Forgotten Heroes

[MichaelBully]

On my last visit to the Old Shoreham Road cemetery in Hove, found the grave for Major Frederick James Block : Described on the Sussex Roll of Honour as

" Major 3rd Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. Formerly with the Royal Warwicks Died at home 22 September 1918. Buried in Hove Cemetery "

He is mentioned on the commemorative plaque on the wall at Hove Library.

I can find little about him and his war service records do not appear at the National Archives, so far found nothing on him by searching on Gloucstershire Regiment's website.

The CWGC entry does not give any more details

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=659948

Can anyone think of any other ways of trying to trace him?

[Andy Wade]

Local Hove newspapers should have something in the week or so after his death. Worth a scan through the archives (usually in the local reference library) to see what you can find. There might be a decent article on him in there. Find his school and they might have records too.

Cemetery records (usually in the care of the council) might give more details like age and cause of death, perhaps the owner of the plot is still living.

Your link to his CWGC record is broken, here's the correct one

Then there's ODGW and maybe even The War Illustrated might have him down as they have pictures and details of a lot of officers died/killed.

[kenf48]

Major Frederick James Block has an MIC on Ancestry which shows 'attd to R War R'

records issue of SWB 383680 address Oakdene York Road Hove and 4 Tisney(?) Rd Hove receipt dated 28.5.18. eligibility date 17.4.18. doesn't look as if he served overseas,not with the Warwicks at least. You could try an online search of London Gazette around those dates and work back.

Ken

[MichaelBully]

Thanks guys, very helpful. Should have mentioned that I have asked at Hove reference library if they have any press cuttings about him; they hold a file on officers mentioned on the memorial plaque to the Great War dead , where photographs and press obituaries are held. Nothing could be found , but I will ask them to check again. Sometimes material can be mis-filed.

His grave itself is fairly overgrown but now the CWGC have placed a standard headstone on it.

Michael

Major Frederick James Block has an MIC on Ancestry which shows 'attd to R War R'

records issue of SWB 383680 address Oakdene York Road Hove and 4 Tisney(?) Rd Hove receipt dated 28.5.18. eligibility date 17.4.18. doesn't look as if he served overseas,not with the Warwicks at least. You could try an online search of London Gazette around those dates and work back.

Ken

[kenf48]

Michael don't know if you've seen them but there have been a couple of threads recently on SWB research. Maybe consider a new topic and to see if there are any Warwicks experts/diaries.

Ken

[MichaelBully]

Hello Ken

I have been back to reference library and got them to check their Great War Roll of Honour files again re Major Block. Managed to find a standard form that his widow completed to get his name on the main memorial plaque.

Transpires that Major Block was born in 1855, so was 63 when he died on the 22nd September 1918 in a nursing home at The Drive in Hove.

His widow wrote that the cause of death was due to an illness contracted serving with his HM forces.

This is the first example I have found of someone's name being placed on the Hove Library memorial plaque who was not either killed in action, missing, or died of wounds incurred directly as a result of the Great War.

Michael don't know if you've seen them but there have been a couple of threads recently on SWB research. Maybe consider a new topic and to see if there are any Warwicks experts/diaries.

Ken

[MichaelBully]

Michelle has notified me about another Hove officer , 2nd Lieutenant Eric Rupert Heaton , Middlesex regiment 14th Bn. attd. 16th Bn. ,killed in action at the Somme on 1st July 1916, and burried at Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No.1, Auchonvillers, who does not seem to appear on the official Roll of Honour for Hove.

His CWGC entry is at http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=613232

Will try and find out more about him.

Michael Bully

[Michelle Young]

Eric is remembered in Paul Reeds book Walking The Somme, and his letters are in the Imperial War Museum. There were a couple of laminated photos of him in the cemetery register so he certainly is not forgotten.

Michelle

[MichaelBully]

Thank you for the further information Michelle. Appreciated. Will try to gather information together then see if his name could be added to the on line Sussex Roll of Honour.

My next move will be to to Hove Library just to see if his mother left any papers there in the archive of local Great War dead: Families of those killed in the Great War were encouraged to leave information and to suppy pres notices and obituaries.

[MichaelBully]

Have checked Hove Library 'Roll of Honour' file, nothing at all was placed there about Ltn. Heaton, which may explain why his name was subsequently not listed on local memorial plaques. Looks like next stop will be the IWM.

Michael Bully

[MichaelBully]

Just back from The National Archives - found the War Service record of Eric Rupert Heaton WO339/36958 . Could not find any connection with Hove. He was born in Rochdale 12th April 1896.

His parents Reverend Dan Heaton and Annie Heaton had a Scunthorpe address and then moved to Tonbridge after Eric was killed. I wonder if CWGC have got it wrong, This would explain why there's no mention of Ltn Heaton on the Hove Roll of Honour.

But certainly an interesting Service Record. Eric was reported missing at The Somme on 1st July 1916 but not officially acknowledged as Killed In Action until the following year. Rev. and Mrs. Heaton had four sons in the forces,including one son who was a chaplain, Reverend Wallace James Heaton. Really striking what a sacrifice this family made.

[mandy hall]

Hi Michael

The 1911 census holds the answer. In 1911 his parents and 2 of Eric's siblings are living at Haslemere, Ravens Road, New Shoreham by Sea. Eric himself is at school in Bath in 1911.

I am surmising that they are living in Sussex at the time of Eric's death and have probably moved by the time Hove is preparing its role of honour. Eric's father is recorded as a Wesleyan Methodist minister. Where is the nearest non conformist place of worship to where they were living, the records of this church may show when they moved?

Mandy

[Michelle Young]

I agree with Mandy- the family were living in Hove at the time the Cemetery registers were compiled- see also your emails!

Michelle

[MichaelBully]

Thanks for all the information Mandy and Michelle ! According to Eric Heaton's War Service records ,WO339/36958 , he was born on 12th April 1914. His parents address on birth certificate is 3Park Hill, Regent Street, Rochdale..

Eric joined via London University OTC, where he was a dental medical student. The parents address was Wesley Manse, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire.

Eric was at first declared , 'missing' on the first day of The Somme, but after two accounts one from a private, another from a sergeant, stating that they believe he was killed, this was accepted.

The family then moved by 2nd November 1917 to 'Donodan', Penbury Road, Tonbridge.

But I can see no mention of a connection to Hove or West Sussex generally.

Interesting to note that by November 1917, Eric's three brothers were in the forces, including one who was a chaplain.

I am very tempted to try to go looking for the War Service records of Eric's brothers.

With best wishes, Michael Bully

EDIT ! Oops- I don't think that Eric could have been born 12th April 1914 ! double checked -should be 12th April 1896

[MichaelBully]

Confirmed that I can give a talk at 4 pm , Rememberance Sunday 14th November at St. Andrews Church, Waterloo Street, titled 'Hove, St.Andrews and the Great War'. Scheduled to last for an hour and I have a couple of people ready to help reading out contemporary poems and letters. Excited but nervous as first time I have spoken in public about Great War. Will stress that very much work in progress as it were, rather than trying to set myself up as some sort of authority on the subject. But hoping that will persuade at least a few people to attend who would otherwise not be doing anything to mark Rememberance Sunday .

[MichaelBully]

I have started to look at the War Memorial at St. Philip's Church, on the corner of Richardson Road and New Church Road Hove. Had some time to list the some of the men that appear on the Memorial but will need to go back . Particularly interested to see if men are commemorated on the memorial who do not seem to be linked directly to Hove. Have found a few names so far where the men who are mentioned are not on the main Roll of Honour for Hove.

[Andy Wade]

Have you thought about playing a couple of war songs from the time? They give you a break in between talking to gather your thoughts and add a new dimension which awakens those people who are starting to nod off. Speaking from experience here...

There are so many available to choose from, and some are quite beautiful too.

Here's a linky. You can download them as MP3's off that website.

[MichaelBully]

Thanks for the advice Andy

Will see about music . That is a good idea-will go through the link. Have thought about some Great War related music to play when people start arriving.

I have a couple of people reading poems and letters. Will try and keep to the theme of Hove, perhaps stretching this a bit to material with a Sussex connection. I want to avoid the standard Owen/Sassoon poetry - much as I apprecaite their work.

Regards

Michael Bully

[Andy Wade]

You could even print off the lyrics and get people to sing one of the songs as a hymn. Perhaps it could be something to finish off with?

Here's a linky for the lyrics

Getting people to read out letters sounds like a great idea.

[MichaelBully]

Help appreciated again Andy .

I have gone to National Archives in respect of a couple of officers who are mentioned on memorial plaques at this church and will have letters read out from their War Service Records. I have contemporary newspaper obituaries of two other officers mentioned on memorials there to read out.

Also featuring a poem by Marian Allen which specifically mentions the Susex Downs. Vera Brittain's poem 'Scars Upon My Heart' - Vera did visit Brighton and Hove regularly during the Great War. I want to stress the impact the Great War had on women, so also including letters from Mrs. M H, Hester ,the wife of Captain Edgar Hester ,Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who was first reported missing on 16th August 1917 and eventually declared 'killed in Action ' on 3rd March 1919 when it became apparent that he was not amongst the prisoners returning from Germany.

They were living in Hove during the Great War-Edgar was from Brighton- but in 1918 Mrs. Hester relocated to London.

http://www.cwgc.org/...casualty=484308

Not really sure who CWGC entry connects with War Service records as there seems to be some discrepancies. But a good example to show to the audience of research that is still going on.

With best wishes

Michael Bully

The Wind on the Downs (Marian Allen)

I'd meant to write to you about the Downs.

And of the white chalk roads that stretch away

To distant views of the huddled Sussex towns

And windmills standing sentinel and grey.

I'd meant to climb until I saw the sea,

The channel lke a silver ribbon shine;

And feel the Down wind blowing strong and free,

And hear the guns from the far battle-line

Again I stand upon the wind-swept grass.

Six months ago so stilled and white with frost;

SInce the your strange adventure came to pass,

For as I wander on the Downs I see

Your shadow in the wind chase after me.

You could even print off the lyrics and get people to sing one of the songs as a hymn. Perhaps it could be something to finish off with?

Here's a linky for the lyrics

Getting people to read out letters sounds like a great idea.

[MichaelBully]

Have met a researcher from 'Roll of Honour' today at St. Andrews Church, Waterloo Street, Hove who has been visiting the area locating and taking photos of war memorials . Will be liasing with him in respect of Great War dead who do not seem to have been identified and acknowledged - he seems to have found some names of his own already .

[MichaelBully]

Going back to the question of which men are included in the Roll of Honour for Hove, was interested to find the grave of Lt. Col. Edward Lawrie from the Indian Medical Service at Hove Cemetery.

He died in Hove 22nd August 1915, aged 69

Lt. Colonel Lawrie is included on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission data for Hove Old Cemetery

http://www.cwgc.org/...casualty=659985

But not on the Hove Roll of Honour.

Interesting to compare with Major Frederick Block discussed above in posts #76-81, another soldier in his 60's buried in Hove Old Cemetery , who manages to get listed on both the CWGC and Hove Roll of Honour.

[johndavidswarbrick]

Just came across this thread. Lt. Eric Rupert Heaton was remembered on the memorial at East Street Wesleyan Chapel, Tonbridge, see:

http://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/144511

But he does not appear on the Tonbridge town memorial.

Dave Swarbrick

[keithmroberts]

See this topic http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=25993 and Terry Denham's post about the charges for inscriptions. As far as an inlaid item, that must surely be either a private headstone, or more likely an unauthorised addition which is likely to be removed by the CWGC once their routine inspections bring it to their attention.

Keith