Full Name

Ronald Henry Neville Clarke.

Born

29 June 1904, Simla, Bengal

CWGC Certificate

Lieutenant Ronald Henry Neville Clarke Service Number 28290.
2nd Bn., Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) who died on 27 May 1940 Age 36.
Son of James Edward and Jane Alexandra Clarke; husband of Beatrice Isabel Clarke (nee Walker), of Sidcup, Kent. Marriage q4 1934.

Memorial

Dunkirk Memorial, Column 94

Address 1939

?

Circumstance

The Sherwood Foresters were a part of the defence of the perimeter at Dunkirk prior to evacuation in operation Dynamo.

Notes

The West Moors memorial has the middle initials reversed. The CWGC  search has only one entry with those initials in any combination so there is high confidence in this identity. The address on the CWGC memorial is Sidcup. Probable that parents or wife moved to West Moors after the war.

Full Name

Stanley Frederick Durrant.

Born

27/06/1923

CWGC Certificate

Flying Officer Stanley Frederick Durrant Service Number: 151718
576 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 23 September 1944 Age 21.
Son of Sydney John and Gertrude Mary Durrant, of West Moors, Dorsetshire.

Memorial

Reichswald War Cemetery, 30.F.18.

Address 1939

"Edgwold" Ashurst Road, West Moors.

Circumstance

Lancaster l NN711. Took off 18:51 23 Sept 1944 from Elsham Wolds Crashed 2020 1 km SE of Kapellen on the southern outskirts of Moers. All are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. www.rafcommands.com

Notes

Stanley was a pupil at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne.  A resume of his time at the school can be found on the “Old Winburnians website.  https://oldwinburnians.org.uk/

Full Name

Molly Hare

Born

29/03/1918

CWGC Certificate

Leading Aircraftwoman Molly Hare, Service Number: 2069505
Women's Auxiliary Air Force who died on 12 November 1945 Age 27
Daughter of John Parker Hare and Ella Agnes May Hare, of West Moors

Memorial

West Moors Cemetery, Plot D. Grave 19

Address 1939

"Park Holme" Pinehurst Road, West Moors.

Circumstance

Molly Hare 2069505 , a nursing orderly attached to RAF Wilmslow , died in Paddington hospital on demob leave of hypertension and a cerebral thrombosis.  www.rafcommands.com

Notes

Her parents were poultry farmers on Pinehurst Road.

Full Name

Donald Arthur Harfield.

Born

27/12/1922

CWGC Certificate

Leading Aircraftman Donald Arthur Harfield, Service Number: 1338515
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 31 August 1942 Age 17
Son of Mr. and Mrs. E. Harfield, of West Moors, Dorsetshire, England.

Memorial

Miami (Grand Army of the Republic) Cemetry. Block 14. Row 1. Grave 6. This Miami is a town in Oklahoma, USA.

Address 1939

Pinehurst Bakery, Station Road, West Moors.

Circumstance

While at basic flying training school in USA Lost in aircraft BT-13A Valiant 41-1671 Both 41-1671 in collision 41-1696 Vultee BT-13A Valiant 9:30 am 1 mile north east Chanute. Brown and Hacksey extracted from plane but died later in hospital.  https://www.rafcommands.com/

Notes

Donald lived and worked in the bakery on Station Road with his parents.  The CWGC age is in error.  His true age was 19 as his d.o.b. was 27/12/1922 (as given in 1939 register).  A resume of his time at the school can be found on the “Old Winburnians” website.  https://oldwinburnians.org.uk/

Notes

The CWGC web site lists 27 deceased with the name A Hughes for WW2.  Of these 6 are civilian casualties (4 women and 2 men) and a further 1 is a female service casualty.  This leaves 20 male service casualties all listed as A Hughes.
With no second initial on the war memorial the search could not be narrowed down.  None of the 27 memorial inscriptions have a reference to West Moors or it’s immediate neighbours.

In the 1939 Register there were 3 families/households with the name Hughes listed for West Moors, all in “The Camp”, Oakhurst Road.  It is a requirement of the publication of the 1939 Register that Persons born less than 100 years ago are redacted in the 1939 register, so anyone born after 1923 would not be shown unless confirmed already deceased.  Also it is normal, but not always to list the earliest birth first for children.

This could just be the son of Albert and Mary Hughes, Arthur born q3 1927 given that he would only be 17 in 1944.  It could not be his father since he and Mary Wareham are listed as marrying in 1947.

Of the other two Hughes families none of their children are old enough or match the age requirement.

Full Name

James Keet

Born

1924

CWGC Certificate

Gunner James Keet, Service Number: 14305525
Royal Artillery who died on 12 February 1944 Age 20
Son of James and Mary Keet, of West Moors, Dorsetshire

Memorial

East Africa Memorial Column 5

Address 1939

Lily Cottage Elmhurst Road, West Moors

Circumstance

Died at sea en-route to India.  Killed in action.  Engagement probably sinking of  SS Kedive Ismail an ocean liner which was converted into a troop ship in 1940.  It was torpedoed and sunk in the Indian Ocean by a Japanese submarine with the loss of 1,297 of the 1,511 people on board. Survivors were rescued by HMS Paladin. The submarine was then sunk by HMS Paladin and HMS Petard.

Full Name

Arthur William “Buster” Keith

Born

08/02/1922

CWGC Certificate

Marine Arthur William Keith, Service Number: PO/X 3863
H.M.S. Hood., Royal Marines who died on 24 May 1941 Age 20
Son of Henry George and Mary Jane Keith, of Westmoors, Dorsetshire.

Memorial

Portsmouth Naval Memorial  Panel 59, Column 51.

Address 1939

Parents - “Kyne” off Oakhurst Road, West Moors.

Circumstance

In May 1941, Hood and the battleship Prince of Wales were ordered to intercept the German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, which were en route to the Atlantic, where they were to attack convoys. On 24th May 1941, early in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, Hood was struck by several German shells, exploded, and sank with the loss of all but 3 of her crew of 1,418. Due to her publicly perceived invincibility, the loss affected British morale.
https://en.wikipedia.ord/wiki/HMS_Hood

Notes

Age on the CWGC memorial inscription is incorrect, he was 19.

Full Name

Canute Phillips Larson

Born

1907

CWGC Certificate

Captain Canute Phillips Larson, Service Number EC/1831 Age 35
Son of Canute Berger Larson and Mildred Larson; husband of Jean Larson, of Dorchester, Dorsetshire.

Memorial

Singapore Memorial, Column 229.

Address 1939

Probably Simla, India

Circumstance

Capture of Singapore by Japanese

Notes

C P Larson’s parents lived in Wallington, Surrey.  C P Larson sailed to Bombay, India in 1927 at the age of 19 listed as a clerk.  His parents posted notice of his marriage in October 1936 to Jean Gowlland only daughter of  Colonel Geoffrey Cathcart Gowlland and Vera Rose Marriott  Gowlland of Simla, India. The marriage was in Simla and C P Larson’s profession was given as bank manager. In 1921 census G C Gowlland was a major in the Royal Engineers based at Bovington Camp

In July 1945 a newspaper add was placed in missing military for  C P Larson with any answers to go to “Marathon” West Moors.  Marathon was on Moorlands Road. 

In July 1945 Jean Larson boarded a ship out of Columbo Ceylon (now Sri-Lanka) with two daughters sailing for England.  Proposed address was given as “The Mount” West Moors, also on Moorlands Road and still standing today.

No family associations of either Canute or Jean have been established with the occupants of either address from the 1939 register.

Full Name

John D Mitchell

Born

1912

CWGC Certificate

Flying Officer John Mitchell, Service Number: 36233
7 Sqdn., Royal Air Force who died on 03 June 1941 Age 29
Son of John   and Daisy Emily Mitchell, of West Moors, Dorsetshire.

Memorial

Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Coll. grave 8. F. 22-27.         

Address 1939

20 Cavalry Crescent, Eastbourne

Circumstance

Stirling W7430, 7 Squadron  Took off 2250 2 June 1941 from Oakington. Last heard on W/T at 0018 and plotted W of Hamburg.  Aircraft shot down near Luckenwalde, Germany,  rafcommands.com

Full Name

Norman Edwin Nippierd

Born

1914 q4

CWGC Certificate

Guardsman Norman Edward Nippierd, Service Number: 2613387
5th Bn., Grenadier Guards who died on 11 June 1944 Age 29
Son of Mabel Nippierd, of Bitterne Park, Southampton.

Memorial

Bolsena War Cemetery, I.A.12

Address 1939

In 1939 his mother Mabel Nippierd, nee Horley, lived on Bitterne Park Southampton.  She was the daughter of William and Emily Horley who were listed as living at “Marathon” Moorlands Road West Moors on 1939 Register. This was the home of Sidney J Galton and Laura Galton nee Horley, Mabel’s sister.  Sidney was a postman in West Moors.

William Horley was a postal worker.  The 1928 and 1931 Electoral  Registers however give the address as “Marathon” Avenue Road, West Moors.  Avenue Road does not exist today but The Avenue does.  It would appear that Avenue Road was the original name used but over several decades it became known as The Avenue.  Further confusion arises because “Marathon” was the address given by Jean Larson in the small ad asking for information on her husband.  Was there some link with the Horleys?  Were there two properties called “Marathon” in West Moors in 1939?

Circumstance

After the Gustav line fell in May 1944 the Allies pushed the German forces North.  The Allies took Rome on 3^rd June 1944 and pushed on North.  The Germans made their first stand after being pushed out of Rome at Bolsena.

Full Name

Jean Ferelith Ramsay

Born

21^st April 1922

CWGC Certificate

Leading Aircraftwoman, Service Number: 2017309
Women's Auxiliary Air Force who died on 30 January 1944 Age 21
Daughter of Lt.-Col. A. D. G. Ramsay, C.I.E., O.B.E., and Alice F. N. Ramsay.

Memorial

Woking (St John’s) Crematorium, panel 4

Address 1939

“Camelot”, Western Avenue Bournemouth

Circumstance

LACW Ramsey was one of the two WAAF that died in hospital after the air raid shelter at RAF Swingate was hit by a long range shell, fired from over the Channel, aimed at the local gun battery.
A large number of WAAF were injured in the incident but only Ramsay and Lewis died from their injuries.

Extract from web site “Royal Airforce Commands”

Notes

This is the only Jean Ramsay on the CWGC web site.  Having lived in Western Avue Bournemouth in 1939 it is possible her parents moved later to West Moors.  Also possible link to family of John B Ramsay on the Ferndown memorial who lived at “White Cottage” Carroll Avenue Ferndown in 1939.

Full Name

David Savile Reid

Born

January 1921

CWGC Certificate

Lieutenant David Savile Reid
H.M.S. Cornwall., Royal Marines who died on 05 April 1942 Age 21.
Son of Captain Hugh Stanier Reid and Joyce Read Reid, of Wimborne, Dorsetshire

Memorial

Chatham Naval Memorial, 65.1

Address 1939

Parents, Potterne Manor House, Three Legged Cross.

Circumstance

Notes

A link to J. V. Searles-Wood, see below.  The two mothers were sisters, Joyce Read and Sibyl Read.

Further possible link to A.C. Read on Ferndown memorial.

Full Name

Dick Richardson

Born

30-01-1922

CWGC Certificate

Flight Sergeant Dick Richardson, Service No.: 1600893
77 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Died on 25 June 1944 Age 22
Son of Dick and Gladys Winifred Richardson, of West Moors, Dorsetshire.

Memorial

Fontaine L’Etalon Churchyard, Grave 14

Address 1939

46 Leighton Road, Southampton

Circumstance

Halifax III LL549.  Took off 07:50 25 June 1944 from Full Sutton, Yorkshire, to attack the V-1 site at Montorgueil. Collided in the air over France.

Notes

Mother’s maiden name, Warn

Full Name

John Valentine Searles-Wood

Born

1920

CWGC Certificate

Sub-Lieutenant John Valentine Searles-Wood
R.N.H.M. Trawler Fifeshire., Royal Naval Patrol Service
Died on 20 February 1940 Age 20
Son of Comdr. Valentine Searles-Wood, R.N., and Sibyl Read Searles-Wood, of West Moor, Dorsetshire.

Memorial

Lowestoft Naval Memorial, Panel 1, Column 2.

Address 1939

146 Slakes Hill Rd, Waterlooville

Circumstance

HMT Fifeshire (S.Lt. John Valentine Searles-Wood, RN) was sunk by German aircraft east off Copinsay Island, Scotland in position 59º00'N, 00º25'E.  This trawler was taken over by the Admiralty in September 1939. J V Searles-Wood took command 1 January 1940.

Notes

See also David Savile Read above.

Full Name

Arthur William Woolford

Born

16^th May 1916

CWGC Certificate

Guardsman Arthur William Woolford, Service Number 2660576
2nd Bn., Coldstream Guards who died on 19 February 1944 Age 27
Son of William George and Gladys Geraldine Victoria Woolford; husband of Phyllis Rosina Woolford, of Bushey, Watford, Hertfordshire

Memorial

Minturno War Cemetery, V. J. 16.  Italy

Address 1939

Parents, “Church Cottage”, Station Road, West Moors
Arthur lived at “Pinecroft” Beaufoys Avenue, Ferndown.

Circumstance

During standoff between Allied and German forces at Mount Fait on the “Gustav Line” in Italy a counter attack by German forces against Coldstream Guards, on 19^th February 1 officer and 6 guardsmen killed, 1 missing.

Notes

Probate was awarded in 1945  to his widow Phyliss R Woolford of Beaufoys Avenue, Ferndown.

Full Name

Maurice Fairfax Wykeham-Martin

Born

1913

CWGC Certificate

Lieutenant Maurice Fairfax Wykeham-Martin, Distinguished Service Cross.
H.M. Submarine Salmon, Royal Navy who died on 14 July 1940 Age 27

Memorial

Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 37, Column 1.

Address 1939

Parents - “Lynton”, Highfield Road, West Moors

Circumstance

HMS Salmon was launched in 1934.  From the start of war in September 1939 she was on patrol in the North Sea and saw action on several occasions. She was lost, probably sunk by a mine, on 9 July 1940.  A report by a survey vessel in 2008 suggested that she had been found off the coast of Norway.

Notes

Probate granted 11 Feb 1941 to his widow Josephine Mary Wykeham-Martin, Union Street, Torquay.

Full Name

Kenneth David Lacey

Born

10-11-1922

CWGC Certificate

Ordnance Artificer 4th Class, Kenneth David Lacey,
Service No: D/MX 5766
H.M.S. Mahratta, Royal Navy who died on 25 February 1944 Age 21 Son of Lieut. Comdr. A. E. Lacey, R.N., and Mrs. W. A. Lacey, of West Moors, Dorsetshire.

Memorial

Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 90, Column 3.

Address 1939

8 Green Lane, Portsmouth

Circumstance

HMS Mahratta was one of the escort ships for convoy JW57 taking supplies to Russia via the arctic circle.  The convoy had been spotted by German aircraft on 23rd February 1944 and then the convoy was tracked by enemy U boats.  On 25^th February a Catalina aircraft of 210 Squadron attacked and sank U-601 which was trailing the  convoy, Mahratta was struck by two T5 Gnat torpedoes fired by U-990 off the coast of Norway.  She sank at 71°17′N 13°30′E Only 16 of the 236 crew survived.

The CWGC site lists 125 war dead with the surname Hubbard.

There are 5 with the first initial A but no second initial.

2 of these 5 were female civilian deaths.

None of the 5 have an indication of a connection to West Moors locality.

There are a number of entries with two initials but none matching A A

Possibility

Alfred Edward Hubbard born 1920 to Walter Hubbard and Louisa F Hubbard (nee Bailey).. This couple live at “Grosvenor”, Newtown Road Verwood in 1939.  In 1929 and 1931 Electoral Registers their address was “Council Houses”, West Moors.

Circumstance

Since a match cannot be found in CWGC then circumstance of death cannot be identified.