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The War Memorial

The War Memorial is listed and maintained by Plymouth City Council. It commemorates those of Tamerton Foliot lost in the two World Wars.

World War 1 1914 – 1918 eight names

Francis Fox was born on the 29th October 1894 at Uplands, Crownhill to Francis Wilson Fox a Justice of the Peace and his wife Agnes. Records show that the family also resided at Looseleigh Farm.

Whilst studying Francis enlisted in the Officers Training Corps at the outbreak of the war and was commissioned in October 1914. Second Lieutenant Fox subsequently served with the 14th Battalion The Welsh, which was also known as the “Swansea Pals” as part of the British Expeditionary Force, and throughout Flanders in 1916.

On the 31st July 1917 on the first day of the Battle of Pilchem Ridge, Second Lieutenant, aged 23, laid his life down for his men, and rests with his “Pals” in New Irish Farm Cemetery.

His Commanding Officer wrote “brave boy and under all conditions

cheerful ….had an exceptionally fine nature loved by all his officers and men. His chief good quality was his continual cheerfulness under all conditions…a great example of a soldier and gentleman”

The Reverend Cecil Radcliffe Martyn a Devon man was born at Countess Weir, near Topsham. Following Ordination in 1900 went on to serve in Worcester and Birmingham until he was appointed as Vicar of Tamerton Foliot, and served here until he applied for service with the Army Chaplains Department in August 1915. In December 1915 The Reverend Martyn then volunteered for overseas service to France, becoming Chaplain to the troops at Rouen . In selfless service The Revered Martyn then further volunteered to extend his service throughout the horrors of the Western Front being twice “mentioned in despatches” until the end of hostilities.

The Rev Martyn, married Christine and had five children, undoubtedly weakened as a result of his war ministry, succumbed to Influenza on the 3rd March 1919 aged 44 and rests in Rouen along with the men he served.

John Pengelly born in 1881, started life in a workhouse noted to be located in Tamerton with his widowed Mother and sister Alice. However in 1901 records show John now in the Royal Navy, marrying Mary, and living at 2 Gordon Cottages, Tamerton Foliot.

CPO Mechanician John Pengelly was eventually drafted to the battlecruiser HMS Indefatigable which had been recently completed in Devonport in February 1911. Following successful operations in the Mediterranean at the outbreak of war, and after uneventful patrols in the North Sea, on the 31st May 1916 HMS Indefatigable found herself in the opening skirmishes of the Battle of Jutland. At 1600hrs on that first day of that battle she took a hit from a shell to her stern, began to list, and three minutes later took further bombardment which caused her magazines to explode taking 1,019 brave young men with her. Just 3 crew survived.

CPO John Pengelly, our workhouse boy who eventually married and lived in the village, and rose to a senior NCO, remains with his shipmates and is remembered with Honour at Plymouth Naval Memorial.

William Hitchcock as a child lived with his Mother and Father Samuel and Ann Hitchcock at Chapel Cottages in Tamerton Foliot. Then as a young man William was working as a Farm Labourer at Trehills Farm, Tamerton Foliot.

On enlisting William was mobilised with his battalion to the Western Front in July 1915, and with his friends and comrades endured the indescribable horrors that was Paschendaele in the autumn of 1917.

The 9th Battalion was then forefront at the Battle of the Selle between the 17th and 25th October 1918. Lance Corporal Hitchcock fell aged 24 on the last day of this battle and just days before the Armistice. Lance Corporal William Hitchcock was also awarded the Military Medal for “acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire”.

Lance Corporal Hitchcock now rests with his fellow soldiers at Pommereuil British Cemetery. Inscribed on Lance Corporal Hitchcock’s headstone are the words “For ever with the Lord”.

Charles Lavers may have had a family connection to Mr & Mrs Lavers who resided at Pound Cottages, Maristow but records are unfortunately not conclusive or specific. However what can be confirmed is that Charles enlisted in Devonport in September 1914 and was mobilised to Boulogne France in 1915.War records show that the 10th Battalion the Devonshires was then sent to Selonika in Greece in an attempt to deter the Bulgarians from joining Germany and Austria/Hungary in the war, in what was a very politically and strategically convoluted Macedonian Front.

Also records then confirmed that Private Charles Lavers died in hospital in Malta on the 14th February 1917, and is at rest at Pieta Military Cemetery in Malta. Records also confirmed that there was a military hospital in Malta at this time to care for the soldiers who were in service in Gallipoli and Macedonia, and the Pieta Military Cemetery was the resting place for many of these young men who succumbed to injuries whilst in this hospital.

Army records also show Pte Charles Lavers not having any relatives to receive his army pay on his passing.

However even though exact records are vague Pte Charles Lavers will always be honoured and remembered.

Harry or Henry Powell as he is also recorded was the son of Elizabeth and William Powell and is recorded as living in Tamerton Foliot with 5 other siblings. Unfortunately records are not specific on the actual address of the family home.

Anyhow what we do know is that Harry enlisted in Plymouth and was mobilised to Le Havre, and the 1st Battalion fought with distinction throughout Flanders.

From 22nd April until the 25th May 1915 records confirm that Private Powell’s battalion was then involved in the fiercest of fighting in the 2nd battle of Ypres, and in during this specific period it is recorded that this was the first time the enemy deployed gas as a weapon.

On the 28th April 1915 Private Powell fell, aged 29, and is named on the Men in Gate Memorial at Ypres along with 54000 of his comrades “who have no known grave”.

We may never know where and how he fell, but Private Harry Powell, a son of Tamerton Foliot, and a beloved son and brother, will always be remembered with honour.

George Henry Tyrrell lived at Kemp Cottages, Tamerton Foliot, with his wife Annie and their two sons. Before the outbreak of war George worked locally as a farm labourer.

Records don’t show us when George enlisted but they do confirm Private ‘George Tyrrell was part of the 1st Batallion who were mobilised from their Jersey base to Le Havre in the autumn of 1914. War records then tell us that the 1st Devons lost two thirds of their officers and a third of their men at Givenchy Ridge, and in November 1914 we see the 1st Devons begin to hold Messine Ridge which was recorded as being waste deep in freezing mud and with continual snow.

Private George Tyrell, the family man from Kemp Cottages, Tamerton, died on the 24th December 1914, and the poignancy in the hope that “it’ll all be all
over by Christmas” is not lost.

Private Tyrell is remembered with Honour at the Men in Gate Memorial along with 54000 other young men who have no known grave.

Records show that John Woodley lived in Tamerton Foliot with his Father and Mother and 4 siblings, and there is an address recorded only as “Merrifield”. Records then show that just before the war John was a butcher working in Plymouth and there is an earlier recording indicating that John may have worked as an apprentice butcher at The Kings Head Hotel in here in the village.

We don’t know when John enlisted but army and subsequent war records then confirm that Private Woodley’s battalion was entrenched in the most bloodiest engagements of the Somme offensive. The casualty lists don’t say how old Private John Woodley was when he fell on the 4th September 1916.

Private Woodley, a son and brother from Tamerton Foliot, is remembered with honour at the Thiepval Memorial along with 72,000 comrades who also fell at the Somme and “have no known grave”.

World War 2 1939 – 45 eighteen names

W.EDWARDS3651880 Warrant Officer Class III (Sergeant Major) of the 1st Battalion, the South Lancashire Regiment. Son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Edwards; husband of Joan Edwards of Metherell, Cornwall. Born in Tamerton in 1914. Died between 21 May 1940 and 30 May 1940, aged 26 at Dunkirk.
E.T.FINNEMOREAble Seaman Ernest Finnemore of the Merchant Navy, serving on SS Euphorbia  (North Shields). Son of George and Caroline Finnemore. Born in Tamerton in 1909. Died 14 December 1940 aged 31.
W.B.GILL165642 Captain William Blackmore Gill of the Devonshire Regiment attached to the HQ of the 80th Indian Infantry Regiment. Son of Henry and Ida Gill of Crown Hill, Plymouth. Born in Plymouth in1920. Died 28 March 1944 aged 24.
C.T.P.HAYCROFT5625173 Private Cyril Thomas Peter Haycroft of the 2nd Battalion, the Welsh Regiment. Husband of Joan Haycroft of Stonehouse. Born in Tavistock in the September Quarter of 1917. Died 3 February 1945 aged 27.
S.F.O.KENDALLD/KX 93035  Leading Stoker Sydney Frederick Osborne Kendall of the RNRF, HMS Dorsetshire.  Son of William and Rosina Kedndall’ husband of Doreen Kendall of Swilly. Born in Plympton in the March Quarter of 1920. Died 5 April 1942 aged 22.
J.H.T.MAKERPLY/X 802  Sergeant John Henry Thomas Maker of the Royal Marines. Son of Jack and Edith Maker; husband of Ellen Maker of Southsea. Born in Plympton in the March Quarter of 1917. Died 25 November 1942 aged 25.
N.MAKERPLY/X 800 Sergeant Norman Maker of the Royal Marines, serving on HMS Exeter. Son of Mr and Mrs James Maker and stepson of Mary Marker of Tamerton. Born in Plympton in the June Quarter of 1917. Died as PoW 15 February 1945 aged 28.
A.W.MAUNDER2209678 Flight Sergt/Air Gunner Alan Maunder of 83 Squadron (only on his final day, not in 49 Squadron as usual). Son of William and Amy Maunder. Born in Plymouth in the June Quarter of 1921. Died 23 March 1945 aged 23.
A.B.OLVER1110340 Gunner Arthur Bertram Olver of 31st Field Regiment, the Royal Artillery. Son of George and Florence Olver; husband of Lily Olver of Plymouth. Born in Plympton in the September Quarter of 1906. Died between 29 January 1942 and 20 May 1942 aged 35.
J.H.PEDRICK1317921 Aircraftman 1st Class  John Henry Pedrick of the RAF VR. Son of John and Bertha Pedrick of Tamerton Foliott. Born in Plympton in the March Quarter of 1923. Died 25 December 1942 aged 19.
W.A.PEDRICKD/K 27484 Stoker 1st Class William Alfred Pedrick of the Royal Navy HMS Courageous. Son of Hurbin (sic) and Ellen Pedrick of Tamerton.  Born in Plympton in the March Quarter of 1896. Died 17 September 1939  aged 44.
P.R.PHILLIPSLieutenant Peter Royston Phillips of the Royal Navy, HMS Tetrarch; husband of Katherine Phillips. Born in Tiverton 29 August 1914. Died 27 October 1941 when his ship was lost off the Italian coast, aged 27.
W.PLACE4342789 Sergeant William Place of the 2nd Battalion, the East Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William and Mary Ann Place; husband of Joyce Place of Tamerton Foliot. Born in Tamerton in 1913. Died 8 June 1943 aged 30.
J.RISDON347207 Petty Officer Chief Cook John Risdon of the Royal Navy, HMS Adventure. Son of Henry and Elizabeth Risdon; husband of Nellie Risdon of Ringwood. Born in Plympton 15 September 1888. Died 13 November 1939 aged 51.
J.E.RUNDLE4342120 Corporal John Edward Rundle of the 2nd Battalion, the East Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Elsie Rundle. Born in Tamerton Foliot in 1913. Died between 31 May and 1 June 1940 aged 27 at Dunkirk.
A.W.STEVENSD/M 1835 Chief Petty Officer Cook Walter Ainsworth Stevens of the Royal Navy, HMS Defiance. Son of James and Kate Stevens. Born in Stoke Damerel in 1893. Died 13 June 1943 aged 50. Buried in Weston Mill Cemetery, Plymouth.
C.F.VEALED/J 110611  Leading Seaman Charles Francis Veale of the Royal Navy, HMS Courageous. Son of Walter and Emily Veale; husband of Eileen Veale of Tamerton. Born in Plymstock in 1909.  Died 17 September 1939 aged 30.
H.V.PEELD/KX 79520 Petty Officer Stoker Harold Victor Peel of the Royal Navy HMS Onslow. Parents not yet identified – his birth certificate states that he was born in HMS Vivid, the Navy’s shore-based hospital in Plymouth which is most unusual. So, born in Devonport in 1909. Died 31 December 1942 aged 33.