Payne, R. W.   
Richard William Payne was a Lieutenant in the 6th TM battery Royal Garrison Artillery. He was killed in action on 19 August 1915 aged 26. He is buried at Woburn Abbey Cemetery, Cuinchy, France. I C 2. At the foot of the headstone are the words, "Peace, perfect peace. In Jesu's keeping we are safe and they."

Born at Devonport on 2 October 1888, he was the son of Richard and Emma (née Payne) Payne. They had been married at St Nicholas, Plumstead, on 8 March 1879.

In 1891 Mr Payne was a sergeant major in the Royal Artillery. Then the family were living in the parish of Stoke Damerel, Devonport, at 2 Old Granby Militia Stores, and Richard had two sisters, Gertrude Maria Annie, born 21 October 1891, and Emma, 7 August 1887, and a brother, and a brother, Sidney Herbert, 30 January 1885. Another brother, Wilfred Percy, was born on 15 October 1891, and a sister, Edith May, on 5 May 1893. The Paynes had moved to 25 Minstead Road, Gravelly Hill, Erdington, by 1911, with Mr Payne working as a commissionaire in the electrical works.

Richard William Payne was promoted on 22 October 1914 from Sergeant to Second Lieutenant for distinguished service on the battlefield, returning home the day before. He was married on 9 December 1914 to Miss Ada Tinsley (right) from 49 Heathfield Avenue, Dover. They went to Birmingham, perhaps to Richard's family, after the wedding and two days later Richard returned to the Front

Mrs Payne, who had been born in Gibraltar on 23 January 1890, later lived at 19 Waterloo Crescent, Dover. She had a daughter, Mary Wilhelmina, born at Barnet on 22 August 1915, just three days after her husband's's death.

On 4 June 1928, Mrs Payne married Joseph O'Callaghan at St Paul's, Dover. He had been a comrade of Lieutenant Payne, both having joined the Royal Garrison Artillery as boys in 1902 and both being based at the Castle where Miss Tinsley then lived, being a daughter of Corporal William Tinsley of the Artillery. On joining in October 1902, Richard was 4 feet 10 inches tall, described as having blue eyes and brown hair. He had four decayed teeth, two top and bottom.

Between 1907 and 1911 both Joseph O'Callaghan and Richard Payne served in Malta. They also both served in France during the Great War, Richard being sent out on 17 September 1914. Joseph received a field commission and, in 1922, leaving the army with the rank of Captain. He would rejoin to serve in the Pay Corps during the Second World War.

Between the wars Mr and Mrs O'Callaghan lived in Ypres, helping run the Ypres Salient War Museum. They returned to Dover in 1936 and in 1939 were living at 74 Folkestone Road with Mary, who, on 11 July 1941, married Reginald Kenny Fleeman at St Paul's, Dover.

Photo of Richard Payne's grave by courtesy of Mr and Mrs Mills 

Podevin, C.    
Charles Podevin, 3106654, was a Private in the 43rd battalion of the Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment) He had been born in Kent and died on 10 November 1918. He is buried at Charlton Cemetery, QT 14. The burial record gives him as the son of Henry C Podevin a Gunner in the RGA (Electrician?) 43 CC Highlanders aged 19 the Military School, Edmonton, buried 19 November

A death announcement states that he died at the Coleridge West War Hospital of wounds received in action at the age of 18. He is noted as the youngest son of the late Henry Charles Podevin and grandson of the late Mrs Goring of De Burgh Hill, Dover. Mr Podevin had married Amelia Caroline Goring at St Bartholomew's church, Dover on 18 April 1881. A further announcement was from his aunt Mrs Piddock. This was Amelia's sister Adelaide Clara who had married William James Piddock in 1897

In 1901 Amelia was living at London Road, Oxford Cottage, Reigate, Surrey. She was a widow, working as a laundress. With her were children Henry C, 14, a garden boy, Marguerite, 12, a kitchen servant, Winifred, Albert, 3, and Ewart, aged 13. They were all born in Dover apart from Albert and Ewart, born at Lower Kingswood. Constance Podevin is believed to be Ewart's sister, known by her second name, Winifred.

There is an attestation form for Charles Podevin dated 28 January 1918. Here it states that his mother was Catherine Podevin of 84 Denbigh Street, Pimlico, and that Charles was then living at  1106 16th Street, Washington DC, USA. It gives his date of birth as 27 November 1898 and states that he was single and working as a butler. He was five feet eight inches and a quarter and had brown eyes and hair

plot pictures and transcriptions with thanks to Joyce Banks
verse from death announcement in local newspaper

Note: A Mrs Ann Podevin ran the King's Hotel in Dover in the mid-19th century.