In Remembrance (Great Massingham)

ALLCOCK Charles William

Chief Stoker 288696, H.M.S. Africa, Royal Navy. Died 11th March 1916. Aged 37. Son of Charles and Margaret Allcock; husband of Alice Allcock, of Great Massingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk. Awarded Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Buried in DALMENY AND QUEENSFERRY CEMETERY, West Lothian, Scotland. Grave 1408.

BARNES George

Private 26542, 14th (Service) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. Killed in action 17th September 1916 in France & Flanders. Born and resident Great Massingham, enlisted Norwich. Buried in EUSTON ROAD CEMETERY, COLINCAMPS, Somme, France. Plot III. Row M. Grave 4.

BECK Frank

Private 9683, 1st Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. Killed in action 1st July 1916 in France & Flanders. Born Great Massingham, enlisted Great Yarmouth, resident King's Lynn. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France.  Face 2 C.

BIRD Herbert

Lance Corproal 60273, 101st Company Labour Corps. Died of wounds 17th May 1918 in France & Flanders. Aged 36. Born Massingham, enlisted King's Lynn, resident Great Massingham. Son of William and Jane Bird, of Great Massingham, King's Lynn. Formerly Private 26975, 34th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Buried in ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN, Seine-Maritime, France. Plot Q. II. Row K. Grave 7.

GAGE Sidney (William)

Private 30018, 9th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 25th March 1917 in France & Flanders. Aged 22. Born Great Massingham, enlisted Norwich. Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Gage, of Great Massingham, King's Lynn. Buried in VERMELLES BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot V. Row A. Grave 44.

GEORGE Albert

Private 320367, 12th (Norfolk Yeomanry) Battalion, Nofolk Regiment. Killed in action 12th October 1918 in France & Flanders. Born Great Massingham, enlisted Norwich. Buried in UNDERHILL FARM CEMETERY, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Row D. Grave 3.

GOLL John William

Private 29241, 8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action 18th September 1918 in France & Flanders. Aged 19. Born Great Massingham, enlisted Norwich, resident Northrepps. Son of Mr. W. and Mrs. R. Goll, of Great Massingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk. Buried in STE. EMILIE VALLEY CEMETERY, VILLERS-FAUCON, Somme, France. Plot I. Row B. Grave 4.

GOODWIN Barbara Ellen

[Listed as Barbara Ellen Goodwin on CWGC] Member 611, Aeroplane Repair Shops, Women's Royal Air Force. Died 4th November 1918. Age 24. Daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Harvey, of Hill House, Great Massingham; wife of Walter Goodwin, of Derby.. 
Buried in the Churchyard

The only WRAF casualty from Narborough Aerodome. Remembered with Honour at The Women's National Memorial Screen at York Minster.

The Women’s Royal Air Force was established on 1 April 1918. Originally set up to create a corps of female mechanics, the WRAF soon expanded to include several other non-combat roles, such as drivers, caterers, clerks, tailors, and other positions.

Barbara, one of eight children, was born in 1894 in Stow Bedon, England.

Previously working as a barmaid, Barbara enlisted with the WRAF on 2 April 1918. Interestingly, on her application, Barbara stated she was only prepared to work if she could travel from King’s Lynn station.

She was assigned to the 7th Wing Headquarters in King’s Lynn and was employed as a mechanic in the repair shops of Narborough Aerodrome.

Narborough was the largest aerodrome in the country and the place of employment for many WRAF members. Barbara’s sister Mary joined up later in 1918 and worked alongside her at Narborough.

Despite being away from the slaughter of the Western Front, workers like Barbara were still vulnerable to sickness.

Sadly, this seems to be the case with Barbara. She contracted influenza on 4 November 1918, just a week shy of the Armistice.

Barbara was the only WRAF servicewoman at Narborough to die during the First World War. Her funeral was attended by many of her Narborough colleagues, with the WRAF members forming a guard of honour.

Barbara was just 24 years old when she passed away. 

HOLSEY Horace (Arthur)

Private 40777, "B" Company, 7th (SDGW states 1st/8th) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. Died of wounds in United Kingdom 5th September 1918. Aged 30. Born Great Massingham, enlisted Mexborough, Yorkshire, resident Shirebrook, Derbyshire. Son of William Holsey; husband of Grace Holsey, of 14, York Rd., Shirebrook, Mansfield. Born at Great Massingham. Formerly 3799, Military Foot Police. Buried in the Churchyard

HOWARD (Robert) William

Private 320317, 12th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in Palestine 8th December 1917. Aged 27. Born Great Massingham, enlisted Norwich. Son of James and Anna Howard, of Great Massingham, Lynn, Norfolk. Buried in JERUSALEM WAR CEMETERY, Israel. Row B. Grave 62.

JARVIS Ernest C

probably Ernest JARVIS, Corporal B/3025, 7th Battalion, Rifle Brigade. Killed in action 18th August 1916 in France & Flanders. Born King's Lynn, enlisted London, resident Norfolk. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAl, Somme, France. Pier and Face 16 B and 16 C.

MOORE Thomas Richard

Rifleman 913, 18th (London) Battalion (Territorial), Rifle Brigade. Accidentally drowned at Diamond Island, Burma, 15th November 1916. Aged 36. Enlisted Waltham Abbey, resident Muswell Hill. Son of Richard and Susan Moore, of Great Massingham, Kings Lynn; husband of Kathleen E. Moore, of 33, Everington Rd., Muswell Hill, London. Posted to the 18th Battalion, Rifle Briagde 30th October 1915. Enlisted in the Middlesex Regiment 11th June 1915. With Indian Expeditionary force from 26th November 1915. Supposedly 39 years old when he enlisted but CWGC gives his age at death as 36. Address on enlistment 1 Firs Avenue, Muswell Hill, London. Formerly 20303, 7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. No known grave. Commemorated on TAUKKYAN MEMORIAL, Taukkyan War Cemetery, Myanmar (previously Burma).

POWLEY Ernest William

Private 7069, 1st/9th Battalion, Durham lIght Infantry. Died 7th February 1917 in France & Flanders. Aged 34. Enlisted Norfolk. Son of Paul and Susan Powley, of Great Massingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk; brother of Peter (below). Buried in HAMBURG CEMETERY, Germany. Plot IV. Row G. Grave 8.

POWLEY Peter

Lance Corporal 13653, 8th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 19th July 1916 in France & Flanders. Aged 26. Born Harpley, enlisted Norwich. Son of Paul and Susan Powley, of Great Massingham, King's Lynn; brother of Ernest (above). No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAl, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 1 D.

READER Charles Edward

Lance Corporal 32481, 14th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Killed in action 27th Septmber 1918 in France & Flanders. Born Newton Castleacre, enlisted King's Lynn, resident Great Massingham. Formerly 32400, Lancers. Buried in GOUZEAUCOURT NEW BRITISH CEMETERY, Nord, France. Plot VI. Row H. Grave 11.

SILLIS Harry

Private G/9303, 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment attached 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action 10th October 1917. Aged 33. Born Great Massingham, enlisted King's Lynn. Son of Mary Sillis, of 4, Church Lane, Great Massingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk, and the late Robert Sillis. No known grave. Commemorated on TYNE COT MEMORIAL, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 86 to 88.

SKIPPER John Willie

Sergeant 10602, 9th Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment). Died of wounds 9th October 1916 in France & Flanders. Aged 27. Born King's Lynn, enlisted Middlesborough, resident Northampton. Eldest son of John and Mary Skipper, of Massingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk; husband of Minnie E. Wooding (formerly Skipper), of Castle Ashby, Northampton. Buried in DERNANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Plot III. Row F. Grave 31.

TOOKE Aubone Henry

Private 50736, 16th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. Killed in action 3rd April 1918 in France & Flanders. Aged 19. Born Gayton Thorpe, enlisted King's Lynn. Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Tooke, of 14, Castleacre Rd., Great Massingham, King's Lynn. Formerly 51078, Suffolk Regiment. Buried in QUESNOY FARM MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Row B. Grave 8.

WARNES Horace

orporal 240158, 1st/5th Battalion (Territorial Force), Norfolk Regiment. Died in Palestine 19th April 1917. Aged 24. Born Little Massingham, enlisted Great Massingham. Son of George and Anna Elizabeth Warnes, of Great Massingham, King's Lynn. No known grave. Commemorated on JERUSALEM MEMORIAl, Israel. Panels 12 to 15.

WHITBY Arthur G

No further information currently

WHITBY Albert Watson

Corporal 1884, 1st/5th Battalion (Territorial Force), Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action at Gallipoli 28th August 1915. Born and enlisted Great Massingham. No known grave. Commemorated on HELLES MEMORIAL, Turkey. Panel 42 to 44.

1939- 1945

W E DADSWELL

Private D38105 The Royal Norfolk Regiment Died 27th October 1940. Buried in the Churchyard.

HARVEY Dudley

Lance Sergeant 865843, 118/30 Light A.A. Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died 24th December 1944. Aged 23. Born at Great Massingham on the 11th December 1921. Son of Frederick Samuel and Kathleen May Harvey, of Great Massingham, Norfolk. Buried in FORLI WAR CEMETERY, Italy. Plot II. Row C. Grave 18.