The St. Petrock's World War I Memorial Tablet, with the Listing of Those Who Died and of All That Served Their Country

The St. Petrock's World War I Memorial Tablet, with the Listing of Those Who Died and of All That Served Their Country

Pictured is the wooden memorial tablet, located on the south wall of St. Petrock's Church, Timberscombe. It is the Roll of Honour of the 66 men, with connections to the village, that served in the armed forces between 28 July 1914 and 11 November 1918, the dates of the 1st World War.

In the booklet, "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN OF WORLD WAR I", subtitled, "LEST WE FORGET", its author, Harvey Grenville reminds the reader that Timberscombe had a population of around 300 in those years. These 66 and their immediate families would be a large percentage of that number. Fifty four of the men survived, no doubt with a wide range of effects on the rest of their lives, some with actual physical and mental wounds. They are listed on the tablet in black lettering and will be listed here.

Twelve did not survive. They include three sets of brothers. Ten died overseas with only two coming back to Timberscombe, one coming home just to be buried. The bodies of four of the men were never found. History has only supplied only three of the men known photographic portraits, those being Captain Eric Battersby, Lt. Philip Battersby and Private George Elford, as seen above. Eleven are the names at the top of the memorial tablet in golden lettering. The men, in the order that they are listed, are:

ACTING CORPORAL FRANK CHAPMAN-Mr. Chapman was the son of William and Sarah (nee Bowering) Chapman . Born in 1887, he had a twin brother, Robert and was baptized at St. Petrock's. His father worked as a farm labourer at West Harwood Farm, run by the Stevens family. Frank also was originally a farm labourer but enlisted by 1911 in a cavalry unit of the British Army. War was declared on 4 August 1914 and he was at Boulogne, France by 16 August. On 13 September 1914, he was one of four men in his unit, to be killed at the First Battle of Aisne. He was 27 and is buried at Bourg et Comin Communal Cemetery, south of Laone, France.

LANCE CORPORAL SIDNEY THORNE- Mr. Thorne, born in 1897, was the son of Sidney and Bessie (nee Manning) Thorne. The family lived at the Corner House, Timberscombe. His father died in 1908, and the 14 year old Sidney moved to Taunton to apprentice as a butcher. In March 1914, when he had just turned 17, he lied that he was 18 and enlisted with the Coldstream Guards. By October he was on the front line at the First Battle of Ypres. On 15 September 1916, aged 19, he died at the Battle of Fiers-Courcelette, France, the third offensive of the Battles of the Somme. His body was never recovered.

PRIVATE GEORGE ELFORD (the second photograph, above)- Mr. Elford was born at Brighton in 1877. In March 1897 he enlisted with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, The Sussex Regiment and by July 1898 joined the Royal Navy. In 1903 he married Eva White, born in Timberscombe. In 1905-06, now with two sons, the family moved to Hole's Square, while he continued to serve with the Navy until February 1910. Coming back to Timberscombe, he worked as a farm labourer. After war was declared, at the age of 37 and with five children by this time, George volunteered. His battalion was posted to India. Eventually they were stationed at the Wellington Garrison, 30 miles south of Mysore, where one quarter of the men contracted malaria. George died there at the age of 38 and was buried at the Wellington Garrison cemetery.

PRIVATE REGINALD THORNE- Reginald Thorne was a younger brother of Sidney Thorne. Reginald was conscripted at the age of 18 and was enlisted into the 35th Training Reserve Battalion, based at Wool, Dorset. Before he could be posted, Reginald fell ill and was transferred to an isolation hospital, which treated infectious diseases such as diphtheria and scarlet fever. He died on 5 June, 1917, 18 years old and four days later was buried at St. Petrock's. Later his grave was marked by a Commonwealth War Grave Commission headstone. His mother, Bessie, had already lost her husband, Sidney, in 1908 and her son, Sidney, killed at battle in 1916. In 1922 she lost another son, Cecil, aged 17 and then in 1929, her son, Edwin (Eddie) died at the age of 26 (1). Only one son, William (1901-1987) lived to old age (2).

CAPTAIN ERIC BATTERSBY (the bottom photograph, above)- Mr. Battersby, the son of Worsley and Jesse (nee May) Battersby, was born at Kensington London in 1884 but probably within the year, his parents had purchased the two manors, Bickham, just west of Timberscombe and Knowle, northeast of the village and where he spent much of his youth. He was educated at Sherborne College and then served three years as a Lieutenant, in the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment. He volunteered four days after war was declared and was promoted to Captain. At first he served in England, but on 24 October he arrived in the trenches at Neuve Chapelle, France, joining troops already exhausted and overwhelmed by casualties. The senior officer, Major Buckle, was killed on 27 October, and Eric, having just arrived but the next in command, took charge. He was killed the next day, 30 years old, with his body never being found.

PRIVATE THOMAS TUDBALL- Mr. Tudball was born in 1884 at Luccombe, to John and Emma (nee Mogford) Tudball and attended the Timberscombe School. Afterwards he worked as a farm labourer and in 1904 began service with the Regular Army, returning to civilian life in 1907, remaining part of the Army Reserve. After war was declared, Mr. Tudball was mobilized and sent to France by 21 August 1914, quickly fighting in the First Battle of Marne. From the time of his arrival until 21 December 1914, Tudball was basically in the centre of continuous and fierce battle. On that day he was granted leave but was sent back to the front line by 9 January 1915. His battalion was attacked on 25 January, when he was killed, along with 200 other men listed as killed ,wounded or missing. He was 31 years old and is buried at Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery.

SERGEANT STUART STEVENS- Mr. Stevens was born in 1886 at Timberscombe. His parents were Robert and Mary (nee Cording) Stevens, who ran West Harwood Farm (where the father of Frank Chapman, and surely Frank as well, worked). He immigrated to Canada, where he worked as a rancher before volunteering for the Canadian Expeditionary Force, where he was attested in May 1915. At first he was stationed at a Canadian reserve unit in Kent, England but was in Belgium by 17 June 1916. His troops participated in the Battle of Thiepval Ridge, part of the Battles of the Somme and by November, he was at Vimy Ridge, in an ongoing series of efforts to take this escarpment back from the Germans. This was achieved but not until 16 April and with only 293 Canadian fighters left from the 752 at the beginning. Stuart died two days before, on 14 April, 31 years old. He is buried at Boise-Carre British Cemetery at Thelus, north of Arras.

PRIVATE HERBERT CARTER- Mr. Carter, born in 1891 at Bawdrip, Somerset, was one of the nine children of Samuel and Agnes (nee Cottle) Carter. His father was the Police Constable at Timberscombe. One of Herbert's brothers, Albert John Carter, became the proprietor of the Rose and Crown Inn before it lost it's license in 1915 (3). Herbert worked as a grocer and then moved to Herefordshire, where he enlisted after 1911. He was transferred to The Gloucestershire Regiment in early 1917, as they were being sent to France. In March, Herbert's battalion was the first to realize that German troops were withdrawing from the area of La Maisonette, but not before leaving a trail of destruction and burning villages. Weeks followed of interactions between the Gloucesters and the Germans. Herbert was wounded in April but did not die until early May, aged 26. He is buried at the St. Sever Cemetery in Rouen.

PRIVATE CHARLES BURNETT- Mr. Burnett, born in 1889 at Luxborough, was the 8th of the eleven children of Thomas and Emma Burnett. His mother died when he was eight years old and his father moved the family to Beasley Cottages, at Beasley Farm, Timberscombe, where he had found employment. After turning 18, Charles was likely conscripted and then was drafted into the 1st Battalion The Dorsets, in France by mid October 1918. After a couple of weeks of training, the Dorsets were marched to the south of the Sambre-Oise canal near Oars. Charles was killed in the trenches on 2 November, nine days before the end of the war. He was 19. He is buried at the Saint Souplet British Cemetery, near Le Cateau.

LIEUTENANT PHILIP BATTERSBY (the second photograph above)- Mr. Battersby, born in 1888, was the youngest of four brothers and three sisters. His brother Eric is listed above, who was killed in 1914. Their parents, Worsley and Jessie Battersby had purchased Knowle Manor around 1885. After the death of the senior Mr. Battersby in 1896, Mrs. Battersby relocated to Cheltenham, along with Philip and her other younger children. When Philip left school in 2006, he spent a year living with a German family in Hanover and then attended the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester. When war was declared, he was working as a land agent. He and his brother, Christopher volunteered in the first month. The oldest brother, Charles, also volunteered for the Army. Philip was commissioned as an officer in December and qualified as a pilot in 1916. He was on a bombing mission on 7 July 1917 when he was shot down near Lille, France, aged 28 years. The Germans later returned some personal effects but Philip's crash site was never revealed, despite the efforts of his mother to obtain that information from the War Office.

LANCE CORPORAL CLIFFORD MERSON- Mr. Merson, the son of Francis and Sarah (nee Hare) Merson, was born in 1882 at Timberscombe and lived at Bickham, where his family ran the farm. His father died in 1886, the same year two sisters and a newly born baby brother also died. By 1901, Clifford was living with his mother at The Great House on Great House Street, Timberscombe, before another move to The Avenue, Minehead. In 1915, working as a Garage Manager, he married Florence Eva Jeboult, born in Dunster. Around this same time he volunteered for the Army. By June 1916, he was fighting at the Battle of Fiers-Courcelette, the final offensive of the infamous Battles of the Somme, surviving week after week of conflict. This is the same battle where Sidney Thorne died on 15 September. Clifford was killed on 16 September, aged 34 and like Sidney Thorne, his body was never recovered.

LANCE CORPORAL LIONEL MERSON- On St. Petrock's wooden memorial tablet, Lionel Merson, the older brother of Clifford Merson, is included among the 55 names of the men who survived the war. In "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN OF WORLD WAR I", Harvey Grenville appropriately includes him as the 12th fallen man. Lionel was born in 1878 at Timberscombe. As a young man, he worked in London where he married Kate Curry, who was born in Taunton. They returned to Timberscombe in 1900, for Lionel to be the administrator of Bickham Farm. After having a boy and girl, Kate died in 1908 and is buried at St. Petrock's . Lionel became a polo trainer at Minehead. At the outbreak of war, he volunteered, joining the Royal North Devon Hussars . He fought at the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915 and in 1916, defended the Suez Canal. Unfortunately he contacted tuberculosis in Egypt. He was honourably discharged and during recuperation, met and married Florence Tufts and returned to Minehead. He never fully recovered and died in 1919, aged 41 and was buried at St. Petrock's.

It is with great appreciation to Harvey Grenville and his efforts put into creating "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN OF WORLD WAR I", where the short descriptions of these 12 men were gathered. The booklet is available from St. Petrock's and tells much more (and more eloquently) than that which can be mentioned here. The above photograph of the memorial was taken by Mr. Grenville. The source of the photograph of Lt. Philip Battersby is the records of the Royal Aero Club and the photograph of George Elford was donated by Mrs. Georgina Mansell, his grand-daughter. Both portraits are reproduced in "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN OF WORLD WAR I", along with many other photographs and illustrations, taken and gathered by Harvey Grenville.

Beneath Clifford Merson's name on the tablet, "FREDERICK VILE 1942" has been inserted. He is Frederick Daniel Vile, who died on 18 February 1942 at Sumatra, Malaysia (4), while serving in the Somerset Light Infantry (5). His final resting place is unknown but he is memorialised at the Singapore Memorial Cemetery (6). The Army Roll of Honour only indicates his birthplace and residence as "Somerset". Actually Mr. Vine was born at West Hatch, Taunton (7) and his Timberscombe connection was his wife, Beatrice Clara Simmons, born at Brighton in 1907 but whose family had relocated to Cowbridge by the 1911 Census. She is pictured as a student in 1914 at Timberscombe School on SP-246. During the war, Beatrice Simmons lived at No. 5 Church Street with her widowed mother, Elizabeth Simmons, who worked as a Postal Deliverer. Beatrice remarried a Mr. Middleton in 1948 (8) and passed way in 2004 while living at Badger Park in Minehead (9).

The other names of the gentlemen with connections to Timberscombe, that are listed on the memorial for their service in World War I are :

George Tudball, Samuel Tudball, Walter Wilkins, William Pyne, Ernest Hill, John Henry Miller, Leonard Stevens, Stanley Stevens, George Griffiths, W. Abraham Farmer, Reginald Poole, George Prole, Douglas Carter, John Bell, Tom Quick, William Floyde, Harry Prole, Harold Little, Albert Baker, John Gould, Thomas Gould, Edward Gould, Philip Gould, Sidney Hobbs, Charles Nicholls, Frederick Shoplan, Sidney Burnett, Joseph Farmer, Charles Farmer, Edwin Fry, John Hole, John Milton, Albert Simmons Anthony Tudball, Ernest Huxtable, Arthur John Hole, Charles Hole, Harold Down, John Stenner, John Holland, Stephen Bell, Ernest Coles, Edwin Palmer, John Shoplan, Frederick Watts, Albert Jeremiah, William Slade, Ernest Prole, Frederick Webber, Charles Battersby, Christopher Battersby, Lionel Merson, George Hewett, Frederick Hewett and Charles Shoplan.

It seems to be a given with memorials, such as this, that names are left off and there are always discussions of why some names are or are not listed. Five such names follows:

PRIVATE WILLIAM JOHN DART- William was born in 1881, the son of John and Bessie (nee Stevens) Dart, proprietors of a public house, The Hare and Hounds in Exton (10). John Dart was also a blacksmith, a profession he continued when the family relocated to Cowbridge and William and his younger brother, Albert, started their schooling at Timberscombe School (12). By 1901, William was a "Pottery Worker' in Bridgwater and on 12 August 1907, he married Gunhilda Gillard at West Monkton (13). Listed on the 1911 Census employed as a Groom, Mr. Dart and his wife moved to Ruishton, near Taunton, with their two-year-old son, William Edward. A year later another son, Cyril James was born, who died aged three months (14). In 1915, aged 34, William John Dart enlisted with the Durham Light Infantry, 13th Battalion (15). Private Dart served on the Western Front and on the 27th of December 1917, he died of "Wounds from Battle" and was buried at the Giavera British Cemetery, at the Treviso district, Veneto, Italy (16).

PRIVATE EDGAR STANLEY FRY- On the 14th of April 1892, James Fry arrived in Timberscombe with two sons, Albert Henry, aged 4 years and three-year-old William James and his new wife of two days, Annie (nee Wadham) Fry (17). The boys' mother, Louisa, had died the year before at the birth of her third son, Frederick, who also died (18). In Timberscombe, a daughter, Florence Mabel, was born to James and Annie Fry, followed by their son, Edgar Stanley Fry, born in 1897 and baptised at St. Petrock's (19). Admittedly, Edgar Stanley's stay in Timberscombe was not long as his father was transferred to Bawdrip in 1898. Nor was the boy's life. He worked in a cycle shop before going to the Welsh Valley, seeking work in the coal mines (20). At the outbreak of war, he enlisted and Private Edgar Stanley Fry was killed at the age of 18 on February 1915, serving with the Welsh Regiment of the British Army. His name is inscribed on the Menin Gates Memorial at Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium (21).

SERGEANT CLARENCE NORMAN OVERMASS- Samuel Small Overmass and his wife, Mary Ann (nee Taylor) Overmass began work at Timberscombe as School Master and School Mistress on the 9th of January 1882 (22). Their first son, Walter Seaton Overmass, was born in 1881 but a second boy, Clarence Norman Overmass, was born and baptised at Timberscombe in 1884 (23). Sam Overmass unexpectedly died in 1904, aged 48, while still School Master at Timberscombe (24). Two and a half years later, Clarence enlisted with the 18th Queen Mary's Own Hussars. On the 15th of August 1914, eleven days after Britain entered World War I, Clarence extended his service (25). Between the 15th and 18th of October 1916, Sergeant Clarence Overmass died (26). He had been discharged on 16 May 1916 as no longer fit for service (27). It is not clear exactly how or where he died but on the 11th of November 1918, " Sgt. Clarence N. Overmass" was listed on the ROLL OF INDIVIDUALS as entitled to a Victory Medal and/or the British War Medal, granted under Army Orders (28). His mother, Mary Ann, applied for a Clasp, which attached to a medal denoted participation in a major ground conflict, implying Clarence was likely wounded in battle, resulting in his later death. The Clasp was issued to Mrs. Overmass in February 1920 (29). Clarence was buried at the Bromley Hill Cemetery in London, with his gravestone engraved "CLARENCE NORMAN OVERMASS, SERGEANT 18th (QUEEN MARY"S OWN) HUSSARS WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY 15 OCTOBER 1916, AGED 32" (30).

PRIVATE GEORGE HENRY SLADE- Agricultural Labourer John Slade, originally from Luxborough, married Elizabeth Webber of Timberscombe in November 1886 (31). Their first child, Lucy, was born at Luxborough, followed by William John, born at Cutcombe (32). By the 1891 Census, the family was living at Alders in Timberscombe, where George Henry Slade was born in 1892, being baptised at St. Petrock's on 14 February 1892 (33). On the first of April 1896 all three Slade children were enrolled at Timberscombe School (34). By 1901, the family had moved to Great House Street in the village, seemingly at the cottage later named Slade Cottage. Both William and George Henry were still there with their parents in 1911, aged 20 and 19 but by the outbreak of war both had relocated to Alcombe, which was given as William's address when he enlisted with the Royal Garrison Artillery (35), as was George Henry, who signed up with the Princess Charlotte of Wales, Royal Berkshire Regiment (36). William survived the war and his name is listed on St. Petrock's Memorial Plaque. Private George Henry was killed in battle on 17 February 1917, aged 25. He was buried at Fauberg-d'Amiens Cemetery at Arras, France (37). His effects were returned to his father, still living in Timberscombe (38). "Slade GH" is inscribed on the Minehead War Memorial at the summit of Michael's Hill, Martlet Road at Minehead. Yet as a boy born, educated and raised in Timberscombe and whose brother is rightfully listed on the Timberscombe Memorial, the omission of George Henry Slade seems remiss.

PRIVATE RICHARD WEDLAKE- Born at Carhampton in 1884, Richard Wedlake married Elizabeth Gould, also from Carhampton, in 1908 at Dunster (39). Their son, Richard George, was born in 1910 at Carhampton (40) but within six months the young family was living at Ford Cottages in Timberscombe, where Richard worked as a Carter (41), likely across the road at Bickham Manor. In June 1912, a daughter, Dorothy May Wedlake, was born but sadly in the same month, her brother, Richard George, died. The infant was buried in Dunster with Timberscombe listed as his abode (42). As soon as war began, Richard enlisted at Taunton as a Private in the 8th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry (43). He survived the infamous Battle of the Somme (44) but died in action on the 18th of September 1918 at the Battles of the Hindenberg Line. His memorial is at the Vis-en-Artois British Cemetery and Memorial at Haucourt, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, France (45). He was 34 years old. leaving all his properties to his wife (46) and a daughter who hardly could have known him.

Richard Wedlake is listed on the memorial in Dunster (where his wife later settled), as George Henry Slade is mentioned on the Minehead Memorial. Admittedly it could be suggested William John Dart's, Edgar Stanley Fry's and Wedlake's time in Timberscombe was not that long (as opposed to Slade and Clarence Norman Overmass). Yet they all were here and had family here. They should not be forgotten.

William John Dart and Clarence Norman Overmass, as well as Thomas John Tudball (listed on the St. Petrock's memorial) can be glimpsed as young boys in a c. 1888 Timberscombe School photograph at SP-243.

Harvey Grenville, who took the photograph of the Memorial tablet and compiled "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN Of WORLD WAR I"

produced for St. Petrock's Church and the parish of Timberscombe

c. 2014
c. 1914
c. 1914
c. 1914

English

the WW I Memorial Tablet at St. Petrock's, Private George Elford, Lt. Philip Battersby, Captain Eric Battersby/ Timberscombe / Village Centre

2019

Gift

PLACES: Churches and Chapels / Timberscombe
PEOPLE: Named / Timberscombe

Good

Entered by Tom Sperling

2020

W X L

cm

15.5 X 23.5
6.5 X 8
9 X 7.5
9.5 X 7.5

St. Petrock's History Group

(1) findmypast.co.uk, forebears.io/ England and Wales Deaths 1837-2007 (2) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 (3) the 1911 England Census and Victoria County History.ac.uk (4) UK, Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969 (5) UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 (6) Global, Find a Grave Index for Burials at Sea and Other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current (7) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (8) 1939 England and Wales Register, with an addition added in blue ink which states that Beatrice Clara (nee Simmons) Vile married a Mr. Middleton in 1948 (9) UK, Electoral Registers, 2003-2010 (10) 1881 England Census (11) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, 8 March 1872 -31 August 1892 (12) 1901 England Census (13) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (14) Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914 and Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (15) UK, British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920 (16) UK, Soldiers Who Died in the Great War, 1914-1919, UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1920 and Italy, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current (17) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915, England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Indexes, 1837-1915, 1891 England Census and 1939 England & Wales Register (18) Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (19) Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914 (20) "THE EVERCREECH WAR MEMORIAL BOOK, WORLD WAR I". evercreech-pc.gov.uk (21) Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current (22) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, 8 March 1872-31 August 1892, page 274 (23) 1891 England Census (24) 1891 England Census and 1901 England Census (25) UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 (26) UK, British Army World War I Medal Rolls and Index Cards, 1914-1923 (27) Imperial War Museum, livesofthefirstworldwar.iam.org.uk (28)UK, World War I Service Metal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920 (29) UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 and Google.com/ search-clasps+world+war+I+medal+battle (30) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (31) 1901 England Census,1861 England Census, 1871 England Census and 1881 England Census (32) 1901 England Census (33) Somerset, England, Church of England, Baptisms, 1813-1914 (34) Timberscombe School, 1897-1944 ADMISSION REGISTER, Nos. 45, 52 and 60 (35) UK World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 (36) England & Wales, National Probate Calendar, (Index of Wills and Administrations),1854-1996 (37) Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current (38) UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923 (39) 1891 England Census, Somerset, England, Church of England, Baptisms, 1813-1914, Somerset, England, Marriage Register, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 and 1901 England Census (40) Somerset, England, Church of England, Baptisms, 1813-1914 (41) 1911 England Census (42) Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (43) UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 (44) Richard Wedlake, Dunster Ancestors, dunsterancestors,co.uk/dunster-war-memorial-richard-wedlake (45) Global, Find a Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current (46) UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923

St. Petrock's History Group Archive

2020

St. Petrock's History Group TIMBERSCOMBE VILLAGE HISTORIES

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