Anthony Marchant and Kenn’s other Military Medallists
LEST WE FORGET…
Anthony Marchant, Kenn, Somerset.
From the ‘Roll of Honour” List: MARCHANT A.L. 1st Middlesex Regiment (Wounded in action in France April 18 1918).
Ref. Ray Naish at Cloverlea, by his old Stonehouse Farm, Kenn, August 2005 and again 2009.
Anthony in about 1904 had been in a Kenn church choir outing photo and was then about 8 years old. Unfortunately, the lady who had the copy of the photo had now died and Ray thought it had probably been thrown out, or burned, when her possessions had been disposed of. The person who told Ray about Anthony was Wally Moore and he was also long gone, but Anthony had been in an orphanage home in Bristol and was brought to Kenn by Emily Bailey who lived with her husband George at No.1 Church Path. George was paid to unlock the church. Ray also remarked that Sam Dyer came to Kenn from Wilts about 1850.
From Clevedon Mercury & Courier Microfiche in Clevedon Library, Nov. 2009 and Feb./March 2010:–
“Marchant A.L. 1st Middlesex Reg. Wounded in action in France, April 18th. 1918.” This was recorded in the Clevedon and District Roll of Honour, 4th. List, on page 3 of the Clevedon Mercury and Courier, May 11th., 1918.
In the Issue of 18th. May, 1918, in the “Births, Marriages, and Deaths” section:-
“Marchant – Died of wounds at & Stationary Hospital, Boulogne, Anthony Louis Marchant, the dearly beloved husband of Elsie Marchant of Bath and the adopted son of Mr and the late Mrs Bailey of Kenn, aged 25.”
On the same page, under ‘Yatton and District News’ is
“Roll of Honour.- Great sorrow was caused in the village of Kenn on Thursday evening, May 9th, when it became known that Pte. Anthony Marchant, of the 1st Middlesex Regiment, had succumbed to his wounds in France. He was the adopted son of Mr and Mrs Bailey of Kenn. He bravely and cheerfully responded to the call of his country when it came to him in 1916. He had been in France about a year and a half and was severely wounded on April 18th. (1918) He was recently married, and his wife was summoned to France and remained with him to the end. He was greatly respected in the village. He took a keen interest in Church work, being a Sunday School teacher for many years and a member of the choir. Much sympathy is felt for his widow and the members of the family. A memorial service is to be held in Kenn Church on Sunday evening next.”
In the Issue of 25th. May, 1918, on page 4:-
“In Memoriam – A memorial service was held at Kenn church on Sunday evening for Pte Anthony Marchant and Pte William Vickery, fallen in the war. Mention was also made of Pte Arthur Gale, missing since February 1917. The special Psalms, which were chanted, were the 24th. and the 46th., the special lessons being taken from Wisdom iii 1 – 6, Revelations xxi
1 – 5. The special hymns were “God moves in a mysterious way” and “O for a faith that will not shrink”. A solo, entitled “Into Thy Hands” was feelingly sung by Mr J.A.Parker. Mr Brooks ably presided at the organ, and at the close of the service played The Dead March in “Saul”. (sic) The service was conducted throughout by the vicar, Rev. W. Perks.”
Going back to the Issue of Dec. 15th, 1917, on p.3 in the Births, Marriages & Deaths section we found:
“Marriages: Marchant – Brunt. On Wednesday Dec. 12th at St. Mark’s Church, Bath, by the Rev. A.N. Rae, M.A., vicar, Anthony Louis Marchant, adopted son of Mr George Bailey of Kenn, to Elsie, eldest daughter of Mr R.J. Brunt, of Whaddon Green, Gloucester.”
In the Issue of Dec. 22nd 1917, on p.3 in the in the “In Memoriam” part of the “Births, Marriages and Deaths” section we then found:
“In Memoriam: in loving memory of Emily, the beloved wife of George Bailey of Kenn, who died Dec 22nd 1916.” (We note from Ray Naish’s memory on the previous page, that her name here is Emily, not Aggie – was she locally referred to as Aggie, I wonder, though Christened Emily, or was Aggie a second name used by friends and family? Also, George was her husband, not father). Beneath the announcement was this poem:
You are not forgotten, mother, dear,
Or will you ever be,
As long as life and memory last
We shall remember thee.
Yes, she’s gone; one of the best,
Sweet is her memory dear.
‘Tis sweet to breathe her name,
In life we loved her very dear,
In death we do the same.
We then did a search in the December issues of the 1916 Clevedon Mercury and found the following in the December 30th 1916 issue:
Deaths: BAILEY – December 22nd at Church Causeway, Kenn, Clevedon, Emily Bailey aged 69 years.”
We also went to Wells Cathedral and looked in the “Golden Book of Remembrance” in St. Martin’s chapel, and saw the entry for Anthony on page 93.
We have done a small amount of research into the others mentioned on Kenn Roll of Honour, and along the way picked up other interesting snippets about Kenn. We will try to get the general information together soon for another article in ‘Kenn News and Views’, but felt that Remembrance time was the best occasion to present the above information.
Geoff. and Eleanor Marchant, October 2011.
Part of the other information is relevant here:
Other Marchant and Kenn & Clevedon Soldier refs in May 1918 Mercurys:-
Clevedon Mercury and Courier, May 25th, 1918, page 3, in Roll of Honour:
Marchant, Lance Corporal A G (Clevedon, see Clevedon Booklet)
Also, in same paper, but on page 2:-
Members of the Clevedon and Yatton platoon 1st Somerset Volunteer Regiment, proceeded to camp at Minehead on Saturday since which they have been under canvas in this picturesque Somerset seaside resort. Delightful weather was had in the early part of the week, during which drilling and route marching formed part of the daily routine. Some of the Volunteers returned on Tuesday, others on Wednesday and Thursday and all looking bronzed and very “fit” after doing their bit at “soldiering”. The three Somerset Volunteer Battalions were in camp, the whole of the arrangements in the way of catering, messing, &c, for the troops being considered perfect and the cuisine excellent. The camp breaks up today (Saturday).
My comment:- It can be seen from the above that the writer regarded “soldiering” as but a bit of a game, and the most important aspects were the “bronzing” and the catering arrangements – I wonder if the writer was responsible for the latter?! (Am I being too cynical?)
For Kenn’s Arthur Gale and William Vickery (Vickary?- a mistake on memorial and in “Clevedon’s Own” book?), see above on page 1.
On p3 of the issue of 18th May, 1918, again in the Yatton and District News:
“Kenn’s Military Medallists – Last year we recorded in these columns that Sergt G. Stuckey, Bedfordshire regiment, of Kenn, had won the Military medal; and now we have the further pleasing duty of announcing that another of Kenns’ sons, also in the same regiment which they joined together in September 1914, has become the proud possessor of the same coveted distinction. The latest recipient is Pte. William H. Dyer of Kenn Post Office, who has received the following letter from Major General R.P.Lee. ‘ I have read with great pleasure the report of your Regimental Commander and Brigade Commander regarding your conduct and devotion to duty in the field on 2nd April 1918, during the attack on Hangard.’ Sergeant Stuckey also distinguished himself on the same occasion and a bar has been added to his medal in consequence. The two friends have spent 2 years and 8 months in France.”
We went back to the October 13th, 1917 issue and found a picture and long account of Sergeant G. Stuckey’s award of the Military medal.
NB: in the Issue of 25th May, 1918 was a note that “The first sawdust newspaper – Donside Paper Mills, Aberdeen. The Aberdeen Evening Press was on the 15th. in part printed on paper which contained a percentage of sawdust.”