Charity: Lest We Forget

This Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, we remember our ancestors and all those who served in WW1 and WW2.

We also displayed 500 British Legion poppies across our offices and Show Home and made a donation of £5 per poppy totalling £2,500.00.

Russell Beswick’s ancestors:

• Sergeant Albert Joseph Newnham (mother’s great uncle – main picture, right) – enrolled in the 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment and received honours for conspicuous gallantry in WW1 for his part in Operation Michael; a major German military offensive that began the Spring offensive in March of that year. Albert received his honours as a result of his involvement when in charge of regimental transport. He went between battlelines and the brigade HQ 5 times during the day through heavy gas and HE bombardments. There were many casualties on the road and many vehicles prevented from completing their journeys. By his gallant and skilful example he succeeded in getting through on every occasion. During the subsequent retreat of troops his handling of the transport was noted as being infallible.
• Sergeant Albert Newnham is also pictured (main picture, left) with his brothers Ernest and Frederick and a 4th person unknown, all of whom served in WW1.
• Henry Beswick (paternal great grandfather) – enrolled in the Royal Flying Corps

Jenna Burrell’s ancestors:

• William Prodger (great grandfather) who worked on mine sweeper boats in the merchant navy
• Florence Richards (great grandmother) who worked in a munitions factory
• Albert Prodger & Jim Prodger (great great uncles)

Jane Lewis ancestors:

• Wilfrid P Bridger – (maternal great grandfather) enrolled in the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1902 aged 18 and fought in many countries. He was pensioned out to the reserves in 1915 with TB caused by gas consumption during WW1 and died from this aged just 34 in 1918 leaving 4 young children
• John H Tarvin – (cousin of paternal grandfather) enrolled in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps in 1915 aged 18 and died in action in Flanders a year later just 6 months before his only child was born

Christine Jones ancestor:

• Rifleman Alan Davy Crompton – (maternal uncle) enrolled in the South Lancashire Regiment and died in action in 1918

Lauren & Melissa Samuels ancestor:

• Michael O’Brien who served in WW2

Fiona Taylor’s ancestor:

• Gunner Frederick Charles Barry – enrolled in the Royal Field Artillery in 1917 aged 19 and died in 1919 (pictured below).

 

 

You can find out more about the 2020 Poppy Appeal on The British Legion website by clicking here.