LANCING - ABSENT VOTERS, OCTOBER 1918

     The following details have been taken from the West Sussex, Horsham and Worthing Division, Absent Voters List for October 1918, held at the West Sussex Records Office. The entries for Lancing, compared to other areas, seem to be poorly noted, with many gaps in information, and an air of hurried recording and little attention to accuracy. Although some of the entries are known to be incorrect, I have recorded them here as they are printed, with some of my own comments in italics for clarity [I hope!], and in some cases additional information about the men concerned. Several abbreviations were used for the Royal Sussex Regiment, and I have standardised these throughout to 'Royal Sussex'. Some of the abbreviations are unknown to me, although I believe that they may be incorrect, the handwriting on the forms being mis-transcribed. There are also several men with extremely unusual surnames or forenames, and while I am sure these are wrong, I cannot make a 'best guess' at them. The abbreviation 'NM' is thought to stand for the words 'Naval and Military' - used presumably when nothing else was known about the man's service.
      If any of the men mentioned are of interest to you, please contact me. The contribution of those who survived is important, and more details of them would be welcomed.


 
ATTERTON John Alfred, 2 Myrtle Terrace: Navy

BABB Henry George, Manor Laundry Cottage: Pte. 271126, A.P.M.

BABB William Herbert, Manor Laundry Cottage: 129277  D281 Howitzer Brigade   [Royal Artillery]
 
BADCOCK* Francis, Railway Hotel: 2 Lieutenant,  Dragoon Guards

BARRETT Gordon, Chelmer House

BARNETT Ernest, 7 Roberts Road: Sergt. 20425  11 Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment

BARNETT George, 8 Roberts Road:  Pte. 40292  S.W. Borderers  [South Wales Borderers]
 
BATLEY John William, Sea Breeze Cliff  [probably Sea Breeze, The Cliffe]: Signaller, H.M.S. Caledon

BATTRICK Frederick George, 3 Pond Row Cottages: 123566  35 Batt. M.G.C.  [35 Battery Machine Gun Corps]
 
BATTRICK Horace, 2 Roberts Road

BENN Charles, 2 Grace Cottages: Transport Worker

BERRY Alfred, 9 Myrtle Terrace: R.D.C. [Royal Defence Corps]
 
BLUNDER Richard, 13 Myrtle Terrace  [Blunden]
 
BOND William Frederick, Lancing College

BOTTING Charles, 4 Myrtle Terrace: NM

BOWLBY* Cuthbert Francis, Lancing College

BOYD Frederick Victor, 6 Cherry Tree Cottages:  22056  H.M. Navy

BRIMSTEAD* Frank, 12 Myrtle Terrace:  13th Fusiliers  [P. of War]  [Prisoner of War]
 
BROOMFIELD Leonard John, 2 Seaton Terrace: 581  16th KRR  [King's Royal Rifle Corps]
This man interests me as his service number, probably C/581, falls between the two Blaker brothers, Percy and Nathaniel, whose stories can be read on the 'Men who Died' pages. He must have enlisted with them, and was probably standing in line with them when issued with his number. If so, he was lucky to survive so long.

 
BURNSIDE Cecil Francis, New Gates Nurseries: Lieut. Royal Engineers

BURTENSHAW Henry James, New Gates Farm Cottages

CASS Reginald: 4 Little Croft Cottages:  Pte. 020884 A.S.C. [Army Service Corps]
 
CHARMAN Henry Thomas, 2 Blenheim Cottages: 79260 R.G.A. [Royal Garrison Artillery]
 
CHAMPION* Thomas Cheyney, Elm Grove House: 961742 R.F.A.  B.E.F.  [Royal Field Artillery, British Expeditionary Force]
 
CHATER* George Thomas, New Gardens Farm

CHATFIELD Albert Arthur, 8 North Road: 41135  Bedfords

CHATFIELD Henry, Salt Lake Cottage: 218747 No. 1 Sec., 47 Div.

CHURCHILL Albert, 4 Beach View Terrace: 1136 Bedfords. Regt.

COLBOURNE* Archibald, Manchester House

COLLINS Frederick George, 13 Myrtle Terrace: NM

COOPER Saby Horace, 16 The Street

CROSHAW George Stewart, Valhalla, Brighton Road: Lieut. 12 Batt. Bedfords Regt.

CROWHURST John, 5 Tandys Cottages: 145769  A.S.C.  [Army Service Corps]
 
COZENS Harry Archibald, 7 Myrtle Terrace: 90622: A.A.S.R.

CURD* Arthur John, Matfield, Penhill Road: NM
Arthur Curd, L/Cpl. G/16014 13th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, is possibly Lancing's most highly decorated soldier for gallantry, being awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1918.
 
DANN William Thomas, Little Croft Cottages: 136100, Camp, Cannock Chase, Staffs.

DAY Charles Milton, Westbourne Villa: 31209  R.G.

DEAN Ernest John, 8 Freshbrook Cottages: 40604 Pte. R. Dublin Fus.  [Royal Dublin Fusiliers]
 
DRAY Henry Malcolm, 4 Chuter Avenue  [probably Chester Avenue]
 
DOLL
* Peter John, Forest Haus:  760176 Artist R.G.A.  [Further research has shown Peter Doll to be 760176 WO2  28th Battalion London Regiment [Artists Rifles]]
 
DYKES
* Charles Agar, Penhill Road, R.G.A.  [Royal Garrison Artillery]
 
EDE
Edward Willie, Sunnyside, South Street: Sergt. 09638  A.O.G.

EDINBURGH
John William, South Street:  Pte.38610 R. East Kents   [Royal East Kent Regiment]
 
ELLIOTT
Samuel, 2 Salt Lake Cottages: R.D.C. [Royal Defence Corps]
 
FAIRS George Willliam, 2 Belvedere Villas: 058459 Sergt. A.S.C. France   [Army Service Corps]
 
FELDWICK Edward William, 19 Cecil Road: 267146 Pte. 4th Royal Sussex

FIELD* Sidney, 11 Myrtle Terrace

FIELD* William, 11 Myrtle Terrace:  Spr. R.E.   [Royal Engineers]
 
FOSTER George James, 7 Freshbrook Cottages: Pte. 2 Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers



FROST George Alfred, 15 The Street:  54168 Gnr. BEF France


GLADDEN Charles Joseph, 7 Victoria Terrace:  3 Essex Regt. 


GLASSPOOL Valentine, 14 Salt Lake Cottages: No further information was given, but Valentine Glasspool died on October 31st 1918.
 

GODDING Thomas, 2 Old Court Cottages: 3637 Royal Sussex Regiment

GORDON Edward Basil, Lancing College

 
GOODWIN Harold George, 2 Street  [? The Street]

GREENFIELD Jesse, 2 Chester Avenue:  320307 A.S.C.[Army Service Corps]

 
GREGORY Lewis John, 3 Alma Terrace

GREET* Nelson Howard, 2 Chester Avenue: Pte. 18137 Coldstream Gds., 2 Batt.

GROVER* Thomas, 8 Myrtle Terrace: 8238 Chichester
Thomas Grover had a long and chequered military history. He joined the Grenadier Guards in 1899 at the age of 20, and served right through the South African Campaign, and his medals included both the Queen's South Africa Medal and Clasp and also the 1914 Star and Clasp - impressive indeed. His total service, either active or on the reserve, was more than seventeen years, including some spells of serious trouble! At the time of this list he was in the Agricultural Labour Corps.

GUY
William James, 1 Cherry Tree Cottages

GUZALT William Ernest, 6 Cherry Tree Cottages

HALL Alfred, 13 Myrtle Terrace: 3132 Royal Sussex

HAMPSHIRE Charles Alfred, Joyas Cottages  [Joyce Cottages]: 284502  R.C.D.  R.E.  France

HARDING Arthur Charles, 5 Freshbrook Cottages: 55513 Pte. M.G.C.  [Machine Gun Corps] 


HARBER John Henry, 19 Cecil Road: 139065 Gnr. Aircraft at Luton

HAYES Ernest George, 8 Bexborough Terrace  [Bessborough Terrace]: M358395 Royal Sussex Regt. 


HEATON Walter Giles, School House: 466778 R.E.  [Royal Engineers] 

HOBBS Hubert Edward, 5 Victoria Terrace: 223679 RAF  

HOLMES William, Old Salts Cottage  

HOPEWELL Allan Frances, Lancing College 

HOWARD Arthur William, 2 Grace Cottages: 14504 R.F.A.  [Royal Field Artillery] 

HURST Arthur William, Yew Tree Cottages: Vet. Corps  

HUMPHREY Charles John, 9 Freshbrook Cottages

IVES Sidney John,  Box Cottage: Navy

JUPPS John Richard, 3 Grace Cottages: Army Labour Unit, A.S.C.  [Army Service Corps]

JOHNS
Emise, Alma Cottages: 121191 R.F.A. France  [Royal Field Artillery]

KIMBER
Frederick Arthur, 2 Alma Terrace: AS0168 H.M.S. May Queen

KNIGHT Edward, Burwells Farm Cottages: France

KNIGHT Frederick, Burwells Farm Cottages: NM

KNIGHT George, Burwells Farm Cottages: Salonica

KNIGHT Herbert, Burwells Farm Cottages: NM

KNIGHT Herbert Ernest, Old Salts Farm Cottages: NM

LAMBERT John, Lancing College: NM

LAWRENCE Allan Leonard, 42 Yew Tree Cottages: NM

LEACH George Augustus, Storce, Penhill Road: War Signal Station Dover

LISHER* Hubert, Fernlea, Penhill Road: 143730 R.G.A. France  [Royal Garrison Artillery] 


LISHER* Seno James, Railway Place  [probably Lennox James Lisher] 

MARCHANT George William,  9 Cecil Road: 7325 Sergt. 13 Vet., AVC., France  [13th Veterinary Hospital, Army Veterinary Corps] 

MARSHALL Basil Edward, Malt House: 142 Siege Bty. RGA France  [142 Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery] 

MATTEN* Arthur, 39 South Street: 17713 Pte. 7th Royal Sussex 

MATTEN Harry,  Beach View Cottage: 170089 A.F.A. Salonica  

MATTEN Lea, 5 Seaton Terrace  [Leo] 

McLELLAN William, Manor Garden Cottage: NM  

MERRIOTT Albert, 34 North Road:  27437 Suffolk Regt. 

MERRIOTT James, 34 North Road: 54625 R.E. [Royal Engineers] 

MESSER Albert Howard, Malthouse Cottages: 35067 Spr. RE   [Sapper, Royal Engineers] 

MESSER Henry William, Bay Tree Cottage: 51629 RASC Egypt  [Royal Army Service Corps - in fact the 'Royal' was added by Royal Warrant on 27th November 1918, so was not entirely accurate in this case] 

MESSER* Joseph Edwin, 16 Cecil Road: 13003 HMS Mallard  

MILLARD George, 3 Malthouse Cottages: NM 

MITCHELL Robert, 4 Gents Cottages: 306900 Pte. B Co. 2nd Notts. and Derby Regt.[Robert Mitchell was killed in action of 21st March 1918. This entry, presumably given by the family, shows that they had never had confirmation of his fate, probably still hoping that he was among the hundreds of prisoners taken by the Germans that day.] 

MOUSIR Cecil George, 3 Parade, South Street: NM 

MOORE William, 25 Cecil Road  

MUDDELL Dennis, Church Farm Cottages 

MURTELL Frederick Charles, Bungalow, Penhill Road: 306634 ASC France  [Army Service Corps] 

NAPPER Frank Ernest, 7 Coast Guard Cottages: 205925 Cpl. Rifle Brigade, India  

NEWMAN John, Old Salts Farm:  254321 Pte. A.A. Sandown 

NICHOLSON Thomas Percy, 3 Victoria Terrace: RCC RE BEF France [Royal Engineers, British Expeditionary Force - 'RCC' not known] 

NIEDERMAN* Alfred William, Rose Cottage, Penhill Road: 152740 Pte. RE [Royal Engineers] 

NIGHTINGALE Frederick John, 20 Cecil Road: Cook's Mate HMS Shakespeare  

NORRIS Sidney Harold, 1 Pond Row Cottages: 2/10th London Regt. 8th Div.  [Killed in action on 31st March 1918. This entry was probably put forward by his family, still hopeful that he might have survived as a prisoner.] 

NETTLEY* Arthur John, Salt Lake Cottages: 497658 RAMC Egypt. [This is certainly a mis-transcription of Arthur NUTLEY, Royal Army Medical Corps, brother of George Nutley] 

NUTLEY George Albert, Salt Lake Cottages: [Killed in action on 1st August 1918.] 

PAGE* Charles Frederick, 5 Penhill Road: 2049119 Pte. W. Kents  [The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)] 

PAGE Frank, 2 Ivy Cottages: Pte. Royal Sussex  [Badly injured in March 1918, and was at this time, probably in hospital elsewhere in the UK.] 

PAGE* Sidney, 2 Ivy Cottages 

PARKER Arthur, Cherry Tree Cottages 

PARKER Leonard, Cherry Tree Cottages 

PATCHING Samuel, 5 Salt Lake Cottages: 23029 Pte. Labour Corps, Chichester  

PELLING Alfred,16 Cecil Road: 26159 HMS Undine 

PELLING Arthur, 16 Cecil Road: 01578 ASC [Army Service Corps] 

PELLING Charles, 13 Cecil Road: 1441068 Pte. RGA [Royal Garrison Artillery] 

PELLING Walter: 68708 RGA 

PETERS Bernard Victor, 4 North Road: Royal Sussex 

PESCOD Maurice, 1 Chesham Terrace: Dr. RFA [Driver, Royal Field Artillery] 

PESCOD Thomas Caffin, 1 Chesham Terrace: HMS Iron Duke 

PIPER Hildred Carby,  Railway Place, South Street: Royal Marines 

PIPER Ralph Percy, Railway Place, South Street: Royal Marines 

PRIDEAUX Lea, Three Horse Shoes: [Leo] RCG RE BEF France 

PRIDEAUX Thomas, Three Horse Shoes: Sergt. Royal Sussex 

POTTER Charles, Penhill Road: 21636 R.E. France [Royal Engineers] 

RAPLEY George, 2 Malthouse Cottages: 83172 Labour Battalion, France 

READ Frederick, New Salts Cottages: Pte.  [Died on 30th September 1916, a prisoner of war of the Turks. This shows that more than two years later, his family still held out hope that he might be alive.] 

ROLLINGS Ernest Thomas, The Poplars, South Street: 326500 ASC France [Army Service Corps] 

ROXBURGH John Ferguson, Lancing College: Lieut. R.E. Signals [Royal Engineers]
 
SAUNDERS Edward John, 3 Joyce Cottages


SEARLE Albert, 5 Pond Row Cottages


SCOTT Frank, Sussex Pad: NM 


SCOTT Hubert John, Sussex Pad: NM 


SHELLY Frank, 11 Myrtle Terrace: AB266711 HMS


SIMMONDS Bernard Sangster, Bank Cottage: RAMC [Royal Army Medical Corps] 


SNELLING Martin William, 3 North Road: 79135 Gnr. RFA Salonika [Gunner, Royal Field Artillery]
 
SANTER James, Dairy Cottage: 205324 Pte. 1st QRWS [The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)]

 
SPINNER John James, 21 Cecil Road: 15865 RE France [Royal Engineers]

 
STANLEY William, 4 Gents Cottages North Road


STENNING Robert, 1 Gents Cottages: Royal Sussex


STERR Henry James,  Bay Tree Cottages  [Steer]: Gnr. RNVR [Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve]

 
STEWART Ernest Albert, Greffham House, Penhill Road


STEWART Thomas Stanley, Nutshell, Worthing Road: Lieut. RAF


STONE Thomas, Barnham Villa, Penhill Road: 35419 E. Surrey Regt.


STOVELL Frederick Jem, 4 Victoria Terrace: Ag. Labour Corps


STRUDWICK* Alfred, Joyce Cottages: Pte. 1292232 Queen's Regt. 


STRUDWICK* Horace, Joyce Cottages: 291412 ASC [Army Service Corps]


SUMMERSON Samuel, St. Bernards: Capt., RAMC, 2nd London Sanitary Corps [Royal Army Medical Corps]

 
TEE* Thomas Gordon, Cecil Road: 4190 RAF


TERRY Walter Jordan,  Northview, Salts Lane: NACB Home Service


THORN Nelson, Sea View Cottage: 5899 Pte. 8th Batt. Queen's W. Surreys


TILL Frederick Ernest, 41 Yew Tree Cottages: 2857 Driver RA [Royal Artillery]

 
TILLOTT Percy, 3 Sandys Cottages


TREVITT George Albert, 3 Cecil Road: 148701 RGA France [The surname is almost certainly 'TREVETT' - the unit is Royal Garrison Artillery]

 
UPFIELD John Clement, 1 Malthouse Cottages: NM


WARD Percy Charles, 7 Down View Terrace: NM


WARR* Frank, 6 Victoria Terrace: NM


WHITE George, 25 Cecil Road: 204229 RE Signaller [Royal Engineers]

 
WHITEHEAD* Albert Henry, Monks Farm Cottages: Royal Sussex 


WHITEHEAD* Stanley George, 32 North Road: Royal Sussex


WHITWORTH, Lancing College: NM


WILSHAM Thomas, Fishbourne Villa: NM


WOOLGAR Richard, 5 Salt Lake Cottages


WRIGHT Arnold Lloyd: 42 Batt. RSC [Canadians] 


YOUNG Alfred Thomas, 1 Grace Cottages: NM


YOUNG Thomas James, 1 Grace Cottages: AS HM Ship [Able Seaman]

 
YOUNG William Henry, Hazeldene: Signaller HMS King Alfred 


*****