Their names are cast in bronze

 

ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION MEMORIAL PLAQUES
A library of images of RND Bronze Memorial Plaques, Scrolls, medals & photos.

Plaque Surnames
A B C D E-F G H I-J-K L-M N-O P R S T V-W-Y

R/5209 AB Horace Leonard BAILEY R.N.V.R.
Nelson Battalion, R.N.D.
Wounded & Missing, later reported KIA or DOW on or shortly after 30th December 1917.
Flesquières Hill British Cemetery (FR 1483)

RND Roll of Honour gives:- Entered 17/7/17 ; Draft for BEF 12/11/17, joined Nelson Bn. 24/11/17-30/12/17 DD.
CWGC incorrectly record his branch of service as "Royal Navy" ; b.12/9/1885 ; Father, George, Mount Pleasant, Earls Barton, Northants.

PLY/4690(RFR/A/880) Clr.Sgt. Alfred Barnett BALDWIN R.M.L.I.
No.4 Company, Plymouth Battalion, R.N.D.
Died of wounds at Sedd-ul-Bahr (GSW Head) 4th March 1915.
Plymouth Naval Memorial (MR 2)


RND Roll of Honour gives:- Enlisted London 4/10/1888 ; Discharged completed Length of Service (21 years) 3/8/1910 ; Enrolled RFR 18/9/1910 ; Plymouth Bn. at Dunkirk & Defence of Antwerp 1914 ; Plymouth Bn. No.4 Company MEF 6/2/15-4/3/15 DD.
The first RND Casualty on the Gallipoli Peninsular.
Appointed Lance Corporal 1/5/1892, Corporal 31/12/1893, Lance Sergeant 9/7/1895, Corporal 1/8/1896, Lance Sergeant (paid) 3/12/1896, Sergeant 1/7/1898, Colour Sergeant 11/4/1907 ; RN Long Service & Good Conduct Medal 15/9/1904.
A Barman ; b.Southsea, Portsmouth 4/8/1871 ; Father, Alfred, Montrose House, South Wimbledon ; Wife, Mrs. A. Baldwin, 12 Newport St., Stonehouse (Married 6/8/1895) ; 1914 Star issued widow 8/8/19, Clasp, BWM & Victory medal not issued/claimed.
The Diary of Lieutenant C.R.W. Lamplough RM (age 19), Platoon Commander, No.4 Company Plymouth Bn. 4/3/15 states:- "Well this has been the day of my life. We were called at 5am. I had breakfast at 6.30am and got onto the destroyers at 7am and sailed off at 18 knots. When we got just off Sedd ul Bahr the fleet started bombarding like blazes. It looked very nice and as if we should have no opposition. Well, we got into our cutters and finally got ashore and everything looked in our favour. The patrols got out and went up the cliff. One went to the top through the fort and the others straight up. When they got to the top they got it thick - Poor old Baldwin was very soon caught. He got one through the head and died a little time after. Then we had a good deal of firing. I finally found we could not get up there as they were in the ruined houses sniping us, so we found where they were. I came down to the beach and signalled which houses we wanted shelling and they let them have it. Then I took my patrol up and we did not have much opposition. Dickinson got hit in the leg and had to be taken off but he is alright - but Jones of 14 Platoon was killed and also Dyter of 13 Platoon. We had quite a nice little scrap and then they sent a lot of shrapnel over, but they did not get us. A sniper killed one man in the picket boat. We found several Turks, some dead and one wounded, and sent for a stretcher party. The old fool flung himself off the stretcher down the cliff - he died on the way to the Braemar. We got back about 3.30pm having had nothing to eat since 6.15am… I quite enjoyed the day although we were lucky to get out as we did, three dead and one wounded." (Diary courtesy of Matthew Little, RM Museum). The man mentioned as killed in the picket boat was Ch/189635 Petty Officer William John Eagle Newland RN, Cutters Crew, HMS "Lord Nelson." Buried at Sea 5/3/15. Lieutenant Lamplough was awarded the DSC for the Zeebrugge Raid in April 1918:- "Was in the Marine storming party. In spite of great difficulties, showed the greatest dash and determination in leading his men. He covered the retirement with great resource."

Temp. Major(Lt.) Reginald Walter BARNETT MC & Bar
King's Royal Rifle Corps attached 6th Division Staff as GSO2
Killed in action, 12th August 1918.
Abeele Aerodrome Military Cemetery, Watou, West-Vlaanderen (B 40)
(The RND Roll of Honour also lists the deaths of ex-R.N.D. servicemen)

RND Roll of Honour gives:- ex-Brigade Major 189th Infantry Brigade, 63rd RND 1916-18. Son of Walter & Olive Barnett, of Bilton Hall, Rugby.

Ch/312508 Sto.1 William Henry BASHFORD R.N.
HMS "Bacchante"
Died from Influenza & Pneumonia 20th February 1919.
Reigate Cemetery (Surrey 41)
(The RND Roll of Honour also lists the deaths of ex-R.N.D. servicemen)

RND Roll of Honour gives:- Anson Bn. 'A' Company 15/9/14-21/11/15 Erysipelas, rejoined Anson Bn. 8/1/16-25/8/16 to UK for Sea-service.
1914 Star issued to widow, Mrs. A.A. Bashford 8/5/20 (also erroneously issued 1914-15 Star) ; Next-of-Kin (1914-16) Brother, Edward, 76 Emnley Rd., Earlswood, Redhill, Surrey, later of: "Midlow," Horley Rd., Earlswood, Surrey. CWGC = Husband of Annie Bashford, of 43 Knighton Rd., Earlswood, Redhill.

Deal/763/S Spr. James BENNETTON R.M.
1st Field Company, Divisional Engineers, R.N.D.
Died from a ruptured Liver in 23rd CCS 28th June 1916.
(Accidentally injured 27/6/16. Caused by the horses of a Forage Cart bolting & a wheel passing over him. No blame attached to any person).
Lapugnoy Military Cemetery (FR 88)

RND Roll of Honour gives:- Enlisted 8/12/14 ; 1st Field Company MEF 1/3/15-28/6/16 DD.
Not listed in "With Full & Grateful Hearts" ; Next-of-Kin: Father, E.E. Bennetton, 5 Walmer Terrace, Cemetery Rd., Walmer, Kent. ; ADM/171 = St.V.B. not claimed/issued.

R/167 AB Ernest William BILLING R.N.V.R.
Drake Battalion, R.N.D.
Killed in action, 24th December 1917.
Thiepval Memorial (MR 21)

RND Roll of Honour gives:- Entered 28/8/16 ; Draft for BEF 16/12/16, joined Drake Bn. from 8th Entrenching Bn. 28/6/17-24/12/17 DD.
A Butcher ; b.Bridgwater, Somerset 28/7/1897 ; Next-of-Kin & home address: Father, William R.S. Billing, 79 Barclay St., Bridgwater, Somerset. ; ADM/171 = V.B. issued to Father.

Tyneside Z/2534 AB John Robert BLACKBURN R.N.V.R.
Howe Battalion, R.N.D.
04/06/1915 Missing, assumed killed in action, 4th June 1915.
Helles Memorial (MR 4)

RND Roll of Honour gives:- Enlisted 2/1/15 ; Howe Bn. D/368 10/2/15-4/6/15 DD.
Born 11/5/1893. A Fireman, Steam Wherry ; Lived with his father, John, at 14 Russel Terrace, Shieldfield, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland. Father’s address later: 11 Regent Terrace, New Bridge St, Newcastle-on-Tyne. ; ADM/171 = St.V.B. issued to Father.

Sussex Z/283 AB Thomas Edward BRIDGER R.N.V.R.
Anson Battalion, R.N.D.
Died of wounds (Peritonitis) at 8.30pm in St. Lukes War Hospital Bradford 29th November 1916.
(GSW Face, right arm, right thigh & Abdomen severe 13/11/16)
Hove Old Cemetery (Sussex 183)

RND Roll of Honour gives:- Enlisted 18/6/15 ; Draft for MEF 5/10/15, joined Anson Bn. 25/10/15-13/11/16 wounded, Invalided to UK 21/11/16.
A Goods Carman ; b.8/10/1895 ; CWGC = Son of William E. & Mary Ann Bridger, of 27 Alpine Rd., Hove. ; RND Card = Mother, Mrs. J. Capelin, 46 Rutland Rd., Hove, later of: 27 Alpine Rd., Hove ; ADM/171 = St.V.B. issued to Universal Legatee.

CH/17621 Pte. Frank BUCKLE R.M.L.I.
(served as Frank BUCKELL)
1st Royal Marine Battalion, R.N.D.
Died of Enteric in R.N. Hospital Haslar, 30th September 1915.
Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery (Hampshire 5)

Left: Photo with correct spelling "BUCKLE" from "Berkshire & the War 1915"
Right: His Memorial Plaque also carries the correct spelling

Reverse of Buckle's 1914-15 Star with his "served as" misspelt name

RND Roll of Honour gives:- Enlisted 7/10/1912 ; HMS "Lowestoft" 3/9/14-22/7/15 ; Chatham Division 23/7/15-17/8/15 ; Embarked RM Brigade 18/8/15-30/9/15 DD (joined 1st RM Bn. 2/9/15-7/9/15 to 1st (RN) Field Ambulance Pneumonia, Invalided to UK 18/9/15 (Enteric).
True name "Buckle" ; b.Reading 24/7/1895(1896). It would appear that he enlisted under-age in 1912, declared his DoB as 1895 & mis-spelt his name. 1901 Census shows age 4. Birth Registration shows "Wantage, 2c, page 315, September Quarter 1896". ; Son of James & Sarah Ann Buckle, Fernside Cottages, Forest Rd., Wokingham.

The CWGC correctly record Buckle's surname, but have erroneous unit details, recording him as "HMS Lowestoft, R.N. Div." Buckle served aboard HMS Lowestoft 3/9/14-22/7/15 but then transferred to the R.N.D. He joined the 1st Royal Marine Battalion at Gallipoli on 2nd September 1915, but very soon fell ill, reporting to the 1st (RN) Field Ambulance at Cape Helles with Pneumonia on the 7th September. He was invalided to the UK on the 18th September now suffering from with Enteric & died shortly after arrival in the UK at the R.N. Hospital Haslar on the 30th of September 1915.

Frank Buckle enlisted under-age in the RMLI on 7th October 1912. He stated he was born in 1895 & was 17 years of age. He was actually born in 1896 & was only age 16. The reason for his mis-spelt name was not due to any attempt on his part to disguise his 'mis-statement as to age', rather the fault of a poor education. Buckle's attestation paper is in the name of "BUCKELL" but shows his first signature was altered from "BUCKLE" to "BUCKELL" & his second signature as "BUCKELL". He was noted as a "Poor Scholar" & this is evidenced by an example of his handwriting with many spelling mistakes. The official term for this kind of error was "Man signed in Ignorance".

Buckle's case illustrates that a man could serve under a misspelt surname, but the Memorial Plaque can carry the correct spelling, as do the CWGC. Buckle's three medals are all named "BUCKELL".

PO/1903/S Pte. John BURNHAM R.M.L.I.
1st Royal Marine Battalion, R.N.D.
Killed in action, 20th July 1917.
Point-du-Jour Military Cemetery, Athies (FR 452)

RND Roll of Honour gives:- 1st RM Bn. Draft for BEF 19/5/17. Papers misfiled in ADM/157/2699 ('G' 1917).
Originally buried in Lonely House Cemetery, 51b.H.5.a.0.5, but exhumed & reburied in Point-du-Jour Cemetery.
b.2/7/1882 ; Wife, Alice Margaret, of "Herdmont", Barton Road, Branksome, Dorset. ; ADM/171 = V.B. issued to Universal Legatee IC/1495/1917.