Peter Parry-Evans

AI/402, Major, 11 Sikh Regiment. Indian Army.

28/01/45

The grave of Major Peter Parry-Evans in the Taukyyan War Cemetery, Rangoon, Burma.

Peter, born into a soldiering family, was the son of the Reverend Joseph Parry-Evans CMG, CBE, FKC who was the Chaplain Commandant of the Royal Army Chaplains Department and had served in the army with some distinction from 1902 up until 1930 when he retired.

Peter attained his commission into the Indian Army on the 30th November 1936, some eight months after his father’s death. He was promoted to Captain on the 30th August 1942 and became a Major on the 2nd March 1943.

Peter is buried in the Taukyyan War Cemetery, Rangoon, Burma. (26.F.8.)

 

Kenneth Augustus Pennington

7654332, Craftsman, Light Aid Detachment. REME.

Killed By Friendly Fire on the 13th June 1945 aged 35.

The grave of Craftsman Kenneth Augustus Pennington in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand.

Kenneth was born on the 30th September 1909, the son of Thomas Augustus & Gertrude Lillian Pennington. His father, a plumber by trade, had served in the Royal Garrison Artillery during the First World War but had not been posted to France until hostilities had ceased. By 1939 , his parents were living at Brandsmead in Benington.

On the 6th July 1935 the 25 year-old engineer married Alice May Hale at Mortlake parish church, Surrey, the 21 year-old daughter of Charles Leonard Hale, a Postman.

He was taken prisoner by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore and like so many others was put to work on the notorious Burma-Siam Railway. The work on the railway began in October 1942 and was intolerably hard for Kenneth and his comrades who had to endure many hardships during their years of captivity.

No records were kept by the Japanese with respect to the work on the railway but it is estimated that over 16,000 prisoners of war perished during its construction, mainly as a result of sickness and malnutrition. The line was completed in December 1943 and thereafter the working parties were used for the maintenance of the track and to repair damage caused by allied air raids. The Japanese refused to allow the prisoners to construct a symbol, consisting of a white triangle on a blue base, to indicate the presence of any POW camp and as a result, with many camps being alongside the track or near other vulnerable points such as bridges, the camps were attacked by allied aircraft, adding to the prisoners misery.

As the capitulation of the Japanese forces approached more and more prisoners were grouped into the main camps and on the 13th June 1945 the RAF made an air attack on the camp at Kanchanaburi and it was during this raid that Kenneth was killed.

He is buried in the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand. (6.E.23.)

Arthur Phipps

14377801, Gunner, 59 Anti-Tank Regiment. (6th Hampshire Regiment), Royal Artillery.

Died of Wounds on the 16th August 1944 aged 35.

Arthur was the son of John & Annie Phipps and the husband of Lena Phipps.

The exact circumstances of his death are not yet known.

He is buried in the Banneville La Campagne War Cemetery, France. (6.D.9)

Henry Mark Ruddock

73832, Private, 28th Canadian Infantry.

Missing In Action on the 15th September 1916 aged 21.

Henry was born on the 16th December 1895 the only son of Reverand Mark & Annie Ruddock of Ardley vicarage. He was to become a Farrier by trade and joined the Canadian army on the 23rd October 1914.

On the 15th September 1916 the Battalion were involved in an assault on the village of Courcelette where it suffered the loss of 10 Officers and 300 Other Ranks in this engagement.

Henry has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Vimy Memorial, France.

Alfred Charles Smith MM

62395, Gunner, 234 Trench Mortar Battery. Royal Garrison Artillery.

Killed In Action on the23rd October 1916 aged 20.

Alfred was born in Benington the son of Mark and Ellen Smith, who later lived at Haultwich, Little Munden, Ware, Herts.

The exact circumstances of his death are not yet known.

He is buried in the Ration Farm Military Cemetery, La Chapelle-D'armentieres. (II. A. 12.)

Frank Trevor Vivian MC

118463, Captain, 65 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Accidentally Killed on the 25th March 1946 aged 25.

Frank was the son of  Dr.Charles St.Aubyn Vivian & Mary Elizabeth Vivian.

He was awarded a Military Cross for gallant & distinguished services in Italy.

On the 25th March 1946 Frank Vivian was piloting an Auster Mk.V (TW447) aircraft from Hurstbourne Park in Hampshire whilst co-operating with 43 Operational Training Unit. The aircraft was flying at low level when it flicked over, stalled and dived into the ground.

Frank was cremated at Reading Crematorium, Berkshire.

 

Graham St.Aubyn Vivian

228856, Captain, 69 Field Company. King George V Own Bengal Sappers & Miners. Royal Engineers.

Died on the 25th October 1944 aged 21

The son of  Dr.Charles St.Aubyn Vivian & Mary Elizabeth Vivian. The exact circumstances of his death are not yet known.

He is buried in the Faenza War Cemetery, Italy. (3.F.20.)

Charles Warner

G/15355, Private, 8th Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment.

Killed In Action on the 15th May 1917 aged 26.

On the 15th May 1917 the Battalion were positioned in trenches near the village of Brandhoek. The Unit War Diary states that it was a quiet day until about 8pm when their positions were bombarded by very heavy trench mortar fire. The attack resulted in heavy damage to the trench system, the wounding of one man and the death of another, Charles Warner.

Charles is buried in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, Zillebeke, Belgium. (Special Memorial E.18.) 

Medal Entitlement: British War Medal & Victory Medal

Reginald Jack Warner

15882, Private, 1st Bedfordshire Regiment.

Missing In Action on the 19th June 1915 aged 24.

Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium

Reginald was the son of David & Mary Ann Warner of Church Hill, Benington. Both he and fellow villager, Ernest Mayes, were killed by the same shell as they slept in a trench.

Reginald has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. (Panel 31/33.)

William Warner

36512, Private, 6th Royal Berkshire Regiment. (Attached to 2/2nd London Regiment).

Missing In Action on the 24th April 1918 aged 30.

The Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France.

William was the son of William & Louisa Warner of Rectory Gate, Benington.

The exact circumstances of his death are not yet known.

William has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France. (Panel 56/57.)

Medal Entitlement: British War Medal & Victory Medal