Killed in Action
The following men lived in Marlesford and died on the battlefields of France or Belgium. All eight are commemorated on the Marlesford war memorial, within the village church.
Harry Beeden
Private 2625, 1st/1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment. Died 24/09/1917. Age 23. Buried at Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery. One of three brothers who served, sons of Thomas and Kate Beeden
Charles Lewis Blakeway
Private 30980, 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 09/04/1918. Age 32. Commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial. Charles was the publican of the Bell Inn, Marlesford and coal merchant, married to Dilys and had two daughters, Evelyn Mary and Margery Elizabeth. His brother Hedley Alexander also served in the Great War with the Royal Garrison Artillery.
Christopher Chambers
Company Sergeant Major 320135, 15th (formally 1718 Suffolk Yeomanry) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 18/09/1918. Age 38. Buried at Templeux-Le-Guerard British Cemetery. William (farmer) and Alice Chambers, of Marlesford. Christopher Chambers is also commorated in the churchyard at Marlesford, on the headstone of his parents, William and Alice Chambers of Marlesford.
Ellis Gray
Private GS/57329, 32nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) formally private 21267 East Kent Regiment. Killed in action 19/09/1917, age 21. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. Ellis lived with his mother and grandparents, George and Jane Gray and he was a shepards assistant.
James Fisk
Private 2610, 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died 03/10/1916. Age 27. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial James was married to Daisy Alice Pratt
James Hatcher
Private 15023, 8th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 25/09/1915. Buried at Albert Communal Cemetery Extension James was the son of Thomas and Emma Hatcher and worked as a horseman.
Percy Mayhew
Private 775224 of the Royal West Kent Regiment, then 8th Batt. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) as private 14832. Died of wounds 17/05/1917. Age 19. Buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery which served the field hospital on this site.
Arthur Stollery
Private 46092, 3rd Northants regiment, then on arrival in France, transferred to 12 Royal Fusiliers, City of London Regiment as PrivateG66346. Died 20th November 1917, Age 32. He is buried at Vadencourt British Cemetery, Maissemy. Arthur was married to Anna (known as Annie) and had two children, Arthur and Albert.
Research has identified the following individuals who are commemorated at other locations in the UK but were born in the village of Marlesford.
Harry Howell
Lance Sergeant 1353, 4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 15/07/1916. Age 21. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial Born in Marlesford, Husband of Lucy Florence Howell Brightwell, of 13 Serpentine Rd., Ipswich.
George Norris
Private 8930, 9th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Died 05/03/1916 age 23. Buried at Wimereux Communal Cemetery. Son of Robert and Elizabeth Norris, of Great Wenham, Colchester. Born at Marlesford. Suffolk.