Navy
Charles Metcalf
Regiment: Royal Marines
Address: Mount Street, Battle
Mother: Mrs H Metcalf
Brothers: Frederick Metcalf & Percy Metcalf & Alfred Douglas Metcalf
Other Info: Wearing a medal for the Boxer Rebellion
Published: September 1914
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Army
W Head
Rank: Driver
Regiment: 3rd Battery, Royal Field Artillery
Address: 34 Horntye Road, St Leonards
Published: September 1914
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Army
E E Elphic
Rank: Private
Regiment: 9th Battalion (Lowthers), Royal Sussex Regiment
Address: Pevensey
Published: September 1914
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Army
F Woods
Rank: Sapper
Regiment: 29th Company, Royal Engineers
Address: 7 West Street, Hastings
Mother: Mrs Woods
Brother: R B Woods
Other Info: With the British Expeditionary Force
Published: September 1914
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Army
R B Woods
Rank: Sapper
Regiment: 62nd Company, Royal Engineers
Address: 7 West Street, Hastings
Mother: Mrs Woods
Brother: F Woods
Other Info: At Stanhope Lines, Aldershot
Published: September 1914
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Army
William Lewis Hoadley
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment: 7th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
Parents: PC William & Mrs Hagar Hoadley
Address: 24a Milward Road, Hastings
Other Info: According to CWGC, William died aged 19 on 19th October 1915. William is buried at Bethune Town Cemetery, grave reference IV.F.55.
A correspondent found William Hoadley’s soldier’s Bible in a French shop in 2023. They have tried to find a home for it in museums, to no avail. Images of the Bible are below.
On 6th November 1915, the Hastings Observer reported that: “Police-Constable Hoadley of 65a Milward Road has sustained a said bereavement in the death of his only son, William Lewis, whilst on active service.
He was a Lance-Corporal in the 7th Royal Sussex Regiment, and 19 years of age and died as the result of his wounds received at Loos. In his boyhood days the Lance-Corporal was a member of the Holy Trinity Choir and the Boy’s Brigade. Later he joined the Scouts. Three days after the outbreak of war he enlisted and went to the Front between five and six months ago. Since then he has had many exciting experiences.
Hoadley served three year’s apprenticeship to the grocery trade, and at the time of his enlistment held a good situation at a Hastings shop. He was a good swimmer, and won prizes as a school boy at the Hastings Baths, and he was also one of the successful competitors at the swimming carnival promoted by Mr du Cros, and carried out at Shornden Reservoir. Together with Police Constable Craske, Hoadley was clever in making high dives at the Baths.
It is worthy of note that up to date members of the Hastings Police Force have had three sones killed and two wounded at the Front.”
Published: September 1914 & May 1916
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Army
Victor A Balchin
Rank: Rifleman
Regiment: 18th Battalion, London Irish Rifles
Address: 92 Milward Road, Hastings
Other Info: Winner of the Bantam Weight Boxing Championship.
Published: September 1914 & March 1915
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Navy
Arthur William Phillips
Rank: Able Seaman
Ship: HMS Hogue
Father: ‘Old Gent’ Phillips, plasterer of Hastings
Other Info: Saved from HMS Hogue by trawler number 369 after being in the water for upwards of an hour. Mr Phillips has a medal and clasp for the Benin Expedition.
Published: September 1914
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Navy
William Thomas Saxby
Regiment: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Ship: HMS Edgar
Address: 46 St Thomas’ Road, Hastings
Other Info: According to the National Archives, William Saxby was born on 1st August 1892 and his service number was 5/199.
Published: September 1914
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Navy
William Edward Royall
Rank: Chief Carpenter’s Mate
Ship: HMS Hogue
Address: 17a Havelock Road, Hastings
Other Info: According to CWGC, William was aboard HMS Hogue when it was sunk, along with sister ships HMS Aboukir and HMS Cressy, by German submarine U-9 on 22nd September 1914. He was one of 1,459 seamen lost on that day.
The son of Edward and Mary Royall of Woolwich, London he was aged 53 when he died, married to Louisa and living at 42 Milward Crescent, Hastings. William is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 6.
Published: September 1914
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