Detailed information of the people whose names are on the Cirencester Memorials
Click here to see Introduction to this project for an explanation of why the names are or are not on each memorial. These pages outline what we know about the named people, in many cases, very little. If you find errors or have more information we would be pleased to know. Contact: WW1 @ cirenhistory.org.uk
The Names
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A chronological list of Cirencester deaths is available in Newsletter 61
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GRIFFIN, William R.
Memorial Parish Church WILLIAM R. GRIFFIN
Memorial Hospital GRIFFIN W.R.
98839 Gunner William Radway Griffin. 85th Anti-Aircraft Section, Royal Garrison Artillery.
Born [c.1881. Cirencester].
Enlisted Cirencester.
Died 12 October 1918. Aged 37. Died. Egypt,
Grave 2.68. Ramleh War Cemetery.
Husband of Mabel Griffin, Fox Hill, Tetbury. In 1911 Census, William Griffin, age 39 (c.1882 Ciren), hay cutters labourer, was living at 28 School Lane, with parents and two sisters.
GUEST, Albert E.
Memorial Parish Church ALBERT E. GUEST
Memorial Hospital GUEST A.E.
14480 Sergeant Albert Edward Guest. 1 th Battalion, Welsh Regiment.
Born [c.1886, Cirencester].
Enlisted Cardiff.
Died 20 June 1918. Aged 32. Killed in Action. Salonika, Balkan Theatre.
Grave VI.D.18. Doiran Military Cemetery
Son of Fredk. and Ann Guest, 4 Park Street, Cirencester.
Wilts & Glos Standard 13 July 1918
CIRENCESTER SOLDIER KILLED IN SALONIKA From the Record Office of the Welsh Regiment and from two of the battalion officers comes news of the death in action of Sergeant A.E. Guest, Welsh Regiment, which occurred on June 20th, on the Salonika front. Sergeant Guest was the second son of Mr and Mrs F. Guest, of 56 Dyer Street, and was one of the earliest to respond to Lord Kitchener’s call for volunteers, having enlisted in September 1914. Sergeant Guest will be remembered in both Cirencester and Fairford having been for some time with Mr F.W. Adams Cirencester, and later, till the closing of that establishment, at the Fairford branch of his business. He then went to Roath, where he had been nine years when he enlisted. As a soldier he was held in the highest regard, as is evinced by letters received from his company commander.
Source: FB image 1918 Jan 5th to July 27th 1918 07 13 Ref 405, 407
GUEST, Arthur J.
Memorial Parish Church ARTHUR J. GUEST
Memorial Hospital GUEST A.J.
7488 Corporal Arthur James Guest. 5th Battalion, Duke of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire Regiment).
Born [c.1879. Cirencester].
Enlisted Swindon.
Died 27 June 1916. Aged 37. Died. Mesopotamia
Grave V.B.4. Amara War Cemetery
Wilts & Glos Standard October 3 1914
ANOTHER CICETER MAN WOUNDED
On Monday, M r & Mrs G. Guest, of 48 Lewis Lane, Cirencester, received news that their son, Private Arthur James Guest, a reservist of the 1st Wilts Regiment, had been wounded in the left shoulder, and was undergoing treatment at the Manchester Military Hospital. He is making good progress and hopes to get his discharge from the hospital at an early date. Previous to rejoining the colours, Private Guest was acting as Sergeant-Instructor to the St. Paul’s (Cheltenham) Company of the Boys’ Brigade.
Wilts & Glos Standard October 10 1914
IN THE BATTLE OF THE AISNE: A CICETER MAN’S EXPERIENCE
Writing to his parents on October 3rd from the 2nd Western Military General Hospital, Manchester, Private A.J. Guest, a reservist of the 1st Wilts Regiment, and a son of Mr and Mrs G. Guest, of 48 Lewis-Lane, Cirencester, relates some of his experiences in the Battle of the Aisne. He writes:
“I am all right except for the wound in the left shoulder and that is healing up fast. There is a piece of shell there yet, but they are not going to take it out, as they think it will be more dangerous to take it out than to leave it in. I am quite well in health, but they will not let me out of hospital until they are sure that the wound will not be a trouble again. I expect to come home sometime next week. I was wounded at the Battle of the Aisne about mid-day on Sunday, September 20th. It was an awful time. We had been up on a ridge ever since the previous Monday morning. Another man and I were the only two in my section who came out of the advance safely. We were in a mangold field when the Germans’ maxims and shrapnel shells started buzzing around us like bees. We had it hot for about 1½ hours. There was one poor fellow about five yards from me and he and I were talking to each other, and he was telling me that he only had one more day to do to complete his 21 years’ service. Just after that he had half his head blown off with a shrapnel shell. I could tell you of a lot of horrors I saw, but that would not do you any good. I have seen a lot of the Germans, but I don’t think much of them as fighting men. Their artillery are very dangerous, but their infantry have to be forced up to our trenches at the point of the pistol. They come up like a brick wall and you can’t help hitting lots of them. When they get to within 50 yards of us, their shell fire stops. We then get out of our trenches and charge, but the Germans won’t wait for us. Directly they see us with fixed bayonets they run like rabbits and you can see their officers shooting them for running away. After I got wounded, we went to a small town named Vailly (about 20 miles north-west of Rheims). There was a hospital there in the church, but the Germans shelled the church while were there and we had to shift to a house further off, and fortunately no one was hit. We could not move from that town until night, because the enemy were shelling the bridge over the river. When darkness set in, those of us who could walk had to walk five miles to another small town called Braisne. We took train there on the Monday night and reached St. Nazaire (a port on the west coast of France) on Friday morning. There we found a hospital ship ready for us and we got to Southampton on the following Sunday afternoon and came straight up here, arriving about 7 p.m.”
Wilts & Glos Standard 15 July 1916
DEATH OF A CICETER SOLDIER IN MESOPOTAMIA
The death is reported, from disease, in Mesopotamia, of Corporal Arthur James Guest, of the Wilts Regiment, son of Mr and Mrs George Guest, of Lewis Lane, Cirencester. Corporal Guest, whose age was 38, was a reservist, and rejoining the colours on the outbreak of the war, went through the earlier fighting, being wounded in the battle of Mons. He was invalided home, and had not long returned to active service. He leaves a widow, who resides at Cheltenham.
Source: FB image 1916 07 15 Ref 23
HAINES, A.C.
Memorial Parish Church Not recorded
Memorial Hospital HAINES A.C. CH/15288 Sergeant Arthur Charles Haines Royal Marine Light Infantry.
Born 1 July 1884 [?], Ampney Crucis.
Enlisted 27 October 1905.
Died 20 February 1920. Aged 32.
Grave/Memorial [Ref]. Cemetery Cirencester
Charles Arthur Haines, born Ampney Crucis, 1 July 1884 [?c.1888]. Enlisted 27 October 1905, CH/15288 Sgt., Royal Marine Light Infantry; wartime service H.M.S. Cornwallis (Dardanelles). H.M.S. Lord Nelson (Salonika).
Married Alice Haines (nee Gibbons) in1919 (O-N-D 1919, Ciren Glos 6a 989). Living at 10 Whiteway Road, Spitalgate.
Discharged 7 January 1920.
Died at home as a result of influenza and heart failure. (Information courtesy of Peter Grace).
Date of registration: May 1920, age 32. Ciren Glos 6a 507.
In 1891 Census, A.C. Haines (age 2, c. 1889, Ampney Crucis) living at Ampney Crucis.
In 1901 Census, Arthur C. Haines (age 12, c.1889, Ampney Crucis) living at Ampney Crucis with parents, John and Alma, and brother William (14) and sister Edith (9).
In 1911 Census, Arthur C. Haines (?age 22, c.1889, Ampney Crucis) at Chatham, Royal Marine Barracks & Melville Hospital Barracks. Single, Royal Marine Private.
On 1914 Cirencester Roll of Honour: Arthur C. Haines, Lce.-Cpl. R.M. H.M.S. Sutlej
HALE, Charles W.
Memorial Parish Church CHARLES W. HALE
Memorial Hospital HALE C.W.
374836 Rifleman Charles William Hale. 8th (City of London) Battalion (Post Office Rifles), London Regiment. Born [c.1898. Cirencester].
Enlisted London.
Died 30 October 1917. Aged 19. Killed in Action. France
Grave X.A.26. Cement House Cemetery
Son of William and Emily Hale, 30 Chester Street. In 1911 Census, aged 12, living at 27 Midland Road. Scholar.
Wilts & Glos Standard 1 Dec 1917
THE LATE PRIVATE C.W. HALE
In our obituary column of November we recorded the death of Rifleman Charles William Hale, Post Office Rifles (City of London Regiment), eldest son of Mr and Mrs William Hale, of 30 Chester Street, who was killed in action on October 30th, at the age of 19 years. Details of this young soldier’s death are now to hand in a letter from a comrade in arms, who says they had been
“in the same platoon in England, came out together in the same platoon, went up the line together, but he went over the top a little in advance of me and so I lost him. When we got back I asked about him but very few seemed to know what really happened, except that he was wounded and one of the fellows advised him to go back and have the wound dressed, but he never reached the dressing station. One said he saw him lying about 50 yards from the dressing station, so I think a German sniper must have seen him while he was making his way back to have his wound dressed … Fritz had one or two snipers in the vicinity, and they caused us a bit of trouble.”
Previous to joining the forces in November last year, Rifleman Hale had been for five years and half employed at Cirencester Post Office, five years as telegraph messenger and six months as post man on the Sudgrove round. … Rifleman Hale had been in France exactly six weeks and was killed in his first engagement. He was a former member of the Cirencester Company of the Boys’ Brigade, which he joined as the age of eight years, remaining a loyal member until night duties at the post office interfered with his regular attendance.
Source: FB image 1917 12 01 Ref 030-1 with photo
HALL, Albert E.
Memorial Parish Church ALBERT E. HALL
Memorial Hospital HALL A.E.
30678 L/Corporal Albert Edward Hall. 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment.
Born [c.1890. Place].
Enlisted Gloucester.
Died 14 April 1918. Aged 28. Died of Wounds. France
Grave VIII.I.197. Boulogne Eastern Cemetery
Son of Ernest and Ann Hall, 80 Chester Street. In 1911 Census living at 80 Chester Street, book binder, with parents and brother.
Wilts & Glos Standard 4 May 1918
FORMER CICETER TERRITORIAL DIES FROM WOUNDS The death from wounds is announced of Lance-Corporal A.E. Hall, Worcestershire Regiment, second son of Mr Ernest Hall of 80 Chester Street. Lance-Corporal Hall, who has been in the fighting line for upwards of two years, was for some years a choir boy in Watermoor Church Choir, as his father was before him. On leaving school he was appointed to the firm of Messrs. Savory and Coles, of Cirencester, later Messrs. W.H. Smith and Son, as a bookbinder. Previous to leaving Cirencester to gain experience he was for some years honorary secretary to the Liberal Working Men’s Club and on the establishment of the Territorial Detachment in Cirencester he served three years in the unit. He was afterwards employed at Worthing and when his call to the Army came he was engaged in Gloucester. Mr Ernest Hall’s youngest son, Charles Hall, R.A.M.C., who is at present in Italy, has just entered his fourth year’s service abroad, having been among the first reinforcements to be sent to the front, and he was at the retreat from Mons.
Source: FB image 1918 Jan 5th to July 27th 1918 05 04 Ref 239, 243
HALLAM, Ernest G.
Memorial Parish Church ERNEST G. HALLAM
Memorial Hospital HALLAM E.G.
1035 Private Ernest G. Hallam. 2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians).
Born [c.1896. South Cerney].
Enlisted Swindon.
Died 8 June 1917. [Aged]. Killed in Action. France & Flanders,
Panel 44. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
Formerly 13466 Wiltshire Regiment. Son of Edward and Kate Hallam, Brockworth Villa, Brockworth, Gloucester.
In 1911 Census, Ernest Georg Hallam, age 15, living at Castle Eaton, Cricklade, Wilts, with parents and siblings, working as general farm labourer.
HARDING, Arthur C.
Memorial Parish Church ARTHUR C. HARDING
Memorial Hospital HARDING A.C.
202074 Pre Arthur C. Harding. 4th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
Born [Date. Place].
Enlisted [location].
Died 8 June 1917.
Grave/Memorial [Ref]. Cemetery/Memorial [Ref] Blighty Valley.CHECK ??? two dates/people
Wilts & Glos Standard 19 January 1918
DIED IN MESOPOTAMIA
Mr E. Harding, of 33 Chester Street, Cirencester, has received intimation of the death on Dec 21st, at Baghdad, from dysentery, of his third son, Charles Arthur Harding, aged 35 years. He was a reservist and was called to the colours with the West Kent Regiment when war broke out, but had since been transferred to another corps.
Source: FB image 1918 Jan 5th to July 27th 1918 01 19 Ref 110
HARMER, Walter J.
Memorial Parish Church WALTER J. HARMER
Memorial Hospital HARMER W.J.
13/909 Trooper Walter John Harmer. [Battalion], [Regiment]. 4 Reinf Auckland Mounted Rifles NZEF
Born [Date. Place].
Enlisted [location].
Died 28 August 1915. [Aged].Gallipoli Hill 60. New Zealand Memorial
Husband of A.O. Harmer, Wellington.
In 1881 Census living at 133 Dyer Street, scholar, aged 11. His father, Alfred Harmer, was emigration agent for Cirencester. (Information courtesy of P. Grace). Alfred Harmer was a bookseller, printer and stationer.
Wilts & Glos Standard 8 January 1916
LOCAL WAR NOTES SERGEANT-MAJOR W.J. HARMER REPORTED DEAD
We regret to record the death of Sergeant-Major Walter J. Harmer, of the Auckland Mounted Rifles, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He had been previously reported “missing,” and the official intimation says he “may now reasonably be supposed dead.” Sergeant-Major Harmer was the younger son of the late Mr Alfred T. Harmer, of the Market Place, Cirencester, and only brother of Mr E.P. Harmer, Tetbury. He was an old Cirencester Grammar School boy, and enlisted in the 3rd Hussars. He subsequently joined the 5th Lancers, with which regiment he served several years in India and through the Boer war, forming part of the besieged garrison of Ladysmith, when practically all the horses of the regiment were consumed as food. He left the Army on a sergeant’s pension, after serving 21 years. He afterwards went to New Zealand, and joined the Auckland Mounted Rifles soon after the outbreak of the war. Source: FB image 1916 01 08 Ref 159
HARRIS, George
Memorial Parish Church GEORGE HARRIS
Memorial Hospital HARRIS G.
7165 Private George Harris. 2nd Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
Born [c.1886. Coates].
Enlisted Cirencester.
Died 20 April 1915. Aged 29. Killed in Action. France & Flanders,
Panel 22 and 24. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
Wilts & Glos Standard 12 December 1914
CICETER WOUNDED SOLDIER “CONVALESCING”
Private George Harris, of 32 Queen Street, Cirencester, of the 1st Gloucesters, a reservist who sailed for the front on August 11th and was in the fighting from the battle of Mons onwards, was wounded at Ypres on November 7th, sustaining a bullet wound in the left fore-arm. After treatment at No. 3 Hospital, London, he is now at home on furlough completing his convalescence, being under orders to rejoin his regiment on Jan. 2nd
Source: FB image 1914 12 12 Ref 224. Cheltenham Chronicle & Glos’ Graphic, 15 May 1915, photo. “Private G.H. Harris, 2nd Glos. Reg., killed in action in France, on Apr 20, age 29. Home 32 Queen Street, left a widow and one child.”
HAYWARD, Maurice F.B.
Memorial Parish Church MAURICE F.B. HAYWARD
Memorial Hospital HAYWARD M.F.B.
40183 Cpl. Maurice Fitzroy Basil Hayward. [Battalion], [Regiment]. Canadian Field Artillery.
Born [c1882. Winstone].
Enlisted [location].
Died 26 November 1915. Aged 33.
Grave IV.A.20. Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery
Son of Rev. H.B. Hayward, Winstone. Commemorative plaque: Watermoor Church Band of Volunteer Bell Ringers.
Wilts & Glos Standard 4 December 1915
MR. MAURICE HAYWARD KILLED IN ACTION
We record with sincere regret the death in action of Mr Maurice F.B. Hayward, eldest son of the late Rev. H. Basil Hayward, rector of Winstone, and Mrs Hayward, of Chesterton, Cirencester. Mr Hayward, who was formerly on the staff of the Capital and Counties Bank at Gloucester, went to Canada a few years ago, and on the outbreak of the war he joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force, being posted to the 1st Battery of the 1st Brigade Canadian Field Artillery. Mrs Hayward received a letter from the Chaplain on Tuesday evening informing her of her son’s death, which was, we believe, due to the explosion of a German shell in his dug out. Deep sympathy is felt for Mrs Hayward and her family in their bereavement.
Source: FB image 1915 12 04 Ref. 432, with photograph
HEAFORD, George
Memorial Parish Church GEORGE HEAFORD
Memorial Hospital HEAFORD G.
18800 Private George James Heaford. 2nd Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
Born [c.1885. Cirencester].
Enlisted Bristol. Died 27 January 1917. Aged 32.
Died of Wounds. Salonika,
Grave III.B.1. Lahana Military Cemetery
Son of James and Martha Heaford, 177 Gloucester Street.
In 1911 Census, George James Heaford (age 25, c.1886, Cirencester), farm labourer, single, patient in Isolation Institution
HERBERT, Fred
Memorial Parish Church FRED HERBERT
Memorial Hospital HERBERT F.
15226 Private Frederick Herbert. 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Born [c.1896. Place].
Enlisted [location].
Died 26 September 1915. Aged 19.
Panel 46 to 49. Loos Memorial.
Son of John and Jane Herbert, 80 Tetbury Road. In 1911 Census, Fred Herbert (age 15, c.1896, Cirencester), dairy boy, living at 80 Jarvis Quarry, Cirencester.
Wilts & Glos Standard 16 October 1915
A CIRENCESTER LAD WOUNDED AND MISSING
Mrs Herbert, of No. 80, Jarvis Quarry, Cirencester, has received the news that her son, Private Fred Herbert, of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, who enlisted at 19 years of age at the outbreak of war, has been wounded and is missing. He was in the trenches before the recent big battle on the Sunday and on the following Monday night he was missing and it was known that he had been wounded. Private Herbert went to France in the beginning of May and has been in several actions. He was under Mr Stewart, of the Royal Agricultural College Dairy, for nearly four years. He was a bright and steady lad and was very popular with all. Another brother enlisted in the Navy and is doing well in the engineering department. Mrs Herbert has received many sympathetic letters. Mr Herbert, the father, has been engaged on the College Farm for fifty-one years.
Source: FB image 1915 10 16 Ref. 380.
Wilts & Glos Standard 2 December 1916
KILLED AT LOOS
In our issue of October 16 1915, we recorded the fact that Private Fred Herbert, Royal Scots Fusiliers, younger son of Mr and Mrs Herbert of 80 Tetbury Road, Cirencester, had been wounded and missing since the battle of Loos on September 26th last year. His parents have now, after 14 months of suspense, received an official intimation that their son is regarded as having been killed in that action, accompanied by an expression of their Majesties’ sympathy. Private Herbert, then 19 years of age, enlisted soon after the outbreak of war, having been for four years under Mr Stewart, of the R.A.C. Dairy. He went to France in May 1915 and was in many actions between that time and the memorable 26th of September. His brother is serving in the Royal Navy.
Source: FB image 1916 12 02 Ref 034 [Item 4]
HERBERT, Julia H.
Memorial Parish Church JULIA H. HERBERT. RED CROSS
Memorial Hospital HERBERT JULIA H. V.A.D. British Red Cross
Born c.1872. Gloucester.
Date of Engagement 22 Dec 1917.
Died 28 December 1918. Aged 46.
Cirencester Cemetery, Grave 555
Julia Helen Herbert, Voluntary Aid Detachment, British Red Cross, served in No. 10 Stationary Hospital, France as a cook during WW1. She returned from France in June 1918, invalided home with cancer and sadly died on 28 December 1918 at 57 Chester Street, Cirencester. She was buried in Chesterton Cemetery on 2 January 1919 (unmarked grave). (Information courtesy of Rex and Marian George). Death Certificate: Oct-Nov-Dec 1918, Cirencester Glos 6a 831. Julia H. Herbert, aged 46.
In 1881 Census living at 91 Cricklade Street, as a scholar/boarder (aged 9) with her brother Arthur, aged 10. Head of house: George Gearing, labourer. She later lived in Syde.
In 1911 Census, working as a domestic cook at Kingham Grange, near Chipping Norton (age 37, born Gloucester).