St. Mary's Church - War Memorial

The War Memorial, Holme-next-the-Sea - Remembrance Sunday 2009 - Photo Tony Foster Royal British Legion poppy



As visitors and worshippers make their way to the main door of St. Mary's Church, Holme-next-the-Sea the War Memorial cannot be missed on the left side of the path just inside the gate.




Dedication, The War Memorial on the north side, Holme-next-the-Sea - Photo Tony Foster

















War Memorial inscription on the south side - Photo Tony Foster War Memorial inscription on the east side - Photo Tony Foster


War Memorial inscription on the west side - Photo Tony Foster



More information on those names appearing on the War Memorial


1914-1918


Rason, Percy Claude
Private, 9154, 6th The Queen's Own Royal West Surrey Regiment. Killed in action 5th April, 1917.
Born Docking, enlisted King's Lynn, resident Holme-next-the-Sea. Faubourg D'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Grave II.0.03.

Holm, Frank Diederick
Second Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Engineers attached to No. 27 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Killed in action 14th May, 1917, aged 18.
Son of Frank and Maud Lilian Mary Holm, Maida Hill, London. Doullens Communal Cemetery. Somme, France, Extension No. 1, Grave IV.A.01.

Robertson, Alec Pasley
L/Corporal, 1113, 8th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment). Killed in action 28th April 1915. Aged 25. Born Sydenham 13-04-1890, passed fit 08-09-14, enlisted Valcartier, Canada, 22-09-14. Son of Edmund George and Ethel Robertson, of Holme-next-the-Sea, Norfolk then of Bridge Close, Holme, King's Lynn, Norfolk. Height 5 feet 11½ inches, girth 38 inches, complexion fresh, eyes grey, hair red; religion Church of England. Bank clerk by trade. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium grave panel 24-26-28-30. National Archives of Canada Accession reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8349 - 10.

Potter, George
Warrant Officer Class II (Battery Sergeant Major), 5448, 190th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 29th April, 1918, aged 42.
Born Holme-next-the-Sea, enlisted London. Son of Francis and Sarah Potter, Holme-next-the-Sea; husband of Louisa Potter, King Street, Odiham, Hants. Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No. 3, Grave I.O.32. Headstone inscription "PEACE PERFECT PEACE"

Callaby, John Leonard
Lance Corporal, 300126, 15th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own). Died of wounds 28th June, 1918, aged 21.
Born Holme-next-the-Sea, enlisted King's Lynn. Son of Arthur and Annie Callaby, Southgate Cottage, Holme-next-the-Sea. Cinq Rues British Cemetery, Hazebrouck, Grave H.25.

Robertson, Kenneth Ackman
Private, 6898, 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. Killed in action 5th May, 1917.
Born Bromley, Kent, enlisted Haslemere. No clear connection with Holme-next-the-Sea. Arras memorial, Bay 03.

Smith MM, Albert
Lance Sergeant, 15149, 10th Battalion Essex Regiment. Killed in action 22nd October, 1917, aged 21. Awards - MM.
Born Burnham Market, enlisted Norwich. Son of Adam Smith, Holme-next-the-Sea. Tyne Cot Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium Panels 098/099.

Robinson, Arthur Frederick
Private, 220614, 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment. Killed in action 29th September, 1918, aged 19.
Formerly 106268, Hertfordshire Yeomanry. Born and resident Holme-next-the-Sea, enlisted Hertford. Son of James and Alexandra Robinson, Holme-next-the-Sea. Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Haucourt, Panel 07.

Callaby, George Bertie
Sapper, 17508, 97th Field Co. Royal Engineers. Died 1st April, 1918, aged 35.
Born King's Lynn, enlisted Hunstanton. Son of Arthur and Annie Callaby, Southgate Cottage, Holme-next-the-Sea; husband of Charlotte E. Callaby, Seven Sisters, Denver, Downham Market, Norfolk. Le Cateau Military Cemetery, Grave I.A.29. Headstone inscription "GOOD NIGHT DEAR   UNTIL THE DAWN   R.I.P."

Knight, Frederick Nelson
Sapper, 8279, 1st Tunnelling Co, Australian Imperial Force. Died of wounds 4th November, 1918, aged 40.
Son of Frederick Thomas and Elizabeth Knight, Thurdow Cottage, King's Lynn. Premont British Cemetery, Grave II.D.07.

Potter, Alfred
Private, 5876, 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment. Died whilst prisoner of war 24th October, 1918.
Born and resident Holme-next-the-Sea, enlisted Norwich. Niederzwehren Cemetery, Kassel, Germany, Grave I.A.01. (Body found at Ulm New Municipal Cemetary Map Ref. Sheet No. 53 C.4 Plot 82 Grave 426.)



1939-1945


Arnold, Harold James
Private, Royal Norfolk Regiment 7th Battalion. Service number 5772547 - killed 12th June, 1940 aged 39. Remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial, Column 43, Dunkirk Town Cemetery, Dunkirk, Nord, France. Son of William Miles Arnold and Louisa Arnold, of Holme-next-the-Sea, Norfolk; husband of Florence May Arnold, also of Holme-next-the-Sea.

Finn, Michael Joseph Thomas
Flight Sergeant (W. Op. AG) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 620 Squadron. Service number 1218851 - killed 6th September, 1943 aged 21 (as recorded on the Commonmwealth War Graves website although the War Memorial above gives his age as 22). A Short Stirling heavy bomber airborne 19:56 on 5th September, 1943 from Chedburgh to bomb a target in Mannheim. Shot down by a night-fighter which, on its first firing pass, badly damaged the centre fuselage section and set equipment on fire. The Stirling dived deeply which prevented the crew from opening the forward escape hatch. The bomber subsequently exploded and crashed at Altdorf, 16 km WSW of Speyer. Four of the crew were taken as prisoners of war and four lost their lives. Those killed are buried in Altdorf Protestant Cemetery, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany - Sgt. Finn, Grave 3. Son of Patrick and Anne Finn, of Holme-next-the Sea, Norfolk.

Hayter, William Edward
Private, Royal Army Ordnance Corps attd. 4th Queen's Own Hussars Royal Armoured Corps. Service number 7633034 - killed 26th April, 1941 aged 25. Remembered on the Athens Memorial Face 9 in the Phaleron War Cemetery, Pikrodafni near Athens, Greece. Son of Albert Hayter and of Clara Hayter, of Holme-next-the-Sea, Norfolk.

Rix, John Albert
Sergeant, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Service number 1634350 - Air Gunner, killed 2nd November, 1944 aged 21. In what was to be the final major attack of the war on Düsseldorf, aircraft Lancaster PB385 (EA-V) 'V-Victor" from 49 Squadron was one of 19 Bomber Command aircraft lost. On only their second operation flying together, all of the crew, including Sergeant Rix, were killed. Sgt. Rix was originally buried at Golzheim Cemetery Germany (Map Ref. Sheet K51 1/250.000 F185496). The crew of seven now rest together in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (reburied 8th April, 1947) where the grave number for Sergeant John Albert Rix is plot 5.D.1. (It was later established that the aircraft caught fire in the air and crashed at Golzheim presumably as a result of enemy action. Golzheim is a village 18 miles south west of Cologne, Germany.) Son of Reginald Victor and Catherine Minnie Rix, of Holme-next-the-Sea, Norfolk.


Field of poppies

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.


Laurence Binyon (1869-1943).

a black line!

St. Mary's Church - Roll of Honour

"If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' fields"

Colonel John McCrae (1872-1918)


Inside St. Mary's Church there is a Roll of Honour listing those brave members of the armed forces who fought in the the First World War. There is another black framed dedication listing more names which appear on the reverse of the Roll of Honour



Roll of Honour - Photo Tony Foster Additional dedication showing names listed on the reverse of the Roll of Honour - Photo Tony Foster


The wording on the Roll of Honour

1914-1915


ROYAL NAVY


Baney Robert G. - Stoker. Petty Officer.

Callaby Ernest - Stoker. Portsmouth Dockyard.

Smalbones John M. - A.B. H.M.S. "Spiteful".

Sampson Wilfrid E. - Seaman. H.M.S. "Doris".

Smith Robert - Seaman. Shotley Barracks.



ARMY

Callaby George B. - R.E. (A.R.) Sapper.

Thompson Fred. T. - R.E. (A.R.) Sapper.

Potter George - R.G.A. Sergeant.

Proudfoot Herbert - First Batt. Gren. Guards.

Renaut Arthur C. - Norfolk Regt. 5th Batt. Ser. Major.

Clynick Thomas Ed. - R.H.A. Driver.

Callaby Walter - R.F.A. Bombadier.

Laws J.T. - Norfolk Reg. 8th Batt. Corporal.

Mindham Arthur J. - A.S.C. Driver.

McWhen N.E. - Norfolk Reg. 9th Batt.

Ringwood Harry - Norfolk Reg. 10th Batt.

Sampson Walter - Norfolk Reg. 9th Batt.

Walker Edward - Norfolk Reg. 10th Batt.

Robertson Kenneth A. - Royal Fusiliers.

Hudson Ernest - A.S.C.

Sheldrake Reginald - Cycle Corps.

Wilkins Albert O. - Yeomanry. Hudson Wm. Ed. - Middlesex Reg.



Overseas Contingent 1914



Robertson Alec P. - (99th Manitoba Rangers) 8th Canadian Infantry. Killed Ypres April, 1915.

Robertson Donald E. - (50th Gordon Highlanders of Canada) 30th Royal Canadian Infantry.



1916


Renaut Samuel - Norfolk Yeomanry.

Richardson Herbert - Norfolk 10th.

Rason Percy - West Surrey Queen's Own.

Rason John Thomas - 5th Norfolk.

Potter Alfred - Bedfordshire Reg.

Nicholls George - 10th Norfolk.

Burton Henry - 15th Middlesex.

Callaby John - R.F.A.

Walker Arthur - 10th Norfolk.

Richardson Edgar - Mortar School.

Robinson Wm. Knight - Co. A. 1st Suffolk Salonika F.

Mowton Arthur S. - 12th Royal West Kent.

Thacker Alfred - Kent.

Thacker Samuel - Sherwood For.

Stanner Charles - Ryl. Artillery.



The wording on the reverse of the Roll of Honour
(and repeated on the dedication with the black frame)


1914-1916

ROYAL NAVY

Baney, Robert George - Petty officer Stoker, Royal Navy.

Middleton, John T. - Royal Navy.

Nelson, C. Matthew - Royal Naval Reserve.

Nelson, Sidney J. - Royal Naval Reserve.

Smith, Bertram - Royal Navy.

ARMY

Lumb, John A. - Army

Lumb, Muriel Emily - E.E.F.

Neeve, George W. - Sergeant, Royal Engineers

Phelps, Joseph - Army

Potter, William - Arm

Arnold, Harold - Army

Callaby, Thomas - Royal Field Artillery

Callaby, William - Army

Fuller, Herbert - Army

Fuller, Samuel - Army

Holm, Frank D. - Army (Killed).

Knight, Fred - Army (Killed).

Renaut, John - Army

Robertson, E.G. - Church Army

Robinson, Albert - Army

Robinson, Arthur - Army (Killed).

Smith MM, Albert - Sergeant - Army (Killed).

Western, John - Army



a black line!