Talbot Village

Burials and Memorials at Talbot Village St Marks Churchyard
Research by Richard Smith into the lives and deaths of the War Casualties buried or memorialised at St Marks, Talbot Village.
This page provides additional information to that recorded on the Talbot Village War Memorial site and should be read in conjunction with that site.

Additions to Talbot Village War Memorial Roll of Honour

(See the end for some additions re WWII casualties)

BURDEN Albert - Believed to be Albert Burden No. 17706 6th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment

His Army record says that he was born in Wimborne, I think he was Albert Thomas Burden, son of Andrew
Burden, a labourer, and his wife Elizabeth baptised at Hampreston on 6th July 1884. Killed in Action on 7th November 1916 but whose body was not
recovered, commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France Face and Pier 7b. His Army Effects page on his death says his widow was Annie M. Burden. I
think she was Annie Martha Lock who married Albert T. Burden registered at Poole in Oct-Dec. 1913.

THOMAS William - George William Thomas Private No. 16822 1st Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment

Born in St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands son of George Thomas, a boot repairer, and his wife Mary Jane Mellish. In 1911 the family were living
at 1 Allington Terrace, Durngate Street, Dorchester, where George Jnr. was working as a hairdresser, but later moved to 259 Wimborne Road, Winton,
Bournemouth. George died of war wounds in France at the 20th Casualty Clearing Station on 22nd November 1916, and was buried in Warlincourt Halte
British Cemetery, Saulty, France grave No. 111. F. 2.

WILLMOTT Walter Harold Private No. 1726 then 230911 1st/1st Dorset Yeomanry (Queen's Own) and Corps of Hussars

Born in Dorchester in October 1892 son of Walter Charles Willmott, Farrier Major with Dorset Yeomanry, and his wife Emily Annie Swaffield, who were
living at Poole Road, Wallisdown, Bournemouth. By 22nd April 1915 was already serving in Egypt, but on 29th November 1915 he married Ellen Bertha
Elliott (known as Nellie) at Bedfont Green, Middlesex and was noted as a motor driver. He died 28th October 1918 in the Middle East (was it war
wounds or disease?) and was buried in Beirut, Lebanon War Cemetery grave No. 138. Later Nellie married Percy Augustus Davis at Staines, Middlesex
on 23rd August 1919 and they moved to Sydney, Australia on 22nd June 1920, where she died in 1928.

WRIGHT Arthur Able Seaman No. R/ 200 Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Howe Battalion R.N. Division.

Born in Bere Regis, Dorset on 24th September 1889 son of Alfred Augustus Wright, a market gardener, and his wife Emma Evans who lived at "The
Bungalow" 89 Canford Road, Wallisdown, Bournemouth. On 8th November 1908 he sailed to New York from Southampton on S.S. St. Louis and, working as a
butler, applied for citizenship on 20th December 1909 living in Philadelphia. He returned on S.S. Oceanic to Southampton on 7th August
1912, then back to USA from Southampton on Oceanic on 2nd October 1912. He along with a new Wife Lillian Maud Collins then returned back to UK on
Oceanic again on 26th July 1913 - was then a valet. He enlisted in the RNVR on 31st August 1916, was posted to Howe Battalion on 11th December 1916,
but died of war wounds to his chest on 23rd February 1917 at 1st South Midland Casualty Clearing Station and was buried at Dernancourt Communal
Cemetery Extension France in grave No. V1. A. 18. His widow Lilian was living at "Hereitis" Doves Hill Crescent, Ensbury Mount Road,
Bournemouth. They had a son John Alfred Wright - see below.

WRIGHT John Alfred (Arthur) Sergeant No. 1311829 57 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Born in Bournemouth on 13th January 1917 son of Arthur and Lilian Wright above. In 1939 he was living at home with his mother working as a plumber.
In March 1942 at Bournemouth he married Ruth T. Chaldecott. When he joined the RAFVR is not known, but on 22nd July 1942 he was the air gunner in
the crew of a Wellington bomber flying from RAF Feltwell, Norfolk on a raid on Duisburg, Germany, but the plane and all crew were recorded as "lost
without trace" He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial panel 97. His probate granted on 8th September 1943 to his father in law William
Henry Chaldecott for £228 15. 9d. gave their address as that of his mother at 10 Doves Hill Cresent, Ensbury Mount Road, Bournemouth.

Other World War Two Casualties

CARTER Hedley Walter Sergeant No 926380 RAFVR

Refer to the Roll of Honour for family details. He was serving with 1484 (Bomber) Gunnery Flight based at RAF Driffield,
Yorkshire. On 3rd November 1942, aged 20, he was the Observer in an Airspeed Oxford on a night bombing training exercise when, shortly
after take off, several photoflash bombs exploded prematurely causing the plane to crash and Hedley was killed.

CHICK Frederick George Petty Officer No. D/J 113067 HMS Drake Royal Navy

Refer to the Roll of Honour for family details. Born on 19th September 1908, he was a carter when he enlisted as a Boy Sailor on 31st
January 1925 and served until he was invalided out on 31st July 1940, suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis and PVNS (Pigmented Villonodular
Synovitis). He was aged 32 when he died registered at Bournemouth on 15th May 1941, but actual cause of death not found.

COLES Samuel Albert Flying Officer No. 124952 35 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Refer to the Roll of Honour for family details. Was serving with Bomber Command at RAF Graveley, Huntingdonshire,
and was navigator on a Stirling bomber returning from a raid on Dortmund, Germany when the plane crashed trying to land back at Graveley airfield.
Had the plane/engines been damaged by anti aircraft fire over Germany I wonder? One of the crew did survive the crash.

CROUCH Arthur Lewis Leading Aircraftman No. 1268765 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Refer to the Roll of Honour for family details. Arthur was serving with Technical Training Command at RAF Uxbridge, Middlesex when
he died on 17th September 1945 on War Service. His death was registered at Uxbridge but no cause of death found. He was aged 35.

LONG Frank William Chief Joiner No. 45723 HMS Beachy Head, Royal Navy.

Refer to the Roll of Honour for family details. He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 16th September 1926, through to 30th May 1928, having previously
served in HM Army, but his following Register of Seaman's Services from 1928 onward is missing. He married Dorothy Emma Trubridge in Portsmouth
in October 1924, and he died at RN Hospital Haslar, Gosport on 15th April 1946 from multiple carcinomas, e.g. in transverse colon. His address then was
"Midlothian" 110 Howerth Road, Ensbury Park, Bournemouth.

POPLE Edwin George Squadron Leader No. 108977 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Technical Training Command No. 1 Personnel Dispatch Centre.

Refer to the Roll of Honour for family details. He died on 22nd September 1945 at the RAF Hospital, Wroughton, Wiltshire and his address was 149 King
George's Avenue, Southampton. An RAF website contributor says that he was admitted to Wroughton on 20th May 1945, was recorded as dangerously ill on
24th June 1945 and cause of death was ulcer of stomach - but I have not been able to confirm these details.

TAYLOR Hubert Stanley Sergeant No. 1334645 10 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve based at RAF Melbourne, Yorkshire.

Refer to the Roll of Honour for family details. Born on 18th March 1921, in September 1930 he was living with his parents at 133 Columbia Road
Bournemouth working as a clerk in a Gas company. On 5th May 1943 he was the navigator/bomber in the crew of a Halifax bomber returning from a
raid on Dortmund, Germany which was diverting to RAF Leeming owing to foggy weather, but which flew into high ground near Sutton Bank, Yorkshire.
Three of the crew did survive but Hubert aged 22 was killed.

7 April 2025

Richard Smith

orchidgrower@btinternet.com

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