Harold joined the London Regiment in 1910 and served with them until 1916 after which he moved to the RFC (later the RAF). On 27 December 1916 Harold's plane was shot down by the infamous 'Red Baron' (Manfred von Richthofen, pictured above) although he was fortunately unhurt in the incident. Harold's service file is filled with incidents causing him [Click to continue…]

Alec John Rushen (1905–1983) Alec John Rushen was born on 1 October 1905 in Rochford, Essex, the second son of James Charles Rushen and Caroline Roberts. He was baptised: 23 December 1906, St Mary’s Church, Runwell, Essex His arrival came at a time of quiet rural life in the county of Essex, a region defined by its rolling fields, farms, and [Click to continue…]

Jabez Buckle Drake Jabez was born in Yeadon, Yorkshire in 1887 and he married Minnie Anderson at Arthington St Peter in 1909. He had one daughter and a stepdaughter. In 1911 Jabez was a grocer's waggoner in Otley, Yorkshire. Jabez was a Private in the 7th Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment and he died 12 May 1917. His memorial is at Arras [Click to continue…]

Like so many others of the time, Archibald Margrett, also known as “Jimmy”, gave himself without restraint to the conflict in France during the First World War and, as a consequence, carried the scars for the rest of his life. But despite needing six years to recover after the war from physical and emotional injuries, he went on to hold down a [Click to continue…]