Butcher, H. F. 
Harold Frederick Butcher. Born in 1902 at Clarendon Road, he was too young to serve in the Great War, but, as a Royal Naval man, would probably have served in WWII, were it not for the tragedy that took the lives of the entire crew of sixty. He had begun his career on ships, including HMS Hood, but then transferred to submarines. On 26 January  1932, his submarine, M2, went into a dive while on sea trials off Portland Bill, Dorset, and did not resurface.

A passing merchant vessel noted that at around 11.15 a submarine had been seen diving stern first. The M2 had been modified in 1928, some nine years after its launch, to bear an aircraft hangar and a specially designed seaplane. The submarine was found on 3 February, and divers over the next ten months discovered that the hangar door was open, preparatory to the launch of the plane. The submarine had probably sunk owing to the entry of water through this route. 

In December 1932, an attempt to bring the submarine to the surface failed, owing mainly to the poor weather conditions. The M2 remains still on the bed of the sea, a hundred feet below the surface

with thanks to Melanie Bishop
illustration: M2, from Wikimedia Commons

Cockburn, P. A.  
Paul Alexander Cockburn died on 30 April 1924 at the Military Hospital, Roberts Heights, Pretoria, South Africa. He was 49, and a Captain in the Royal Artillery, and died after a long illness, contracted during the war. His medal card reveals that he served in France in 1915 with the Royal Engineers, and was awarded the Victory and Empire medals and the 1914-15 Star.

A headstone at St James reads:

Cork, N.    
Nelson Cork died in 1938 after being struck by an army truck while on service in Palestine. He was buried on 22 October 1938 at the Jaffa Road cemetery, Haifa, Palestine.

His son John visited the grave on 3 December 2011, the first time since he was a toddler. "I have had pictures of the grave and of my father's funeral, at which my late mother was in attendance, so after all these years to be standing and touching the headstone was quite emotional., I had brought some flowers as well as an RBL poppy wreath, and along with my friend Michael's flowers we placed them on the grave as well as his medals, and a small prayer was said. Later we went to the St Luke's hospital where I was born, and to the St Luke's church, where I was christened and my father had his funeral service. I gave a copy of the church magazine in which it was published to the church."

See We Remember 2

Everett, C. O. B.
Cecil Oswald Batterson Everett died on 23 September 1929 at Chartham Mental Hospital, aged 48. He had suffered "eleven years mental and bodily suffering from injuries received in the war". He had been "severely gassed and suffering from shell shock" according to his father. Before the war he had been a schoolmaster and on his discharge his address was given as 31 Salisbury Road, the home of his father.

He was buried at Charlton QN22, with the first part of the funeral service being held at St Bartholomew's. Amongst the mourners were his father and his sisters, Miss Everett, Miss Honor Everett, Miss Constance Everett, and Mrs Howman. He is buried with Sarah Elizabeth Mary Everett, aged 67, 4 Jan 1927, and John Henry Everett, aged 82, 13 May 1936

McPherson, G.
George McPherson, J/19206 from HMS Active, Dover Patrol, entered the service on 9 August 1912, and was invalided out on 4 August 1917. He received a disability pension of £1 4s 6d weekly. He died on 26 March 1922 at the Ministry of Pensions Hospital, Bushie Park, Denmark Hill. Mrs MacPherson of 174 Heathfield Close informed the Town Clerk, requesting her husband should be added to the Memorial

Odell, G.
George Odell was serving in F Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery at Abbassia, Cairo, when he was killed in an accident on 17 December 1924. He was the second son of Mr and Mrs G F Odell of 98 Hillside Road, Dover

"Always remembered by his mother, brothers Jim and Bert, and sister Jenny" (1949)

Reid, T. A.
Thomas Alexander Reid  died on 6 January 1923 at the War Pensioners' Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, from illness contracted on active service, wrote his wife, Alice M Reid, of 89 Mayfield Avenue, to the Town Clerk on 25 November 1924. He had served with the 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers

Smith, F. G. B.
Frederick George Berry Smith, 6837195, of the Royal Rifle Corps. He was the "beloved husband" of Kathleen Mary Smith, of Winchester, and the only son of Mrs and Mrs Walter Henry Smith, from 24 Clarendon Road, Dover.

In 1901 Mr Walter Smith, born in Somerset, was a Quarter Master Sergeant for the Royal Garrison Artillery. The family were living at the Militia Staff Quarters at the Archicliffe Fort, Dover, and at home were Mrs Maud Mary Smith, Frederick, then 11, who had been born at Woolwich, and his two sisters, Dorothy Kingcombe, 10, and Florence Rebecca, 9, both born in Dover. By 1911 the family had moved to Clarendon Road.

Frederick and his wife lived at 2a B Block Sparkford Road, Winchester; he was 39 when he died. He was buried at the Netley Military Cemetery (upper level), after having died at the Netley Hospital on 19 February 1929. Mrs Kathleen Mary Smith died in 2004.

On the grave is written, "In loving memory of my dear husband, Frederick George Berry Smith, CQ M/SJT, KRRC, who fell asleep Feb^ry 18th 1929, aged 39 years" and on the other side, "And Kathleen Smith, beloved wife of Frederick Smith, November 27th 1906 - February 2nd 2004". At the foot is written, "Till the day dawn".

"At the going down of the sun, we will remember them." DE

Sutton, T.
Thomas Sutton, Royal Garrison Artillery, aged 34. Husband of Mrs Sutton, 40 Trevanion Street, Dover. 8/12

Tucker, F. E.
Frank Ernest Tucker. He died "after much suffering from injuries received in the Great War, patiently borne" on 22 April 1929, at Littlehampton, aged 48.

He was the youngest son of the late William Holmes, builder, and Mary Susannah Tucker, from Dover. His parents had married at St James on 18 February 1865. Mrs Tucker's father was William Bussey, a coal merchant, and Mr Tucker's father was John Henry Tucker, a bootmaker. Nine of their children were baptised at St Andrews, Buckland: Charles William, 1867, Jessie Emmerline, 1868, William Henry Alexander, 1871, Edith Mary, 1872, William Bussey Roper, 1875, Catherine Emma, 1876, Frank Ernest, 27 June 1880, Mildred, 6 November 1881, and Amy Sarah Margarita, 1882. 

Wall, F. W.
Francis William Wall ("Toff") died on 18 February 1924 from the effects of war wounds at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington. He was late 5595 RSM of the 1st Battalion the Buffs, also instructor of the Duke of York's School. He was buried at Streatham Park cemetery.

He was the beloved husband of Teresa Wall

Wilkes, J.
Corporal James Wilkes. His death announcement, published on 18 September 1936, reads: "On September 3^rd 1936, Cpl. John Wilkes, of the 2^nd Battalion the Lincolnshire Regiment, killed by Arabs in Palestine, aged 29 years 11 months. From his loving Wife and Daughters, Irene and Joyce."

Corporal Wilkes came from Hednesford, Staffordshire. He was a keen sportsman, and represented his battalion at football. His wife, Emily, née Bailey, was from a Dover family. They had married in 1931, when the Lincolnshire Regiment were stationed at the Connaught Barracks in Dover. Corporal Wilkes had then been transferred to Catterick. Irene was three when her father died, while Joyce was just eight months. She had never been seen by her father, as he had been drafted to Malta some three months before she was born, and then to Palestine six weeks before his death.

While Corporal Willkes was in Palestine, Mrs Wilkes was living at 81 Hillside Road, Dover, On the very day she received a letter from her husband expressing his hope that he would be at home for Christmas, Mrs Wilkes was notified that her husband had been shot by snipers while on duty and had died of his wounds.

The headstone at St Andrews, Buckland, reads:
"In ever loving memory of Joyce Wilkes, who passed away 2nd Jan 1937, aged 12 months. Also of her daddy, Cpl J. Wilkes, DCM, 2nd Bn Lincolnshire Regt/ Killed in action near Bala, 3rd Sept 1936, aged 29 years. "Until we meet again" "

The plaque at the foot of the grave reads, "In Loving Memory of Irene Eliza Price, born 19.8.1933, died 1.6.2003. Sadly missed by all her family". On the foot kerb of the grave are the words "Safe in the Arms of Jesus".

information from Joyce Banks

Wilson, J. C.
John Charles Wilson, 1849504, Royal Engineers, on 3rd October 1922 at Ismailia, Egypt. Beloved husband of Alice Wilson, of 4 Odo Road, Dover. 13/10

Possibly brother of William George Wilson

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