BROWN, FRANK EDMUND, Rifleman, No. 553823, 16th Battn. (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd s. of William Brown, of Rushton, Cressingham Grove, Sutton, by his wife, Henrietta Rose: b. Catford, co. Kent, 6 March, 1898; edne. St. Peter’s College, Brockley, S.E.; joined the Queen’s Westminster Rifles in Nov. 1916; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from May, 1917, and died a prisoner of war at Valenciennes 1 Jan. 1918, of wounds received in action near Cambrai 30 Nov. previously. Buried at Valenciennes; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Wacher G G Sergt 517 16th London Regiment

WACHER, GEOFFREY GIBBINGS, Sergt., No. 517, 1/16th Battn. (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), The London Regt. (T.F.), yst. s. of the late Alfred Wacher, of the Anchor Brewery, Bermondsey, S.E., and Herne Bay, by his wife, Lucy Durant, dau. of Henry Gibbings, of North Tawnton, Devon; b. Bermondsey, 25 April, 1891; educ. St. Anne’s School, Redhill, Surrey; was for some years in the employ of Chas. Morgan & Co., Paper Manufacturers, London; joined the Queen’s Westminsters, 22 Jan. 1909; volunteered for Imperial Service, Aug. 1914, and left for France, as Corpl. 1 Nov. 1914; promoted Sergt. June, 1915, and placed in charge of the machine-gun section, to which he had been transferred in Jan.; and was killed in action 9 Aug. following; unm. The Queen’s Westminsters were in support during the attack on Hooge on 9 Aug., and, after this had proved successful, occupied the first line trenches. During the severe bombardment by the enemy’s artillery which followed, our men took refuge in dug-out There were a large number of casualties, and Sergt. Wacher gave up his place of safety to some wounded men, and a few minutes later was killed by a shell. He had done valuable work with his battn. before war broke out, during its period of training, and more especially at the Front.

One of his officers wrote: “He was one of the most popular fellows in the battn. among all ranks, and his loss is considered a regimental catastrophe”; and another wrote: “Ever since he went to the guns he had done excellent work as well as winning the affections of all the section.” He had been recommended for a commission by his Commanding Officer, and expected to return to England any day to take up his new duties, but owing to the heavy fighting could not be spared. An elder brother, Lieut. Walter Ronald Wacher, is (1916) on active service with the 2nd Royal Berkshires.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Tucker R Rfn 1901 16th London Regiment

TUCKER, REGINALD, Rifleman, No. 1901, 16th (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), only 8. of John Tucker, of “Oakwood,” Chorley Wood Road, Rickmansworth, Cigar Dealer, by his wife, Emma, dau. of Samuel Drake; b. Wimbledon, 13 Sept. 1891; educ. Whitgift School, Croydon. He enlisted on the out- break of war, served in France and Flanders, and was killed in action, 4 Dec. 1914; unm.

He was buried near Burnt Farm, Bois Grenier, France. Capt. Whitmore, commanding D. Coy. The Westminsters, wrote: “I regret to say that your son while sitting in the trench was this morning hit in the head by a bullet, which glanced in through a loop hole above him, and died in half an hour. I can only express my personal sorrow at losing a soldier who has always shown himself an extraordinarily plucky fellow, doing his best to keep down the enemy’s fire even when at its heaviest. We shall always remember him among us as the first man of the Company to fall fighting for England.”

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Algar H Rfn 3096 5th London Regiment. Taken on 15th Dec 1915 Photo copied and cropped from The Past on Glass at Sutton Archives.
Photographer David Knights-Whittome. Shared under the Creative Commons Non Commercial

Harold Wise Algar  Born 14th Mar 1898 Woodford-Bridge, Essex. Parents Charles and Florence Algar

Attended Bancroft School (College For Boys), Woodford Green and London University

Enlisted 10th Nov 1915 (3096) 5th London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) Address on enlistment 35 Beacontree Road, Leytonstone.

Served in France and Flanders 14th July 1916 to 5th Aug 1916

Transferred to the 16th London Regiment (8505)

Served in France 6th Aug 1916 to 19th Nov 1916

Served in Salonica  30th Nov 1916 to 21st Jun 1917

Served in Egypt 25th Jun 1917 to 29th July 1918

Served in France 5th Aug 1918 to 9th Feb 1919

Address when demobilised The Clock House, Carshalton, Surrey.

Re enlisted in the 16th London Regiment 10th Oct 1920

Married Sylvia Tucker in Jan 1927 in Islington London

Died Oct 1968 in Chichester Sussex Aged 70

Thomson L Rfn 1877 16th London Regiment

THOMSON, LESLIE, Rifleman, No. 1877, F Coy.1/16th Battn. (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), s. of Walter Thomson, of 18, Lorne Street, Reading, by his wife, Emma; b. Reading, co. Berks, 9 Feb. 1893; educ. Christ’s Hospital, West Horsham; volunteered and joined the Queen’s Westminsters, 5 Aug. 1914; went to France, 1 Nov. 1914, and was killed in action by a rifle grenade which burst just behind him in the trenches at Houplines, near Armentières, 18 March, 1915; unm.

Buried in the hospital cemetery, Rue Carnot, Houplines. Major Tyrwhitt wrote to his parents :  “Your son was always such a bright cheerful boy and such a good soldier,” and a letter signed by 42 men, including officers of his company (Sec. 11), also bore testimony to the respect in which he was held by all.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

SUTCH, FREDERICK WILLIAM, Rifleman, No. 2315, 16th Battn. (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd s. of Charles Strugnell Sutch, of 45, Antill Road, South Tottenham, S.E., by his wife, Clara, dau. of Henry Robert Blake, of Birmingham; b. Tottenham, London, 6 Dec. 1894; educ. The Grammar School there; entered the employ of the London Telephone Service as a Clerk in 1912, and was a member of the Civil Service Cadets, only resigning in conformity with the demands of the age limit, with the rank of Sergt. ; joined the Queen’s Westminsters soon after the outbreak of war, in Sept. 1914; went to France, 2 Nov., and died in Nottingham Hospital, 4 April, 1915, after undergoing three operations rendered necessary by wounds received in action at Houplines on 6 Jan.; unm. He was a keen sportsman and an enthusiastic yachtsman, and was the means of saving life on the River Lea.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Silvester A F Rfn 2895 16th London Regiment

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1