Judy Middleton 2024
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| copyright © D. Sharp |
A fascinating book was recently discovered in the vestry of St Nicolas Church, Portslade. It is octavo size, in faded blue leather with gold tooling of a leaf design all around the edges of the front and back covers, and inside the covers all around the edges a different design of circles; the edge of the pages are also gilded and on the front cover there is the title On Active Service in gold letters. Altogether, a handsome book.
Inside
there are lists of people from Portslade who served during the Second
World War 1939-1945. The first list of names in 6 ½ right-hand pages
was written in black ink, and not always in strict alphabetical
order. Also, the names start with the Christian name, rather than the
surname. For ease of reference, this has been amended in the below to surnames first.
Please
Note – This ‘On Active Service Book’ is not a definitive list of
all Portslade men who saw Active Service, Missing in Action, Prisoners of War and Killed in Action, there are many names not listed below,
probably because they were not reported by their
Portslade
families to the unknown
author
of this St
Nicolas Church’s ‘On Active
Service Book’
The First
List of 'On Active Service'
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| copyright © D. Sharp The opening page of the alphabetical 'First List' |
Baker, Leonard / Baker, Sidney / Barnett, Alfred (name crossed out in pencil, wounded, discharged / Barnett, Gerald / Barnett, Peter / Blythe, Ernest / Bridle, Frank (missing) / Bridle, George / Bromley, William / Brooks, Thomas / Brotherhood, Basil / Brotherhood, Lionel / Brown, Edwin / Brown, Hassel / Brown Robert.
Chambers, Harry / Clarke, Raymond / Cole, Frank / Cole, William / Covile, Victor / Cox, Denzil / Creasey, Fred.
Dawes, Kenneth.
Edwards, Stanley (named crossed out in pencil / Ellis, George / Ellison, Harry / Enricker, Mervyn / Evans, Cyril / Ewald, Ivor (name crossed out in pencil).
Faulkner, Geoffrey / Fisher, Edgar / Fisher, Ivan / Fordyce, John.
Gander, Charles / Gibbs, Albert / Gilbert, Robert / Goodings, Frederick (name crossed out in pencil, invalided out) / Goodings, George / Goodings, John (R.I.P.) / Goodings, Stanley / Grant Anthony (R.I.P.) / Grant, Gilbert / Greenyer, Albert / Groves, Thomas.
Hamblin, Walter / Harland, Edward (crossed out in ink R.I.P.) / Harland, Frank / Harland, Leslie / Harrison, Christopher / Harrison, Frank / Harrison, Leslie / Harrison, Noel / Hart, Albert / Harwood, Harry / Hatley, Roy / Hicklin, Cyril / Hills, Walter / Holland, George / Horne, George.
Keal, George / Kennedy, James / Kirkham, Frederick.
Lambert, Arthur (crossed out in ink) / Liddell, Douglas / Lindup, Jesse / Lindup, Ernest / Little, Lawrence.
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| The last page of the 'First List' and the beginning of random listed names in the 'Second List' |
Neal, Ernest / Neal, Benjaman (crossed out in pencil) / Neal, Roland (crossed out in ink, should be Keal, George) / Nye, Reg.
Olliver, James
Parker,
Donald / Parker,
Ernest / Parker,
Frederick / Passiful,
George / Patching,
Albert / Patching,
Herbert / Peachey,
Kenneth / Perry,
George / Pook,
Bernard / Pye, Arthur
/ Pye,
Kenneth.
Revell, George (crossed out in pencil) / Richardson, Charles / Riley, Gordon / Robinson, Charles (crossed out in pencil) / Robinson, Leslie (crossed out in pencil).
Schultze,
Douglas (crossed out R.I.P.) / Sharp,
Donald (R.I.P.) / Sharp,
Laurie / Sharp,
Frederick
/ Spicer,
Peter / Stear,
James.
Tarrant, Ronald / Taylor, Dennis / Taylor, Leonard B. (inserted in pencil) / Tester, George / Thornton, John.
Upperton,
David.
Watkins, John / Watson, Hector / White, Reginald / Westbrook, Jack / Wheeler, Stanley / Williams, Frank / Willis, Charles / Willis, Maurice / Whittingdon, Sidney.
Young, Laurie.
***
Then follows 7 ½ pages of more names, and finally a few names on the reverse side of the last page in this section. Presumably this Second List, are names of those who joined up later on. There was no attempt at alphabetical order this time, and there was also different handwriting in the later pages, some names in ink, others in pencil. (For ease of reference, this has been amended in the below to surnames first)
***
Adams,
Frederick / Adams, Roy / Adams,
Stanley / Alderson,
Frank / Alderson,
George /
Allen,
Ralph / Allwright,
Leslie / Andrews,
Cedric / Baber,
George.
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| copyright © D. Sharp The second page of random listed names in the 'Second List' |
Banfield,
Charles / Barnard,
Jack / Barnes,
George / Barnes,
Robert / Beadle,
David / Beal, Eric / Beal,
Kenneth / Beal,
Leonard / Beck, John
(crossed out, discharged) / Beck, John
Garth /
Bland,
Reginald (crossed out, R.I.P.) / Bower,
William / Bridger,
Pereival / Bridger,
Victor / Britton,
Arthur / Burtenshaw,
Arthur / Burtenshaw,
Reginald / Butcher,
Thomas.
Chandler,
Horace / Coates,
Frederick / Coates
Raymond / Cobell,
Leslie / Coetring,
George (? difficult to decipher) / Cornford,
Benjamin / Correll,
Charles / Correll,
Derrick / Covey,
Raymond.
Dale,
Arthur (discharged) / Dale,
Ernest / Dale,
Leslie / Davis, Jack / Daw,
Frederick / De Lisle,
Rene / Dunk,
Christopher / Dyke,
Albert / Dyke,
Christopher / Dyke,
William.
Easterbrook, Wilfrid / Eddis, Dennis / Edwards, George / Elliott Frederick / Ellis, Lawrence / Ellis, Ronald / Ewald, Frederick.
Fisher, Harold / Flint, George / Flint, John / Flint, Leonard (crossed out R.I.P.) / Freeman, William / Freemantle, Harry / Frost, Harold.
Giddings, Alfred / Goacher, Kenneth / Goatcher, Harold / Goatcher, John / Goatcher, William (crossed out, discharged) / Goble, Donald / Godley, Kenneth / Goodwin, Christopher / Gould, Frederick / Gould, Henry / Green, Frederick / Green, Jack / Greenyer, George.
Hardy, Cecil / Harrison, Robin (missing) / Hayes, Eric / Hayward, John (crossed out in pencil) / Heather, George / Hemsley, Fred / Hewitt, Reuben / Hewitt, William / Hicklin, Charles / Hicklin, Ernest / Hills, Roy / Hoad, George / Holden, Fred / How, Frederick / Hudson, Cecil / Hulse, John / Hussey, Gordon / Hynch, Gordon.
Jenman, Edward / Jones, Daniel / Jones, Edgar.
Kent, George / King, Arthur.
Lane, Albert / Last, Ernest / Leather, Albert / Leeson, Phillip / Legge, Jack / Lisle, George / Lush, Ronald.
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| copyright © D. Sharp The second to last page of random listed names in the 'Second List' |
Nichols, Harry / Noakes, Leonard.
O’Neill, Victor / Orth, Christopher (? difficult to decipher) / Ovens, Leslie.
Pain, John / Parhen, Leslie (? difficult to decipher) / Perry, Albert / Pierce, James / Polehill, Leslie / Poole, George (crossed out in pencil) / Poulter, William / Pook, William / Pratt, Percy.
Reeves, George (R. I. P.) / Reeves, Harry (R. I. P.) / Roberts, Arthur / Robertson, Basil / Robertson, Frederick / Robertson, Reginald / Rooke, Fred / Rooke, John / Rowe, Edward / Ryall, Frederick.
Savage, Harold / Savage, Reginald / Savage, William / Scraggins, William / Sheppard, Donald / Sillence, Albert / Sillence, Ernest / Sillence, Frank / Silver, Donald / Smith, Colin / Smith, Leslie / Smith, Sidney / Sowter, Charles / Stanford, Jack / Stanford, Raymond / Steele, Leslie (crossed out R. I. P.) / Stevens, Edward / Stevens, James (crossed out in pencil) / Sully, Percy (crossed out in ink).
Taylor, Anthony / Taylor, Archibald / Taylor, Edward / Teaney, Victor (? difficult to decipher) / Tester, Leslie / Thorne, Raymond / Thorpe, Albert / Todd, Jack / Trigwell, Lawrence / Trigwell, Raymond / Trigwell, Roy / Tubbs, P. (this name heavily crossed out could be wrong) / Turland, Roy.
Upward, Edward / Upward, Fred.
Vickers, Desmond / Voice, Charles.
Wakeham, Norman / Warrington, Ray / White, Alfred / White, Leonard / White, Richard / Willis, Reginald / Winstanley, Arthur / Winstanley, Frances / Winstanley, Ronald / Wooller, Edwin.
***
Then
follows sixteen blank pages before the Prisoners of War, Missing and R.I.P. (Roll of Honour) sections.
***
Prisoners
of War
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| copyright © D. Sharp |
Bridle, Frank
Cockinge, George (crossed out)
Edwards, Stanley
Freemantle, Donald
Hawkins, Edgar
Hughes, Fred
Jones, Leonard
King, Arthur
Moses, Herbert
Myhill, Reginald
Neal, Rowland
Poole, George
Reynolds, Harold
Robertson, Reginald
Stevens, William
Tuller, Percy
Winstall, Arthur
Wright, Charles
Missing
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| copyright © D. Sharp |
Bridle, Frank (crossed out)
Edwards, Stanley (crossed out)
Goodings, John (crossed out)
Harrison, Robin (crossed out)
Hawkins, Edgar (crossed out)
Hughes, Fred (crossed out)
Jones, Raymond (crossed out)
Moses, Herbert (crossed out / P. O. W.)
Neal, Douglas
Neal, Reginald
Neal, Roland (crossed out)
Nichols, Richard (crossed out)
Nye, Roy (crossed out)
Rambert, Arthur (crossed out)
Reynolds, Harold (crossed out)
Robertson, Basil (R. I. P.)
Stevins, James Edward
Tully, Percy (crossed out)
***
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| copyright © D.Sharp 1914-1918 & 1939-1945 Roll of Honour in St Nicolas Church |
The final page lists the war dead, and is headed R. I. P. with a cross on either side and 1939 in pencil on the left and 1945 in pencil on the right.
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| copyright © D. Sharp |
The 30 names below in the 'On Active Service Book' are also listed on the Roll of Honour in St Nicolas Church, Portslade.
The asterisk * denotes the eight names that are also listed on the
Portslade War Memorial.
It is not known why the other 22 names listed below have not been added to the 45 names already listed on the Portslade War Memorial in Easthill Park.
Barham, Claude
Bland, Reginald
Cedras, Charles
Daw, Frederick *
Edwards, Walter
Flint, Leonard
Gibbons, Robert
Giddings, Leonard
Godley, Geoffrey *
Goodings, John
Gosden, Anthony
Grant, Anthony *
Harland, Edward *
Harrison. Robin
Hillman, Frederick
Hoskyns,
Chandos - The Portslade connection of Lieutenant Colonel Chandos Benedict Arden
Hoskyns is a mystery. His name is listed in both the ‘On Active
Service Book' and on the Roll of Honour in St Nicolas Church, but not on the War Memorial in Easthill Park.
Lt
Col Hoskyns was born in Hampshire in 1895 and educated at Winchester College. He was a career soldier who served in both World Wars and
sadly died of his wounds in Winchester on 18 June 1940, which he had
sustained at the Siege of Calais. His funeral service was held in
Winchester Cathedral and he is buried in the churchyard of St Denys
Chilworth, Hampshire. Lt Col Hoskyns’ late father was the Revd Benedict
Hoskyns, Archdeacon of Chichester, a former Vicar of Brighton and
Rector of St Peter’s Church, West Blatchington.
Kennedy, William
Lambert, Arthur
Mansell, Roy
Nicholls, Richard
Nye, Roy *
Perry, Garland
Pyke, Arthur
Schultze, Douglas *
Sharpe, Donald
Steele, Leslie *
Stote, Philip
Taylor, Donald
Willis,
Charles *
These following names appear on the Roll of Honour in St Nicolas Church, but are not listed in the 'On Active Service Book':-
L. E. Cherryman / S. F. Gent * / W. N. Law / D. C. Moody* / G. C. Parker / A. Pike / J. E. Stevens* / R. P. Tyler *. (* also listed on Portslade's War Memorial in Easthill Park)
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| copyright © D.Sharp The nine Second World War graves in Portslade Cemetery |
Some of the names listed in the 'Active Service Book' found in St Nicolas Church, researched by Nicholas Reeve
Albert Edward Bailey – He was the son of Edward and Jane Anne Bailey of Portslade, and died on 7 May 1942 aged 52. He served as Yeoman of Signals aboard HMS Royal Arthur, and died on 7 May 1940 aged 52. He was buried in Hove Cemetery.
Charles Benjamin Cedras – Unusually, the names of his parents, and his age at death do not appear on his official record. He served as a corporal in the 1st Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps, and died on 10 April 1941. He was buried in Tobruk War Cemetery.
Frederick Charles Daw – He was the son of Frederick George and Annie Margaret Daw of Upper Portslade. He served in the 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, and died on 4 March 1941 aged 24. He was buried in Ismailia War Memorial Cemetery.
Geoffrey Ezra Frederick Godley – He was the son of Frederick Charles and Lilian Caroline Godley of Portslade. He served as a sergeant in 148 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and died on 9 August 1941 aged 23. He was buried in El Alamein War Cemetery.
Anthony Gosden – He was the son of James and Mary Gosden of Portslade. He served as a sergeant in 217 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and died on 18 June 1941 aged 20. He was buried in Pornic War Cemetery.
Anthony
Albert Grant
- He was the son of William George and Ada Grant of Portslade. He
served as an aircraftman 1st
class, in the Royal Air Force, and died on 12 June 1941 aged 19. He
was buried in Portslade Cemetery.
Edward
Arthur Harland
- He was the son of Edward and Harriet Harland of Portslade, and he
was married to Joyce Harland, also of Portslade. He served in the 1st
Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, and died on 16 February 1944 aged
30. He was buried in Cassino War Cemetery.
Frederick Hillman - He was the son of Robert Hillman and Eliza Ann Hillman (nee Jefferys) and he was married to Eileen Eleanor Hillman. He served as a lance corporal in the 9th Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and died on 25 march 1945 aged 30. He was buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Roy Albert Nye – He was the son of Albert Edwin and Elsie Mabel Nye of Upper Portslade. He served as an able seaman aboard HMS President III, Royal Navy, and died on 25 December 1941 aged 21. His name is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
George William Reeves – He was the son of John and Mary Ellen Reeves of Portslade. He served as a gunner in 7 Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery, and died on 31 May 1942 aged 34. He was buried in the Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma.
Harry Lionel Reeves – He was the son of John and Emma Reeves of Portslade, and he was married to Annie Reeves, also of Portslade. He served as a craftsman in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and died on 3 August 1943 aged 42. He was buried in the Tel El Kebir War Memorial Cemetery, and his tombstone has the touching inscription Rest in peace Harry. Til we meet again. Your loving wife Annie, John and Norma.
Basil Lionel Robertson – He was the son of Frederick John and Violet Maud Robertson of Portslade. He served as a warrant officer in 137 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and died on 12 February 1942 aged 20. His name is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.
Donald Ivor Sharp – He was the son of Ralph Lawrence and Katie Eugenie Sharp of Portslade. He served as a flight sergeant in 83 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and died on 25 August 1941 aged 21. He was buried in Portslade Cemetery.
Douglas Roy Schultze – He was the son of Frederick Thomas Schultze and Anna Eliza Schultze of Portslade. He served in the Royal Ordnance Corps, and died on 16 July 1940 aged 21. He was buried in Portslade Cemetery.
Leslie Horace Steele – He was the son of Horace and Ethel Steele of Portslade. He served as a trooper in the 148th 9th Battalion of the Loyal (North Lancashire) Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps, and died on 26 July 1944 aged 21. He was buried in Ranville War Cemetery.
Donald Taylor – He was the grandson of Thomas and Lilian Taylor of Portslade. He served as a telegraphist aboard HMS Royal Oak, and died on 14 October 1939 aged 19. His name is remembered on Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Charles
Willis
– He was the son of George Henry and Eleanor Wills of Portslade. He
served as a leading aircraftman in the Royal Air Force, and he died
on 8 October 1944 aged 23. His name is remembered on the Singapore
Memorial.
***
See also Portslade & The Second World War page
Copyright © J.Middleton 2024
Page layout & additional research by D. Sharp