Never to Return: Brighton College's Fallen 1914–18

Contents

Roll of Honour

Preface

Introduction

1914

1915

1916

1917

1918

Aftermath

Acknowledgements

Copyright Information

Brighton College Centennial Remembrance Statue 2016, by Philip Jackson CVO DL MA FRBS.

Roll of Honour

Vincent Waterfall, killed in action, 22nd August 1914, Belgium, aged 22

John Whish, died of wounds, 8th September 1914, France, aged 37

Geoffrey White, killed in action, 10th September 1914, Belgium, aged 23

Neil Wright, killed in action, 15th September 1914, France, aged 20

Paul Veyrier-Montagnères, killed in action, 18th September 1914, France, aged 23

Hargrave Curtis-Raleigh, died of illness, 27th September 1914, India, aged 29

Rodolphe Armbruster, killed in action, 23rd October 1914, France, aged 21

Charles King, killed in action, 30th October 1914, Belgium, aged 51

Harley Duff, killed in action, 1st November 1914, Belgium, aged 18

Ernest Lane-Anderson, killed in action, 10th November 1914, Belgium, aged 20

Lionel Gaisford, died of wounds, 23rd November 1914, France, aged 26

Reginald Pope, killed in action, 16th February 1915, Belgium, aged 23

William Coxon, killed in action, 11th March 1915, France, aged 21

Henry Etlinger, died of wounds, 27th April 1915, Belgium, aged 35

Edward Baddeley, killed in action, 8th May 1915, Belgium, aged 38

Leonard Walford, killed in action, 8th May 1915, Belgium, aged 19

Val Lander, killed in action, 9th May 1915, France, aged 21

Isaac Ridgway, died of wounds, 12th May 1915, Turkey, aged 28

Gordon Belcher, killed in action, 16th May 1915, Belgium, aged 29

Albert Holmes, died of pneumonia, 19th May 1915, Great Britain, aged 43

John Stollery, killed in action, 24th May 1915, Belgium, aged 28

Eric Garner-Smith, killed in action, 25th May 1915, France, aged 23

Frank Keddell, killed in action, 8th June 1915, France, aged 23

Henry Hatton, killed in action, 16th June 1915, Belgium, aged 28

John Wickham, died of wounds, 22nd June 1915, Belgium, aged 30

Hubert Nunn, killed in action, 23rd June 1915, Turkey, aged 24

Edward Dyer, killed in action, 28th June 1915, Turkey, aged 41

Alexander Glenday, died of wounds, 8th August 1915, France, aged 27

Aubrey Fyldes, killed in action, 9th August 1915, Turkey, aged 18

Philip Williams, killed in action, 10th August 1915, Turkey, aged 21

Henry Watkin, died of wounds, 21st August 1915, Turkey, aged 41

Dennis Blyth, killed in action, 28th August 1915, Belgium, aged 22

Walter Martin, killed in action, 13th September 1915, France, aged 22

Alan Ventris, killed in action, 14th September 1915, Belgium, aged 18

Alan Young, killed in action, 25th September 1915, France, aged 20

Bryan Cubitt, killed in action, 26th September 1915, France, aged 23

Kenneth Goodyear, killed in action, 28th September 1915, France, aged 25

Edward Vaile, killed in action, 5th October 1915, Belgium, aged 24

Walter Stewart, died of wounds, 3rd November 1915, Great Britain, aged 42

Herbert Lewis, killed in action, 4th November 1915, Turkey, aged 20

Edward Welch, killed in action, 22nd December 1915, Mesopotamia, aged 26

Charles Turton accidentally, killed, 4th February 1916, Great Britain, aged 21

Leslie Evans, died of wounds, 16th March 1916, Belgium, aged 19

Reginald Reade, killed in action, 5th April 1916, Mesopotamia, aged 24

Alfred Webb, died of wounds, 4th May 1916, Mesopotamia, aged 22

Leslie Young, killed in action, 21st May 1916, France, aged 25

William Griffith, killed in action, 31st May 1916, Battle of Jutland, aged 18

Leslie Woodroffe, died of wounds, 4th June 1916, France, aged 30

Hubert Garbett, killed in action, 30th June 1916, France, aged 28

Basil Belcher, killed in action, 1st July 1916, France, aged 22

George Guyon, killed in action, 1st July 1916, France, aged 41

Spencer Jeudwine, killed in action, 1st July 1916, France, aged 20

Gerald Neame, killed in action, 1st July 1916, France, aged 31

Theodore Chalk, killed in action, 3rd July 1916, France, aged 30

Lister Wickham, killed in action, 3rd July 1916, France, aged 21

Gilfrid Reeve, killed in action, 8th July 1916, France, aged 27

George Venner, killed in action, 8th July 1916, France, aged 24

Ralph Wickham, killed in action, 9th July 1916, Belgium, aged 41

John Scobie, killed in action, 29th July 1916, France, aged 21

David Gaussen, killed in action, 31st July 1916, France, aged 23

George Ross, killed in action, 9th August 1916, France, aged 31

Maurice Frisch, killed in action, 25th August 1916, France, aged 22

Charlton Reade, killed in action, 9th September 1916, France, aged 18

Walter Bartlett, killed in action, 14th September 1916, France, aged 38

John Webb, killed in action, 14th September 1916, France, aged 21

Ferdinand Glenday, killed in action, 15th September 1916, France, aged 24

John Mackreth, killed in action, 15th September 1916, France, aged 23

Robert Mitchell, killed in action, 10th October 1916, Belgium, aged 41

Herbert Sawyer, killed in action, 12th October 1916, France, aged 27

Philip Vaile accidentally, killed, 14th October 1916, France, aged 22

Frederick Brown, killed in action, 13th November 1916, France, aged 25

Derrick Johnson, killed in action, 4th December 1916, France, aged 21

Harold Body, killed in action, 15th December 1916, Belgium, aged 26

Robert Odell, died of wounds, 20th December 1916, France, aged 22

Harold Surgey, killed in action, 3rd January 1917, East Africa, aged 23

William Kemp, killed in action, 28th February 1917, France, aged 20

John Buckland, killed in action, 1st March 1917, France, aged 20

Ronald Ross, killed in action, 4th March 1917, France, aged 21

Bertram Hazlehurst, died of wounds, 16th March 1917, France, aged 20

Frederick Bartley, killed in action, 26th March 1917, Palestine, aged 30

Sidney Stretton accidentally, killed, 27th March 1917, Great Britain, aged 28

Alfred Schiff, killed in action, 9th April 1917, France, aged 19

Edmund Childe-Pemberton, died of wounds, 13th April 1917, France, aged 21

Foster Thorne, killed in action, 18th April 1917, Mesopotamia, aged 36

William Jay, killed in action, 25th April 1917, France, aged 22

William Clapp, died of wounds, 29th April 1917, France, aged 23

George Archdale, died of wounds, 30th April 1917, France, aged 20

Leonard Gandar-Dower, killed in action, 3rd May 1917, France, aged 26

John Ainslie, killed in action, 19th May 1917, France, aged 29

Francis Morris, died of wounds, 29th May 1917, France, aged 21

Raymond Belemore, died of wounds, 8th June 1917, France, aged 31

George Knowles, died of wounds, 10th June 1917, France, aged 19

Arthur Hodge, killed in action, 13th June 1917, France, aged 20

George Harvey, killed in action, 21th June 1917, France, aged 38

Archer Richardson, killed in action, 25th June 1917, Belgium, aged 24

Edgar Uridge, killed in action, 26th June 1917, France, aged 20

Harold Belcher, killed in action, 8th July 1917, Belgium, aged 42

John Akers, killed in action, 20th July 1917, Belgium, aged 19

William Ross, killed in action, 23rd July 1917, Belgium, aged 25

Edward Nunn, died of fever, 24th July 1917, Mesopotamia, aged 20

Colin Wise, killed in action, 31st July 1917, Belgium, aged 25

Guy Hamilton, killed in action, 1st August 1917, Belgium, aged 19

Eric Halliwell, killed in action, 11th September 1917, Belgium, aged 20

William Botting, killed in action, 25th September 1917, Belgium, aged 22

Bertram Kilner, killed in action, 25th September 1917, Over the North Sea, aged 22

Bernard Powers, killed in action, 25th September 1917, France, aged 20

Francis Thompson, died of wounds, 3rd October 1917, Belgium, aged 28

Leslie Scott, killed in action, 12th October 1917, Belgium, aged 33

Hugo Bazett, killed in action, 14th October 1917, Belgium, aged 38

Richard Groves, died of wounds, 24th October 1917, Belgium, aged 20

Charles Homer accidentally, killed while flying, 27th October 1917, Great Britain, aged 23

Harold Wright, killed in action, 30th October 1917, Belgium, aged 27

Henry Griffith accidentally, killed while flying, 2nd November 1917, Great Britain, aged 26

Ewart Mackintosh, killed in action, 21st November 1917, France, aged 24

Leonard Lee, killed in action, 30th November 1917, France, aged 19

George Tolson, died of wounds, 1st December 1917, Palestine, aged 28

Raymond Belcher, died of wounds, 7th December 1917, France, aged 34

Robert Harvey, killed in action, 25th December 1917, France, aged 22

Frederick Hobson, killed in action, 19th March 1918, Belgium, aged 35

Roger King, invalided from the army and died, 19th March 1918, Great Britain, aged 43

Eric Williams, killed in action, 27th March 1918, France, aged 23

Geoffrey Neame, killed in action, 2nd April 1918, France, aged 34

George King, died of wounds, 30th April 1918, France, aged 22

Egbert Hulbert, killed in action, 25th May 1918, France, aged 19

Francis Butt, killed in action, 26th May 1918, France, aged 18

William Silver, killed in action, 8th June 1918, France, aged 36

Roy Field, died of wounds, 29th June 1918, France, aged 19

Robert Horton, died of wounds, 13th August 1918, France, aged 20

Victor Bone, killed in action, 18th September 1918, Macedonia, aged 21

Richard Norton, killed in action, 18th September 1918, France, aged 19

William Price, killed in action, 21st September 1918, Palestine, aged 28

Alfred Westwood, killed in action, 21st September 1918, France, aged 28

Cyril West, killed in action, 28th September 1918, Belgium, aged 19

Geoffrey Bonser, killed in action, 29th September 1918, Belgium, aged 29

Frederic Hedgcock, killed in action, 29th September 1918, France, aged 20

Colin Campbell, died of wounds, 30th September 1918, France, aged 21

Charles Burt, died of illness, 27th October 1918, Ireland, aged 32

Keith Scobie accidentally, killed, 27th October 1918, Great Britain, aged 21

Nikolai de Plaoutine, died of smallpox, 31st October 1918, Poland/Ukraine, aged 50

Herman Oxley, killed in action, 4th November 1918, France, aged 25

Arthur Cave, died of pneumonia, 10th November 1918, Great Britain, aged 22

Gilbert Parkinson, died of pneumonia, 14th November 1918, Italy, aged 22

Reginald Grant, unknown, 26th November 1918, Great Britain, aged 42

Sidney Pearce, died of pneumonia, 6th December 1918, Great Britain, aged 28

Godfrey Thomas, died of exhaustion, 17th February 1919, Great Britain, aged 62

John Burstall, died of wounds, 12th April 1919, France, aged 42

Christopher Trafford, died of tuberculosis, 14th September 1919, Great Britain, aged 19

Samuel Newton, died of wounds, 13th December 1919, Great Britain, aged 22

Hector Crosley, died of malaria contracted during military service, 13th August 1921, Madeira, aged 33

Preface

Richard Cairns, Remembrance Day Ceremony, 11 November 2014.

This book is a memorial and a warning.

It is a memorial to the lives of 149 Brighton College pupils who lost all that they had to give. Here we catch glimpses of the schoolboys they once were. The cricketer. The actor. The school prefect. The recognised and the unrecognised. We get a sense of what they might have become. A lawyer. A vicar. A colonial administrator. And we learn something of their families. Parents. Brothers and sisters. Wives and children. In some cases we see pictures of their homes. An Edwardian terrace in Hove. A vicarage in Lincolnshire. A palace in St Petersburg. Each boy, each man, has his own story. Yet theirs was a common destiny. Death before their time. And it is about their deaths that we know most. We might argue about the virtues of the cause for which they died but we cannot argue with the virtue of their sacrifice. They died believing that they were defending our country, its values and its traditions. And for that, we owe thanks and respect.

But this book is also a warning. This island has been untouched by war for 71 years. We have grown accustomed to peace and we take it for granted. We cannot imagine a day when a whole generation will be called upon once again to make the ultimate sacrifice. But we must be vigilant. Freedom is not free.

Richard Cairns,

Head Master,

Brighton College,

July 2016

Scottish American War Memorial in West Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh. On the frieze at the back of the memorial are the words ‘If it be life that waits I shall live forever unconquered; if death I shall die at last strong in my pride and free’, from the poem ‘The Creed’ by Lt Ewart Mackintosh MC OB (1893–1917). (see here).

Introduction

Portrait of Canon W. R. Dawson by Finch, date unknown. In summer 1914 he addressed the school in Chapel, calling on every boy present to stand ready to sacrifice his life in defence of his country. Though the events that sparked the war had not yet unfolded, he clearly sensed the underlying volatility.

The origins of this book lie in the ‘Lest We Forget’ project undertaken by all 214 members of the Brighton College Fourth Form in the academic year 2014–15. All were asked, together with their families, to research and write up a particular Old Brightonian killed in the First World War, using such resources as were available, for example the 1911 Census and the College’s own reports and records. Many of the projects were excellent; others ran up against the problem familiar to historians of conflicting or incomplete information. Nonetheless, in their entirety the projects provide a substantial body of knowledge about the lives and deaths of those 149 Old Brightonians, whose names were listed in the College records but about whom very little else was known. Accordingly, the Head Master, Richard Cairns, asked me to use the projects to create a biographical guide to the names on the War Memorial outside the north door of the chapel. It should be added that the 149 listed there do not represent the sum total of the Brightonians who served in the Great War, indeed the total number was recorded as being 976, and that, furthermore, the school was much smaller than it is now, the annual roll in 1914 being 233. In that context the scale of the losses suffered and the commitment to the war effort made by pupils of the school is much larger than it might first appear and the need to record their lives and deaths much greater.

When investigating the lives of so many individuals it is inevitably easier to find out more about some than others. If, therefore, certain entries are occasionally surprisingly slender or couched in frustratingly conditional words such as ‘may’, ‘appears’ or ‘probably’, please be assured that such entries are as frustrating, if not more so, to the author as they are to the reader. Faced by these obstacles, the Head Master and I agreed that it was better to include something about everyone, including those we were least sure about, than to exclude them altogether because it would be wrong to diminish the memory of those about whom less is known. Readers may also be surprised that a few of the 149 do not appear to have died while on active service, but instead due to either disease or accidental