War Memorials

The war memorial in Hadleigh, Essex was erected in 1922. The carved stone plaques around the sides contain the names of the 48 men of the parish who died during WWI. The base it stands on remembers those who died during WWII (although no names were added). It’s quite an impressive structure, considering Hadleigh isn’t a big place even now.

GINN – Alfred Ginn (1872-1915)

Alfred GINN was born Jan 1872 in St. Neots, Huntingdonshire. He enlisted on 5th Sep 1889 into the 3rd Hussars and fought in the Boer War with the 6th and 2nd Dragoons. He was discharged after 21 years service in 1910 and re-enlisted 25th May 1915 as a 2nd Warrant Officer for the Military Mounted Police Corps. Alfred was killed in action just under 4 months later on 1st Oct 1915 age 43, leaving a wife and three young children.

COOLLEDGE – John Henry Coolledge (1884-1914)

John Henry COOLLEDGE was born on 25th Jul 1884 at Purleigh, Essex. He enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker in 1902 and was serving aboard HMS Cressy when war broke out. On 22nd Sep 1914 John’s ship was was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-9 whilst in the North Sea near Holland with the loss of 560 of her crew, including John. He was aged 30.

CALVERLEY – Harold Henry Calverley (1896-1915)

Harold Henry CALVERLEY was born in 1896 in Hadleigh, Essex. Shortly after war broke out, he enlisted as a Private into the Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment) 12th Battalion. He disembarked for France on 1st Sep 1915 and just 28 days later, on 28th Sep 1915, he was listed as missing in action. He was later presumed to have been killed on this date during the Battle of Loos. Harold was 19 years old.

ALLEN – Sidney Charles Allen (1894-1918) & James Edward Allen (1896-1919)

Sidney Charles ALLEN was born 1894 and his brother James Edward ALLEN in 1896, both in Hadleigh. Sidney enlisted into the Royal Garrison Artillery (Anti-Aircraft Depot) in 1915 and died at Carisbrook Military Hospital 25th Apr 1918. James enlisted into the Essex Regiment (1st/9th Battalion) in 1914 and died 8th Apr 1919, the last soldier to die from the town.