War Memorial – Langford Parish Council Bedfordshire

The most prominent War Memorial in Langford is the Clock Tower located in the High Street. However there is also a further memorial in the Churchyard.

All the names for the First World War are identical but the Clock Tower also contains the names of the men from the Second World War.

37 men who lost their lives in the First World War together with 11 men from the Second World War are commemorated on the Clock Tower.

The information below was sourced from the Roll of Honour Website which is a site dedicated to those men and women who fell fighting for their country.

One soldier who served with the Yorkshire Regiment is commemorated on this memorial.

The railings to the front and side elevations were replaced by Langford Parish Council with new poppy decorated railings in September 2018. This work was carried out to coincide with the 100 year commemoration of the end of WWI. The dates 1918-2018 can be seen within the gate design in Remembrance of this significant date.

War Memorial in Churchyard of St Andrew’s Church:

To the Glory of God and in Honoured Memory of the Men of This Parish Who Fell in the Great War 1914 – 1918

Clock Tower War Memorial in the Village:

Erected by the Parishioners to the immortal memory of the men of Langford who gave their lives for freedom in the Great Wars

BEAUMONT

Frederick C.

Private 25673. 8^th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Friday 15 September 1916. (Note 1915 on Clock Tower Memorial). Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval memorial, Somme, Pas-de-Calais, France. Ref. Pier & Face 2C

BLAND

Herbert Charles

Private 18805. “C” Company, 2^nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds Wednesday 3 November 1915. Age 33. Born Clifton. Lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Son of William & Sarah Bland of Clifton, Bedfordshire. Husband of Margaret Bland, of Stockbridge, Henlow, Biggleswade. Buried in Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. Plot I. Row G. Grave 91.

BROWN

Frederick William

Private 19050. 2^nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Tuesday 11 July 1916. Age 21. Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Son of William & Mary brown of 10 The Leys, Langford, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Ref. Pier & Face 2C

BROWN

Herbert

Private 25480. 4^th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Saturday 9 November 1918. Born & Lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Buried in Bougnies Communal Cemetery, Quevy, Hainaut, Belgium.

BROWN

Oscar

Private 28485, 13th Battalion, Essex Regiment. Died of wounds 20 February 1917. Aged 29. Born and resident Biggleswade, Beds, born Langford, Bedfordshire. Baptised 31 March 1889 in Langford, son of Albert and Mary Jane Brown, of Langford, Bedfordshire. Married. Resident 31, Castle Street, Luton. In the 1911 census he was aged 22, born Langford, Bedfordshire, Assisting in the family Market Gardening Business, Bentley House, Station Road, Langford, Bedfordshire. Married Maud Florence Wren 23 December 1911 at Biggleswade, aged 23, son of Albert Brown. Buried in DERNANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Plot V. Row C. Grave 41. See also Luton and George Kent, Luton

BROWN

Sidney

Corporal 33021. 7^th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. (Formerly 6417 Bedfordshire Regiment) Killed in action Sunday 28 October 1917. Age 21. Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Biggleswade. Son of Frederick John and Emily brown of 1 Dark lane, Langford, Bedfordshire. No known grave. Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 50-51.

CARTER

Ernest

Private 203345. 4^th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Tuesday 30 October 1917. Age 19. Born Walkern, Herts. Lived Langford. Enlisted Biggleswade. Son of George & Edith Carter of Dark Lane, Langford. Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 48-50 & 162A

CHAMPKINS

Ivor Bertie

Private 35105. 4th Battalion Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment.) (Formerly 34525 9^th T.R. Battalion). Killed in action Friday 12 April 1918. Age 18. Born Langford. Enlisted Biggleswade. Son of Mr. Mrs. M. Champkins of 19 Council Cottages, Dark Lane, Langford, Bedfordshire. No known grave. Commemorated on Ploegsteert Memorial, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Panel 4.

CHAMPKINS

William Edward

Possibly Private G/23765. 8^th Battalion The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. Died Saturday 28 September 1918. Born, lived and enlisted Biggleswade.Buried in Le Cateau Military Cemetery, Nord, France. Plot I. Row B. Grave 131.

CLARK

Frederick W.

Corporal 27831. 1^st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds Sunday 20 May 1917. Age 24. Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Son of George & Fanny Clark of High Street, Langford. Buried in Duisans British Cemetery, Entrun, Pas-de-Calais, France. PLot III. Row N. Grave 4

COOPER

Hubert

Private G/14518. 2^nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. Killed in action 22 November 1916. Born Henlow. Enlisted Bedford. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier & Face 7C.

COOPER

Joseph Hyde

Private 36561. 2^nd Battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. (Formerly 210816 A.S.C.) Died Sunday 22 December 1918. Born Stotfold. Lived Langford. Enlisted Biggleswade. Buried in Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria, Greece. Grave 1090.

DINES

James

Private 2632. 2^nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Thursday 12 October 1916. Age 17. Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Ampthill. Son of George & Abigail Dines of Ivel terrace, Langford, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier & Face 2C

DINES

Thomas

Private 10400. 7^th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action 12 March 1916. Age 20. Born Langford. Lived Halstead, Essex. Enlisted Chelmsford, Essex. Son of Joseph & Harriett Dines of Meadow End, Ridgwell, Essex. Buried in Vermelles British Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. PLot II. Row J. Grave 8.

EDMUNDS

Albert Gordon

Private 27608. 4^th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Died Wednesday 9 May 1917. Age 33. Lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Son of HW & Elizabeth Ann Edmunds, of 27 Council Houses, Station Road, Langford. Buried in north-west part of Langford (St. Andrew) Churchyard, Bedfordshire.

Gravestone reads: 27608 Private A.G. Edmunds Bedfordshire Regiment 9th May 1917. Age 33 R.I.P.

GORDON

Henry William

Possibly Serjeant 14284. 3^rd Battalion Grenadier Guards. Died of wounds Thursday 1 February 1917. Age 25. Born St. Cuthbert’s, Bedford. Son of Richard W. & C.A. Gordon of 6 Leslie Avenue, Garlinge, Westgate on Sea, Kent. Buried in Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-l’Abbe, Somme, France. Plot V. Row G. Grave 30.

GREEN

Herbert

Private 42877. 10^th Battalion Essex Regiment. (Formerly 10546 Bedfordshire Regiment). Killed in action 26 April 1918 Age 19. (1917 on Clock Tower War Memorial). Born & lived Langford. Enlisted Biggleswade. Son of Edward & Gottie Green of 4 Station Road, Langford, Bedfordshire. Buried in Hangard Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Plot III. Row A. Grave 5.

INGRAY

William [Arthur]

[Spelt INGREY on CWGC & SDGW] Gunner 236862 “A” Bty. 330th Bde., Royal Field Artillery who was killed in action on Thursday, 4th April 1918. Age 25. Husband of Winifred Mary Ingrey, of 135, Selbourne Rd., Luton. Enlisted Bedford, resident Biggleswade. No known grave. Commemorated on Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France

JACKSON

Charles

Private 3/8605. 1^st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds 27 April 1915 (24 April on CD) Born Bourn, Cambs., Lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Son of William & Mary Ann Jackson, of Bourne, Cambridge. Husband of Susannah Jackson of Church Lane, Great Paxton, St. Neots, Hunts. Buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. Plot VIII. Row A. Grave 37.

KING

William Gordon

Gunner 123779. 47^th Bty. Royal Horse Artillery & Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action Thursday 26 June 1917. Born Langford. Enlisted Biggleswade. Buried in Roclincourt Valley Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. Plot I. Row E. Grave 7.

LARMAN

Ernest

Private 9445. 1^st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds Tuesday 1^st June 1915. Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Clifton. Buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord), Nord, France. Plot I. Row B. Grave 76

MEADWAY

Henry

Medway on Clock Tower. Died 1914. No further information available at present.

MERRYWEATHER

Arthur

Private G/69630. 17^th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. (Formerly 17840 29^th T.R. Battalion) Died of wounds Wednesday 20 March 1918. age 20. Lived Langford. Enlisted Biggleswade. Son of James Merryweather of Station Road, Langford, Bedfordshire. No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, Pas-de-Calais, France. Pier & Face 8C, 9A & 16A.

MERRYWEATHER

Francis

Private 20287, 1^st/4^th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action Tuesday 11 December 1917. Age 26. Born Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Son of James Merryweather of Langford, Bedfordshire. Buried in Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel. Section D. Grave 58.

MERRYWEATHER

John

Private 20502, 2^nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Thursday 12 October 1916. Age 28. Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Son of James Merryweather of Station Road, Langford, Bedfordshire. Buried in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, Somme, France. Plot XXX. Row B. Grave 5.

ROBERTS

Albert Edward

Private 1496, Bedford Yeomanry Household Cavalry & Cavalry of the Line (incl. Yeomanry & Imperial Camel Corps). Killed in action Sunday 30 Jan 1916. Born and lived Bedford. Enlisted Bedford. Buried in Vermelles British Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. Plot II. Row M. Grave 6.

ROGERS

Ernest

Private 31524, 95^th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (formerly 23344 Bedfordshire Regiment). Died of wounds Tuesday 30 April 1918. Age 21. Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Ampthill. Son of Eli and Ada Mary Rogers of Langford, Bedfordshire. Buried in Aire Communal Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. Plot II. Row H. Grave 5.

RUTT

Joseph

L/Cpl. 32257. 6^th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Friday 27 April 1917. Age 27. Lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Son of the late Mrs. J. Rutt. No known grave. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France. Bay 5.

RUTT

Stanley George

Private 19309. 7^th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Wednesday 25 October 1916. Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Biggleswade. Buried in Regina trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, Somme, France.Plot I. Row F. Grave 5.

SMITH

Reginald

Private 12145. 4^th Battalion South Wales Borderers (formerly 26766 Bedfordshire Regiment). Killed in action Sunday 29 April 1917. Born Langford. Enlisted Ampthill. No known grave. Commemorated on Basra Memorial, Iraq. Ref. Panel 16 & 62.

STIMSON

George

Private 25370. 3^rd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment (8^th Battalion Bedfordshire. Reg. on CD). Died Sunday 25 March 1917 (26 March 1917 on CD). Age 21. Born and lived Langford. Enlisted Biggleswade. Son of Frederick & Mary Stimson. Commemorated Langford (St Andrew) Churchyard, Langford, Bedfordshire. In the north-west part.

25370 Private
G. Stimson
Bedfordshire Regiment
25^th March 1917.
Age 21.

SWAIN

John

Driver T2/10556. Army Service Corps. Died Thursday 4 April 1918. Age 23. Son of Charles & Mary T. Swain of Langford. Buried in the north-west part of Langford (St. Andrew) Churchyard, Bedfordshire.

WHEATLEY

Alfred

[Listed on memorial as Albert Wheatley] Corporal 8198. 1^st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds Friday 31 March 1916. Born Beeston. Lived Langford. Enlisted Bedford. Buried in Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France. Plot I. Row A. Grave 10.

WHITEMAN

Harry Edward

Private 83896. 19^th Battalion Machine Guns Corps (Inf) (Formerly 7213 Bedfordshire Regiment). Killed in action Thursday 20 September 1917. Age 22. Born Langford. Lived Biggleswade. Enlisted Bedford. Son of William and Minnie Whiteman of Cambridge Road, Langford, Bedfordshire. Buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot XVIII. Row A. Grave 6.

WOODS

Arthur William

Private 24397. 1^st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment. Died of wounds Friday 18 August 1916. Age27. Born Northill. Enlisted Biggleswade. Husband of Mrs. B. Woods, of High Street, Langford. Buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme, France. Plot II. Row E. Grave 50.

LANGFORD CLOCK TOWER 1939 – 1945

BRERETON

Leonard Douglas

Able Seaman P/JX 157102. HMS Argonaut, R.N. Died Friday 16 October 1942. age 21. Son of William & Lily Brereton of Langford, Bedfordshire. No known grave. Commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire. Panel 63. Column 2. (HMS Argonaut was a Dido Class Light Cruiser. Laid down Nov 1939 and completed 8 August 1942. Served with the Home Fleet August – October 1942 to Spitzbergen & North Russia.)

BROWN

Donald Arthur

Sergeant 1576940, 9 Squadron., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on Friday 29th January 1943. Son of Mr and Mrs Arthur Brown of Bays Farm, Langford. No known grave. Commemorated on Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede, Surrey. From the village’s magazine ‘The Langford Diary’ the story of Sgt Donald A. Brown:

Lest We Forget

“Deeply regret to inform you that your son Sgt. Donald Arthur Brown lost his life on 29th January, 1943 as a result of an aircraft accident. Please accept my profound sympathy. O.C. 9 Squadron”.

This was the sort of telegram that every family, who had someone away fighting, dreaded receiving. Barely had the shock subsided when official letters followed, giving further details.

The aircraft – a Lancaster bomber – came down in a field near Boston in Lincolnshire during a practice flight. Only the body of the rear gunner – Sgt. Wishart -was recoverable before the aircraft sank beneath the ground with the bodies of the other crew members inside:- Flt Lt. Lind, pilot; Pt Off. Cocks, bomb aimer; Sgt. Doran F/Egr; Sgt. Henry, W/Operator; and Sgt Donald Brown, mid upper gunner.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown made contact, via the Air Ministry, with relatives of the other crew members and also visited the crash site. Sibsey Northlands near Boston is a lonely isolated hamlet where the prairie like fields of Lincolnshire, which have long since lost their hedgerows, run into the vast flat fenlands around the Wash. The crash site was in the middle of a field some four hundred yards from a narrow road.

Eyewitness accounts of the incident differed somewhat from the official version of events. The crew had already flown many operational sorties over occupied Europe, including the German capital Berlin, and had only just been posted to 9 Squadron in 5 Group Bomber Command. 5 Group was a ‘tails-up’ Group throughout the war, and 9 Squadron one of its most experienced squadrons, that was later used for special tasks, along with 617 Squadron, which was formed some nine weeks after Donald Brown lost his life. The crew’s Lancaster was, according to the eyewitnesses, on a fighter affiliation exercise, and the fighter stayed on the bomber’s tail too long, forcing it beyond the point of recovery. The crash caused a twenty feet deep crater, with only the rear of the plane still visible. By the next day this too had disappeared. Efforts to recover either the aircraft or the bodies were unsuccessful and the crater was filled in.

The families of the deceased decided to have a memorial erected on the exact spot of the crash, a Celtic wheel cross of Cornish granite surrounded by ten granite posts. Donald Brown’s name is to be found on this memorial, and also on the RAF Memorial at Runnymede as well as on Langford’s War Memorial.

The crash is remembered every January by family and local people, as well as every Remembrance Sunday. 9 Squadron also remember. Last January 29th, the 50th anniversary of the accident, one of the current Squadron’s Tornado bombers overflew the memorial. Think of all those who died in two world wars and other conflicts. When Donald Brown’s name is read out next Remembrance Sunday, remember, it is not just a name on a memorial. For our tomorrow, he gave his today.

The War Memorial in Sibsey Northlands

Details supplied by Ralph Turner – thank you

COOPER

Alfred James

Guardsman 2612042. Grenadier Guards. Died Sunday 20 February 1944. Age 34. Son of Joseph Hyde Cooper and of Ellen Cooper of Langford, Bedfordshire. Buried in Langford (St. Andrew) Churchyard.

Gravestone reads: 2612042 Guardsman A.J. Cooper Grenadier Guards 20^th February 1944 Age 34. A sudden change At God’s command he fell He had no time To bid us farewell.

COOPER

Dennis Jack

Gunner 11418884. 360 Bty. 110 Lt. A.A. Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died Thursday 13 July 1944. Age 22. Son of George & Hilda Bertha Cooper of Langford. Buried in Bayeux War Cemetery, Calvados, France. Plot XVI. Row D. Grave 19.

COOPER

George William

Flying Officer 124578. Nav 115 Squadron RAFVR. Died Friday 28 May 1943. Age 25. Son of Albert & Hephzibah Cooper of Langford. Husband of Clarice Cooper. Buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany. Plot 18. Row D. Grave 18.

ENDERSBY

Lawrence V.

Private 14083600. 2^nd Battalion Beds & Herts. Regiment. Died Friday 13 September 1946. age 24. Son of Frederick James Endersby and Daisy Bertha Endersby; husband of Dorothy May Amelia Endersby of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. Buried in Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery, Greece. Plot 15. Grave 644.

KILBY

Claud

Private 5953261. 1^st Battalion The Hertfordshire Regiment, Beds & Herts. Regiment. Died Wednesday 26 November 1941. Age 23. Son of Alfred & Grace Kilby of Langford, Bedfordshire. Husband of Gladys Mary Kilby of Langford. Buried in Tobruk War Cemetery, Libya. Plot 7. Row F. Grave 11.

LOCKEY

Geoffrey Charles

Ordinary Coder P/JX 508535. HMS Edinburgh Castle. R.N. Died Friday 4 February 1944. Age 19. Son of James & Annie Mary Lockey of Langford, Bedfordshire. Buried in Freetown (King Tom) Cemetery, Sierra Leone. Plot 5. Row D. Grave 1.

RUTT

Christopher Keith

Sergeant 960415. W.Op./Air Gunner. RAFVR Died Friday 24 October 1941. Buried in Langford (St Andrew) Churchyard, Bedfordshire. See also Bedford Modern School

STREET

Victor

No further information available at present. Possibly same man as the Victor Street commemorated on Clophill War Memorial.

SWAIN

Rex

Sergeant 1389005, 12 Squadron RAFVR. Killed in action Thursday 17 June 1943 flying in Lancaster III ED629 PH-K. Age 19. Son of Florence Swain of Langford, Bedfordshire. Buried in Heverlee War Cemetery, Leuvan, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium. Plot 4. Row E. Grave 18.

For further details of 12 Squadron then please contact Tom Forbes, Maplesden, Spring Hill, Punnetts Town, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 9PE. http://www.aujs06.dsl.pipex.com/12squadron/