St Mary's Church Great Bradley, Roll of Honour 1914 - 1918

For more photos and documents related to the St Marys see the Great Bradley Church Archive

The roll of honour is a scroll held in a glass fronted wooden frame just inside the southern (main) doorway to the church. It is illustrated with a depiction of St George defeating the dragon flanked by the crossed Union flag & English Cross of St George to the left and an anchor to the right. Beneath the list of names is the commemoration: "Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ".

In his notes, W Burnard Wilder (rector from 1982-1920) records "1.1.1920: Held a concert on Jan. 16 to raise Funds for 'Roll of Honour'. Realised £6/16/-."

The four names above are in gold lettering and at the top of the scroll. These were the men of the village that died in the war. The names below are in black; these men served in the war and returned alive

The information on the Roll of Honour is shown in the first three columns below. Where we have other information this is in the last two columns

NAME/  INITIALS	SURNAME	RANK	Service Number*	Died	Age *	Burial*	Other
W	Hurrell	Private	25068	02/11/1916		Boulogne	V11. C164
JW	Marsh	Private
Richard	Webb	Private	7736	24/5/1915		Ypres	Panel 21
Reginald Conor Phillips	Wilder	2nd Lieutenant		18/11/1914	19	Buried In Ypres Panel 21	1. See here for his father's diary entry  2. See here for window in church dedicated to his memory
The four names above are in gold lettering and at the top of the scroll. These were the men of the village that died in the war. The names below are in black; these men served in the war and returned alive
Harry	Balls	Private
Frederick	Carter
William	Chapman
Frank	Felton
Joseph	Finch
George	Flatt
Arthur	Goode
John	Kemp
William	Kemp
Biggs	Mackean
William J	Martin
George	Martin
Alfred	Mills
Charles	Mills
George	Mills
William	Mills
Lewis	Peachey
William	Peachey
George	Pearson
Jack	Piper
Arthur	Purkis
Alec	Sadler
Arthur	Smith
Bernard	Smith
Clement	Smith
George	Smith
Percy	Smith
Reginald	Swan
George	Turner
Albert	Webb
Christopher	Webb
Bernard L	Wilder
William O	Woodward
Frederick	Carter	Private

Peter Mills, who lived in the village until 1961, when he was 12 in  sent in this note in May 2005.

"The WWI Roll of Honour, lists my father's older brothers, Charlie, Alfred (referred to by my father as Fatty although photographs show him as wirey - who was awarded the Military Medal in WW1) and his eldest brother William, my uncle Billy.  All were in Kitcheners Army either when father was born, in Sept 1914 or before his baptism, hence he was called Harold Kitchener Mills. He was always known as Kitch Mills, I guess because of an older brother, Harry, who was farm manager at Wodgells Farm."

Peter was also able to confirm that the Mills's, above, and other relatives also served in the Home Guard in WWII

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Reginald 'Rex' Connor Phillips Wilder 1896 - 1914

2nd Lieutenant, Reginald Connor Phillips WILDER, 3rd (Reserve) Battal. ion (att'd 2nd), Suffolk Regiment. Killed in Action on Wednesday, 18th November 1914, Aged 19. Killed in Action shot by a sniper while on trench duty, Western Front near Wulvergem [south of Ypres, Belgium].

Reginald Connor Phillips Wilder was born in 1896 in Great Bradley, baptised in Great Bradley on 24th March 1896, son of Reverend William Burnard Chichester and Mabel Elizabeth WILDER (née GROVE).

1901 census...Aged 5, he was at The Rectory, Great Bradley with his father William Bernard WILDER [34] C of E priest born Barnardiston, his mother Mabel Elizabeth [28] born St.Ives, Hunts; brothers William Eric [6] and Bernard Leslie [2]

1911 census...Aged 15 he was a pupil at Walthamstow College. His parents were still at the Rectory, Great Bradley

His entry in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour reads :
WILDER, REGINALD CONNOR PHILLIPS, 2nd.Lieut.,2nd Battn.(12th Foot) The Suffolk Regt., 2nd s. of the Rev.W.B.C.Wilder; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders,and was killed in action there 19.Nov.1914.

It was reported that he was shot by a sniper. He was found as shown below, buried in Lindenhoek-Wulvergen Military Cemetery but his grave was later lost, hence he has a memorial cross in the cemetery (1919) but is named on the Menin Gate, panel 21

His father, Reginald was vicar of Great Bradley at the time. This from his father's diary :- 29-11-1914 : On Monday, November 23. A telegram from War Office announcing the death of my 2nd son. Rex C.P. killed in action Nov. 19 1914,"R.I.P." Held a Memorial Service for the poor old fellow at 3 p.m. on the afternoon of the 29th. Church more than full. Service conducted by Rev. B. Fleming.

The altar window in St Mary's Church is dedicated to his memory.
For more information see http://www.undyingmemory.net/GreatBradley/wilder-reginald.html or https://greatbradley.weebly.com/burnard-wilder.html

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WEBB, Richard James W. 1890 - 1915

No.7736, Private, Richard WEBB. 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Monday, 24th May 1915, Aged 25

Richard James W. Webb was born in Great Bradley son of Elizabeth Jane WEBB. She married Robert WALLIS. Given the propensity for changes in spelling of names, this does appear to be the man. His mother may well have given his name for the Burrough Green memorial (but spelled WALLACE) and his grandmother or uncle put him forward under his legal surname for the Great Bradley memorial.

1891 census...Aged 1,he was at Newmarket Road, Great Bradley with his grandfather Richard WEBB [53] musician born Great Bradley; his grandmother Harriet [43] born Cowlinge; great uncle George WEBB 38] musician born Great Bradley and cousin Luke WEBB [21] farm labourer born Little Thurlow.

1901 census...Aged 11, he was "Below the Hill", Great Bradley with his great uncle George, now a farm engine driver, and his widowed grandmother Harriet.

1911 census...He has not been found in this census but he was more than likely overseas with the Suffolk Regiment as his service number is compatible with entry in 1908..

War records have the 1st Suffolks losing 3 men on 24th May, the bulk of the deaths being 42 recorded as killed on 25th. Only three have identified graves


Richard Webb is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres panel 21 and seemingly as Richard WALLACE on the Borrough Green memorial

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details or http://www.undyingmemory.net/GreatBradley/webb-richard.html

Burrough Green War Memorial

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 HURRELL, William 1885 - 1916

No.25068, Private, William HURRELL, 8th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died of his Wounds on Monday, 2nd October 1916, Aged 21.

William Hurrell was born Barnardiston in 1885 baptised in Kedington St Peter & St Paul on 14th June 1885, son of David and Ellen HURRELL(née COOTE).

1891 census...Aged 5, he was at East Green Cottages, Great Bradley with his father David HURRELL [27] farm labourer born Barnardiston and his mother Ellen [26] born Kedington.

1911 census...Aged 25, a farm labourer working for Mr Badcock, he was at 7 Spring Cottages, Sturmer Road, Haverhill with his parents and sister Lizzie (now recorded as born in Great Bradley). One sibling had died.

William Hurrell is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, grave 8:C:164. For more information see http://www.undyingmemory.net/GreatBradley/hurrell-william.html

Boulogne Eastern Cemetery

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JAMES MARSH 1898 - 1917

No.201992, Private, James MARSH,  4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, formerly No 5181, Suffolk Regiment. Killed in Action on Sunday, 4th March 1917, Aged 19

James Marsh was born in Great Bradley on 12th May 1897, son of James and Kate MARSH (née RAWLINSON).

1901 census...Aged 4, he was at Waterfield Road, Great Bradley with his father James MARSH [35] shepherd; his mother Kate [26] born Great Thurlow and sister Elizabeth [1]. All except his mother were born in Great Bradley.

He was admitted/re-admitted to Great Bradley Voluntary School on 1st December 1908 and left on reaching 13 years of age.

1911 census...Aged 13, a back house boy, he was at Great Bradley with his parents and sister Elizabeth.

The Battalion was in trenches in the Clery area. War Diary:- 4th March - Division on our left delivered an attack, and a smoke cloud and rockets were put up from our trenches which drew some hostile fire which did very little damage. Relieved by 4th Kings Liverpool Regt in the evening. Relief started 7:30 pm and was complete by 10:30. We went into support at HOWITZER WOOD, reaching there about 12:15 am. Casualties 1 OR killed 5 OR wounded.

Being the only man killed that day it must be that his grave was destroyed by later fighting as he has no known grave.

James Marsh is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial, pier and face 1C/2A.  Go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details or this site: www.undyingmemory.net/GreatBradley/marsh-james.html

The Thiepval memorial

Funeral Bier

A funeral bier was purchased through a fundraising effort and dedicated to the war dead in 2019. It was restored by Pete Smith in 2016. In 2018, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of The Great War, a dedication was placed on the bier to remmeber all those who served from this village.

Each person from the village who served in the Great War, was remembered with a poppy set into an English Oak from Suffolk placed on the funeral bier. November 11th 2018, 100 years since the end of WWI

NEW WAR MEMORIAL

To coincide with the 75th anniversary of the end of the second world war a new war memorial was erected. The memorial comprised a tablet, inscribed with the names of the war dead, placed on the outer wall of the village hall (formerly the school), along with a new bench seat with a depiction of WWI soldiers and a poppy motif.

On Armisitce Sunday 2020 a small service of rememberence was held. Pat Spires, Chair of the Parish Council, wrote.
"A Poppy Wreath was laid on behalf of Great Bradley at the new Village Hall Memorial. Thankyou to Steve & Sue George both ex-service personnel and stalwarts of the British Legion for representing our forces. To Steve for reciting the Exhortation and leading the 2 minute silence. Thanks also go to Simon Kiddy for ensuring our flag was flying.
This was not the Remembrance Day Service we wanted to have [due to Covid-19 restrictions] but I hope we honoured those who fell, those who have returned from conflicts and all those who continue to work so hard to keep us safe in these difficult times"

Although some reseearch has been undertaken, we can find no record of anyone from the village who ws lost in WWII, so the list of war dead only records those from WW1.

This memorial complements to scroll that honours the dead from WWI that is in the church.

click on the photos below to see a bigger image