Darenth Council School – Roll of Honour 1914-1918

This postcard recently appeared on Ebay, and so I had to purchase it.

darenth council school ww1

Darenth Council School Roll of Honour 1914-1918

I would be interested to know if this plaque still exists, or like so many of these, has disappeared over time.

The men listed:

Private Bertram Edgar Arney, No.2298. 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, died 1st May 1915, Gallipoli

Private Samuel Arney, No.2304, 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, died 25th April 1915, Gallipoli

Bertram and Samuel were brothers, both born in Wiltshire, and they were living at Gills in the 1901 census, where their father was working as an agricultural labourer.  By 1911 both brothers had enlisted in the Lancashire Fusiliers.

Private Victor Alfred Brett, No.19936, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), “D” Coy. 10th Bn , died 27th April 1918, Flanders.  Son of Frederick Richard and Bridget Brett, of 16 E.C. Cottages, Bean, Stone, Dartford.

Gunner F. T. Cherry, No.115003, Royal Field Artillery, 524th Howitzer Bt, died 10th February 1917, Iraq

James Collins

Albert Elliott

Cyril Fry

Private Percy George Fry, No, 53051, Manchester Regiment 11th Bn, 19th May 1918, Pas de Calais,  Son of Samson and Helen Fry, of 3, Whitbreads’ Cottages, Lanes End, nr. Dartford, Kent.

Brothers Cyril and Percy were born in Darenth, and their father was a head laundryman.

Joshua Glover

Rifleman Robert Julian Ludlow, No. S/25861, Rifle Brigade  12th Bn, died 30th January 1917, Belgium.  Son of Mark and Fannny Ludlow, of High St., Bean; husband of Edith Pankhurst (formerly Ludlow), of Melbourne Cottage, Bean, Dartford, Kent.

William F Sanders

Gunner Edward Sawkins, No. 38042, Royal Garrison Artillery 2nd Siege Bty, died 17th January 1917, and buried at Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery.  Son of John and Jane Elizabeth Sawkins, of Church Hill Cottage, Darenth, Dartford, Kent

Private Lewis Stoneham, No. CH/11705, Royal Marine Light Infantry, (RMR/B/868). H.M.S. “Hogue”.  Died 22nd September 1914

Captain W. Gordon Summers, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) 7th Bn, died 28th December 1915 at Flanders. Son of Mrs. E. Summers, of Green Street Green, Dartford, Kent.

James West

Harry White

Gunner Albert Ledger, No. 180103, Royal Field Artillery 161st Bde, died 8th March 1921, and is buried in St Margaret’s Churchyard.  Son of Mrs. A. Ledger, of 8, Stanley Cottages, Lancs End, Dartford.

Leonard May

 

9 thoughts on “Darenth Council School – Roll of Honour 1914-1918

  1. Dave Barrett

    Two of those names also appear on the war memorial at Dartford Grammar School: William F. Sanders and W.G. Summers. The basic details for the boys are as follows:

    Captain Walter Gordon Summers
    Born 28/11/1892. DGS 1907-12. OTC 1909-12. Prefect 1909. Voted “Popular Boy” in 1909, 1910, and 1911. School Captain in 1912. London University Matriculation 1912. Teacher at Kinbolton for one term in 1912 before teaching at DGS from 1912 to 1914. Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, unattached, Territorial Force for DGS OTC on 23/11/12. Transferred to the 7th Battalion, The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment at the start of the war. Promoted to Captain on 09/11/1914. Served in France at Albert from 25/07/1915. Killed in action on 28/12/1915 by a rifle grenade. Buried at Norfolk Cemetery, Becordel Becourt, The Somme, France, I.A.24. Commemorated on the Dartford War Memorial (Gethyn J. Rees, page 179).

    Rifleman William Francis Sanders
    Born 25/06/1892. His father was William Sanders, an elementary school teacher. The family lived at “School House”, Green Street Green. DGS 1907-08. After leaving he worked in civil service, in particular, the post office. Enlisted after being rejected five times as medically unfit. Enlisted in the 1/18th Battalion London Regiment on 02/03/1916. Served on the Western Front from June 1916. Killed in action, 19/08/1917. Commemorated on the Menin Gate memorial, Ypres, panel 54.

    Photos of both were printed in the Spring 1919 Dartfordian Magazine.

    Is this memorial still in the school? And does the post card have anything written on the back of it?

    Reply
    1. Colin Evenden

      This Roll of Honour is now placed in a prominent position within the school building having been left in a storeroom over the years. Darenth County Primary School is now named Greenfields. I do not know if anything is written on the back. However the school are proud to be able to display the board, and I’m sure they would help you with your enquiry.

      Reply
    1. Colin Evenden

      If you contact the school Linda, and tell them of your connection, I’m sure they will be happy to help. Now called Greenfields School.

      Reply
  2. Linda Scudder

    My Great Uncle Albert Elliott is on this memorial He was killed on November 2 1916 aged 18. on the Somme. He lived in St John’s Cottages Sutton at Hone and was one of about 10 children. I am very proud of the sacrifice he gave for us all

    Reply
  3. Neil Glover

    I hope this is the right place to post my comments as it’s the first time I have done so. I (hopefully) have something to add, and something to ask.
    I was moved to contribute because of this amazing post card. What are the chances of someone taking this picture of a country school roll of honour board? Then, what are the chances of it being made into a postcard? (The circulation must have been quite small). Finally, what are the chances of this surviving to the present day? Truly remarkable. I too would love to know if this board survived. These men gave their lives, it doesn’t seem too much to ask that their remembrance is preserved.
    I can add a little to this.
    Joshua Glover was my great Uncle, born in Horton Kirby in 1884, one of the five children of John and Cathleen Glover of South Darenth.
    By 1911, he was working as a miner in Wales, with his wife Bertha and daughter Ivy. They obviously made their way back to Kent, as he enlisted at Woolwich in 1914. In terms of the roll of honour board, the details are;

    L/6756 Sgt. Joshua Glover, 6th (service) Bttn. QORWKR.
    Departed for France 1st June 1915.
    K.I.A. by shellfire when the area they were in, the Despierre Farm area and surrounding trenches, south of Ploegsteert Wood, were heavily shelled on the 15th Sept 1915. Sgt. Glover killed with several others wounded.
    He is buried in the Strand Military Cemetary, Belgium.

    As for the question I mentioned, (there must a chance that a local historian with knowledge of the area might see this), I am trying to locate the grave of my Grandfather, Leonard Glover (one of Joshua’s two brothers).
    Unfortunately, I haven’t lived in Kent for close to four decades, now, so do not have a great deal of opportunity to search. I have toured the churches I know about in the area on the opportunities I have had when in Kent, but have so far drawn a blank.
    The ‘municipal’ lists do not seem to help. The only clue I have is in a 100 year-old ‘memorial card’ which says on the bottom ‘intered at South Darenth Churchyard’.
    Does anybody know which Churchyard, in 1921, would have been generally and acceptably known as ‘South Darenth Churchyard’? I would be most grateful if anybody could suggest a/some likely candidates.

    The embarrassing thing is that I know this grave and headstone exist (or that it did about 45 years ago), because my sister and her boyfriend found it once while out and about. Unfortunately, for some years now, she has been my late sister – so I can no longer ask. My Grandfather was a career soldier (also, ultimately, a Seageant in the QORWKR, later transferring after WW1 to the 5th Bttn. Tank Corps.) and became ill while in the army, was medically discharged and died in 1921 at the age of 33. Family ‘history’ suggest the headstone was funded by his regiment.
    From what I remember my sister saying all those years ago, the grave/headstone was close to an old wooden porch-type entranceway to a church or chapel, as I say, in quite a prominent place at the edge of a pathway next to this entrance. The gravestone was inscribed ‘Sgt. Leonard Glover’ and also commerates his brother (the said Joshua).
    Of course, things change and over time stones can become unstable such that they are recovered to a safer position, or whatever. All I know is that this grave and headstone definitely existed.
    If anybody can offer a clue, I would be most grateful.
    With thanks in advance, N. G.

    Reply
    1. Malcolm Scott

      Hi. Leonard Glover was buried in St Margaret’s churchyard, Darenth, on 26th July 1921. I no longer live in the area so can’t help with a picture I’m afraid.

      Reply
  4. Neil Glover

    Malcolm,
    My profound and unreserved apologies for not thanking you for this lead sooner, but with a serious illness in the family and all that is happening generally, this interest slid down my list a little.
    I assume you mean the St Margaret of Antioch Church.
    I’m sure I ‘did’ this churchyard on one of my visits, but obviously must have missed something. I will attempt to have another look next time I’m in Kent, (but in current circumstances I’m not sure when that will be). As I said originally, my only clue to the existence of this grave was that my late sister found it decades ago. As also mentioned, circumstances change and it is possible that I didn’t find it because it may have become unsafe for some reason and subsequently moved/removed.
    Now I’m sure I am at least probably in the right churchyard, I will have a more thorough search. (I have, for example, seen gravestones moved and stood against perimeter walls, presumably because they were unstable in their original locations).
    I will (as a matter of politeness if nothing else) report my findings after my visit, although, as just said, I’m not sure quite when that will be.
    Thank you again.
    Neil Glover

    Reply

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