Bertram Edgar Spark Bertram Edgar Spark served as a rifleman with the 1st Battalion of the Queen’s Westminster regiment. He was the only son of Edgar and Ella Mary Spark, of 13 Warner Road, Bromley in Kent. Prior to war he had taken up an appointment at Lloyd’s Royal Exchange, London E.C. which would have remained open for him, had he survived the war. His obituary noted that he was very fond of sports, especially football, cycling, and swimming. He attested as a volunteer at 18 years of age and…
Category: Extracts
Sergeant Thomas Beattie
Thomas Beattie Sergeant Thomas Beattie served with the RAF voluntary reserve as an observer during world War 2. He was killed on the 10th December 1942 and is buried at Beckenham crematorium and cemetery. Source:CWGC entryService Number: 1386746 Photo credit:Taken by Simone Harris, March 2023
Private Ernest John Accleton
Ernest John Accleton Private E.J. Accelton, 1957, of the 1/4th Royal West Kent Regiment, has been killed in the Persian Gulf on February 7th [1916]. At the outbreak of war, Private Accleton was in the employ of Mr. James Russel, of Halstead Place, as a footman, and joined the Sevenoaks Territorials on the 12th of August 1914. He at once volunteered for foreign service, and was sent with the Indian Expeditionary Force to the Persian Gulf. Private Accleton was 25 years of age, and was very popular among his comrades. …
Molly Sherwell
Molly Sherwell Private Molly Sherwell served with the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II. She died on the 28th June 1944 and is buried at Beckenham Crematorium and Cemetery in Southeast London. If you have any details that we can add about this soldier, then please get in touch. Source: Bromley & District Times, 3rd June 1921 (page 9) CMGC entry – Service Number: W/99812 Photo credit: Simone Harris, 17th March 2023
Gunner F. Bateman
Gunner F. Bateman Gunner F. Bateman, of Weston Rove in Bromley, served with the 126th Battery of the Royal Field Artillery during World War 1. A letter published in the Bromley & District Time in April 1915 describes their march to Mons and the action that he took part in and later the action on the Marne. By August 1915 he was serving on the Front Line. Sources: Bromley & District Times, 2nd April 1915 (page 3) Bromley & District Times, 13th August 1915 (page 7)
Sidney V. Langton
Sidney V. Langton Sidney V. Bateman was a despatch rider for the Royal Field Artillery during World War 1. He wrote about his experiences at the Front in letters sent to the Bromley & District Times in August 1915. One such story was when his motor-bike was out of action, he drove a motor ambulance. While waiting, he went up a hill to view the trenches, he turned round to find a revolver pointed at him and a company of rifles pointing his way. It appeared some German spies were…
E.A. Bateman
Private E. A. Bateman Private E.A. Bateman enlisted on the 1st of August 1914 and served with the 9th Battalion, Queens’ own Royal West Kent Regiment during World War 1. He was the son of Mr and Mrs Batement of Weston Grove, Bromley. If you have any details that we can add about this soldier, then please get in touch. Source: Bromley & District Times, 13th August 1915 (page 7)
G.H. Obee
G. H. Obee Private G.H. Obee served with the 4th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders during World War 1. He died on the 11th May 1917 and is commemorated in Beckenham Crematorium. His name also appears on the Memorial to the boys of Beckenham County School. If you have any details that we can add about this soldier, then please get in touch. Source: Bromley & District Times, 3rd June 1921 (page 9) CMGC entry – Service Number 201721 Photo credit: Simone Harris, 9th August 2014
B.G. Clarke
B.G. Clarke Gunner Benjamin George Clarke served with the Royal Artillery in the 36 Searchlight Regiment during World War II. He was the son of Benjamin John and Kate Elizabeth Clarke of Beckenham and married to Amy Ann Clarke. He died on the 30th June 1916, aged 35 years. Special thanks to our Facebook community for helping to source extra information about this solider. Source:CWGC entry Photo credit: Simone Harris, 9th August 2014
Francis Perl Mears
Francis Perl Mears Captain Francis Perl Mears served with the Royal Army Service Coprs during World War 1 in France and Salonica. He was the son of T. Lambert Mears, M.A., LL.D., (Barrister at Law), and Alice Catherine Mears (nee Peel), and husband of the late Mabel Fitz Roy Mears, (nee Ellis). He died on the 22nd February 1919, aged 42 years. He is commemorated at Beckenham Cemetery. Source: CWGC entry Photo credit: Simone Harris, 9th August 2014