The village’s war memorial is on the wall of the nave of the Church of St James the Great. The metal tablet with eight names erected after the First World War has eight names. It was extended after the Second World War with a further six names. Also in the Church is a rectangular oak board on the wall by the stairs to the balcony which lists the names of 64 men of Radley who served in the First World War.
Most of the men commemorated on the war memorial in Radley Church are buried overseas. Just three are buried in Radley. Details of all those who died and where they are buried or commemorated can be found in the records held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).
Radley College staff are commemorated on separate tablets on either side of the central pillar of the Memorial Arch. On one side is a tablet listing the College servants who died during the First World War and, on the other, the masters who died during the Second World War. The two much larger boards commemorating former pupils who died in the two World Wars are on the inner walls of the Arch.
About the War Memorial at Radley College
Radley servicemen who died in the First World War
The information below was obtained from:
- CWGC online records
- Gone for a Soldier: Radley Service Man 1885-1920 by Martin Mawhinney (published in a limited edition in 2010)
- Imperial War Museum Lives of the First World War website
- Radley College Archives: First World War dead
1914-1918 War Memorial in Radley Church
Among the eight men remembered here, there were even more sadly two pairs of brothers. Seven of the men died in France. The eighth, who is buried in Radley Churchyard, died in England while still in training as an 18-year-old – probably from Spanish Flu then widespread in the Army.
Edgar Henry Thomas Abbott [T.H.E. initials on war memorial in church]
Born: 1896
Family: Only son of Henry and Agnes Ann Abbott of Oxford, and grandson of William Greenaway (a carter) for whom Edgar worked and who lived at Thrupp Farm Cottages from 1916 to 1923
Occupation: farm labourer
Service: enlisted January 1916; Private, Service No. 26356, 6th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment
Died: 17 February 2017
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal
Buried: Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, France
Inscription: An only son so dearly loved
CWGC record
Albert William Bennett
Born: 1888
Family: son of Richard and Annie Bennett of 39 Radley; two brothers and four sisters; older brother Ernest (see below) and younger brother George also served
Occupation: not known
Service: enlisted autumn 1915; Corporal Service No. 29411, 14th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal
Died: 8 February 1917 (wounded 3 February 1917)
Buried: Varennes Military Cemetery, France
Inscription: Till we meet again
CWGC record
Ernest Thomas Bennett
Born: 1881
Family: son of Richard and Annie Bennett of 39 Radley; two brothers and four sisters; younger brothers Albert (see above) and George also served
Occupation: not known
Service: enlisted in Royal Army Veterinary Corps as horse-keeper, Private Service No. 11286; transferred to Royal Field Artillery, Gunner, Service No. 120219; Acting Sergeant B Battery, 113th Brigade
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1915 Star
Died: Missing in Action, 2 August 1917
Buried: no known grave
Inscription: commemorated on Panel 5 of Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres in Belgium
CWGC record
Harold Edward Betteridge
Born: 1900
Family: son of Edward and Edith Betteridge; after his mother’s death soon after his birth in Nottinghamshire, moved with his father to live with his Uncle Francis Frederick Betteridge at Minchins Farm in Radley
Occupation: motor tractor driver
Service: enlisted 4 September 1918, Royal Marine Artillery, Private, Service No. 16660
Awards: none
Died: 27 September 1918 at Royal Marine Artillery Training Base at Eastney Barracks near Portsmouth in Hampshire from pneumonia [Spanish flu?]
Buried: 1 October 1918, churchyard of St James the Great, Radley
Inscription: Only good night beloved – not farewell. A little while and all his saints shall dwell in hallowed union, indivisible (extract from the poem The Christian’s “Goodnight” by Sarah Doudney)
CWGC record
Walter Gibbens [listed as Gibbons on the memorial tablet]
Born: 1874
Family: third son of William and Martha Gibbens; one of five brothers; married Eliza Anne Grainger at Radley Church on 2 April 1904 and moved to Reading; son Leonard Francis born 1906 and daughter Ellen Christina in 1907
Occupation: regular soldier, later packer and permanent wayman on the railway
Service: served with Kitchener’s Army in Egypt and the Sudan (1896-1902) and the Boer War (1899-1902) before returning to Radley; remained an Army reservist and enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) in London in August 1914, joining the 13th Field Ambulance; Private, Service No. 9930; arrived in France 9 September 1914
Awards: Queen’s South African Medal, Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1914 Star, Mons Clasp
Died: 21 November 1915 (of sickness)
Buried: St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France [Rouen was a main medical based during the war]
Inscription: His memory shall dwell in our hearts for ever
CWGC record
Edwin [Edward] Norman Mattingley
Born: 1893
Family: second son of Thomas and Susan Jane Mattingley of 31 Radley; had 8 brothers and 4 sisters; brothers Thomas and Leslie also served
Occupation: gardener’s boy from 1908 and then by 1914, as a footman at Radley College
Service: enlisted 11 August 1914 [as Edward]; Private, Service No 9814, 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1915 Star
Died: Missing in Action 27 July 1916
Buried: no known grave
Inscription: commemorated on Pier and Face 11D of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France
CWGC record
Also commemorated on the Servants’ Memorial at Radley College
Arthur Roland Smewing
Born: 1895
Family: fourth son of George and Elizabeth Smewing of Sugworth Farm (the family lived in one of three cottages near the farmhouse); 7 brothers and 2 sisters; brothers Joseph (see below) and Frederick also served
Occupation: farm labourer
Service: enlisted end of 1914; Private, Service No. 285542, Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1915 Star
Died: 27 November 1917
Buried: no known grave
Inscription: commemorated on Panel 1 of the Cambrai Memorial at Louverval Military Cemetery, France
CWGC record
Joseph James Smewing
Born: 1890
Family: third son of George and Elizabeth Smewing of Sugworth Farm (the family lived in one of three cottages near the farmhouse); 7 brothers and 2 sisters; brothers Arthur (see above) and Frederick also served
Occupation: regular soldier
Service: joined 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment as a boy soldier in 1911; Private, Service No. 9145; battalion returned from India in October 2014, arriving in France in November 1914
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1914 Star
Died: 17 June 1915
Buried: Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie, Pas de Calais, France
Inscription: none
CWGC record
1914-1918 Servants’ Memorial at Radley College
Five of the eight men named on this memorial served with one of the local regiments, the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Three had a connection to Radley other than being a College servant, but only one of them is also commemorated on the War Memorial in Radley Church, having been born and brought up in Radley.
Edwin [Edward] Norman Mattingley – see above
William Albert Rogers
Born: 1887
Family: son of Henry and Elizabeth Rogers of Cowley, Oxford; three brothers and two sisters; married Lilian Sarah Silvester, daughter of Dennis and Martha Silvester of Radley at Radley Church on 17 January 1910; son William born 25 July 1910, daughter Beatrice born 15 August 1912 [couple were living at New Northcourt in Abingdon when their children were baptised at Radley Church]
Occupation: cricket groundsman at Radley College [recorded as ‘professional cricketer’ in the entry for his marriage and those for his children’s baptism in the church registers]
Service: enlisted November 1914; Private, Service No. 267588, 1st/1st Bucks Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry; arrived in France 30 March 1915
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal,
Died: Missing in Action 16 April 1917
Buried: no known grave
Inscription: commemorated on Pier and Face 10 A and 10D of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France
CWGC record
Henry [Harry] Douglas Woodley
Born: 1890
Family: son of Henry and Annie Woodley, publicans of the Three Pigeons public house in Abingdon; had 2 sisters; member of 1914 Radley Football Team
Occupation: servant at Radley College
Service: enlisted September 1914; Private, Service No. G/2933, 8th Battalion The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment); arrived in France on 31 August 1915
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1915 Star
Died: 25 September 1915
Buried: no known grave
Inscription: commemorated on Panel 13-15 of the Loos Memorial in the Pas de Calais Region of France
CWGC record
Five other men, with no other connection to Radley other than working at Radley College, are remembered on the Servants’ Memorial:
Harold R Bradley: Lance Sergeant [Acting Sergeant], Service No. 15704, 2nd/4th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, died 29 October 1918, buried at Rocquiney-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt, France [Rocquigny and Equancourt are two villages in the Somme Department, north of Peronne and south-east of Bapaume]
CWGC record
Horace Collins: Private, Service No. 10960, 5th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, died 25 September 1915 aged 19, commemorated on Panel 39 on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres in Belgium; son of William and Emily Collins, of 13, St. Aldates Street, Oxford
CWGC record
Everet Freeman: Private, Service No. 8295, 1st Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, died 30 June 1916, commemorated on Panel 26 and 63 of the Basra Memorial in Iraq
CWGC record
William Adnams Hermon: Private, Service No. G/3189, 7th Battalion The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), field 18 November 1916 aged 22, commemorated on Pier and Face 5D and 6D of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France; son of William and Lucy Hermon of 51 Ormond Road, Wantage
CWGC record
Horace Stevens: Private, Service No. 265306, 2nd/1st Bucks Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, died 2 September 1917, commemorated on Panel 96-98 of the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing at Zonnebeke in Belgium
CWGC record
1914-1918 Masters’ Memorial at Radley College
Unlike the Radley College servants who died, only one of the seven Radley masters who died served in a local regiment, the Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry. More notable is that three were awarded the Military Cross, one of whom was George Butterworth, composer of The Banks of Green Willow and A Shropshire Lad Rhapsody.
George Sainton Kaye-Butterworth MC: Lieutenant, 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry; died 5 August 1916 aged 31; commemorated on Pier and Face 14A and 15C of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France; awarded Military Cross; son of Sir Alexander and Lady Julia Marguerite Kaye-Butterworth of 16 Frognal Gardens, Hampstead, London;
CWGC record
James Shuckburgh Carter: Captain, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards; died 27 September 1918 aged 37 at the Canal du Nord; buried at Sanders Keep Military Cemetery at Graincourt-les-Havrincourt, France [village south-west of Cambrai in the Pas de Calais region]; son of John Proctor and Isabel Mary Carter; husband of Diana Violet Gladys Carter of Houghton Green, Playden, Sussex; master at Radley 1904-1909, Cambridge Blue who coached the First Eight boat
CWGC record
Charles Fleetwood Ellerton: Captain, 10th Battalion Cheshire Regiment; died 19 May 1916 at Vimy Ridge; buried at Ecovres Military Cemetery at Mont-St Eloi [village north0west of Arras in the Pas de Calais Region of France]; son of Mouat Keith and Annie Ellerton, of Wallasey, Cheshire; left Radley 1915
CWGC record
Arthur J S Hoare Hales MC: Captain, 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment (The Duke of Edinburgh’s); died 6 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme; commemorated on Pier and Face 13A of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France; awarded Military Cross; left Radley 1914, Oxford Blue who coached the Second Eight boat
CWGC record
Revd William Hall: Chaplain and Naval Instructor, HMS Venerable, Royal Navy; died 4 [according to CWGC, 11th according to Radley College archives] November 1916 aged 49; buried at Ford Park Cemetery in Plymouth (formerly Plymouth Old Cemetery); member of Radley College Common Room 1889/1890; took Holy Order 1893, joined Royal Navy 1894; inventor of Nautical Slide Rule
CWGC record
Frank Northey Harston MC: Captain, 11th Brigade The East Lancashire Regiment, Brigade Major [chief of staff of a brigade, responsible for planning brigade operations]; died 22 April 1918 aged 27; buried at Gonneheim British Cemetery in the Pas de Calais Region of France north-west of Bethune; son of John Edwin and Bessie Anne Northey Harston of Olton, Warwickshire; awarded Military Cross, twice Mentioned in Dispatches; left Radley 1915
CWGC record
Lancelot Andrews Vidal: Special Reservist, called up 8 October 1914; 2nd Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion attached to 2nd Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry; died 25 September 1915 at Givenchy; commemorated on Panel 83-85 of the Loos Memorial in the Pas de Calais Region, France; master at Radley 1909-1914
CWGC record
Radley servicemen who died in the Second World War
The information below was obtained from:
- CWGC online records
- List compiled by former Radley History Club chairman Christine Wootton of the men and women known to have served in the war in some capacity and who either lived in Radley or had a connection to the village (Club archives ref: D.384)
- The History of Radley College 1847-1947, A.K. Boyd (published 1948)
- Radley College archives: Second World War dead
1939-1945 War Memorial in Radley Church
Stanley Ernest George Allen
Family: son of Richard Henry and Emily Ellen Allen; married Kathleen Winifred Dyer; couple lived at 93 Foxborough Road; daughter Suzanne Emily baptised on 27 April 1941, daughter Sonia Elizabeth on 4 April 1943 and Jean Margaret on 3 September 1944 at Radley Church
Occupation: paint sprayer at a motor works
Service: Guardsman in the Scots Guards, Service No. 2699224; Western Europe Campaign 1944/45
Died: 11 August 1944 aged 24
Buried: Tilly-sur-Seulles War Cemetery, Basse Normandie, France
Inscription: In the mosaic of this final victory a precious piece is set
CWGC record
Alfred Thomas Baber
Family: son of Alfred Richard and Rose Mary Baber of Grandpont in Oxford; married Phyllis Mary Ford of Radley; son born 1937; couple lived at 18 Whites Lane, home of Phyllis’s brother Ronald George Ford (driver serving with Royal Army Ordnance Corps with Eighth Army in Africa and Italy).
Service: Sergeant, Service No. 770790, RAF Volunteer Reserve
Died: 17 December 1941 aged 33 at Newark in Nottinghamshire following a motor accident
Buried: 20 December 1941 at Radley Church, Lower Cemetery
Inscription: Rest in the Lord
CWGC record
Herbert John Buckell
Family: son of Herbert Charles and Alice Mary Buckell of Radley; married Winifred Ivy ?; couple lived at 28 Whites Lane, Radley
Occupation: carpenter for a building contractor
Service: Corporal, Service No. 2118184, 234 Field Company Royal Engineers, Western Europe Campaign 1944/45
Died: 20 August 1944 aged 29
Buried: Ranville War Cemetery, France [between Caen and Ouistreham]
Inscription: Till we meet again
CWGC record
Ronald Arthur Engelbretson Coke
Family: son of Arthur Barnard Coke and Ethelthorne Coke of 61 Foxborough Road, Radley
Service: Aircraftsman 2nd Class, Service No. 1443022, RAF Volunteer Reserve
Died: 12 April 1943 aged 21 in UK [cause of death not known]
Buried: 17 April 1943 at Radley Church, Lower Cemetry
Inscription: One of the dearest one of the best, never forgotten. Loved by all.
CWGC record
John George Thomas Smewin
Family: son of John Cyril and Elizabeth Mabel Smewin 19 Church Road, Radley; ,
Occupation: railway porter with Great Western Railway
Service: Driver, Service No. T/89218, 3rd Division Supply Column, Royal Army service Corps, Western Europe Campaign 1939/40
Awards:
Died: Between 30 May and 2 June 1940 aged 19
Buried: no known grave
Inscription: commemorated on Column 139 of the Dunkirk Memorial
CWGC record
Leslie Ambridge Smith
Family: son of Oliver Stephen and Mary Florence Smith of 110 Lower Radley
Service: Sergeant, Service No. 1483277, 2nd Battery 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery; Middle East campaign
Died: 28 November 1941 aged 34 at Tobruk
Buried: Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya
Inscription: Peace, perfect peace
CWGC record
1939-1945 Masters’ Memorial at Radley College
Hugo James Ross [Jimmy] Barker
Family: son of Harold Ross Barker and Ellen Barker, of Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Occupation: geography master and PE expert at Radley College for about a year [The Barker Gymnasium at Radley College is named after him.]
Service: Pilot Officer, Service No. 88424, RAF Volunteer Reserve
Died: 25 November 1940 in UK aged 26, killed in RAF crash at Fulbeck in Lincolnshire
Buried: Holy Trinity Church, Nuffield, Oxfordshire
CWGC record
Charles Bertram Colvile
Family: son of Revd Canon Henry Charles Asgill Colvile and Norah Eileen Colvile of Ripple Rectory, Worcestershire
Occupation: assistant master at Radley College for about a year
Service: enlisted in 1939 as a private in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry; Lieutenant, Service No. 130797, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Died: 9 March 1942 in UK (Chesterfield District) aged 25; killed in an accident while a parachutist with Special Forces
Buried: St Mary’s Church in Ripple, Worcestershire
CWGC record
Also commemorated on the War Memorial at Ripple in Worcestershire
Edward Henry [Jimmy] Moss
Family: son of William Henry and Rose Winifred Moss, of Sevenoaks, Kent
Occupation: history master and cricket coach at Radley College from 1936
Service: Squadron Leader, Service No. 106228, 61 Squadron RAF Volunteer Reserve (RAF Bomber Command); joined The Wiltshire Regiment when war broke out; promoted captain in 1940 and transferred to the RAF in 1941
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross; citation in The London Gazette records ‘This officer has completed many sorties and on five occasions has attacked Berlin’.
Died: 31 March 1944 aged 32; recorded as missing from a bombing raid on Nuremberg on the night of 30-31 March; initially reported missing, presumed killed in action, his death was not confirmed until November 1947
Buried: Hanover (Limmer) War Cemetery
CWGC record