Church wardrobe yields poignant wartime stories of 90 years ago

The names of 52 men who left the quiet lanes and farmsteads of Tortington, near Arundel, more than 90 years ago are recorded in a framed list asking the congregation back home to "Pray for our men who are serving King and Country at the Front".

A separate framed text listing four Tortington men killed in action proclaims: "The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God", with a line drawing of a crucified Christ above row upon row of crosses in a military cemetery.

Research by Dr Frances Hurd, Sussex representative of the Churches Conservation Trust, which cares for the now-redundant St Mary Magdalene Church, has yielded more information about many of the men who went off to the front or served in the Navy.

Their ages ranged from late teens to mid-40s, and census returns showed them in jobs such as carter, cowman, iron foundry labourer, general labourer and agricultural labourer.

Several families experienced the tragedy of losing a son, either killed or missing in action '” only those confirmed dead are on the separate list.

Dreaded telegram

Among them is William Henry French, 18, a private with the Royal West Surrey 1st Bn, who died on September 21, 1918, seven weeks before the war ended, and is buried at Villers Hill British Cemetery, northern France.

William and Elizabeth Nicholson, of 61 Priory Cottages, saw four sons go off to war, but only two returned. Ernest signed up at Arundel with the Royal West Sussex Regiment. He died, aged 26, on May 6,1917, and is buried in the Noeux Les Mines Communal Cemetery near Arras, France.

Less than a year later the dreaded telegram arrived to report that Ernest's brother, Frank, who was married to Annie, had died, aged 28, from his wounds on March 27, 1918, while serving with the Coldstream Guards.

Two more sons, Frederick and Charles, presumably returned safely. The main list also has the names of Sydney and William Nicholson, possibly from the same family.

Dr Hurd was clearing out the vestry with Andrew Webb, who with his wife, Carole is now looking after the 13th century church, when they found the documents under a pile of rubbish at the back of an old wardrobe.

"They were covered in mould and slime," said Dr Hurd, who arranged for the texts to be professionally conserved. They have are now in the safe-keeping of the West Sussex Record Office at Chichester, while two facsimiles will shortly be set up in the church as Tortington's war memorial, followed by a dedication service on November 15.

Family photographs

"These men deserve to be recognised, especially the ones who died," she added. "I should really like to trace any descendants and have them come to the service." Dr Hurd would also be interested in any photographs or personal information their families might have.

At the service, Dr Hurd will give a short talk about the men and their memorials and also hopes to produce a pamphlet to be sold in the church.

Anyone with information about the servicemen should write to Dr Frances Hurd, 2b Hallett Road, Havant, Hants. PO9 2PJ or e-mail [email protected]

THE MEN WHO LEFT TORTINGTON FOR KING AND COUNTRY:

Dr Hurd's research has revealed the following information about the men listed on the documents:

All information about their service in the war is given here. Note that men often moved from one regiment to another, and indeed from one branch of the services to another. In a few cases I know what order these changes came in and their career is given in chronological order, otherwise the information given is all I know and I also don't yet know whether they served in other capacities before or afterwards

The numbers (eg 32507) are service numbers, given wherever known. These changed when the man moved to a different regiment. All addresses given (eg Arundel Arms Cottages) are in Tortington, Sussex. All information is believed to be correct unless preceded by a ??

Information relating to 'wounded', 'prisoner' or 'missing' is taken from the original document at Tortington Church.

William Beasley: wounded

Gilbert Bleathman: 32507 Driver, Royal Engineers. Wounded.

Frederick George Brooks:

Patrick Brooks:

Ralph Bryder: son of Arthur and Lydia Bryder of Arundel Arms Cottages. Born 1895 Northchapel. Aged 19 in 1914. Royal Marines HMS Avoca 16122

Frederick Burdfield: 20331 Royal Sussex Regiment, Private. 73415 Royal Defence Corps, Private. Wounded.

Alfred Chatfield: 70 Church Cottages. 49086 Gunner, 297th Siege Battery, Royal GA.

William Chatfield: 70 Church Cottages. K27218 HMS Commonwealth.

Alfred Clark: Wounded.

Leonard Clark: Wounded

Philip Clark:

Robert Cole:

William George Dempsey: Taken prisoner. ?? 48879 Private Manchester Regiment.

William Elliott: son of Frederick and Frances Elliott of Priory Farm Cottages. Born 1882 ??Metraugh, Sussex. Aged 32 in 1914. Cowman in 1901.

Alexander Ewens: 64 Broad Green Lane. Gunner, 17th Anti Aircraft Corps, RGA, 88520

Ernest Farmer: 68715 B Company, 7th Plat, 17th Royal Fusiliers.

William Henry French: son of Henry and Kate French, 18 Chichester Road. Born 1900 Arundel. Aged 14 in 1914. Enlisted in Brighton. Private Royal West Surrey Ist Bn. Died 21 September 1918 aged 18. Buried Villers Hill British Cemetery, Villers-Guislain.

George W. Geering:

Albert J. Gibbins: Wounded

Ernest G. Gibbins:

Henry W. Gibbins: 60 Priory Cottages. Royal Marine, HMS Cochrane. 16126.

Arthur Grinnell:

Charles Horn:

Stanley Horn:

William H. Hull: 60 Priory Cottages. HMS Ulster 236581.

Edward, Frederick and George Mant were all sons of James and Ellen Mant of Climping. They were all three born in Climping. Separate information for each of them is as follows:

Edward Mant: 71 Church Cottages. Born 1892. Aged 22 in 1914. K14768 HMS Speedwell.

Frederick Mant: Born 1881. Aged 33 in 1914. 1901 carter. Private Leicestershire Regiment 7th Bn 43039. Wounded and missing. Has no known grave. Name is listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Panel 50/51 (photograph of the memorial and the panel provided by informant)

George J. Mant: Born 1895. Aged 19 in 1914.

Joseph Matthews: Chichester Road. Born 1882, Barnham. Aged 32 in 1914. Agricultural labourer in 1901. 2/6th Royal Warwick Transport Section 24184

Robert G. Matthews:

William Matthews: Chichester Road. 3rd Mess HMS Marjoram.

Frederick Mills: Wounded.

Charles, Ernest, Frank and Frederick Nicholson were all sons of William and Elizabeth Nicholson of 61 Priory Cottages, and were all born at Edburton. Possibly Sidney and William Nicholson were too but there is no evidence to prove so at present. The separate information on each of them is as follows:

Charles Nicholson: 162877 101st Berks and Bucks Machine Gun Cy

Ernest Nicholson: Born 1891. Aged 23 in 1914. Enlisted Arundel. Royal West Sussex 2nd Bn L/10566. Died aged 26 on 6 May 1917 and is buried in the Noeux les Mines Communal Cemetery, which was used by the 7th Casualty Clearing Station.

Frank Nicholson: Born 1889.Aged 25 in 1914. Carter's boy in 1901. Enlisted Ascot (resident of Guildford at the time). Married to Annie. Coldstream Guards 2nd Bn 21382. Died of wounds 27 March 1918. Buried in Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension no. 1.

Frederick Nicholson: 4th Bn Rifle Brigade 56707

Sidney Nicholson:

William Nicholson:

Edward Oram: 66 Rookery Cottages. Private 11th West Yorks. 51618

Robert Richmond Raymond Ralph: Royal Sussex G/4861; Private 75920 2/2 London R/F; RAF Sgt 370182 (?? two different people]

Thomas Ralph:

Leonard Spiers: Wounded

Charles Standing:

William Standing:

James Harold Stedman: The Arundel Arms. Born 1897, Tortington. Son of James and Emily Stedman, who were innkeepers from London. Aged 17 in 1914. 381 Co, MT, Army Service Corps, 404735

Arthur J. Suter: Brickfield Cottage. Born 1869, Arundel. Aged 45 in 1914. General labourer married to Eliza in 1901. Private, Army Service Corps, 209314.

Ernest Parker:

Albert, Charles Aylwin, and Leonard Upperton were all sons of Walter and Mary Ann Upperton of Rookery Cottages, and were all born at North Stoke. Possibly Joseph James Upperton was too, but there is no evidence to prove so at present. The separate information on each of them is as follows:

Albert Upperton: Born 1883. Aged 31 in 1914. In 1901 was labourer in the iron foundry, lodging with the Carter family of California Terrace as their nephew.

Charles Aylwin Upperton: Mile House Lodge. Born 1885. Aged 29 in 1914. Royal Sussex Regiment 8945, then Corporal A Section 221 Machine Gun Corps A Coy 30th Bn 94239. Died 8 September 1918 aged 33. Buried at Wulvergham-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery.

Joseph James Upperton: Wounded

Leonard Upperton: Mile House Lodge. Born 1890. Aged 24 in 1914. L-Cpl, 1st Armd Motor Bty, Peshawar, India, 163418

Leonard G. Wilson.