Now is the time for marching,
Now let your hearts be gay,
Hark to the merry bugles
Sounding along our way.
So let your voices ring, my boys,
And take the time from me,
And I'll sing you a song as we march along,
Of Sussex by the Sea!

The first verse of 'Sussex by the Sea', written by William Ward Higgs in 1907, and adopted as a marching song of the Royal Sussex Regiment in the First World War.

To mark the centenary of the First World War the Ashdown Forest Research Group has written case studies of all the men who died while on military service during the war and who are commemorated by the war memorials at Forest Row, Hartfield and Coleman's Hatch, Sussex. These are villages lying on the northern fringes of Ashdown Forest that traditionally have strong links with the Forest.

Click here to read an illustrated online essay which gives an overview of how the project was undertaken and discusses the key findings that have emerged from the research. (Click here for a PDF version.)

LIST OF STUDIES

The 113 studies are listed below. Click on any man's name to view their study. You can go from one study to the next by clicking the red arrows in the top corners of the web page, while clicking the red 'home' icon brings you back to this page.

For summaries of the men's key details click table sorted by name or table sorted by date of death (both PDFs).

The studies are being updated from time to time in the light of new information. The authors would welcome any corrections, supplementary information or photographs that might be of interest. Please contact them via the group's email address.

   
Baker, Pte George Frank Maskell, Pte Harry George
Bannister, L/Cpl William Henry Maskell, Pte Mark
Bassett, Spr Albert May, L/Cpl Ernest William
Bassett, Pte James Baldwin Medhurst, Spr John Arthur
Baylay, Lt George Frederick Mellor, Pte Benjamin Charles
Biddlecombe, Seaman Henry George Melville, Lt William Woodfall
Boakes, Pte Ernest Stanley Miles, Pte Walter Alfred George
Brand, Pte Albert Victor Mills, L/Cpl Albert
Brooker, Pte Charles Frederick Mitchell, Pte Albert
Brown, Pte William George Padgham, Pte Spencer
Brownlow, Capt Wilfred Herbert Cecil Padgham, Pte William
Burfoot, Pte Bertram Page, Pte Harry
Cannon, Pte Ernest Edward Pannett, Pte Reginald Henry
Cook, Pte Sidney Herbert Parker, Pte Edward John
Cox, Pte Raymond Parker, Pte William George
Divall, Pte Edward Peel, 2nd Lt Charles William
Divall, Pte Reginald Polehampton, Lt Frederick William
Draper, Bomb. Thomas James Richardson, Pte Albert Edward
Dunstan, Cpl Herbert George Robinson, Lt Cyril Charles
Edwards, Pte Frederick Robert Robson, Pte Robert Charles
Edwards, Pte Frederick Sylvester Sands, Pte Alfred Jesse
Farley, Sh.Sm. Victor Frederick Sands, Pte William Thomas
Fielder, L/Cpl Edward Cecil Shelley, Spr Ewbert John
Fielder, L/Cpl Frederick Stephen Simmons, Pte James
Fisher, 2nd Lt Edmund Montagu Prinsep Simpson, Lt George
Fisher, Capt George Kenneth Thompson Sippetts, Sgt Jack Frederick
Fry, CSM Frederick Samuel Snelgrove, Lt Sidney Henry
Gladman, Pte Archibald Frederick Southey, Dvr Frederick Charles
Gordon, 2nd Lt Ronald Granville Stevens, Pte Charles Edward
Grayer, Pte Harold Stevenson, Pte George William
Gregory, Pte George Stevenson, Pte John
Grisbrook, Cpl Alfred Llewellyn Styles, Pte William Joseph
Harding, Pte Ernest Sumner, Pte Alfred William
Heasman, Pte George James Sykes, Lt Col William Ernest
Hill, Gnr Frederick William Syms, Pte Charles
Holmwood, Pte Frederick Tester, Pte William Edgar
Honeysett, Pte Thomas Edward Thomsett, Pte Philip
Horlick, Maj Gerald Nolekin Tibbles, Pte Frederick Charles
Humphrey, Pte Thomas Titcomb, Pte Arthur William
Hyder, Pte Frank Tomsett, Pte Albert Ernest Standen
Kekewich, Capt George Upton, Pte Albert James
Kekewich, Capt Hanbury Lewis Upton, Stoker Arthur
Kekewich, Capt John Vaughan, Dvr Ernest Stanley
Kennard, Pte Arthur Villiers, Lt Algernon Hyde
Kensett, Pte Henry James Waters, Lt Eric Gordon
Killick, Pte William Webber, Pte Frederick Percy
Lawrence, Capt Michael Charles Weeding, Tpr George
Lawrence, Capt Oliver John Weeding, Pte John
Leney, Pte Cyril Henry Weekes, Pte David
Lucas, Capt Keith Wheatley, Pte Doctor
Luxford, BSM Bernard Wheatley, L/Cpl George
Luxford, Gnr Edward James Wheatley, Pte Harry
Luxford, Sgt William Wheatley, L/Cpl William James
Martin, Pte Walter White, Pte Albert Henry
Martin, Capt William Gerald Whitfield, Capt Nigel Bernard
Maskell, Pte George Woodhams, Sgt Thomas Henry
   
Post-war casualty: Wheatley, O/S Charlie
 

Parliamentary Recruiting Committee poster, 1915
Much of the fighting in France and Belgium took place only a short distance away across the Channel.
The disturbing sound of 'the thud and throb of the guns night and day' could be heard from Ashdown Forest.
(Click to enlarge)


   

(From left to right - click to enlarge) Early recruitment poster for the Southdown battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment; the famous "Daddy, What Did YOU Do In the Great War?" recruitment poster; and the start of full-scale conscription on 2 March 1916. (Source: Imperial War Museum)