The War Memorial at East Stratton was erected to commemorate 15 men from East and West Stratton and their neighbourhood who died in the First World War. The names of a further 4 men, who died in the Second World War, were added later to the commemorate their sacrifice.

Inscribed on the East Stratton War Memorial are the words:

‘Let those who come after see to it, that their names be not forgotten’

In researching the names on the East Stratton War Memorial, the England and Wales 1911 census record, the 1939 Register and other records, were used to identify the connection of individuals to the surrounding neighborhood.

CWGC link: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) have added copies of their original archive records for casualties recorded on the CWGC website, including grave registration details, memorial or headstone inscriptions and descriptions of cemeteries. Ctl+Click on the highlighted person’s name which will take you to their individual record on the CWGC website.

During the First World War, 75 men from the community served in the Armed Forces of which 15 died. Their names as they appear on the War Memorial are as follows:

SIDNEY ABLEWHITE, 3044 Sergeant, 2nd/2nd Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) also posted 16th Battalion London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), killed in action 19 June 1916, age 35, buried in Hebuterne Military Cemetery (IV. J. 3), France. Born Boston, Lincolnshire, the son of James and Mary Jane Ablewhite, of 19, Wembley Park Drive, Wembley, Middx. Employed as valet Aberpergwn Glyn Neath, Glamorganshire in1911. Association with East Stratton parish as yet unknown

CWGC link: ablewhite,-sidney

GEORGE BROWN, 5658 Private, 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, killed in action from a bullet wound at Hill 60, Flanders, 29th April 1915, age 25.  Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (panel 35), Belgium. Born Tichbourne, Hant’s, Husband of Ada, father to Constance and Charles, born 3 months after his death. Employed as farm labourer Larkwhistle Farm, East Stratton in 1911.

CWGC link: brown,-george

GEORGE COLE, Deal/2621(S) Private, Royal Marines, 63rd Divisional Train, died from Influenza at 57th Casualty Clearing Station, 25th November 1918, age 28, buried Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery (I. E. 26), Nord, France. Born Whiteway, East Stratton, son of William and Mary Cole, of Whiteway Farm, East Stratton. Employed as gardener and groom, Bradley, Micheldever Station in 1911.

CWGC link: cole,-george

JAMES COLE, 355658 Private, 1st/9th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, died of pneumonia on 31st October 1918, age 29, buried at Deolali Government Cemetery, (Plot CE. Row L. Grave 25), Nashik, Maharashtra, India also Commemorated on Kirkee 1914-1918 Memorial (face 6), India. Born Whiteway, East Stratton, son of William and Mary Cole, of Whiteway Farm, East Stratton, husband of Ellen Rose Cole, of High View, 4, Stoke Charity Rd., Kings Worthy, Hampshire. Employed as shepherd at Bullington, Barton Stacey in 1911.

CWGC link: cole,-james

(William) ROY CURTIS, 88992 Bombardier, 79th Brigade Headquarters, Royal Field Artillery, died of influenza 21st October 1918, age 26, buried, Etaples Military Cemetery (LXVII. K. 12), Pas de Calais, France. Born Grantham, Lincolnshire, Son of Alfred and Mary Jane Curtis, of Denton, Grantham, and Lincs. Employed as hall boy at Stratton House, East Stratton in 1911.

CWGC link: curtis,- roy

SIDNEY ARNOLD GALPIN, 172917 Gunner, 520th (Household) Siege Battery., Royal Garrison Artillery, killed in action 1st September 1918, age 38, buried Warcout British Cemetery (VIII. H. 5), Pas de Calais, France. Born East Stratton, the son of Sidney James and Jane Galpin, of East Stratton, husband of Elizabeth Anne Galpin, of 22, Princethorpe Rd., Sydenham, London. Employed as valet, Pimlico, London in 1911.

CWGC link: galpin,-sidney-arnold

JOHN HALL, 200484 Private, 1st/4th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, died 5th September 1916, age 37, buried Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery (XXI. S. 25), Iraq. Born East Stratton, the son of Charles and Emily Hall of West Stratton, husband of Ada Beatrice Hall, of Weeke, Winchester. Employed as gardener, Weeke, Winchester in 1911.

CWGC link: hall,-john

JAMES HEANEY, S/5594 Private, 8th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), died 18th July 1916, age 27, commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, (pier and face 10 A), Somme, France. Born Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. Parents, spouse and association with East Stratton parish as yet unknown. Employed as gardener, Bawdsey Manor Gardens Woodbridge, Suffolk in 1911.

CWGC link: heaney,-james

EDWARD MORRIS, 200895 Private, 1st/4th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, killed in action 31st December 1916, age 22, commemorated on, Basra Memorial (panel 21 and 63), Iraq. Born Upton Chester, the son of Joseph and Margaret Morris, of The Brewers Arms, Upton, Chester. Employed as gardener Locks Park, Derby in1911, latter resident Micheldever.

CWGC link: morris,-edward

FREDERICK THOMAS NEWMAN, 116869 Gunner, 111th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, killed in action 9th October 1917, age 37, buried Menin Road South Military Cemetery (II. J. 26), West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. (original wooden grave cross in All Saints Church, East Stratton). Born Farringdon, Hants, the son of Charles and Mary Ann Newman, of Farringdon, Alton, Hants; husband of Ellen Newman, of West Bradley, Micheldever, Hants. Employed as gamekeeper on Stratton estate and resident Stratton Park in 1911.

CWGC link: newman,-frederick-thomas

ARTHUR PEARCE, 15235 Private, 4th Hampshire Regiment, also 29189 Kings Own Shropshire Light Infantry, wounded and gassed May 1918, died 12 November 1918, age 25, at Holborn Military Hospital, Mitcham, buried All Saints churchyard, East Stratton. Born Whiteway Cottages, East Stratton, the son of Thomas and Alice Pearce of Larkwhistle Farm, West Stratton. Employed as farm carter on Larkwhistle Farm, West Stratton in1911.

CWGC link: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/75463456/ARTHUR%20PEARCE/

Arthur Pearce was not originally recorded as a WWI casualty by the CWGC. Following extensive research documents supporting a case that Arthur Pearce be considered as a WW1 casualty were sent to the CWGC in 2017.  In 2019 the Commemorations Adjudications Committee at the National Army Museum formerly recognized Arthur Pearce as a casualty of the First World War, and pending a visit by a CWGC officer, to All Saints Churchyard, his final resting place will be designated a Commonwealth War Grave.  

WILLIAM TAYLOR, R/15028 Lance Corporal, 1st. Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died of wounds 24th March 1918, age 24, buried Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension (II. F. 38), Pas de Calais, France. Born East Stratton, the son of William and Alice Taylor of London Lodge, Stratton Park, Hants. Employed as farm labourer and resident London Lodge, Stratton Park in 1911.

CWGC link: taylor- william

THOMAS TIBBLE, 25793 Private, 10th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment), died 11th January 1918, age 29, buried Giavera British Cemetery, Arcade (plot 4. row B. grave 11), Italy. Born East Stratton the son of Thomas and Harriet Tibble of East Stratton. Employed as bricklayer’s labourer and resident number 25 East Stratton in 1911.

CWGC link: tibble,-thomas

JAMES VINCE, 8545 Corporal, 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, killed in action (Gallipoli) 4th June 1915, age 25, commemorated on Helles Memorial (panel 125-134 or 223-226 228-229 & 328), Turkey. Born Bradley, Micheldever, the son of David and Agnes Vince, of Bradley Cottages, Micheldever, Hants.  Private 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment and resident Badajos Barracks, Wellington Lines Aldershot, Surrey in 1911.

CWGC link: vince,-james

GEORGE WESTON, 10054 Private, “A” Coy. 10th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, killed in action 7th December 1915, age 24, commemorated on Dorian Memorial, Greece. Born Brown Candover, Hants, the son of David and Martha Weston, of 2, Harestock Cottages, Winchester. Employed as farm labourer and resident in Church Street, Micheldever in 1911.

CWGC link: weston,-george

During the Second World War, 31 men and 8 women from the community served in the Armed Forces of which 4 died. Their names as they appear on the War Memorial are as follows:

EDWIN CHARLES COFFIN, 5566193 Private, Army Catering Corps, attached 4th Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment died France on 2nd July 1944, age 38. Buried in Secqueville-En-Bessin War Cemetery (I. C. 3), Calvados, France. The son of Edwin Charles and Rose Coffin; husband of Eva Hannah May Coffin, of East Stratton, Hampshire.

CWGC link: coffin,-edwin-charles

EDWARD LAISHLEY, 1138290 Gunner, 132 (The Glamorgan Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, killed in action, North Africa, 27th November 1942, age 19. Commemorated at Medjez-El-Bab Memorial (face 9), Tunisia. The son of Edith E. Laishley, of East Stratton, Hampshire.

CWGC link: laishley,-edward

CHARLES ARTHUR SMITH, 14705656 Guardsman, Scots Guards, killed in action, Netherlands, 23rd September 1944, age 31. Buried in Jonkerbos War Cemetery (22. A. 6), Gelderland, Netherlands. The son of Alfred Smith and of Margaret Smith, of East Stratton, Hampshire.

CWGC link: smith,-charles-arthur

ALMARIC BRUCE WILSON, 323540 Second Lieutenant, 15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps. Died, Netherlands, 19th October 1944, age 19. Commemorated at Venray War Cemetery (I. F. 6), Limburg, Netherlands and Winchester College War Memorial. The son of Lt.-Col. H. C. B. Wilson, and Alma M. Wilson, of West Stratton House, West Stratton, Hampshire.

CWGC link: wilson,-almaric-bruce  Winchester College War Memorial: wilson-almaric-gervase-bruce-clifton

East Stratton War Memorial Act of Remembrance c1950

In researching the names, records were consulted from the following sources:

  1. Commonwealth War Graves Commission https://www.cwgc.org/
  2. Records for the War Dead of WW1 http://www.greatwar.co.uk/research/military-records/ww1-war-dead-records.htm
  3. The Hampshire Records Office Archives and Local Studies at Hampshire Record Office | Hampshire County Council
  4. 1891, 1901 and 1911 census, and the 1939 Register.
  5.  In some cases, living relatives kindly contributed information.

I found researching the history and lives of these men, and their families, a moving and humbling experience and I would like to thank Theresa and Eddie Laishley, Ron Smith, Leslie Pearce and Ron Newman for the information they provided for members of their family.

Whilst care has been taken in this research, I would be pleased to hear of any errors or omissions. I would also be pleased to hear from anyone who has information or images relating to these men. Please contact Pat Craze, Tel: 01962 774905 or email: [email protected]

‘Let those who come after see to it, that their names be not forgotten’