Hambrook, R. F.  
Robert Fittall Hambrook, C/J 110579, was a Chief Yeoman of Signals in the Royal Navy, aboard HMS Dasher.  He died on 27 March 1943, when HMS Dasher suffered a huge internal explosion and subsequently sank, and is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 70.3

Born at Faversham, he was the fourth son of Mrs Emma Mary Hambrook (née Bing) of 78 Oswald Road, Dover. In 1894 she had married James Hambrook, a son of Thomas and Esther Hambrook of Shoulden; he died before 1911. Robert was named after Mrs Hambrook's grandfather, Robert Fittall.

"God's will be done"

Hambrook, W. J.
William John Hambrook was in the Merchant Navy and died at sea aboard the Alcantara, aged 41, on 4 July 1944. He worked as a waiter or smokeroom attendant. Born on 10 July 1903, he was the son of  William John Hambrook and his wife Esther Jane, formerly Henry, née Sedgwick, of 33 Millais Road, Dover, born 11 June 1876. The couple had married in 1901.

In 1911 the family were living at 33 Millais Road, with Mr Hambrook working as a postman. At home then were Mrs Hambrook's sons, Walter George Reynolds Henry, born on 7 May 1896, a telegraph messenger, Horace Freshfield Henry, about 1899, and Edgar Ernest Henry, 1900. Also there were William John and his sisters Doris Gertrude, born 1904, and Mabel Grace, 16 August 1909. A further son, Eric, was born in 1918.

William had blue eyes and brown hair and was 5' 9½" tall. In 1927 he  married Dora Benham in Southampton; the couple had a son, Ronald, in 1928. When he died he was living at 2 Cobden Crescent, Bitterne Park, Southampton. His effects were returned to his wife.

William was the first cousin once removed of Percy Thomas Walter Walker, as Percy's grandmother Frances was the sister of William's father. He was also the nephew of Edward and Walter Sedgwick; his mother was the sister of their father Walter.

William Hambrook died on 5 October 1937, and is buried at Charlton cemetery. In 1939 Mrs Hambrook was still at 33 Millais Road with her son Walter, a postman, and her daughter Mabel, who in 1937 married Ernest Benjafield and in 1955 remarried to James Moodie. Also there was Percy Crawford born in 1884, a postman. Mrs Hambrook died probably in 1955.

Hazlewood, A. S.
Arthur Stanley Hazlewood, 1219747, was an Aircraftman, 2nd Class, in the RAFVR. He was 22 when he died on 25 June 1943 as a Prisoner of War. He is buried in Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia, 6 B 16

He was the son of Walter R. Hazlewood and his wife Amelia A., née Foord, Ramsgate. The couple had married in 1916 in Dover; Amelia and her brothers and sisters had been born in Ramsgate but had moved to Dover, where in 1911 they were at 3 Limes Road and their father, Robert, was a baker and confectioner for the Co-op. Amelia then was a shop assistant.

Arthur was born in Dover, as was his brother, John, and had attended Barton Road School. Before he enlisted, had been a clerk employed by florists G and A Clark Ltd.

Arthur was missing on service for sixteen months before, in June 1943, his parents, then at 56 Crescent Road, Ramsgate, were delighted to hear that he was alive. He was a PoW of the Japanese at Java. His parents moved to  18 Godwin Road, Ramsgate, and there, on 27 November 1943, their renewed hopes were destroyed when the Red Cross passed on the information that Arthur had died.

Minnie, mother of Amelia and Arthur's grandmother, died on 15 January 1940 and is buried at Charlton, with the first part of her funeral service being held at the Congregational Church in the High Street, which she had attended for many years. Robert Foord died on "3 February 1932, and was also buried at Charlton.

This grave is at Charlton, and the footstone reads: "... memory of Arthur Stnley Hazlewood, Royal Air Force, Grandson of the Above, Died 25th June 1943, aged 22 years, in Japanese Prisoner of War Camp. Called to Higher Service."

photos Joyce Banks

Heath, A. E. 
Albert Edward Heath was the youngest son of electrician William John Heath and his wife Eliza, of 141 Clarendon Place, Dover. He was an old Duke of York's boy, and served in the Royal Engineers, 22 Fortress Company

He was reported missing after the capitulation of Hong Kong on 25th December 1941, and in August 1942 reported as a POW in Japanese hands. He died on 18th December 1944, when he was 25, and is buried at Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan. British Section BB, Grave 9

His home address was with his sister, Mrs Archibald, at 141 Clarendon Place, Dover 

Heron, D. B.
Donald Boyd Heron, 903482, was a Sergeant (Pilot) in the RAFVR, 42 Squadron. He died on 29 November 1941, his death registered in the Dartford area, and was buried on 5 December at Gravesend cemetery, Kent, plot B 14, grave 1482. He may have been stationed at Leuchers, Fife.

Born on 16 January 1914, he was the son of Ernest Edward Heron and his wife Miriam Grace, née Boyd, of 8 Avereng Road, Folkestone. The couple had married at the Baptist church in Folkestone on 12 October 1912. Mr Heron is recorded as a master grocer in the 1911 census, when he was living at 12 Sandgate Road with two of his sisters and his brother Robert.

He was an old Dover College schoolboy, and in 1931 gained a London Chamber of Commerce prize for elementary mathematics. He married Phyllis M Crutch in 1939 in the Clerkenwell area, and in the 1939 register is recorded as being already in training in the RAF, with the couple living at 12 Sandgate Road. Mrs Heron was born on 18 September 1910 and was in 1939 a ladies' hairdresser. They may have had a son, Anthony, in 1942.

picture: Gravesend cemetery entrance

Holbrook, J. A.
John Arthur Holbrook, 791282, was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery, 17 battery, No 1 Anti-Aircraft regiment. He was 31 when he died as the result of enemy action at New Malden, London between 25 and 26 October 1940.  He is buried at Morden Cemetery, Surrey. Section S, Grave 245. His name is also recorded on the memorial panel. Screen Wall, Panel 3

At the time of his death he was recorded on the casualty card as living in Canterbury. He was the son of the late Mr and Mrs George Holbrook, from Dover, and husband of Mrs (Hetty?) Holbrook, from 1 Douglas Avenue, New Malden.

pictures of screen wall with thanks to Dean Sumner

We attempted to find Gunner Holbrook's grave; we believe it is in the area of the fallen leaves, pictured left.  At the back of the image is the cemetery chapel.

Gunner Holbrook was the brother of George Henry Holbrook

Hopper, C. A. 
Charles Albert Hopper, C/JX 141200, was an Able Seaman in the Royal Navy. He was 22 when he was reported missing, presumed killed, on 5th April 1942, after the sinking of the H.M.S Cornwall. He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval memorial. Panel 54.3

He was the son of Mr and Mrs William George Hopper, from 19 Queen's Gardens, Dover

In Memoriam - 1943

Howden, I. C.
Ian Campbell Howden, was a Lieutenant Commander of the Royal Navy. He had served for 19 years in the Navy. He passed out from the RN College, Dartmouth, in January 1925, and joined the Queen Elizabeth. The following September he was appointed for a four year specialist course in engineering at Keyham. Promoted to sub-Lieutenant in July 1928, he became Lieutenant in April 1930, and Lieutenant Commander in April 1938. On 20 July 1934 he had gained his Royal Aero Club Aviator Certificate, 12099, at Hampshire Aeroplane Club, DH 60X Cirrus 11 30/80 HP. He then lived at Blockhouse, Gosport

He became engineer officer aboard the destroyer H.M.S Gurkha in January 1939, after serving from 1929 in the minelayer Adventure, in submarines at home and in China, and in submarine parent ships Bruce and Tiatania. He was reported missing, believed killed, on 9th April 1940, after the loss of the Gurkha off the coast of Norway.  Born in Dover on 30 June 1907, he was 32 when he died. He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. Panel 36, Column 1

He was the "very dear son" of Violet Howden, from Nell Gwynn House, London, SW3, and her late husband Dr Ian Howden, JP, from Dover, and the "beloved husband" of Marjorie

Hunt, L. J.
Lawrence John Hunt, 549999, was a Leading Aircraftman in the RAF. He was reported as missing and later as died on 2 June 1940, and is buried at the Kiel War Cemetery, Germany. 2 J 15

He was the "dearly loved only son" of Captain and Mrs J W Hunt, from 54 Priory Hill, Dover

Note: With no unit of squadron reference, it is currently uncertain how LAC Hunt is now buried at Kiel. Possibilities range from his having been captured groundcrew in France and dying en route to a PoW camp, or that his body may have been washed ashore in Germany subsequent to operations regarding the evacuation from Dunkirk, possibly from RAF Calshot. PO Cyril Collings of Calshot was posted as missing on the same day, and is commemorated on the Runnymede memorial. If you have any further information,  please let us know - with thanks to Dean Sumner