WHIMPLE - THE WAR MEMORIAL

The War Memorial stands just inside the churchyard gate looking down on the village of Whimple  It consists of a  plain cross set on a base in three sections, each of which has 8 faces.

The upper section has the inscription IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN 1914 1918 on seven faces . There is a small cross inscribed on the 8th face.

The middle section relates to the 23 dead  from World War 1 and has the names of the 2 boys killed on the 1st face and three names on each of the 7 remaining faces.

The bottom section has a face inscribed 1939 - 1945 flanked on either side by 2 faces carrying the six names of those who died in World War 2.

The names listed below are grouped as they appear on the memorial:

PART 1 - 1914 TO 1918

Boy 2nd Class Albert Edward Hutchings of HMS Powerful. Son of William and Louisa Hutchings of Hand and Pen, Whimple. Born 1901 in Broadclyst. Died 7 October 1918 aged 17.

Boy 1st Class Henry of HMS Viknor. Son of James and Flora Shepherd of Whimple. Born in 1899 at Whimple. Died 13 January 1915 aged 16.  James Shepherd was the village thatcher.

Private Frank Budd of the 1st Battalion, the Wiltshire Regiment. Son of James Budd of Whimple and husband of Elizabeth Hunt (formerly Budd). Born 1893. Died 13 October 1918 aged 25. 

Not yet confirmed but believed to be Second Lieutenant Charles Henry Cameron of the Royal Horse Artillery. Died 12 March 1915

Captain Robert Alexander Farmer Chard of the 8th Battalion, the Royal Fusilliers. Born In Cornwall in 1887 but the family spent some years in India where Robert's father was based and where some of Robert's siblings were born. Killed on 8 July 1916 aged 29. Resting place not known. His mother was living in "The Pathe", Whimple in 1914.

Private John Coles of the 8th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Thomas and Susan Coles of Strete Raleigh Lodge, Whimple and husband of Annie Coles. Born 1889 in Clyst St. George. Died 10 December 1916 aged 27. Buried in the north-west corner of St. Mary's churchyard, Whimple.

Gunner Charlie Godfrey of the 71st Brigade, the Royal Garrison Artillery. Son of John and Mary Ann Godfrey of Lower Hen St., Whimple. Brother of Frank shown below. Born in Broadclyst in 1892. Died 25 June 1917 aged 25.  John Godfrey was the village boot and shoe maker.

Rifleman Frank Godfrey of the 9th Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps. Son of John and Mary Ann Godfrey of Lower Hen St., Whimple. Brother of Charlie shown above. Born in 1890 in Broadclyst. Died 27 March 1918 aged 28. Resting place not known.

Not yet confirmed but believed to be Private Samuel Percival Hannaford of the 50th Battalion, the Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment). Died  2 September 1918. Resting place not known.

Lieut. G. F. HUGHES

Lieutenant Guy F Hughes of the Guard's Division Cycle Coy. of the Royal Horse Guards. Son of General William Hughes who was born near Honiton and his wife Georgina - married but wife's name not known.  Born in 1881 in India. Died 21 December 1915 aged 34. The family lived at Whimple House at one time.

Private William Henry Lockyear of the 2nd/22nd Battalion, the London Regiment. Son of John and Mary Ann Lockyear who farmed at Hand and Pen, Whimple and husband of Ethel Lockyear of Chelsea, London. Born in Whimple in 1890. Died 30 March 1918 aged 28.

*Pte. R. L. NORMAN

Sergeant Robert L Norman of the 9th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment.  Born 1890 in Whimple, Died on 25 June 1917 aged 27. 

* The rank of Private appears on the memorial. That of Sergeant appears on the Commonwealth War Graves Listing.

L-Corpl. G. OSMOND

Lance Corporal George Osmond of G Depot Coy. of the Royal Engineers. Son of Matthew and Janet Osmond of Clyst Hydon and husband of Ellen Osmond of Plymtree. Born in 1890 at Buckerell. Died on 26 February 1919 aged 29. Buried at Whimple near the north-west corner of the churchyard.

2nd.Lieut. W. E. H. PERRY

Fresh information kindly supplied by a family  member:

2nd Lieut. William Everard Hill Perry of the 2nd Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Thomas Wallis Perry and Bessie Perry (née Hill). Born in Lostwithiel 3 March 1898. Died on 14 April 1917 aged 19.

Private Harold Thomas Redler of the 6th Battalion, the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Son of Thomas and Hannah Redler of The Manse, Whimple. Born 1895 in Stroud. Died 3 July 1916 aged 21. 

Private Leonard John Redler, of the 2nd/8th Battalion, the Worcestershire Regiment. Son of Thomas and Hannah Redler of The Manse, Whimple. Born 1899 in Moreton in the Marsh. Died 1 November 1918 aged 19. 

Not yet confirmed but believed to be Lance Corporal Harold Slee who was born in Ottery St. Mary in 1893. His military record has not yet been found.

Not yet confirmed but believed to be Lance Corporal Leslie Tom West of the 17th Battalion, the King's (Liverpool Regiment). Son of Joseph and Mary Jane West. Died on 31 July 1917 aged 23. Link with Whimple not yet known.

Additional information kindly supplied by Naomi Klein.

Captain Edward Victor Whiteway MC of the 12th Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment. Son of Henry and Edith Whiteway of Whimple. Born in Harbertonford in 1888. Died on 28 April 1918 aged 29. Also remembered on the stone cross outside St. Mark's Church, Kennington-Oval. Awarded the Military Cross.

Private George Woodley of the 1st/5th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Richard and Mary Ann Woodley of Knowle Cottage, Whimple. Born in 1890 at Whimple. Died 20 November 1917 aged 27. 

Private Lewis (or Louis) Hunt of the 6th Battalion, the Dorsetshire Regiment. Son of William and Ann Hunt of Whimple - he worked as a butcher in Whimple. Born in 1880 at Woodbury. Died on 4 November 1918 aged 39. 

Private Gilbert Youlden of the 15th Battalion, the Hampshire Regiment. Son of Francis and Mary Youlden of Whimple and brother of John shown below. Born 1899 in Whimple. Died 4 September 1918 aged 19. 

Private John Youlden of the 1st Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Francis and Mary Youlden of Whimple and brother of Gilbert shown above. Born 1898 in Whimple. Died 4 October 1917 aged 20. Resting place not known.

PART 2 - 1939 TO 1945