Norfolk

Records: War Memorials

Updated on 28 October, 2019

soldiers

This page contains records of those who gave their lives during World War One & Two.

External Links

Great Snoring War Memorials

The War memorial is on the outer wall of the Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, in the Street, Gt. Snoring. Its metal plate, on which the names are engraved, covers the original stone base in which the names were first cut because this became very worn.
Gt Snoring War Memorial

It is of interest that the dates the dates for the Second World War are shown as 1939-1946, not 1945 as usually stated; also for the First World War on this Memorial the dates are given as 1914-1919, not 1918, but that is because the war did not officially end until the peace treaty of June 1919, despite the Armistice of 1918.

The metal plate of the War Memorial on which the names are now shown covers the original stone base in which the names were cut but this became very worn and was covered with the metal plate.

Gt Snoring War memorial Plaque

Here are the names and a few details of the men who served:

herbert leslie bensteadLeslie Benstead - Son of Henry and Maria Benstead of Hindringham, Norfolk, born in Gt Snoring. From the Parish Magazine of 1917 we read "Great Snoring has sustained another loss. Herbert Leslie Benstead has passed away in Mesopotamia. By patient industry he had been working up a business in our parish, when he was called from it to the sterner task of war. Great sympathy is felt for his parents, who have had to lament the loss of two sons within the last few months."
[Herbert Leslie Benstead, died 30 Aug 1917 aged 28, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, Asiatic Theatres. Buried in Amara War Cemetery, Grave XIV.A.27.]

Victor Benstead. "The sad tidings that Albert Victor Ernest Benstead has been seriously wounded reached his parents on February 16th, only to be confirmed by a later notification that he had been killed in action. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his sorrowing relatives. He was only 19 years of age." [Ernest Victor Benstead, Norfolk, died 11 Feb 1917, aged only 19; Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment),Buried in Bethune Town Cemetery, Grave VI.B.39] Sydney Bushell

Sidney Bushell - (see photo) Private Sidney Bushell emigrated to Canada and served in the 8th BN Canadian Infantry and was killed in action on 10th August 1918, aged 22 years. He was the son of George & Amy Bushell of Thursford Road, Gt Snoring, born abt 1897. Buried in Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Grave VIII.B.11.

Arthur Collins - Born in Lt Walsingham. Died 1st July 1916, France & Flanders, killed in action. 8th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Panels 1C/1D.

Frederick Wm Dawson - Born in Fakenham, rank Private; 1st Norfolk Yeomanry. Died 2nd Nov 1915, killed in action. Body interred Embarkation Pier Cemetery, Gallipoli, Grave Sp. Mem. B.48.

Charles DewingCharles Dewing - (see photo) He was born in Great Snoring and was living at Sculthorpe. He was killed in action 20th Nov 1917. His rank was L/Corporal, 9th Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). He is commemorated on Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Panels 03/04.

Frederick Fox - It is believed that Frederick was born in 1897 and died in December 1917.

Herbert Fox - His brother Herbert, an Able Seaman in the Royal Navy, also died on 6th July 1916 during the terrible Battle of Jutland. The son of Herbert Fox of Gt Snoring. Commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 12.

Arthur Gent - Arthur was in the 10th Essex Regiment and died in 1918. He is buried at St. Pierre Cemetery, Amiens, Grave IX.F.03. Born in Great Snoring, he was the son of Robert and Emma Gent and husband of Elizabeth Ann Gent, Stearman's Yard, Freeman Street, Wells. When he lived in Gt. Snoring he worked as a groom, then moved to Rougham, then to Burnham Market and later to Wells. His name therefore appears on three local War Memorials! [Arthur Christmas Gent, died of wounds 5th Apr 1918, aged 41.] SEE WAR GRAVE LISTING BELOW

Leonard Gould - Born in Fakenham, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gould, Great Snoring. First Batallion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 3rd Nov 1917, aged 21. Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Panels 34/35 and 162A. Via email, September 2007: "Leonard Gould (after whom I am named) was a private in the 1st Bn Norfolk Regiment. He died on 3rd November 1917 aged 21 at Passchendaele. My Mother wrote this small poem when he died, she was about 15 years old and recorded in what was Leonard's bible, which I now have:

    "The cup was bitter, the sting severe
    To part with one I loved so dear

    There came a mist and a blinding rain

    And the world was never the same again
    ."
    (from) Frank Leonard Hiscox, Attleborough (address on application)

Alfred George Hambling - (born Elmere, Norfolk), died 29 May 1918 France & Flanders, rank Private, Norfolk Regiment 1st Battalion, killed in action.

Norman Hamblin or Hamblyn - (born Barnett, Norfolk) lived in Gt. Snoring. Died 27th August 1918, Flanders, rank Private, Coldstream Guards, killed in action.

Walter Hamblin Walter Hamblin or Hamblyn - (born abt 1887 Barnett, Norfolk) lived in Top Green, Castlemere; Died 9th July 1916, Flanders, rank Private, Border Regiment 8th Battalion, formerly Norfolk Regiment.

Sally Fletcher says of her Great Grandfather Walter John Hamblin who is on the war memorial in the village along with his brother Norman, that  is the only known photograph of Walter, son of Henry and Ellen Hambling, Ellen was born in Great Walsingham.

William Kingham - Died of wounds 18th August, 1918. Age 26. Son of William and Annie Kingham of Codicote, Welwyn, Herts; husband of Dora TUCK of Gt. Snoring SEE WAR GRAVE RECORD BELOW

John Lambert - Facts uncertain. Could be Sapper John Lambert born at Themelthorpe and living at Easy Raynham; Royal Engineers; 451st Field Co. Died 29th July 1917, killed in action. Interred Kut War Cemetery, Iraq, Grave J.25.

Dennis Robert Linford - Son of Horace and Anna Marie Linford, Wine Park, Walsingham; brother of Hilda, and Horace. NB Hilda married Elvin Southgate (this is the son of Mary Ann [Polly] Southgate, and not the Elvin, son of William and Sarah Southgate who lived in the village.) A commemorative plaque for Elvin Southgate's service in the Great War can be seen in Little Snoring church. See this page. Dennis was born in Walsingham, died 30th August 1915 aged 24. Died in France & Flanders, rank Wheeler; Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery, 38th Brigade Ammunition Column. Interred Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, Grave I.B.14.

Denis Linford Scroll

Horace James Linford - Brother of Dennis (above) and also the son of Horace and Anna Marie Linford. Canterbury Regiment (NZEF). Served in Egypt 1915-16; Gallipoli, and the Western Front 1916-17. Died 22nd Nov 1918 aged 31. Buried in Wellington (Karori) Cemetery, New Zealand, Grave C.01 (S). The photograph below MAY show Denis and Horance Linford. It was amongst the possessions of Elvin Southgate when he died in Hindringham.

Denis and Horace Linford

Berry Wm. Newton - B.W. Newton was born in Walsingham in 1895, the son of James N. Newton and the late Harriet Newton of Gt Snoring. Berry joined the Rifle Brigade of 11th Battalion. He died aged 21 on 20th September 1917 and his life was commemorated at the memorial in Zonnebeke, Belgium Panels 145/147.

Frederick Smith - Before he moved to Kent, Fred worked in the shop in the village run by Edward Barrett Adams and his wife Matilda (nee Tuck, widow of Wm Southgate). Fred left a widow, Ethel, who remarried. His sister Matilda was never able to accept that he had been killed.

Stanley WhiteStanley White - Born in Gt Snoring, the son of Thomas and Annie Elizabeth White. His rank was L/Sergeant, 9th Norfolk Regiment. Died of wounds 9th July 1917. Buried in Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, Grave IV.C.50. From a card presumably sent to his parents, we read: "L. Cpl Stanley White who served in the 9th Norfolk Regiment and died from wounds received in action on 9th July 1917, aged 23 years." Ernest White

Ernest Edward White - born in Great Snoring, he joined the 4th Bedfordshire Regiment, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. Rank Private. Ernest died of his wounds whilst a prisoner, 15th September 1918. Buried in Niederzwehren Cemetery, Germany, Grave VI.M.10. (See photo)

Ephraim White - 5 Sep 1918, Machine Gun Corps, Western European Theatre. "From a card sent to his mother, we learn that he was killed in action in France on September 5th 1918, aged 26 years. In a letter sent from Capt. Pluck of 4th Batt Beds Regiment, Langinsalza, Germany, he was referred to by the name Edward."

ephraim white card

British Commonwealth War Graves Register

Index No Fr 1015, Wood Cemetary, Marcelcave
KINGHAM, Pte A.W.G. M2/045523 1st GHQ Reserve M.T. Coy. Royal Army Service Corps. 18th August, 1918. Age 26. Son of William and Annie Kingham of Codicote, Welwyn, Herts; husband of Dora TUCK (formerly Kingham) of Great Snoring, Norfolk B17.

Index No ‘Iraq 8. Baghdad (North Gate) War Cem. Part IIrichard polgreen roseveare
ROSEVEARE, Lt Francis Bernard. Queen Victoria’s Own Corps of Guides Infantry (Frontier Force). Attd59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force.) 9th Nov 1917. Age 21. Son of Richard Polgreen Roseveare (seen here) and Mary Isabel Rosevere, of 5, London Road, Hertford Heath, Herts. Born at Great Snoring, Norfolk III H8. The brother of Bernard was also killed - see below.

ROSEVEARE Harold William. Second Lieutenant, Ist battalion Wiltshire Regiment, Wounded on 20th September 1914 near Vailly while leading a section of his men to locate and take a machine gun. He died of his wounds at No. 7 Field Ambulance later that evening. He was commississioned into the regiment in April 1913 and landed in France with the battalion on 14 August 1914. He is remembered on the La Ferte-sous-Jouarre memorial and on the war memorial at St Mary’s church, Lewisham. Harold was born in Monmouth on 18 March 1895. He was educated at Little Apley School, Ryde and Marlborough College where he was Cadet Captain of the Officer Training Corps. When war broke out he was waiting to take up a classical scholarship at St John’s College, Cambridge in October 1914. He was the eldest son of the Rev. Richard Polgreen Roseveare, rector of St Paul’s, Deptford and Mrs Mary Roseveare. His brother Bernard was killed in the Middle East in November 1917. After the war, in his capacity as Canon of Lewisham, the Rev Roseveare officiated at the dedication of war memorials at Christ Church, Forest Hill, Brownhill Road Central School and at St Mary’s, Lewisham.

Index No Fr 300, St. Pierre Cemetery, Amiens
GENT, Pte A.C. 41283. 10th Bn  Essex Regt. 5th April 1918 Age 41. Son of Robert and Emma Gent of Great Snoring; husband of Elizabeth Ann Gent of Stearman’s Yard, Freeman St. Wells, Norfolk. IX F.3

Also Born in Gt Snoring

  • WRIGHT James William, lived in Walsingham, died 30 Dec 1917, Bedfordshire Regiment, Died At Sea.
  • WHITE Charles Alfred, lived in Melton Constable, died 2 Apr 1918, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment),Western European Theatre; Formerly 21663, T.R. Battn.
  • GAMBLE Harry Noel, Corporal G/44168, Enlisted Tring, Hertfordshire. Born 1891 Gt. Snoring, the son of Henry Robert Swallow Gamble and Fanny Cobon; lived in Field Dalling, died at Ypres, Belgium 7 Jun 1917 aged 27, Duke of Cambridge's Own (23rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment), Western European Theatre; Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 49 and 51. (see in the sidebar his memorial in Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium)
  • PAGE Charles, Enlisted in Attercliffe, Sheffield, died 30 Sep 1916, York and Lancaster Regiment, 6th (Service) Battalion, rank Private, Western European Theatre
  • PLANE Richard, Enlisted at Norwich, died 16 Oct 1917, Norfolk Regiment, 2nd Battalion, rank Private, Asiatic Theatres; died in Mesopotamia.

Service in the Great War, all born in Great Snoring

  • COLEMAN Arthur James, Born 1896, Trade: Miller, Religion Methodist; Age 19 when enlisted at Norwich in 1915, 3rd Battalion Suffolk Infantry Regiment; Next of kin William Coleman; Mother Minnie Coleman? Regimental Conduct Sheet, overstayed his pass by one day in 1917. Reported missing on at least two other occasions when on leave. Eastern War Theatre; Had Impetigo four times in 1918.
  • DEWING George, Born Abt 1873, Age at Enlistment 18, Norfolk Regt Royal Artillery
  • DIX Alexander George, Born Abt 1900 Rifleman in 6th Battalion Para 392 (XVI) Kings Regulars, Age 17, Bootmaker, Field Barn Gt Snoring "Good character, Sober and Honest" Discharged not physically fit, 31st May 1917 (Medical record seems to relate to "Deformed Foot" (Trench Foot??) but says this is "congenital" and not due to military service.)
  • GREEN Harry Stanley, Age at enlistment 21yrs 8months, was a Bank Clerk at Union of London & Smiths Bank; address 5 Aldster Crescent Upper Clapham NE. London Batallion
  • HARRISON Harold Phillip, Born Abt 1896, Age at enlistment 20, Rank Lt. Decorated
  • WHITE Jesse, Born Abt 1893, Age at enlistment 21, 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, 1917 promoted to Sergeant, Address given as 10 Parkhurst Terrace, Bruce? Grove, Tottenham, War Medal, next of kin John White of Gt Snoring.

British Army WW1 Pension Records

Territorial Force, Four Year’s Service, Attestation Notice 13th March 1915
DAWSON, Edward Thomas, Snoring, Age 35, Occupation Groom in the employ of H Perowne, Gt Snoring. Medical Inspection Report on Enlistment (Sheringham): height 5ft 5in chest expansion 22-39 inches. Considered fit to be enrolled in Notts Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. 13th April 1915?

2nd World War

Frederick D. Plane - The youngest member of a large family who, before he moved to London, worked for the Perowne family in the house. It is believed that he falsified his age when he joined the Navy and was on the Warship HMS Kelly commanded by Lord Louis Mountbatten. He died in 1941 when the ship sank off the island of Crete.

* Note, the information above was given in the Nov/Dec 2002 issue of the Snoring Newsletter "Snooze & Views" and the information was provided by: Michael Bushell, Grace Howlett, Tina Sherwood, Audrey Seaman, Kenny and Ann White, and Arthur and Peggy Yaxley.

A relative of Frederick Plane has supplied this information which contradicts the above. This records Frederick Donald Plane as Service Number 3969873, Private in the 1st Battalion, Welsh Regiment; killed in action 15/05/1941 at the age of 18 years (the son of Mr and Mrs Edward Plane of Great Snoring, Norfolk), commemorated column 64 Alamein Memorial, Egypt.

Herbert Smith - Herbert moved to Great Snoring when his mother came as a housekeeper. Until he was called up in May 1940 he had worked on the farm. He went into the Royal Norfolk Regiment and was killed at the Salerno landings off Italy in 1943.

Other References

In the National Archives, (Records of the Royal Chelsea and Kilmainham Hospitals) there are documents relating to other Great Snoring men who saw action in war. These are listed as follow:

  • ROBERT WEEKS Born GREAT SNORING, Served in 1st Foot Guards Discharged aged 29 (1803-1814)
  • JOHN COMER Born GREAT SNORING, Served in 12th Foot Regiment Discharged aged 19 (1852-1854)
  • JAMES FULLER Born GREAT SNORING, Served in 63rd Foot Regiment Discharged aged 37 (1810-1824)
  • EDWARD KENDLE Born GREAT SNORING, Served in 97th Foot Regiment; 63rd Foot Regiment Discharged aged 43 (1810-1837)
  • JOHN KENDLE Born GREAT SNORING, Served in 63rd Foot Regiment; 97th Foot Regiment Discharged aged 43 (1810-1833)

spotPlease go to this (offsite) web page to see the WALSINGHAM War Memorial names with details of each soldier. On the same site are many other Norfolk War Memorials.

Image Gallery

Find your ancestors in Norfolk Parish Registers and Records for Norfolk Ancestors and Genealogy for Norfolk The Family Trees of Norfolk Church Records of Gt & Lt Snoring Norfolk Great Snoring Memorial Inscriptions

Information

The Snoring Villages: a website for those researching their family trees, and for anybody curious about the history and whereabouts of these two small villages in Norfolk, UK.

Contact The Snorings

I no longer live in Norfolk. I cannot visit graves, make local enquiries or provide contacts for you. Please be aware that I have no information other than that on this website..

Address: Derbyshire, England
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E-mail: tricia (at) the-snorings.co.uk