Don't worry lad, your country won't forget you

Arras Memorial Addenda

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The details of all 10 RND men listed on the Arras Addenda (formerly lost & 'Forgotten Heroes') are found below the relevant panel image. We do not list details of the Army men also seen here, but would call your attention to the second image below & the inscription for CSM Kempley MM, with the accompanying image & text of his "Duplicated Commemoration" on the Menin Gate. Please bear in mind that each man listed here was once a "Forgotten Hero."

 

Kitchener W/597 LS. George HAKIN. RNVR. Drake Bn. Machine Gun Section., RN Div. Wounded & Missing, later reported DOW 23/4/17. [Originally reported buried in Shell hole near support line immediately W. of Gavrelle, map ref. B.30.C. (1/40,000, 51.B.) by 18th W.Yorks Regt. ; 9/9/20 Informed by Director of Grave Registrations & Enquiries, Provisionally reported buried at Gavrelle].
Tyneside Z/8061 AB. Nathan HENDERSON. RNVR. Howe Bn., RN Div. KIA 21/5/17. [4/3/19 Report recd. from Director of Grave Registrations & Enquiries, CCM. LS.8.6893. Buried in Isolated Graves, 5 miles NE of Arras. NoK informed 27/3/19].
Clyde Z/6893 AB. Francis HUGHES. RNVR. Hawke Bn., RN Div. DOW at 3rd RN Field Ambulance, 22/4/17. [Buried H.I.9.3. Bailleul-Arras Road, by Rev. CWG Moore, DHQ RND. Director of Grave Registrations & Enquiries, Report dated 10/8/17].
Kitchener X/299 AB. Matthew LAWS. RNVR. Drake Bn., RN Div. DOW at 3rd RN Field Ambulance, 22/4/17. [10/8/17 Report recd. from Director of Grave Registrations & Enquiries, Buried 1 mile S. of Bailleul 3¼ miles N.E. of Arras. NoK informed 18/8/17].
R/5643 AB. Frederick Thomas LLOYD. RNVR. Drake Bn., RN Div. Missing, later reported KIA 25/3/18. [Originally reported as Fallen and buried on 15/4/18 in the Foureaux Wood].
Clyde Z/6937 AB. James McKEAND. RNVR. Howe Bn., RN Div. KIA 24/4/17.
R/2579 AB. John McKENZIE. RNVR. Hood Bn., RN Div. DOW 25/9/17. [25/10/19 Informed by Director of Grave Registrations & Enquiries, buried at Gavrelle, 51b.B.30.c.6.2.].
Tyneside Z/8915 AB. John Edward THOMPSON. RNVR. Nelson Bn., RN Div. KIA 23/4/17. [1/7/20. NP.II/1711/20. Memorial cross erected in Lonely House Cemetery, 3¾ miles N.E. of Arras, it is to be noted that this cross has been erected to the memory of the man described but does not mark his grave. NOK. informed 10/7/20].

 

Amongst the names seen in the above image are two other ranks of the Royal Marines Light Infantry. Their designation on this panel as "Royal Marines" is technically correct; but as there is a clear distinction between the "RMLI" & the wartime raised "RM" short-service support units for the RND, it is misleading & incorrect to list men of the "RMLI" as "RM" only.

CH/1298/S Pte. Tom HAMPSHIRE. RMLI. 'A' Coy, 4th Platoon, 1st Royal Marine Bn., RN Div. KIA 28/4/17. [Originally reported buried 51B.b.24.b.20.45., about 5¼ miles E.N.E. of Arras]. [Non-Commemoration notified to the Commission in the mid-1990s].
PLY/10131 Acting CSM(WO.2) John CAMPBELL. RMLI. 2nd Royal Marine Bn., RN Div. KIA 26/4/17. Served with the Plymouth Bn. at Ostend & Dunkirk in 1914. [Non-Commemoration notified to the Commission in the mid-1990s].


Menin Gate Memorial Addenda inscription for Kempley MM.

G/2589 Acting CSM. Thomas KEMPLEY. MM. 12th Bn., Middlesex Regt. KIA 3/5/17. [Military Medal as Cpl., Midd'x Regt. London Gazette 21/12/16].

Kempley is recorded on the Addenda Panels at both the Arras and the Menin Gate Memorials. Neither inscription makes mention of his MM, although it is included with his Internet "Debt of Honour" entry. We are reliably informed that an error in the Commission's Works Dept. led to the missing MM and double commemoration. The Menin Gate entry is in error & the Commission is reported as planning to remove it. Let's hope they don't forget to add his MM to the Arras Addenda.

 

ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL & ADDENDA

 

ADDENDA FORECAST FOR ARRAS MEMORIAL

This is what we hope to see in the near future: the addition of the last 4 RND "Forgotten Heroes" to the Arras Memorial Addenda. Sadly & for the foreseeable future, their commemorations will remain only as images in cyberspace.

 

The image above shows the same panel as seen at the top of this page, but with AB Shepherd's name inserted into the very convenient space provided.

Clyde Z/5208 AB. Harry SHEPHERD. RNVR. Howe Bn., RN Div. KIA 9/6/17. [We have notified the Commission of this man's uncommemorated status, but to date nothing has been done to progress his case].

 

Temp.Lieutenant Ernest NOBBS. MiD. RNVR. Hood Bn., RN DIv. Missing, later reported KIA 24/3/18. [Served as Hon.Lt.&QM RM with the Hood Bn. at Antwerp in 1914 & Gallipoli 1915. Served as pre-war RMLI PO/6505 Colour.Sgt.(Pensioner)].

There are complications with the case of Lt.Nobbs. There is good evidence to show that Nobbs is actually buried in Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension, near Ruyaulcourt, under a headstone which reads "Unknown Lt. RNVR, Hood Bn." Nobbs is the only possible candidate, a Lieut. of the Hood Bn., missing from that period in that location.

Nobbs' case is one which we will be examining in detail soon, as it begs the question: Why couldn't the Commission identify his body, when a simple process of elimination shows Nobbs as the only possible candidate? [answer: because if the Commission didn't have his name, then they were incapable of identifying him, ergo, with incomplete records how can they be expected to put names to bodies recovered?
Temp.Sub-Lieutenant John Francis St.Clair BARTON. RNVR. Hood Bn., RN Div. KIA 13/3/18. [We have notified the Commission of this man's uncommemorated status, but to date nothing has been done to progress his case].
PLY/1021/S Pte. John LEE. RMLI. 'B' Coy., 7th Platoon, 1st Royal Marine Bn., Missing, later reported KIA 28/4/17. [Originally reported buried 51B. B.24.B.20.45 about 5 1/4 miles E.N.E. of Arras].[Pte. Lee was notified to the Commission quite recently & has been accepted for commemoration. However, his name is still to be added to the Arras Addenda].