Blandford School War Memorial
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The main details of these men and their next of kin are taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. With thanks to Colin Kaile, Frank Pike, Freda Dunn [nee Wetherall], Anne Lamham [nee Upshall], and David Kaile for their help in confirming details and passing on anecdotes. Please point out any errors to the editor.
Colin Kaile suggests that the men of WWI would have been Blandford Secondary School and WWII Blandford Grammar School - not all who went to school in Blandford are on the same memorial as some of those from Blandford Elementary School also gave their lives.
In Memory of Private B J ARSCOTT 15085,
8th Bn., Somerset Light Infantry who died age 25 on 1st July 1916.
Son of Walter and E. Mary Arscott, of 23, Salisbury St., Blandford.
Remembered with honour GORDON DUMP CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE II O 4.
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In Memory of Private WILLIAM HARRY BASTABLE 266964,
1st/7th Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment who died age 27 on 11th August 1917.
Son of Mr. H. E. and Elizabeth Bastable, of Manston, Sturminster Newton.
Remembered with honour YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
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In Memory of Captain ALFRED DOUGLAS CHERRY ,
Dorsetshire Regiment attd., Somerset Light Infantry who died age 28 on 4thApril 1917.
Son of Alfred and Florence Cherry, of Blandford; Dorset.
Remembered with honour WANCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY IV. A. 7.
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In Memory of Private KENNETH CHARLES CHERRY 3799,
1st/15th Bn., London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles) who died age 22 on 21st December 1915.
Son of Alfred and Florence Cherry, of Milldown House, Blandford, Dorset.
Remembered with honour LOOS MEMORIAL Panel 132.
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In Memory of Private GILBERT ARTHUR FRY 515850,
1st/14th Bn., London Regiment (London Scottish) who died age 19 on 31st August 1918.
Son of John David and Mildred Annie Fry, of Bath Rd., Sturminster Newton.
Remembered with honour BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX
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In Memory of Private STANLEY GEORGE 50092,
Imperial Camel Corps who died age 29 on 1st May 1918.
Son of Thomas and Louie George, of Park Rd., Blandford.
Remembered with honour JERUSALEM MEMORIAL Panel 7
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In Memory of Corporal JUSTUS WATTS GEORGE 333,
Dorset Yeomanry (Queen's Own) who died age 25 on 21st August 1915.
Son of Thomas and Louisa Anna Maria George, of Park Rd., Blandford.
Remembered with honour HELLES MEMORIAL Panel 17 and 18
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In Memory of Private A W MESHER 125312,
31st Bn., Machine Gun Corps who died age 22 on 29th June 1918.
Son of William and Kate Mesher, of 1, Oakwood Cottage, London Road, Mitcham, Surrey. Born at Pimperne, Dorset.
Remembered with honour CINQ RUES BRITISH CEMETERY, HAZEBROUCK H. 4.
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In Memory of Private 2nd Class ROBERT ROBINSON , 195485,
Royal Air Force Aged 23 who died 28 th October 1918.
Son of Richard and Marie Robinson, of 64, Nightingale Rd., Harlesden, London.
Remembered at BLANDFORD CEMETERY Grave ref 1253.
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In Memory of Ordinary Seaman F L WYATT , Bristol Z/1827, R.N. Depot (Crystal Palace)., Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who died age 18 on 31st December 1916.
Son of Arthur L. and Elizabeth Wyatt, of Blandford.
Remembered with honour BLANDFORD CEMETERY grave 311
2ND WORLD WAR
In Memory of Lance Bombardier FREDERICK LESLIE BUNCE 1453578,
310 Bty., 72 H.A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery who died on 12th March 1941.
Son of Louis Leslie and Ethel Mary Bunce, of St Leonards Avenue, Blandford.
Remembered with honour BLANDFORD CEMETERY grave 125.
According to Ann Upshall [now Lamham] he was the son of Mr Bunce the shoe shop owner. She was at school with him.
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In Memory of 2nd Lieutenant LIONEL GEORGE WILLIAM CARTER 137176,
Royal Engineers, who died age 20 on 10th October 1940.
Son of Edgar and Grace Carter, of West Wickham, Kent.
Remembered with honour LANGTON LONG BLANDFORD (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD, west of the church.
They lived in Whitecliff Mill Street. He served in Bomb Disposal RE and was blown up when defusing a bomb. Colin Kaile thinks the school lined the route of his funeral - down Damory Street and up Langton Road.
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IW DUNN - In Memory of Sergeant JOHN HENRY DUNN 1337677,
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 20 on 24th April 1944.
Son of William and Isobel Dunn, of Lyndhurst, Hampshire.
Remembered with honour RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL.
He was known as Ian - Scots for John - and is also remembered on Durweston War Memorial as his father was Head Groom for Lord Portman.
He was a navigator with Bomber Command and it is believed that he went down in the North Sea. He was a successful athlete, a good all distance runner, and excellent boxer. Colin Kaile remembers him picking up 10/- for lasting 3 rounds at a travelling boxing booth. The boys always said that they had no chance on Sports Day competing against “Scotchy” Dunn.
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In Memory of Signalman HENRY LLOYD FLETCHER P/JX 220407.
H.M. Tug Barwick, Royal Navy who died age 23 on 18 May 1943
Son of Henry and Louisa Fletcher, of Pimperne, Dorset.
Remembered with honour PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL.
Lloyd Fletcher lived at Pimperne next to the Parish Room. He was in the Navy and lost his life in the Med. His name is on the Memorial Gate at Pimperne Church.
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In Memory of Sergeant LEONARD GEORGE GOLDIE 745606,
115 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 26 on 1st October 1940.
Son of Oswald Burt Goldie and Caroline Alice Goldie, of Blandford.
Remembered with honour REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY 26.G.1.
Len Goldie lived in Queens Road. The family had a garage business which was opposite the Crown Hotel gardens, it is now a restaurant. He had a brother Harold who spent some years in the army. There is possibly a stone in Blandford St Mary Cemetery. He was shot down in a Wellington.
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In Memory of Flight Sergeant JACK GREENFIELD 1315254,
196 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 20 on 13th May 1943.
Son of Ernest and Florence Greenfield; husband of Eunice Greenfield, of Carharrack, Cornwall.
Remembered with honour RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
JACK Greenfield lived in St Leonards Terrace and was a pilot of a Wellington Bomber. He was posted as missing in 1943 but it is thought that they found no grave. He had a brother, who was at BGS and won a scholarship to Bryanston School. His younger brother Peter still lives in Blandford.
David Kaile writes ‘I was five years of age at the outbreak of the Second World War and Jack Greenfield was my hero. He was the eldest of three brothers (Jack, Roy and Peter) and became a bomber pilot in the R.A.F . My parents and his were family friends, having previously been next door neighbours at St Leonard's Terrace, Blandford, before the Greenfields moved to live in Salisbury Road. On Jack's leaves before being lost in action he used to bring me models of bomber aircraft which colleagues of his had carved from odd bits of wood. He married a girl called Eunice, who I believe was in the WRAF, and who came from Kidderminster - I think she remarried after the war. There used to be regular radio broadcasts during the war listing all those known to be prisoners of war, and after Jack went missing in action, his parents listened to all such broadcasts desperately hoping to hear his name, but it never was.
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In Memory of Aircraftman 2nd Class MICHAEL HORACE JUPE 1866873,
616 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 18 on 21st June 1943.
Son of Robert and Dorothy Jupe, of Sturminster Newton.
Remembered with honour STURMINSTER NEWTON CEMETERY Sec. F. Grave 13.
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In Memory of Sergeant JOSEPH HENRY MILLER 905995,
44 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 8th May 1942.
Remembered with honour RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
I HAVE NO POSITIVE PROOF THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT MAN
Joe Miller lived in Orchard Street and had an older brother Ted who was also at BGS and was a good ¼ miler. Joe was aircrew, an observer. Colin Kaile remembers him playing cricket at Shroton, ‘He was a joker with a dry sense of humour, when going up the hill up to Stourpaine he told Johnny New [father of Keith New] who was driving an old Riley, that the car was on fire. “He's on fire John” - “No he isn't Joe” - “He b… is”. Just a lot of smoke and a laugh of course.‘
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In Memory of Sergeant ROBERT LEONARD PERRY 1315441,
103 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 21 on 25th July 1943.
Son of Robert and Hilda Perry, of Blandford, Dorset.
Remembered with honour RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL Panel 161.
Bob Perry lived at the School House [now Archbishop Wake] in Nursery Road. His father was Headmaster there.
He had a younger brother, John.
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In Memory of Private SAMUEL JAMES RIDOUT 5729515,
5th Bn., East Yorkshire Regiment who died age 24 on 27th October 1944.
Son of Jack and Ann Ridout; husband of Florence Eileen Ridout, of Lower Bourne, Surrey.
Remembered with honour ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY
SAM's father had a smallholding in Fiddleford, the last house on left before Piddles Wood. He was killed in Italy. His brother Maurice was in same class as Colin Kaile. ‘Last time I saw him was in 1943 when boarding a train at Templecombe - he had 48 hours leave from Aldershot just prior to a' Sunday School outing' to Normandy. Maurice was with Freddie Corbin also from Fiddleford and in my class - both Naval wireless operators - I never saw them again.'
Connie Gutteridge who still lives in Sturminster Newton was a cousin of Sam & Maurice. The above details have been confirmed by her as she was his cousin. She remembered that he had been blown up by a mine at Arnhem, and he was the son of her Uncle Jack.
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In Memory of Sergeant KENNETH ROBERT JAMES WARREN 1318718,
103 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 22 on 4th May 1944.
Son of Walter and Kate Warren, of Blandford, Dorset.
Remembered with honour CHALONS-EN-CHAMPAGNE EAST COMMUNAL CEMETERY Sec. T. Coll. grave 1940
It is thought he has a brother who still lives in Blandford who used to work in Hobbs. Freda Wetherall would like to get in touch with him. This turns out to be incorrect according to John Thorne. He spoke to Phil Warren [?] and was told it was a different family.
Ken was a good left arm bowler. He was also the first Steward of Blandford British Legion
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Leading Cook A. K. WELLSTEAD HMS Sheffield
HMS Sheffield sailed from Portsmouth on November 19th 1981 for a patrol in the Arabian Gulf. After taking part in a major Mediterranean exercise, and four days before her planned return to Portsmouth, the ship was diverted to the South Atlantic on April 2nd 1982, within hours of the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands. While on forward radar picket duty about 70 miles south and east of Stanley, on Sunday May 4th, the Type 42 destroyer was struck amidships by an Exocet missile fired from Argentine Naval Super Etendard aircraft. The missile's warhead failed to explode, but the resulting fires quickly spread, and the ship had to be abandoned.
Adrian was among 20 who died in the attack. Only the body of Petty Officer David Briggs DSM was recovered; the rest lie in the ship, now a registered war grave where she sank on May 9th, whilst under tow.
Taken from: http://www.sama82.org/garden/0/8/2/home.htm
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Those whose details are still to be found are listed below:
World War 1
J Davis, S Broadbent, H F Cluett, R W Durdle, B H Ford
A G Munden, R I Richards, F M Sims, D A Smith
World War 2
D Alexander, S Brown, W Brown, R Candy, A S Cole
C J Goddard, J Miller, T Oliver
If anyone has any information about these men Jill Floyd would be pleased to include it in another article next year. Any errors in the above can be corrected.
If anyone has any information please send a message to the Blandford Forum OPC and the details will be passed on.