Francis Bertram Laming
Service Number 14719, a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment 1st Bn. Born 1895 in East Stonehouse, Devon he was the son of Thomas Laming- a Naval Pensioner & General Labourer – and Mary E. Laming, of 48, Laburnum Rd., South Wimbledon. He was an errand boy by trade. He joined the army in Merton and was posted as ‘presumed dead’ at Flanders 17th April 1917. He was 22 years of age. His grave is I. A. 31. BARLIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION. His effects of £20 19s 2d were sent to his widowed mother. His brother Thomas also fell.
Thomas Laming
Service Number M/2391 he was a Sick Berth Attendant on the Royal Naval ship H.M.S. “Formidable.” Born about 1891, he was the son of Thomas Laming – a Naval Pensioner & General Labourer – and Mary E. Laming, of 48, Laburnum Rd., South Wimbledon. He died in the English Channel 1st January 1915 at the age of 23. He is commemorated on 12. CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL and on the memorial at Rutlish School. His brother Francis also fell.
Under the command of Vice-Admiral, Channel Fleet, Sir Lewis Bayly, the 5th Battle Squadron spent 31 December participating in gunnery exercises off the Isle of Portland, supported by the light cruisers Topaze and Diamond. After the exercises, that night the fleet remained at sea on patrol even though submarine activity had been reported in the area. With rough sea conditions and the wind increasing, submarine attacks would have been difficult to carry out and so were not thought to be a significant threat. Formidable was steaming at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h) at the rear of the squadron off Portland Bill just 20 nautical miles (23 miles; 37 km) from Start Point, when at 02:20 on 1 January 1915 a torpedo from U-24 struck the number one boiler port side. The loss of life of Formidable was 35 officers (including Captain Loxley) and 512 men. Formidable was the third British battleship to be sunk and the second to be sunk by enemy action, during the First World War.
John Laurie
Service Number 89521, a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. Born in Shepherd’s Bush about 1900, he was one of four children and the son of James Laurie -a Laundry Man/Washer – and Rosina Laurie of 100, Nelson Road, South Wimbledon. He joined the army in Wimbledon and died of wounds 20th May 1918. He is buried in the BERLIN SOUTH WESTERN CEMETERY.
Edward H. Loop
Service Number 30232, a Bombardier in the 160th Brigade ‘A’ Battery the Royal Field Artillery. Born in Wimbledon about 1885, he was a Carpet Layer by trade and the husband of Ivy Loop (born Chard, Somerset 1885), of 11, Quicks Road, Wimbledon (Later 8, Victory Road., South Wimbledon). In 1911, they had one daughter – Dorothy – aged 5. Edward was killed in action at Flanders 14th September 1916 and his grave is VIII. C. 10. FLATIRON COPSE CEMETERY, MAMETZ . His widow, Ivy May received his effects of £9 14s 4d.
Mametz
John Walter Lovegrove
Service Number 22188, a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment. Born in Wimbledon, he was the son of Mrs. Catherine Lovegrove, of 65, Norman Rd., South Wimbledon. He joined the army at Kingston.
He died at sea 18th October 1918 on the hospital ship ‘Ghoorka’ which was en route from Salonika to Malta. He is commemorated on the DOIRAN MEMORIAL. His effects of £40 13s 6d. were sent to his mother.
Henry Robert Mansfield
Service Number J/28065, a Boy 1st Class on the Royal Naval ship H.M.S. “Clan McNaughton.” He was born in Wimbledon in 1899, the son of Robert Henry Mansfield, Grandson of Samuel Summers – a Navvy – and Elizabeth Summers of 1, Hubert Road, S. Wimbledon. He died at sea ‘by means other than disease, accident or enemy action’ 3rd February 1915 aged 16. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on 10. CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
HMS Clan McNaughton was a 4985 ton passenger cargo vessel, built in 1911 and requistioned November 1914 from the Clan Line Steamers Ltd, Glasgow. It is thought that Clan McNaughton foundered in a severe gale off the north coast of Ireland. Last heard from on 3rd February 1915, wreckage was later found in the area and Clan McNaughton was presumed sunk with the 281 strong crew. There is some speculation that she had a new crew who were generally unfamiliar with the vessel, and that the armaments added to the deck destabilised her making the McNaughton vulnerable to such severe weather as was found on the day she lost contact. There is also a theory that she was mined (Hillsley, Percy, Ambrose died on this same ship)
James Edgar Mitchell
Service Number 321753, a Rifleman in the 6th Battalion of the London Regiment (City of London Rifles). He joined the army in Wimbledon and died of wounds 28th May 1917. He was married and had at least one daughter – Charlotte – who was married in All Saints’ Church, South Wimbledon by the Rev. George Hammond Torrance on 26th December 1931. She was 22 years of age, living at 72, Garfield Road, Wimbledon and a Solicitor’s Clerk by profession. Her father is buried at the ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN
Harold George Moore
Service Number 470988, a Rifleman in the 1st and 12th Battalion of the London Regiment (The Rangers). Born in Wimbledon in 1890, he was the son of George Moore (born Illchester, Somerset 1851– a retired grocer), and Mary Anne Moore (born Essex 1853), of 241, South Park Road, Wimbledon. They had five children living with them in 1911: – Helena (born Wimbledon 1885 – a dressmaker), Lillian (born Wimbledon 1888 – a millinery saleswoman), Harold George (born Wimbledon 1890 – an insurance agent), Albert Filby (born Wimbledon 1892 – an insurance clerk), and Margaret Melina (born Wimbledon 1895 – an apprentice in a drapery store). Harold was posted as ‘missing, presumed dead’ on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme 1st July 1916 at the age of 27. He is commemorated on the Pier and Face 9 C. THIEPVAL MEMORIAL. His effects totalled £7 0s 7d.
Albert Murray
Service Number S/21017, a Rifleman in the 1st Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. He was the husband of Elizabeth Murray, of 153, Northborough Rd., Norbury, London. He died aged 27 on 10th August 1918 and is commemorated on the LOOS MEMORIAL.
Arthur Muston
Service Number 44520, a Bombadier in the 76th Battery, 10th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery. He was the son of John and Louisa Muston, of Wimbledon. Mentioned in Dispatches, he died in Mesopotamia 22nd April 1916 aged 30. His grave may be found at N. 17.KUT WAR CEMETERY. The distribution of his effects gives some insight into his family. His brother Herbert received£19 9s 9d, the same amount went to his married sister, Claire Richards, Lily Muston received £13 1s 9d, and his sister-in-law, Lily Byers, £3 6s 8d.
William Muston
Service Number 27104, a Private in the 1st/8th Battalions of the Middlesex Regiment. He was born in Leyton, widowed by 1911 and possibly the brother of Clara Muston – a Wallpaper Merchant – of 21, Hartfield Road, Wimbledon. He enlisted in Mill Hill and died of wounds at Flanders 13th June 1917. His grave is I.J.23.ACHIET-LE-GRAND COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
All Saints' Church, South Wimbledon 