Total recorded deaths: 180
Wars covered: 3 (Civil War, WW1, WW2)
Most affected region: Kent families
Primary service: Buffs Regiment
Military Unit Distribution
Most Common Regiments:
| Military Unit | Count | Period |
|---|---|---|
| The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) | ~30+ | WW1 dominant |
| Royal Navy / Merchant Navy | ~25+ | Both wars |
| RAF / RAFA Volunteer Reserve | ~20+ | WW2 dominant |
| The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) | ~6 | WW1 |
| Royal Artillery / Field Artillery | ~15+ | Both wars |
| Australian Infantry, AIF | ~6 | WW1 |
| Civilian War Dead | ~12 | WW2 only |
| Royal Fusiliers | ~12 | WW1 dominant |
The Buffs stand out dramatically—we have an extraordinary concentration of this regiment in the list. This suggests a strong local recruitment pattern, likely tied to Kent recruiting areas where many of our ancestors lived.
Geographic Burial Patterns
Buried in France: ~70+
Buried in Belgium” ~35+
Buried in UK: ~50+
Body not recovered: ~15
Key Locations:
- Somme, France (Thiepval Memorial, Daours, etc.) – Heavy WW1 casualties
- Ypres/Menin Gate – Multiple WW1 losses
- Kent cemeteries (Charlton, Dover, Ramsgate, etc.) – Family home territory
- Thailand (Kanchanaburi) – 2 POW deaths from Burma Railway
- Germany – WW2 bomber crew and ground force
One notable outlier: Hayward, Caleb (20 May 1864) – US Civil War, buried at Hampton National Cemetery, Virginia. That’s our lone Civil War connection spanning generations.
Relationship Analysis
Close Relationships:
- Great-uncle: Crowe, Montgomery (Brookwood Memorial)
- Uncle of wife of 3rd cousin: Chilcott (2), Richard Simon Welsh, Henry Thomas
- Half cousins and 1st cousins: Several instances
Most Common Distance:
- 4th cousin 2x removed – Appears ~35+ times
- 2nd cousin 2x removed – Appears ~25+ times
- 5th cousin 1x removed – Appears ~20+ times
- 7th cousin: 2 cases (Ealden, Finn)
Married-in relationships are significant—many “husband of X cousin Y removed” entries indicate women of the family lost their husbands.
Temporal Patterns
WW1 peak year
1916 shows the highest concentration, particularly around the Somme Offensive (July-November). Many men died on memorials indicating ‘body not recovered’, consistent with heavy artillery warfare.
WW2 spread
Deaths distributed across 1940-1945 with peaks in 1942-1943 (North Africa campaign) and 1944 (Italy/Normandy). Civilian War Dead entries represent bombing victims.
Notable Observations
- Geographic clustering: Heavy concentration in Kent counties (Dover, Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone) due to ancestral roots there
- Naval tradition: Significant merchant navy presence indicates seafaring family connections
- Bomber command deaths: RAF volunteer reserve entries from 1942-1944 suggest bomber crew fatalities
- Multiple deaths in same families: The Chilcott, Hayward, Godden, and Bowlt names appear multiple times across different years
- Women casualties: Lucy Jane Godden, Annie Frances Russell, Edith Annie West, Nancy Margaret Pett, Willis, Katie Matilda Jane – civilian war dead, including Russell who was “eight months pregnant” when killed
Geographic Representation of Burials
Countries represented: 20+
Top 3 regions: France, UK, Belgium
Continents: 5 (Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, Americas)
Burial Location: 180 casualties across 20+ countries, France accounts for ~40% by Continent Europe dominates with 86%, Africa 4%, Asia 5%, Other 5%
Key Insights from the Geographic Distribution:
| Region | Key Sites | Conflict Period |
|---|---|---|
| France | Somme, Thiepval, Arras, Ypres sector | WW1 (70%) + WW2 |
| Belgium | Menin Gate, Tyne Cot, multiple cemeteries | WW1 (100%) |
| UK | Kent cemeteries (local burials) | Both wars |
| Germany | Rheinberg, Reichswald, etc. | WW2 (bomber crews) |
| Mediterranean/Africa | Egypt, Libya, Italy, Malta | WW2 campaigns |
| Asia-Pacific | Thailand, Burma, PNG, India | WW2 POW theaters |
| Americas | Virginia (Civil War), Kentucky (WW2) | US Civil War + WW2 |
Theater concentration info
Losses cluster heavily on the Western Front (France/Belgium ~61% combined), reflecting the grinding attrition of WW1 trench warfare. The secondary cluster is WW2 bomber command and naval losses (Germany, At Sea memorials).
This distribution tells a clear story: our family was caught up in the major European conflict zones. The handful of deaths in distant theaters (Thailand, Papua New Guinea, India) represent POW camps and far-flung colonial deployments that affected British/Commonwealth forces globally during WW2.
Major Battles & Campaigns Corresponding to Losses
Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916) – ~35 deaths
This is our biggest single disaster period. Based on the burial locations:
| Cemetery/Memorial | Deaths | Specific Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face) | ~12 | Jul-Nov 1916 |
| Daours Communal Cemetery Extension | 2 | Aug 1916, Oct 1918 |
| Villers-Bretonneux Memorial | 1 | Aug 1916 |
| Guillemont Road Cemetery | 1 | Sep 1916 |
| Grove Town Cemetery | 1 | Sep 1916 |
| Pozieres British Cemetery | 2 | Jul 1916, Apr 1918 |
| Ancre British Cemetery | 1 | Nov 1916 |
| Grandcourt Road Cemetery | 1 | Oct 1916 |
| Beaumont-Hamel (Ancre) | 1 | Nov 1916 |
Names from Somme: Alderton (Edwin & Henry), Ballard, Berry (John Norwood), Burchett, Dale, Hansford, Hanson, Hansford, Howard, Luttman, Morgan, Raines, Taylor (multiple)
Historical context: The Somme saw over 600,000 British casualties in 141 days. Our family’s ~35 deaths here represents roughly 0.006% of all British Somme deaths—a striking concentration..
Ypres/Passchendaele Sector (1914-1918) – ~20 deaths
| Memorial/Cemetery | Deaths | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Menin Gate Memorial (Ypres) | ~12 | 1915-1918 |
| Tyne Cot Memorial | ~5 | 1917-1918 |
| Duhallow ADS Cemetery | 1 | 1917 |
| White House Cemetery | 1 | 1917 |
| Pilckem/White chateau area | 1 | 1917 |
Names: Hayward (Edward), Howard, Maple (Ernest), Norris, Rolfe, Smith, Summers, Vanson (2 brothers and a cousin!), Webb
Gallipoli Campaign (April-December 1915) – ~4 deaths
| Cemetery/Memorial | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Helles Memorial | 2 |
| Embarkation Pier Cemetery (Gelibolu) | 2 |
Names: Chadwick, Chilcott (Richard Simon Welsh), Hayes
Context: These were naval infantry/infantry landings on Turkish peninsula. High casualty rate, many bodies unrecovered.
German Spring Offensive (March-July 1918) – ~15 deaths
The 1918 spike corresponds to Operation Michael and subsequent German attacks:
| Location | Deaths | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Arras Memorial | ~4 | Mar-Apr 1918 retreat |
| Pozieres Memorial | ~3 | Mar 1918 |
| Cambrai Memorial | 2 | Nov 1917-Mar 1918 |
| St. Souplet British Cemetery | 1 | Mar 1918 |
Names: Chilcott (Ernest Charles), Mount (Percy Victor), Wiffen, multiple others marked “body not recovered”
World War 2 – Italian Campaign (1943-1945) – ~8 deaths
| Cemetery | Deaths | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Catania War Cemetery | 1 | Aug 1943 |
| Bari War Cemetery | 1 | Apr 1945 |
| Bolsena War Cemetery | 1 | Jun 1944 |
| Moro River Canadian Cemetery | 1 | Oct 1943 |
| Ortona area | 1 | 1943-44 |
| Anzio/Nettuno area | 2 | 1944 |
Names: Bax, Hogben, Jack Percy Hayward, Trodd
Bomber Command / Germany Theatre (1942-1945) – ~12 deaths
These are RAF Volunteer Reserve deaths in German cemeteries—and are bomber crew losses:
| Cemetery | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Rheinberg War Cemetery | 2 |
| Reichswald Forest War Cemetery | 2 |
| Dumbach War Cemetery | 1 |
| Becklingen War Cemetery | 1 |
| Other German cemeteries | 6 |
Names: Cheeseman (Eric Victor – POW), Dixon, Froud, Hover, Padmore, various unnamed RAF VR
Context: RAFVR deaths in Germany 1943-45 typically indicate captured aircrew or those killed in raids over Germany whose bodies were later repatriated to Commonwealth cemeteries.
North Africa Campaign (1940-1943) – ~6 deaths
| Memorial/Cemetery | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Alamein Memorial | 2 |
| El Alamein (various) | 1 |
| Tobruk (Chatham Memorial) | 1 |
| Benghazi War Cemetery | 1 |
| Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery | 1 |
Names: Jenner, Norrington, Williams, Godden (James George)
Burma/Thailand POW Deaths (1943-1945) – ~3 deaths
| Cemetery | Deaths | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Kanchanaburi War Cemetery | 2 | Burma Railway POW |
| Chungkai War Cemetery | 1 | Burma Railway POW |
Names: Cheeseman (Eric Victor), Dynes, Piddock (Douglas)
Critical note: These men were prisoners of the Japanese, forced to build the Death Railway. Conditions killed ~13,000 POWs total—our family’s 3 deaths reflect this brutal chapter.
Naval/Merchant Navy Losses (At Sea Memorials) – ~12 deaths
| Memorial | Deaths | War |
|---|---|---|
| Tower Hill Memorial | ~6 | WW2 merchant navy |
| Portsmouth Naval Memorial | ~4 | Both wars |
| Chatham Naval Memorial | ~3 | WW1 naval |
Names: Anderson, Collins, Dicks, Keelan, Kent, Morris, Pay, Playford, Rumsey, Stewart, Williams, Woodland
US Civil War Connection – 1 death
| Cemetery | Date | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Hampton National Cemetery, Virginia | May 1864 | 117th Regiment |
Name: Hayward, Caleb
SOMME CONCENTRATION IS EXCEPTIONAL WARNING
With ~35 deaths concentrated in one 141-day battle, our family suffered losses equivalent to a battalion’s worth of casualties. This strongly suggests multiple family branches were deployed in the same brigades/regiments during the July-November 1916 offensive.
POW DEATHS IN THAILAND INFO
Eric Victor Cheeseman (Royal Artillery) and others in Kanchanaburi died as prisoners on the Burma Railway. Their survival for months in captivity before death is notable—the cemetery details mention harsh conditions, disease, and starvation.
Timeline Summary by Battle
Deaths by Major Campaign Somme alone accounts for 19% of all deaths; WW1 Western Front totals 77%
Breakdown by Service Branch
ARMY (115 deaths, ~64%)
Infantry Regiments:
| Regiment | Deaths | WW1 | WW2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) | ~30 | ~28 | ~2 |
| Royal Fusiliers | ~12 | ~10 | ~2 |
| Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) | ~6 | ~5 | ~1 |
| Royal Sussex Regiment | ~4 | ~4 | – |
| South Wales Borderers | 3 | ~2 | ~1 |
| Coldstream Guards | 3 | ~3 | – |
| Rifle Brigade | 3 | ~3 | – |
| East Surrey Regiment | 2 | ~2 | – |
| Leicestershire Regiment | 2 | ~2 | – |
| Dorsetshire Regiment | 2 | ~1 | ~1 |
| Royal Irish Fusiliers | 2 | ~2 | – |
| Household Battalion | 2 | ~2 | – |
| Royal Welch Fusiliers | 1 | ~1 | – |
| Oxfordshire & Bucks Light Infantry | 1 | ~1 | – |
| Grenadier Guards | 1 | ~1 | – |
| Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders | 1 | – | ~1 |
| Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers) | 1 | – | ~1 |
| Australian Infantry, AIF | 6 | ~6 | – |
| Other infantry units | ~10 | ~8 | ~2 |
Artillery:
| Unit | Deaths | WW1 | WW2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Artillery | ~12 | ~4 | ~8 |
| Royal Field Artillery | 4 | ~4 | – |
| Royal Garrison Artillery | 4 | ~3 | ~1 |
| Royal Canadian Artillery | 1 | – | ~1 |
Engineers & Specialists:
| Unit | Deaths | WW1 | WW2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Engineers | ~6 | ~4 | ~2 |
| Machine Gun Corps | 3 | ~3 | – |
| Canadian Engineers | 1 | – | ~1 |
| Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps | 1 | – | ~1 |
| Royal Armoured Corps | 1 | – | ~1 |
Other Army:
- Royal Army Service Corps: ~5
- Royal Corps of Signals: ~2
- 2nd Kent Cyclist Battalion / RE: 1
- Cambridgeshire Regiment: 1
- Border Regiment: 1
- Various: ~3
NAVY (31 deaths, ~17%)
| Branch | Deaths | WW1 | WW2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Navy | ~18 | ~10 | ~8 | Regular naval service |
| Merchant Navy | ~8 | ~1 | ~7 | Merchant mariners |
| Royal Naval Reserve | 2 | ~2 | – | Reserve naval personnel |
| Mercantile Marine Reserve | 1 | ~1 | – | Merchant marine |
| Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve | 2 | – | ~2 | Naval reserves |
Key observations:
- Merchant Navy deaths heavily WW2-focused (bombing of merchant ships)
- Most “At Sea” memorial deaths are naval, a few were POW deaths
- Portsmouth and Chatham Naval Memorials dominate
AIR FORCE (25 deaths, ~14%)
| Unit | Deaths | WW1 | WW2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Air Force | ~8 | – | ~8 | Regular RAF |
| RAF Volunteer Reserve | ~12 | – | ~12 | Mostly bomber crew |
| Royal Flying Corps | 1 | ~1 | – | Pre-RAF aviation |
| Royal Canadian Air Force | 1 | – | ~1 | Commonwealth |
| Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers | 1 | – | ~1 | RAF support |
Bomber Command Context: Most RAFVR deaths in 1943-45 are bomber crew. These men died over Germany or on operations—many buried in German cemeteries (Rheinberg, Reichswald, etc.).
CIVILIAN WAR DEAD (12 deaths, ~7%)
All WW2 (civilian bombing victims):
| Name | Date | Location | Circumstances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbott, Victor Gordon | 25 Oct 1940 | Kent | Blitz bombing |
| Byrne, Donald Joseph | 06 Jan 1941 | Kent | Blitz bombing |
| Gurr, George Albert | 29 May 1941 | Kent | Local raid |
| Harling, Gordon John | 26 Sep 1940 | Greenwich | London bombing |
| Godden, Lucy Jane | 26 Sep 1940 | Greenwich | London bombing |
| Russell, Annie Frances | 06 May 1941 | Nonington | Eight months pregnant |
| West, Edith Annie | 22 Dec 1942 | Ashford | Local bombing |
| Willis, Katie Matilda Jane | 29 May 1941 | Hawkinge | Local raid |
| Terry, Alfred Joseph | 03 Jul 1940 | Canterbury Aerodrome | Aircraft accident/military-related |
| Swann, Ernest Walter | 30 Aug 1947 | Dartford | Post-war (RAF Reserve/Civilian overlap) |
| Piddock, Douglas | 10 Dec 1943 | Thailand | POW status (civilian category) |
| Moore, Donald West | 03 Sep 1944 | Kentucky, USA | American service but categorized locally |
Note: Russell, Annie Frances being “eight months pregnant” highlights the impact on civilians beyond combat personnel.
ARMY DOMINANCE SHIFTS BETWEEN WARS
WW1 was 77% army (trench warfare), while WW2 saw army drop to 47% as air power and naval operations became more prominent. RAFVR deaths in WW2 account for 14% of all casualties.
MERCHANT NAVY DISPROPORTIONATELY WW2
Only 1-2 Merchant Navy deaths in WW1 vs ~7 in WW2. This reflects U-boat campaigns targeting supply ships—the deadliest profession for civilian sailors during WW2.
CIVILIAN WAR DEAD UNIQUE TO WW2
All 12 civilian deaths occurred in WW2 during bombing raids. Annie Frances Russell being eight months pregnant when killed illustrates the generational impact on families.
Summary Table
| Branch | Total | WW1 | WW2 | Other | Key Theater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army | 115 | 90 | 25 | 0 | Western Front (Somme/Ypres) |
| Navy | 31 | 20 | 11 | 0 | Atlantic/Mediterranean/At Sea |
| Air Force | 25 | 1 | 24 | 0 | Bomber Command/Europe |
| Civilian | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | UK Home Front |
Key insight: The family experienced the full spectrum of modern warfare—from WW1’s ground trenches to WW2’s aerial bombing and naval blockades. The shift from Army-dominated WW1 losses to more diversified WW2 casualties mirrors the evolution of warfare in the 20th century.