Stapleford War Dead

The Stapleford servicemen who died in World War I and World War II are recorded in St Andrew’s church. Here Christine Ruse, a History Society member, has added details of the units in which they served and the circumstances of their deaths. She would be glad to do further research with other volunteers to gather more information about the life-stories of these people and their families. If you would be interested in joining a research group for this purpose, please contact John Street, the Secretary.

WORLD WAR I

Fredrick William THAKE Died 17 th October, 1915

Private in the Suffolk Regiment, killed in action, Flanders

Colin Arthur MADDISON Died 25 th April, 1916

Born 1893. Eldest Son and brother of B.A. Maddison, below.

John HALL Died 3 rd June 1916

Private in Cambs Regt. Died of Wounds at Flanders. Husband of Hannah

Mary Hall, nee WILLIS, Left 3 small boys. Had worked on the Magog Estate.

Joseph Allen SLIPPER Died 27 th July, 1916

Corp. Royal Engineers. Died of wounds. Aged 23, he had emigrated to

Canada but returned to fight.

Ellam George ELBOURNE Died 18 th August, 1916

Private in the Suffolk Regt. Died in the 2 nd Battle of Flanders.

Richard John ELBOURNE Died 13 th November, 1916

London Regiment, Royal Fusiliers. Killed Flanders, France.

Brian Armitage MADDISON Died 23th January 1917

Sub Lt. Royal Navel Reserve, died in naval action in the North Sea.

Harry COX Died 6 th September 1918

A private in the 1sr Battalon, Cambridgeshire Regt, he died of wounds in Flanders, France.

Frederick Maxwell HAWES Died 14 th September, 1917

Flt Lt. Flying corp. Died in flying accident over Herts. Son of Vicar.

Alex Peter WHITE Died 20 th September, 1917

A Rifleman in the King’s Liverpool Regiment, he died in France. He was the husband of Bertha Mary White, of Stapleford.

Harry RIDER Died 20th October, 1917

Private in Suffolk Regiment, died of wounds.

Graham TOWERS Died 17 th November, 1917

Royal Flying Corps. Cranwell Central Depot Training Est. Died under instruction for Royal Naval Air Service.

Sidney Ephriam COX Died 25 th November, 1917

A private in the Suffolk Regiment, he died of wounds received at Flanders, France.

Alfred Thomas CHAPMAN Died 22nd March 1918

Aged35, a Private in the Royal Hampshire Regt. Died at Flanders. Born at Exning, Suffolk. Wife lived in Norwich Street. Cambridge.

Reginald Percy PAYNE Died 23rd April, 1918

Able Seaman, H.M.Destroyer, died in naval battle at Zeebrugge.

Arthur Cyril Heffer CHALK Died 4 th June, 1918

Rifleman in Kings Royal Rifles, from ‘Brooklands’, died from septic poisoning after many months recovering from wounds received.

William JENNINGS Died 18 th Sept. 1918

There is a mistake, either on the Church Memorial or, unlikely, War Records. These show that a Corporal William Jennings, born Stapleford, enrolled at Sawston into the Cambs Reg.

Died in action at Flanders 23 rd Sept. 1916.

Sidney DEAN Died 16 th January 1920

Corp. In R.A.S.C (M.T) Died at Addenbrookes, from War Wounds.

WORLD WAR II

John Edmund BEADLE Chief Petty Officer employed in Bomb Disposal in the London Docks, where he was blown up on 20/12/40. He was awarded the civilian George Medal.He left a wife and son. Brought up in Church Street, Stapleford, by Mr & Mrs Stallen, along with his three sisters.

Frederick Richard (Reginald) BERRY Flight Lt. Aged 21, Royal Air force Volunteer Reserve. Died 21.2.46.

Husband of Doris Berry, Cambridge. Son of Mrs Andrews, Haverhill Road, by her first marriage, step-brother to Evelyn.

Sidney George BIGGS. Private in Cambs Regt. Died whilst prisoner of war in Thailand 19.5.44. Married, lived at Bridgend Stapleford.

Hubert James DEAN. Aged 36, Aircraftsman 1 st Class. Died 7.11.44.

He left a wife, Peggy, of Gt. Shelford.

John Lionel FOST Private in the Green Howard Regt. Died 14.8.47

He lived in Middlefield Cottage, Haverhill Road, with his parents and at least 2 sisters. He came home after the war with a very virulent strain of T.B. contracted as a prisoner of war and forced to march from Italy to Germany over the Alps. He died at home. His mother and one sister caught the same strain of T.B. and also died.

Walter Gordon HOPPITT Died at sea, 7.11.41

Gunner in Royal Artillery, 4, Maritime Regt.

Sydney Gordon JELLIS Died 27 th June, 1943.

Flt Sgt in R.A.F. Vol. Reserve.

Arthur Henry Thomas MOULE

Private in Cambs Reg. Died in Japanese hands

Frederick SADLER

Private in the Essex Regt. Killed in Action 10.1.44 in Italy.

Ernest Charles William SPEED 

Aged 28. Gunner in Royal Artillary, died 20.6.42 in Middle East.

Frederick John ( William) SPEED

Private in the Cambs Regiment. 24 years, Eldest son of Mr & Mrs Speed, 9,

Poplar Terrace, Stapleford.

Missing in Malaya.

Adam John Rivers STEELE Reported Missing on 7/6/40 in France.

Lt. in Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry