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Below we list the names of those known to be associated with the parish of Tyneham who gave their lives in the service of their country.
| Forenames | Surname | Year born | Year died | Age | Conflict | On Tyneham plaque? |
| Henry George John | BALSON | 1879 | 1917 | 38 | WW1 | Yes |
| William James | BALSON | 1875 | 1902 | 26 | Boer War | No |
| Reginald John | BASCOMBE | 1898 | 1918 | 20 | WW1 | No |
| Bernard Gerald Lawrence | CHILCOTT | 1886 | 1917 | 31 | WW1 | No |
| Charles Job | CLEALL | 1890 | 1917 | 27 | WW1 | Yes |
| Charlton | HOLLAND | 1901 | 1944 | 42 | WW2 | No |
| Harry | HOLLAND | 1888 | 1915 | 27 | WW1 | Yes |
| John | HOLLAND | 1897 | 1916 | 21 | WW1 | Yes |
| Claude Knox | HOMAN | 1896 | 1915 | 19 | WW1 | No |
| Charles William Lemuel | McPEAK | 1892 | 1916 | 24 | WW1 | No |
| Alma Victor | MARTIN | 1887 | 1916 | 29 | WW1 | No |
| William George | MEECH | 1887 | 1916 | 28 | WW1 | Yes |
| William David | MILLS | 1920 | 1943 | 23 | WW2 | No |
| Walter Edward | STURMEY | 1891 | 1917 | 26 | WW1 | No |
| Reginald Bertie | TAYLOR | 1894 | 1915 | 21 | WW1 | Yes |
The war memorial plaque can be found in Tyneham Church. It commemorates just six men associated with Tyneham who lost their lives in the First World War.
The war memorial plaque was unveiled and dedicated at a special service held on Friday 19 November 2020.
Below we record details of all of the men associated with Tyneham that we know of who have lost their lives serving their country in the Boer Wars, First World War and Second World War.
Boer War
Private William James BALSON
William James Balson was the second of of ten children born to William Balson (1851-1933) and his wife Amelia Balson nee Gould (1854-1921). He was baptised at Corfe Castle on 5 September 1875.
William enlisted on 18 August 1894. He served with the Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment (3372). He died on 10 July 1902 at Standerton.
World War 1
Private Henry George BALSON
Henry George John Balson was a brother of William James Balson (see Boer War above) and the fourth of ten children born to William Balson (1851-1933) and his wife Amelia Balson nee Gould (1854-1921).
Henry spent his teenage years at Tyneham. He later worked as a gardener at Holnest Park near Sherborne, Dorset.
Henry married Florence Amelia Barnard (1881-1966) at Holnest on 28 August 1910. Florence later lived at “Rocquaine,” in Victoria Avenue, Swanage.
Henry initially served with the 1st Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment (13760) before joining the 6th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry (28569). He died aged 38 on 20 October 1917.
Henry is remembered on the Tyneham memorial plaque and at the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
Private Reginald James BASCOMBE
Reginald James Bascombe was born at Tyneham on 30 August 1898. He was the only son of James Bascombe (1849-1911) and his wife Bessie Eliza Bascombe nee Longman (1860-1918). His father was farmer at Baltington Farm. Reginald attended Tyneham School and had a younger sister Dorothy.
Reginald’s father James died on 21 January 1911 when Reginald was just 12. Bessie, Reginald and Dorothy were still at Tyneham on 2 April 1911.
Reginald subsequently attended Dorchester Grammar School.
His mother Bessie was living at 5 Belvedere Terrace overlooking the Esplanade at Weymouth.
Reginald moved to 192 Brixton Hill, London and was employed as a clerk. While living there enlisted on 14 August 1916 but was placed on the Army Reserve list. He moved to 25 Amesbury Avenue, Streatham Hill in September 1916.
Reginald served with the 15th (County of London) Battalion (Prince of Wales Own Civil Service Rifles) (535078) in France from 20 September 1917. He suffered with septic heals on several occasions.
Reginald died on 20 October 1918 aged 20 of pneumonia, most likely as a consequence of the Spanish Flu pandemic, at 30 Livingstone Road, Portswood, Southampton while on leave. He was buried at Southampton Hollybrook Cemetery. His mother Bessie’s death was registered at Southampton in the final quarter of 1918.
Photo courtesy of Frank Grant / Find A Grave
Sadly Reginald’s name is not included on the Tyneham memorial plaque but it is included among 28 former pupils commemorated on the Dorchester Grammar School Memorial Roll which is now displayed at the Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Matthews, Thomas Hardye School
Gunner Bernard Gerald Lawrence CHILCOTT
Bernard Gerald Lawrence Chilcott was born at Tyneham and baptised at St Mary’s Church on 18 July 1886. He was the second son of James Arthur Chilcott (1855-1933) and his wife Mary Caroline Chilcott nee Lawrence (1857-1940) who farmed Baltington Farm and then Lutton Farm, Steeple.
Bernard enlisted at Sherborne, Dorset and served as a Gunner (137017) with the Royal Garrison Artillery, 250th Siege Battery. He was killed in action on 28 December 1917 in France and is commemorated at the Aeroplane Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Charles Job CLEALL
Photograph courtesy of Nancy Wright
Charles Job Cleall was the son of John Cleall (1851-1906) and his wife Hannah Cleall nee Burden (1861-1900).
In 1911, Charles and his two brothers, Francis Henry ‘Frank’ Cleall (1884-1993) and Walter James Cleall (1894-1984), were boarding with the Turner family at West Whiteway, Tyneham.
Charles served with the 257th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) (113367). Charles died on 2 November 1917 aged 27.
Charles is remembered on the Tyneham memorial plaque and at the Basra War Cemetery.
Private Harry HOLLAND
Photograph courtesy of Mark White
Henry Holland, known as Harry Holland, was born on 26 September 1888 at Hounslow. He was the son of the late John Holland (1845-1920) and his wife Rose Ballam Holland nee Hansford (1861-1944).
Harry served with the 2nd Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment (8117). He was killed in action on 8 December 1915 in Mesopotamia (now Iraq).
He is remembered on the Tyneham memorial plaque and at the Kut War Cemetery.
Private John HOLLAND
Photograph courtesy of Mark White
John Holland was born on 3 February 1897. He was the son of John Holland (1845-1920) and his wife Rose Ballam Holland nee Hansford (1861-1944).
John served with the 14th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment (29626). He died on 13 November 1916 aged 21.
John is remembered on the Tyneham memorial plaque and at the Netley Military Cemetery.
Lieutenant Claude Knox HOMAN
Claude Knox Homan was born at Winterborne Came, Dorset on 12 July 1896. He was the son of Reverend Claude Samuel Homan (1867-1947) and his wife Adelaide Mabel Homan nee Digby (1862-1947).
Claude spent much of his childhood at Tyneham Rectory. where his father served as Rector from 1897 to 1913. His parents later moved to 72 Parkstone Road, Poole, Dorset.
Claude served with the 6th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment and was killed in action at Ypres on 18 September 1915 aged 19.
Claude is remembered at Voormezeele Enclosure No.3. Sadly his name is not included on the Tyneham memorial plaque.
Photograph courtesy of International Wargraves Photography Project
Charles William Lemuel McPEAK
Charles was born at Worbarrow on 11 March 1892 and was baptised at St. Mary’s Church, Tyneham on 10 April 1892. His father was a Coastguard Boatman.
Charles joined the Royal Navy on 5 September 1907 aged 15 and married Florence Margaret Smith of Eton in 1915. Sadly Leading Seaman Charles was killed along with all other 856 hands onboard when H.M.S. Black Prince (pictured) was attacked and sunk by five German warships on 31 May 1916 during the Battle of Jutland in WW1.
His widow later remarried.
Sadly his name is not included on the Tyneham memorial plaque.
Private Alma Victor MARTIN
Alma Victor Martin, known as Victor, was born at Fordington near Dorchester in 1887. He was the fourth son of blacksmith turned coachbuilder Charles Martin (1849-1919) and his wife Sarah Bilke Martin nee Pitfield (1849-1919).
In 1911 Victor was working as an attendant at the Dorset County Asylum near Dorchester.
Victor married Edith Ellen Balson at Tyneham on 1 June 1914. At the time Victor, aged 26, was a waiter living at Nicholas Street, Weymouth. Edith, aged 21, was the daughter of William Balson (1851-1933) and his wife Amelia Balson nee Gould (1854-1921) of Povington. It is thought that Edith also worked at the Asylum and that is how she met Victor.
Victor enlisted at Weymouth with the Dorset Regiment (18594) and later joined the 7th Battalion Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment (G/21773). Victor and Edith had a son Gerald Charles Martin (1916-1992) born 11 March 1916.
Victor was killed in action at Ancre, France on 18 November 1916 aged 28. It marked the last day of the Battle of the Somme. Victor is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial.
Private William George MEECH
William George Meech was born in 1887. He was the second son of Thomas How Meech (1860-1888) and his wife Emily Meech nee Hyde (1865-1917).
Sadly William’s father Thomas died in 1888 when William was less than 12 months old. The following year his mother Emily married William Taylor (1865-1952).
William served with the 1st/1st, Dorset Yeomanry (Queen’s Own) (996).
William died on 26 February 1916 aged 28.
He is remembered on the Tyneham memorial plaque and at the Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery.
Private WALTER EDWARD STURMEY died aged 26 on 4 February 1917
Walter was born at Whiteway to shepherd Frederick Sturmey (1857-1926) and his wife Ellen Sturmey nee Scutt (1853-1934). He served with the 1st/6th Batallion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, service number 21052. Walter is remembered with honour at Assevillers New British Cemetery, France (grave reference V.C.3) as well as on the East Lulworth memorial.
Private Reginald Bertie ‘Bertie’ TAYLOR
Bertie was the second son of William Taylor and Emily Taylor nee Hyde.
Bertie served with the Dorset Yeomanry (Queen’s Own) and died at Gallipoli on 21 August 1915 aged 21.
He is remembered on the Tyneham memorial plaque and the Helles Memorial.
World War 2
Able Seaman Charlton HOLLAND
Charlton Holland was born at Bere Regis on 6 May 1901. He was the son of John Holland (1845-1920) and his wife Rose Ballam Holland nee Hansford (1861-1944). He was a younger brother of Harry Holland and John Holland who both lost their lives in World War 1.
Charlton served with the Royal Navy (D/J 81779) aboard H.M.S. Mahratta. an M Class Destroyer. While guarding the largest-ever Arctic convoy sent on its way to Russia she was torpedoed by German U-Boat U-990 off the coast of Norway and sunk on 25 February 1944. Only 16 of the 236 crew survived. Charlton’s death came just five weeks after his mother Rose died.
Charlton is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial (Panel 86 Column 3). A memorial to those who lost their lives on the Arctic Convoys was unveiled at Murmansk in 1991 on the 50th anniversary of the first Arctic Convoy.
Flight Sergeant William David MILLS
William, born was the son of David Mills (1895-1980) and his Worbarrow-born wife Jessie May Mills nee Minterne (1895-1982). David and Jessie had married at Tyneham Church on 21 April 1929. David was the a draper living at 80 Parkinson Street, Burnley.
The 1921 census showed William and mother Jessie at Worbarrow.
William enlisted with the RAF. His service number was 655255 and he served as a Flight Sergeant with 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron.
William married Gladys Joan Day (1920-2000) in Surrey in the Spring of 1943. Their engagement had been announced in December 1941.
Sadly William’s plane, a Short Stirling I, was lost without trace, believed to have been the victim of a night fighter over the North Sea. It had taken off from RAF Downham Market on 27 May 1943 headed for an operation over the Frisian Islands. Their were seven crew members on board. William was aged 23. 1
William is commemorated on the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial Panel 138.
Page last updated: 19 March 2024
Meech Family
Home|Families|A-E|F-J|K-O|P-T|U-Z The Meech Family Thomas Charles ‘Charlie’ Meech (1884-1971) Charlie was the son of Emily Taylor nee Hyde (1865-1917), the Laundress, from her first marriage to Thomas How Meech (1860-1888). He was four when his father died. Charlie was the ‘Odd Man’ at Tyneham House. Beloved Charlie Meech … stayed… Continue reading
