Private 13185 8th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment. Died 21st March 1918 aged 32. Born Buscot Berks, Son of Mrs Chamberlain of "Holly Cottage" Crowthorne, Berks. Husband of Elsie Maud Happy (Formerly Chamberlain) of 63 Probyn House, Page Street, Westminster, London. Remembered Pozieres Memorial, France. Panel 56 & 57.

8th Battalion War Diary entry for the 21st March 1918, France Front Line Trenches,

Lance Corporal, 27658 5th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment. Killed In Action 19th July 1917. Born Sandhurst, Berks. Remembered Arras Memorial, France, Bay 7.

5th Battalion War Diary entry for the 19th July 1917, France.

Sergeant 16090 6th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment Killed In Action 12th October 1917. Born Crowthorne, Berks Remembered Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. Panel 105-106 and 162.

6th Battalion War diary entry for 12th October 1917 Belgium, Cane Trench -

Private 13590 1st Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment Killed In Action 14th November 1916 aged 22.Son of John and Emma Collett Dean, of "Bellgowan House" Branksome Hill Road. College Town, Camberley, Native of Crowthorne, Berks. Buried New Munich Trench, British Cemetery, Beaumont Hamel, France,grave D.19.

1st Battalion War diary entry for the 14th November 1916. Serre, France

Private 202377, Royal Berkshire Regiment 2nd/4th Bn. 22nd August 1917, enlisted Wokingham Berks, (Broadmoor Asylum). Buried Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium Grave 105-106 and 162.

2nd/4th Battalion War Diary entry for 22nd August 1917.

Corporal Wheeler TS/9494 Army Service Corps. 866th H.T. Coy. Died 10th November 1918 Aged 42. Son of the late William and Sarah Gilbert, husband of Alice Gilbert of Alpha Cottage, High Street, Crowthorne, Berks. Born in Wiltshire. Remembered Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton

Private 25981 1st Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment, Killed In Action 29th April 1917. Born Easthampstead, Berks Remembered Arras Memorial, France, Bay 7.

Private 24531 2nd Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment Killed In Action 11th November 1916. Born Lambourn, Enlisted Wokingham (Crowthorne). Son of Arthur Greenman of Crowthorne, Berks. Husband of Daisy Greenman of 47 Harley House, Regent's Park, London. Remembered Thiepval Memorial, France Pier and Face 11.D.

2nd Battalion War diary entry for the 11th November 1916, France,

In the Trenches. Battalion in Front Line, same position as on previous day. About 11pm the Bn was relieved by the 1st Royal Irish Rifles and relieved the 2nd Bn The Rifle Brigade in Brigade Support in HOGS BACK trench, 10 O.R. joined from Base

Private 24654. Royal Berkshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. Died 2nd April 1918.Born Crowthorne, Berks. Remembered Pozieres Memorial, France. Panel 56 & 57.

2nd Battalion War diary entry for the 2nd April 1918, billetted in COTTINCHY France

Lieutenant - Royal Berkshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. - Died 10th October 1918 - Son of George and Maude Haye of 6 Shute End, Wokingham, Berks. - Buried Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

During March and April 1916 Captain B. Haye was admitted to hospital 3 times, 2nd Battalion war diary entry for the 1st. July 1916. 1st day of the Battle of the Somme, the battalion attacked Ovillers. The Battalion took up its assembly position in accordance with Brigade Operation Order No. 100. Our own wire was not sufficiently cut and parties were immediately sent out by Companies to clear it. At 6.25am the intensive bombardment began as scheduled. At about 7.15am the enemy opened rifle and machine gun fire on our line. 7.20am Companies began filing down trenches and getting ready for the assault. At 7.30am the three assaulting Companies advanced to attack the German line. They were met by intense rifle and machine gunfire which prevented any of the waves reaching the enemy lines. A little group on the left of the Battalion succeeded in getting in, but were eventually bombed out. At about 7.45am the parapet was swept by rifle and machine gunfire which prevented any exit from our trenches. The enemy replied to our intensive bombardment by barraging the front line from about 6.35am onwards. At about 11am the order came from Bde. Headquarters to "stand by"and wait further orders. At about 12.30pm news was received that the brigade would be relieved. Steel helmets proved invaluable and in numberless cases saved mens lives. The following casualties occurred amongst Officers. 2 X Officers Killed in Action, 1 x died of wounds. Wounded Captain B. Haye plus with 7 Officers, 9 Officers missing, Other Ranks- 414 killed, wounded or missing. Diary entry for the 5th February 1917 Front Line Trenches, France Lieut B. Haye has re-joined Bn from Base. 4th March Front Line Trenches, France When the Battalion formed the right flank of the assaulting force, and attacked Pallas and Fritz trenches Lieut B. Haye was wounded.10th October 1918, France. Brother of Phillip

Stoker 1st Class 291348, Royal Navy (RFR/B/734CH) H.M.S. "Exe". Died 27th March 1918. H.M.S. "Exe" was launched on 27th April 1903 and Laid/Broken up in January 1920.Husband of Edith Nunn of High Street, Crowthorne, Berks. Buried Islington Cemetery and Crematorium, Middlesex Screen Wall N.7.20643

Lieutenant, Royal Berkshire Regiment "D" Coy. 1st Bn. Died 27th July 1916 Aged 19. Son of Margaret Reid of 3 Alfred Place, South Kensington, London and the late James Robert Reid, C.I.E., I.C.S. Remembered Thiepval memorial, France Grave, Pier & Face 11.D.

War Diary Entry:-

11775 Private Royal Berkshire Regiment 2nd Bn. Killed In Action. 25th September 1915. Born Crowthorne, Berks. Remembered Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium, Panel 7 & 8.

2nd Battalion Way diary entry for the 25th September 1915, Bois Grenier, France. The Battalion took part in an attack on the German position, this attack coincided with the opening Battle of Loos and acted as a division to drive German troops away from Loos, and during the day sustained the following casualties-

Signalman 191011, Royal Navy H.M.T.B. No. 12 Died 10th June 1915. Lost at sea in motorised torpedo boat Aged 34. Remembered Chatham Naval Memorial.

Steward 24026. Naval Auxiliary Personnel (Merchant Navy), H.M.S. Avenger. Died 15th November 1942 Aged 33, Son of Charlie Edmund and Lily Amelia Forrest (Nee Longhurst) Remembered Liverpool Naval Memorial, Panel 6. Column 2.

Avenger's war service commenced on 3rd September, when she left Scapa Flow on her first official active duty. As an escort to convoy PQ18 to the north of Russia, where her aircraft sank the German submarine U589 on 14 September 1942 with the assistance of the destroyer HMS Faulknor.

In her second operation, Avenger was ordered to take part in Operation "Torch", the invasion of North Africa. In November 1942, she departed Gibraltar with convoy MFK 1(Y) on 14 November, heading home to the Clyde in the UK. At 0305 on 15 November, Avenger was torpedoed by the German U-Boat U-155, along with two other escorting merchant ship. Avenger was hit on the port side amidships, which in turn ignited her bomb room, blowing out the centre section of the ship. Her bow and stern sections rose in the air and sunk within 2 minutes, leaving only 12 survivors.

PO/X4671 Marine. Royal Marines "H.M.S. Eagle" Died 11th August 1942 Aged 20. Son of Arthur Edmund and Florence Hands of Crowthorne Berks. Remembered Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 70 Column 2. HMS Eagle (pennant number 94) was an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. It was laid down prior to the First World War as the Battleship Almirante Cochrane for Chile. In 1917 she was purchased by Britain for conversion to a through-deck aircraft carrier, being commissioned in 1924.

Eagle remained in service at the outbreak of the Second World War, serving mainly in the Mediterranean, where she was took part in escorting several convoys to Malta, and in delivering fighter aircraft to Malta to boost its air defences. Eagle was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat U-73 on 11 August 1942, while part of the escort to a convoy to Malta, (Operation Pedestal).

Sergeant (Obs) 923928, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 40 Sqdn. died 26th October 1941. Son of Mr and Mrs Robert Hale of Crowthorne. Buried St John the Baptist Churchyard Crowthorne. North Side Row 2, Grave 31.

Telegraphist P/JX 160119 Royal Navy "H.M.S. Dunedin". Died 24th November 1941 Aged 18. Son of Percy and Carrie Elizabeth Holdaway. Remembered Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 52 Column 3. "HMS Dunedin was a Danae-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was launched from the yards of Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle-on-Tyne on 19 November 1918 and commissioned on 13 September 1919.

Early in the Second World War, HMS Dunedin was involved in the hunt for the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau after the sinking of the armed merchant cruiser HMS Rawalpindi.

On 15 June 1941, HMS Dunedin captured the German tanker Lothringen and gathered some highly classified Enigma cipher machines that she carried. HMS Dunedin was still steaming in the Central Atlantic Ocean, just east of the St. Paul's Rocks, north east of Recife, Brazil, when on 24 November 1941, at 1526 hours, two torpedoes from the German submarine U-124 sank her. Only four officers and 63 men survived out of the Dunedin's crew of 486 officers and men.

Petty Officer Stoker P/KX 78291 Royal Navy "H.M.S. Bluebell". Died 17th February 1945 Aged 33. Husband of Jane Nunn of Liverpool. Remembered Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 89 Column 3. " HMS Bluebell" was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-711 on the 17th February 1945 off the Kola Inlet (Russia) in position 69º36'N, 35º29'E.

Stoker P/KX 85338, Royal Navy H.M.S. Belmont. Died 31st January 1942 Aged 28. Son of William Papworth and of Margaret Ruth Papworth of Crowthorne. Remembered Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 68 Column 3,for the "H.M.S. Belmont". Newfoundland Escort Force, Sank 31st January During escort of return troop convoy NA2 hit by torpedo from U82 off Halifax. Sank with the loss of entire ship's company in position 42.02N 57-18W.

Able Seaman P/SSX 17373, Royal Navy H.M.S Suffolk. Died 10th February 1940 Aged 21. Son of Harry and Rose Reason of Crowthorne, Berks.

HMS Suffolk (55) was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy, and part of the Kent subclass. she was built by Portsmouth Dockyard, Portsmouth, UK. Suffolk, like her sisters, served on the China Station, save for reconstruction, until the outbreak of the Second World War. She came home in 1939 and then patrolled the Denmark Straits in October 1939. In April 1940 Suffolk participated in the Norwegian Campaign. On 13 April 1940 the ship arrived at Tórshavn to commence the British pre-emptive occupation of the Faroe Islands. On 14 April 1940 Suffolk sank the German tanker Skagerrak northwest of Bodø, Norway.

On 17 April 1940 Suffolk bombarded the air field and sea plane station at Sola Air Station, Stavanger, destroying four aircraft and damaging the installations, but was in return badly damaged by bombs from German Ju88 aircraft of II./KG 30. X-turret's magazine had been destroyed. The ship was very lucky to survive this ordeal and she barely reached Scapa Flow with her stern awash the next morning. Until the ship reached port the Germans claimed to have sunk her. the ship was beached at Scapa Flow to prevent her sinking. Suffolk was out of action from April 1940 until February 1941 where she was repaired at the Clyde. On 17 April 1940 Suffolk bombarded the air field and sea plane station at Sola Air Station, Stavanger, destroying four aircraft and damaging the installations, but was in return badly damaged by bombs from German Ju88 aircraft of II./KG 30. X-turret's magazine had been destroyed. The ship was very lucky to survive this ordeal and she barely reached Scapa Flow with her stern awash the next morning. Until the ship reached port the Germans claimed to have sunk her. the ship was beached at Scapa Flow to prevent her sinking. Suffolk was out of action from April 1940 until February 1941 where she was repaired at the Clyde.

The Captain of Suffolk, Robert Meyric Ellis, remains on the bridge for lunch whilst shadowing the Bismarck

During May 1941 Suffolk was involved in the Battle of the Denmark Strait and the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. Suffolk had engaged the battleship twice during the battle making several salvoes on her. Using her Radar, Suffolk was able to track the Bismarck through the Denmark Strait and maintained contact long enough for other units to vector into Bismarcks path.

Leading Seaman C/JX150616, Royal Navy "H.M.S. Curacoa". Died 2nd October 1942 Aged 31 son of Harry and Rose Reason of Crowthorne, Berks. Remembered Chatham Naval Memorial, Reference 52.2. Sank on the same vessel as Arthur John Watkins who died same day.

In 1939, a few months before the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe, she was selected for conversion to an anti-aircraft cruiser and underwent a refit at Chatham Dockyard She then served with the Home Fleet during the Norwegian Campaign in 1940. In March 1942, she was adopted by the civil community of Wolverhampton On 2 October 1942, she was escorting the ocean liner RMS Queen Mary carrying nearly 20,000 American troops of the 29th Infantry Division to join the Allied forces in Europe .Both ships were following evasive zigzagging courses about 60 km north of the coast of Ireland when the Queen Mary cut across the path of the Curacoa with insufficient clearance, striking her amidships at a speed of 28 knots and cutting her in two. The Curacoa sank immediately, about 100 yards from the Queen Mary. Due to the risk of U-boat attacks, the Queen Mary did not assist in rescue operations and instead steamed onward with a fractured stem. Hours later, the convoy's lead escort returned to rescue 99 survivors from the Curacoa's crew of 338. The loss was not reported until after the war ended, whereupon the Navy immediately pressed charges against the Queen Mary's owners, Cunard White Star Line The High Court of Justice subsequently ruled mostly in favour of the latter, giving two-thirds of the blame to the Admiralty and one third to Cunard White Star This ruling would become important in the civil lawsuits subsequently filed against Cunard White Star by relatives of the Curacoa deceased. It also prompted significant revisions in Navy policy, including the suspension of escorts for passenger liners.

Midshipman Royal Navy "H.M.S. Exeter" Died 13th December1939, Aged 20.Son of Percival Scott Rickcord and Charlotte Mary Dorothy Rickcord of Crowthorne Berks. Remembered Plymouth Naval Memorial. Brother of Anthony.

HMS Exeter (68) was a York class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that served in World War II. She was laid down on 1 August 1928 at the Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, Devon. She was launched on 18 July 1929 and completed on 27 July 1931. She fought against the German pocket battleship Graf Spee at the 1939 Battle of the River Plate, suffering extensive damage that caused a long refit. Having been rebuilt, she was sent to the East Indies where she was sunk by the Japanese in 1942.

Petty Officer Telegraphist C/JX 133378, Royal Navy "H.M.S. Curacoa. Died 2nd November 1942 Aged 28, Son of George Arthur and Georgina Mary Watkins, husband of Mary Watkins of Pangbourne, Berks. Remembered Chatham Naval Memorial. Sank on the same vessel as William Robert Reason died same day. In 1939, a few months before the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe, she was selected for conversion to an anti-aircraft cruiser and underwent a refit at Chatham Dockyard She then served with the Home Fleet during the Norwegian Campaign in 1940. In March 1942, she was adopted by the civil community of Wolverhampton On 2 October 1942, she was escorting the ocean liner RMS Queen Mary carrying nearly 20,000 American troops of the 29th Infantry Division to join the Allied forces in Europe. Both ships were following evasive zigzagging courses about 60 km north of the coast of Ireland when the Queen Mary cut across the path of the Curacoa with insufficient clearance, striking her amidships at a speed of 28 knots and cutting her in two. The Curacoa sank immediately, about 100 yards from the Queen Mary. Due to the risk of U-boat attacks, the Queen Mary did not assist in rescue operations and instead steamed onward with a fractured stem. Hours later, the convoy's lead escort returned to rescue 99 survivors from the Curacoa's crew of 338. The loss was not reported until after the war ended, whereupon the Navy immediately pressed charges against the Queen Mary's owners, Cunard White Star Line The High Court of Justice subsequently ruled mostly in favour of the latter, giving two-thirds of the blame to the Admiralty and one third to Cunard White Star This ruling would become important in the civil lawsuits subsequently filed against Cunard White Star by relatives of the Curacoa deceased. It also prompted significant revisions in Navy policy, including the suspension of escorts for passenger liners.