Remembrance

Westmill's First World War memorial is located within St. Mary's Church and it, along with most other memorials to the Great War, was paid for and erected by public subscription.

As noted on the memorial itself, it was dedicated in 1919.

The list of Westmill's war dead may seem quite short but in fact the tragic loss of 11 Westmill residents represents a considerable number when you think that the population recorded during the 1911 census numbered just 163 male inhabitants in total.

The intention of this page is to publish research and records relating to the brave men of Westmill who never returned to the village life that they left behind to defend all those years ago.  The research has been carried out by Mike Harding and Nigel Leaney.

If you can help fill in any additional details for the names listed on Westmill's roll of honour we'd really appreciate it if you could get in touch as we'd love to be able to provide a resource for future generations.  Please contact Nigel, if you can help in any way.

 

Westmill War Dead 1914-1918

 

Thomas J Abrahams

Thomas John Abrahams was born in High Cross in 1899 to Forst and Emily Abrahams.  In 1911 he is recorded by the census as a schoolboy living at The Bury Lodge, Westmill along with his brother Charles and sister Ruby.

Thomas enlisted at Hertford into the Hertfordshire Regiment as a Private (although according to surviving records of his service, spent some time with the Bedfordshire Regiment too). 

Thomas was killed in action during the advance on the Hindenburg Line on 18^th September 1918 aged 19. 

Thomas's name is inscribed on the memorial at Vis-En-Artois along with over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8^th August 1918 to the date of the Armistice, in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and those who have no known grave.

 

George Cranville

George's service record states he was born in Great Orme. We are currently undertaking more research to determine how he may have come to reside in the Westmill area.

George was enlisted in Royston and served with the 1^st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment in France.

George was injured and was evacuated to England.  He died of wounds at the King George Hospital for Wounded Soldiers in London on 10th August 1915 aged 27 and is buried at St Mary's, one of two Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) memorials in the churchyard.

 

Percy G Darton

Percy George Darton was born on 7^th July 1897 in Cottered.  In 1901 Percy was still living in Cottered with his mother and father Hannah and David and elder brother and sisters Florence, William and Elsie.  By 1911 the family had moved to Gaylors Farm, where Percy was working as an errand boy for a local builder.

Percy enlisted into the 1^st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment as a Private and died as a Prisoner of War on 25^th January 1918 aged 20 years old.

Percy is buried at the Niederzwehren cemetery near Kassel in Germany.  His name is also inscribed on the memorial to his Mother and Father who are buried in Westmill.

 

C James Edwards

Charles James Edwards was born in Buntingford in 1896.  In 1911, he was living in Westmill with James and Emma Edwards, his grandparents and working as a farm labourer.

James enlisted at Hertford into the 13^th Middlesex Regiment but also served in the 1^st London Regiment and later transferred to the 2^nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).

James was killed in action on 21^st March 1918 aged 22 and is buried in the Chauny communal cemetery in the Aisne region of France.

 

Harry Hagger

Harry Hagger was born in Great Chishill, Essex in 1895 to James and Mary Ann Hagger.  Harry had 3 elder brothers, Edward, William and Josiah and one elder sister, Grace and in 1901 the family were living at 52 The Bury, Westmill. 

In 1911 Harry is recorded as living at Knights Hill with his father and sister and having an occupation of House Boy.

Harry enlisted in Buntingford into the 4^th Reserve Brigade, Royal Horse and Field Artillery and served as a driver.

Harry died in London on 10^th February 1916 while on active service.  He was 20 years old.

Harry's name is inscribed on the Greenwich memorial.

 

Percy J Hall

Percy John Hall was born in 1892, the son of William and Alice Hall of Hamels Rd., Buntingford, Herts.

Percy worked as a Signalman on the Great Eastern Railway.

Percy enlisted in Tottenham into the Middlesex Regiment and later served in the Machine Gun Corps.

Percy was killed in action on 21^st March 1918 aged 26 and his name is recorded on the memorial at Pozieres which commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom which have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21^st March to 7^th August 1918.

 

E W Humphreys

Ernest William Humphreys was born in 1884, the son of Henry and Louisa Humphreys of Poplar, London. Ernest had a younger sister Annie and in 1891 were living in Dagenham.

Ernest enlisted in Stratford into the 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment and later served in the 1st/4th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.

Ernest was wounded and died from wounds on 3rd October 1917 aged 34 and is buried in the Dozinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium.

At this time our research has been unable to confirm his connection to Westmill.  He was survived by his sister Annie, but at the time of his death she was recorded as living in East Ham. The 1911 census suggests that he may have been living in Bow and working as a Lineman's Assistant on the railway so perhaps he worked with Percy?

 

Bertie Pegram

Bertie was born in Westmill on 24^th Jul 1893, the son of John and Eliza Pegram, of School Lane. He was baptised at St. Mary's on October 8^th of the same year.  He had 2 elder brothers and one younger brother.  In the 1911 census his occupation is recorded as Cement Works Labourer.

Bertie enlisted in the Royal Navy as a stoker.

Bertie died of wounds as a result of an air raid by German Gotha bombers on Chatham Barracks on the night of 3^rd/4^th September 1917. HMS Pembroke, where Bertie was serving at the time, was a shore based training establishment.  Bertie was 24 when he died and is buried at St. Mary's, his grave opposite that of George Cranville and also marked with a CWGC memorial.

 

John G Sammons

John George Sammons was born in Westmill in 1893, the son of Henry and Betsy Sammons. He was baptised at St. Mary's on November 12^th of the same year.

In 1901, John and his parents were living in Aspenden Road, and by 1911, John, aged 17 was working as an apprentice carpenter and the family had moved to New Cottage, Westmill.

John died in 1919 aged 26.  He was buried in the churchyard at St. Mary's.  At this time our research has been unable to confirm his exact burial location, service record or cause of death, although it is believed that John could have been discharged from the Northamptonshire Regiment in March 1918 and his death, the result of wounds received.  This could explain why his name was included on Westmill's memorial to the fallen of the Great War.

 

Frederick White

Frederick White was born in 1896 in Westmill, the son of George and Elizabeth White.  He was baptised at St. Mary's on April 18^th of the same year.  Frederick had three older sisters, Sarah, Emma and Hilda, two older brothers,  Benjamin and Walter and one younger brother, Bertie.

In the 1901 census, Frederick was recorded as living with the family in Westmill and by 1911 he was occupied as a Farm Labourer.

Frederick enlisted into the Hertfordshire Regiment and later served in the 8^th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment as Private.

Frederick was killed in action on 16^th August 1917 aged 21.  Frederick's name is recorded on the Tyne Cot memorial which bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known as well as those who died in the battles for Ypres and the surrounding area.

 

Walter White

Frederick's elder brother Walter was born in 1893 in Braughing.  In 1901 he is recorded as living with the family at Westmill and by 1911 Walter was also occupied as a Farm Labourer.

Walter enlisted in Royston into the 5^th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment as Private and was in killed in action in Palestine on 10^th September 1918 aged 25.  Walter's name is recorded on the Jerusalem memorial.

 

Westmill War Dead 1939-1945

On 31st August 2019, Westmill unveiled and dedicated a new war memorial in remembrance of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War.

In particular, the memorial calls out the name of the only resident from the village who is known to of lost his life during this conflict.

Friends and parishioners from Westmill were joined by official representative of Her Majesty the Queen for the County of Hertfordshire, Deputy Lieutenant, The Viscount Trenchard, The High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, Sarah Beazley, Civic representatives, along with RAF Association and Royal British Legion members travelling from across the County and beyond.

The plaque was made possible by a bequest from the pilot's sister-in-law Betty Mildren and was unveiled by Betty's sister and niece.

Peter R. Mildren

Peter Mildren was born in Cherry Green, just outside Westmill in 1919.

In 1933 he joined his elder brother at Felsted School in Essex. He was a House prefect, a member of the School Running VIII and XXX, and secretary of the Wireless Society.

In Peter’s obituary, The Felstedian said “As a House prefect, Peter did a difficult job most efficiently. There was much in Peter. Perhaps he was over-sensitive, but he was warm hearted and considerate to a degree, and his friends both here and elsewhere will always remember him with affection”.

Peter joined the RAF on a short service commission and started his training on 31st August 1939. The Felstedian goes on to say, “During that first winter he was handicapped by illness, but on recovery he found life as a fighter-pilot much to his liking”.

He qualified as a Pilot Officer on 31st August 1940 and went to 7 Operational Training Unit in Hawarden, Flintshire the following day to complete his training on Spitfires.  Upon completion, he joined 54 Squadron in Catterick on September 16. The squadron was heavily involved throughout the Battle of Britain.

He moved to 66 Squadron at Gravesend on October 14 and was later based at West Malling and Biggin Hill.

On 11th February 1941, at 1620hrs, Peter left Biggin Hill in Spitfire P7520 with eleven other aircraft of 66 Squadron and eleven aircraft from 74 Squadron to sweep from Boulogne to Gravelines. Forty minutes later, at 17.00hrs, five Messerschmitt 109’s dived from the clouds on to 66 Squadron and Peter was attacked. Reports indicate that his aircraft was seen to go down, apparently out of control. Peter was 21.

 He is buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.

 Click here to see the combat report from his final flight.

Peter's name is inscribed on the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall at the National Memorial to the Few at Capel-le-Ferne, above the famous white cliffs between Dover and Folkestone.

He is remembered on the superb Battle of Britain London Memorial on Westminster Embankment, who we thank for additional research into Peter's career in the RAF.

Peter is also commemorated on the reredos at Biggin Hill RAF Chapel which records the name of all those killed in action while flying from Biggin Hill.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.