Charles Dudman 1891-1917

Charles Robert Dudman

5^th December 1891-25^th September 1917

Charles Dudman, a first cousin three times removed, was born into a country family in Sussex. His father John was a gamekeeper and the children grew up in remote country estates in the area west and north of Midhurst, seemingly changing locations every few years. John Dudman married Harriet Newman in October 1875. Their first child, Alice was born a few months later and she was followed over the next twenty years by ten more children; Frederick, John, George, Harry, William, Mary, Alfred, Charles, Ernest and, finally, Frank in 1895. Amazingly all of the children survived into adulthood.

Charles attended the parochial school at Easebourne on the outskirts of Midhurst from 7 April 1902. The 1911 census records him at home with his parents on the Vinings estate working with his father as an under gamekeeper.

Charles and four of his brothers joined up in the first few months of the war, with Charles being assigned to 12th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. There was a huge feeling of patriotism in the village of Easebourne, backed by Lord Cowdray, who owned most of the village. He promised to keep jobs open for any men who volunteered and offered to make up the wages of any man who went away to the amount he would have been earning had he stayed. At the end of 1914 the Midhurst area played host to over a hundred men from the Gordon Highlanders who were en route for France. They also influenced local men to volunteer and serve their country.

The 12^th battalion trained in the UK, being based at Witley in Surrey until early 1916.  In March 1916 they sailed for France and in June took part, along with four other Sussex battalions, in the Battle of Boar’s Head. The regiment lost over 400 men that day and it is known as The Day Sussex Died. Charles survived this battle and was with the battalion into the beginning of 1917

In the late summer of 1917, the 12^th battalion were to be found in Flanders preparing for the Battles of Ypres as part of the 116^th Brigade in the 39^th Division. The third battle of Ypres began on 20^th September and was also known as the Battle of Menin Bridge Road. The attack was well planned and the weather in the preceding few weeks was good allowing trenches to be dug and roads repaired. Working parties were employed burying cables as well as defending and attacking and acting as signallers and runners. Overall the battle was a success with allies advancing into previously German held territory.

Over the five days from 23^rd September, the war diaries record casualties on a daily basis from shelling and the battalion lost 48 men, with 26 missing and many more wounded until they were relieved at the front line on the 27^th.  One of the men killed was Charles Dudman; in the same battle and just a few days after his brother Frank.

He is buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery in Belgium and commemorated on the war memorial as Easebourne. Hooge was created in late 1917 with soldiers were brought there from smaller cemeteries all over the area.

The family were to lose more sons before the war was over. Of the five brothers who went to war, only two came back. The stories of the other two men will be told on the anniversary of their deaths.

John and Harriet continued to live in the Midhurst area until their deaths in 1920 and 1929 respectively. Most of their children and fifteen grandchildren stayed in the Midhurst area, although William joined the navy at the age of 14 and lived in Portsmouth and Alfred became a policeman and lived near Basingstoke.

IN MEMORY OF

Private Charles Robert Dudman, G/2738,

12th Bn. G/19527 Royal Sussex Regiment 

who died age 22

on 25 September 1917

Son of John and Harriet Dudman, of Upper Vining, Easebourne, Midhurst, Sussex.

Remembered with honour

THOUGH EARTH'S TIES ARE RENT ASUNDER PEACE, PEACE BE THINE

With thanks to

www.westernfrontassociation.com

www.greatwar.co.uk

www.roll-of-honour.com/Sussex/Easebourne.html

www.westsussexpast.org.uk

www.theorangelily.jimdo.com/17-the-war-diaries/

Frank Dudman 1895-1917

Frank Dudman

18^th February 1895-22^nd September 1917

Frank Dudman, a first cousin three times removed, was born into a country family in Sussex. His father John was a gamekeeper and the children grew up in remote country estates in the area west and north of Midhurst, seemingly changing locations every few years. John Dudman married Harriet Newman in October 1875. Their first child, Alice was born a few months later and she was followed over the next twenty years by ten more children; Frederick, John, George, Harry, William, Mary, Alfred, Charles, Ernest rounding off with Frank on 18^th February 1895. Unusually, all of the children survived into adulthood.

Frank attended the parochial school at Easebourne on the outskirts of Midhurst from 1903-1905. The 1911 census records him at home with his parents on the Vinings estate working with his father as an under gamekeeper.

Frank and four of his brothers joined up in the first few months of the war, with Frank being assigned to the 8^th Service Battalion of the Royal Sussex regiment. There was a huge feeling of patriotism in the village of Easebourne, backed by Lord Cowdray, who owned most of the village. He promised to keep jobs open for any men who volunteered and offered to make up the wages of any man who went away to the amount he would have been earning had he stayed. At the end of 1914 the Midhurst area played host to over a hundred men from the Gordon Highlanders who were en route for France. They also influenced local men to volunteer and serve their country.

The 8^th battalion arrived in France in July 1915 and Frank’s records indicate that he was with them. They took part in all the main battles on the Western Front for the next two years. The 8^th was a pioneer battalion meaning that as well as fighting, they undertook labouring duties on and behind the front line; digging trenches, moving supplies and other support roles.

In the late summer of 1917, the 8^th battalion were to be found in Flanders preparing for the Battles of Ypres as part of the 54^th Brigade in the 18^th Division. The third battle of Ypres began on 20^th September and was also known as the Battle of Menin Bridge Road. The attack was well planned and the weather in the preceding few weeks was good allowing trenches to be dug and roads repaired. Overall the battle was a success with allies advancing into previously German held territory. However, there were many casualties including Frank Dudman who was killed instantly by a shell during the mêlée on September 22nd. He is buried at the Duhallow Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery and commemorated on the war memorial as Easebourne.

The family were lose two more sons before the war was over. Of the five brothers who went to war, only two came back. The stories of the other two men will be told on the anniversary of their deaths.

John and Harriet continued to live in the Midhurst area until their deaths in 1920 and 1929 respectively. Most of their children and fifteen grandchildren stayed in the Midhurst area, although William joined the navy at the age of 14 and lived in Portsmouth and Alfred became a policeman and lived near Basingstoke.

In Memory of

Corporal FRANK DUDMAN

G/2738, 8th Bn., Royal Sussex Regiment

who died age 22

on 22 September 1917

Son of John and Harriet Dudman, of Upper Vining, Easebourne, Midhurst, Sussex.

Remembered with honour

 

With thanks to

www.westernfrontassociation.com

www.greatwar.co.uk

www.roll-of-honour.com/Sussex/Easebourne.html

www2.westsussex.gov.uk/learning-resources/LR/learning/learning_resources/great_war_west_sussex_1914-18.html

James Jones 1879-1917

 

James Charles Jones

23^rd July 1879-9^th September 1917   

James Charles Jones, my great great uncle, was born on 23^rd Jul 1879 at Witley in Surrey, the middle son of three born to George Jones and Alice Underwood. George and Alice were married on 12 Aug 1877 at Hambledon Parish Church in Surrey. Both of their fathers were labourers in the village and on every record George is listed as a farm labourer. Two months before the wedding their first child, George Jones Underwood, had been born at Hambledon Workhouse and by the time James was born two years later, the family were living in Witley where he was baptised on 25 August 1879. They were still there when the 1881 census was taken but the following summer, when their third and last child, Frederick, was born they were living in Ash.

They had moved south again by 1891 and George, Alice and the three boys were listed on the 1891 census at Northbourne in Godalming. Later that year, Alice died at the age of thirty three and three years after that George died at the age of forty one. The children aged eighteen, sixteen and fifteen, went to live with their mother’s sister Elizabeth and her family at Klondyke in Grayswood.

A few months after his father’s death, James enlisted for twelve years in the Royal Navy.  He served a Boy 2^nd class for nine months aboard the St Vincent, then as boy 1^st class aboard the Pembroke, Swallow and Vivid until he left in August 1897. For some reason the navy was not for him and he came home. In 1901 was boarding with a family in Godalming and working as a carman.

On January 24^th 1903, James married Rosina Bicknell at All Saints Church in Grayswood and five weeks later their son, also James Charles, was born in Haslemere.  Three more children followed; Alice Dorothy in the spring of 1906, Ruth Elizabeth on 1^st January 1909 and William George on 27^th October 1910.

The 1911 census records the family at Maythorn in Witley with James working as a bricklayer.
On 29^th Dec 1914, he joined the 8^th (Service) battalion of The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) which formed in Guildford in September 1914. He was aged 35 and he signed up for three years. The regiment fought at all the major battles on the Western Front throughout 1915 and 1916.   

As 1917 passed, the war changed. There was much activity in the air, with bombing raids on both sides. There was also much activity on the southern and eastern fronts but the summer of 1917 had been fairly quiet on the Western Front with two short fierce battles in August. The beginning of September found the 8^th Battalion in camp well behind the lines. Although they were out of reach of shelling and gunfire there was the new danger from aerial bombardment. The use of aircraft to bomb behind the lines, civilian targets and even hospitals was increasing.

On September 7^th, the 8^th Battalion moved into trenches on the front line relieving the 9^th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment and taking over the right sub-section of the divisional front.

The war diary for September 8^th reports; “Day generally quiet except for 2 hours in the afternoon when the enemy shelled our support company in Clonmel Copse with 4.2s. At 10.15pm enemy heavily barraged our two front companies and support company. Hedge Street was shelled with gas shells about midnight till 2am.

9^th The day was quiet. Our front and support companies were shelled from 9pm to 9.30pm. A few gas shells were fired.”

There were no reports of casualties on these days in the war diary but somehow James Jones was injured and he died on September 9^th.

Rosina was left with four young children aged fourteen, nine, eight and seven. She did not marry again and continued to live in Surrey until her death in 1939.

In Memory of

Private JAMES CHARLES JONES

G/3973, 8th Bn., The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

who died

on 09 September 1917

Remembered with honour

TYNE COT MEMORIAL

Aged 37

www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk

www.cwgc.org