Darby, William John
Born in 1886 at Burton Bradstock, son of Richard & Anna Darby.
During the war he was a Lance Corporal in the Royal Marine Artillery. Service No. PLY/4689
He died on the 5
th
of April 1917 on SS Calliope after she was torpedoed by the German
submarine U-65 (Hermann von Fischel)
Buried in Trapani Town Cemetery, Italy, plot I, row 4A.
IN MEMORIAM - World War 1
Contemporary
Billett, Arthur Summers
Born on the 20
th
of July 1882 at Bruton, Somerset, the son of James and Ellen Billett (nee Tilbury).
Baptised on the 17
th
of November 1882 at Bruton.
On the 1891 census he is shown as living in Wyke Regis. On the 1901 and 1911 censuses he
was recorded at the Eastney Royal Marine Artillery Barracks, Portsmouth.
On the 28th of February 1911 he married Laura Minnie Billett of White Cross, Litton Cheney,.
She appears on the 1911 Litton Cheney census as Laura Minnie Pitcher, daughter of Louis
Pitcher, baker, at White Cross, Litton Cheney.
During the war he was a gunner with the Royal Marine Artillery. Service No. RMA/9392
(R.M.R/B/1241) (Po).
He died on the 19th of March 1918 aged 36 on SS Burnstone when she was torpedoed by the
German submarine UB-62 (Bernhard Putzier). His body was not recovered for burial.
Commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial Panel 30.
In Honoured Memory of the Men of this Parish who died during the First World War
Chainey, William John
Born in Litton Cheney in 1886, the son of Eli and Elizabeth
Chainey. Baptised on the 31
st
of October 1886.
On the 1911 census for Bridport he is shown as living at
Clayhanger, servant to George James and Cora Maud Cox
During the war he was a private in the 2nd Battalion
Dorsetshire Regiment. Service No. 16907
He fought in Mesopotamia where he died on the 25
th
of March
1917
Buried in Al Basra War Cemetery, Iraq. Plot: Panels 22 and 63.
Collins, Albert Thomas
Born in 1885 in Litton Cheney. Baptised on the 26
th
of December 1885 at Puncknowle.
Litton Cheney Bellringer. Married Bessie Foot on 6
th
June 1913.
During the war he was a private with the ¼th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment. Service No. 201210.
He fought in Mesopotamia where he died on the 1
st
of June 1918.
Buried in Baghdad War Cemetery Ref. XII L5
Fry, Charles Edward
Charles Fry, born on 26th December 1881 in Dorchester, Dorset, was
the son of Thomas and Anna Fry of “Baglake”, Litton Cheney, Dorset.
He was married to Hilda Sophie, née Watson, on 4 September 1916.
He attended Dover College 1895-1901, where he was head prefect
in his final year. Whilst at Merton he was President of the Boat Club
in 1903/4.
In 1906, he became an Assistant Classics Master at Manchester
Grammar School, and set up the school’s rowing club.
On the outbreak of war he applied to become an officer with the
Public Schools’ Battalion, returning to Manchester to work with the
school’s Officer Training Corps. Gazetted to the Royal Field Artillery,
he left for France in 1915.
He was killed on 17th April 1917, aged 35, along with three other
members of his gun team, by a direct hit during a bombardment near the village of Athies, on the
outskirts of Arras.
He is buried in Anzin-St Aubin British Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France, and is also
commemorated on the Cheadle Hulme Memorial (as T C Fry), and on the war memorial at St
Mary’s Church, Litton Cheney, Dorset.
Fry, Walter Louis
Born in 1897, son of George and Annie Charlotte Fry of The Paddocks, Litton Cheney.
During the war he was a private with the 1st Battalion, West Ontario Regiment, Canadian
Infantry. Service No. 6682
He died on the 29
th
of May 1915 aged 18.
Buried in Choques Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France I. C. 82
Northover, Reginald George
Born in April 1884 at Litton Cheney, son of George and Jane (nee
Cheney) Northover. Baptised 15th of June 1884..A Litton Cheney
Bellringer.
Jane Northover died in 1884. George then married Amelia
Trowbridge on the 29
th
of January 1885. George died in January
1888 whereupon Amelia became head of the household.
Enlisted on the 24
th
of October 1904 for 12 years. Height 5 feet 4 inches. brown hair, grey eyes,
fresh complexion. Postman prior to enlisting.
Stoker 1st Class on HMS Queen Mary. Service No. 307832
He died on the 31
st
of May 1916 at the Battle of Jutland. Body not recovered for burial.
He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 19.
Walker, William Archibald Smail
Not found in any census - probably because he lived in India.
Bon of Born in Dum-Dum India on the 31st of October 1874, the
son of Major General Alexander Walker (C.S.I.R.A.) and Anne
Yewdale Lambert Smail. Educated at. Dulwich College and
Sandhurst.
Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, unattached, Indian Army, on the 10
th
of
October 1804. Attached to the. Was promoted Lieutenant on the
27
th
November 1897, Captain on the 10
th
of October 1903, and
Major on the 10
th
of October 1912. He served with the 45th Sikhs
and the 40th Pathans and was posted to the 46th Punjabis on their
formation.
He took part in the operations on the N.W. Frontier of India, 1897-
8, including the Defence of Malakand, action at Landakai and
operations in Bajaur (medal with two clasps), and in the Tirah
Expedition 1897-8 (clasp), and was afterwards employed with the
King’s African Rifles from the 25
th
of November 1903 to 10
th
of May
1906.
After the outbreak of the European War, he was sent,in January 1915, with a double company to British East Africa and
attaced to the 130th Baluchis (King George’s Own). He was commmanding a section of the outpost line with headquarters at
Mzima on the Tsava River.
While visiting sentry groups with an escort of seven men on the 12th of April 1915, he came on the spoor of a large party of
Germans. He followed this up for some way in order to- locate the enemy. Whilst returning he was ambushed by a smaller
party of Germans, who were following the main force, and he and two men were shot.
He was buried on the banks of the Tsava River. The grave was marked by a cairn of stones; the two men who fell with him
were buried by his side.
A brother officer wrote: “I knew him for a fearless man. He was with my regiment in the Tirah Expedition in 1897. I have never
met a braver soldier ”. Another wrote “His escort, Dogras and Gurkhas, five of whom managed to get away, all bear great
testimony to his fearlessness and gallantry. He gave the orders with his last breath for his men to scatter; such is necessary in
the bush. He is a great loss to us and to our country, we can ill spare such men.”
He married, at Peshawar, N.W.P., on the 30
th
of April 1913, Marion Balfour Crick, youngest daughter of. Frederick William
Crick, M.A. rector of Litton Cheney, Dorset. Their daughter Anne Margaret was born on the 21
st
of January 1914
Weller, Thomas Robert
Born in July 1880 at Litton Cheney, son of John Weller and Mary Anne Scadden. Baptised on
the 5
th
of September 1880. Litton Cheney Bellringer.
Thomas’s father died in January 1890. In the 1891 census he is living with his mother and
grandmother.
Thomas’s mother died in 1891. In the 1901 census he is shown as an assistant to dairyman
Richard Fry.
On the 1911 census he is shown as Tom Weller, aged 30, Farm Labourer, boarding at The Mount
with the Trevett family.
During the war he was a private, with the 1/1st Bucks Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry. Service No. 4802.
He fought in Flanders, France and died on the 24
th
of August 1916
Buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, Plot IX. Row F. Grave 16A.
Family details HERE
Family details HERE
Family details HERE
Family details HERE
Family details HERE
Family details HERE
Family details HERE
The following nine names are recorded on the Litton Cheney War Memorial situated to the west of St Mary’s Church porch:
The following five casualties are not recorded on the Litton Cheney War Memorial but were associated with Litton Cheney:
Charles Henry James Burt
Charles was born in Litton Cheney the son of Abraham and Sarah Burt. This must have been
during a short period of residence there as his family stemmed from Halstock, Misterton and
eventually Long Bredy.
Although he was born in Litton Cheney, Charles does not appear on the Litton Cheney war
memorial as his family were living in Long Bredy at the time of his death and, presumably, did not
ask for his name to be included on the Litton memorial.
During the war Arthur enlisted at Misterton and became a private in the Dorsetshire Regiment (5
th
Battalion) Service No. 10557. He is buried in Aldershot Military Cemetery.
Family details HERE
Albert John Hansford
Albert John Hansford was born was born in 1886 at Litton Cheney, the son of Henry and Mary
Hansford.
He does not appear on the Litton Cheney war memorial. The family were living in Woodford,
Essex at the time of his death so presumably they did not think to ask for his name to be
included on the memorial at Litton Cheney.
Before the war he and his elder brother, George Henry, went to Canada as farmers. He joined
the Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment), 46
th
Battalion, Service No. 426238. He was
one of 765 who died on the 21
st
of April 1918 during the Battle of the Lys or 4
th
Battle of Ypres.
He is buried at Roclincourt Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France His nephew Albert Henry
died in 1942 in the Second World War.
Family details HERE
John Mills
His family tree traces John Mill’s ancestors back Samuel Cook “alias Bidgood”. The alias
appearing on his marriage certificate! The family name changed to Mills on his second marriage to
Harriet Mills. The family originated from Beaminster. John’s father, William Bidgood, moved to
Litton Cheney sometime after 1871. John was born there in August 1878, the son of Willaim and
Mary Mills. He married Louisa Rose Courteney on the 19
th
of November 1908. They had four
children before his untimely demise.
During the war Sergeant John Mills was a member of 123 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, Service
No. 10123. He died on the 18
th
of June 1918 aged 39. He is buried at Crouy British Cemetery,
Crouy-Sur-Somme, France.
Family details HERE
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
Louis John Pitcher
Louis John Pitcher was born in 1885 at Litton Cheney, the son of
Louis and Ellen Pitcher. He does not appear on the Litton
Cheney war memorial, his association with the village being
through his father, Louis, who owned the bakery at White Cross.
The family were living in Winterborn Abbas at the time of his
death so presumably they did not think to ask for his name to be
included on the war memorial at Litton Cheney.
During the war he was a sergeant farrier with 8
th
Battery Royal Field Artillery, Service No.34255.
He died at sea on the troopship SS “Dongola”on
the 26
th
of December 1914, aged 30. The
reason for his death is unknown, SS Dongola
was not sunk but remained in service until 1929
when it was broken up. He is commemorated
on the Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton.
Family details HERE
Arthur Thomas Prout
Thomas Arthur Prout was born in Corscombe, Dorset, the son of Thomas and Mary Prout. He
does not appear on the Litton Cheney war memorial, his association with the village being
through his father, Thomas, and his
grandfather, Levi, both of whom were born
there. The family were living in Sherborne at
the time of his death so his name appears on
the memorial there rather than in Litton
Cheney.
During the war Arthur enlisted in Dorchester
and was a private in the Dorsetshire Regiment
(1/4
th
Battalion), Service No. 201229. He died
on the 2
nd
of August 1918 in Mesopotamia,
aged 24. He is buried at Baghdad (North Gate)
War Cemetery in Iraq and is also
commemorated on the Sherborne War
Memorial.
Family details HERE
Sherborne War Memorial
A detailed diary of events in Litton Cheney during the first world war can be read here
From the Western Gazette of 15th August 1919
THE PEACE CELEBRATIONS took place on August Bank Holiday. A procession formed in “Hill Tap” (Lent by Mr. G. Fry). The string band
led the way under Bandmaster W. Oliver, then came the Union Jack borne by Mr. T Wakely followed by a number of decorated waggons,
perambulators, bicycles, the Misses Bissett and Trevett's travelling show “Wanted, a House,” "Dick Whittington”, jesters, prehistoric man (Mr
W. Moores), rag and bone men, fruit vendors, Service and Ex-service Men, air raid victims in very dainty attire, etc. and a large gathering of
parishioners and visitors. The procession wended its way through Puddle Hole, under a profuse display of decorations, before coming to a
halt at Lower Cross where prizes were handed out to the fancy dress winners. At 1 p.m. the Rector (the Rev. F. W. Crick) took the chair at a
luncheon prepared by the ladies of the Entertainments Committee. The company numbered more than 70 and included demobilised men, all
of whom were guests of the village for the day. "The King” was given from the chair and drunk with musical honours. Mr. T. Foot proposed
the-toast of “Demobilised Men”. He extended a hearty welcome to them and paid a sincere tribute to their devotion to duty. Captain R.
Bailey, Flight-Sergeant S Greening and Trooper H. Hounsell returned thanks for the way the toast was received. The Rector then spoke of
“Our Fallen Parishioners”. The toast was received standing and in silence. Sports for the children, skittle matches and football matches &c.
for the adults occupied the afternoon. An excellent tea was partaken at 4 p.m., the schoolroom being filled with the fair sex whilst men and
children occupied a lawn nearby lent by Mrs Moores. The evening was marred by frequent showers and the programme of sports was not
completed. Dancing was kept up from 8 till 11 p. m.
From the Western Gazette of 5th September 1919
PEACE CELEBRATION BALANCE-SHEET A meeting of the Memorial and Entertainments Committees, responsible for the day’s
proceedings on August Bank Holiday, was held in the Sunday School on Friday evening. The Treasurer Mr. W. S. Miller presented the
balance-sheet of the Entertainments Committee which showed a balance of approximately £12. This was considered most satisfactory. It
was decided to present each child in the village with a peace souvenir from the balance in hand, the rest to be carried to the Memorial Fund.
This fund was next dealt with and the Treasurer reported subscriptions amounting to £250. The Committee appointed the Chairman and
Treasurer to obtain drawings and estimates of the cost for a suitable memorial in granite or marble, with the names of the fallen inscribed.
The memorial to be erected on the rising ground at the entrance to the church. The drawings etc. are to be open to the inspection of public
and the views of bereaved relatives to be particularly taken into account when a final choice of design is made. The Memorial Committee is
comprised of the Rev. F. W. Crick (chairman) Messrs F Bailey, H. B. Legge, W. S Miller, A. Gladwyn and H. Fry. Those forming the
Entertainments Committee being Mr. H. D. Legge (chairman), Missies B. Legge, M. Miller, F. Fry (The Green), V. Gladwyn, D. W. and I. Fry
(Court Farm), Messrs R. Bailey, W. Darby, C. and H. Fry (The Green) A Gladwyn and G. W. Greening.
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SS Calliope
16.1.1920
A supplement to The London Gazette dated Saturday contains an account of deeds of
conspicuous gallantry for which the Distinguished Conduct Medal was awarded in February last.
Among them are the following:
377000 Pte. W. Darby 1/10th Bn. Mancbester. Rifles., T.F. (Litton Cheney). At Briaslre, on
October 20, 1918, when an enemy machine gun was holding up the advance, he brought his Lewis gun into action, silencing the
gun. Later, having reached the final objective, he promptly pushed forward to cover the consolidation. The enemy attempted to
rush his gun. He killed four of them with his revolver, and his section killed the remainder.
HANSFORD,
ALBERT
JOHN,
Corpl.,
No.
426238,
46th
Battn.
South
Saskatchewan
Regt.,
Canadian
Expeditionary
Force,
yr.
s.
of
Hemy
John
Hansford,
of
Wood
Farm,
Eastwood,
near
Leigh-on-Sea,
co.
Essex,
Farmer,
by
his
wife,
Mary
Ann,
daii.
of
Robert
Marks
;
b.
Litton
Cheney,
co.
Dorset,
25
June,
1886
;
educ.
Culmstock
Grammar
School;
went
to
Canada
in
1911,
and
settled
at
Stalwart,
South
Saskatchewan,
as
a
Farmer;
enlisted
31
Dec.
1914;
came
to
England
with
the
Contingent
in
Nov.
1915
;
served
with
the
Expeditionary
Force
In
France
and
Flanders
from
Aug.
1916,
and
was
killed
in
action
near
Arras
21
April,
1918.
Buried
in
Roclincourt
Military
Cemetery,
north
of
Arras.
An
officer
wrote
:
“
He
was
a
man
in
a
thousand;
in
all
my
experience
in
the
Army
1
have
never
seen
any
man
whose
death
was
more
keenly
felt
by
his
many
friends,
both
officers
and
.men
alike.
He
was
recognized
by
all
as
a
straight,
God-fearing
man,
one
who
ever
put
his
duty
before
self,
and
who
was
ever
courteous
and
obliging
to
all.”
He
m.
at
Ferme
Park
Church, Hornsey, N., 30 Aug. 1917, Ada Elizabeth (6, North Yiew Road, Hornsey, N.), dau. of Frederick George Will- cocks;
s.p.
Village Information v
Local Amenities v
Village Amenities v
About Litton Cheney v
Dorset Council v
Parish Council v