Frederick Charles Salmon

Frederick Charles Salmon Second Lieutenant Frederick Charles Salmon was the son of George and Annie Martha Salmon, of 38 Sainsbury Road, Upper Norwood (London). He served with the 97th Squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War 1. Sadly he was killed in an aeroplane accident at Ford on the 1st May 1915, aged 22 years old. He is buried in Beckenham Crematorium and Cemetery. If you know any more details about this soldier, then please get in touch as we would love to add more details to his…

Gilbert Frank Coffin

Gilbert Frank Coffin Gilbert Coffin was a 1st Air Mechanic with the Royal Air Force, and served during World War 1. He was the fourth son of William Coffin of Chislehurst. His brother (the 3rd son) was killed in France on 4th October, 1917.  His two other brothers were also serving during the war. Prior to the battle, he served in the City Police Force. He enlisted in the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915, and was soon on active service around the Belgian coast. He spent nearly 2 years…

Frank Leonard Rollison

Frank Leonard Rollison Frank Leonard Rollison of Albany Road, Chislehurst was the son of Mrs RE Rollison and the youngest of five sons. He attended the Wesleyan School. He was a keen golfer and a green-keeper of Chislehurst Golf Club, as well as a member of Chislehurst Old Boy’s Football Club and the Chislehurst Artisans’ Golf Club. He had volunteered before the outbreak of war in 1939. He served with the Royal Air Force and worked on the balloon barrage until he was invalided out of the Service a year…

Albert Victor Waldock

Arthur Victor Waldock Private Arthur Victor Waldock served with the 2nd London Regiment during World War 1. He had only been married to his wife, Miss Violet Knight, for 19 months before he was seriously wounded in action on 16th August 1917. He returned to England and was treated at King George’s Hospital in London, but died on the 5th September. He was buried in the Annunciation Churchyard on Saturday 8th September, 1917 Source: Bromley & District Times, 28th September 1917 (page 5) – photo Photo credit: Simone Harris, 28th…

Leading-Stoker Charles William Venters

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…

Sergeant C. Allington

Sergeant C. Allington Sergeant C. Allington, of North Road, Bromley (Kent), joined Regular Army in 1914 and went out with the first contingent of the Bromley Volunteers at the time of the South African War in 2nd Volunteer Battalion of Royal West Kent Regiment. He had previously served first with Royal West Kent Regiment, then with the Army Service Corps in France (attached to the Royal Engineers), and had previously been with the Suffolk Regiment in India. He died on 23rd July, 1920 after a long illness caused by being…

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…

William Bernard Bingham

William Bernard Bingham Killed whilst on service William Bernard Bingham was born at West Stoke and was the son of John and Alice Bingham. William was married to Charlotte Jean Bingham, of 2, St. Mary’s Cottage, Hayes, Kent, and was formerly chauffeur to Lady Laidlow of Warren House, Hayes for 8 years, before enlisting as a  2nd-class Air Mechanic with the Royal Air Corps., in April 1916. Sadly he was killed in an accident while serving. On the 5th July 1916, William was working on a stationary Mechanical Transport when…

Second-Lieu F. G. W. Marchant

Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Merchant Killed in Action Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Marchant served with the 3rd Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and was the only son of Frank and Torfrida Marchant, of Woodside, Keston (Hayes), Kent. Born in London on the 4th March 1897, he was educated at Ludgrove and Eton. Having proceeded to Sandhurst in May, 1915, Francis obtained a commission in the Royal West Kent Regiment on 19th October, 1915 and immediately volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps.  After 5 months training went overseas…