Bovey, James Crapper

Private

19 September 1919

High Street

267668

Age 35

2nd/6th Bn Devonshire Regt.

Ech Basra

(Tehran War Cemetery)

Battalion formed at Barnstaple 1914, sailed for India on 12 December 1914. Left for Mesopotamia, landing at Basra on 14 September 1917 and then remaining until the end of the war as Lines of Communication troops.

Son of J.C. and A. Bovey, husband of Louisa Bovey, of Rose, Perranporth, Cornwall. Born at Plymouth.

Brealey, Ernest

Private

15 April 1918

High Street

27314

Age 27

1st/5th Bn Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry

St. Quentin

(Aire Communal Cemetery)

In 1916 the Battalion became the Pioneer Battalion of the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division. It bore the brunt of the German offensive on 22 March 1918 and was withdrawn to near Bethune, unfortunately near the second phase of the offensive on 9 April where it again suffered further casualties.

Son of Thomas and Ellen Brealey, of Oak House, Hillerton, Bow, Devon; husband of Bessie Brealey, of 63, Northfield Rd., Okehampton, Devon.

Brealey, George

“Missing since 1917”

Essington Lane

Age 31

Australian Infantry

Dardanelles

No trace in CWGC, medals index or Australian records.  Not listed on War Memorial.

Brealey, John

Private

20 November 1917

Essington Lane

Age 30

1/6th Bn Devonshire Regt.

“Palestine”

Not found, no other 1/6th casualties this date. Bn was actually near Basra.

Brock, William

Gunner

20 December 1918

Lakeway

27158

22

120th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

Giesson PoW camp

(Niederzwehren Cemetery)

The 120th Siege Battery was a Corps level heavy artillery unit, supporting the Canadian Corps at Vimy Ridge in 1917.  They suffered 7 dead on 21 March 1918 on the first day of the German offensive. It is possible Gunner Brock was captured and held at Giesson PoW (Hesse) camp, presumably dying of disease or starvation around the time of the armistice. He was later buried at Niederzwehren Cemetery nr Kassel.

Son of William Henry and Mary Jane Brock, of Fursdon Bungalow, Hittisleigh, Exeter. Born in N. Tawton, Devon.

Drake, George

Private

18 April 1918

(born N Tawton)

27176

8th (Service) Bn, Gloucestershire Regiment

Tyne Cot Memorial

Not in the Memorial Book: details taken from ‘Soldiers died in Great War’. 

Formerly 33210, Royal Berkshire Regiment.  No further details, but 8th Bn suffered 30 deaths on the 18 April in the Ypres area.  It formed part of 57 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division.

Facey, Cecil Herbert

Private

6 November 1914

Police Station

9482

Age 19

Mons Star

4th Coy, 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards

Reutal

(Menin Gate Memorial)

Regular soldier who probably joined 1913 and was part of 2nd Divison B.E.F., embarking for France on 12 August 1914 as one of the “Old Contemptibles”. They fought in the retreat from Mons, the Battle of the Marne and the race for the sea in late 1914. The Bn suffered heavy casualties in the First Battle of Ypres – 19 October to 22 November (13 dead on 6 November alone).

From the Witheridge site  “December 5th 1914: It is with deep regret that the inhabitants have heard that Private Cecil Facey of the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards has been killed in Belgium. His brother, of the 1st Battalion, is home at present, having been wounded in the shoulder at the battle of the Aisne. Much sympathy is felt for the family in their bereavement. The father is Sergeant in the Devon Constabulary and stationed here.”

Son of Herbert and Betsy Ann Facey, of Station Rd., Colyton, Devon.

Facey, William Reginald Ernest

Private

25 January 1915

Police Station

8630

Age 21

Mons Star with clasp

4 Coy, 1st Bn Coldstream Guards

Cuinchy

(Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery)

Willam Facey probably joined up in 1910, and also went to France 13th August 1914 as one of the “Old Contemptibles”. The Memorial book says “Wounded at Mons” (actually on the Aisne - see above) which must have been before 16th October 1914, when the Battalion left the area of the River Aisne as part of the 1st (Guards) Brigade.  The Battalion participated in the First Battle of Ypres holding the line from 20th October to 20th November 1914 leaving Ypres, and was reduced to 3 officers and 122 other ranks.

In January 1915, the 1st Bn were defending near the Brickstacks at Cuinchy. The War Diary says

'About 7am a German deserter came in and reported an attack imminent. The German attack commenced by the explosion of a mine in the trench held by No. 4 Coy. under Capt. Campbell. The first line of trenches were consequently rushed by the Germans. No. 1 Coy. on the embankment by the La Bassee Canal held its ground and No. 2 Coy. under Lt. Viscount Acheson held on to the keep and Brickstacks and repelled the German attacks. The Scots Guards on our immediate right shared a similar fate but were able to maintain a stand at the Brickfields. Reinforcements of London Scottish, Black Watch and Cameron Highlanders were sent up and a counter attack was made but it was found impossible to dislodge the Germans from the front trenches they had taken.'

The Battalion suffered severe casualties - 202 killed, wounded and missing, including 86 who died. 

William Facey was originally buried North East of Cuinchy at map reference 44a.A15.d. 7.2. He was later reburied at the Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery.

From the Witheridge site  “May 15th 1915: Much sympathy is felt in Witheridge with Sergeant and Mrs Facey, who have lost their eldest son, Private William Facey, 1st Coldstream, on the battlefield in Flanders. He returned to the front a short time ago after recovering from injuries in the shoulder. He was found dead between the trenches having received the full effect of shrapnel fire. His younger brother Cecil lost his life in the autumn by shellfire.”

Son of Herbert and Betsy Ann Facey, of Station Rd., Colyton, Devon.  Born at Witheridge.

Fewings, Percy

Gunner

7 November 1916

Roseberry Cottages

1411

Age 23

3rd (Devon) Bty. Royal Field Artillery

43 Gen. Hospital, Salonika (Lembet Road Cemetry

The 3rd (Devon) Bty was part of the 4th (Wessex) Brigade, but Percy Fewings was attached to the 28th Division Ammunition Column. 

His service record shows that he enlisted on 17th September 1914. He went to France on 17 January 1915 with the 28th Division which took part in the Second Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Loos. On 19 October 1915 they were ordered to Salonika where he arrived on 17 November 1915.  The Division fought the Bulgars successfully.  However, Percy was admitted to hospital on 27 October 1916 with “pyrexia” and died of inflammation of the peritoneum on 7 November.

Son of Charles & Catherine Fewings, of Rosebery Cottage, N. Tawton.

Fisher, William James

Private

26 October 1917

Bridge Cottage, Bondleigh

30888

Age 25

8th (Service) Bn, Devonshire Regiment

Tyne Cot Memorial

Not in the Memorial Book: details taken from Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

The Bn was attached to 20th Brigade, 7th Division near Ypres and was part of an attack aimed at capturing Gheluvelt and Zandvoorde Spur. The attack went badly due to enemy machine guns in pillboxes which held up the 9th Devons and 2nd Borders. The 8th Devons attacked in support but there were no sustained gains.  Total casualties were 25 officers and men dead, 109 missing (139 wounded).  Tyne Cot Memorial commemorates those with no know grave in the Ypres area.

Son of William and Susan Fisher, of Millcotts, Shobrooke, Crediton; husband of Edith Rose Glover (formerly Fisher, of Bridge Cottage, Bondleigh, North Tawton. Devon.

Gregory, Ernest William

Private

9 June 1918

Fore Street

46894

Age 24

18th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

Martinsart British Cemetery

Somme

Formerly 230149, R.E.  Death date recorded as 10/6/1918 in Memorial Book. 

Battalion was with the 104th Brigade, 35th Division.  In the early weeks of June 1918 the Bn took part in an attack on Aveluy Woods. They captured the high ground but then came under heavy machine gun fire from another nearby hill to the South and were forced to withdraw. The Bn suffered 20 killed and 144 wounded.

Son of Andrew and Elizabeth Jane Gregory, of Fore St., North Tawton, Devon.

Hearn, Charles

Company Sergeant Major

14-19 September 1916

High Street

10372

Age 34

Mons Star with clasp

Military Cross

3rd Bn Grenadier Guards

Givenchy

(Thiepval Memorial)

Joined up approximately 1902. Entered France with the 2nd Bn part of the B.E.F. on 13/8/1914. Wounded previously, died Givenchy (not "Ginchy") 14 -17 September 1916.

The Bn was part of the 1st Guards Brigade in the Battle of Flers-Courcellette (15-22 Sept) on a front of five hundred yards between Delville Wood and the northern flank of Givenchy. The whole Brigade was badly scattered and small pockets of the Bn mixed with Irish and Coldstream Guards overnight on the 15-16th.  The Bn was relieved some time on the 18/19th.  During this period they suffered over 150 dead. 15 September was the blackest day for the Guards Brigade.

He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial which records the 72,000 men who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave.

Hunt, Albert

Driver

14 March 1918

Bathe Moore Cottages

Age 25

Royal Garrison Artillery

North Tawton

Served in UK.  Death probably registered Jan-Mar 1918 (Okehampton, 5b, 543)

Holmes, William E.

Private

18 December 1914

Borleigh

9057

Age 22

Mons Star

2nd Bn Devonshire Regt.

Neuve Chapelle

(Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez)

Not in the Memorial Book, details taken from Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

To France 6 Nov 1914 with 2nd Bn, part of 23rd Brigade, 8th Division. Fought at Neuve Chapelle on 18 December 1914. The War Diary makes clear the orders were given at 6.45 with the attack timed for 4.30pm.  This rushed planning meant that “not having had time to explain scheme to his officers sufficiently, [they] lost direction ... and were caught up in barbed wire, losing heavily.” 

The 2nd Devons took the German trenches but were driven out the next day. Bn suffered 56 dead, including Pte William Moore & Sgt William Woolacott (below) with a total of 121 ORs killed, wounded or missing.

Son of Mrs. E. Wills, of Mount View, Borleigh, North Tawton.

Hutchings, Samuel James

Petty Officer

14 October 1918

Frankland Farm

J/6140

Age 25

H.M.S S/M “L10”

At Sea

(Plymouth Memorial)

Not in the Memorial Book, details taken from Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

HMS L10 was a submarine commissioned in June 1918. On 4 October she spotted three German destroyers assisting a damaged sister ship in the Heligoland Bight. HMS L10 torpedoed and sank one, but the two undamaged ones chased and sank L10 with all hands.

Son of S. J. Hutchings, of Heath Hills, Folly Gate, Inwardleigh, Okehampton; husband of Elizabeth Halstead (formerly Hutchings), of Frankland Farm, Sampford Courtenay, North Tawton, Devon.

Jarvis, Edward James

Private

30 September 1915

(born N Tawton)

14418

Age 25

9th (Service) Bn Devonshire Regiment

Loos Memorial

Not in the Memorial Book, details taken from Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

Battalion was formed August 1914 and served in 20th Brigade, 7th Division. They were blooded at the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915 when many casualties were suffered.  “On the right, the 20th Brigade had carried the German front trenches within half-an-hour ... In support of them came up ... some of the 9th Devons.”  The Bn war diary says “8am, B, C & D Coys arrived, after suffering casualties, at German first line between Breslau Redoubt and Hulloch Vermelles Road. Casualties up to this point included the C.O., Second in Command, and three company commanders. The Bn halted at Gun Trench where they dug in. The Bn was in the front line until withdrawn on the night of 30 September. Edward probably died during this period, one of 121 dead in the Bn over the five days.

He is listed on the Loos memorial which commemorates over 20,000 officers and men who have no known grave who fell in the area.

Commemorated on the Winkleigh War Memorial. Son of Daniel and Elizabeth Jarvis, of "Denises", Exeter Rd., Winkleigh, Devon.

Jones, Alfred Henry

Private

7 August 1918

Fore Street

G/17419

Age 19

7th Bn Buffs (East Kent) Regiment

Pozieres Memorial

“Missing since 7 August 1918”.  Formerly 85013 2/4th London Regt. 

In 1918, Bn was part of 55th Brigade 18th Division preparing for a major offensive near Amiens.  On 6th August the 7th Buffs suffered a surprise attack from the 27th Wurttemburg Division on the Bray-Corbie Road and suffered heavy casualties (44 dead) when their lines were overrun.

The Pozieres Memorial commemorates over 14,000 who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918 and have no known grave.

Son of William and Louisa Jones, of The Square, North Tawton, Devon.

Keenor, Robert

Sapper

11 August 1918

Barton Street

179376

Age 35

479th Field Company, Royal Engineers

Bethune

(Ploegsteert Memorial)

Formerly Liverpool Regt. 87606. 479th Field Coy was part of 61st Division throughout the war.

Death said to be 3/8/1918 at Bethune.  In August 1918 the Division was still recovering from the German offensive in the Spring and was in the Ypres Salient.  There is one other death with this date.

The Ploegsteert Memorial is 12Km south of Ypres and commemorates over 11,000 servicemen who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known grave.