CHILD OKEFORD WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Helen Kerridge 2009

The war memorial is located in the centre of the village using the original market cross as its base and was dedicated in 1919. In the parish church of St Nicholas is a separate Roll of Honour commissioned in about 1955 by the village branch of the Royal British Legion.

Photographs Copyright © Helen Kerridge 2009

To the Glory of God.
In memory of the men of Child Okeford and Hanford who served their
King and Country in the Great War 1914 - 1919.
Remembering especially before God those who gave their lives,
whose names are inscribed below.

BEDDOW	Ernest William	Gunner 174721 Royal Field Artillery and later 361 Company, Labour Corps. Discharged from Army on medical grounds and died 31 October 1918 aged 36. He is buried in the churchyard under CWGC headstone but is not included on village war memorial. Son of Richard William and Amy Beddow and husband of Mabel Phyllis Beddow of Child Okeford.
BOWER	Henry Raymond Syndercombe	Lieutenant 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. Killed whilst rescuing injured soldiers on 19 December 1914 aged 20. Commemorated on Ploegsteert Memorial Panel 6 and also listed on Marnhull war memorial. Son of Henry G S and Charlotte R Bower of Fontmell Parva, Child Okeford. Memorial west window in St Nicholas church.
BOWER	Maurice Syndercombe	Lieutenant Royal Army Service Corps (MT). Died of emphysema at the British Military Hospital, Sofia, Bulgaria on 13 January 1919 aged 43. Buried at Sofia War Cemetery and also listed on Marnhull war memorial. Son of Henry Syndercombe and Sarah Matilda Bower of Child Okeford and husband of Geraldine Halliburton Bower of Bagber. Memorial window in St Nicholas church.
CLUETT	Charles Major	Private 381 33rd Australian Imperial Forces. Was born in Child Okeford but emigrated to Australia. He was killed in action on 15 July 1917 aged 29 and is buried at Bethleem Farm West Cemetery. Son of Matthias Major and Louisa Cluett of Child Okeford. He is also commemorated on the war memorial in St Mary’s Church, Sturminster Newton.
COBBOLD	Arthur Elias	Private M2/148822 of the Royal Army Service Corps (MT) killed in Dublin following the Easter Rising on 29 April 1916 aged 23. He is buried at Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Dublin. Son of Arthur Robert and Henrietta Cobbold of Hanford, Child Okeford
DAVIES	George Richard Ford	Private G/10885 1st Battalion the Middlesex Regiment died 2 December 1915 aged 29 and buried at Le Touret Military Cemetery. Son of David and Frances Ford Davies. Is also commemorated on his grandparents’ grave in St Nicholas churchyard.
ELSWORTH	Archibald William	Private 493 Dorset Yeomanry (Queen’s Own) killed in 21 August 1915 at Gallipoli aged 24 and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. Son of William James and Sarah Ann Elsworth of Woolland, Dorset. Is also commemorated on the Woolland war memorial together with his brother, Wilfred.
FUDGE	Walter	Private 10083 2nd Battalion The Scots Guards. Killed in action on 26 October 1914 aged 36 and commemorated on the Menin Gate memorial. Son of Theophilus and Martha Mary Fudge of Child Okeford and husband of Mildred Lillian Fudge of Bournemouth.
GILLINGHAM	Charles Edward	Private 10116 5th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment. Died of dysentery on 6 October 1915 aged 25 following Gallipoli campaign and is buried at Chatby Military Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt. Son of George William and Rose Gillingham of Child Okeford.
HALL	Edward Ernest	Private 17819 6th Battalion the Royal West Kent (Queen’s Own). Died of wounds on 30 March 1917 aged 32 and is buried at Duisans Military Cemetery, Etrun, France. Son of John and Mary Jane Hall of Child Okeford and husband of Dora Emma Hall of Hackleton, Northamptonshire.
HATCHER	Thomas George	Private 796 1st Battalion King’s Dragoon Guards. Killed in action 2 June 1915 aged 25 and commemorated on the Menin Gate. Son of the late James and Blanche Hatcher of Child Okeford.
HOLDWAY	Robert	Carpenter M/24238 Royal Navy. Died 8 August 1917 aged 39 as a result of accidental fall on board SS Huntscape and is buried in St Nicholas churchyard. Son of Robert Edwin and Alice May Holdway of Child Okeford. There is also a memorial plaque to left of chancel steps in St Nicholas church.
KINGSBURY	Frederick	Private 10817 5th Battalion the Dorsetshire Regiment. Died 1 December 1915 at 25 at Gallipoli and is buried at Hill 10 Cemetery, Turkey. Son of Albert and Elizabeth Kingsbury of Child Okeford.
KNIGHT	Philip Clifford	2nd Lieutenant 1st Battalion the Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert’s). Killed 1 July 1916 aged 23 on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Son of Alexander and Josephine Knight of Child Okeford. There is also a memorial cross located in the churchyard of St Nicholas.
LIVINGSTONE-LEARMONTH	Nigel James Christian	Captain 15th (King’s) Hussars, attached Adjutant to Dorset Yeomanry (Queen’s Own). Killed in action 21 August 1915 aged 37 at Gallipoli and buried at Green Hill Cemetery, Turkey. Son of the late Andrew James and Frances Livingstone-Learmonth, Viscountess Portman, of Bryanston House, Blandford Forum. Husband of Elia Florence Livingstone-Learmonth. MID for his actions.
LYNES	William	Boy 1st Class J/28722, Royal Navy. Killed on 26 November 1914 aged 19 when HMS Bulwark exploded at Sheerness Docks and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. His parentage currently is unknown.
MOORE	Charles Tom	Private 48659 5th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment. Killed in action 25 May 1918 aged 19 and buried at Mailly Wood Cemetery, France. Son of Frank and Elizabeth Moore of Child Okeford.
MOORE	Clarence Edward	Serjeant 31739 1st Battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Died of wounds on 12 October 1917 aged 22 and is buried at Godewaersvelde British Cemetery, France. Son of Albert and Annie Beatrice Moore of Farrington, Dorset.
MOORE	Gerald	Corporal 8438 6th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment. Killed in action 7 June 1917 aged 31 and is commemorated on the Menin Gate. Son of Joseph and Alice Moore of Child Okeford and husband of Evelyn Ella Moore of New Milton, Hampshire.
QUICK	Albert Alexander	Private 1420 West Somerset Yeomanry. Died on 25 November 1915 aged 22 and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey. Son of Arthur and Mary Quick of Storgursey, Somerset
RAWLINGS	Tom Hallett Walter	Saddler TS/7230 of 229 Company, Army Service Corps. Died of lung cancer on 20 July 1916 aged 20 and is buried at Sherborne Cemetery, Dorset. Son of Walter and Jane Rawlings of Sherborne.
READ	James	Private 31081 9th Battalion the Devonshire Regiment. Killed by shelling on 10 October 1917 aged 26 and is buried at Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium. Son of James and Sarah Read of Child Okeford and husband of Ethel Read also of Child Okeford.
SAVORY	Herbert Levi	Private 267698 2nd Battalion the Monmouthshire Regiment. Killed in action 14 April 1918 aged 31 and commemorated on Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium. Son of Tom and Emily Savory of Child Okeford.
SHEPHARD	Albert William	Private 15763 1st Battalion the Dorsetshire Regiment. Killed in action 11 August 1918 aged 25 and is buried at Bouchoir New British Cemetery, France. Son of Sidney and Martha Annie Shephard of Child Okeford.
SMITH	Harold Leslie	Private 20667 6th Battalion the Dorsetshire Regiment. Killed in action 19 September 1918 aged 19 and is commemorated on the Vis en Artois Memorial, France. Son of Henry and Annie Lilly Smith of Child Okeford.
THORNE	William	Probably Acting Bombadier 39844 37th Battery Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action 21 June 1917 aged 27 and buried at Ecoivres Military Cemetery, Mont St Eloi. France. Son of William and Amelia Thorne of Evercreech, Somerset and husband of Rose Thorne of Corfe Castle, Dorset.
WAREHAM	Charles	Lance Corporal 8458 1st Battalion the Dorsetshire Regiment. Killed in action 1 July 1916 aged 26 and buried at Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille Wood, Somme France. Son of Henry and Sarah Ann Wareham of Child Okeford. Photograph Courtesy Stephen Potter
WOOLFREY	Oliver William	Driver 149 Australian Army Service Corps. Died of shell wounds on 20 August 1917 and is buried at Menin Road South Cemetery, Belgium. Son of Arthur William (born Child Okeford) and Emma Jane Woolfrey of Brisbane, Australia.
1939-1945
ARNOLD	Douglas Percy	Gunner 905966 Royal Field Artillery. Died 4 December 1942 aged 22 and buried at Ancona War Cemetery, Italy. Son of Frederick Henry and Lily Elizabeth Arnold of Child Okeford.
DELAHAY	Robert Rennard Stradling	Lieutenant EC/3755 15th Punjab Regiment attached 152nd Regiment, Indian Parachute Regiment. Died 23 March 1994 aged 23 and buried at Imphal War Cemetery, India. Son of William and Helen Rennard Delahay of Exmouth Devon.
FUDGE	Maurice	Private 57121778 2nd Battalion the Dorsetshire Regiment. Died 17 August 1941 and buried at Leeds (Harehills) Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Last updated 28 August, 2016