Pyrford Village marked the sacrifice of its residents during the First World War in two ways – a War Memorial and a War Memorial Village Hall. The first to be built was the Pyrford War Memorial outside St Nicholas Church on Church Hill.
The entry on the Historic England website says:-
“Pyrford War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
- Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the 20th century;
- Architectural interest: a simple yet dignified Cornish granite cross;
- Group value: with the adjacent church of St Nicholas (Grade I).
It was constructed by masons of the Necropolis Company based at nearby Brookwood Cemetery and it was dedicated on 18 July 1920 by the Bishop of Guildford. Following the Second World War, the names of those who lost their lives in that war were also added. The memorial was repaired in 2000 with additional granite laid around base to stabilise it.
The war memorial stands in a prominent location beside the Church of St Nicholas on the main road through Pyrford village. The memorial comprises a plain Cornish granite cross surmounting an octagonal tapered column set upon an octagonal plinth. This is set upon a three-stepped base. Inscriptions and names are carved on the north faces of the plinth. The inscription reads:
1914-1918/ OUR/ GLORIOUS/ DEAD.
Twenty-four names of those who lost their lives in the First World War are inscribed on two faces in black raised lettering. Further names are recorded on two of the west faces. The inscription reads 1939-1945 and underneath are 33 names of those who lost their lives in the Second World War. The other faces are blank.”
The Pyrford Village War Memorial Hall at the Coldharbour Road/Engliff Lane junction, was opened in October 1922. Inside there is a plaque to those from the Village who died during World War 1 and World War Two.
There are 24 names from World War One, and 33 names were added from World War Two.
World War One Names
Showing 24 records. 1914-18 War memorial
- Bevington, C C
- Chivers, A W
- Choate, H
- Clarke, C B
- Clarke, S H
- Davisson, B
- Dawson, A
- Etheridge, H D
- Handyside, P J A
- Heather, J W
- Hibbert, S
- Hill, E T
- Jenkins, E K
- Jinks, C
- Martin, P
- Medhurst, W
- Nottridge, H
- Seward, S R
- Smithas, E
- Trussler, L J
- Watt, E G B
- Willatt, N
- Williams, A I M
- Wordfold, E
Details about some of them can be found at https://www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk/collections/getrecord/SHMEM_W_M_1
PYRFORD WAR MEMORIAL – WORLD WAR TWO
By Mark Coxhead
Mark Coxhead a local historian has kindly agreed to Pyrford Forum publishing his work on the biographies of 32 of the 33 men who died during World War Two.
I attach brief biographies of 32 of the names – the final name I could not collaborate the information and so decided to leave. The average age when they died of those named is only 26 and they collectively fell in most of the main conflicts in the Second World War.
Harold Edward ARBON
Sergeant, served as a flight engineer with 166 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Before the joining the RAF Harold Arbon was a keen member of the Brooklands A.T.C. Squadron from 1941 to 1943 during which time he obtained his proficiency badge and rose to the rank of sergeant. He made quick progress in the RAF as a flight engineer and went on 16 operations in Lancasters up to the night of 12th/13th August 1944, when he did not return from a raid on Germany.
He was 19 years, and buried in Hanover War cemetery, Germany. I have read that he was actually born in Germany.
Charles John AUSTIN
Lieutenant in the South Staffordshire Regiment attached to the 2nd Airborne Battalion.
Charles Austin lived at Endways in Old Avenue, West Byfleet, was educated at Charterhouse 1928 – 1933 and later worked in Lloyd’s. Lieutenant Austin, serving as second in command of his company was killed in the early stages of manoeuvres for the capture of Sicily. He was a member of the airborne force that landed to the east of the town of Syracuse during the night of 9th/10th July 1943.
He was aged 28 and buried at Syracuse War Cemetery in Sicily.
Ronald Francis BEAUMONT
Sergeant, served as an air gunner with 166 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Prior to the enlistment in October 1941, he had been employed at Botleys Park hospital. He had been brought up by his grandmother, Mrs. Collier, formerly of Gloster Road, Old Woking and attended Westfield and Kingfield Schools. Mrs Collier moved to Upshott Cottage, Coldharbour Road. He had been married only a few months and his wife lived in Loughborough.
He was 19 when he was shot down on 16th April 1943 and buried at Durnbach War Cemetery, Bayern, Germany.
Charles Harold BRANDON
Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force. Died at Westminster Hospital, aged 30, on 26th July 1944. Was married to Marion and lived in Hook Heath with one child. His mother lived at Leskinfere, Coldharbour Road.
Hedley Brent St. George BRANDON
Captain, serving with the Royal Artillery and was attached to 660 AOP Squadron of the RAF. Was killed in action in Western Europe on 26th March 1945, aged 25 and buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Germany. His mother lived at Leskinfere, Coldharbour Road.
Sidney Frederick BURGE
Bombardier in the 3 H.A.A. Regiment of the Royal Artillery. He was killed at Kranji in the defence of Singapore on 13th February 1942, aged 34. Buried at Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore.
Colin CAMPBELL
Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion of the Scots Guards. He was educated at Harrow, and had a place at St. John’s College, Cambridge, but deferred to join the Scots Guards in 1943. He died of wounds received in action on 17th February 1945, aged 20. He was the second son of Sir George Riddoch Campbell of Westcroft, Blackdown Avenue. Buried in the Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Netherlands.
Arthur Onslow Edward ELEVEDON
Major, 218th Battery of the 55th (The Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti Tank Regiment. He joined Territorial Army before the war and had planned to pursue a parliamentary career; however he was killed in Europe on 8th February 1945, aged 32. He was the second son of the Earl and Countess of Iveagh of Pyrford Court and had married Lady Elizabeth Cecilia Hare in 1936. His eldest son, Arthur Francis Benjamin Guinness became heir to the earldom.
Buried in the Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Netherlands
Anthony GERAHTY
Lieutenant 3rd Battalion, Irish Guards. Killed 21st April 1945, aged 19. Born in Cyprus, youngest son of Sir Charles Cyril Gerahty. Buried at the Becklingen War Cemetery in Germany.
Arthur John Brian HALLETT
Sergeant, pilot in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He went missing on active service on 22nd September 1941. He lived at Cranford, Aviary Road and was educated at Bradfield College and then joined the RAF on leaving school in 1940. He was aged 19 and is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.
Herbert Robin HAMPSHIRE
Flight Lieutenant, pilot in the 141 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Lost his life on operations on 28th June 1944, aged 28. He had joined the RAF in 1941 and after serving as an instructor he transferred to Bomber Command. His wife lived at Murrayfield, Cherrybank, Perth, though he had been brought up at Red Court in Blackdown Avenue and had also lived in Brazil. His aunt, Miss Hampshire, lived at the Further Cottage, Pyrford Road.
Buried at Wevelgem Communal Cemetery in Belgium.
Paul Constant Marie HELLEGERS
Pilot Officer, in the 640 Squadron. of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Paul was in Bomber Command and he lost his life during air operations on 11th August 1944, aged 21. Paul was the middle of five brothers who escaped, with their parents, from Maastricht in Holland to London in June 1940 and then moved to the Brown House in Aviary Road in 1941.
He is buried at Nantes (Pont-du-Cens) Communal Cemetery, St Nazaire, France
Ronald Charles HILL
Sergeant, wireless operator and air gunner with the 49 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed on 22nd May 1944, aged 20. Buried at the Roosendaal-en-Nispen General Cemetery, Netherlands
Wilfred Owen HILL
Lance Corporal, Life Guards. Killed 14th August 1944, aged 27. Buried at Bayeux War Cemetery, Normandy, France.
Arthur Charles HUNTINGTON, M V O
Major, 5th Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Commissioned in 1928 and believed to have been killed by enemy machine gun fire on 9th February 1944 at the Anzio Beachhead, thirty miles south of Rome, following allied landings in January 1944, aged 35. He lived with his wife Aline at The Old House, Lower Pyrford Road. Buried at the Anzio War Cemetery in Italy.
Peter KILLICK
Major, 1st Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry. Died 19th March 1944, aged 22. Buried at the Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy.
John LAMBTON
Flying Officer, air gunner in 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Originally was a Second Lieutenant with the Coldstream Guards, but joined the RAF in March 1940, and after a variety of postings was moved to Gibraltar in July 1941. On 10th August 1941 at 11.30 hours he took off to escort convoy OG70. However on return at 0010 hours the aeroplane overshot, bounced on landing and dived into the sea. Three crew on board were killed. Flying Officer Lambton was 31.
Born in Newmarket John was married to Ethel Ruth, and left a six year old son, Peter. He was the grandson of the Earl of Durham. He is buried at the Gibraltar (North Front) Cemetery.
William Tyson LLOYD TANNER
Second Lieutenant, 3 Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery. He died as a result of an accident in Egypt on 29th March 1940, aged 20.
Second Lieutenant Lloyd Tanner was educated at Charterhouse, and afterwards at the Royal Agricultural College where he was a Gold Medallist. His parents lived at Grafton, Madeira Road, West Byfleet. He had received his commission in June 1938, but did not take it up until August 1939 and was posted to Egypt just two days before war broke out. Buried in the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.
Eric Rowland MULLER-ROWLAND
Flying Officer, 144 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed on air operations in the Mediterranean on 22nd June 1942, aged 26.
Eric was the eldest of three sons who severed with distinction in the RAF. He was brought up in Horsell and educated at Uppingham School.
His mother lived at Inwood, Pyrford Woods for the duration. He is remembered on the Malta Memorial.
Stanley Rowland MULLER-ROWLAND, DFC and bar
Squadron Leader, 236 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed on air operations 3rd October 1944, aged 23.
He was also brought up in Horsell, educated and Sunnydown, Guildford and Uppingham School. He enlisted in the RAF in 1940 and was commissioned in 1941. When he was awarded the DFC it was stated that he had taken part in 22 operational missions involving attacks on shipping, mine laying and bombing sorties. He flew an aircraft which attacked a supply ship escorted by four destroyers. Hits were obtained, and Muller-Rowland released a torpedo, which struck the vessel amidships. He also participated in a daring daylight attack on a convoy of one tanker and three destroyers heavily escorted by fighters. Again a torpedo was released accurately.
Promoted to Squadron Leader he was awarded a bar to his DFC, and it was commented that he lead a section of torpedo-carrying aircraft to attack a supply ship and its escorting vessel. In spite of fighter opposition hits were obtained on both vessels. Three days later he led another formation against a tanker escorted by three ships with fighter cover. Despite opposition, the tanker was destroyed, while an escort vessel was set on fire.
He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.
His twin brother, John Stuart Rowland Muller-Rowland, also a Squadron leader and DFC served with distinction during the war, but was killed on 15th February 1950, when a de Havilland aircraft he was flying from Farnborough crashed at Brickhill in Buckinghamshire.
Keith Wells (Peter) NOBLE
Flight Lieutenant, pilot in the Royal Air Force Reserve. Died as a result of a flying accident on 8th February 1944, aged 22. Lived with parents at Pine Edge, Lower Pyrford Road. Buried at Dunure Cemetery, Ayrshire.
Leonard John OLDACRES
Flying Officer, was a pilot in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was killed on active service on 19th May 1940, aged 23.
He was born in Byfleet and lived at Pyrford House, Old Woking Road and was educated at Winchester and Christ Church, Oxford, where significantly he was a member of the Oxford Air Squadron. He was a member of Pyrford Cricket Club, the Byfleet Tennis and Golf Club and also sang in the Pyrford Church choir. Leonard Oldacres enlisted in the RAF in 1938 and had planned to pursue a career in chartered accountancy after the war.
On joining the RAF he was immediately given a commission, as he had previously served in the Oxford University Air Squadron. His early training as a pilot was at Montrose. In May 1940, newly-qualified and lacking any combat experience, he was sent to France with 4 Squadron, equipped with army co-operation Westland Lysander II aircraft, and based at Lille-Ronchin landing ground.
Five days after arriving in France, on 19th May 1940, Oldacres was making a practice flight in what was thought to be a safe area. Two Lysanders were practicing circuits and landings at Lille-Bondues airfield. At around 1000, the British aircraft were attacked by seven German Bf109E fighters, and were both shot down. One of the Lysanders crashed in the Fives area of Lille, and the other near St André. The slow Lysander aircraft had stood no chance against their modern opponents, and all four crewmen were killed. Hurricanes of 87 Squadron, based at Bondues, took off and pursued the Germans, and one enemy aircraft was shot down near St. Amand.
Buried at St. Andre Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.
Roland Tennyson PEEL, CBE, MC
Roland Peel was a member of the British party returning from the San Francisco conference which was attended by 46 nations that set up the United Nations Charter. Mr. Peel was Assistant Secretary in the India Office and he went to San Francisco on the staff of the United Kingdom delegation. On return to London his Liberator aeroplane took off from Montreal on the evening of 3rd July 1945, and the last known position was 300 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. A total of nine passengers and six crew perished.
Mr. Peel gained his Military Cross in the First World War in which he severed with the 6th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (TA). In his spare time he was commanding officer of the no. 11 (Brooklands) ATC Squadron. He lived with his wife Marjorie Lillian at Dunraven, Madeira Road, West Byfleet and was 52.
John Carey PENFOLD
Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Navel Volunteer Reserve. Served at HMS Robin, a Royal Navy Air Station at Kirkwall, he died 10th March 1945, aged 20. Buried Kirkwall (St. Olaf’s) Cemetery, Orkney.
John Arthur George POTTER
Corporal, 1st Battalion, Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey). Died 25th March 1944, aged 31. No known grave and is remembered on the Rangoon Memorial, Burma.
James Henry SHARP
Lance Bombardier, 91 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Was killed during the fighting to cross the River Garigliano, 75 miles south east of Rome, on 29th January 1944.
Parents lived at 3, Townsend Cottages, Coldharbour Road. Buried in the Minturno War Cemetery, Italy.
Kenneth Douglas SKELT
Lieutenant, Royal Navy and was serving abroad H M Submarine Salmon, which had been sent to patrol an area just off the south west coast of Norway. It was directed through a hitherto unknown minefield and it is assumed the vessel was hit by one of the mines on 9th July 1940 with all 39 hands were lost. Kenneth Skelt was 22.
Kenneth Skelt was born near Dartford in 1918. He lived with his parents at the Brown House, Aviary Road and was a pupil at Woking County School from 1927-1935.
In late 1936 Kenneth obtained 16th out of 30 places for a navel cadetship and joined HMS Frobisher at Chatham for 3 months sea training to the West Indies. He wrote back to the school describing the trip and saying how interested he had been to find Robert Arbuthnot and Lord Nelson among old sailor names carved on a water catchment wall in the Leeward isles.
Kenneth Skelt’s body was never recovered. He is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial and on the Woking County Grammar School roll of honour located in Christ Church, Woking.
Desmond SMALLMAN-TEW
Lieutenant Colonel, Royal Signals and was attached to the 6th Airborne Division as commanding officer.
In mid-1944, 6th Airborne Divisional Signals took part in a glider insertion to Normandy, during Operation Overlord. Lt Col Smallman-Tew, encouraged each man to plait himself a lanyard from the camouflaged rigging lines of parachutes still scattered on the Drop Zone. This would ensure that each man had in his possession a length of strong cord which might be useful in any future attempt to escape capture by the enemy. All soldiers carried out their Commanding Officer’s wish and the lanyard was worn by all ranks.
Some weeks after the landings, Lieutenant Colonel Smallman-Tew, although wounded in the arm by a piece of shrapnel elected to remain at duty and took it upon himself to take a newly joined officer, Lieutenant Mutch, to his Brigade Signal Section at Le Mesnil. On 22 July 1944, on the journey by airborne jeep, Lieutenant Colonel Smallman-Tew, Lieutenant Mutch and their driver were killed when a German mortar shell hit their vehicle near Escoville. Lieutenant Colonel Smallman-Tew was extremely popular throughout the Regiment and the lanyard continued to be worn after his death in accordance with his wishes.
Lieutenant Colonel Smallman-Tew died on 22 July 1944, aged 34 years. He lived with his wife Mary at Lyntonmore, Ridgeway. Buried at Ranville War Cemetery, Normandy.
Walter TAYLOR-YOUNG
Major, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). He died on Christmas Day 1942 as a result of an accident in the Middle East, aged 33.
Major Taylor-Young was born in Australia, lived with his wife Betty Angela and son Michael at Glebe Cottage, Pyrford Road. Betty, also 33, pre-deceased him on 11th October 1942. Buried at the Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery.
Henry Anthony THOMPSON
Captain, 1/7th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Captain Thompson was killed in action on 3rd August 1944 when he stepped on a mine whilst leading his men in France during Operation Bluecoat for capture of Mont Pinçon. He was aged 28.
He had lived with his parents at Wheeler’s Farm, Warren Lane from about four months old and was educated at Radley College. Captain Thompson was employed at Ford’s motor works at Dagenham and was married with one son and lived in Weybridge.
Buried at Fontenay-le-Pesnel War Cemetery, Tessel, Calvados, France.
Allan Pierce Beau WATSON
Flight Lieutenant, a pilot in the 222 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Reserve. Circumstances of his death are unknown, but he is shown as died 28th November 1945, aged 23.
Allan lived at Allandale (site of the former Oakcroft School) in Coldhabour Road and was the youngest of four sons. He was the great-great grandson of the 18th century journalist and authority on boxing, Mr. Pierce Egan, whose name he shared.
Buried at Sevenoaks (Greatness Park) Cemetery.
Philip Hunter WATTLEWORTH
Flying Officer, in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was fatally injured in a mid-air collision over Cranwell Aerodrome on 19th January 1946, aged 22. He was a pilot instructor, and the cadet was also killed.
Philip had lived at Blackdown Cottage, Forrest Road since 1928. He was educated at Rugby School, and was studying horticulture at Reading University when he volunteered for the RAF in 1942. He received training in Canada, and after returning to England became an instructor at Cranwell.
Buried at Pyrford Church, behind the tower.
Leave a Reply