on Sunday, 13th October 1918, aged 39 years, and was buried in the Haspres Coppice Cemetery, Haspres, Nord, France. Pte. HARVEY, whose wife Martha Alice HARVEY died in 1908, left a young daughter Annie. Mr. & Mrs. J. HARVEY had two other sons fighting for their Country – Fred HARVEY in the Royal Fusiliers and Arthur HARVEY in the Royal Engineers.
Formerly 9202 Manchester Regt.
From a local newspaper dated the 09/11/1916 - Other Ramsey casualties reported this week are: - Pte. William Harvey, Lancashire Fusiliers, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Harvey, Newtown, Ramsey, was also killed in October.
HATTON, Ernest – Lance Corporal –
39410, 6th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regt. (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s)
He was the son of William & Fanny (nee BEEBE) HATTON of 3 Longland's Yard, Little Whyte, Ramsey, a family who moved to Ramsey from Pidley about 1908, enlisted at Huntingdon, and joined the Hunts. Cyclist Bn. on 3rd November 1914. After being transferred to the Berkshire Regt. he was sent to France, and came home wounded in 1916. Returning to the Front in February 1917, he was killed in action on Tuesday, 31st July 1917, aged 22 years, and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. [Also on Ramsey Fortyfoot memorial]
Formerly 943 Hunts. Cyclist Bn.From a local newspaper dated 1/9/1917 - Lance Corpl. E. Hatton, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Ramsey Forty Foot Bridge, Killed in Action.
E [Ernest] Hatton - His name appears
on the Ramsey Fortyfoot memorial. This memorial is now located in the
new Village hall, prior to that it could be found in the church of St
Felix, that used to stand near to that site.
IN MEMORIAM - GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS
LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS - THE GREAT WAR - 1914-1918.
HAYTER, Horace Ralph – Lance Sergeant, 5th Bn. Dorsetshire Regt.
He was the son of George Herbert & Ellen HAYTER of 92 Winchester Road, Romsey, Hants. died on Wednesday, 11th October 1916, aged 21 years, and is remembered with honour in Romsey Cemetery, Hampshire. [Added to Ramsey memorial]
HILL, Victor – Private – 53757, 2/6th Bn. Manchester Regt.
He was born 7th December 1894, son of Rowland Herbert Henry & Martha (nee LONGLAND) HILL of Marriott's Drove, Ramsey Mereside and later of The Lees, Ramsey, was officially reported missing in mid-May 1918. He died while being held a prisoner-of-war on Saturday, 13th July 1918, aged 23 years, and was interred in Peronne Military Cemetery, France.
Formerly 30638 Bedfordshire Yeomanry.
[Arthur HILL, brother of Victor, had enlisted into the Northants. Yeomanry but was sent home after only five weeks on account of a heart infection. He died suddenly on 1st April 1915, aged 23 years, and was buried in Ramsey cemetery.]
HIPWELL, Albert Wilson – Private – 35619, 1st/4th Bn. Essex Regt.
He was the son of William Thomas & Ada Jane (nee SMITH) HIPWELL of The Rookery, Ramsey St. Marys, enlisted at Huntingdon. He was killed in action in Palestine on Thursday, 19th September 1918, aged 20 years, and was buried in the Ramleh (now Ramla) War Cemetery, Israel. [Also on Ramsey St. Marys memorial]
From a local newspaper dated the 12/10/1918 - Pte. Albert William or Wilson Hipwell, St. Mary’s [4th Essex Regt.]; Pte. Frederick Warrington, Oil Mills Road, [Royal Sussex Regt.]; Pte. Thomas Albert Richardson, Oil Mills Road [6th Northants] ; Pte. George Carter, Field Road, [2nd Beds. Regt.]; all Ramsey soldiers, have been reported killed in action.F HOBBS, 20502 Pte, 1/7th Royal Warwickshire Rgt. Died 28-8-16, age 23. Son of George & Ellen Hobbs, Mere Farm, Forty Foot Bridge, Ramsey. Formerly 946 Hunts Cyclists. Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boisselle, Somme, France.
HOBBS, Tom – Private – 20802, 1st/7th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regt.
He was the son of George & Ellen (nee MAYES) HOBBS of Mere Farm, Ramsey Fortyfoot, enlisted at Huntingdon on 3rd November 1914. He was killed in action on Monday, 28th August 1916, aged 23 years, and his grave is in the Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boiselle, Somme, France. [Also on Ramsey Fortyfoot memorial] [Shown on some Army records as F. HOBBS] Formerly 946 Hunts. Cyclist Bn.
From a local newspaper his name appears as having enlisted in the Army by June 10th 1915 – Hobbs, T., Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion.Pte. ?Tom Hobbs, Hunts Cyclists, attached. Warwicks, The Mere, Ramsey, Killed.
T [Tom] Hobbs - His name appears on the Ramsey Fortyfoot memorial. This memorial is now located in the new Village hall, prior to that it could be found in the church of St Felix, that used to stand near to that site.
IN MEMORIAM - GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS - THE GREAT WAR - 1914-1918.
HOLLIS, Charles – Private – 40965, 10th Bn. Essex Regt.
He was the son of Elias & Mary HOLLIS of Ramsey Fortyfoot, died of wounds on Monday, 25th March 1918, aged about 36 years, and his grave is in the Roye New British Cemetery, Somme, France. He left a widow Martha (nee BAKER) HOLLIS who he had married at Ramsey on 12th October 1903, and four children. [Also on Ramsey Fortyfoot memorial]
Formerly 25589 Northants. Regt.
26/4/1918 - From a local newspaper - Local War News - Roll of Honour - KILLED Pte. Charles Hollis 40 Feet Bridge, Ramsey, Essex Regt.C [Charles] Hollis - His name
appears on the Ramsey Fortyfoot memorial. This memorial is now located
in the new Village hall, prior to that it could be found in the church
of St Felix, that used to stand near to that site.
IN MEMORIAM - GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS
LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS - THE GREAT WAR - 1914-1918.
HOLMES, Leonard – Private – 32969, 11th Bn. Royal Lancaster Regt. (King’s Own)
He enlisted at Huntingdon. He died on Friday, 11th May 1917, and his grave is in the Fins New British Cemetery, Sorel-le-Grand, Somme, France. [Also on Pondersbridge & Whittlesey memorials] Leonard
Peterborough Advertiser 2nd September 1916 -
Bombardier Frank Hornsby, Ramsey, Wounded second time.
Corpl. Frank Hornsby, R. F. A., Ramsey, Wounded.
'Ramsey R. F. A's Terrific Fighting'
Writing to his mother at Ramsey to say he is safe and well George B. Houghton, R.F.A, of Bury, who went out to the front with the Expeditionary Force, describes his movements as follows:
I was at the battle of Mons and took part in the great retreat as far as Moux. Then we advanced up the valley of the Aisne, where we were kept busy for one month. After being given fourteen days rest, I had two days and one night train journey to Hazebrouck, and finally got to Ypres. Since then I have been fighting in the trenches at La Bassee, but expect to return to Ypres soon.
I was also in the battle of the Marne. Some of the fighting has been terrific, and you can quite understand how tired the nerves have been. I should be glad if you can send me some candles and tobacco.'
HUBBARD, Edward – Gunner – 3054, No. 5C Reserve Brigade, R.F.A., Royal Horse & Field Artillery.
He was born at Ramsey, son of David & Millicent (nee GREENWOOD) HUBBARD, enlisted at Huntingdon. He died on Saturday, 6th May 1916, aged 40 years, and was buried in Ramsey cemetery, leaving a widow and one child living at Fortyfoot Bank, Ramsey.
HUGHES, George – Private – 85421, 143rd Labour Corps.
He was born at Ramsey St. Marys on 13th April 1879, son of Samuel & Alice HUGHES, died at the Edinburgh War Hospital on Wednesday, 28th November 1917, aged 37 years, and was buried in Ramsey St. Marys churchyard. [Also on Ramsey St. Marys & Pondersbridge memorials]
Formerly 28224 5th Bn. Bedfordshire Regt, Labour Corps.
SALONIQUE.
There’s a little place out East called Salonique,
Where they’re sending British Tommies every week.
When you view it from the sea it’s a fine sight you’ll agree,
And you’ll think you’ll have a spree at Salonique.
There are nations spot a few at Salonique,
But at present it belongs to Mr. Greek.
He’s a wily sort of guy, doesn’t want to fight, for why?
Perhaps he’s like the Yankees, shy, so to speak.
The languages you hear at Salonique,
Are as many as the hours in a week.
And if Tommy only knew, just the swear words of a few,
The air would soon turn blue at Salonique.
There are lots of little camps round Salonique,
Filled with French and British Tommies, hard as teak.
And the Kaiser and his pack will find when we attack,
There’s a nut he cannot crack at Salonique.
For the general in command at Salonique,
Is at scrapping on the mountains just unique.
And with General Sarrajl in the lead we cannot fail,
We will twist the Kaiser’s tail at Salonique.
Just a word or two in closing Mr. Greek,
You have treated us as guests at Salonique.
And if you regret we came and our views are not the same,
Well it isn’t you we blame Mr. Greek.
If you want to stay a neutral, meek and mild,
That is your affair not ours Mr. Greek.
Just whatever you’re about we’ll know you’ll help to shout,
When we’ve wiped the Germans out at Salonique.
Pte. Sam Hughes of Ramsey St. Marys, 15th April 1916.
Notes on soldier.
HIBBINS, Arthur Ronald – Private – 14747241, 1/5th Bn. Royal Welch Regt.
He was the second son of Benjamin William & Fanny HIBBINS of 54 The Avenue, Ramsey, enlisted on 20th April 1944, and proceeded overseas on 29th November. He was killed in action on the Western European Front on Friday, 2nd March 1945, aged 19 years, and he is remembered on the Ramsey War Memorial. He is buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, near Kleve, Germany.HODSON, Bernard Thomas– Private – 5829998, 1st Bn. Cambridgeshire Regt, Suffolk Regt.
He was the eldest son of George William & Nellie HODSON of Newton's Farm, Warboys Fen, died on Saturday, 24th January 1942, aged 22 years, and is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial, which stands in Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore. After leaving Ramsey Grammar School, he was employed by Messrs. MAULE, Son & WINTER, Solicitors, of Huntingdon. [Not on Ramsey memorial; on Ramsey Grammar School memorial & Warboys memorial] He is remembered on the Ramsey War Memorial.
Bernard HODSON, R.A.S.C. - His name was inscribed on the original Wooden tablet in Sports Pavilion on Playing Field at Ramsey Grammar School. This memorial tablet is now located in the main Abbey building. This Pavilion was given to the School by Old Grammarians in proud and lasting memory of the fifteen Old Boys who lost their lives in World War II.
HODSON, Cyril Taylor – Private – 14839861, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
He was born 23rd September 1908, the second son of Charles & Elizabeth (nee TAYLOR) HODSON of Great Whyte, Ramsey, and later of Manea, Cambs, died on Sunday, 30th December 1945, aged 37 years, and was buried in the Tel El Kebir War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. He was killed in a road accident while on active service in Palestine, where he was serving as a Private in the R.A.O.C., attached to the 6th Airborne Division. He left a widow, Doris Susan HODSON, living at Ramsey. Before joining the Army he had been employed as the manager of the local branch of the London Central Meat Co. He is remembered on the Ramsey War Memorial.
HOW, Geoffrey Arthur James – Cadet/Apprentice, S.S. LLANDILO (London), Merchant Navy.
He was the eldest son of Beatrice Julia (nee BRIDGFOOT) & the late James Francis HOW, of 24 Great Whyte, Ramsey. He was reported missing at sea and presumed to have died on Monday, 2nd November 1942, aged 18 years, and his name appears on the Tower Hill Memorial (which commemorates those men of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who have no known graves), in the Trinity Square Pleasure Garden, Tower Hill, London. [Also on Ramsey Grammar School memorial] He is remembered on the Ramsey War Memorial.Geoffrey HOWE, M. N. His name was inscribed on the original Wooden tablet in Sports Pavilion on Playing Field at Ramsey Grammar School. This memorial tablet is now located in the main Abbey building. This Pavilion was given to the School by Old Grammarians in proud and lasting memory of the fifteen Old Boys who lost their lives in World War II.
Brass plaque located on wall of Ramsey St. Mary’s Church.
In memory of Arthur HUBBARD, Pte., 2nd Bt. Grenadier Guards. &
Henry FLOWERS, Trp., 34th Imperial Yeomanry
4th Hunts Volunteer Battalion. Who lost their lives during the South African War 1899-1902.
