The war memorial at Dulwich Common

[Bellerophon]

Flodden Road Barracks has had a major re-furb since Prof M R D Foots' day and is home to London Irish Regiment (TA) as well as attached Companies.

Had the pleasure of drinks in the mess at High Wood in the early 90's

All sorts of military paraphenalia behind the bar, including a missile, which, if memory serves, wasn't quite as deactivated as everyone thought !

21 SAS ® (them !) also paraded out of there at this time.

One of their number had been no less than a certain Sir Ranulph Fiennes

[macroban]

The Dulwich Society Newsletter 160 Spring 2009 has an article about fighting the Battle of High Wood.

There is also a photographh of a young lady who must be peckham_perkster.

[peckham_perkster]

:-$

Is it possible to get a copy of the newsletter sent to me in Birmingham? I don't mind having someone's copy after they have finished with it, I am presuming it's a paper copy, I looked at the website but there was no mention of the article, though I was probably looking in the wrong place.

This would be to read the article I hasten to add, not to admire photos of myself!:-S

Thanks

[macroban]

Excellent re-dedication service today.

Very good that the Roll was read as part of the service.

Thank you to all who organised this.

MacRoban

[Chener Books]

I came across this by accident.

Surrey Regiment(s) recruitment records

The Surrey Regiments opened an East Dulwich recruitment office in 1914 and the record books still exist.

John K

[JeffJames]

Thanks John K. Could be very useful.

[computedshorty]

I doubt if I can get to any this year.

Its very difficult holding the Standard and my Zimmer.

[Chener Books]

This book published in New Zealand has a detailed minute by minute account of the 15 September 1916 action.

Perhaps someone might persuade Southwark Libraries to acquire a copy.

John K

[edhistory]

The Roll of Honour of the First Surrey Rifles

Non-Commissioned Officers and Riflemen

Killed in action 23 May 1916

Alleyne, George Albert, rfn, 3067

Baker, Frederick Albert, rfn, 3755

Ball, Horace William, rfn, 650102

Beaton, Stanley, rfn, 1556

Beaty, Walter, rfn, 3842

Bird, Frederick Joseph, rfn, 650581

Blackman, George Dullam, sgt, 1656

Bostwick, Ernest, rfn, 3386

Boulter, William John, rfn, 4403

Breakspear, Vincent, rfn, 651106

Burgess, Albert, lcpl, 1577

Bush, Sidney Charles, rfn, 3999

Clark, Lewis, lcpl, 2063

Clee, Frederick James, lcpl, 2561

Cooper, Lewis, rfn, 651033

Davis, William, rfn, 651257

Davis, John Percy, rfn, 3501

Dobson, William John, rfn, 651281

Drake, Henry, rfn, 3537

Duck, Leslie Sidney, sgt, 650022

Eastlake, Frank Wooton, lsgt, 2121

Elger, Marshall, rfn, 651462

Ellwood, Edward Albert, rfn, 650170

Fitch, Frederick Arthur, rfn, 651277

George, Stephen Penry, lcpl, 2426

Hanrahan, Richard, rfn, 650358

Harlock, Edward Arthur William, cpl, 2951

Harman, Jack Pennington, rfn, 651358

Hart, Stewart William, lsgt, 651005

Hobbs, Sidney, rfn, 3436

Howell, George Albert, rfn, 651336

Jackson, Thomas Henry, lcpl, 2769

Jesset, Joseph Richard, sgt, 1708

Jury, Fredrick Ernest, rfn, 651100

Knight, Morlington Nicholls, rfn, 3569

Lambe, Thomas Herbert, rfn, 2818

Lee, Walter George, lcpl, 2132

Merryweather, Charles Samuel, rfn, 650131

Nelson, Leonard, rfn, 650235

Oxlade, Frank, rfn, 650606

Partridge, William, rfn, 651330

Passey, George Leonard, lcpl, 650404

Pile, Ivor, rfn, 651301

Rundle, Albert Thomas, rfn, 1330

Scholfield, Herbert, rfn, 651437

Silvester, Frederick John, lcpl, 2834

Simpson, Charles Edward, rfn, 3866

Smith, Edward, rfn, 651235

Soper, Stanley, rfn, 651219

Spalding, Edwin Samuel, rfn, 650441

Style, William John, rfn, 651186

Suter, George Frederick, sgt, 650014

Telling, William James, rfn, 1629

Thomas, Victor George, rfn, 651332

Throsby, Alfred, rfn, 1173

Vint, Gerald, rfn, 651355

Walsh, Thomas, rfn, 651565

Ward, Henry Sidney, rfn, 651176

Watson, Archibald William, rfn, 651328

White, Edgar, rfn, 651693

White, Frederick, rfn, 3461

Wilson, Ernest Sidney Leonard, rfn, 1321

Wrigley, William, rfn, 3771

Wyllie, John Malcolm, rfn, 650447

Officers

(Where the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has 23 May 1916 as the date of death)

Edmunds. G., 2nd Lieut

Hunte, A.F., 2nd Lieut

[JeffJames]

I wrote the article for The Dulwich Society. During my research, I obtained from the Commonwealth War Graves people the complete 'Roll of Honour' of the First Surreys. I have since given the document to the Lambeth Archive as they hold The First Surreys archive. The archive needs some work to catalogue and identify photographs and documents. Perhaps someone would volunteer to do this. It would be a shame not to have this done properly. I was at Dulwich Common several weeks ago and the Memorial area needs a good tidy-up. I should remind you that The Memorial has nothing to do with the First Surreys. Their Memorial is at St Giles Camberwell.

[edhistory]

Jeff James wrote an excellent article. I hope many people read it.

I support his appeal for the First Surreys' archive to be properly catalogued, presevered, and perhaps digitised.

I chose this thread because our local Cadet Force has the East Dulwich War Memorial as the focus of remembrance for our local Battalion. I am sorry if I have offended anyone.

John K

[Chener Books]

The moderator has removed to the lounge the thread I posted that provides further information about the East Dulwich men who were killed on the Western Front this day 95 years ago.

See here...

John K

[edhistory]

Lest we forget.

[edhistory]

There may be some new arrivals in East Dulwich who do not know the location of our war memorial.

John K

[JeffJames]

The significant Dulwich war memorials can be found in the three cemeteries at Honor Oak. Camberwell Old Cemetery, Camberwell New Cemetery and Nunhead Cemetery all within walking distance of one another. The First World War Memorial in the Camberwell Old Cemetery is impressive, to the right as you go in, and is worth a visit to walk around its 38 acres.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Unfortunately, last year there was no official wreath at C. Old Cemetery which is surprising when you consider that there is a VC recipient buried there (albeit by lottery).

[JeffJames]

As the Dulwich Common memorial has received its fair share of attention, warranted or not. Perhaps the cadets at High Wood barracks can at last redress the balance by acknowledging the more significant memorial at the Camberwell Old Cemetery.

[pp1]

Why and to who, is the memorial in Camberwell Old Cemetery more significant than the memorial at Dulwich Common?

[gedwina]

Does anybody known if there is anything happening this weekend at the Camberwell old cemetery memorial?

[JeffJames]

First off, have you visited the Camberwell Old Cememtery or the New Cemetery or Nunhead Cemetery? The 1/12 (Dulwich) used to hold their parade on ground next to the Grove Tavern. There is some information known about them and they served a useful role in preparing men for army service as a draft finding unit. The Dulwich Common memorial is a testament to them. It has nothing to do with the 21st London Regiment (First Surreys). Their memorial is at St Giles', Camberwell. The 1st battalion, 21st Londons recruited widely throughout London and the Home Counties, about 5% of the casualties at High Wood were from the Camberwell district, of a total of 7 officers and 141 men lost on that afternoon. The 2nd battalion were even more diverse in its make-up. During the course of the FWW both battalions receiving large drafts from other regiments including the East Surrey Regiment and the London Rifle Brigade. 24 of he 2nd battalion were to lose their lives when, as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, they were torpedoed off Alexandria at the year end 1917.

[Vilmos]

It was a really good turn out at the War Memorial this morning. The Pastor of the Church got his congregation there and really boosted the crowd.

There are a couple of issues: There is no sounding of the Last Post and Reveille before and after the Two Minutes Silence and it is sorely missing. I am going to get on to whoever organises the event to see if we cannot get even recordings of the two calls played next year.

The other issue, which I wrote Jonathan Mitchell our local councillor about, was the very dangerous situation that is created by having such a large crowd stood next to a busy road. Something does need to be done about that.

Otherwise I have never seen the memorial so well attended on Remembrance Day. Long may it continue.

[pp1]

I also attended the memorial service today. Echoing the last response it was nice to see so many people there. There was well over 100 people there. Hopefully this will continue.

I have the 2 recordings (reveille and last post). And will happily supply them next year.

[mahonia]

Surprised that no-one has mentioned that the army cadets just up the road clean up the war memorial just before the service and attend the ceremony every year.

[edhistory]

Additional thanks this year to the pastor and congregation who provided a printed order of service and musicians for the hymns.

John K

[James Barber]

The Dulwich Hospital War Memorial was also very well attended this year on Friday with around 50 people.

Very moving to hear all 119 names read aloud.

To think these patients that died didn't die quickly but after many days, weeeks, months of treatment.

I pray my children never have to face a war.