War Dead

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World War One

A commemorative plaque to the men of the parish who gave their lives in the First World War can be found in the New Church of Kingston St. James. It starts:

IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919

The names inscribed are shown below, together with further information established about each serviceman killed where known:

Richard BYDDER

Richard St. George Bydder was a Master Mariner in the Mercantile Marine and died on 18 July 1920. He was the sister of Kingston school teacher Beatrice Allen nee Bydder.


Sidney COOK

No information located as yet.


Edwin COOPER

No information located as yet.


George DAVIS

George Davis was a Corporal with the Royal Garrison Artillery 11th Seige Battery (service number 137061) who died on 1 November 1917. George is commemorated at Dozinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium (grave/memorial reference X11. D. 8.).


Harry FURMAGE

Henry James Furmage, known as ‘Harry’, was a Private with the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 100 Company (service number 14992) who died of wounds on 21 August 1916 in the Battle of the Somme. Harry is also commemorated on the war memorial at Corfe Castle. He was buried at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L’Abbe, Somme, France (grave/memorial reference III. F. 23.).

Harry was the second of two children born to clay miner James Furmage (1862-1956) and his wife Elizabeth Ellen Furmage nee Burgess (1859-1930). Harry was baptised at Corfe Castle on 7 July 1889. By 1901 his father had become a dairyman and the family were living at Afflington Dairy House near Kingston. By 1911 the family were at Scoles Dairy with Harry and his brother Thomas both Assistant Dairymen.


Robert GRANT

Robert Grant was a Corporal with the Royal Garrison Artillery, 285th Siege Battery (service number 334335) who died on 25 March 1918 aged 23. Robert is commemorated at Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Pas de Calais, France (grave/memorial reference VI. C. 25.). Robert was the son of Edward and Susan Grant, of Kingston, Corfe Castle, Dorset.


David HOOPER

David Hooper had served in the regular army with the Dorsetshire Regiment (service number 15705) and was discharged having completed both active and reserve service in 1910. He was called up in 1916 when the Military Service Act extended conscription to the ages of 18 – 40 years and then served as a Private with the Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment, 2nd Battalion (service number 5359).

David was listed “Missing Presumed Dead” during the German offensive “Operation Michael” launched on 21 March 1918 in an attempt to regain areas of the Somme that they had lost earlier in the war. David died on 27 March 1918 aged 40. He is commemorated at Pozieres Cemetery, near Albert, Somme, France (memorial panel 78).

David was the son of David Hooper and Emily Sarah Hooper nee White of West Street, Kingston, Corfe Castle, Dorset.


Charles LOVEL

No information located as yet.


James MEDD

James Medd was a Private with the Dorsetshire Regiment, 1st Battalion and also the Wiltshire Regiment, attd. 1st Battalion (service number 3/7850) who died 20 August 1916 in the Battle of the Somme. James is commemorated at Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuile Wood, Somme, France (grave/memorial reference I. C. 3.).

James was the son of Thomas Swan Medd (1846-1919) and Emily Ann Medd nee White (1843-1893).


Albert SPECK

Albert George Speck was a Gunner with the Royal Garrison Artillery, 112th Siege Battery (service number 55793) who died on 21 March 1918 aged 20. Albert is commemorated at Beaumetz Cross Roads Cemetery, Beaumetz-les-Cambrai, Pas de Calais, France (grave/memorial reference B. 11.). Albert was the son of Walter and Mary Speck, of West Hill, Kingston, Dorset.


Harry STEVENS

Harry Stevens was a Private with the Dorsetshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion (service number 27367) who died on 16 July 1917 aged 34. Harry is commemorated at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq (grave/memorial reference XV. C. 11.).

Harry was the son of the late John Stevens (1848-1915) and Mary Stevens nee Savage (1848-1898), of Eastington Farm, Swanage and husband of Alice ‘Daisy’ Maria Stevens nee Howard (1892-1976) of Blashenwell Farm, Kingston, Dorset. Harry and Daisy had a son Laurie Howard Stevens (1912-2005) and twins May Howard Stevens and Edward Howard Stevens both of whom sadly died shortly after birth in 1914.


Frederick STICKLAND

Frederick John Stickland was a Private with the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, 6th Battalion (service number 29199) who died on 23 August 1917 aged 19. Frederick is commemorated at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium (grave/memorial reference LXVI. H. 29.). Frederick was the son of Alice Mary Stickland, of Encombe, Kingston, Corfe Castle, Dorset, and the late Edward Stickland.


Henry TRAVERS

Henry Lawrance Travers was a Gunner with the Royal Garrison Artillery, 278th Siege Battery (service number 334312) who died on 30 May 1918 aged 26. Henry is commemorated at Pernois British Cemetery, Halloy-les-Pernois, Somme, France (grave/memorial reference I. E. 13.). Henry was the son of Henry ‘George’ Travers (1866-1951) and Bessie Maud Travers nee Speck (1870-1954) of South Street, Kingston, Corfe Castle. He left a widow Ellen Olive Travers nee Burden (1895-1968) of Tadnoll Cottage, near Dorchester and two children Thomas Henry William Travers (1915-2004) and Margaret ‘Joyce’ Travers (1917-2007).


World War Two

Beneath the many body of the commemorative plaque dedicated to those who gave their lives in the First World War is the following simple inscription:

The names inscribed are shown below, together with further information established about each serviceman killed where known:


Ronald BEAVIS

Ronald Henry Beavis was a Sergeant with the Royal Engineers. He died in September 1943 and was buried at Kingston.


Henry KELLAWAY

Able Seaman Henry Charles Kellaway (service number P/JX 249485) was serving with H.M.S. President III., Royal Navy. Henry died on 13 August 1942 aged 28. Henry was the son of Charles Henry and Lilian Kellaway, of Kingston, Dorset and the husband of Kathleen May Kellaway. Henry is remembered with honour on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.


Douglas John HIXSON

Douglas John ‘Jack’ Hixson (1920-1949) is believed to have been invalided during World War 2. He died at The Borough Sanitorium, Weymouth on 14 November 1949 aged 29. Jack was buried at Kingston on 19 November 1949.

Jack was the son of Albert ‘Ernest’ Hixson (1886-1962) and Elsie Hixson nee Collins (1885-1957).


Page last updated: 21 September 2023

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