Lyme Regis

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Burials at Lyme Regis Cemetery
Research by Richard Smith into the lives and deaths of the CWGC War Casualties buried in Lyme Regis.

Burials from CWGC at Lyme Regis Cemetery

Six of the seventeen men listed as buried below served and died on HMS Formidable - this is the story of that fateful night, 31st December 1915.

Vice Admiral Sir Lewis BAYLY was doing gunnery practice with his Channel Fleet off Portland on 31st December 1915. HMS Formidable with its Commander
Captain Arthur Noel LOXLEY was a pre-dreadnought battleship launched in 1898 with some 700 officers and men including nearly 100 Royal Marines
aboard. What he did not know was that he was being trailed by German submarine U-24 awaiting a chance for a torpedo attack, which came about
2.20 am on the 1st January which struck her midships by the forward funnel. A further torpedo hit at 3.05 am and she sank about 5 am with the loss of
35 Officers and some 512 men. Some 160 were rescued, but not Capt. Loxley, nor his Airedale Terrier "Bruce". The body of the dog was washed up at
Abbotsbury, where he was buried. Formidable's pinnace reached Lyme Regis after 22 hours at sea with 47 men aboard, but sadly some died. On the
afternoon of the joint funeral on 6th January 1915 for six men who had died after being rescued all shops in the town were shut as the funeral
procession made its way through the town. They were buried in graves Nos. D. 14/17.

BERNTHALL Horace Frank Stoker 1st Class No. SS/ 112713 HMS Formidable Royal Navy.

Born at Clapton, London on 20th February 1883, son of Henry Adolphus Bernthall a labourer, and his wife Elizabeth Ann Snelling. In 1911 Horace
was a labourer living at home with his parents at Strotters Cottage, Folly Lane, Walthamstow, Essex before he enlisted in the Royal Navy on 30th
August 1912. He joined HMS Formidable on 11th January 1913, and was aged 21 when he died.

ELEY William Charles Stoker 1st Class No. SS/ 106878 HMS Formidable Royal Navy.

Born at Liverpool, Lancashire on 13th February 1890 son of William Eley, a porter who died in 1913, and his wife Ellen Marriott who died in 1919. He
enlisted in the Royal Navy on 13th March 1903, served until transferred to Royal Naval Reserve on 16th March 1913, re-enlisted on 2nd August 1914,
and joined HMS Formidable on 31st August 1914. He was 24 when he died. In 1911 his parents were living at 113 Bishopsgate Street, Wavertree,
Lancashire.

FAWKES William Parks Stoker 1st Class No. 303073 HMS Formidable Royal Navy.

Born at South Shields, Durham on 31st July 1883 son of William Parks Fawkes, a steam crane operator, and his wife Ann Elizabeth Reed. He
enlisted in the Royal Navy on 5th January 1903, and in May 1904 he married Mary Hornby at South Shields, but sadly she died in 1912. He was aged 32
when he died. His parents were living at 161 St. Vincents Street, Westoe, South Shields.

FELDEN William Petty Officer No. 178093 HMS Formidable Royal Navy

Born at South Hackney, London on 16th October 1878 son of William Robert Felden, a carpenter who died in 1910, and his wife Jessie Barrett who died
in 1902. He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 28th January 1894, aged 15, and had a long career. He married Ada Maude Plumpton at Wandsworth, London on
23rd October 1909. He joined HMS Formidable on 13th January 1914. His widow Ada was living at 51 Santos Road, West Hill, Wandsworth.

SMYTH Bernard Arthur de Plumley Boy 1st Class No. J/ 23725 HMS Formidable Royal Navy.

Born at Bermondsey, London on 16th September 1897, son of Reginald Arthur Plumley Smyth, a nurseryman, and his wife Ellen, who lived at "Berwyn", 53
Silversea Drive, Westcliffe on Sea, Essex. He enlisted as a Boy Sailor on 6th March 1913, aged 15, and joined HMS Formidable on 26th August 1914.
He was aged 17 when he died.

SOUTER Henry Stoker No. 23735 HMS Formidable Royal Naval Reserve.

Born on 10th August 1885 at Thornaby on Tees, Yorkshire, son of John Souter who died in 1886, and his wife Jane Almond. In 1921 Henry was a Police
Sergeant living in Alverstoke, Hampshire but working at the R N Yard at Gosport. His mother was living at 25 Melville Road, Stonebridge Park,
London, and his sister Annie Hardwick at 7 Barnard Street, Thornaby on Tees. Henry's older brother James born 1879 died at Ypres, Belgium on 28th
February 1915 serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers.

The remaining burials

COOK William Charles Henry Private No. 5725268 4th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment previously R A S C No. Sr/ 52186.

Born at Lyme Regis in about July 1905 son of William George Cook, a labourer who died in 1928, and his wife Mary Jane Sanders who died in 1926.
In March 1936 William married Maud Edith Grattan at Axminster, but he died at Lyme Regis on 3rd February 1942, cause not found, and was buried on the
7th in grave No. D.41A.

CRABB Sidney Harry Leading Seaman No. 224298 HMS Prince of Wales Royal Navy.

Born about January 1889 at Lyme Regis son of Albert John Crabb, a Trinity House Pilot who died in 1910, and his wife Mary Ann Govier who died in
1915. Sidney married Lily Froom at Lyme Regis on 9th December 1912 but died at home in Lyme Regis of pulmonary tuberculosis on 8th February 1917,
He was 29 and buried on the 13th in grave No. C. 315A. Lily was living at 17 Corporation Terrace, Lyme Regis.

HALLIDAY Kenneth William Aircraftman 2nd Class No. 1851328 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Born at Axminster, Devon about April 1925, son of George Ernest Halliday, a motor garage proprietor, and his wife Lily Ann Emmett. On 11th May 1945 he
was flying a Tiger Moth from RAF Desford, Leicestershire on formation flying training when his plane collided with Tiger Moth No. T 6910 near
Elmden, Birmingham. He was buried on the 16th in grave G. 29A.

HODDER Albert George Petty Officer 1st Class No. 180596 H M Submarine E. 11 Royal Navy.

Born at Lyme Regis on 27th December 1878 son of Samuel George Hodder, a labourer who died in 1886, and his wife Ellen Mary Williams who had
remarried at Axminster, Devon to William Smith in April 1892. Albert enlisted in the Royal Navy on 7th August 1894 but appears to have drowned
in the River Yare at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk on 4th February 1915 aged 36. He was buried on the 9th in grave No. C. I. D.

HAY William James Flying Officer No. 47798 Royal Air Force

Born at South Shields, Durham about August 1917 son of William James Hay and his wife Mary Elizabeth Cruickshank. He married Monica Ann Blanchard at
Lyme Regis in October 1941, but was killed on 28th October 1942 when flying a Miles Master from RAF Collyweston, Northamptonshire. He was on a Beam
Approach Training Flight at night when he flew the plane into the ground at Marholm Farm, near Peterborough. He was buried on 2nd November in grave No.
D. 47A. His widow Monica was living at Lyme Regis.

JEFFERS William Frederick Alec Aircraftman 1st Class No. 1422615 Royal Air Force.

Born at Lyme Regis on 27th October 1923 son of Albert Edward Jeffers, a Stoker R.N. in 1911, and his wife Alberta Lavinia Curtis of Lyme Regis. The
circumstances of William's death on 13th May 1942 aged 18 are not clear - RAF report says he was part of Maintenance Command and maybe on a works
flight but gave no details or place. He was buried on the 16th in grave No. D. 43A.

O'REILLY Desmond Leading Aircraftman No. 86867 HMS Owl

Born at Dublin Ireland on 26th December 1923 son of Edmond and Ruby O'Reilly. He was the wireless operator / air gunner in a Barracuda
aircraft flying from Royal Naval Air Station Fearn, near Tain, Scotland. It was doing aerial light torpedo exercises when the plane flew into the sea
at Tarbert Ness, Scotland and Desmond was killed. He was aged 20 and buried in grave No. A. 89.

POWELL Samuel Edwin Staff Sergeant No. A 360271 Royal Army Service Corps

Born at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in January 1876 son of Samuel Powell, a baker and grocer who died in 1906, and his wife Catherine Whittard who died
in 1930. I did not find details of his Army service but in 1905 he married Ellen Florence Hobbs at Stroud, Gloucestershire, and in 1911 was working as
a commercial traveller. He appears to have died at Charmouth, Dorset, aged 43, but cause not found. He was buried in grave No. B.390 and his
probate to his widow Ellen on 2nd June 1920 was for £713 17s. 11d. Their address was 234 Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon, Surrey.

REAL William Thomas Bradley Able Seaman No. 160792 HMS Vivid Royal Navy

Born at Lyme Regis on 28th December 1875 son of William Real, a Royal Navy Pensioner and his wife Sarah Maud Bradley who died in 1891. William
enlisted in the Royal Navy on 26th May 1891 and had a long career, but died at the R N Hospital Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon of heart failure on 6th May
1918. He was buried in grave No. B. 427 on the 10th.

SEARLE Henry Frank Warrant Officer No. 924218 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Born at Lyme Regis on 15th December 1908 son of James Searle, a postman, and his wife Minnie Hannah Berry. He married Phyllis Catherine Eleanor
Berry at Lyme Regis on 25th March 1934. On 27th January 1944 he was navigator on a Wellington 1c bomber flying from RAF Bramcote, Warwickshire
on a night navigational exercise when the plane flew into a hill at Ruthin, Denbighshire and Henry was killed. He was buried on 1st February in grave
No. D. 36A. Both his parents and widow Phyllis lived at Lyme Regis.

WHEELER Arthur John Leading Aircraftman No. 3062378 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Born at Lyme Regis in October 1927 son of Albert Edward Wheeler, a fireman, and his wife Emily Victoria Hooper. Arthur died at St James Hospital,
Battersea, London but no cause found on 13th October 1947. He was aged 20 when then buried on the 18th in grave No. F. 20. Probate to his father on
5th May 1948 was for £47 12s. 10d. His parents were living at 10 Mill Green Court, Lyme Regis.

February 2025

Richard Smith

orchidgrower@btinternet.com

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