Privates Ayres, Merrison and Turnham are named on the Helmdon war memorial and on the commemorative tablet in the church (click to history of St Mary Magdalene church)
This information is from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, courtesy of Philip Hemming
Casualty Details
Name: AYRES, EDMUND JOHN
Initials: EJ
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Bedfordshire Regiment
Unit Text: 8th Bn
Age: 31
Date of Death: 16/04/1917
Service No: 31018
Additional Information: Son of Edward and Martha Ayres, of Helmdon, Brackley Northants, husband of Harriet Helen Ayres, of Greatworth, Banbury
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/memorial Reference: I.N.58
Cemetery: PHILOSOPHE BRITISH CEMETERY, MAZINGARBE
Historical Information: Philosophe is in the Pas de Calais, France, lying between Bethuune and Lens. The cemetery was started in August 1915. In 1916 it was taken over by the 16th (Irish ) Division, who held the Loos Salient at the time, and many of their dead were brought back to the cemetery from the front line. Succeeding divisions used the cemetery until October 1818, and men of the same Division, and often the same battalion, were buried side by side. After the Armistice, this cemetery was one of those used for the concentration of isolated graves from the Loos battlfield. The bodies of 41 men of the 9th Black Watch were brought from positions a little West of Loos, and those of 340 officers and men of other Regiments from different points in the communes of Cambrin, Auchy, Vermelles, Halluch and Loos. There are now 1,996 Coimmonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery, 277 of them unidentified. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.
(No of identified casualties: 1721)
From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
In Memory of
Private WILLIAM MERRRISON
15900, 100th Coy., Machine Gun Corps
who died age 19
on 04 November 1916
Son of Herbert William and Beatrice Merrison, of Helmdon,
Brackley, Northampton.
Remembered with honour
GROVE TOWN CEMETERY, MEAULTE
Commemorated in perpetuity by
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Historical information: Meulte is in the Somme, France. In September 1916, the 34th and 2/2nd London Casualty Clearing stations were established at this point, known to the troops as Grove Town, to deal with casualties from the Somme battlefields. They were moved in April 1917 and, except for a few burials in August and September 1918, the cemetery was closed. Grove Town Cemetery contains 1,395 First World War burials. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. (No of identified casualties 1391).
From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Casualty Details
Name: Turnham, Harry
Initials: H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Northamptonshire Regiment
Unit Text: 6th Bn
Age: 23
Date of Death: 05/07/1918
Service No: 203423
Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Sarah Turnham, of Falcutt,
nr. Brackley, Northants
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/memorial Reference: 11.C.11
Cemetery:
PERNOIS BRITISH CEMETERY, HALLOY-LES-PERNOIS
Pernois in the Somme, France, 16 kilometres south-west of Doullens. Pernois British cemetery was opened towards the end of April 1918, during the German advance, for burials from no 4 Casualty Cleearing Station. The cemetery was closed in August. The cemetery contains 403 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 17 German war graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
No. of unidentified casualties: 418
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