Those who served World War I
The Rector of Campsea Ashe at the outbreak of the Great War was the Rev Lucas. He wrote a personal history of the village together with a diary of the Great War and we are fortunate that this document has survived to the present day. One feature of the book is his list of all those associated with the village who served in the Great War, not just those who died, but all who served and his list is reproduced below. In total 84 men served in some capacity or other.
A hundred years later the Heritage Group has researched the lives of all these brave people and the summaries are available as a pdf document.Click on the icon below to open the book:
Those in His Majesty’s Service before the out break of the War
Click on the blue links below to find out more about individuals
Army
Lowther, Henry Cecil, Colonel 1st Scots Guards. Sent to the Front with the First Expeditionary Force. Brother of the Speaker.
May, Robert Charles, Private in Royal Artillery in India. Sent to the Western Front, France, as a gunner in 1914. Killed in action on 4. 12. 1915 in Mesopotamia. Son of Henry and Mary Ann of Campsea Ashe.
May, Henry, Private in 1st Suffolk Regiment served in Cyprus. Went to the Front, taken prisoner
Whymark, William. Driver in ASC. Sent to France with 1stExpeditionary Force.
Navy
Benham, Harry, HMS Legion with North Sea Fleet. Son of George and Thirza, C.A. Brother of Frederick.
Newson, Harry, HMS Indomitable, with Mediterranean Fleet. Son of Mr. Newson, Rendlesham Park, Potash Cottages
Sawyer, Frank, guarding the mouth of the Thames. Son of George and Ann , 239, Home Cottage, C.A.
Scott, Joseph. HMS Scorpion, Mediterranean Fleet. A “boarded out” workhouse boy, foster child of the Thomas and Harriet Eagles, C.A.
Those who joined the forces after the start of the war
Andrews, Charles, Joined aeroplane works near Aldershot as a civilian. Eldest son of Alfred and Annie, Head Gardener at High House.
Andrews, Peter, enlisted in Northants Regiment, served in France, bother of Charles.
Andrews, Alec James, 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade, third son of Alfred and Annie, Garden House, C.A.brother of Charles and Peter. Killed in action on 5.7.1918 aged 20, France.
Andrews, Donald, served with the Machine Gun Corps, youngest son and brother of above.
Baldrey, Berty C. He enlisted at Framlingham into the Royal Garrison Artillery, 6th Siege Battery, Gunner. He died from wounds in France on 23. 3/4. 1918, Belgium, aged 25. His father John George, lived at Field Cottage, C. A.
Bays, Frederick, joined Army Service Corps, served as a driver in Motor Transport. Chauffeur and groom to Rev Lucas.
Benham, Percy, enlisted in Royal Field Artillery, brother of Harry and Frederick.
Benham, Frederick C. Enlisted in the East Surrey Regiment, 9thBattalion, He died of wounds on 19 March 1917 in France, aged 19. Brother of Harry and Percy.
Bradstreet, Archibald, twice rejected as under age, eventually accepted in 4th Reserve Suffolk. Son of Thomas, worked with father , a builder on Rendlesham estate. Lived The Row, C.A.
Bradstreet, Thomas, Joined Army Service Corps. Went to Serbia within a week. Father of Archibald.
Buxton, Chester James, Enlisted, son of Chester and Anna of Pigstead Lane, C.A. farm labourer.
Collier, E.
Collings, Arthur, enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps. He was a Private in the Mechanical Transport Unit. He died on 18. 12. 1918 in France, aged 29. Connection with C.A. not known.
Cook, Arthur. Enlisted. Son of Arthur and Mary of The Row. Married to Mary Ann with daughter Iris Mabel born 30. 7. 1915. ( Iris was killed by a bomb in C.A. in 1940.).
Cory, Charles, Second Lieutenant, Suffolk Regiment, 5th Battalion A record suggests that he was “missing”, 12. 8. 1915 Turkey, aged 27. Son of the Rector, Rev Charles Cory, Campsea Ashe.
Cory, Robert F. joined the Navy in 1912 serving in the RN Hospital in Gibraltar. Brother of Charles.
Culling, Frederick, joined 47th Canadian Infantry Regiment. He was killed in action on 14. 1. 1917 in France, aged 25. Son of William and Donna Mayes.
Culling, William J. Enlisted. Brother of Frederick.
Culpeck, Frank, joined up when he was only 15 years. Enlisted in RAMC, transferred to Suffolk Regiment. Grandson of William and Mary, The Row C.A.
Farrow, Albert, (Bert) Enlisted. Son of Stephen and Sarah. Married to Mabel, and had a son Stanley Albert 10.9.1915. Lived at Station Cottage.
Finch, Walter Enlisted. Son of Thomas and Ellen, 1 Field Cottage, C.A.
Finch, George, Enlisted. Brother of Walter.
Gibbs, William, Enlisted. Son of William, deceased and Mary Anne, High House Cottage, C.A. Gardener at High House.
Gilling, Charles, enlisted in Essex Regiment, Private, Manager of W. H. Smiths Bookstall at Railway Station.
Glanfield, George, Private, served in the 28th Battalion, 17thMiddlesex Regiment, known as the “football battalion”. He was killed in action on 26. 7. 1917, France. Son of Hannah, widow. Worked for Mr. Orford.
Gray, Ellis James, joined the London Regiment, 13th Kensington Battalion, Private. He was killed in action on 16. 8. 1917 aged 29 Son of Leonard and Eliza of C.A. Married with 5 children.
Hall, Arthur, joined the Suffolk Regiment. Son of Sidney and Mary. Horseman. Later married Ellen May, lived in C.A.
Hall, Russell, enlisted in the Coldstream Guards, gardener to Rev. Lucas.
Hammond, William Enlisted. Worked for C. Mallet, Ashmoor Hall.
Howe F.
Jarvis, Louis Archibald, killed 16th May 1915
Kemp, Charles, Enlisted. gardener, married to Alice Woolnough. Had son, George and Daughter Mabel.
Lankester, W. of The Talbot Inn, C.A.
Last, Mr Enlisted. Chauffeur, married.
Latter, William, Enlisted. Gardener at High House, married. Lived in C.A.
Ling, Alfred. It appears that he was Stoker 1st Class in the Royal Navy. He served on a submarine, (H10) that sailed from Harwich to patrol the North Sea on 19.1. 1918. It and its crew were never heard of again. Husband of Lillian. He was nephew of David and Anne Mary Ling of Well Cottage.
Lowther, Christopher. Suffolk Yeoman and Weston and Cumbrian Yeomanry. Elder son of The Speaker, badly wounded and died relatively young.
Lowther, Arthur, enlisted as private in Suffolk Regiment, then commissioned to Captain 3rd Suffolk Regiment, brother of Christopher. Badly wounded.
Lucas, Alan Reginald, commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in Royal Field Artillery. Transferred to Royal Horse Artillery. Went to the front 5th Nov. Awarded the Military Cross.
Lucas, Hubert, F. Passed out of Woolwich Military Academy in 1915. Served as 2nd Lieutenant Royal Engineers, Second son of Rev. Lucas, brother of Alan.
Mallett, Charles F. Ambulance driver for Red Cross in France. Commissioned in Hertfordshire Yeomanry. Gentleman farmer, Ashmoor.
Marks, Alfred Enlisted gardener at Rendlesham.
Mattin, Percy, Private in Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Son of school caretaker.
Mattin, Berty, Enlisted. Worked at the Rectory, brother of Percy.
May, William, enlisted in Royal Army Medical Corps. Son of Henry and Mary Ann (deceased). Mill Road C.A. Labourer on railway. Brother of Robert.
May, Ephraim, enlisted RAMC and went to the Front with first forces. Brother of above.
May, George, enlisted in Suffolk Regiment. Farm labourer, brother of above.
Mayhew, S.
Mowson, William, joined Royal Field Artillery, was footman in service. Brother of Walter
Mowson Walter, joined 13th, London and Kensington Reg. Son of Thomas and Ellen, C.A. Brother of William, footman.
Mowson, George, joined the Queen’s Own, (Royal West Kent Regiment), 6th Battalion, as an Infantryman. He was 37. He was killed in action in France four months later on 7. 10.1916. Son of William and Mary Ann of C.A.
Newson, J. Enlisted. Lived at Buck’s Head Cottage, C.A.
Newson, W. Enlisted Son of Frederick and Elizabeth of C.A. Farm Bailiff.
Norfolk, Frank, Enlisted. Son of Robert and Emma of the Buck’s Head Inn, C.A. He was a gardener.
Orford, Thomas, served in the Royal Fusiliers. Son of Samuel,the owner of Low Farm, C.A.
Parke, Barnet, Able Seaman on a transport ship. Ship captured and he was prisoner of war for many months. Boarded with Henry and Mary Ann Battle.
Pipe, Allen, enlisted in Suffolk Regiment. Son of Alfred and Esther of Ash Abbey Cottages, farm labourer.
Pottle, Wesley, enlisted in the Suffolk Regiment, Orphan, lodging at Loudham Cottages. Wounded.
Radcliffe, Frederick, enlisted in Suffolk Regiment, Commissioned in York and Lanc. Regiment, 55th Machine Gun. Clerk in Rendlesham Estate Office. Killed in action on 10.4.1917.
Rice, Ephraim, joined RAMC, 1915. Son of Ephrian and Vivian of C.A. Boarded with Anna Bloomfield. Porter.
Rogers, Thomas W. enlisted in 9th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, (Notts and Derby Regiment). He was killed on 11. 10. 1918 in France, aged 30. Only son of H. Rogers. Head Gardener at Rendlesham Park and church warden at St John’s, C.A.
Sawyer, William Private in Essex Regiment, 9th Battalion, served in France. Killed in action on 2.12.1917, aged 21. Son of George and Agnes of Home Cottage, C.A. Brother of Frank.
Scott, William, enlisted in Suffolk Regiment, undergardener, brother of Joseph.
Sharpe, Ernest, enlisted with the 7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, Private. Killed in action on 3. 7. 1916 in France, aged 23. Brother of Walter.
Sharpe, Walter, enlisted in 3rd Reserve Battalion, Royal Engineers, Had previously been in the army. Killed in action on 13 11.1916, aged 38.
Smith, William E. Enlisted in Suffolk Regiment. Corporal, 2ndBattalion. Died 11. 4. 1917, France. Lodged in The Row, C.A. Gardener at Rendlesham Hall.
Stowe, F.
Taylor, C.
Taylor, Ernest, joined Royal Army Medical Corps, Feb 1915. Married. Head Gardener at the Rectory.
Warne, J. Enlisted, son of George and Anna, The Talbot Inn, C.A.
Woolnough, Charles. Enlisted in the Army at the age of 17. Fought in the trenches in France. He was badly gassed and blinded. He was sent to Ireland where he regained his sight.
Wordley, Frank H, served Royal Army Service Corps, driver of ammunition lorry to the Front. Badly wounded. Chauffeur at the High House.
Wright, F.
Wright, J.
Others who served, but were not living in the village at the time and who moved to Campsea Ashe after the war
William Arthur Peek Private in Norfolk Regiment
Watling, Samuel Served in the Royal Navy