CAMPBELL, CHARLES SIDNEY, Private, No. 14307, 1st Battn. (3rd Foot) The Buffs (East Kent Regt.). eldest s. of Charles Edward Campbell, of 6, Tottenham Square, Tottenham Road, Kingsland, N., by his wife, Alice Maud, dau. of Samuel Johnson; b. Hackney, London, E.; educ. Kingsland, N.; enlisted in Jan. 1918; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, and was killed in action 2 Aug. 1918. Buried at Poperinghe. His Captain wrote: “Your son was killed by a machine-gun bullet and suffered no pain. He was a great favourite with all.” and the Head Master from the school at Kingsland: “He was one of our nicest boys, and was greatly liked by all with whom he came in contact.” Unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

BOARER, WALTER, M.M., Private, 11th (Service) Battn. The Buffs (East Kent Regt.), 8. of William Boarer, of Old Half Moon, Friars Gate, Withyam, co. Sussex, by his wife, Mary; b. St. John’s, Crowborough, co. Sussex, 28 Nov. 1892; educ. St. John’s School there was a Carter; enlisted 12 Feb. 1917; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from the following May, and died at Abbeville 21 June, 1918, from wounds received in action near St. Quentin the previous day. Buried in the Communal Cemetery Extension, Abbeville. He was awarded the Military Medal [London Gazette, 12 Oct. 1917], for carrying a wounded officer half a mile under heavy shell fire, and for devotion to duty. He m. at St. John’s Church, Crowborough, Jane Ann (5, Brook Terrace, Crowborough), dau. of John (and Ada) Smith, and had two children: Mary Ada Annie, b. 20 Aug. 1914, and Alice Matilda, b. 19 Aug. 1916.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

BISHOP, HERBERT GEORGE, Private, No. 12895, 1st Battn. (3rd Foot) The Buffs (East Kent Regt.), s. of William James George Bishop, of 6, The Street, Old Shoreham, co. Sussex, Foreman Fruit Grower, by his wife, Ellen, dau. of the late James Duke; b. Old Shoreham aforesaid, 9 Oct. 1896; educ. Church School there joined the 6th (Territorial) Cyclist Battn. The Royal Sussex Regt. 9 Feb. 1916, and was subsequently transferred to the Buffs; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from the following Sept., and was killed in action 16 Oct. 1917. Buried in the Corkscrew British Cemetery, Lievin; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Bainbridge C 2nd Lt 6th East Kent Regiment

BAINBRIDGE, CARLYLE, 2nd Lieut., 6th (Service) Battn. The Buffs (East Kent Regt.), eldest s. of John William Bainbridge, of Westoe, Lewisham, S.E., Merchant, by his wife, Elizabeth, dau. of Thomas Glass; and brother to Lieut. J. S. Bainbridge (q.v.); b. Lewisham, S.E., 27 Dec. 1894; educ. Catford Collegiate School, and Elstow School, Bedford; on leaving Bedford he went to Germany, where he remained for three years studying Engineering; prior to the outbreak of war he returned to England; enlisted in Aug. 1914; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 1 June, 1915, and was killed in action at Quarries, near Hulluch, 13 Oct. following, while leading his men under heavy fire. Buried in Ver-melles Military Cemetery. His Commanding Officer reported of him: “No work daunted him. He was always cheerful, and although of very youthful appearance, was idolized by his men, and was the favourite of the regiment.” Unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Andrews E N 2nd Lt 7th East Kent Regiment

ANDREWS, EDWARD NORMAN, 2nd Lieut., 7th (Service) Battn. The Buffs (East Kent Regt.), yst. s. of Edward Collingwood Andrews, of 16, Heath Drive, Hampstead, N.W., Doctor of Medicine, by his wife, Jeanie, dau. of William Tucker; b. Hampstead, London, N.W., 21 Nov. 1898; educ. Heath Mount, Hampstead, N.W.; Oundle School (where he was a School Prefect and captain of boating), and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. The Buffs in Dec. 1917; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from July, 1918, and died at a Casualty Clearing Station 23 Aug. following, of wounds received in action the previous day at Albert. Buried at Daours, north-east of Amiens. A brother officer wrote: “He led his platoon with complete disregard of danger, encouraging his men until wounded. His devotion to duty and bravery were an inspiration to his platoon.” Unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Alsop W Pte 7th East Kent Regiment

Source : The Vivid 1st May 1915

To France 28th July 1915

Transferred to Labour Corps (459954)

Discharged 5th April 1919

Topham G S L/Cpl 1358 5th East Kent Regiment

TOPHAM, GEORGE SAMUEL, L.-Corpl., No. 1358, 1/5th Battn. East Kent Regt. (The Buffs) (T.F.), yst. s. of William Topham, of Arlesey, co. Bedford, Engine Driver, by his wife, Mary Ann, dau. of William Bowskill, of Arlesey; b. St. Neots, co. Huntingdon, 2 Feb. 1896; educ. Arlesey Council School, and was apprenticed to Messrs. Levitt & Sons, Outfitters, of Arlesey, and then moved to Luton, later going to Cranbrook, Kent. Volunteered on the outbreak of war, and joined The Buffs on or about 6 Aug. 1914; left for India, 29 Oct., where he remained until Nov. 1915, when he was ordered to the Persian Gulf, and died there 17 Jan. 1916, of wounds received in action on the 6th; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Hilder H S 2nd Lt 7th East Kent Regiment

SECOND LIEUTENANT HAROLD SALTON HILDER, The Buffs, was born in 1885 and educated at Ardingly and King’s College, Cambridge. He represented his school at cricket. He became a member of the Stock Exchange in 1914.

On the outbreak of war he joined the 10th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers and afterwards was given his commission in the 7th Battalion, East Kent Regiment (The Buffs).

He was reported wounded and missing at Cherisy on 3 May 1917, and it is presumed he was killed on that day.

Source : The Stock Exchange War Memorial 1914-1918

Tapsfield C R Bandsman 704 5th East Kent Regiment

TAPSFIELD, CLAUDE REGINALD, Bandsman, No. 704, 1/5th Battn. East Kent Regt. (The Buffs), 2nd s. of the late Frederick Tapsfield, for 18 years a member of the East Kent Yeomanry, by his wife, Laura Louisa (2, East Hill, Ashford, Kent), dau. of Valentine Munn (now the sole survivor of the first 80 men of the 1st East Kent. Volunteers sworn in at Maidstone); b. Maidstone, co. Kent, 5 June, 1889; educ. British School, Ashford, and S.E.A. College, Wye; was a Newsagent and Tobacconist; joined the Kent Territorials in 1905; volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war; went to India with his regt. 29 Oct. 1914, and died on service at Pachmari, 1 June, 1915, following an operation for appendicitis; unm. Capt. F. Muckley wrote: Tapsfield was not only a clever musician and good soldier, but was so well liked by every one of us for his cheerful good fellowship. He was attended to his grave by every man of the 5th Buffs stationed at Pachmari, and buried with military honours.”

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Clarke S A Sergt G/2659 6th East Kent Regiment

SERGEANT STEWART ALGERNON CLARKE, The Buffs, was the sixth son of the late Rev. James S. Clarke, vicar of Goudhurst, Kent, and was born in 1881.

Educated at Cranbrook Grammar School and Tonbridge, he entered the office of Ricardo and Robertson in 1895 and became a member of the Stock Exchange nine years later.

Until he injured his knee he was manager of “B” team of Blackheath Football Club. He was an enthusiastic collector of antiques, a connoisseur in old table glass, and a member of the British Numismatic and of the Kent Numismatic Societies.

During August 1914 he served in Kent as a motor-cyclist patrol and despatch rider. In September he enlisted in the 6th Battalion The Buffs, and was trained with them at Purfleet, Sandling, and Aldershot before they were sent to France in June 1915.

Before that Stewart Clarke had qualified at Hythe in Machine Gun work, and had been appointed Machine Gun Sergeant-Instructor to the battalion.

He was killed in action on the night of October 1915 near 13 Hulluch, in the course of the operations following the battle of Loos. His Machine Gun Officer wrote thus of him: “We were attacking a portion of the German trenches, and he was in charge of one of the guns which had to advance to the captured trench. He died whilst leading his team in the most gallant fashion.”

“Of all that he meant to me I can give no idea. I always looked upon him as a brother officer to whom I could go for advice, and whose advice was always worth taking. The men of the Machine Gun section absolutely worshipped him and, whatever hardships they had to go through, there was never any complaint because they knew they could trust their sergeant to get the best possible for them.”

Source : The Stock Exchange War Memorial 1914-1918

Clarke S A Sergt G/2659 6th East Kent Regiment

SERGT. STEWART ALGERNON CLARKE, 6TH BATTN. THE BUFFS (EAST KENT REGT.). KILLED IN ACTION AT THE HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT, NEAR HULLUCH, OCTOBER 13TH, 1915. AGED 34.

At the School 1893-95 (Day Boy). Stewart Algernon Clarke was the sixth son of the late Rev. James Sanderson Clarke, Vicar of Goudhurst, Kent, and Mrs. Clarke, of 198, Denmark Hill, S.E., and a brother of the Rev. Kenneth Clarke (P.S. 1889-93; Sixth Form 1892-93; XI. 1891-2-3; XV. 1892; Sizar of St. John’s College, Cambridge, 1893; B.A. 1896), for long Vicar of St. Mark’s, Lewisham, S.E. He had been on the Stock Exchange ever since. he left School, and became a Member of the House in 1904. He was a Member of the Kent Numismatic Society, and his great hobby lately had been “tokens.” He was, says a correspondent, a “real good fellow and a delightful companion with a host of friends.”

On the outbreak of war he acted as a Cycle Patrol on the Kentish coast and then enlisted with the other men in the 6th Battn. of the Buffs and in time became Machine Gun Sergeant. He was offered one or two Commissions, but would not take them as he was unwilling to leave the men he enlisted with and wanted to serve in the Buffs, as East Kent was his home.

His officer writes: “He was killed on the night of the 13-14th (October). We were attacking a portion of the German trenches and he was in charge of the gun which had to advance to the captured trench. He died whilst leading his team in the most gallant fashion. In the whole Battalion there was hardly a man more looked up to than Sergt. Clarke, and this regard he had won for himself entirely by his own personal merit. Of all that he meant to me I can give you no idea. I always looked on him as a brother officer to whom I could go for advice and whose advice was always worth taking. The men of the machine gun section absolutely worshipped him, and whatever hardship they have had to go through there was never any complaint, because they knew they could trust their Sergeant to get the best possible for them.”

One of his brothers, the third son, Basil Edward Clarke, who was serving as a Private in the 7th Battn. of the 1st Canadian Contingent, was reported missing when the Canadians lost so heavily near Ypres on April 24th, 1915, and his death was ultimately presumed. Two other brothers served and were both wounded.

Source : Tonbridge School And The Great War Of 1914-1919