St James Church, Grain Village, Isle of Grain, Rochester ME3

[Lummox]

Was wandering around my local church and happened to notice in the graveyard 2 graves from WW1

39497 Private Harry Pullen Suffolk Regiment 10/7/1918 aged 41 years

L/43535 W. G. Allen Driver Royal Field Artillery 7/8/1916

Then searched online and apparently there are 2 more...(haven't seen these yet)

382 H Trevetic Kings Royal Rifle Corps 10/3/1915

R/8477 J H Armes Rifleman Royal Rifle Corps 31/1/1916

I don't think these boys were local so I wonder why/how they ended up being buried here in such a remote place?

Perhaps they were stationed at Grain Fort?

Phil

[Peterhastie]

Harry Pullen was b Bristol and served in the 1st Reserve Garrison Battalion Suffolk Regiment (Formed in Gravesend in March 1916. Remained in England throughout the war).

It would appear W G Allen never made it to France, 187th Bde. Ammunition Col. http://www.1914-1918.net/62div.htm

Trevetic was b Burton-on-trent. 5th Bn KRRC.

Armes was b Bridgetown, Staffs. 5th Bn KRRC.

5th and 6th (Reserve) Battalions KRRC
August 1914 : in Winchester. Depot/training units, they moved on mobilisation to Sheerness and remained in this area throughout the war. In 1918 the 6th Bn was at nearby Queenborough. Both were part of the Thames & Medway Garrison.

[Kentishwolf]

Harry Trevetic and the WW1 plaque inside the church.

Andy.

[Lummox]

I wonder why/how they ended up in a little town in deepest darkest Kent??

[Lummox]

Peter are you saying that none of them buried in Grain went to France at all?

regards

Phil

[Kentishwolf]

Phil,

Can't find any evidence for 3 of them, but Harry Trevetic was a very sad case. He joined up in 1897, and was Officers servant to Capt. Makins in January 1914. They went out to France together and on the 14th September Capt. Makins was badly wounded. Harry carried him from the firing line to the dressing station at Soupir church. They both remained there for several days, Harry being the officers only attendant. Conditions were described as most distressing, wounded and dying closely packed, constant shelling, groans and smells. Capt. Makins got back to England, Harry accompanying him. After some recuperation, Makins was posted to Grain Fort with Harry still serving him. Capt. Makins was expecting to return to France and Harry was anxious to be with him. Harry asked the officer to privately consult a doctor for him, as his nerves were all wrong, and he hadn't been eating or sleeping since his time at the dressing station. He did not want to report sick in the normal way for fear they would state he was unfit for service and stop him accompanying his officer to France. Harry confessed to taking to the bottle to cope but promised to give it up, and formed the impression that Capt. Makins was going to dispense with his services. He did not take too much notice of Harry's concerns over drinking because he knew him to be a conscientious and sober man who did his duty well. Harry was happily married and had no money problems. At 8.30 am on 10th March 1915, Capt. Makins was called from the mess to his room, which was locked from the inside. On breaking in to the room they found Harry with the officers service revolver and a single bullet wound to his left breast. An inquest decided that he had committed suicide whilst temporary insane, the cause of which was his active service in France.

John Henry Armes was stationed at the Naval Air Station, Grain when he died.

[Lummox]

oh how sad, to go through all that and dodge all those bullets in France only do die by your own.....

Do you know how John Armes died? Or indeed, Pullen and Alan?

regards

Phil

ps do you have a WW1 uniform? Or have some mates that do?

for our big over the top scenes for my daughters short film!

Did you see the stills under "Filming in Kent" topic?