Army
Mr Bowles
Rank: Driver
Regiment: Royal Engineers
Mother: Mrs Bowles
Brother: J Bowles
Cousins: J Brown, H Bowles, C Bowles & F Bowles
Address: 49 Nelson Road, West Kensington
Published: October 1916
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Army
Frederick W Birmingham
Rank: Private
Regiment: Royal Army Medical Corps
Mother: Mrs Mary Jane Birmingham
Brothers: David Henry Birmingham, Frederick William Birmingham & Percival Arthur Birmingham.
Brother-in-Law: A James
Address: 84 St George’s Road, Hastings
Other Info: Late of the Observer Office, Hastings
Additional name and home town info from the Lives of the First World War website.
Published: October 1916 (twice)
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Army
Charles Henry Bignell
Rank: Private
Regiment: 11th Battalion (Southdowns), Royal Sussex Regiment
Address: Eastbourne
Other Info: Died of wounds. According to CWGC, Charles died on 3rd September 1916. He is remembered at Acheux British Cemetery, grave reference Plot 1, Row A, grave 20.
Additional name and home town info from the Royal Sussex – Southdowns website.
Published: October 1916
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Army
George T Benton
Rank: Private
Regiment: Army Veterinary Corps
Parents: Mr & Mrs Edward Benton
Brothers: Albert Edward Benton, Harry Benton, Edward Dorrington Benton & William D Benton
Uncle: James Benton
Address: 29 Scriven’s Buildings, Crown Lane, Hastings
Other Info: At the Front
Published: October 1916.
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Army
William D Benton
Rank: Private
Regiment: Army Service Corps
Parents: Mr & Mrs Edward Benton
Brothers: Albert Edward Benton, Harry Benton, Edward Dorrington Benton & George T Benton
Uncle: James Benton
Address: 29 Scriven’s Buildings, Crown Lane, Hastings
Other Info: At Salonika
Published: October 1916.
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Navy
Robert (Bob) Harry Belsey
Ship: HMS Britannia
Parents: Mr Edward & Mrs Edith Belsey, late of All Saints Street, Hastings
Sent by: Mr C Merryweather, late master of the Hastings Workhouse
Brothers Edward J Belsey, Alfred William Belsey & John Robert Belsey
Born 12 Sandown Cottages, Hastings
1896, Death of mother
1899, Death of father in Union Workhouse, Ore
1911, Dr Barnardo’s Home, Stepney Causeway, Tower Hamlets, London
1914, Jul 31 Joined Royal Portsmouth, Stoker 2nd Class HMS Victory II
1915, Aug 5 Stoker 1st Class, HMS Britannia
1921, Jun Married Ethel May Hubbard of Camberwell in Hastings
1925, Mar 5 Acting Leading Stoker, HMS Argus
1926, Mar 5 Leading Stoker, HMS Vernon
1928, Mar 5 Left Navy
1939, Sep 29 Does not appear on the War Census, had he joined up again, no record
1967, Mar 25 Died Catford, London
Additional information with thanks to Ian Mantel
Published: October 1916
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Army
John (Jack) Robert Belsey
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment: 7th Battalion, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force
Parents: Mr Edward & Mrs Edith Belsey, late of All Saints Street, Hastings
Sent by: Mr C Merryweather, late master of the Hastings Workhouse
Brothers Edward J Belsey, Alfred William Belsey & Robert Harry Belsey
Other Info: Killed at the Dardanelles on 8th August 1915 aged 28 years. Formerly eight years in the Highland Light Infantry.
According to CWGC records, John died on 9th August 1915 aged 26. He is remembered at Johnston’s Jolly Cemetery, grave reference Sp. Mem. 1.
The record states that John is the son of Edward and Maggie Jean Belsey; husband of Josephine Belsey, of 105, Nicholson St., Abbotsford, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Native of Scotland.
John’s AIF service papers can be viewed for free here.
Born Largs, North Ayreshire
1889, Death of mother
1899, Death of father in Union Workhouse, Ore
1901, Gordon’s Boys Home, Dover
1911, Aug 11 Arrived Sydney, NSW having travelled from UK via Calcutta
1914, Married Florence Josephine Marshall in Melbourne
1914, Dec 8 Sergeant, 7th Battalion Australian Imperial Force
1915, Feb 19 Embarked troop transport heading for Gallipoli
1915, Aug 9 Killed in action, Gallipoli
There is a suggestion that John was in a highland Regiment in the British Army prior to leaving for Australia, but I can find no records. However this could explain his instant promotion to Sergeant on enlisting in the AIF.
Additional information with thanks to Ian Mantel
Published: October 1916
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Army
Alfred William Belsey
Rank: Corporal
Regiment: 1st Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers
Parents: Mr Edward & Mrs Edith Belsey, late of All Saints Street, Hastings
Sent by: Mr C Merryweather, late master of the Hastings Workhouse
Brothers Edward J Belsey, John (Jack) Robert Belsey & Robert Harry Belsey
Other Info: Wounded at the Dardanelles on 1st May 1915 in seven places whilst attending a wounded comrade and Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry on several occasions and bringing in a large number of wounded under fire. He died of wounds in France on 8th August 1916 aged 30 years.
According to CWGC, Alfred is remembered at Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension, grave reference Plot 5, Row C, Grave 5.
Born Hastings
1889, Death of mother
1899, Death of father in Union Workhouse, Ore
1901, No census record for this or 1911
1914, Enrolled in 1st Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers, Dover
1915, Apr 28 Landed in Gallipoli
1915, May 01 During the battle for Krithia, wounded in seven places whilst attending a wounded comrade
1916, Jan Evacuated with his Battalion to Egypt
1916, Mar 22 1st Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers land at Marseilles, France
1916, May 16 Now a Corporal (unsure of date of promotion) awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal for continuing to recover wounded comrades from the front despite being wounded himself.
1916, Sep 5 Killed in action, The Somme, France
Additional information with thanks to Ian Mantel
Published: October 1916
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Army
Edward J Belsey
Rank: Corporal
Regiment: Royal Sussex Regiment
Parents: Mr Edward & Mrs Edith Belsey, late of All Saints Street, Hastings
Sent by: Mr C Merryweather, late master of the Hastings Workhouse
Brothers Alfred William Belsey, John (Jack) Robert Belsey & Robert Harry Belsey
Other Info: Aged 32 years, he gave up a good post in the Chinese Customs and came home to enlist on hearing of the death of his brother.
Born Hastings
1889, Death of mother
1899, Death of father in Union Workhouse, Ore
1901, Border at Pelham House, Home for Working Boys, Stepney
1902, Sep 19 Joined Royal Navy, Portsmouth, Boy 2nd Class, HMS Impregnable
1903, Jul 23 Boy 1st Class, HMS Impregnable
1905, Feb 27 Signed on for 12 year, Ordinary Seaman, HMS Prince of Wales
1906, Sep 06 Able Bodies Seaman, HMS Victory
1912, Dec 18 Purchased discharge from Royal Navy
1913, Joined the Chinese Customs Service
1916, Lance Corporal, Royal Sussex Regiment, unknown battalion, France
Additional information with thanks to Ian Mantel
Published: October 1916
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Army
A E Baker
Rank: Corporal
Regiment: Army Ordnance Corps
Mother: Mrs C Baker
Address: 6 Oban Road, Silverhill
Other Info: At the Front
Published: October 1916
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