Leading-Stoker Charles WIlliam Venters Lost at Sea Charles William Venters was the son of William G.T. and Rose Venters of Wharton Road, Bromley (Kent). Charles attended Wharton Road Council School and later joined up to the Royal Navy where he served for 7 years, for most part onboard HMS Queen Mary. HMS Queen Mary was the last battlecruiser built by the Royal Navy before the First World War. Completed in 1913, she participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight as part of the Grand Fleet in 1914. A battle also served by Leading Stoker Venters. On…
Category: Missing in Action
Leading-stoker Ernest Bourne
Leading-Stoker Ernest Bourne Ernest Bourne of Canon Road, Bromley (Kent) spent 8 and a half years with navy on HMS Hecla, and a further 2 years on foreign service including China & Japan. On leaving the service he became a fireman of the London Fire Brigade Bourne served at Cannon Street, Sydenham & Clapham, before moving to Poplar workhouse where he worked for about 3 years before being called up for World War 1. During WW1 he served with the Royal Naval Reserve onboard HMS Aboukir. Sadly Bourne did not…
Staff-Sergeant J.W. Filby
Staff-Sergeant J.W. Filby News has been received that Staff-Sergeant J. W. Filby, eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. Filby, 11 Turpington Lane, Bromley Common is among the missing in Singapore. A native of Bromley, he was educated at the Church School, Bromley Common, afterwards going to the Beckenham Trade School. He joined the East Surrey Regiment in April, 1933, and went to the Far East in 1938, going first to Singapore and then to Shanghai with the British troops, he returned to Singapore, and later went to Malaya. The…
Basham Brothers Missing, 1942
Basham Brothers Missing in Action It must have been bad enough having one son go missing in action, but it must have been almost unbearable having two. This article featured in the Bromley & District Times local newspaper, reporting on two brothers who were reported missing after the fall of Singapore in 1942. The brothers were the sons of Benjamin and Rose Basham of Bromley. Bennett Thomas Basham was married to Constance Elsie (of Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk) who was living with his mother during the war. Both brothers were members…
Mr David Waite in Singapore
Missing in Singapore David Stanley Waite was the son of Harold & Margaret Waite of 22 Woodlands Way, West Wickham. He married Margaret Greenhalgh in Bromley in 1934. After studying at the London University School of Journalism, he worked for several years in Fleet Street, and was for some years on the staff at the Kentish Times. In 1935 David left England for Japan where he joined the Straits Times as a sub-editor. He was then only 25 years old. He wife Margaret, joined him in Singapore and they had…
Albert Bailey
Some time since we reported that no news had been received since Christmas, 1914, of Lance-Corporal Albert Bailey, son of Mr Bailey of Pound Place, Eltham. Although from his long silence the worst was feared, hope was not entirely given up, and his brother in Roper Street, Eltham, addressed inquiries to the German authorities, in the hope that he was a prisoner. the only reply has now come back that nothing is known of him in Germany, and it is not to be concluded that he was killed. Lance-Corporal Bailey,…
Arthur James Smith
Presumed Killed Lieutenant A.J. Smith In June 1940, Mrs Smith, 58 Freeland Road, Bromley, received news that her husband, Lieutenant A.J. Smith, The Buffs, was missing, believed killed. He was serving in France in May of that year, and when last seen was wounded. A communication has now been received by Mrs Smith stating that her husband is presumed to have been killed in action in May 1940. Lieutenant Smith, the son of Mr. W. Smith, 28 north Road, Bromley, served in the last warm and was wounded. In 9123…
Stephen J. Masters
Missing Lieutenant S.J. Masters, Chislehurst Mr and Mrs C. Masters, of Ridgemount, Leesons, Chislehurst, have been informed by the War Office that their son, Lieutenant Stephen J. Masters, The Suffolk Regiment, was serving in Malaya up to the date when Singapore capitulated, and is posted as missing until some definite information is received. It is hoped that he may be a prisoner of war. Lieutenant Masters was educated at Eltham College, where he was a good all-round sportsman. On leaving school he joined the Royal Exchange Assurance. He enlisted in…
Albert Henry Jennings
Leading Stoker A. H. Jennings Leading-Stoker Albert Henry Jennings, aged 22, who is among the missing, is a brother of Mr C. Jennings, newsagent, of Russell Place, Horns Cross, with whom he made his home. He was home on leave shortly before Christmas, having served for the previous ten months without leave. Source: Bromley & District Times,
Arthur Bellringer
Corproal Bellringer Councillor’s Son Missing at Singapore Corporal Arthur Bellringer R.A.S.C.. second son of Councillor Mrs Bellringer, of West Wickham, is officially reported missing at Singapore. The official intimation, however, gives some ground for hoping that he is a prisoner of war. On April 20 – several days after the War Office message – Mrs Bellringer received a letter from her son. It was dated January 10 and stated: “We are still at sea, but only for one more day; in fact, when this letter is posted you will know…